Final Kingdom MUSH - User contributions [en]

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-22T13:51:48Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

I haven't had time to find out. So much has happened.

All I know is that this is bigger than me; bigger than all of us. I saw a world heart, ''the'' world heart, get eaten by Darkness and still keep on beating. But now everything's starting to fall apart, and I have no idea what to do besides keep moving forward. And then there's this Genesis, and the knowledge that Zack died, and is still dead even as I speak. Part of some twisted game to suit someone's ends, or so I've gathered. I don't know what's going on with that either, but I'm going to find out.

I think though that one of the most frustrating, but enlightening experiences I've had while here is the time I've spent with Chita. He's a gentle soul that's been treated so harshly, but he still clings to his beliefs. I don't like saying this, and it's not a brag, but we have many things in common. We've been mistreated, exploited, used to further the ends of everyone who thinks they can profit from us. But we're both still here and still going. We've been in fights with others and each other, but somehow we still manage to pull together.

And I think I've gotten him to open up a little, too!

Still, the question remains. Who caused the fall of my world, and how can I get it back? I know I have to, because it's my duty, but it seems so impossible now...

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' (Current Location: Traverse Town) ====

After a series of events where things go slightly out of hand, several burning questions are answered in Traverse. It is there that the true nature of the weapon is revealed, and yet many more questions arise from the revelation. With little idea of what to do with it now, [[Aerith]] follows [[Chita]] from the meeting and discovers he is able to see without the use of his eyes. Perhaps the pale sword is not so malignant. At least, for the time being. But Aerith can still sense its killing intent, and though docile for now, it will continue to seek out Rhiannon for payback...

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Aerith]] gets in touch with [[Maira]] and asks for more information on her errand. It turns out that the Princess of Heart is attempting to restore Palamecia, the world from which she hails, to its former glory, and she already has a World Shard to get started. With no knowledge on the whereabouts of the others however, Maira is stuck where she is. Knowing from her experiences in Manhattan that finding these shards is no easy task, Aerith offers her assistance in whatever way she can.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+1)||Oh, you can see now! But it's not exactly perfect, is it?
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-22T05:43:55Z

Renegade: /* History... in her own words */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

I haven't had time to find out. So much has happened.

All I know is that this is bigger than me; bigger than all of us. I saw a world heart, ''the'' world heart, get eaten by Darkness and still keep on beating. But now everything's starting to fall apart, and I have no idea what to do besides keep moving forward. And then there's this Genesis, and the knowledge that Zack died, and is still dead even as I speak. Part of some twisted game to suit someone's ends, or so I've gathered. I don't know what's going on with that either, but I'm going to find out.

I think though that one of the most frustrating, but enlightening experiences I've had while here is the time I've spent with Chita. He's a gentle soul that's been treated so harshly, but he still clings to his beliefs. I don't like saying this, and it's not a brag, but we have many things in common. We've been mistreated, exploited, used to further the ends of everyone who thinks they can profit from us. But we're both still here and still going. We've been in fights with others and each other, but somehow we still manage to pull together.

And I think I've gotten him to open up a little, too!

Still, the question remains. Who caused the fall of my world, and how can I get it back? I know I have to, because it's my duty, but it seems so impossible now...

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' (Current Location: Traverse Town) ====

After a series of events where things go slightly out of hand, several burning questions are answered in Traverse. It is there that the true nature of the weapon is revealed, and yet many more questions arise from the revelation. With little idea of what to do with it now, [[Aerith]] follows [[Chita]] from the meeting and discovers he is able to see without the use of his eyes. Perhaps the pale sword is not so malignant. At least, for the time being. But Aerith can still sense its killing intent, and though docile for now, it will continue to seek out Rhiannon for payback...

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Aerith]] gets in touch with [[Maira]] and asks for more information on her errand. It turns out that the Princess of Heart is attempting to restore Palamecia, the world from which she hails, to its former glory, and she already has a World Shard to get started. With no knowledge on the whereabouts of the others however, Maira is stuck where she is. Knowing from her experiences in Manhattan that finding these shards is no easy task, Aerith offers her assistance in whatever way she can.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+6)||There's no way you can possibly salvage that weapon. I can't feel anything from it...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-20T02:13:30Z

Renegade: /* A Friend in Need */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' (Current Location: Traverse Town) ====

After a series of events where things go slightly out of hand, several burning questions are answered in Traverse. It is there that the true nature of the weapon is revealed, and yet many more questions arise from the revelation. With little idea of what to do with it now, [[Aerith]] follows [[Chita]] from the meeting and discovers he is able to see without the use of his eyes. Perhaps the pale sword is not so malignant. At least, for the time being. But Aerith can still sense its killing intent, and though docile for now, it will continue to seek out Rhiannon for payback...

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Aerith]] gets in touch with [[Maira]] and asks for more information on her errand. It turns out that the Princess of Heart is attempting to restore Palamecia, the world from which she hails, to its former glory, and she already has a World Shard to get started. With no knowledge on the whereabouts of the others however, Maira is stuck where she is. Knowing from her experiences in Manhattan that finding these shards is no easy task, Aerith offers her assistance in whatever way she can.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+6)||There's no way you can possibly salvage that weapon. I can't feel anything from it...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-20T02:08:44Z

Renegade: /* High-Priority */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' (Current Location: Traverse Town) ====

After a series of events where things go slightly out of hand, several burning questions are answered in Traverse. It is there that the true nature of the weapon is revealed, and yet many more questions arise from the revelation. With little idea of what to do with it now, [[Aerith]] follows [[Chita]] from the meeting and discovers he is able to see without the use of his eyes. Perhaps the pale sword is not so malignant. At least, for the time being. But Aerith can still sense its killing intent, and though docile for now, it will continue to seek out Rhiannon for payback...

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+6)||There's no way you can possibly salvage that weapon. I can't feel anything from it...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-16T00:16:29Z

Renegade: /* Quests */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' (Current Location: Alexandria) ====

Aerith tracks down [[Chita]] to the Kingdom of Alexandria, where he admits his mistakes at long last to her. As they mend their long-damaged friendship, she resolves to change her method of dealing with him. The weapon's ultimate fate is addressed, and since it cannot end up in the hands of those that would use it for destruction, the only way to dispose of it is to destroy it. Now all they have to do is find out how...

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+6)||There's no way you can possibly salvage that weapon. I can't feel anything from it...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-16T00:06:02Z

Renegade: /* Quests */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' (Current Location: Alexandria) ====

Aerith tracks down Chita to the Kingdom of Alexandria, where he admits his mistakes at long last to her. As they mend their long-damaged friendship, she resolves to change her method of dealing with him. The weapon's ultimate fate is addressed, and since it cannot end up in the hands of those that would use it for destruction, the only way to dispose of it is to destroy it. Now all they have to do is find out how...

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+6)||There's no way you can possibly salvage that weapon. I can't feel anything from it...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-14T04:23:44Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. After watching him recoil in terror from an unseen entity that not even she could sense, Aerith seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+6)||There's no way you can possibly salvage that weapon. I can't feel anything from it...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-03-14T04:23:21Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. After watching him recoil in terror from an unseen entity that not even she could sense, Aerith seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||There's no way you can possibly salvage that weapon. I can't feel anything from it...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-28T08:28:42Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. After watching him recoil in terror from an unseen entity that not even she could sense, Aerith seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Yeah, definitely the worst timing. But... what did you see?
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Montag]]||Neutral (+0)||You know what she'll do with it. Don't let her repeat this!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-28T08:25:35Z

Renegade: /* Enemies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. After watching him recoil in terror from an unseen entity that not even she could sense, Aerith seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Yeah, definitely the worst timing. But... what did you see?
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I ''should'' have let that thing ''eat'' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-28T08:25:09Z

Renegade: /* Enemies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. After watching him recoil in terror from an unseen entity that not even she could sense, Aerith seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Yeah, definitely the worst timing. But... what did you see?
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||I 'should' have let that thing 'eat' you. Keeping the roof above our heads took priority.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-28T08:23:45Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. After watching him recoil in terror from an unseen entity that not even she could sense, Aerith seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Yeah, definitely the worst timing. But... what did you see?
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||It would be better for everyone if we took care of you, and soon...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-28T08:13:49Z

Renegade: /* High-Priority */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. After watching him recoil in terror from an unseen entity that not even she could sense, Aerith seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Why did you ''do'' that? You stubborn, brave fool...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||It would be better for everyone if we took care of you, and soon...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-28T08:10:12Z

Renegade: /* High-Priority */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Pale Terror'' ====

Yet another weapon has been created by Rhiannon's twisted experiments. The results of the latest battle against the latest creation of the mad scientist has reached a conclusion, and now the blade borne from the ashes of battle is in the hands of [[Chita]], both a good friend and the reason that a powerful threat still exists. Torn between taming the weapon herself and talking him into destroying it, she seeks him out to determine his next move.

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Why did you ''do'' that? You stubborn, brave fool...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||It would be better for everyone if we took care of you, and soon...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-14T06:56:52Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Into the Deep'' ====

[[Chita]] has been thrown into the Realm of Darkness, where the Heartless gather and originate from. His last action allowed the Black Beast to be destroyed, but at what cost? Can Rhiannon simply make another, only for the tragedies to repeat again? Before these questions can be answered, Aerith needs to find and recover what the Darkness has finally taken. But does he even ''want'' to be found...?

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You just let me know when you need me, okay?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Why did you ''do'' that? You stubborn, brave fool...
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||It would be better for everyone if we took care of you, and soon...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-14T06:25:41Z

Renegade: /* Quests */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

== High-Priority ==

==== ''Fruit Village Investigation'' ====

In the wake of the recent attack from Shinryu, Aerith witnessed the horror of the biggest (and only) World Heart she'd ever seen turning to darkness and almost winking out. Somehow, it survived. But now, the entirety of the realm she hails from is being slowly eaten away. Before long, it will break apart entirely, lost forever. To stop this from happening, [[Mercade Alexander]] suggests she head toward Fruit Village, the epicenter of the conflict, to see what can be done...

==== ''Horrible Knowledge'' ====

Aerith has finally lost her patience with [[Rhiannon Zellen]]. After attempting to understand her, only to see the horrors the Shinra scientist is capable of unleashing, she sets her mind on ridding the world of another mad scientist, who seems determined to cause endless suffering for what she claims to be the advancement and evolution of mankind. With such a twisted rationale, there is nothing the scientist will stop at. Sooner or later, she must be removed from the picture.

==== ''Into the Deep'' ====

[[Chita]] has been thrown into the Realm of Darkness, where the Heartless gather and originate from. His last action allowed the Black Beast to be destroyed, but at what cost? Can Rhiannon simply make another, only for the tragedies to repeat again? Before these questions can be answered, Aerith needs to find and recover what the Darkness has finally taken. But does he even ''want'' to be found...?

== Secondary ==

==== ''Connection: Angantyr Vespar'' ====

[[Angantyr Vespar]]. Dark Knight, Keyblade wielder, and one who has a deep connection with Maira, whom Aerith calls friend. Who is this mysterious man, where did he come from, and what past does he have with Chita? Aerith decides to look deeper into a man she's met only in passing, and attempt to figure him out.

==== ''A Friend in Need'' ====

[[Maira]] claims she has something she needs to take care of, as soon as possible. Aerith has offered her help, and in the hopes that Maira will speak with her, has given the young Princess of Heart her contact information. Now all she can do is wait until she is called upon for assistance.

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Would you please stop being stubborn now? Only ''one'' of us gets to do that.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||It would be better for everyone if we took care of you, and soon...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-02-14T05:46:09Z

Renegade: /* Enemies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Would you please stop being stubborn now? Only ''one'' of us gets to do that.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||It would be better for everyone if we took care of you, and soon...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Connection: Avira

2014-01-12T16:26:45Z

Renegade:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/11/26
|Location=Traverse Town - Cloud Nine - First Floor
|Synopsis=They've run into each other far too many times for her to believe it's coincidence. Now the leader of VALKYRI and the eponymous Flower Girl of Goug have a heart-to-heart, during lunch hour at Cloud Nine. Oh, and some guy named Raine butts in too.
|Cast of Characters=Avira, Aerith Gainsborough, Raine Arland
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' For once, Aerith was not on the clock here at Cloud Nine. No, she was here as a patron, trying to take her mind off of what's been happening for the past few days. They'd gotten a few more helpers at this spot, and they were busy working the grill and the bar. With that said, she'd ordered a nice baked potato and some fries with a soda, found the quietest corner in the pub, and made her best attempt to be alone with her thoughts. But this was Aerith, and she didn't like being alone all that much, so she'd sent a specific letter to a certain someone... ''Avira, we need to speak, face to face. It's not serious, I just want to get to know you a bit better. We run into each other far too often not to have at least an understanding. Meet at Cloud Nine, whenever you feel ready for it, and we'll get down to being friends. Or at the very least, being something more than acquaintances. - Aerith''

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Eventually that letter made its way to Avira by way of courier. It actually results in a written reply, telling Aerith when would be a good time for her since not only is she busy but she often has to avoid certain places due to the whole bounty situation. Heck, she even ran into such a situation a few days ago! But since she had yet to run into problems in Traverse Town, she does indeed come show up at the Cloud Nine. She comes dressed in different clothing with her signature weapon carefully hidden beneath a green cloak around her shoulders. It doesn't take long for her to find Aerith because she knows pretty well what the flower girl looks like. Grinning, she slides into the seat next to Aerith. "Hey there."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' It wasn't like she knew about the bounty. Otherwise she'd have picked a different spot. Still, this was one of the only places she knew that was relatively safe to talk at, so Cloud Nine it was. Sure enough, Avira came as expected, and Aerith gave her the best smile she could. Not like it wasn't genuine, but she had ten different kinds of smile, and this one was labeled 'meeting someone for the first time,' at least in her head. "You want anything? Stuff here's pretty good."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira can deal. Enough people in Traverse Town seem amenable to Avira and disinterested in helping Baron. She's been back a few times to pick up supplies without problems. As she sits down, she brushes her hilted weapon to the side and crosses one leg over the other. Avira grins, "I'll take a sandwich and whatever soup they have today." She leans back in the chair and threads her hands behind her head. "So how have you been?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' Raine Arland. Man of Mystery. Dark Swordsman extraordinaire. Master of the blade summoning sty--hrgk. AHEM, nevermind all that; back to business! The doors of Cloud Nine come swinging open as Raine stepped through. "Look out! Raine Arland is on the scene!" Pause as several other occupants stare at the new arrival. Expressions range from incredulity, annoyance, irritation, and amusement as they behold the young man who just so loudly proclaimed his arrival. Grinning at the various reactions he got, Raine strode on through and plopped down at a table, incidentally near Aerith and Avira's table. He hailed a waitress over and placed an order cheerfully. Wow this guy was in a good mood, wasn't he? "Ahhhhh, nothing like kicking back and relaxing after making a damn good breakthrough! Ahahahahaha!" And to top it off, he put his legs up on the table and leaned back in his chair, adopting a lazy pose with his arms crossed behind his head. Wow, this guy...

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gives a nod and flags down a waiter, giving the extra order. Soon as he walks away, she props her elbows on the table, her features settling into a resigned look. "I've been terrible, honestly. Been in what amounts to a war out in the Land of Dragons." She huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "I'm not going to talk about that, though." She smiled. "What I want to talk about is-" And then another guy bursts in, causing her to glance toward him with wide eyes. After hearing him speak, she shook her head with a chuckle. "Now then, before the good sir made his big entrance..." She cleared her throat and focused her attention back on Avira. "What I wanted to talk about was you. And in return, you can ask anything about me that you want. I'll answer as much as I can." She smiled again. "So... Who are you. Not your name, I know that. I mean... who are ''you''?"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira's eyebrows lift when she hears Raine announce his entrance. She frowns, recognizing the name, and looks over her shoulder, following him as he walks through the room and sits down at the nearby table. "Hah, it's you. Been a while." Avira sounds smug, "But I still remember what I did for you back in the swamp." She then frowns at Aerith, "Oh, you were involved in that? Maira told me all about it, so no worries." She looks thoughtful for a second. Well, even her name was something that could be shared, but not now. "Me? I was a chiropractor's assistant from Brooklyn that was tossed into Ivalice when my world fell. Now I'm an awesome huntress and guild leader."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "Really? I suppose that explains your interesting weapon." Aerith sighed. "I wish I could lead a guild or something... I just don't know what we'd do, or what we'd be named." She shook her head. "Never mind that, though. You said something about Maira..." The tips of her eyebrows shifted upward. "How is she?" She'd only gotten one good look at her from the aftermath at the Great Wall... and that one brief look was enough to cause her concern.

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' Raine's good cheer immediately froze the moment he heard Avira's voice. Like a statue, he froze up, and then rigidly turned his head to look. "...I-It's....It's yooooooooooou...!" He pointed, an indignant expression on his face at the moment. "You're the one who--!" He trailed off at that moment, thinking. "...Wait, who are you again?" Poof. All dramatic tension: lost. "No really, who are you?" Raine asked, straightening up in his set and taking his feet off the table. "You LOOK familiar, but...For the life of me, I can't recall! What's this about a swamp?" Seems he forgot! Turning his chair to face the two women, the young man grinned amicably enough. "And I don't believe I've met you either." He spoke in regards to Aerith. "Name's Raine. Raine Arland." Not that it was necessary, considering he announced to the entire establishment seconds earlier. Avira's abridged story is heard meanwhile and he arched a brow. "Wow, got enough hands to pat yourself on the back with there?" Raine asked wryly, crossing his arms after.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Yes! Me!" Avira beams at Raine. That look on his face...priceless! "I-" she looks annoyed. "I saved your life! Remember? My name is Avira. You know, from VALKYRI? There was that mark about the gator in the swamp." He forgot! He totally forgot! Then again, it was so long ago so Avira starts to wonder if it was really worth reminding him anymore. "...well sort of." Yeah, there's a story behind Avira's weapon too but it wasn't something she just shares with anyone. Only VALKYRI and TDA members seem to know it right now. "Maira's fine, we've been taking good care of her. She was pretty roughed up after that fight in China." Turning, she gives Raine a quick glare but it quickly disappears, replaced with a grin. "Why, did you want to lend one of your hands to help? I'm proud of all the stuff I've done this past year and I'm not gonna be modest about it~"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. Well, these two seemed to know each other. The food came to the table without too much fanfare, and Aerith smiled at the waiter, saying she'd pay for it. With that, she sat back and observed the back and forth for a moment. Maybe she could learn a bit more about Avira from observation than conversation. They'd talk a bit more about Maira later; she seemed to be a common thing between them.

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Saved my life? Huh..." Raine brought a hand to his chin, thinking on it for a few moments. "...Nope! Doesn't ring a bell!" He responded after, grinning an idiotic grin. How convenient. Having been mostly out of the loop and off on his own business, Raine wasn't the go to person for current events. It was kind of embarrassing how little he actually did anything in the forefront. "What's this about a fight in china? Was there a rice shortage or something?" He asked, voice rife with snark. Avira's comeback to his other comment earned her a smirk. "One of my hands?" The young man raised one of said hands, staring at it thoughtfully for a second. "Weeeeeeell, I dunno. I think you've got enough already." He decided after, shrugging nonchalantly. "But if you ''insist''..."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Tch, you owed me one." Maybe if she got Shiki around to vouch as a witness, she could force him to remember-and pay back that favor. A favor in her pocket was always something Avira liked to have on hand in a pinch. An annoyed look followed though: "Uh, no, China was invaded by ''the undead''. Are you that out of the loop on things? There's been talk about that all over the place." She looks him in the eye, clearly CHALLENGING him. "Oh yeah, Raine." she pushes, "I ''insist''."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Right, this could get interesting very quickly. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to involve him in their conversation, seeing as he seemed a bit clueless, and Avira was rather easily provoked. She had to remember that fact for later if she wanted to get along with the clan leader. Aerith cleared her throat. "While I'd love to watch you two settle your differences in here, I don't think either of you would like to pay for the damages you'd do to one of my best friend's bars." She glanced at the both of them. "Please. Stop."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' Raine arched a brow at Avira's response and just- "Well, I guess I can't say no then!" And then he reached out, patting her pack. "There there. You are awesome and I could never hope to compare to the heights of greatness that you've risen to! Oh woe is me!" Raine spoke, sarcasm thick in his tone. "But one day, one day I WILL and when that day comes, the tables will turn and you'll be the one patting ''me'' on the back!" Withdrawing his hand, the young man put on leg over the other, leaning back in his seat as he considered the china situation. "Huh. Invaded by the undead? Sounds like it was a blast. Maybe I should have showed up." Looking aside, Raine just smiled wryly. "And yeah, I guess I ''am'' that out of the loop. So much of my own stuff to get to, you know! No time for undead invasions, rice shortages, and peasant revolts. Or whatever's going on right now." Shrug! Aerith was given a glance after and Raine shrugged flippantly. "Hey, hey, hey~ I didn't do anything! Yet."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Good, I'm glad you can recognize that." Avira continues to smirk all through the back patting. She's a little surprised he actually did that but she'll roll with it. The issues she had with physical contact from other humans over a year ago have all vanished. "Ho ho! Bold declaration there, kid! We'll see!" Aerith decides to intervene at that point and she lifts her hands, "Oh, hey, I'm not looking to start anything in here. If anything, I'd make him take it outside so it could happen."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith had to take in a soothing breath to try and calm things down. It certainly didn't feel like they wouldn't start anything in here, at least not this Raine fellow. Avira on the other hand, she trusted to keep it civil. "Now then. About Maira." She glanced toward Avira. "I have no doubt you understand what all she is. She trusts you, after all. But I have to ask anyway... do you know her whole story?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Whoa, hey hey hey" Raine started, holding his hands up in a defensive manner. "We're just having a little fun here. Who said we were gonna suddenly start throwing fists? I mean, I know I'd win, but come on! We've got to be more civilized than that!" And that statement was accompanied by a teasing grin. He let his hands drop after, listening to Aerith as she mentioned a 'Maira'. Another familiar name, but he couldn't put a face on it. Weird. Oh well, not his problem. As Aerith asked about this mystery girl's story, his food had arrived. "Oh sweet!" And with the arrival of his order, Raine turned and began to dig in, leaving the women to it.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "...pfff, really? You think you'd win?" Avira waves a dismissive hand. "For the sake of not causing any more strife in the bar, I'll let you have that fantasy." There's a sly smile on her face at that which disappears when the food shows up. "Maira? I-" she puts a hand to her heart, "Understand very well what she is. She is, in fact, the most important thing of all..." Avira slips her hand up to her neck to tug a small gold chain free from underneath her shirt. It has half of a heart pendant on it, "...my best friend." With that she nods and lets the necklace drop back onto her chest. "Yeah, she's told me everything."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "Well, the first thing you need to know about me is this. Everything she told you about herself..." She took in a breath. "...you can equate some of it to me as well. But that would depend on what all she told you about her."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' MEANWHILE IN THE BACKGROUND: "Oh sweet lord in heaven! This cake is to die for!" Raine was having the time of his life. No really, he was. Even if it was for a single moment, he would savoring every last bite. It was the most delectable thing he'd ever have the pleasure of assaulting his tastebuds with since....since....he couldn't remember! Oh wait a second, there was a seriouss discussion happening right at the next table. The swordsman ainfully tore his gaze away from his half-eaten cake, and towards the two women, arching a brow in curiosity at the mention of 'equating what she said to her'. "...?" And then a stupid smirk came onto his face. Oh no, here came something stupid. "Wow. Out of context, that sounds pretty hilarious, you know?" He wasn't helping.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Uh..." Avira says awkwardly, looking at Aerith. "Seeing as how I don't really like talking about Maira's personal stuff while she's not here with me, could you care to explain? I mean, what things, really?" She doesn't want to bring up 'princess of Heart' in this setting since that attracted all sorts of unwanted attention. For the moment Avira was doing a good job ignoring Raine and his cake molestation. Until he butts into their conversation again! "In context it sounds like a perfectly normal conversation." ...vagueness aside.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' "And if one wanted to invite themselves, perhaps they should ask what exactly is being spoken of." Aerith's face retained a mask of placidity. Still, this one was starting to annoy her, her amusement at his bravado being replaced with irritation. She wouldn't let him see it, though. "In any case, I think I should take a few guesses." She cleared her throat and began counting off the points she figured the young lady talked of. "Avira told you about her parents. She told you about her time at a certain orphanage. She told you about the day she saw a specific entity, only to have him follow her wherever she went." She tilted her head to the right. "She told you about the day her world fell..."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' In response to both of their replies, Rain just chuckled, either not getting the hint, or just completely ignoring it outright. Evidence pointed strongly to the latter. He opened his mouth to make another dumb comment, but something stopped him. "...?" Left eye glowing an obvious red at rapid intervals, Raine looked away as a voice in his head spoke to him. 'Kid, how much longer are you going to take here? We've come too close to zeroing in on one of them to take a break now.' The swordsman just shook his head and refrained from commenting. Talking to himself in public tended to make people think he was crazy rather than just an idiot after all. "Not a discussion for here." He replied in a low voice before turning to face Avira and Aerith again, taking his plate of cake into his lap to eat. What? This was a interesting discussion, even out of context! Filling in the blanks with his own assumptions was hilarious!

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Yes, she's shared stuff about all these things before." Avira seems a little confused. "And her ghost. Who is no longer with her since he crossed over. I know who that ghost was and I know where Maira is really from. I know these things. I told her about what happened when my world fell. We were also both there when we saw the world fall a second time." Avira's hands clench a little bit. It was almost the one year anniversary of that. She glances to the swordsman, seeing a flicker of red light as the kid's eye pulses. She turns to watch him fully now. "Hey, are you alright? What's up with your eye?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith took a sip from her soda. She didn't see the eye come to life, but the air around him tingled something fierce with an aura that was not his own. "I would tell the other one you're talking to that this is not his conversation to participate in." She looked straight at him. "Or would he mind introducing himself instead of hiding?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Eh?" Raine looked between Avira and Aerith, dumb smile on his face; his usual disarming tool. But it seemed like it wasn't going to work this time. "Ehhhhhahahahaha...." The young man started to laugh and rub the back of his head. "What are you talking about? I'm the only one here! Really!" He claimed, holding a hand up in a placating manner. "And there's nothing wrong with my eye!" At that moment, his left eye lit up red yet again as the voice in his mind made another comment. 'Give it up, kid. The unscarred one can sense me. She's got some kind of power...' A faint chuckle echoed after and the voice added. 'Interesting.' "....Well, crap. So much for that." Raine sighed and held out his free hand, palm facing the floor. Immediately, a bloody red glyph formed on the flooring and expanded a bit. From there, a black steel blade rose, sporting a creepily spiked hilt. "Welp, there you go." Don't blame me for what happens after. He spoke casually, taking a bit of his cake. The summoned sword took on a sickly red aura and the voice from Raine's head now spoke clearly, heard by all. "You. The one who sensed me; who ''are'' you?"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Dude." Avira says, slipping into her old New Yorker turn of phrase. No longer needing to keep up that charade she could use it at will anyway. She points at Raine's glowing eye, "You are shining bright red there like Rudolph's nose. And I didn't..." her eyes narrow. Avira puts down her sandwich slowly and watchines Raine carefully, her hand dropping downward. "Well that's one creepy-looking sword."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "There, that's better." She gave the sword just enough of a bow to be respectful. "I'm no one special, just a flower girl named Aerith." It only took a few moments until she composed herself. "You do seem to have a bit of a deepness about you, an age if you will." She tilted her head to the right. "But I suppose I shouldn't ask how old you are. Impolite. The thing I should ask is your name."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Ahhh man..." Raine sighed, fork hanging from his mouth. It always got to be a headache when someone found out about 'him'. He just sighed again and turned away, resuming molesting his cake. The sword meanwhile turned on it's own, 'facing' Avira spikes-first. "I'm not just a creepy looking sword, human. Watch your manners." The sword then faces Aerith as she introduced herself, letting a moment of silence sink in. "My name." A chuckle echoed out from the weapon and it seemed to consider this for a moment before answering. "You may call me 'Laevateiin'." With introductions out of the way, the sword went on to ask a question. "If I might ask, how were you able to sense my presence? Very few are capable of that."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. "Very few indeed. Let's just say I have certain methods by which I can divine things that can't be picked up by any other sense. I was just about to explain to my friend here..." She glanced toward Avira. "How that was possible." She turned toward the sword. "But, Laevateiin, I don't know you. I haven't even heard of you before. Thus this knowledge is not reserved for, or open to you." She gave a nod. "Whatever it is you're looking for, it's not here. Please, go your way in peace."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Okay, ''talking'' creepy sword." Avira abandons her sandwich and stands, leaning forward to examine the blade. "Though I like Laevateiin. Very Norse-sounding. I can always appreciate that." She glances back at Aerith. "So, what, you're done asking questions about me now?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Ah geez, so much for that." Raine mumbled, shoveling the last bit of cake into his mouth. "Whatever!" He stood then, leaving the empty plate on his table, along with his payment. "Looks like we're done here, Laevateiin. Time to go chase down some Apostles." That said, he reached out and grabbed the sword's handle, hefting it up and onto his shoulder. "I am not finished here, put me down, kid. That woman and I still have--" Laevateiin complained as Raine took hold of and lifted him. Raine ignored his complaints however and just glanced at Avira and Aerith, giving them a two fingered salute, and an idiotic grin. "Seeya ladies sometime, somewhere!" And then he marched out of Cloud Nine, drawing a few stares due to the red trail the sword, and his left eye was leaving as he moved.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith sighed and turned toward Avira. "He's out of the way. Good." She turned toward Avira. "Now then, before we were so rudely interrupted by the noble sword and his irritating friend, where were we?" She placed a finger on her chin. "Oh, right. I was just about to tell you about me." Aerith propped her elbows on the table again. "Maira and I aren't just from the same world. She told you where she was from, but not what she *was*. Understandable, but I think you need to know." She gave Maira an honest smile. "She and I are the last of what people in our world call Ancients. The real name though is Cetera. If this is nothing new, please stop me now."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Oh I'm sure we'll meet again, Raine Arland~!" Avira calls back as he leaves with his sword in tow. "Good luck and don't get yourself killed!" She smiles the whole time he's leaving, even as she returns to her seat. "I dunno, he was kind of adorable in his own irritating way." Avira says, leaning an elbow against the table. "He seems like he'd be fun to spar with. Maybe I should challenge him to some arena combat someday." Avira listens for a moment, then holds up her hand. "Uh, actually, Maira's not really from your world, she's originally a part of Palmecia."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment. "Well that's new..." She placed a hand on her chin. "I don't know if she just found this out, or if she hid it from me. Either way, I had no idea." She tapped her chin for a few moments, then shrugged. "I guess there are a few more things I need to find out." Aerith smiled again. "Well, since I started, I might as well keep going." She sounded as if there were nothing wrong with being told she was wrong. "As of now, I'm the last of my kind, again." She chuckled. "Explaining what all is behind what I am would take quite a bit, and isn't for casual conversation. I'll just sum it up..." She leaned back in her chair. "I could sense what was in that sword, because it's in my blood to do it. Ghosts, spirits, other sources of intelligence, or anything else... it's energy. All of it. And once you figure that out, you can speak to just about anything." Her eyes narrowed. "It's why what happened in China made me somewhat angry. I couldn't hear anything... at all."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "It's actually pretty personal." Avira mentions, looking slightly worried. Maybe she shouldn't have shared that out loud and saved it for Maira to talk about, if she wanted to. "I'm not all that sure if it's something Maira wants to talk a lot about. Honestly, I don't know anything about Ancients and Maira's never mentioned them." Aerith goes on and Avira nods slowly. "That's great...seems really useful." She spreads her hands out in a disarming fashion, "Near as I can tell, I'm just a regular ol' human. Most of the time at least." Did Aerith remember when Avira was a mutate? Maybe.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith almost cringed. "I'll try to be tactful when asking her about it then." She took in a breath and continued onward. "Oddly enough, the things we call light and darkness are energy as well... which was how I could tell something was wrong when my world started to go dark." Aerith shivered. "Suffice it to say that it happened all at once, and I almost had my heart eaten." Aerith shook her head. "But enough about that. You're just normal Avira, at least as far as I can tell. Though..." She tilted her head to the right. "You've lost something." Come to think of it, what exactly happened when she'd missed the big restoration of Manhattan? She'd wanted to know, but hadn't come across any information besides the problem had been resolved without her assistance. Well whatever. So long as it was back, that was fine with her. "You know what? Never mind that. As long as you're still you, everything will be fine." She smiled again, and this one wasn't reserved for those she just met, but friends. It was brighter, a bit wider. "Tell you what... I'll show you a neat trick that I've learned how to do recently."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' For a moment, Avira stares off into space. "Yeah. I think it was like that for a lot of people when the worlds went dark. I was lucky enough to survive the shadows and stumble free." She shivers, "It's not a stretch of time I like thinking about." Focusing once more, she picks up her sandwich and pauses, looking at Aerith. "Lost something?" Avira looks a little put off, "You probably sense a void inside me. I had to donate the majority of my light to start up Manhattan's world heart again." Avira finishes up her sandwich, "What? A magic trick?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "That's the thing, all right. A void." She leaned forward again. "Truthfully, you answered a question that I'd asked myself, so thank you." Several of them, in fact. But that was for later. "There's still light within you, and you should keep what's left, no matter what." Aerith's features lit up in a smile. "So! The trick. While I wouldn't say it's a magic trick, It should explain what exactly I can do." She sat back in her chair and seemed to calm herself with a breath or two. Then, she lifted her right hand, palm up... and stared at it. It took all of about five seconds for a mote of pale green light to appear. "This is the smallest form of what you might call a spirit."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Yeah I am or was the Princess of Heart for my world." Avira explains. "Those tend to have lots of light within their hearts so...it just kind of all happened. Like instinct." Slowly, she nods. "Others close to me have told me that too. It's...encouraging." Aerith produces a spirit and Avira leans forward to look at it. "...what is it's name?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' There it was. The term she'd been meaning to ask about, but never really got the answers to. But she wouldn't ask for now. She'd have to inquire about it after her demonstration. "I don't ask their names. In fact, I'd rather not do so; I'd rather let them tell me if they have the inclination to." She took in another breath. "Spirits have all shapes and sizes, but in the end, they're like snowflakes. This one won't do much, besides maybe light my way and warn me about things." She smiled. "But get a lot of them together..." Her eyes narrowed with a bit of concentration, and it seemed that more of them came from thin air itself, joining the one floating above her right hand. The mote of light grew in size, from the width of a dime... to the size of a baseball. In half a second. "...Get a lot of them together, and they turn into something you can use." She turned toward Avira, her features no longer so intense. "I can throw this at someone and it'd hit with the impact of a punch."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira says, "Strange. How do you invoke them if you don't know their names?" Avira's brown eyes remained pinned upon the tiny spirit. "I could imagine...each one is different from a different and unique living thing, right?" She starts to squint a little as the ball becomes large and brighter but after her eyes acclimate, she stops. "And ultimately, they are energy, right?" she tilts her head, "Like any other spell?""

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Yup. Exactly. A spirit is the manifestation of someone's personal energy when their thoughts are still occupied with this side of the veil. Once those issues are resolved, that energy can go back to where it came from." She smiled. "So I'm not really calling up spirits, but spiritual energy. But as you can see, it does still have a life of its own." She lets the sphere fade away with a sigh. "I even have a new staff on me... my old one was made of metal, and I could barely use the thing to defend myself. Things have changed these days, though. "My new one, I've been trained properly to use, and the wood it's made from takes in all sorts of energies, making it harder to break, and multiplying the force you can deliver with it."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Ahh, that feels like a different thing entirely." Avira rubs her chin, "But still people. Well made of people. Soylent energy and all." She smirks privately to herself at this little joke. The topic shifts to weapons and Avira nods, frowning a little. "You didn't get used to the metal one with time? Hm. Weird, I find myself able to adapt to new weapons given enough time. Sounds like a pretty special staff there. Made specifically for mages I guess?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith shook her head. "It's not just for magic, it's for pretty much anything." She smiled. "I don't think you know a certain mouse, do you? Little guy, jumps high, really good with a blade?"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Good with a keyblade you mean?" Avira smirks. "Or are we talking about Faruja here? He jumps too after all." She's met both "mice"...though Faruja counts more as a rat, doesn't he?

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith giggled. So they both knew Faruja, and they both knew Maira. Her mother might have been right about several things, including that everyone was connected in some way. "No, this one's smaller. And yes, good with a keyblade." She tilted her head to the right. "I'm not going to say his name. You know who he is. He gave me something interesting, and I'm not sure what it means yet." Aerith raised her right hand again, and a mote of light the size of a ping pong ball appeared. Once she closed her hand around it, a six foot long white wood staff appeared in her grip. "Watch closely." Within moments, a pale green aura of energy surrounded the weapon. "This is me using spirit energy, channeling it into my weapon. I've already told you what I can do with this." She pulled the energy away, and looked toward the staff again. "But with a bit of focus... I can do this." Her eyes narrowed again, and the weapon began to have another aura... but one that was a golden light instead. "Our mutual acquaintance gave me this... and I have no idea what else it does besides burning away Heartless and this other thing I was able to do." She wouldn't talk about Chita, not yet. They were still... at odds.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Heh." Avira emotes on the subject of Faruja. She folds her arms over her chest and leans back in her chair, watching. A thought crossed her mind though. Why not say King Mickey's name? "If I had to guess..." Avira points out, "I'd say that was light energy. I've seen it come up in other places before." Like beyond those huge double doors and in the World Heart of Manhattan. "You've got a lot of light inside of you and I think this staff is actually drawing upon it."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "If only that were the case. But King Mickey literally put this into my staff; gave the energy of his keyblade to my weapon." Her head tilted to one side just a bit. "This is more than just my light into this staff. It's something else entirely. I just don't know what."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Interesting." Avira says, then pauses to frown at something. The expression on her face quickly turns into a distressed one. "Um. Aerith, I think I need to go. One of my friends is getting a little distressed about something and I think I need to go be with her."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment. Wait, what did that mean? She turned to regard Avira for a moment, a puzzled look on her features. Could she somehow sense these things too? Then again, it was no real surprise. Being in direct contact with a World Heart meant strange things happened. "I'll take your word for it, go on."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Thanks." Avira says hastily, getting up from her seat. There's no offer to pay since she's pretty sure Aerith intended to cover her meal today for their little meeting. In minutes she's pretty much gone!

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced after Avira with a frown. This was not the way she'd wanted to end things... and she'd just been given more questions. But she figured the answers would come in good time. She glanced toward her meal with a sigh. "Probably cold..." She smiled and dug in anyways. Turns out it was still pretty good after all.

Connection: Echo

2014-01-12T16:21:15Z

Renegade:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/15
|Location=Targ Woods
|Synopsis=Aerith heads back to the woods near Goug after the irritating Black Friday fiasco to clear her head, and perhaps take a moment to commune with the spirits there that have been untouched by Shinra's reactors. Of course, one is never alone in places like these, and she ends up meeting a peculiar creature. And Aerith always was a sucker for cute things...
|Cast of Characters=Aerith Gainsborough, Echo
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Tired. Aerith was just plain tired after having so many things happen. The incident in Manhattan, the battles with the undead, the attempts to mend bridges with people she'd lost touch with... Therefore, she felt it best that she have some time to herself. Ironically, she picked the one place where she was guaranteed not to be alone, if only for the natural surroundings. Still, this was one of the few places she could get some respite, besides at Cloud Nine over in Traverse Town. After what happened in Goug recently... well she didn't want to go back there any time soon, unless she had to.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "You ain't from around here, is you hon?" Echo asked from her perch up in a tree, in this murky murkwood esque forest. She was using a heavy southern-sounding accent, likely just to poke fun at the fact she'd run into Aerith somewhere out of her element perhaps. Or not. The bat girl was in fact sitting on a large tree branch, her sandaled feet dangling down below her as she sat there kicking them gently back and forth, peering down at the flower girl. "Gotta be careful around here, you could get attacked by vampires or something! I don't know," she shrugged, as if not sure exactly herself.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith stopped moving, but didn't look toward the voice. She spread her aura forth, her senses expanding in an attempt to find whoever joined in on her solitary jaunt. "Oh trust me, I'm plenty careful." She looked up, right at where the voice originated from, but couldn't quite see who it belonged to. "Of course, if you're talking about yourself, you could have just come down and ambushed me right away. The fact that you're not..." She smiled. "...means that I have nothing to be afraid of. So come on down and join me."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo blinked and pulled her feet up as the girl stopped and apparently prepared to defend herself, from what it looked like, now standing on the branch as she looked down. "Careful there pardner," she said in that mock Texan accent again, the bough she was on trembling ever so slightly under her weight with a few leaves drifting down. "There's a time and a place for ambush, you don't think people attempt them all the time, or something," she hopped down--her wings flaring out as she glided down and landed with a soft thump of earth beneath her sandals.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment as... wait, what? Aerith blinked for a moment as she beheld the owner of the voice. Definitely female, she certainly looked her age, but the ears and wings certainly told the bulk of the story. Once she got her fill of examining her, Aerith took in a breath. She'd made her decision. "You. Are. Adorable." Aerith grinned and jogged over to the bat lady. "I mean, look at you! The ears, and the wings, and those eyes, and that hair!" She had to stop herself from touching anything. Far be it for her to be inappropriate. Aerith cleared her throat. "My name's Aerith." She smiled again, this one somewhat less intense. "What's yours?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Of course, as Echo glided down had the amusing moment of having to pull a Marilyn Monroe as her flounced skirt naturally protested against the wind, eek! Once securely on the ground however she straightened her dress out and folded her arms. She blinked over at Aerith and seemed confused for a moment. "Are you daft? I'm a Demi-human," she said matter of factly, as if this explained everything, which it really didn't. She turned to look at Aerith as she turned this way and that, likely wondering what she was so excited about. "I'm Echo," she replied easily, apparently amiable, at least.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. "You'll have to forgive me. I just can't help myself when I see something cute." Maira could attest to that, but never mind. "Demi-human, huh? That's a rather unique term. Can't say I've heard it before." She turned and began to walk through the forest again. "Come on, join me. I was just making my way to my favorite spot."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "You're not gonna hug me till I asphyxiate, have you? I've heard of humans doing that," Echo blinked a little, stepping back just a little. "You've never seen a Demi-human before?" she blinked a little. "You know, beast-kin, anything like that?" she asked again, shrugging and following along with Aerith regardless of her confusion at this. Since when did human's like Demi-humans??

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment. "Oh, plenty! I've seen Viera, I've seen the natives of Burmecia, I've seen this one lizard person..." She chuckled. "None of them seemed the slightest bit aggressive, except when they were threatened. In fact, one of them's nearly a pacifist unless he's pushed to extremes." She shook her head. "I don't know why, though." She glanced over her right shoulder. "Why do you ask? Are you not treated so kindly where you're from?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Oh, I see," Echo blinked a little at that and looked down, as if this caused some kind of introspection in here. "Most of us had to sort of fend for ourselves where I came from, or at least my family looked out for itself," she shrugged again. "I had understood demi-humans were something of a minority... to say the least in the world of ruin at large."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith frowned as she listened to her response. That didn't give too much information, but it opened the way for something. She was silent for a few moments as she stepped into a grove she'd found on one of her first days exploring this place. "We're here!" Aerith took in a breath of the forest air and sighed. "This is possibly the best spot in these woods. At least, I think so." She jogged over and took a seat on one of the larger rocks. "Okay, so! First things first." Aerith tilted her head to the right. "What's your world like? I always like hearing stories about other places."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Do you live here or something?" Echo seemed still a bit soundly confused on what exactly the deal WAS with this Aerith. Was she some kind of crazy mountain person, or lived in the woods? She sniffled at the air even, trying to see if there was something else in it that she didn't notice at first that Aerith did. Curious and curiouser. "Well, what did you want to know, exactly? it was sort of like that of ruin but... greener, I suppose, also mistier," she tilted her head a but, finding the question a tad difficult.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith giggled. "Well, that could be said about anywhere... well, besides my world, of course." She fended off anything about that topic for the time being. "I want to know details. Specifics." She placed a finger on her chin. "How about... the city you're from? I mean, you talked a bit about your family, right?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "City I'm from is eternally shrouded in night, called the city that never sleeps. It is lit by many oil lamps and is perpetually dusky, there is a theater, an grand auction house, many nobles lived there," Echo slowly recalled what she could, not taking a seat just yet. "I don't believe it made it unfortunately, I was in lindblum when my world fell," she sighed a little.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith bowed her head for a moment as she heard that part of her world didn't make it through. "It's the same as mine... pieces of my world that are supposed to be there aren't." It was as if the Heartless had just eaten away chunks of worlds and left the other pieces drifting. Aerith looked toward Echo again. "You know, I've been to a city that always rains, no matter what time of year it is. I trust you've heard of Burmecia?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "It is someplace in the Aerbs mountains, yes?" Echo frowned a little, looking up. "What ISN'T near the Aerbs is the question moreso, they are vast," the bat replied. "Many lands and areas where men never go, or return from, filled with animals and monsters no one has seen, well, besides the dragons, we've seen those, just not any near my town," she shook her head.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. "I've been several times, and the rain never seems to end." She giggled again. "Always gives my hair a real problem!" The giggles dispersed before she asked her next question. "So... this whole demi-human thing." She frowned. "I've never heard of it, but it sounds more like a negative term... and I don't think I want to call you that. Echo sounds much better."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Stinking flying lizards those creatures, not /dragons/," and she said dragons with all the flowery emphasis a hippie college teacher might have about some subject they felt dear. It was sarcasm, evidently, her people did not seem to hold them with the same reference. "Echo is my name," she said, as if this was obvious. "Demi-human are just what we're called, since we're altered by mist," she raised a brow. "I suppose you could think of it a little derogatory."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Right. So in any event, I guess since you told me all that, I have to give something in return." She placed a hand behind her head. "But I doubt I have all that much to offer. My usual trick would be boring, and I don't have much to say about where I'm from besides the fact that it's kind of like where you're from. The sun never really shone there." Of course, that was due to the fact that the city was built on a huge steel plate, and the slums beneath suffered due to that, but she wouldn't talk about that unless prompted.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo stood silent, her arms folded a little as she listened. "Really? was it cursed?" Echo seemed curious on that fact though. Another city where there was no sun? That sounded pretty awesome, for a bat anyway. "Or were you underground?" she put a hand to her own cheek, leaning off to the side a little.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith sighed. "You really want to know?" She smiled, and it had a bit of melancholy to it. "The city where I'm from was run by a company that might as well have been a government. It was divided into two sections. The upper city was on top of a big plate, streets and all. That side saw the sun, and also saw business, culture, and wealth." She sighed. "The rest of the city, under the plate, was ignored and turned into nothing but slums. And because it never saw the sun... well, it wasn't so green and verdant." Aerith chuckled. "You could say I was born in darkness, kind of like you."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "...Yeesss?" Echo asked a bit slowly, almost hesitantly, as if she wasn't sure if she should be that curious or not. "Ah, so you grew up in the poor, common area," that made sense to the bat, she underood more or less easily. "Nobody is really born in darkness, unless they die, and become a vampire, then they're /kiiinda/ born in darkness, but you get what I mean," she shrugged a little, pleased with that explanation.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "Sorry, I like being metaphorical at times." She looked back up at Echo. "Before she died, my mom said I was born somewhere else. I always wondered where that was, but since my world fell apart... well I don't think I can find out any time soon." She shrugged and redirected the conversation again. "Anyways, how about your folks? What were they like before everything fell apart?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "I don't spend time trying to wonder such things, I try to figure out ways to make my own life better, but you seem pretty... positive, I guess? is that the word?" the bat tilted her head to the side, wondering about the flower girl, perhaps just a little. "My folk were... fine," she replied simply, taken a bit off guard with that one. This probably causes her to recall some things from her past, which she is a tad silent for. "They were... good enough folks, hard working, not well liked though."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Positive. That's exactly what I'd call it." She tilted her head to the right. "Well no matter what they did wrong, there has to be a reason." She smiled. "If you don't want to talk about that, it's fine." She hopped off of the rock. "So... I suppose I should do something to thank you for coming here with me. Much as I like solitude, it's always nice to have someone to enjoy your favorite things with." She stopped a few feet in front of Echo. "What exactly do you like to do?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "There was," Echo nodded. "It wasn't a big deal really, they just wanted me to follow in the family business, I disagreed," she shrugged. "Some leave home sooner than others, I guess," her sandals scrunched through the grass quietly as she walked a little, turning to face Aerith once she said she'd need to do something nice. "I amuse myself typically with idle things, I read, unless you mean something like... going to the beach, or beaches, rather, that many humans live around, that is something nice. Just not in broad daylight," she smiled.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "Well, I know a place where it's night just about all the time. The beach there is amazing, especially in the moonlight." She gave a nod. "I owe you a trip there, to be sure." Aerith looked up at the tree tops. "I never did tell you why this is my favorite place in the woods, did I?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "There is another place like that?" Echo seemed curious about this, to say the least. "With a beach?" she stepped a little closer, as if wondering what place this could be, was Aerith playing a trick on her? "And no, you didn't... why?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "If you ever head toward Traverse Town, stop in at the Cloud Nine. Any time you need a free place to sleep, just head there and I'll take care of you if I'm in." She took in another breath of air. "As for why this is my favorite spot here, there are three reasons." She looked toward Echo again. "First, the solitude. For some reason, no animals or bugs or anything like that come in here. It's the only place in the woods that, besides the wind, is completely silent." She sighed. "Second, the air. Somehow it's a bit cleaner and clearer here. Don't ask me why, but it just is. I've come to accept it, and it makes relaxing and meditating here a lot easier." Aerith gestured around with her right hand. "Last, but not least, the amount of space there is. Ever since I got my new toy and learned how to properly use it, I looked for a proper location to train with it." She called up a small mote of pale green light above her right hand as she put it just in front of her, palm-up. As she closed her hand into a fist, the light flashed... and a six foot long staff materialized, made of white wood and with a faint sheen to it. "This is my pride and joy right here. I call it the Spirit Staff."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "No insects or animals? Odd, perhaps there's some kind of enchantment," Echo raised a brow, looking around. She was perhaps not in tune with the same kind of magical energies that Aerith was, so there would be reason why she might not have realized it. "Take care of me, huh? I get a long pretty well on my own, though I will keep that in mind," she grinned a little, nodding politely. The bat blinked and backed away from the girl revealing her staff, blearily peering at it, and wondering just what the deal was. "Was that a staff in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" she replied, blinking a little and grinning. "I did not know you used such a weapon, a handy way to carry it, that."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "The only reason I didn't call it up earlier is because... well, I wasn't afraid of you. The only natural means of obtaining a defensive posture is fear of attack." She smiled and set the back end of her staff on the ground. "The staff is my kind of weapon. It's meant to defend oneself without hurting the other person, but has enough leverage to get the job done should it be necessary." The smile turned into a grin. "But this one's special. Check this out..." She turned to the side, facing away from Echo as she took a stance. Aerith whacked the ground once with her staff, and though the sound of the air parting was proof enough of the force she'd put into it, nothing exciting happened. "Yeah, that's not much. I just whacked someone on the head, or hit them while they were down. But when I do this..." Her eyes narrowed just slightly as pale green motes of light rose from the ground beneath her. Several others joined in after a few moments, before heading straight to her staff, causing it to glow. Aerith performed the same movement... and her staff rammed into the ground with a thunderous smash, kicking up dirt and dust. She glanced over to Echo. "The wood this staff is made of has the special property of absorbing any type of energy that exists. This is just pure spirit energy, nothing else, but you see the effects. Whoever got hit with that isn't getting back up."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Not many seem to be, admittedly," Echo shrugged a little, walking closer again, peering at the weapon. "I haven't practiced with any martial weapons, just magic," she shook her head, watching the flowergirl. She jumped a little however when the maiden assaulted the ground with her staff, wings rising a good bit up around her, just out of alarm. "I... see, you're quite an aggressive one with that thing, aren't you," she grinned a little, a light grin rising to her features. "I figured you for some sort of healer, or other kind of mage, when I first saw you," she canted her head to the side. "Absorbing energy? some kind of cursed weapon? Doesn't look like it..." she came closer a little, curious.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled and dispersed the energy that her weapon took in. "Not so. In fact, this weapon is what you'd call my best friend." She stood up from her stance as Echo took a better look at it. "Just to dispel that myth, watch this." Aerith took in a breath and closed her eyes... and without drawing in anything, the staff glowed again, only this time with a pale golden light instead of a pale green. She opened her eyes again. "This specific energy, a good friend of mine offered to this staff. It's the power of light, and I haven't quite found a use for it yet, but I certainly will discover one in good time." She chuckled. "At the very least, it serves as a good way to see in the dark!" Of course, she didn't mention that it helped saved someone's life.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Light, hmm? That source of it is like a corona," Echo blinked a little and held a hand up to her face to shield it partially, though she didn't seem afraid or bothered by it exactly, just that the light and the magic it was generated from wasn't something she was used to. "A glowstick, huh? something like that?" the bat smiled, stepping off. "You're a good person Aerith, one of the few I might add, and for that I thank you," "I however am feeling a might peckish, so must be off. I will take you up on that beach trip, however..." she smiled. "Be sure to bring your swimsuit." she took off flying. Zoom.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded and looked up at Echo as she made her way out of the woods. She released her hold on her weapon, and it faded with those same motes of pale green light, mixed with a few golden ones. "You're a good person too... Echo." She grinned. "Being absolutely huggable helps, but I won't embarrass you like that!"

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-01-12T16:15:40Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||Would you please stop being stubborn now? Only ''one'' of us gets to do that.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||Perhaps there is more to you than I figured. But this doesn't change what you did...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-01-12T16:14:19Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+5)||So you made a promise to me. But are you sure you can keep it, with the way you are now?
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||Perhaps there is more to you than I figured. But this doesn't change what you did...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Understanding

2014-01-12T16:07:32Z

Renegade: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/01/11 |Location=The Old Kingdom |Synopsis=The path to change and progress begins with one small step, and Aerith takes the first step to chang..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/01/11
|Location=The Old Kingdom
|Synopsis=The path to change and progress begins with one small step, and Aerith takes the first step to changing the way she thinks about things. Of course, no great journey happens without help, and who better to guide her than Chita?

|Cast of Characters=Aerith Gainsborough, Chita
|Tinyplot=Topsy Turvy
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Frankly, it was the most eye-opening time she'd ever had. Perhaps for both of them, but she wouldn't ask. Aerith was too busy adjusting her dress after settling several things straight, once and for all. But now her mind was full of questions that she hadn't even thought of asking before. She couldn't blame it on Mim's spell, either. She didn't have the heart to blame it on the one that accused her of something she hadn't intended, but felt guilty of all the same. Sitting there on the grass, she gave Chita a sidelong glance. Everything that happened between them changed with one incident, and she felt responsible. The worst part was that she couldn't undo what was done; what she'd had to do to keep him from falling. She couldn't unsee what she'd witnessed. But it wasn't a thing to talk about here. No, they had to discuss it with clearer heads. Aerith smiled and got to her feet, dusting the grass off of her blue and white dress. "Time to go."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' The Viera was, at the moment, simply laying there on the ground quietly 'staring' up at the sky. Chocobo off wandering to nibble at some things here and there and play around when nothing was going on that required him, instead, it just left the two alone. Might even be hard to assume her awake, period, given she always had that blindfold on and her breathing was relaxed enough at the moment. When Aerith moved to stand a near flicked but no movement otherwise, until the remark came. "Go? Where? Did you have somewhere pressing to be?" Moving to stand up as well, a faint rip could be heard from Chita's shirt, ripping from the tightness that came with now having breasts, a couple of buttons popping off. "Tch... let me put something else on." And with that, she looked thoughtful before picking some clothing out of the air that she used to wear. "Haven't worn these in so long... will feel strange actually wearing them again." The outfit pulled out was actually a rather frilly black lace dress that she had worn forever and a day ago in the party after the fire crystal stuff in Fluorgis. Long, almost gothic, but now that she properly had breasts and not just a bra stuffed to look like such, it fit rather well. Funny that, really. Not embarrassed in the least to get changed there, Senra walked in front of the camera long enough to peck a fat bug out of the grass that Chita was changed by the time visible again. The old clothes were thought about briefly before being thrown aside. Normal Chita would never just get rid of something like that, but at the moment, didn't seem to care in the least about the waste, or any memories attached to such. No sentimentality whatsoever.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith started to walk away, and by the time she was done, the flower girl turned to look over her right shoulder. "We're going home, of course," she called out to the Judgebunny. "You do want to get out of this, right? Well come on, and bring handsome there with you."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "...I have no home. Hades made certain of that. And I sure as hell have no intention of... oh right, not a male anymore for whatever reason thanks to this curse or magic or whatever it is. ... sure, why not. I have no business here and I'll beat an answer out of Seith some point later. Or Mim, or whoever the hell you said it was." And with that, Chita gave a little whistle and Senra trotted over. Hopping up onto Senra and hiking up the dress in a very unladylike-manner, the Chocobo trots over towards Aerith and waits for her to hop up. No gentlemanly hand up from Chita. As far as she was concerned, it was already generous enough to give her a ride in the first place.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Who said Aerith needed one? She simply hopped up as well, just behind Chita. While it would have been nice, she could take care of herself just fine. "Right, to the portal. Maybe then we can clear our heads." Aerith pointed in the direction of the exit to the Old Kingdom. "Onward!"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "Where to, idiot? I'm blind, in case you've forgotten. Again." comes a rather nasty remark. She'd felt Aerith's arm move, and thus likely point, but had no idea just where.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "To the east." She could forgive Chita just this once. After all, she wasn't herself. "We should see the portal in the next few minutes if we just keep heading back where we came from."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "..." Chita sat there quietly for a moment, as if hoping Aerith would realize what she said, then added, "You seem to fail to realize I have no idea which way is which. So let me save you the trouble of hurting your dense little head." Reaching behind her to feel around and find Aerith's left arm, she pulled it around her side and put the reign to the Chocobo in it, as if saying just guide the Chocobo yourself.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Lacking tact, no real sense of propriety... Yes, they needed to get out of here before it got worse. Aerith quietly took the reins and guided the chocobo where he needed to go. At least Senra didn't judge. On that note, they definitely needed to get a hold of Mad Madam Mim and end this before something really went wrong... Within the space of five minutes, Aerith turned Senra toward the portal... and simply guided him through. If this worked for herself and Rhiannon, it would work for Chita as well. Indeed, she felt her mind clear of any strange impulses the moment they emerged on the other side...

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Not really thinking about much other than what she wanted to do once she got back to Fluorgis, among such ideas was to find whatever Viera had hired that Ninja to find and capture them and beat the living piss out of them. And possibly Hades as well. ... now that she thought about it, she could probably get Hades to agree to give everything back if she just killed Mercade. Seemingly no issue with it now. Just as she thought about that, however, they hopped through the portal and everything seemed to hit Chita again all at once. The effects of Hades' curse, which had seemingly been temporarily halted by Mim's curse, the shift into being a female, now reversed, their morality being stripped away and... Remembering exactly who he had upset, what he'd said, done and... "I'm sorry." came a soft mumble, voice soft, more familiar than it was as he leaned forward, one hand on his chest as if it hurt quite a bit. But from what, he didn't say. The dress he was wearing did start to slacken, though, looking like it might simply fall off him the second he wasn't sitting on it.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "I've already forgiven you. The moment that spell went off, I knew something was wrong. Ignored it to the heavens and back, but once I left, I figured it was no good to have it on forever." She glanced toward Chita for a moment. "That doesn't mean though that it wasn't interesting, at least for me. Sometimes, I forget I have that side of me." Aerith wasn't timid at all about reaching a hand toward one of Chita's ears and rubbing it. "Now we can talk, seriously." She stopped Senra and slid off of his back. "You are going to explain to me how to fix this whole thing I've been doing to you." She turned away from him for a moment. "I don't like it at all, and it wasn't my intention."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "Really?" he asked softly, shivering a bit at the ear rubbing before reaching up to say, "Please stop that. As nice as it is, I am not quite sure how to compare that if I was to remark it similarly on a hume." The embarrassment of such came back briefly before he answered the question simply enough. "You can't fix it, it is simply... how I feel on the matter. Can you not just accept that? I am not upset with you, even if I have long since felt rather uncomfortable." Even if everything was feeling rather overwhelming at the moment as he thought about everything that went on while under the effects of the curse. He was so violent... so angry. Some things still seemed blank too, as if he had done it without even thinking about it. "I cannot just run away from whatever is causing the effects on everyone in that land Aerith... I have to go back in. I have to find a way to stop it and save everyone." Yup, he's back to normal.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced back at him, her brows furrowed. "I agree that it's how you feel. The problem is, it really is unacceptable, Chita. The reason you feel this way is because I treated you like that, and I had no idea of it." She grimaced. "There's no telling how many others I've treated like that... so it's time to squash this, once and for all." She put her hands on her hips. "So let's squash it."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "..." Silence lingered for a moment only to say, "You're doing it right now." He didn't turn to look towards Aerith as he said that. Instead, he just shook his head a bit and said, "It is a part of who you are, and I am not going to try and change you. I just wish you could realize that not everyone enjoys being talked to like they're a child who needs to wipe their cheek because food is on it. You don't have to mother everyone Aerith, especially me. Now you're trying to make up for it by 'fixing' whatever you did that was wrong instead of just going on your way. Stop trying to fix it and just... stop." So awkward trying to talk about this.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith's eyes widened. "You... really think I was talking you down?" She took a step back. "I was just telling you that I wanted to change myself, and I needed help, and you took it like..." She frowned. Not happy. "There's no way, then."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' With Aerith hopping off Senra and stepping back, Chita went to move off only to make a rather annoyed sound as the dress simply fell off. "Sometimes I hate this curse." Quickly pulling out a pair of mens clothing to hop into, he winds up simply standing there shirtless as he fixes the pants and says, "It is not that you are talking down to me... at the moment. You are still treating me like a child however. 'Let's squash it.', you trying to 'make it right'. Just stop, alright? The only reason it bothers me is because I'm tired of feeling helpless. Everything I have done lately ultimately will have the same effect in the end, if I succeed. Besides helping others... I will become stronger. I hate having to rely on others, having to feel like I NEED others to protect me. You don't have to make it up to me Aerith, or anyone else. We're both fully grown members of our kind. Even if I am ultimately being childish about it all."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. He was definitely acting childish about it. No question. "So this is you telling me to leave you alone for an undetermined amount of time, until whatever it is you're doing is done." She was starting to not care if she was assuming. "Tell me if I'm wrong."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Giving a small sigh, Chita moved towards where Aerith was and stopped a bit further away than he had intended. "No. This is me saying you don't have to fix anything. You don't have to do anything... I like you quite a bit Aerith, always have. You're sweet, you try to help others, you are intelligent, witty and you are generally a good being. It'd be nice, though, if I could feel like I'm accomplishing anything around you though, that I'm doing something with my own power... not just letting you take care of me. I know you're just trying to help, and I appreciate it... I truly do. And I'm sorry that I said something while under the effects of that... curse or whatever it was in the lands we just came from." Reaching a hand out, he attempted to take hers, planning to use it to pull Aerith into a hug. "I never said anything before because I am bad at this. I do not explain myself well to others."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith tilted her head. "Well this is your chance to get it right. You certainly made it sound very, very bad at first, and it hurt." She folded her arms. No hugs yet. "I won't be so willing to forgive you if you do that again, so make yourself understood. It sounded like you wanted me gone, and now you say that you don't, while saying that I'm a burden. Explain to me how to best stop being one, and we'll be fine. And please, stop thinking this is for you... it's just as much for me."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "For you, is it? Are you really taking to hear something I said while I was not myself?" Honestly, he was rather irate about that, but couldn't hold it against her. Instead, he simply dropped down onto his knees and looked up at her, "I'm sorry I am being so irrational, but I do not think I could truly explain it right now because I don't really understand it myself. I like to think I do, but the more I try to explain it, even to myself, the less sense it makes. I don't want you gone... in fact, the opposite. I want to be able to protect you for once... to keep you safe. To be there for you and pay you back for everything. For saving me, for trying to help me so much... for staying around even if I have been a jerk. But the more I try, the more you go about trying to fix something with me instead. To keep me safe, or protect me from myself. ... does that make more sense?" As he spoke, Chita just 'looked' up at her, hoping for some kind of favorable response. "I want to be a hero... your hero, if that is how it turns. I don't want to just be that one guy you help and he never gets to do anything to redeem himself for his time of weakness."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith paused for a moment, taking it all in. There it was. Details, facts, actual paths to solutions. "There. Better. So you're not saying to sit there and do nothing... you're just saying that you'd like to stand on your own." No matter how difficult that was to achieve... He'd refused to kill one of his best friends, and this was where it landed him. He'd gone against the de-facto leader of the Shadow Lords, and lost his sight for it. Almost his life. He'd been losing so much ground that he wanted at least some of it back. "I would say something like 'I'll be there for you', but that's too cliche. I'd be angry at you, if you didn't make sense. And I would certainly not forgive you, if you weren't sitting here telling me you want to protect me." Aerith grabbed his left arm and hauled him up to his feet. "Well get up, because I'm not a damsel in distress." She grinned. "I'm not one to stay back while others stand in front of me. I'm one to fight alongside them."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Listening to what she had to say, he stayed still let her speak only to feel himself grabbed suddenly and pulled up. Smiling a little, he took the opportunity to reach forward and put a hand on either side of her hips before leaning to press a kiss onto her cheek. "How about you be rash for once in your life and do something stupid so I can feel like I have finally been able to do something for you, hm? I really do l..." Pausing before he finished what he said, he started to sound like he was going to change what he was saying before growling out an angry sound and saying, "Damned Hades' curse, preventing me from being deceptive. Went and ran my mouth... I really do like you quite a bit, Aerith. More than I am even certain why. I would venture to say I have a bit more affection for you than that, but I am still uncertain on that one. So let me do this... to show I am trying to do the right thing." Bringing his hands together, he used his left hand to pull the ring off the ring finger of his right hand and offer it towards Aerith. It was the ring with the Judges symbol on it that he always wore. "This is me promising to try and not let my own feelings of inadequacy cause problems between us. And that... I want you around, Aerith. Truly... if I still had a home, I would ask you to stay there with me. But as I have no home, instead, this will have to do for now."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced at the ring for a moment, wondering if this was a proposal of some sort. Maybe he had no idea of what was going on, really. But he'd almost said he loved her, right? And their time in that mixed-up spell had drudged up some things. But that was just simmering underneath, waiting to happen. She'd had it confirmed when Chita began calling her out for missing the fact that he was blind. She had to remind herself (and her player) about that blindfold. With that, she looked back at Chita and took the ring, placing it on her right ring finger. "Fine, it's a promise. Because really, it's been causing a lot of strain where there shouldn't be any." She was on the verge of venting to him just how frustrated he made her, but she stopped herself. Not the time. "I don't have anything to give you, but... and I'm not sure how I'll do it..." she sighed. "...I'll let you lead, blind as you are."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "No... it's about time I trusted you and stopped trying to fight your judgment for whatever reason. I will go along with whatever you wish, be it go back in and try to end this... or not be reckless and let it play its' own course. And you can lead us, too, atop Senra. I do trust you, Aerith, even if I am rather pigheaded." Chuckling softly, though, he added, "And you do not have to give me anything. I'm the idiot here, right? The one acting childish and being grumpy because you keep pulling me away from getting hurt? This is me apologizing and trying to prove I meant it." In an attempt to be playful, Chita tried to quickly pick Aerith up off her feet, given he was quite close to her, only to whistle for the Chocobo to come so he could place Aerith up onto it.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Good." She let him sweep her off her feet, but didn't react, save for a smile. "Now then..." He placed her atop Senra and glanced toward the portal, eyes narrowed. "There's only one way to avoid being caught up in that spell. Accept yourself, every part of it. Good, bad, ugly. I know I'm flirty, I know I'm a trickster. I know perfectly well I have dirt on me. It's where I grew up." She glanced over toward Chita. "I'm not about to let those facts dictate who I am, but I'm not about to be afraid of them either." Aerith smiled. "We're not going to be reckless about anything. We're not about to retreat, either. We're going back in there and we are putting our boots right into Mim's backside until she returns everyone to normal... regardless of who it is."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Hopping onto the Chocobo behind Aerith, he slipped his arms around her stomach to hold onto her before saying softly against her cheek, "I will try... but please do not hold it against me if something happens and I am not myself." then he whispered something with a grin on his face before saying, "Well then... let us go."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "Let's go, Senra!" She snapped the reins, and guided the chocobo forward again. "Our first order of business is simple... rally the troops!" With that, they dove into the spell again... hopefully for the last time.

Aerith Gainsborough

2014-01-08T07:13:48Z

Renegade: /* Enemies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+1)||We're not back to where we used to be yet. But we've started to move in that direction.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-20)||Perhaps there is more to you than I figured. But this doesn't change what you did...
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Reconnect: Maira

2013-12-16T00:32:40Z

Renegade: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2013/12/06 |Location=Traverse Town - VALKYRI HQ - Main Hall |Synopsis=After recovering Alice and bringing her back to VALKYRI HQ, Aerith finds hers..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/06
|Location=Traverse Town - VALKYRI HQ - Main Hall
|Synopsis=After recovering Alice and bringing her back to VALKYRI HQ, Aerith finds herself with more questions than answers. To clear her thoughts of a few of them, she turns to one who she's sorely in need of a re-evaluation with.
|Cast of Characters=Maira, Aerith, Chita
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' When was the last time Aerith was in this place? As far as she knew, there was only once, and then she'd had to go somewhere else. She couldn't remember. But sitting here, watching over the blond-haired girl, she didn't think it was a bad thing. They'd saved her from someone far more experienced and competent in battle than they were, and by the skin of their teeth at that. It'd taken her a few cure spells and a bit of her spirit to fix everything, but due to that, she only needed a day to recover. There was no telling when this one would wake, though. She sighed and stood, her mind burning with questions. She had no idea who this girl was, or why she was so important, but those were questions to be asked of those who knew what was going on. Those questions however, led to other questions, and she knew perfectly well who could answer the specific ones that came up. So she made her way out of the room and looked for a certain member of this organization.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira is relieved to have Aerith's help with the injured. Usually, it is just her. Sometimes she will call Faruja for help when she's particularly overwhelmed with the wounded warriors. Though she hadn't escaped unscathed, she was one of the best off by the time that fight had ended, a large part of that having to do with the Dark Knight showing up to protect her. What a strange and ironic turn of events /that/ was. Maira is as of this moment, flopped down on the couch looking exhausted. She'd seen to Chita, Mercade, Avira, Angantyr...she's completely spent for the time being, but they are all stable and well on their way to a full recovery. Whatever doesn't kill them makes them stronger, right? Maira sighs heavily, hand over her eyes. When had Seith grown so powerful? Or had he really been holding back previously? Well, they had prevailed in the end. Maira would have kept fighting to the last--they all would. That's why he wouldn't win.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' "You make sure that you take care of yourself, too." Maira would suddenly find Aerith just next to her, having approached from the right. The Cetra put a hand on her right shoulder and channeled what healing energies she could. Fortunately she had plenty to spare. But with Maira's hand over her eyes, Aerith was certain that the young lady was in the process of thought. Considering what they'd been through recently, those thoughts were not good.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Indeed, Maira is troubled by many things, this the most recent. It really seems like the Shadow is growing stronger. Maira removes her hand from her face when she hear's Aerith's voice, smiling softly. "That's why I'm resting...but thank you," she says, feeling the healing wash over her. "Save it for the others though, they took a lot more damage than I did. You know what we need? Food. We should eat something. Like ice cream--a bucket of it," she says with a small laugh. "How are you feeling? Is Alice doing alright?" she asks, sitting up.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' A sigh. "She's asleep. No injuries, at least none that I can see. I am not about to make any assumptions about what would have happened if Seith got away with her." Aerith shook her head. "But then again, I have no idea why he wanted her in the first place. See this is why I hate missing out on things; I have to ask too many questions after."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira nods. "Good...I'll have to check her more when she's awake," she replies. It might take a bit of time. "As for what would have happened...I can only guess. At best, they'd have locked her away, probably kept in her that strange...stasis so that she couldn't hurt their plans. She's a princess of heart," Maira explains. "They have the power to bring worlds out of the darkness, and protect them from falling...the Shadow Lord's want them. Er...us," Maira ammends quietly, sighing. "Well, now is probably a good time for questions--I'm totally getting that ice cream though," she says, standing and going to the freezer. She pulls out a tub and two spoons before wandering back to the couch.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Wait... she said us. Aerith regarded Maira a bit closer now as she headed for the freezer, and came back with a nice, big tub and two spoons. Silently, Aerith took one and twirled it in her fingers for a few moments, chewing on her next words instead of the icy, sweet treat. When she did speak, it wasn't with a question. "Y'know, I feel like I've failed you, Maira."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' About this point, possibly due to the voices, Chita shifts and lets out a pained sound before realizing he had no idea what was going on or where he was or if he was even alive. Which is why as he slowly sat up, he listened and tried to figure out what was going on. Sounds of fighting? Sounds of conflict? Pain? Anger... Ice Cream? The main source of his injuries came from the surges of magic that had been used to knock him out, the lingering claw marks on his chest from the feline heartless and various bumps and such from being thrown around like a ragdoll after he was unconscious by the tornado. Otherwise, though, he wasn't physically hurt that much. Just... hurt from the magic. Pushing himself to a stand he let his hand drag along the bed and felt around carefully with his other until he found the nearest wall, following it with one hand and holding the other out in front of him as he tried to figure out where things were in relation to him and, mostly, where to go from there. The bump and following grumble of pain came from him hitting his knee on a nightstand that he was just a bit too tall to feel until it was too late.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira scoops a huge bite of ice cream onto her spoon and puts it in her mouth, smiling happily. Ice cream makes everything better. At Aerith's words though, Maira's eyes widen, then blink. She waves her spoon emphatically. "Wherever you are going with that, don't go there. You haven't failed me at anything! If anything...I failed. I should have gotten in touch with you sooner. I've...been through a lot, but really, haven't we all? I guess its just been...really awkward to talk about--plus, there are things that are best not known by everyone, you know?" she says. Maira turns then, hearing Chita start to rise. "Oop," she says, then hops up to head over toward him, taking him by the arm. "Hey, you're at Valkyri HQ. Had you brought here to recover. We're eating ice cream, come join us?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced over toward Chita, going silent as he entered. The last she'd seen of him, he'd been severely damaged by one of Seith's terrifying attacks. The fact that he was still walking around was a testament to his resilience. Still, she said nothing, merely watched Maira and Chita interact.

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Chita visibly tensed when someone approached, not knowing for certain who they were. Blindfold off at the moment and possibly being cleaned with his shirt, he had on a pair of pants that were otherwise still a bit dirty from the fight the night before. When he heard the voice though the tenseness relaxed and he went to respond. "I... ca...n" His voice was a bit hoarse, like he was straining to make a sound come out. Well, having taken the brunt of Maleficents magic to his eyes and came out unable to see, it was only chance, or perhaps the fast healing after that and it not being truly that powerful, that left him able to speak or not worse. He wanted to say he had no intention of being a burden, that he could be on his way, but when he opened his mouth to speak again nothing came out and he gave a small cough of a grumble before letting himself be led wherever. Not like he could really resist anyways.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Oh please, he could very well resist. Maira saw what he did to Seith. Still, who would want to resist ice cream? "I'll get another spoon," she says once she's led him to the couch. She fetches the spoon and returns. "Alright then....so...uh...where were we? Chita, you probably want some answers too. If I have them, I'll try," she says before going for another spoonfull of ice cream.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith grimaced. Whatever he'd endured damaged more than just his body, to be sure. She'd have to check him out later, but then she remembered his reaction to the last time she'd tried to help. Perhaps it was better that she left him alone for now. Aerith cleared her throat and made her best attempt to recall where she'd left off. "I was going to ask you a few things... about yourself. I've come to the realization that what I first thought about you was wrong. In fact, I was wrong about a lot of things between us." She chuckled. "Here's an example: I thought we were from the same world. But that's not the case, is it?"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Possibly, but he was also pretty injured at the moment. Or at least feeling the pain of it rather than physically showing it. Brought to the couch, Chita takes a seat and reaches up to rub at his throat almost curiously before he heard Aerith shift and turned his face towards her, trying to figure out who it was. She wasn't moving or any such, or speaking just yet, so he wasn't sure. "...pass." he said relatively softly, when the remark of wanting answers, before the spoon was placed into his hand. He didn't really make any moves to take such though, so much as trying to be polite as he held the spoon and listened. Aerith's voice surprised him and he turned away from her so she couldn't see his face, not quite 'looking' away so much as just... turning a bit and trying to mind his own business.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira listens, letting ice cream melt in her mouth, her amber eyes fixed on Aerith. "Actually," she says, gesturing with her spoon for emphasis, "You were only half wrong! So...the story is a complicated one, and one that I only learned fairly recently. When we first met, I didn't know anything of the things I do now," she says, taking a deep breath. The first part of the story is easier, emotionally, for her to tell. "See...you know that Dark Knight guy that was there last night? Who showed up to protect me? Well, at first when I met him, he tried to kill me. Uh, frequently. He was searching for hearts of Light and...testing them, I guess. I think, maybe, Mateus (that's he Emperor of Palamecia, who is controlling the Dark Knight) sent him to maybe try to find the princess of heart for his world. What he found was, well, me...and I felt a pull toward him, it was so strange...and then I met Mateus. You remember Uist of course? My ghost companion? Well, he recognized Mateus--it triggered something in him. He started to remember his life...." "Then, when Uist became corporeal for a few moments, Mateus also recognized /him/. It turns out, that Uist actually worked for Mateus' father, the emperor before Mateus. He was a soldier in his army. Now, Mateus' father was dabbling in the darkness before the World of Ruin came about. He figured out how to open the Corridors of darkness, and sent his soldiers to explore the worlds. Uist was one of those soldiers. He was sent to another world...to Midgar...and that is where he met my mother." "Uist...was my father. He just never remembered anything about his life before he met Mateus again. So...my mother was from Midgar, but Uist was from Palamecia. He fell in love with my mom and they went back to Palamecia, which is where I was born," Maira continues. Goodness but she hopes they are following her here. "But the Emperor grew more and more dangerous. When I was still very young, they went back to Midgar--but Uist, he died there, leaving just me and my mother...then, my mother died only a few years later, before she could tell me anything about my father or the world I was born in. So...I was raised there in an orphanage, never knowing any of this." "So...um....yeah. That's what happened...with that," she says, reaching for ice cream again.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith remained silent before anything else, wondering what else she'd been mistaken about. That knight... well, now he was in the business of defending Maira. Long as he continued to do that, the cetra had no issues with him. There was, however, the part about how she was only half-wrong. "So you really are... what I thought you were? I'd rather not be alone again, the very last of... well, what I am."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira sighs quietly, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders. "Aerith, I don't know. How could I know? My mom died when I was six. She never spoke to me about anything. How would we know? Maybe, she was some part Cetra? I don't know...I mean, would you know? Could you like...look in my heart and know?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled and placed a hand on Maira's forehead. "There's a way I think I can figure it out. Cetra always had a different... aura... than everyone else. It's what allows us to interact with all sorts of spiritual energy. Even if you have a little bit, there's the potential for it." She ran a hand through Maira's hair. "I'm not going to make any assumptions about you anymore, but that one gut reaction when I saw you the first time still hasn't gone away." Aerith closed her eyes. "I think, now it's time to make sure." She might not be able to read hearts, but energy, she could do. There had to be some part of Maira that was an exact match to her own wavelength. "Do me a favor and empty your mind, okay? This'll only take a second." Within a few moments, she went silent, making her best attempt at finding that one part of Maira that was exactly alike... because from the way things were going, and what she'd seen the young girl go through, coincidence was not a word the flower girl would use.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Empty her mind? Oh boy, that was going to be difficult. Luckily, she has been practicing this a lot to control her magic, so she nods and closes her eyes, letting out a slow breath. She simply lets the storm inside of her quiet, focusing on the humming of the power through her body. As for what Aerith finds, it is very much up to interpretation. There is something there, a difference in spiritual energy. How could there not be, with the kind of magic she wields? It does seem to have a certain resonance that Aerith might find familiar. "Aerith...even if my mother was some small part Cetra...you are the last of your kind. I'm sorry...but think, there could be more who are like me, who are...something new? A blend? Heh...lot is possible with the worlds as they are," she says softly.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "While I'd like to say differently, I think you're right." She removed her hand from Maira's forehead. "I'm not too sure what to make of this, that I got it so wrong." Aerith sighed again. "Dunno why I started to teach you everything I did. I'm starting to wonder if it had any effect at all."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' "Being alone..." Chita says softly, "...is not so bad. At least you are not hiding from your own, hm?" The Viera gave a small chuckle as if trying to lighten the 'sadness' that was there a moment ago.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira frowns deeply. "Just because...it isn't what you thought, doesn't mean it was all pointless. I've needed all the held I've gotten along the way," she replies, placing a hand on Aerith's shoulder gently. "I'm sorry...maybe Uist would have known something...but he's gone," she explains, the real sadness seeping through. "When he remembered, he started sort of...leeching the life from me. He couldn't help it, his spirit was trying to pull itself back to life. We had to...seperate," she continues, looking away. She'll not go into details just now about how that had nearly killed her--would have killed her if not for her friends restarting her heart. She wouldn't go into just how much she missed him. Maira looks to Chita. "Heh...we've all been through a lot, haven't we? We've all lost so much, but we can't focus on the things that seperate us. We have to focus on coming together as so many of us have. We've come from entirely different worlds and lives. Now we are together, fighting against the people who tore our worlds apart. Isn't that just...completely amazing?" she says with a warm smile, looking between them both.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "I'm really starting to believe you're a Princess of Heart after all. You've got the mindset for it." Aerith lowered her head for just a brief moment, gathering her next words. "If I really had the ability to read into your heart, I think I would love what I found." She glanced toward Maira. "I don't know if there's anything you want to ask me, but go ahead. I mean, we're basically starting over now, right?" A smile. "So go ahead. I'll try to answer as best I can."

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Not noticing the smile, Chita didn't respond to such directly, or even that he was being looked at. He did nod just a little though as if agreeing to the basic sentiment of what was said. He did finally ask, "That... man, what hap...pened to him?" He hated interrupting, but now that he was thinking about things, his hand once again idly rubbing at his neck, he had to know to settle his own thoughts.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira blushes and looks away. "What, my word wasn't good enough?" she jokes, laughing sheepishly. Maira goes back for more ice cream, and at this rate she's going to end up finishing off the carton. "I don't really have any specific questions...just...what has been going on with you? It has been some time, I can't imagine you've managed to completely stay out of trouble either," she says with a grin. "Seith?" she asks Chita. "Angantyr kicked him through the portal he opened. We saved Alice, for now that has to be enough. Chita...do you have any idea what he wanted to do with you?"

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Seith wanted something with him? He hadn't even realized such. Was such obvious after he had fallen? Before? Was he too wrapped up in the pain of the magic to realize such? How much longer had the fight gone on after the magic had burned through him as it had? So much he simply did not know. He went to speak again but couldn't quite say what he'd intended, so he simply shook his head to respond. Now he was curious too. What /had/ Seith intended with him?

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith frowned. "I have no idea. But I don't like it." It was all she would say before answering her question. "Well... I've been trying to reconnect with a few people, not to mention get in touch with those who I've been running into on a constant basis, but never really got to know. I suppose this was as good of a time as any to touch base with you, but it seems I've gotten more out of this than I bargained for." She looked up at Maira with a smile. "In a good way, of course." She looked down again. "You wanna know something? I still remember when I came along to save you from Vector." Aerith shut her eyes, brows furrowed. "I think when I saw what they were doing to you, it... well it hit a bit too close to home."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira's breath shakes as she inhales. Memories of Vector are still very recent. Time hasn't worked its magic to dull them in the least. Vector had been...a nightmare, even among nightmares. Not the worst thing she had suffered, but certainly close. "Don't....ever let them get you," she says. It's all she can say. "That Shadow Lord, Rakassa, I still need to find her. She has my necklace, and I intend to have it back."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. "They're as bad as a certain... problem... in my world." She sat back on the couch. "It's strange, isn't it? You never knew your mother, I never knew my father... yours died at six, mine at five..." She stared up at the ceiling, her mind putting each piece in place. "They tried to do something terrible to you in Vector. I've had some version or other of that same terrible thing happen to me for half of my life, though the first part of it was almost exactly what you went through."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira shudders. "I'm so sorry...that something like that was ever done to you. Was it ShinRa...?" she asks, though she expects the answers is very much yes. Maira places and arm around Aerith and gives her a small squeeze of comfort.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod, but didn't respond for a few moments. "It's /still/ Shinra. They still want me for their little project, but it's been postponed until further notice due to the Heartless being everywhere at once." She grimaced. "I'm not angry at them, though. In fact, I suspect many of them want to do right by my world. They just... happened to fall into the same pit as those who want to exploit it, and everything else they can get their hands on." Aerith sighed and closed her eyes. "I just need to be stronger for everyone, you know? I feel like what I'm doing isn't enough. And after that fight where we barely survived against Seith, when he was being serious about ending our lives?" She shook her head. "This is possibly the most useless I've ever felt."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira nods, sighing quietly. "I think there are many more important things they should be worried about. I met someone from ShinRa once--he landed a helicopter on Angan," she says. "He seemed...nice?" I mean, people try to land things on Angan all the time, right? Obviously didn't stop him! "Just think though Aerith...that world, it isn't gone forever. We could look for the world shards, and for the princess of heart...and we could bring it back. It's not hopeless. Sure, the Shadow is strong, but we're stronger! It was very close...but we prevailed, didn't we? We'll keep prevailing, and we'll keep getting stronger. And most importantly? We'll stick together," she says with a bright smile. OPTIMISM POWERS GO!

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' "Stick together, huh?" She smiled. "A single stick breaks, but bundled together, they are strong." Aerith opened her eyes and leaned forward again, giving Maira a sidelong glance. "I wish I could do more for you. I wish I could have met you earlier, before all the worlds were mashed together."

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' Maira smiles in agreement. "Heh, me too! I didn't have any friends but Uist back then--really, its actually kind of amazing we didn't meet before," she says with a laugh. "I spent a lot of time inside...I was sick a lot, so I didn't really get out much," she explains, her eyes going distant. "It's amazing...I can't believe how much things have changed--how much /I've/ changed...heh. Pretty crazy, right?" she says, looking around. "How are yu feeling, Chita? You can stay for a bit you know...or maybe Aerith will take you home with her," she jests, laughing lightly. They were friends, right?

:'''[[Chita]] has posed:''' Chita went to respond to the remark with a light uncomfortable laugh and attempting to speak, but all he got out of his sentence he'd intended to say was, "...home... but... more... pet." He was moving his mouth inbetween those words, so it was likely he'd intended to say something else. But what was up for interpretation. As for how he was feeling, he didn't directly respond, not sure how to respond to that anyways.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced toward the viera, her eyes narrowed. She wouldn't respond to his stilted answer, but she could definitely tell something had gone horribly wrong during that fight. Still, she hesitated to mention it to him, much less do anything about it. They were friends, or at least she liked to think so. Aerith just... well she had a feeling she'd strained it, quite a bit. She'd have to address that issue. Just not now.

:'''[[Maira]] has posed:''' "Yes I was making a joke," she says with a laugh. "I'm feeling a little better now, so I should really go see to some people. Feel free to stay as long as you like though, both of you!" she says, getting up to put the ice cream away before moving back to check on all those still laying in bed.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith got to her feet and made her way back to Alice's room, sparing Chita one last look. They probably wouldn't see each other for a bit... and she wanted to tell him to take care... ...But then he'd take that the wrong way, wouldn't he? Aerith smiled and shook her head as she made her way toward the Princess of Heart. After all, she wanted to be there when Alice woke, to make sure everything was fine before she left for Goug again.

Connection: Echo

2013-12-16T00:26:41Z

Renegade: Echo and Aerith, sitting in a tree... wait, no.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/15
|Location=Targ Woods
|Synopsis=Aerith heads back to the woods near Goug after the irritating Black Friday fiasco to clear her head, and perhaps take a moment to commune with the spirits there that have been untouched by Shinra's reactors. Of course, one is never alone in places like these, and she ends up meeting a peculiar creature. And Aerith always was a sucker for cute things...
|Cast of Characters=Aerith, Echo
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Tired. Aerith was just plain tired after having so many things happen. The incident in Manhattan, the battles with the undead, the attempts to mend bridges with people she'd lost touch with... Therefore, she felt it best that she have some time to herself. Ironically, she picked the one place where she was guaranteed not to be alone, if only for the natural surroundings. Still, this was one of the few places she could get some respite, besides at Cloud Nine over in Traverse Town. After what happened in Goug recently... well she didn't want to go back there any time soon, unless she had to.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "You ain't from around here, is you hon?" Echo asked from her perch up in a tree, in this murky murkwood esque forest. She was using a heavy southern-sounding accent, likely just to poke fun at the fact she'd run into Aerith somewhere out of her element perhaps. Or not. The bat girl was in fact sitting on a large tree branch, her sandaled feet dangling down below her as she sat there kicking them gently back and forth, peering down at the flower girl. "Gotta be careful around here, you could get attacked by vampires or something! I don't know," she shrugged, as if not sure exactly herself.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith stopped moving, but didn't look toward the voice. She spread her aura forth, her senses expanding in an attempt to find whoever joined in on her solitary jaunt. "Oh trust me, I'm plenty careful." She looked up, right at where the voice originated from, but couldn't quite see who it belonged to. "Of course, if you're talking about yourself, you could have just come down and ambushed me right away. The fact that you're not..." She smiled. "...means that I have nothing to be afraid of. So come on down and join me."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo blinked and pulled her feet up as the girl stopped and apparently prepared to defend herself, from what it looked like, now standing on the branch as she looked down. "Careful there pardner," she said in that mock Texan accent again, the bough she was on trembling ever so slightly under her weight with a few leaves drifting down. "There's a time and a place for ambush, you don't think people attempt them all the time, or something," she hopped down--her wings flaring out as she glided down and landed with a soft thump of earth beneath her sandals.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment as... wait, what? Aerith blinked for a moment as she beheld the owner of the voice. Definitely female, she certainly looked her age, but the ears and wings certainly told the bulk of the story. Once she got her fill of examining her, Aerith took in a breath. She'd made her decision. "You. Are. Adorable." Aerith grinned and jogged over to the bat lady. "I mean, look at you! The ears, and the wings, and those eyes, and that hair!" She had to stop herself from touching anything. Far be it for her to be inappropriate. Aerith cleared her throat. "My name's Aerith." She smiled again, this one somewhat less intense. "What's yours?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Of course, as Echo glided down had the amusing moment of having to pull a Marilyn Monroe as her flounced skirt naturally protested against the wind, eek! Once securely on the ground however she straightened her dress out and folded her arms. She blinked over at Aerith and seemed confused for a moment. "Are you daft? I'm a Demi-human," she said matter of factly, as if this explained everything, which it really didn't. She turned to look at Aerith as she turned this way and that, likely wondering what she was so excited about. "I'm Echo," she replied easily, apparently amiable, at least.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. "You'll have to forgive me. I just can't help myself when I see something cute." Maira could attest to that, but never mind. "Demi-human, huh? That's a rather unique term. Can't say I've heard it before." She turned and began to walk through the forest again. "Come on, join me. I was just making my way to my favorite spot."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "You're not gonna hug me till I asphyxiate, have you? I've heard of humans doing that," Echo blinked a little, stepping back just a little. "You've never seen a Demi-human before?" she blinked a little. "You know, beast-kin, anything like that?" she asked again, shrugging and following along with Aerith regardless of her confusion at this. Since when did human's like Demi-humans??

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment. "Oh, plenty! I've seen Viera, I've seen the natives of Burmecia, I've seen this one lizard person..." She chuckled. "None of them seemed the slightest bit aggressive, except when they were threatened. In fact, one of them's nearly a pacifist unless he's pushed to extremes." She shook her head. "I don't know why, though." She glanced over her right shoulder. "Why do you ask? Are you not treated so kindly where you're from?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Oh, I see," Echo blinked a little at that and looked down, as if this caused some kind of introspection in here. "Most of us had to sort of fend for ourselves where I came from, or at least my family looked out for itself," she shrugged again. "I had understood demi-humans were something of a minority... to say the least in the world of ruin at large."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith frowned as she listened to her response. That didn't give too much information, but it opened the way for something. She was silent for a few moments as she stepped into a grove she'd found on one of her first days exploring this place. "We're here!" Aerith took in a breath of the forest air and sighed. "This is possibly the best spot in these woods. At least, I think so." She jogged over and took a seat on one of the larger rocks. "Okay, so! First things first." Aerith tilted her head to the right. "What's your world like? I always like hearing stories about other places."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Do you live here or something?" Echo seemed still a bit soundly confused on what exactly the deal WAS with this Aerith. Was she some kind of crazy mountain person, or lived in the woods? She sniffled at the air even, trying to see if there was something else in it that she didn't notice at first that Aerith did. Curious and curiouser. "Well, what did you want to know, exactly? it was sort of like that of ruin but... greener, I suppose, also mistier," she tilted her head a but, finding the question a tad difficult.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith giggled. "Well, that could be said about anywhere... well, besides my world, of course." She fended off anything about that topic for the time being. "I want to know details. Specifics." She placed a finger on her chin. "How about... the city you're from? I mean, you talked a bit about your family, right?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "City I'm from is eternally shrouded in night, called the city that never sleeps. It is lit by many oil lamps and is perpetually dusky, there is a theater, an grand auction house, many nobles lived there," Echo slowly recalled what she could, not taking a seat just yet. "I don't believe it made it unfortunately, I was in lindblum when my world fell," she sighed a little.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith bowed her head for a moment as she heard that part of her world didn't make it through. "It's the same as mine... pieces of my world that are supposed to be there aren't." It was as if the Heartless had just eaten away chunks of worlds and left the other pieces drifting. Aerith looked toward Echo again. "You know, I've been to a city that always rains, no matter what time of year it is. I trust you've heard of Burmecia?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "It is someplace in the Aerbs mountains, yes?" Echo frowned a little, looking up. "What ISN'T near the Aerbs is the question moreso, they are vast," the bat replied. "Many lands and areas where men never go, or return from, filled with animals and monsters no one has seen, well, besides the dragons, we've seen those, just not any near my town," she shook her head.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. "I've been several times, and the rain never seems to end." She giggled again. "Always gives my hair a real problem!" The giggles dispersed before she asked her next question. "So... this whole demi-human thing." She frowned. "I've never heard of it, but it sounds more like a negative term... and I don't think I want to call you that. Echo sounds much better."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Stinking flying lizards those creatures, not /dragons/," and she said dragons with all the flowery emphasis a hippie college teacher might have about some subject they felt dear. It was sarcasm, evidently, her people did not seem to hold them with the same reference. "Echo is my name," she said, as if this was obvious. "Demi-human are just what we're called, since we're altered by mist," she raised a brow. "I suppose you could think of it a little derogatory."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Right. So in any event, I guess since you told me all that, I have to give something in return." She placed a hand behind her head. "But I doubt I have all that much to offer. My usual trick would be boring, and I don't have much to say about where I'm from besides the fact that it's kind of like where you're from. The sun never really shone there." Of course, that was due to the fact that the city was built on a huge steel plate, and the slums beneath suffered due to that, but she wouldn't talk about that unless prompted.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo stood silent, her arms folded a little as she listened. "Really? was it cursed?" Echo seemed curious on that fact though. Another city where there was no sun? That sounded pretty awesome, for a bat anyway. "Or were you underground?" she put a hand to her own cheek, leaning off to the side a little.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith sighed. "You really want to know?" She smiled, and it had a bit of melancholy to it. "The city where I'm from was run by a company that might as well have been a government. It was divided into two sections. The upper city was on top of a big plate, streets and all. That side saw the sun, and also saw business, culture, and wealth." She sighed. "The rest of the city, under the plate, was ignored and turned into nothing but slums. And because it never saw the sun... well, it wasn't so green and verdant." Aerith chuckled. "You could say I was born in darkness, kind of like you."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "...Yeesss?" Echo asked a bit slowly, almost hesitantly, as if she wasn't sure if she should be that curious or not. "Ah, so you grew up in the poor, common area," that made sense to the bat, she underood more or less easily. "Nobody is really born in darkness, unless they die, and become a vampire, then they're /kiiinda/ born in darkness, but you get what I mean," she shrugged a little, pleased with that explanation.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "Sorry, I like being metaphorical at times." She looked back up at Echo. "Before she died, my mom said I was born somewhere else. I always wondered where that was, but since my world fell apart... well I don't think I can find out any time soon." She shrugged and redirected the conversation again. "Anyways, how about your folks? What were they like before everything fell apart?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "I don't spend time trying to wonder such things, I try to figure out ways to make my own life better, but you seem pretty... positive, I guess? is that the word?" the bat tilted her head to the side, wondering about the flower girl, perhaps just a little. "My folk were... fine," she replied simply, taken a bit off guard with that one. This probably causes her to recall some things from her past, which she is a tad silent for. "They were... good enough folks, hard working, not well liked though."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Positive. That's exactly what I'd call it." She tilted her head to the right. "Well no matter what they did wrong, there has to be a reason." She smiled. "If you don't want to talk about that, it's fine." She hopped off of the rock. "So... I suppose I should do something to thank you for coming here with me. Much as I like solitude, it's always nice to have someone to enjoy your favorite things with." She stopped a few feet in front of Echo. "What exactly do you like to do?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "There was," Echo nodded. "It wasn't a big deal really, they just wanted me to follow in the family business, I disagreed," she shrugged. "Some leave home sooner than others, I guess," her sandals scrunched through the grass quietly as she walked a little, turning to face Aerith once she said she'd need to do something nice. "I amuse myself typically with idle things, I read, unless you mean something like... going to the beach, or beaches, rather, that many humans live around, that is something nice. Just not in broad daylight," she smiled.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "Well, I know a place where it's night just about all the time. The beach there is amazing, especially in the moonlight." She gave a nod. "I owe you a trip there, to be sure." Aerith looked up at the tree tops. "I never did tell you why this is my favorite place in the woods, did I?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "There is another place like that?" Echo seemed curious about this, to say the least. "With a beach?" she stepped a little closer, as if wondering what place this could be, was Aerith playing a trick on her? "And no, you didn't... why?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "If you ever head toward Traverse Town, stop in at the Cloud Nine. Any time you need a free place to sleep, just head there and I'll take care of you if I'm in." She took in another breath of air. "As for why this is my favorite spot here, there are three reasons." She looked toward Echo again. "First, the solitude. For some reason, no animals or bugs or anything like that come in here. It's the only place in the woods that, besides the wind, is completely silent." She sighed. "Second, the air. Somehow it's a bit cleaner and clearer here. Don't ask me why, but it just is. I've come to accept it, and it makes relaxing and meditating here a lot easier." Aerith gestured around with her right hand. "Last, but not least, the amount of space there is. Ever since I got my new toy and learned how to properly use it, I looked for a proper location to train with it." She called up a small mote of pale green light above her right hand as she put it just in front of her, palm-up. As she closed her hand into a fist, the light flashed... and a six foot long staff materialized, made of white wood and with a faint sheen to it. "This is my pride and joy right here. I call it the Spirit Staff."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "No insects or animals? Odd, perhaps there's some kind of enchantment," Echo raised a brow, looking around. She was perhaps not in tune with the same kind of magical energies that Aerith was, so there would be reason why she might not have realized it. "Take care of me, huh? I get a long pretty well on my own, though I will keep that in mind," she grinned a little, nodding politely. The bat blinked and backed away from the girl revealing her staff, blearily peering at it, and wondering just what the deal was. "Was that a staff in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" she replied, blinking a little and grinning. "I did not know you used such a weapon, a handy way to carry it, that."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "The only reason I didn't call it up earlier is because... well, I wasn't afraid of you. The only natural means of obtaining a defensive posture is fear of attack." She smiled and set the back end of her staff on the ground. "The staff is my kind of weapon. It's meant to defend oneself without hurting the other person, but has enough leverage to get the job done should it be necessary." The smile turned into a grin. "But this one's special. Check this out..." She turned to the side, facing away from Echo as she took a stance. Aerith whacked the ground once with her staff, and though the sound of the air parting was proof enough of the force she'd put into it, nothing exciting happened. "Yeah, that's not much. I just whacked someone on the head, or hit them while they were down. But when I do this..." Her eyes narrowed just slightly as pale green motes of light rose from the ground beneath her. Several others joined in after a few moments, before heading straight to her staff, causing it to glow. Aerith performed the same movement... and her staff rammed into the ground with a thunderous smash, kicking up dirt and dust. She glanced over to Echo. "The wood this staff is made of has the special property of absorbing any type of energy that exists. This is just pure spirit energy, nothing else, but you see the effects. Whoever got hit with that isn't getting back up."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Not many seem to be, admittedly," Echo shrugged a little, walking closer again, peering at the weapon. "I haven't practiced with any martial weapons, just magic," she shook her head, watching the flowergirl. She jumped a little however when the maiden assaulted the ground with her staff, wings rising a good bit up around her, just out of alarm. "I... see, you're quite an aggressive one with that thing, aren't you," she grinned a little, a light grin rising to her features. "I figured you for some sort of healer, or other kind of mage, when I first saw you," she canted her head to the side. "Absorbing energy? some kind of cursed weapon? Doesn't look like it..." she came closer a little, curious.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled and dispersed the energy that her weapon took in. "Not so. In fact, this weapon is what you'd call my best friend." She stood up from her stance as Echo took a better look at it. "Just to dispel that myth, watch this." Aerith took in a breath and closed her eyes... and without drawing in anything, the staff glowed again, only this time with a pale golden light instead of a pale green. She opened her eyes again. "This specific energy, a good friend of mine offered to this staff. It's the power of light, and I haven't quite found a use for it yet, but I certainly will discover one in good time." She chuckled. "At the very least, it serves as a good way to see in the dark!" Of course, she didn't mention that it helped saved someone's life.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Light, hmm? That source of it is like a corona," Echo blinked a little and held a hand up to her face to shield it partially, though she didn't seem afraid or bothered by it exactly, just that the light and the magic it was generated from wasn't something she was used to. "A glowstick, huh? something like that?" the bat smiled, stepping off. "You're a good person Aerith, one of the few I might add, and for that I thank you," "I however am feeling a might peckish, so must be off. I will take you up on that beach trip, however..." she smiled. "Be sure to bring your swimsuit." she took off flying. Zoom.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded and looked up at Echo as she made her way out of the woods. She released her hold on her weapon, and it faded with those same motes of pale green light, mixed with a few golden ones. "You're a good person too... Echo." She grinned. "Being absolutely huggable helps, but I won't embarrass you like that!"

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-16T00:14:03Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+1)||We're not back to where we used to be yet. But we've started to move in that direction.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Echo]]||Amicable (+11)||You know, I really enjoyed our time together. Let's meet up in Traverse some time!
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-12T06:16:37Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+1)||We're not back to where we used to be yet. But we've started to move in that direction.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|-
|[[Kyra Hyral]]||Neutral (+10)||Whoever that was, we'll get him back. Just need to figure out how...
|-
|[[Myla Mason]]||Amicable (+11)||This is the second time we've met and something bad's happened. Forgive me.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-11T05:33:55Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+1)||We're not back to where we used to be yet. But we've started to move in that direction.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+1)||Wasn't that fun? We need to do that again!
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T05:08:18Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||You're a ''princess''? Why was I not told about this?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||I don't know how to fix what's between us. But I will find a way.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T05:07:19Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I'm... all alone again. But you know what, that's fine. I think I'll be okay.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||I don't know how to fix what's between us. But I will find a way.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T05:06:08Z

Renegade: /* Profile */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconscious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. Shinra is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||I don't know how to fix what's between us. But I will find a way.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T05:04:34Z

Renegade: /* Profile */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

Yet she still remains the last Cetra, and the revelation that Maira is not who she initially appeared to be has brought a loneliness to her that she never thought she would feel. Hide it as she might, the fact that she is the last of her kind still haunts her. In that light, she makes it her goal to surround herself with as many companions as possible...

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||I don't know how to fix what's between us. But I will find a way.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T05:00:47Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||So then, you know Zack too. I wouldn't get too involved with him.
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||I don't know how to fix what's between us. But I will find a way.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T04:44:02Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T04:42:35Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Zack Fair]]||Amicable (+11)||What happened to you, that you don't remember me? And even once you do, don't expect any favors!
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-09T04:39:38Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||You and I need to have a serious talk about your... church.
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-07T05:03:07Z

Renegade:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage, Mystic
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=So I'm all alone again, am I? But at the same time, I'm not. And we just saved a Princess of Heart from the Shadow Lords, huh...? Now I'm starting to see the bigger picture. The question is, where do I fit in?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-07T04:57:18Z

Renegade: /* Enemies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-07T04:56:57Z

Renegade: /* Enemies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|-
|[[Seith]]||Marked (-31)||To thrive off the pain of others so much is inconceivable. You need to be dealt with.
|-
|[[Maleficent]]||Angered (-21)||The leader of the Shadow Lords. You nearly killed Chita, and I'm going to make you feel his pain one day.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-07T04:50:48Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Trusted (+10)||I understand you now. Really, I do. But do you understand me?
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-05T01:52:40Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Crescent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-05T01:52:12Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya Cresent]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-05T01:51:49Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Freya]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-12-05T01:27:25Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|[[Freya]]||Amicable (+11)||Just be careful who you're getting this solution of yours from.
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Connection: Avira

2013-11-27T23:28:31Z

Renegade: Avira and Aerith get comfy. Raine tries to sour the mood.

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/11/26
|Location=Traverse Town - Cloud Nine - First Floor
|Synopsis=They've run into each other far too many times for her to believe it's coincidence. Now the leader of VALKYRI and the eponymous Flower Girl of Goug have a heart-to-heart, during lunch hour at Cloud Nine. Oh, and some guy named Raine butts in too.
|Cast of Characters=Avira, Aerith, Raine Arland
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' For once, Aerith was not on the clock here at Cloud Nine. No, she was here as a patron, trying to take her mind off of what's been happening for the past few days. They'd gotten a few more helpers at this spot, and they were busy working the grill and the bar. With that said, she'd ordered a nice baked potato and some fries with a soda, found the quietest corner in the pub, and made her best attempt to be alone with her thoughts. But this was Aerith, and she didn't like being alone all that much, so she'd sent a specific letter to a certain someone... ''Avira, we need to speak, face to face. It's not serious, I just want to get to know you a bit better. We run into each other far too often not to have at least an understanding. Meet at Cloud Nine, whenever you feel ready for it, and we'll get down to being friends. Or at the very least, being something more than acquaintances. - Aerith''

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Eventually that letter made its way to Avira by way of courier. It actually results in a written reply, telling Aerith when would be a good time for her since not only is she busy but she often has to avoid certain places due to the whole bounty situation. Heck, she even ran into such a situation a few days ago! But since she had yet to run into problems in Traverse Town, she does indeed come show up at the Cloud Nine. She comes dressed in different clothing with her signature weapon carefully hidden beneath a green cloak around her shoulders. It doesn't take long for her to find Aerith because she knows pretty well what the flower girl looks like. Grinning, she slides into the seat next to Aerith. "Hey there."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' It wasn't like she knew about the bounty. Otherwise she'd have picked a different spot. Still, this was one of the only places she knew that was relatively safe to talk at, so Cloud Nine it was. Sure enough, Avira came as expected, and Aerith gave her the best smile she could. Not like it wasn't genuine, but she had ten different kinds of smile, and this one was labeled 'meeting someone for the first time,' at least in her head. "You want anything? Stuff here's pretty good."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira can deal. Enough people in Traverse Town seem amenable to Avira and disinterested in helping Baron. She's been back a few times to pick up supplies without problems. As she sits down, she brushes her hilted weapon to the side and crosses one leg over the other. Avira grins, "I'll take a sandwich and whatever soup they have today." She leans back in the chair and threads her hands behind her head. "So how have you been?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' Raine Arland. Man of Mystery. Dark Swordsman extraordinaire. Master of the blade summoning sty--hrgk. AHEM, nevermind all that; back to business! The doors of Cloud Nine come swinging open as Raine stepped through. "Look out! Raine Arland is on the scene!" Pause as several other occupants stare at the new arrival. Expressions range from incredulity, annoyance, irritation, and amusement as they behold the young man who just so loudly proclaimed his arrival. Grinning at the various reactions he got, Raine strode on through and plopped down at a table, incidentally near Aerith and Avira's table. He hailed a waitress over and placed an order cheerfully. Wow this guy was in a good mood, wasn't he? "Ahhhhh, nothing like kicking back and relaxing after making a damn good breakthrough! Ahahahahaha!" And to top it off, he put his legs up on the table and leaned back in his chair, adopting a lazy pose with his arms crossed behind his head. Wow, this guy...

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gives a nod and flags down a waiter, giving the extra order. Soon as he walks away, she props her elbows on the table, her features settling into a resigned look. "I've been terrible, honestly. Been in what amounts to a war out in the Land of Dragons." She huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "I'm not going to talk about that, though." She smiled. "What I want to talk about is-" And then another guy bursts in, causing her to glance toward him with wide eyes. After hearing him speak, she shook her head with a chuckle. "Now then, before the good sir made his big entrance..." She cleared her throat and focused her attention back on Avira. "What I wanted to talk about was you. And in return, you can ask anything about me that you want. I'll answer as much as I can." She smiled again. "So... Who are you. Not your name, I know that. I mean... who are ''you''?"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira's eyebrows lift when she hears Raine announce his entrance. She frowns, recognizing the name, and looks over her shoulder, following him as he walks through the room and sits down at the nearby table. "Hah, it's you. Been a while." Avira sounds smug, "But I still remember what I did for you back in the swamp." She then frowns at Aerith, "Oh, you were involved in that? Maira told me all about it, so no worries." She looks thoughtful for a second. Well, even her name was something that could be shared, but not now. "Me? I was a chiropractor's assistant from Brooklyn that was tossed into Ivalice when my world fell. Now I'm an awesome huntress and guild leader."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. "Really? I suppose that explains your interesting weapon." Aerith sighed. "I wish I could lead a guild or something... I just don't know what we'd do, or what we'd be named." She shook her head. "Never mind that, though. You said something about Maira..." The tips of her eyebrows shifted upward. "How is she?" She'd only gotten one good look at her from the aftermath at the Great Wall... and that one brief look was enough to cause her concern.

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' Raine's good cheer immediately froze the moment he heard Avira's voice. Like a statue, he froze up, and then rigidly turned his head to look. "...I-It's....It's yooooooooooou...!" He pointed, an indignant expression on his face at the moment. "You're the one who--!" He trailed off at that moment, thinking. "...Wait, who are you again?" Poof. All dramatic tension: lost. "No really, who are you?" Raine asked, straightening up in his set and taking his feet off the table. "You LOOK familiar, but...For the life of me, I can't recall! What's this about a swamp?" Seems he forgot! Turning his chair to face the two women, the young man grinned amicably enough. "And I don't believe I've met you either." He spoke in regards to Aerith. "Name's Raine. Raine Arland." Not that it was necessary, considering he announced to the entire establishment seconds earlier. Avira's abridged story is heard meanwhile and he arched a brow. "Wow, got enough hands to pat yourself on the back with there?" Raine asked wryly, crossing his arms after.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Yes! Me!" Avira beams at Raine. That look on his face...priceless! "I-" she looks annoyed. "I saved your life! Remember? My name is Avira. You know, from VALKYRI? There was that mark about the gator in the swamp." He forgot! He totally forgot! Then again, it was so long ago so Avira starts to wonder if it was really worth reminding him anymore. "...well sort of." Yeah, there's a story behind Avira's weapon too but it wasn't something she just shares with anyone. Only VALKYRI and TDA members seem to know it right now. "Maira's fine, we've been taking good care of her. She was pretty roughed up after that fight in China." Turning, she gives Raine a quick glare but it quickly disappears, replaced with a grin. "Why, did you want to lend one of your hands to help? I'm proud of all the stuff I've done this past year and I'm not gonna be modest about it~"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith chuckled. Well, these two seemed to know each other. The food came to the table without too much fanfare, and Aerith smiled at the waiter, saying she'd pay for it. With that, she sat back and observed the back and forth for a moment. Maybe she could learn a bit more about Avira from observation than conversation. They'd talk a bit more about Maira later; she seemed to be a common thing between them.

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Saved my life? Huh..." Raine brought a hand to his chin, thinking on it for a few moments. "...Nope! Doesn't ring a bell!" He responded after, grinning an idiotic grin. How convenient. Having been mostly out of the loop and off on his own business, Raine wasn't the go to person for current events. It was kind of embarrassing how little he actually did anything in the forefront. "What's this about a fight in china? Was there a rice shortage or something?" He asked, voice rife with snark. Avira's comeback to his other comment earned her a smirk. "One of my hands?" The young man raised one of said hands, staring at it thoughtfully for a second. "Weeeeeeell, I dunno. I think you've got enough already." He decided after, shrugging nonchalantly. "But if you ''insist''..."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Tch, you owed me one." Maybe if she got Shiki around to vouch as a witness, she could force him to remember-and pay back that favor. A favor in her pocket was always something Avira liked to have on hand in a pinch. An annoyed look followed though: "Uh, no, China was invaded by ''the undead''. Are you that out of the loop on things? There's been talk about that all over the place." She looks him in the eye, clearly CHALLENGING him. "Oh yeah, Raine." she pushes, "I ''insist''."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Right, this could get interesting very quickly. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to involve him in their conversation, seeing as he seemed a bit clueless, and Avira was rather easily provoked. She had to remember that fact for later if she wanted to get along with the clan leader. Aerith cleared her throat. "While I'd love to watch you two settle your differences in here, I don't think either of you would like to pay for the damages you'd do to one of my best friend's bars." She glanced at the both of them. "Please. Stop."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' Raine arched a brow at Avira's response and just- "Well, I guess I can't say no then!" And then he reached out, patting her pack. "There there. You are awesome and I could never hope to compare to the heights of greatness that you've risen to! Oh woe is me!" Raine spoke, sarcasm thick in his tone. "But one day, one day I WILL and when that day comes, the tables will turn and you'll be the one patting ''me'' on the back!" Withdrawing his hand, the young man put on leg over the other, leaning back in his seat as he considered the china situation. "Huh. Invaded by the undead? Sounds like it was a blast. Maybe I should have showed up." Looking aside, Raine just smiled wryly. "And yeah, I guess I ''am'' that out of the loop. So much of my own stuff to get to, you know! No time for undead invasions, rice shortages, and peasant revolts. Or whatever's going on right now." Shrug! Aerith was given a glance after and Raine shrugged flippantly. "Hey, hey, hey~ I didn't do anything! Yet."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Good, I'm glad you can recognize that." Avira continues to smirk all through the back patting. She's a little surprised he actually did that but she'll roll with it. The issues she had with physical contact from other humans over a year ago have all vanished. "Ho ho! Bold declaration there, kid! We'll see!" Aerith decides to intervene at that point and she lifts her hands, "Oh, hey, I'm not looking to start anything in here. If anything, I'd make him take it outside so it could happen."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith had to take in a soothing breath to try and calm things down. It certainly didn't feel like they wouldn't start anything in here, at least not this Raine fellow. Avira on the other hand, she trusted to keep it civil. "Now then. About Maira." She glanced toward Avira. "I have no doubt you understand what all she is. She trusts you, after all. But I have to ask anyway... do you know her whole story?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Whoa, hey hey hey" Raine started, holding his hands up in a defensive manner. "We're just having a little fun here. Who said we were gonna suddenly start throwing fists? I mean, I know I'd win, but come on! We've got to be more civilized than that!" And that statement was accompanied by a teasing grin. He let his hands drop after, listening to Aerith as she mentioned a 'Maira'. Another familiar name, but he couldn't put a face on it. Weird. Oh well, not his problem. As Aerith asked about this mystery girl's story, his food had arrived. "Oh sweet!" And with the arrival of his order, Raine turned and began to dig in, leaving the women to it.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "...pfff, really? You think you'd win?" Avira waves a dismissive hand. "For the sake of not causing any more strife in the bar, I'll let you have that fantasy." There's a sly smile on her face at that which disappears when the food shows up. "Maira? I-" she puts a hand to her heart, "Understand very well what she is. She is, in fact, the most important thing of all..." Avira slips her hand up to her neck to tug a small gold chain free from underneath her shirt. It has half of a heart pendant on it, "...my best friend." With that she nods and lets the necklace drop back onto her chest. "Yeah, she's told me everything."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "Well, the first thing you need to know about me is this. Everything she told you about herself..." She took in a breath. "...you can equate some of it to me as well. But that would depend on what all she told you about her."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' MEANWHILE IN THE BACKGROUND: "Oh sweet lord in heaven! This cake is to die for!" Raine was having the time of his life. No really, he was. Even if it was for a single moment, he would savoring every last bite. It was the most delectable thing he'd ever have the pleasure of assaulting his tastebuds with since....since....he couldn't remember! Oh wait a second, there was a seriouss discussion happening right at the next table. The swordsman ainfully tore his gaze away from his half-eaten cake, and towards the two women, arching a brow in curiosity at the mention of 'equating what she said to her'. "...?" And then a stupid smirk came onto his face. Oh no, here came something stupid. "Wow. Out of context, that sounds pretty hilarious, you know?" He wasn't helping.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Uh..." Avira says awkwardly, looking at Aerith. "Seeing as how I don't really like talking about Maira's personal stuff while she's not here with me, could you care to explain? I mean, what things, really?" She doesn't want to bring up 'princess of Heart' in this setting since that attracted all sorts of unwanted attention. For the moment Avira was doing a good job ignoring Raine and his cake molestation. Until he butts into their conversation again! "In context it sounds like a perfectly normal conversation." ...vagueness aside.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' "And if one wanted to invite themselves, perhaps they should ask what exactly is being spoken of." Aerith's face retained a mask of placidity. Still, this one was starting to annoy her, her amusement at his bravado being replaced with irritation. She wouldn't let him see it, though. "In any case, I think I should take a few guesses." She cleared her throat and began counting off the points she figured the young lady talked of. "Avira told you about her parents. She told you about her time at a certain orphanage. She told you about the day she saw a specific entity, only to have him follow her wherever she went." She tilted her head to the right. "She told you about the day her world fell..."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' In response to both of their replies, Rain just chuckled, either not getting the hint, or just completely ignoring it outright. Evidence pointed strongly to the latter. He opened his mouth to make another dumb comment, but something stopped him. "...?" Left eye glowing an obvious red at rapid intervals, Raine looked away as a voice in his head spoke to him. 'Kid, how much longer are you going to take here? We've come too close to zeroing in on one of them to take a break now.' The swordsman just shook his head and refrained from commenting. Talking to himself in public tended to make people think he was crazy rather than just an idiot after all. "Not a discussion for here." He replied in a low voice before turning to face Avira and Aerith again, taking his plate of cake into his lap to eat. What? This was a interesting discussion, even out of context! Filling in the blanks with his own assumptions was hilarious!

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Yes, she's shared stuff about all these things before." Avira seems a little confused. "And her ghost. Who is no longer with her since he crossed over. I know who that ghost was and I know where Maira is really from. I know these things. I told her about what happened when my world fell. We were also both there when we saw the world fall a second time." Avira's hands clench a little bit. It was almost the one year anniversary of that. She glances to the swordsman, seeing a flicker of red light as the kid's eye pulses. She turns to watch him fully now. "Hey, are you alright? What's up with your eye?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith took a sip from her soda. She didn't see the eye come to life, but the air around him tingled something fierce with an aura that was not his own. "I would tell the other one you're talking to that this is not his conversation to participate in." She looked straight at him. "Or would he mind introducing himself instead of hiding?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Eh?" Raine looked between Avira and Aerith, dumb smile on his face; his usual disarming tool. But it seemed like it wasn't going to work this time. "Ehhhhhahahahaha...." The young man started to laugh and rub the back of his head. "What are you talking about? I'm the only one here! Really!" He claimed, holding a hand up in a placating manner. "And there's nothing wrong with my eye!" At that moment, his left eye lit up red yet again as the voice in his mind made another comment. 'Give it up, kid. The unscarred one can sense me. She's got some kind of power...' A faint chuckle echoed after and the voice added. 'Interesting.' "....Well, crap. So much for that." Raine sighed and held out his free hand, palm facing the floor. Immediately, a bloody red glyph formed on the flooring and expanded a bit. From there, a black steel blade rose, sporting a creepily spiked hilt. "Welp, there you go." Don't blame me for what happens after. He spoke casually, taking a bit of his cake. The summoned sword took on a sickly red aura and the voice from Raine's head now spoke clearly, heard by all. "You. The one who sensed me; who ''are'' you?"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Dude." Avira says, slipping into her old New Yorker turn of phrase. No longer needing to keep up that charade she could use it at will anyway. She points at Raine's glowing eye, "You are shining bright red there like Rudolph's nose. And I didn't..." her eyes narrow. Avira puts down her sandwich slowly and watchines Raine carefully, her hand dropping downward. "Well that's one creepy-looking sword."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "There, that's better." She gave the sword just enough of a bow to be respectful. "I'm no one special, just a flower girl named Aerith." It only took a few moments until she composed herself. "You do seem to have a bit of a deepness about you, an age if you will." She tilted her head to the right. "But I suppose I shouldn't ask how old you are. Impolite. The thing I should ask is your name."

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Ahhh man..." Raine sighed, fork hanging from his mouth. It always got to be a headache when someone found out about 'him'. He just sighed again and turned away, resuming molesting his cake. The sword meanwhile turned on it's own, 'facing' Avira spikes-first. "I'm not just a creepy looking sword, human. Watch your manners." The sword then faces Aerith as she introduced herself, letting a moment of silence sink in. "My name." A chuckle echoed out from the weapon and it seemed to consider this for a moment before answering. "You may call me 'Laevateiin'." With introductions out of the way, the sword went on to ask a question. "If I might ask, how were you able to sense my presence? Very few are capable of that."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith gave a nod. "Very few indeed. Let's just say I have certain methods by which I can divine things that can't be picked up by any other sense. I was just about to explain to my friend here..." She glanced toward Avira. "How that was possible." She turned toward the sword. "But, Laevateiin, I don't know you. I haven't even heard of you before. Thus this knowledge is not reserved for, or open to you." She gave a nod. "Whatever it is you're looking for, it's not here. Please, go your way in peace."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Okay, ''talking'' creepy sword." Avira abandons her sandwich and stands, leaning forward to examine the blade. "Though I like Laevateiin. Very Norse-sounding. I can always appreciate that." She glances back at Aerith. "So, what, you're done asking questions about me now?"

:'''[[Raine Arland]] has posed:''' "Ah geez, so much for that." Raine mumbled, shoveling the last bit of cake into his mouth. "Whatever!" He stood then, leaving the empty plate on his table, along with his payment. "Looks like we're done here, Laevateiin. Time to go chase down some Apostles." That said, he reached out and grabbed the sword's handle, hefting it up and onto his shoulder. "I am not finished here, put me down, kid. That woman and I still have--" Laevateiin complained as Raine took hold of and lifted him. Raine ignored his complaints however and just glanced at Avira and Aerith, giving them a two fingered salute, and an idiotic grin. "Seeya ladies sometime, somewhere!" And then he marched out of Cloud Nine, drawing a few stares due to the red trail the sword, and his left eye was leaving as he moved.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith sighed and turned toward Avira. "He's out of the way. Good." She turned toward Avira. "Now then, before we were so rudely interrupted by the noble sword and his irritating friend, where were we?" She placed a finger on her chin. "Oh, right. I was just about to tell you about me." Aerith propped her elbows on the table again. "Maira and I aren't just from the same world. She told you where she was from, but not what she *was*. Understandable, but I think you need to know." She gave Maira an honest smile. "She and I are the last of what people in our world call Ancients. The real name though is Cetera. If this is nothing new, please stop me now."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Oh I'm sure we'll meet again, Raine Arland~!" Avira calls back as he leaves with his sword in tow. "Good luck and don't get yourself killed!" She smiles the whole time he's leaving, even as she returns to her seat. "I dunno, he was kind of adorable in his own irritating way." Avira says, leaning an elbow against the table. "He seems like he'd be fun to spar with. Maybe I should challenge him to some arena combat someday." Avira listens for a moment, then holds up her hand. "Uh, actually, Maira's not really from your world, she's originally a part of Palmecia."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment. "Well that's new..." She placed a hand on her chin. "I don't know if she just found this out, or if she hid it from me. Either way, I had no idea." She tapped her chin for a few moments, then shrugged. "I guess there are a few more things I need to find out." Aerith smiled again. "Well, since I started, I might as well keep going." She sounded as if there were nothing wrong with being told she was wrong. "As of now, I'm the last of my kind, again." She chuckled. "Explaining what all is behind what I am would take quite a bit, and isn't for casual conversation. I'll just sum it up..." She leaned back in her chair. "I could sense what was in that sword, because it's in my blood to do it. Ghosts, spirits, other sources of intelligence, or anything else... it's energy. All of it. And once you figure that out, you can speak to just about anything." Her eyes narrowed. "It's why what happened in China made me somewhat angry. I couldn't hear anything... at all."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "It's actually pretty personal." Avira mentions, looking slightly worried. Maybe she shouldn't have shared that out loud and saved it for Maira to talk about, if she wanted to. "I'm not all that sure if it's something Maira wants to talk a lot about. Honestly, I don't know anything about Ancients and Maira's never mentioned them." Aerith goes on and Avira nods slowly. "That's great...seems really useful." She spreads her hands out in a disarming fashion, "Near as I can tell, I'm just a regular ol' human. Most of the time at least." Did Aerith remember when Avira was a mutate? Maybe.

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith almost cringed. "I'll try to be tactful when asking her about it then." She took in a breath and continued onward. "Oddly enough, the things we call light and darkness are energy as well... which was how I could tell something was wrong when my world started to go dark." Aerith shivered. "Suffice it to say that it happened all at once, and I almost had my heart eaten." Aerith shook her head. "But enough about that. You're just normal Avira, at least as far as I can tell. Though..." She tilted her head to the right. "You've lost something." Come to think of it, what exactly happened when she'd missed the big restoration of Manhattan? She'd wanted to know, but hadn't come across any information besides the problem had been resolved without her assistance. Well whatever. So long as it was back, that was fine with her. "You know what? Never mind that. As long as you're still you, everything will be fine." She smiled again, and this one wasn't reserved for those she just met, but friends. It was brighter, a bit wider. "Tell you what... I'll show you a neat trick that I've learned how to do recently."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' For a moment, Avira stares off into space. "Yeah. I think it was like that for a lot of people when the worlds went dark. I was lucky enough to survive the shadows and stumble free." She shivers, "It's not a stretch of time I like thinking about." Focusing once more, she picks up her sandwich and pauses, looking at Aerith. "Lost something?" Avira looks a little put off, "You probably sense a void inside me. I had to donate the majority of my light to start up Manhattan's world heart again." Avira finishes up her sandwich, "What? A magic trick?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "That's the thing, all right. A void." She leaned forward again. "Truthfully, you answered a question that I'd asked myself, so thank you." Several of them, in fact. But that was for later. "There's still light within you, and you should keep what's left, no matter what." Aerith's features lit up in a smile. "So! The trick. While I wouldn't say it's a magic trick, It should explain what exactly I can do." She sat back in her chair and seemed to calm herself with a breath or two. Then, she lifted her right hand, palm up... and stared at it. It took all of about five seconds for a mote of pale green light to appear. "This is the smallest form of what you might call a spirit."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Yeah I am or was the Princess of Heart for my world." Avira explains. "Those tend to have lots of light within their hearts so...it just kind of all happened. Like instinct." Slowly, she nods. "Others close to me have told me that too. It's...encouraging." Aerith produces a spirit and Avira leans forward to look at it. "...what is it's name?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' There it was. The term she'd been meaning to ask about, but never really got the answers to. But she wouldn't ask for now. She'd have to inquire about it after her demonstration. "I don't ask their names. In fact, I'd rather not do so; I'd rather let them tell me if they have the inclination to." She took in another breath. "Spirits have all shapes and sizes, but in the end, they're like snowflakes. This one won't do much, besides maybe light my way and warn me about things." She smiled. "But get a lot of them together..." Her eyes narrowed with a bit of concentration, and it seemed that more of them came from thin air itself, joining the one floating above her right hand. The mote of light grew in size, from the width of a dime... to the size of a baseball. In half a second. "...Get a lot of them together, and they turn into something you can use." She turned toward Avira, her features no longer so intense. "I can throw this at someone and it'd hit with the impact of a punch."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' Avira says, "Strange. How do you invoke them if you don't know their names?" Avira's brown eyes remained pinned upon the tiny spirit. "I could imagine...each one is different from a different and unique living thing, right?" She starts to squint a little as the ball becomes large and brighter but after her eyes acclimate, she stops. "And ultimately, they are energy, right?" she tilts her head, "Like any other spell?""

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith nodded. "Yup. Exactly. A spirit is the manifestation of someone's personal energy when their thoughts are still occupied with this side of the veil. Once those issues are resolved, that energy can go back to where it came from." She smiled. "So I'm not really calling up spirits, but spiritual energy. But as you can see, it does still have a life of its own." She lets the sphere fade away with a sigh. "I even have a new staff on me... my old one was made of metal, and I could barely use the thing to defend myself. Things have changed these days, though. "My new one, I've been trained properly to use, and the wood it's made from takes in all sorts of energies, making it harder to break, and multiplying the force you can deliver with it."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Ahh, that feels like a different thing entirely." Avira rubs her chin, "But still people. Well made of people. Soylent energy and all." She smirks privately to herself at this little joke. The topic shifts to weapons and Avira nods, frowning a little. "You didn't get used to the metal one with time? Hm. Weird, I find myself able to adapt to new weapons given enough time. Sounds like a pretty special staff there. Made specifically for mages I guess?"

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith shook her head. "It's not just for magic, it's for pretty much anything." She smiled. "I don't think you know a certain mouse, do you? Little guy, jumps high, really good with a blade?"

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Good with a keyblade you mean?" Avira smirks. "Or are we talking about Faruja here? He jumps too after all." She's met both "mice"...though Faruja counts more as a rat, doesn't he?

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith giggled. So they both knew Faruja, and they both knew Maira. Her mother might have been right about several things, including that everyone was connected in some way. "No, this one's smaller. And yes, good with a keyblade." She tilted her head to the right. "I'm not going to say his name. You know who he is. He gave me something interesting, and I'm not sure what it means yet." Aerith raised her right hand again, and a mote of light the size of a ping pong ball appeared. Once she closed her hand around it, a six foot long white wood staff appeared in her grip. "Watch closely." Within moments, a pale green aura of energy surrounded the weapon. "This is me using spirit energy, channeling it into my weapon. I've already told you what I can do with this." She pulled the energy away, and looked toward the staff again. "But with a bit of focus... I can do this." Her eyes narrowed again, and the weapon began to have another aura... but one that was a golden light instead. "Our mutual acquaintance gave me this... and I have no idea what else it does besides burning away Heartless and this other thing I was able to do." She wouldn't talk about Chita, not yet. They were still... at odds.

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Heh." Avira emotes on the subject of Faruja. She folds her arms over her chest and leans back in her chair, watching. A thought crossed her mind though. Why not say King Mickey's name? "If I had to guess..." Avira points out, "I'd say that was light energy. I've seen it come up in other places before." Like beyond those huge double doors and in the World Heart of Manhattan. "You've got a lot of light inside of you and I think this staff is actually drawing upon it."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith smiled. "If only that were the case. But King Mickey literally put this into my staff; gave the energy of his keyblade to my weapon." Her head tilted to one side just a bit. "This is more than just my light into this staff. It's something else entirely. I just don't know what."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Interesting." Avira says, then pauses to frown at something. The expression on her face quickly turns into a distressed one. "Um. Aerith, I think I need to go. One of my friends is getting a little distressed about something and I think I need to go be with her."

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith blinked for a moment. Wait, what did that mean? She turned to regard Avira for a moment, a puzzled look on her features. Could she somehow sense these things too? Then again, it was no real surprise. Being in direct contact with a World Heart meant strange things happened. "I'll take your word for it, go on."

:'''[[Avira]] has posed:''' "Thanks." Avira says hastily, getting up from her seat. There's no offer to pay since she's pretty sure Aerith intended to cover her meal today for their little meeting. In minutes she's pretty much gone!

:'''[[Aerith]] has posed:''' Aerith glanced after Avira with a frown. This was not the way she'd wanted to end things... and she'd just been given more questions. But she figured the answers would come in good time. She glanced toward her meal with a sigh. "Probably cold..." She smiled and dug in anyways. Turns out it was still pretty good after all.

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-11-27T02:56:58Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Friend (+10)||We needed to do that. I think I can understand you more now, and I hope you can understand me.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-11-27T02:54:53Z

Renegade: /* Acquaintances */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-11-21T00:10:55Z

Renegade:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't think I can take another minute of Rhiannon's treachery. But I can't do anything about it for now, so I'm just going to have to sit on it and wait for the go-ahead. The souls of those who died in the slums will be avenged, and will rest in whatever peace there is left in the Lifestream.
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Amicable (+11)||We run into each other way too much to call it coincidence. Let's chat sometime, really chat.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-11-20T23:56:10Z

Renegade: /* Enemies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't understand these people. What kind of science doesn't care about the people it works to help?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Amicable (+11)||We run into each other way too much to call it coincidence. Let's chat sometime, really chat.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Marked (-10)||I've never wanted to kill anyone before, but I want to kill you. If only to end your madness.
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Aerith Gainsborough

2013-11-20T23:54:22Z

Renegade: /* Allies */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Aerith
|lastname=Gainsborough
|age=22
|image=Aerith_In_The_Wind.png
|caption="I love the wind, don't you?"
|species=Cetra
|sex=Female
|height=5' 3"
|weight=Oh, you'd love to know, wouldn't you.
|series=Final Fantasy 7
|styles=Sage
|hometown=Midgar, Sector 5
|alignment=Forces of Restoration
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Florist
|themesong=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRiSAeX2ioM
|quote="I'm not fighting to cause death. I'm fighting to preserve life. Because the Planet isn't just the Lifestream, it's the people that live in it every day."
|footer=I don't understand these people. What kind of science doesn't care about the people it works to help?
}}
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= Profile =

Born in a place without mercy and raised in a slum without light, Aerith is yet and still a cheery and upbeat young woman of twenty-two years old who works as a flower seller. In a place that doesn't have any greenery what so ever, her talent for floristry has brought her a small fortune, which she uses over half of to keep her mother from going hungry. But let her gentle demeanor fool no one, she is able to defend herself quite readily with a five foot long metal rod and her innate understanding of how to get the most out of any Materia given to her.

When her world fell to darkness, she was selling flowers in the upper city, just above the Sector 5 slums. The destruction came without warning, her senses overwhelmed with the screams of a million dying souls. Just before she fell unconcious, she felt an insidious presence overtake her, attempt to control her as it did everything else. Yet something within seemed to resist. Perhaps her bloodline, her heritage, had spared her.

By the time she awoke, she was in a city she did not recognize, and could sense no trace of Zack...

...Yet she had found so much more.

Her world was not the only one there was, and she now had a name for the malevolent entity that had nearly destroyed everything she knew: the Heartless. After a first-hand experience with one and her subsequent rescue, Aerith now has newfound purpose and resolve. ShinRa is not the larger threat, and with her malice toward them evaporated like so much vapor, she now focuses her considerable will toward the defeat of the predatory beasts that seek to devour all hearts.

What's more, the recent discovery that she is not the last of the Cetra has changed everything. The daunting task of preparing her new protege, Maira, for the trials she will no doubt face caught Aerith unprepared, yet she takes it gladly... because now she finally has someone to truly relate to.

= History... in her own words =

Since the day I was born, I was always alone.

Yes, I had my mother for the first five years of my life, but... I was still alone. The first time I opened my eyes was in a cold, soulless laboratory in Shinra headquarters. A man with unkind eyes called me things that I didn't understand. I was poked and prodded, tested until I knew only pain and misery, and pointless work. That, and my mother's words, that I was born for something greater than this, born for a purpose that not even she could see. In that place, the Planet couldn't be heard. Too much interference, too many mistakes.

I don't blame them, they're trying to find a way to survive. But the Planet suffered because of it. If only they could hear like I did.

Like I still do.

Someone showed us kindness, though... they gave us a way out, a place no one knew existed, at the cost of their job, maybe even their life. My mother and I managed to escape, but it was a disorderly retreat. She... was shot down while we were running, by a guard lucky enough to know what was going on. To this day, I still remember the look of pain on her face as she stumbled to the train graveyard, holding me in her arms. We were found, but it was too late for her... and she gave me to someone else in the hope that her words, her lessons, would stick with me.

I was well and truly alone at that point, because I became the last of my kind.

Even when I started hearing the voices, the cries and moans and warnings, I was still alone. I could tell my surrogate mother was afraid of me, I could see into her, through her. I didn't blame her at all, she didn't understand me. I didn't understand me back then, either. But she tried, and so did I, and things were good for a while.

Then Shinra found me.

Everything came flashing back in my head, even that night my mother died. For the first time in my life I got angry. When the Turks came for me, tried to convince me, I said no. A sharp, emphatic, resounding no. And my voice echoed along the walls of the house as if it came from somwhere other than myself. It made them afraid, and that was good. Let them be afraid, let them think twice about trying to come after the last of the Cetra.

After that, we couldn't just stay there anymore. No, we had to leave. But the problem was that when you're in Midgar, you're there for a long time, probably the rest of your life. I had a plan, but in order to do it, I needed to be strong. I taught myself how to hide, how to fight when I couldn't hide anymore, how to better speak to the Planet.

I accepted what I was from the moment I told Shinra where they could stick their little hopes for a brighter future, and I guess that made things easier for me. The voices no longer filled my head all at once, no longer hurt. They told me how I could make things grow in a place where growth no longer happened, and from there I decided to make my way in the world.

Selling flowers in the upper city doesn't sound like much of a start, but... from the first time I did it, I found that I was successful. Maybe it was something else guiding me, I don't know. But every step I took, it was one step further towards leaving and finding my purpose.

Of course, that was sidelined for a while when someone smashed through the roof of the place where I grew my flowers... I was lucky he didn't smash too many with that armor of his.

His eyes were the eyes of a SOLDIER, and I knew well of them. The war had been going on for quite some time now, with Wutai, and I'd already heard of their special task forces participating in high-risk missions. This guy didn't look like someone who fought a war though... he was goofy, clumsy, a total womanizer. He was also hilarious, charming, and quite handsome to boot. His name was Zack Fair, and he was the first man I ever fell for.

Well technically, he fell for me... but that's neither here nor there.

So I kept selling my flowers, and told him of all the little things I wanted... but it all boiled down to just one. I wanted to spend more time with him and those eyes that scared me, and yet intrigued me. But... after a while, it turned out that it wasn't to be. We weren't getting any headway at all, and then... before I knew it, the voice whispered to me again.

My eyes glanced toward the sky as it started to rain on the streets of the upper city, and I suddenly felt a pain in my chest that I never would have imagined. He was gone... well and truly gone, and I wanted to scream. I might not have truly loved him, but he was a friend.

One of my only real, true friends, and he left, just like that.

I hated them even more when that happened. Somehow, I knew Shinra was behind his disappearance, too far away for me to do anything but listen to the cries of the Planet as his soul was cut off from the Lifestream, without warning.

Then I was proven wrong in the next instant as I heard the screams, the wails, the utter hopelessness. A million voices cried out at once... save us. Then I really did scream as I felt something cold and black take hold of me, squeeze my heart and try to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, all I could do was scream, and cry... and then the pain stopped, the voices stopped. Something had saved me, I don't know what.

No that's not true. I think I know perfectly well what saved me. Didn't spare me from the void of unconciousness, though.

When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't know, staring at a ceiling I couldn't recognize. I couldn't sense my mother, or my good friend Zack... but even worse, what I could sense chilled me to the bone. The Lifestream was dying, all but gone.

I used to hate Shinra so much. But now I can't come to hate them. I don't nurse a grudge anymore.

Because there is something greater, something more unsettling, than Shinra could ever be. I know full well they aren't the ones behind this, because that day was the first time the Lifestream cried out in such sheer pain. All at once, souls were being extinguished, snuffed out, and now the Planet is in ruins and on the dregs of its life's blood.

It hurts... it hurts so much, but why? What's causing it?

And how can I stop something this powerful...?

= Personality =

If one word could be summed up in all of the personality that is Aerith, it would be peaceable. Aerith is the one you turn to when you just need someone to talk to who will sit quietly and listen, yet still be entirely focused on what you're saying. Her first goal is to make the other person feel as if they are the only person on the planet, and to that end she makes them feel as welcome and comfortable around her as she can.

Energized most when she is amongst friends, she offers her full support on any endeavors her allies happen to undertake. And she is bound to have many allies indeed, since she makes and keeps freinds readily! She can get argumentative at times however, for once she has an opinion and it has been proven, she does not change her mind. Ever. Still, she doesn't hold grudges and has a great respect for all forms of life... except for those who see fit to take life instead of contribute towards it.

Then she gets angry.

She finds it inconcievable as to how anyone could be so callous and thoughtless to want to bring harm, injury, or injustice to the world. To that end, if she sees something bad happening in front of her, rest assured she will do something about it, and her fury will be righteous.

Her intuitive nature gives her an insight that makes her thought process seconds ahead of others, and it means that sometimes she can say some very strange things. It's only later, when one looks in hindsight, that her words ring true...

Aerith's disposition to Shinra is... not so friendly. They've wronged her, badly, and while she doesn't want to see them suffer as much as she used to, she will not show any favors to them in battle, either. In less hostile situations, she is completely untrusting of them, even going so far as to add a bit of snark in her speech. Tseng of the Turks is a different story. She pities him, worried about how such a noble man could be caught up in such an evil organization. She holds less enmity for him than most, and will attempt to get him to see reason, even if his loyalty lies firmly with her enemies.

Aerith has an affinity for strawberry ice cream, seeing as it's her 'feel good food' as she calls it. Whenever one sees her sitting there with a few pints of it stacked next to her, they can rest assured that it's been a bad day for the florist, and would be well-advised to leave her be until she's finished her snack.

When it comes to events outside of battle, Aerith is relaxed in any situation where there is an abundance of people involved. She loves to have a good time with her companions, and isn't afraid to wear something pretty when the occasion calls for it. Most of the time she's seen in her pink dress and red bolero jacket, complete with a pair of hiking boots, her hair in a thick braided pony tail. But put her in a more elegant setting and she lets her hair down and pulls out the finest dress she can find, displaying the exquisite figure that her more common clothing tends to hide.

= Abilities =

[[File:Aerith-KHProfile.gif]]

=== The Sage ===

In this style, Aerith's abilities and stats focus around high-yield, heavy-hitting magical artillery, and the most potent of healing and restorative spells, all in one package. So one could call her, as far as standard Final Fantasy fare, a Sage.

When others are doing the fighting and she is at a safe distance, she shines in one of two roles: the force of nature, the destructive spellslinger that drops magical bombs on those seeking to kill her friends, or she is the support, the backbone, the healer that keeps things from falling apart.

Sometimes she takes on both at once, and this can naturally be draining... but that's just how she is.

=== The Mystic ===

However when someone gets too close, she soon displays she has a staff for a reason, and can use it with precision and a fair amount of momentum, bringing it around with enough speed to break bones and render someone unconcious. Combined with a redefined fighting style and her research into the abilities of the Cetra, she is perfectly capable of defending herself without the aid of materia.

=== Survival Skills ===

Her knowledge of flowers, which stems from her connection to the Lifestream, extends to herbs and natural remedies, and thus she excels in making potions, ethers, and other curative and status-recovery items, when the need arises. Stacked onto this is her skill with cooking, taught to her by her surrogate mother, Elmyra. The combination of these traits give her vital survival skills, making her a valuable asset when the fighting has stopped and everyone's back in camp.

=== Voice of the Planet ===

But more than just the ability to tell what's good to eat and what's likely to kill you if swallowed, her heritage gives her a sixth sense, the ability to hear voices on the wind, to feel urges within her that warn of danger to her person, or emotional pain within others, even going so far as to ascertain their physical health. This can be a boon in battle, making her able to read physical attacks heartbeats before they happen, or increasing her efficiency with healing magic.

=== Weapon: Spirit Staff ===

Hewn from the branches of an elder tree somewhere in the Targ Woods, this six foot long, inch and a quarter wide staff appears to be a commonplace weapon. But its common apperance belies its potential. The weapon has the properties of wax wood, refusing to break even under the most intense stresses. It also absorbs and channels energy with all the conductivity of a copper wire, making it perfect for Aerith's martial-arts based techniques.

But perhaps the most unique feature is that its full potential has [http://finalkingdom.net/wiki/index.php/Stars_In_The_Darkness:_Aerith yet to be unlocked]...

= Quests =

= Relationships =

Aerith has a certain view on the people she runs into, but since there is a kaleidoscope of people in the myriad fragments of worlds, there is no possible way to list all of them in one place. Thus, only those she has recently come into contact with will be noted, and those who are friends will remain so until her opinion of them is so marred that she puts them in neutral territory, or even as enemies.

Since she knows so much about someone to call them a ''true'' friend however, that probably won't happen... probably.

Relationships are ranked by '''status''', or her personal view on where people stand with her. Certain actions and words will bring a certain someone higher or lower as far as Aerith is concerned, and she is very observant, so watch yourself!

===Allies===

Friend (0-10) 
Trusted (11-20) 
Comrade/Confidante (21-30) 
Brother/Sister (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Kim Possible]]||Friend (+10)||Strong and clever, very capable. I'm glad I met you!
|-
|[[Pixi]]||Trusted (+1)||This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. I'll use it with honor!
|-
|[[Tifa Lockhart]]||Trusted (+1)||Boy do I have a sight to show ''you''...!
|-
|[[Maira]]||Friend (+5)||To have to go through all that again... I'm sorry I didn't know about this sooner.
|-
|[[Rinoa Heartilly]]||Friend (+2)||We really need to get to know each other, you know that?
|-
|[[Zargabaath]]||Friend (+1)||You're truly a man of principle and wisdom. That's rare in men ''altogether''.
|-
|[[Kaydin]]||Friend (-1)||Oh come on, did you ''really'' have to go there?
|-
|[[King Mickey]]||Friend (+10)||You're important... ''very'' important right now. I have to find you and get you to help.
|-
|[[Chita]]||Confidante (+25)||Sorry about all that, but I had to get you to talk about it. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
|-
|[[Paulo Mysidi]]||Friend (+10)||I think we're going to be good friends, you and I. Very good friends indeed.
|}

===Acquaintances===

Neutral (0-10) 
Amicable (11-20) 
Personable (21-30) 
Memorable (31-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Jasmine]]||Amicable (+11)||The two of us need to talk one day, I mean really talk...
|-
|[[Deidra]]||Amicable (+3)||We just seem to keep running into each other, don't we?
|-
|[[Faruja Senra]]||Amicable (+2)||Thank you for all your help. Maybe one day we'll meet again!
|-
|[[Rhyme]]||Amicable (+8)||Wow, way to tell 'em what's up!
|-
|[[Synestria]]||Amicable (+1)||Thanks for teaching me that! I've found a way to apply it.
|-
|[[Leida]]||Neutral (+2)||Good, calmed you down. Now it's time to finally get to know you.
|-
|[[Legion]]||Neutral (+4)||You're a unique one, aren't you? I just hope I haven't offended you too much...
|-
|[[Yuna]]||Neutral (+2)||A bit stiff and formal, but impressive summoning. But what kind of energy is that you're using?
|-
|[[Darkwing Duck]]||Neutral (+1)||Be careful before someone pops that big head of yours.
|-
|[[Luso Clemens]]||Neutral (+2)||You're a funny little guy, aren't you? Too bad I can't help right now...
|-
|[[Mercade Alexander]]||Amicable (+5)||I'm glad you trust me to lead this. I just hope everyone follows me.
|-
|[[Avira]]||Amicable (+11)||We run into each other way too much to call it coincidence. Let's chat sometime, really chat.
|-
|[[Neviril]]||Neutral (+2)||Such is the price of arrogance. It only takes the lightest touch to break it.
|}

===Enemies===

Annoying (0-10) 
Frustrating (11-20) 
Angered (21-30) 
Marked (21-40) 

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-
! scope="col" width="100" | Name
! scope="col" width="100" | Status
! scope="col" width="500" | Thoughts
|-
|[[Negaduck]]||Annoying (-1)||You're a horrible singer, you know that?
|-
|[[Mirage]]||Angered (-2)||I was so close... But I won't let someone that feeds off misery and suffering take what I care about!
|-
|[[Rhiannon Zellen]]||Angered (-21)||I was right not to trust you. So much suffering and death... but why?
|}

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}