[Five years. Even Cloud can understand how long that much time could be. That was the same amount of time that had passed before he saw Tifa back in Midgar as well. He had missed her during that time, too.

And now here too, having been in this dream world of sorts for a much longer time. The news she had delivered to him at the castle the night he arrived still hadn't fully sunk in yet. He hadn't thought about it since then, having pushed it deep within his consciousness. Yet it somehow reared its ugly head now...

But this wasn't about him, or Tifa, and he didn't have any intention to bring something like that up, anyway. So he shakes his head and gets back on topic.

Aerith.]

You could say that. She's also helped me and a few others, more than any of us really asked.

[That save in the church. Spreading the word of Cloud the merc at Sector 5. Saving Tifa. Marlene. The list seemed to keep going. Somehow, the thought of it is able to get a bit of a smile out of Cloud together with a breath that just barely sounds like a laugh and could be mistaken for exasperation.]

Sometimes it feels like she's just asking for trouble, though.