Aerith Gainsborough

History

Aerith was born to Ifalna and Professor Gast Faremis in Icicle Inn on February 7, 1985, making her half-human and half-Cetra. When she was barely twenty days old, Professor Hojo tracked Gast down, killed him, and captured Ifalna and Aerith. Held in the Shinra Building, Aerith and Ifalna became subject to numerous experiments at the hands of Hojo and Shinra. She had minimal social interaction aside from with a friend named Lonny, a boy two years older than her, and the son of Ifalna's caretaker, Marielle. In 1992, Aerith discovered that she had inherited Cetra powers, as her mind was flooded with images overloading her senses. A man named Geddie Bach, who watched over them, witnessed when Aerith's images led her to draw what Geddie interpreted as the promised land, the land of legend Shinra believed was fertile mako energy. Lonny instructed her to draw Mideel after seeing it in a magazine, causing Geddie, looking to make money, to head there hoping to find the promised land for himself, where he assumed the identity of Glenn Reiner.Knowing that Aerith had Cetra powers and thus was a suitable backup test subject, Hojo began to employ crueler methods when testing on Ifalna. Aerith had to witness Faz Hicks, another scientist, inject Ifalna with painkillers to endure. Hicks ultimately helped the two escape the building.[6] Ifalna, heading for the Sector 5 slums church, took Aerith to the Sector 5 slums, but collapsed at the Sector 5 Undercity Station. Aerith looked around for a doctor, but found Elmyra Gainsborough, who adopted her as Ifalna passed.

History 2

Elmyra gave Aerith a bed in the Gainsborough house that had belonged to her father-in-law, Gabriel Gainsborough, two months prior. Aerith met people from Gabriel's family business who Elmyra invited over, beginning with Mr. Meguro, who advised that Elmyra claim Aerith was a daughter of a relative who she was adopting, and that Aerith go by a different name to hide her from Shinra. The two ultimately stumbled on naming Aerith "Ronna", the same name as Mr. Meguro's daughter, in a meeting with another member of the business.The day after choosing the new name, Aerith told Elmyra that her husband, Clay Gainsborough had returned to the planet, something Elmyra rejected as she did not believe in planetology. Following this, Elmyra received a letter from Shinra informing her that Clay had indeed passed. In February 1993, Carlo Kincaid, from the Gainsborough family business, planned a party for Aerith's eighth birthday. The party would have included others from the business and the Sector 5 House orphans, and excited Aerith, but was cancelled after Mr. Meguro suffered a heart attack. After this, Tseng of the Turks arrived at their doorsteps, revealing she was a Cetra to Elmyra and attempting to persuade her to return. Tseng told them that Shinra regretted their treatment of Ifalna, and would leave Aerith alone if she told them the location of the promised land. Elmyra struck a deal with Tseng that he would leave her alone if she kept close watch of her and told them the location if Aerith knew, and Aerith confessed to Elmyra that she was indeed a Cetra.

History 3

After Elmyra and Meguro handed the Gainsborough business to Carlo, Elmyra was busy around the slums often, but placed harsh restrictions on Aerith, only allowing her to work for the Sector 5 House as an assistant. Aerith at one point confronted Elmyra about being restricted from watching television (a way of keeping her in the dark about the outside world), the restricted zone placed around her, and the harsh rules. Aerith ran away in protest, running to the Sector 5 slums church that Ifalna had told her about years ago, only to run into Faz Hicks there, who chased after her and professed his love of Ifalna and a desire to be with her. Elmyra fought Faz off with a broom and aimed an unloaded pistol at to deter away, bringing Aerith home safely when Faz was shot by an unknown firer. Due to the mako reactors draining the life out of Midgar and the surrounding areas, little could grow around the metropolis. Aerith transplanted some of the flowers to the garden outside her house. The flowers and other vegetation grew well there due to the lifestream-imbued water in the river running alongside her house; that same river runs under the church.

History 4

A 16-year-old Aerith met Zack Fair after he fell into the church from Mako Reactor 5. After mistaking Aerith for an angel, Zack asked her out to a date, but Aerith brushed him off. Impressed by her flowers in the church, Zack suggested Aerith sell flowers to make money, as flowers were a luxury item in Midgar. She showed him around the Sector 5 slums, and Zack bought Aerith her trademark pink hair ribbon. The vendor who sold it asked if Zack was her boyfriend and Aerith answered coyly that maybe he could be. The two visited the Sector 6 park, and Aerith told Zack she feared SOLDIER members for being experiments who love to fight, apologizing when Zack revealed he was in SOLDIER. She added that he didn't scare her and flirted with him, admiring his eyes. Zack promised to see Aerith again after he was called back to headquarters. He also promised to take her to the upper plate where they could sell flowers together and Aerith agreed. The two kept in contact for the next two years, with the Turks aware as they were watching Aerith. After Zack's mentor Angeal's death, Zack visited Aerith, who held him as he cried. Angeal's will lingered in the form of a canine copy that, in chapter 7 settled at the church and defended Aerith from rogue Shinra security robots. Zack finally built Aerith a cart after, and the two left to the slums to open her business, but it did not initially go well. Aerith asked Zack for "23 tiny wishes", and he had her write them down, which she summed up as "I'd like to spend more time with you". They also promised that whenever they would go on date, she would dress in pink. Unbeknownst to them, this was the last time they saw each other, as later that day, Zack was dispatched to Nibelheim with Sephiroth and never returned. In the coming years, Aerith overcame her fears and ventured above the plate to sell flowers, although she used a basket as the flower wagon had lost a wheel.

History 5

Aerith took Cloud to Elmyra's house who insisted Cloud leave to protect Aerith. He attempted to sneak out early in the morning, but Aerith confronted him and forced him to bring her along. At the Sector 6 playground, Aerith told Cloud he reminded her of Zack, as Cloud was also a SOLDIER First Class. The pair spotted Tifa Lockhart, a friend of Cloud, on a chocobo cart headed towards Wall Market. Cloud wished to help her, and Aerith chased after her.

History 6

In "To Corneo Hall", Aerith suggested Cloud crossdress in order to infiltrate Don Corneo's mansion, and helped him secure an outfit. After reaching Tifa, she revealed that her plan was to interrogate Corneo for information on Shinra. Aerith and Cloud agreed to help, and when the group confronted him, Corneo revealed Shinra planned to drop the Sector 7 plate to crush the current Avalanche's hideout in the Sector 7 slums, a group Tifa and Cloud were members of. Aerith, Tifa, and Cloud rushed to the Sector 7 slums to stop Shinra. Tifa requested that Aerith rescue the daughter of their friend and leader Barret Wallace. Tseng captured Aerith after she had secured the girl, Marlene, and the plate was dropped.[33] Aerith was taken to the Shinra Building to be experimented on by Professor Hojo to learn the promised land's location. Believing research would take at least 120 years and extend beyond Aerith's lifespan, Hojo wished to breed her with Red XIII, a member of a species with extraordinary longevity, to produce a hybrid.[34] In "Storming the Shinra Building", Cloud, Tifa, and Barret freed Aerith and Red XIII from Hojo's lab. Red XIII joined Cloud to defeat Hojo's monsters and help the group escape, though the Turks captured them. Aerith was then imprisoned in the cells with the others. Aerith spoke to Cloud held in the cell adjacent to hers with Tifa. When Aerith reminded Cloud of the deal to be her bodyguard for one date, Tifa looked upset, before changing the subject to discuss Aerith's Cetra heritage. Aerith believed she could not find the promised land even if she wished to, and intended to leave Midgar. The next day, the group awoke to find their cells mysteriously opened, the Shinra Building abandoned, and President Shinra dead. Shortly after confronting Rufus Shinra, the new president of the company, Aerith, Barret, and Red XIII evacuated via the elevator while Cloud and Tifa stole vehicles on which the group escaped via

History 7

Aerith joined the group now led by Cloud on their quest to hunt down Sephiroth, whom they believed was behind the massacre at the Shinra Building. Having heard Sephiroth was linked to Cetra, Aerith wanted to know more about her heritage and protect the promised land from him. After running into the Turks in the Mythril Mine, Tseng told Aerith that Sephiroth's reappearance meant Shinra would be off her case, and he wished her well.[36] When the group passed through Junon and stowed away on a cargo ship, Aerith told Cloud she had glimpsed Shinra's Highwind at the airport, and wished to fly on it one day. In Costa del Sol, they ran into Professor Hojo who was there on vacation. Aerith asked him about her late mother, but Hojo revealed nothing and seemed disinterested. Aerith retreated to the hotel and mulled over the possibility of being the last Cetra in the world.[37] In the Gold Saucer, Aerith attempted to cheer up an angered Barret, causing him to run off alone.[38] Later, after reaching Gongaga, Aerith met Zack's parents. They had not heard anything from him for years, and mentioned that Zack's letters to them had mentioned his girlfriend, whom they suspected was Aerith. Aerith then told Cloud that Zack was her first love, but that since it had been years, he had likely found another girl and moved on. When the group visited Cosmo Canyon, Aerith spoke to the village elders. She learned more about her heritage, and came to terms with her responsibility as the last Cetra.[40] When the party later returned to the Gold Saucer, Aerith was a date option for Cloud. On the date, Aerith mentioned how much Cloud resembled Zack, but yet was still different, expressing a desire to meet the "real him".

History 8

The party eventually tracked Sephiroth to the Temple of the Ancients, where Aerith used her Cetra powers to help decipher the temple's mysteries and locate the inner chamber. Sephiroth revealed his plan to use the Black Materia to call Meteor, the ultimate Black Magic, before the temple itself transformed into the Black Materia. Sephiroth took control of Cloud, forcing him to relinquish it, and when Aerith tried to stop Cloud, he attacked her before being knocked out. Aerith left the group, but while Cloud was unconscious, she spoke to him in a dream. As the last Cetra, only she could stop Sephiroth, and she promised to handle it. Cloud followed Aerith's clues to the City of the Ancients. In a temple underneath the Forgotten City, Aerith prayed for Holy, the ultimate White Magic, called by the White Materia she had worn in her hair, in order to stop Meteor.

Personality

Aerith is upbeat, carefree, and joyful, being flirtatious towards Cloud and compassionate towards others. Aerith is forgiving. She even shows compassion to people who might not deserve the gesture. Aerith is portrayed as an independent, outgoing, motherly, and kind young woman who is deeply in tune with nature. She's also flirty with both Zack and Cloud. Her extroverted personality is a contrast to Tifa's more withdrawn and guarded mindset. Aerith is quite sentimental. She keeps wearing her pink dress because of the promise she made to her first love to use it despite his death. She also keeps wearing ribbon given by him on their first date, and within the ribbon, she keeps the White Materia orb given to her by her mother right before she passed away. She always has a cheerful face to hide her sadness.

Mind

An innocent young woman who is close to nature and is passionate about plants and the world. She is very kind and respectful. She typically puts others' needs before hers.

Race

Cetra-Human Hybrid

Affiliation

Ancients, Cetra, AVALANCHE

Relationship

Cloud Strife(boyfriend / love interest) Zack Fair (ex-love interest) Tifa Lockhart (Friend) Yuffie Kisaragi (Companion) Barret Wallace (Companion) Red XIII (Companion) Vincent Valentine (Companion) Cid Highwind (Companion)

Appearance

Aerith wears a shin-length pink dress that buttons up the front and a red bolero jacket. She wears brown boots and metal bracers on her wrists and around the edges of her jacket sleeves. In all her appearances, Aerith's long light brown hair is plaited with a large pink ribbon. Segmented bangs frame Aerith's face, and she has emerald green eyes.