Promised Land

@Ashley30998065 @nocosttooblue @EuspFfxiv 👀x.com/Terrryle/statu…

@nocosttooblue @EuspFfxiv Yeah? And? Nojima already said in interviews in Ultimania that Cissnei and Zack are just friends and there's no zero interest Zack has in Cissnei.

I think this is pure head canon. No evidence that said aerith lies and zack was lady man even in other game.

I realized Valentines day is 7 days after Aerith's birthday!? 7... coincidence? I put together a few clips of the Aerith's dream date. Happy Valentines!💝

@Shunkiroth Yeah, and my response was that he won't find out much because Aerith probably won't say anything. Tifa has talked to her in Kalm about it, Aerith hasn't said a word about it and continues not to say anything as seen in the date. Hope that makes sense.

@Terrryle But this conversation is about Zack and what Cloud might find out about him, it's a total different story.

Tifa thinks Cloud and Aerith are something else than just friends. In this scene, Tifa says her friendship with Aerith is the reason that she should talk to Aerith and not Cloud.😳

@Shunkiroth Well, I thought about this too, but Tifa already told Aerith in Kalm about Cloud not being in Nibelheim. You can infer that Tifa told Aerith to leave it to her, since Aerith has never said anything, even during the date. If Cloud tells Aerith, I don't think Aerith would press.

It's nothing like that imo. She knows Cloud is not okay and his memories are all wrong and she is just trying to protect him from any more confusion and shocks by not letting him dig more into the matter without checking herself first. Her conversations with Aerith in GS also go that way, they're just trying to take care of him.

The ultimania describes Tifa recognizing the unique bond between Cloud and Aerith. So it's not that Tifa thinks Cloud isn't close with Aerith in this clip. I wasn't sure to use this source since I'm not sure if Tifa's complicated feelings about Aerith is like that in Rebirth.

In conclusion, I think Tifa's action for wanting to talk to Aerith is to protect her. Why Tifa uses her friendship with Aerith as the reason Cloud shouldn't talk to Aerith? It is interpretative, but definitely Tifa understands there's a special bond between the two.

Aerith says Zack has a lot of "girlfriends." It's said as a loanword in JP. In EN, the word is more serious so you wouldn't say a ton or a lot. I think the use of the loanword is more generalized or casual. Where its okay if there's a ton of girls or female friends.🤔

Zack talks about the girl he likes the most "currently." If its interpreted that Cissnei is the current girl, its worth noting the events after this moment. Zack became a fugitive later and Cissnei is a Turk. It's good to consider this to understand his actions.

Cissnei once lived in an orphanage. Her potential was recognized and she became youngest Turk in history. Interestingly, Aerith's house is close to an orphanage. So when the Turks became more present there... I have to re-read TOTP for clues, a girl the same age as Aerith...🤔

Zack saying the name would confirm things. But the player never hears it and we don't know if Cloud heard more or not. I think its purposely done to allow more interpretation. Or maybe its just to keep it open for later?

"The SOLDIER that Aerith liked" is most consistent. Aerith told him this in Remake. Cloud is the one that asked if Aerith still liked Zack. So it would be consistent that Cloud is still thinking about this. He kept thinking about it if you go on a date with Tifa.

「エアリスが好きだったソルジャー」 The line seems ambiguous in that the meaning could be reversed, probably intentionally. Either way, we did not hear Zack say Aerith's name and its still possible the person Zack is talking about is Cissnei.