The show that evening had been wonderful. Everyone loved the performance and all especially adored Aerith's dulcet voice. Zack had watched the opera from box 5 which was positioned across from where the managers and Marlene sat. He was awestruck when he saw his childhood friend perform; he had never known she had such talent.
After the show concluded, Zack set out to find his friend.
"Zack!" called Cloud and Barret. He mildly sighed when he realized his quest was going to be delayed.
Aerith kneeled in front of an altar with her hands folded in prayer.
"There you are," said Tifa as she and Yuffie entered the candle-lit chapel.
"Have ya been down here all this time?" asked Yuffie. Aerith nodded as she rose and turned towards her friends.
"Your performance tonight was amazing, Aerith," Tifa said.
"Yeah! Where did you learn to sing like that?" chimed in Yuffie.
Aerith looked at the glowing candles in recollection. "My mother used to tell me that the Cetra, my people, have a special connection to the Planet and the Lifestream and that we are able to interact with spirits. I guess I managed to connect with one, an Angel of music."
"An Angel of music?" her friends questioned.
"I've never seen him, but I hear his voice every night. Ever since I came here as a little girl, I have heard him sing. He is the one who taught me how to sing."
"Lucky," Yuffie interjected, "You get to talk to ghosts. Maybe you can talk to the opera ghost!"
Tifa playfully rolled her eyes at her friend's last remark. "Come on, we should get to the main foyer. I'm sure everyone is wondering where we are," she suggested to Aerith.
The girls exited the chapel and scampered down the corridor to go meet the guests. A pair of crimson eyes followed their every movement.
Sometime later, Aerith retired to her room where a plethora of flowers welcomed her. She lay on her bed as her mind reeled from the evening's show. A knock at the door disrupted her thoughts.
"Come in," she beckoned.
Zack entered the room and greeted her with a bouquet of beautiful Dreamland Lilies. "For my 'flower girl.'"
Aerith shot up from her bed. "Zack!" She leaped towards him and embraced him. "It has been such a long time."
"Yeah, ten years is quite a while," Zack said as he returned the embrace.
She took a step back and scanned him from head to toe. "You've sure grown into quite a gentleman."
"And what a lovely flower girl you've become," he said causing her to blush and giggle. "Your performance tonight was amazing. I never knew you could sing like that."
"Thanks."
"Say how about we go on a date?"
"A date?"
"Yeah, you know. You. Me. Go out somewhere. Get to know each other. Enjoy ourselves."
"Sounds fun."
"All right. I'll get a taxi while you get ready, ok. Ten minutes?"
"Ok."
Zack smiled, gave her the flowers, planted a kiss on her cheek, and then left her to get ready. Smiling, she placed a hand on her blushing cheek savoring the sensation of the kiss.
Little did they know that their plans would be stalled, for a gloved hand had locked Aerith in her room.
Lucrecia, who was about to pass through the hall, froze in her tracks when she saw the Phantom withdraw a key from Aerith's door. She reached her hand out towards him. "Vincent," she whispered, but he seemed to take no notice of her for he turned and walked the other way. She withdrew her hand holding it over her heart as she shook her head. Despite her desire to pursue him, she thought it best to return down the corridor from whence she came.
Aerith looked at herself in the mirror one last time before she headed out the door. She wore a pink button-down dress with a red mini jacket. She donned silver bangles on her wrists and a red bow at the start of her braid. As she made her way to the door, she heard a voice from somewhere in the room call her name. She turned and scanned her room; there was no one in sight.
"Hello?" she called out.
No response.
Must of been my imagination, she thought. She took another look at herself in the mirror when she noticed a figure materialize from within the mirror. Aerith was both terrified and mesmerized by the being coming into view. She observed that the figure was a tall man and that he wore a long sleeve black leather shirt and pants, a tattered red cloak that also concealed part of his face, pointed gold boots, and a golden gauntlet on his left arm.
Before long, she noticed that the mirror had vanished and he had stood in its place. She could now clearly make out his features; he had long, disheveled, raven hair, a scarlet headband wrapped around his forehead, and pale skin which seemed to glow in the candle-lit room. Aerith became a bit unsettled when she looked at his crimson eyes.
"Wh- Who are you?" she asked meekly.
"It is I, your Angel of Music," replied he.
Aerith stared at him with curiosity and confusion.
"Come, I wish for you to truly know me," he extended his hand to her. She slowly approached and accepted his invitation.
He led her through the dim passageway on the other side of her mirror while she walked along as if in a hypnotic trance. The tunnels forgotten by the world above were silent save for their footsteps. Even the scurrying rats dared not to disturb the silence. Down and down they went, traveling deeper into the mysterious lair. After several minutes, the soundless, shadowy passageway opened into a room resembling a living quarter.
Aerith gazed around the room still entranced by whatever spell she was under. She slowly wandered further into the room. Against one wall stood a table littered with composition sheets. On the corner of the table sat a music box topped with a large moogle and a cheery cat holding a horn. Next to it stood a picture of who appeared to be a young Mms. Crescent standing beside an equally young man. A standing mirror stood along the same wall; the mirror's face cracked and fragmented.
"Welcome to my sanctuary," the man said breaking the dreadful silence. "I suppose I should properly introduce myself. My name is Vincent Valentine."
"Aerith," she whispered in response. She stepped closer to the table and picked up a red rose that lay upon it. Attached to it was a note which read: To Aerith. At that moment, her senses began to clear.
She dropped the rose stumbling back as she realized the situation she was in. Where am I? Who is he? What does he want? Thoughts raced through her mind as her vision began to fade and finally she fell to the ground.
Upon witnessing her faint, Vincent rushed to her side and picked her up. He carried her to a neighboring room and laid her on the bed which resided there.
"In time you shall see my plans for you," he said quietly and then exited the room. He took his spot at the table and began to write some letters as he waited for her to awaken.
I do apologize for it has been quite a while since I have updated this. I ran into a writer's block and it took me the longest to get through it, but thankfully most of this chapter was already written before I hit the block. Hoping the next chapter will not take so long. Thank you for reading.
