A Spectroscope-
Chapter 7: Something Wicked Comes This Way
His eyes were narrowed and his expression black as the platinum hair general bent forward as he held a simpering man by his neck. Inhaling the scent of fear, the SOLDIER General's pressed lips fell into a smile thrice more wickedly the Cheshire cat's with even more animosity and black thoughts behind it. The leather of his glove traced the man's brow as Sephiroth asked softly, "It seems Miss Aerith, a well known figure, was spotted 13.56 hours ago at your place of business. So what did she buy and did she say anything?"
The owner of the Sector 5 Weapon Shop gasped loudly as the haughty SOLDIER dropped him and took a graceful step back. "III don't know what you're talkin' about, my good, good, good sir! We've been havin quite a few late night ladies comin in to be buyin a bit of protection against the night streets!"
Masamune made no sound as Sephiroth pulled the blade deftly from its sheath. The silver blade, gleaming and shimmering, found itself pressed against the old man's neck. Greedily the blade bit easily into the offered flesh and Sephiroth scoffed, "Come now, don't think me a fool! I know very well she was here and purchased something from you. A few others were quite eager with this info, you see."
"All I know there was a simple flower of a girl in here who bought a staff, no words of what for or where she would be goin'. She looked to have been out all night, I figured somethin must have had happened to the poor thing!" Spewed the man as General gave a small slice upon the other side of his neck and brought forth his blade to trace along his collar bone in a saw-like manner.
"Thank you, your information will be a great help in the return of Shinra's property." Purred Sephiroth as he brought his blade to his lips and flickered his tongue to capture some of the man's blood. "Lt. Mikael, please interrogate him for further information. Sgt. Leo, let us make haste, we have several other destinations to investigate."
Producing a bit of silk, Sephiroth wiped his blade clean before skillfully returning the Wutaian style blade its sheath. Tossing his hair, he spun on his heel and exited out of the partially deteriorated building. His strides were purposefully and strong, but his black boots made no sound across often tattling wooden boards.
His subordinate look to him, a conflicted expression upon the younger SOLDIER's face as he asked, "Sir, do you think she's still in Midgar then, sir?"
"It's becoming more and more apparent she is." Sephiroth answered curtly as they approached to three Shinra issued motorcycles. "Apparently she has insider information if she knows we're after her and it taking quite a bit of care not go home or go to her friends' houses."
"General Sephiroth, sir!" A low ranking SOLDIER ran up to the tall man and saluted him. "Sir, we have recovered the subject's vehicle, sir!"
"Excellent," The cold, mint eyes glittered dangerously. "It is most impertinent that find Miss Aerith immediately. It's very dangerous to have such an exotic creature free to move about and be subjected to malicious acts of humans." Tucking the bloodied silk piece into his pocket, he smiled and said, "Do you still have the map of the charted locations of reports of her appearance, Leo?"
Fumbling for his breast pocket, the man withdrew a marked piece of paper and handed to the General. The Sergeant planted his feet firmly as he watched the muscles in Sephiroth's legs ripple in subtle power and then take the map from his hands; it was harder, yet, not to flinch as the General's leather gloves nearly touched his skin.
Sephiroth unfolded the map quickly and turned to the messenger, "Where was her car found?"
"Sector 3!"
Plotting a dot upon the map, the General of SOLDIER made a low sound before his lips curled into a delighted smile within several moments of studying what he saw. Tracing a black gloved finger upon paper through the Sectors, the General purred, "She's clever, but not clever enough..." Looking sharply over at the waiting messenger, the General ordered, "Tell Heideggar that the girl will be found in between the Sectors of 4 to 6... so, to expect me back tomorrow night... Dismissed!"
Sgt. Leo moved to Sephiroth's side before the General could speak and stood in attention to the taller man. Noting the feral look across his commander's face, the SOLDIER suddenly felt a small shiver of excitement run down his spine as their bodies became closer. His own mako eyes brightened and his breathing became slightly more shorter and ragged.
"We're going to tear apart these slums, Leo... Get on the radio and order in more support. I want every abandoned building- especially where Raves are known to be held!- and all households searched." Shoving the map at his subordinate roughly as exhilaration of hunt began to thunder through his veins. Mounting his motorcycle, the General added, "I will begin my search in Sector 6, Leo..."
"Sir, yes, sir!" The Sergeant saluted Sephiroth as he started the vehicle and revved it. "Anything else, sir?"
"Tell them not to be rough with her, at all. If situations get out of hand, just use a sleep spell." Sweeping up the kick stand with a booted foot, the General gunned the motorcycle in a small arc which sent dirt and gravel flying, before he gave a small wave in dismissal towards the still saluting SOLDIER. Silver hair streaming behind him as his leather jacket gave a slap in the wind, Sephiroth tore off towards Sector 6.
-
Aerith tore at the beef jerky, shaking her head violently to do so. Chewing at the hard meat once she managed to break a piece free from the rest of the stick of meat, the Cetra swung her legs above broken boards of the Church. Her gaze was ever upon the small garden which bloomed within a day and half time.
'Planet,' inquired the girl curiously, her russet curls framing her delicate face as she tilted her head. 'How is it that life can bloom so fast? Not even my garden at home could do so at such rates...'
A small vibration of air danced across her skin, the Planet was purring, as thoughts and music began to lull through her form. Aerith's emerald eyes fluttered shut as she hummed in synch and her body swayed. Before her unseen third eye, colors and emotions spoke in a louder, more peaceful, voice then she ever thought was possible. Typically the Planet was only that loud when It was in pain, not when it was trying to explain such a simple thing...
"I see, it's because our bond is growing..." Aerith nodded and shoved the entire jerky piece in her mouth, not wanting to fight to free a piece again. Chewing, the girl stood and began to roll up the sleeping bag she bought the night before. Tying the black rings around the roll to keep it from falling free, the girl then grabbed the backpack and strapped the sleeping bag to it.
"I wonder what I should do now... I bet Shinra is going to be tearing apart the slums looking for me, Planet." Sighing, the girl moved towards where her new staff laid against a pillar of wood. "All I have is a staff, a single materia which is of use, some supplies, and money. All of which are useless against all things Shinra..."
Reaching her into her pocket, the girl wrapped her fingers around a small orb and clenched it tightly. Not removing her hand from her pocket, Aerith took a deep breath and exhaled, feeling better as the uncannily warmth of object surged through her. She hummed in content, only freeze as something shook the very structure of the Church.
Frightened eyes looked to the ceiling as pieces of metal, glass, and wire were being rained down from above. Hand still clenching the orb, the girl raised her arms to protect herself as the wreckage tore through the ceiling of the building. Turbulent vortexes of wind reached the area where Aerith froze and small debris flickered roughly across her skin, which caused her to scream.
A white light engulfed her figure as Aerith's fear melted away into tranquility. Moving her arms as if to embrace the threatening objects, Aerith smiled brightly. Something ethereal shimmered behind her as a very large humanoid figure came into view as metal slammed into the ground all around her. As flowers and grass sprung to life within a large circle around her feet, Aerith felt herself reach up and, even beyond her own height, towards the descending figure.
Her coral lips parted to allow pure music, nothing remotely in tongue of men, to spill forth. It wrapped around the area as an ethereal like Aerith captured the male in her arms and held him against herself. Wind and power spilled around her and Aerith found herself suddenly upon the ground with the male's head cradled in her lap. Sapphire eyes met those of Emerald.
"Hey there..." Whispered Aerith weakly at the stranger as her body felt suddenly heavy. "You... okay?"
The man's eyes glowed softly as he opened his mouth, "who... what... are you?" His voice was soft, of that of a gentle spirit. "An... angel?... Cause no way could I survive such a fall other wise..."
That made Aerith smile and feel suddenly very self conscious of herself and what had occur. It too was eerily on how she met Zack. Shyly, she averted her eyes and chuckled, "I'm just a... flower girl. I'm Aerith... Are you... a SOLDIER?" There was a small note of fear in her voice.
Wincing, the blonde slowly sat up and muttered, "No... Just a mercenary..." He climbed to his feet and looked around warily.
"I see and the explosion must have been your work if you're not of Shinra," announced Aerith with a sigh of relief, missing the masked look sent her way. "You are part of the group known as... AVALANCHE?"
Ignoring Aerith's question, the blonde asked, "Where are we?"
"An abandoned church in the slums," replied the Diva with a hint of sarcasm in her tone as the strange terrorist continued to look around for an exit- most of the debris was making a trip to the front doors nearly impossible. Shaking her head, Aerith looked at the White Materia she clenched in her hand. A thin silver chain that was wrapped around her wrist was attached to network of spider web metal threads wrapped around the Materia, holding it secure.
The Emerald eyes fluttered and Aerith staggered then.
"Hey, are you okay?" The blonde was at her side, supporting her. There was genuine concern in his dark blue eyes. "Look... um..." He sighed. "I'm Cloud..."
"Hi Cloud..." Aerith steadied herself with his assistance and slipped on the chain for the first time in years. Wrapping her hand around the orb, the girl closed her eyes for a while. Normally she only carried this as a good luck charm. "It seems we have a common threat... Shinra."
Cloud's blonde eyebrows raised just as the front doors of the church slammed opened. The two figures whirled around, Aerith darting towards her discarded bag and grabbing it hastily. How was it when one spoke of the devil they suddenly appeared? Easily, it was apparent the party was subconsciously awaiting them to arrive.
Cursing softly, Cloud's eyes swept the area in search of his lost weapon as a booming face came from behind the broken roof beams and metal arches of chaos. He himself froze as he heard a booming voice shout, "Aerith! I know you are here!"
Frozen in place, Aerith's already heavy body seemed to gladly to fail her then. Features pallid in fear and shock, the petite girl's nostrils flared as Aerith uttered, "Sephiroth..." The Planet's scream in fear of her safety went unheard as the white noise flooded her senses.
"Aerith!" Came Sephiroth's voice again. "I know your secret..." His voice was low, beckoning and the girl could see with her mind's eye that he was prowling behind the barrier which separated them. She knew he was looking for a weak point so he could come for her and take her back to Shinra for Planet knew what type of treatment. Hojo sent the most excellent of hounds for her retrieval.
Grabbing the hilt of his massive blade, which rained down from the explosion as he did, Cloud darted forward and clasped Aerith's wrist. Remaining silent, he pulled her towards the back of the church. There had to be other ways out of the is place, the Mercenary figured. Passing to what was once a preparation camber for the religious, Cloud looked sharply to his left to see a fallen beam which was on a gentle enough angle to allow them access to the roof.
Shaking the girl out of her reverie, Cloud whispered, "Aerith, quickly to the roof... We'll escape the Wutain ninja way..."
Nodding slowly, Aerith forced her mind to reach forth and dive partially into the bond of the Planet for strength to make her move. Whatever happened earlier with this man was effecting her, making exhausted, and then having Sephiroth showing up was definitely not helping. "Across the roof tops, right?..."
"Yeah, but Sephiroth will be expecting that. We need to hurry." Cloud slowly trotted up the beam without looking back at Aerith. "We'll go to my... base. It's the least I can do." Mr. Blue eyes turned to look at the girl who gingerly moved up after him as sound of crashing and breaking wood echoed throughout the church. Sephiroth decided playing nice was no longer an option.
He grabbed Aerith's hand and hauled her onto the roof, "You saved my life... And there's just something..." Shaking his head, Cloud lead her quickly across the roof and leapt across. "Hurry, Aerith..." There was a particular nasty eruption of sound below and Sephiroth's voice calling the Cetra Girl's name.
Her backpack was more of burdened as she fled, but the girl knew she was better to deal with it then to discard it. Supplies, while on the run, would be hard to come by. 'Planet... I need your help. Lend me your strength... Allow to me to move with feathered wings upon my heels.' Begged Aerith as she made a wild leap to the other roof and stumbled into Cloud. Something gleamed in the depths of her eyes. "HASTE!"
There was a shimmer of white mist at her heels and Cloud's before the lightest feeling of weight over came Aerith. Catching herself on a faulty step, Aerith propelled herself onward with incredible agility and speed along side Cloud. Her messy braid fell completely apart, the ribbon flying off in a current of wind behind her as her strides lengthened as Aerith took another desperate jump. Away from Sephiroth, away from the danger, urged the Planet... and Aerith and Cloud were all the more happy to obey.
As for the pink ribbon... it danced with the air currents towards where the General stood upon the Church's roof top. Standing completely still, the General watched through narrowed eyes his prey escape. Raising a hand quickly, he snatched the ribbon from the air and brought it towards his nose. Inhaling her scent, the General uttered, "Keep running, little one... It'll make your capture all the more sweeter."
