An Angel Without Wings Cannot Fly
By: Arcander
Chapter 10
Cloud's voice rings out, "I still want to know what she meant about Aeris!"
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I remember very clearly the day Sephiroth walked into father's suite, resplendent in his blue SOLDIER uniform. A sword lay at his hip—a katana… not the Masamune that he is renowned for—and a gun was seemingly carelessly slung over his back. Tucked under his arm is his SOLDIER helmet. I look up sharply from where I'd been laying. Rufus also starts and jerks his head up. The two of us are lying on the floor next to each other peering at a book on summons; we've just been reading about Shiva the Ice Goddess. Rufie's coat is tossed over the arm of the couch, leaving him in his black turtleneck and white pants. We've become a lot closer, closer than we had been before. However, just because I'll talk with my Rufie doesn't mean I'll talk with father. I see him when I show up in the lab for my make injection, but that's the only time… even though we live together. The lab is no longer the safe haven it once was.
"Sephy!" I quickly jump to my feet and give him a hug. After a moment or three, I step back from him and look him over. Muscles, check; long silver hair, check; hideous uniform, check. Wait a minute… hideous uniform? My nose wrinkles and I ask ruefully, "Do you have to wear that thing?"
"Yes, little pink princess, I do. Or at least I until I get promoted to… oh let's see… General."
"Hmph, then see that you get promoted quick, that uniform of yours is absolutely hideous."
"You'll have to talk to your boyfriend about that, I don't have much control over it."
"He's not my boyfriend!" I gasp indignantly.
Sephiroth looks down his nose at me, "So what would you call it, then? From my standpoint he screams boyfriend—alone in a room for hours at a time, no adults in sight, sneaking around behind your father's back, oh! and of course we can't forget that you're betrothed to him."
"Rufie's my friend! And he always will be. There's jus the slight problem that I'm being forced to marry him. But I'm sure we can figure out a way to solve that, right Rufie?"
Rufus glances up at me, "Sure, Saria, whatever you say." He slowly stands up and walks behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on mine. "Hello Seph, it's been a while."
Sephiroth glances sharply at Rufus, "'Friends' huh?" He shakes his head, "The name is Sephiroth, Rufie."
Rufus smirks, "Sorry," His tone and expression show that he really isn't. I of course notice nothing of this, seeing as it goes on over my head… no really… it did. "So, the same day you move from a lowly recruit to a SOLDIER you're already asking—begging—for a promotion to General? Aren't you the ambitious one?
Sephiroth meets Rufus's gaze coolly, "As my sister pointed out, the uniform is hideous. And as a good brother, I of course would never be so cruel as to subject her to live with that for any extended period of time."
"You'd better not Sephy! Go get changed and I'll make us some hot chocolate." I worm my way out of Rufus's grip and skip into the kitchen. Sephiroth watches me for a moment and then disappears into his room. By the time I return with the three steaming mugs of hot chocolate laden with marshmallows and whipped cream, Sephiroth was already comfortably settled into father's easy chair, dressed once again in his own clothes. Now it really feels like Sephy's home. Sephy just isn't Sephy in those stuffy blue uniforms (not a good color at all for his complexion… he looks much better in black and dark red). He's Sephy when he's in his baggy black pants and shirts that he casually wears unbuttoned. Fath—Professor Hojo was always yelling at Sephy about that. I still don't know why.
I hand Sephy his mug and then give Rufie his, settling down gingerly on the loveseat next to him, being careful not to spill any of the scalding liquid on myself. Sephiroth and Rufus exchange glares as I prattle on about what's been going on in my life since we saw each other last. Granted, it's only been a week, but he hasn't lived with us for six moths… that's like 180 days. And most of those days are bloody X's. The first three months—the first ninety days—are all X's, red… faded… brown… dried. I set my mug down on the little table. "Missed you, Sephy."
"I know, my Little Pink Princess, but…" he trails off for a moment. "It seems I still have a promise to fulfill."
I look at him, confused. "A promise?"
He nods, "I seem to remember promising a certain little sister of mine to help her find a certain big sister of hers." I squeal and launch myself into his arms. Sephiroth smirks at Rufus. "How about you go get changed into something that's a bit more worn out and the two of us will go slumside and scavenge out the location of your sister?"
Rufus glares at Sephiroth, "And just how are you planning on getting out of the building?"
"Easily, VP, I have the day off, I walk out and she goes with me. They won't challenge me." Sephiroth casts him a sly glance, "Or I could always ask her how she got her mom and Aeris out of the building, and how she snuck back in after she dropped them off at the train station. But I think the front door will be less hassle."
"The stairs, Seph, duh." I squirm down and run to my room to change.
Rufus stares in abject horror at my retreating back. "You mean 'Ria was the one who helped them escape? How?" He shakes his head. "Forget how she did it, how do you know?"
"Because she told me, she told me how her mother and her sister begged for her to go with them, and how she refused because she thought that if she did her father wouldn't search for them. She wanted them to have a chance to live happily away from ShinRa and its curse."
I skip merrily into the room clothed in my blood stained garments, mementos of when Sephiroth and I were beaten by that horrible man. My hand brushes gingerly across my cheek, unconsciously tracing the scar—my permanent memento. "Ready Sephy?" I glance over at Rufus, "Do you want to go with us, Rufie?"
"I think I'll pass this time, 'Ria." He stands up, grabs his coat and holds it over one shoulder. "Talk to you later, good luck." He mockingly blows a kiss as he exits, the door slamming shut behind him.
"Just friends…" Sephiroth smirks for a moment then shakes his head. "Ready to go?" I nod. "Then let's head out, no time to waste. I'll leave father a note… telling him you're with me and to mind his own business." Sephiroth drops said note on the table and we exit the room, the door sliding softly shut behind us. By the time we've made it down the hallway and into the elevator Sephy's already scooped me up in his arms, holding me protectively.
At the front gate, Sephiroth calmly shows his badge to the guard and we continue on our way. The sunlight shines down brightly on my face and I eagerly look around at my sunlit surroundings. This is only the second time that I've ever been outside. Twice in four and a half years. I suppose I should count myself lucky, since those two times were both in this last year… both while I was four. Still am.
I rest my head on Sephy's shoulder as the train winds its way down into the slums. As the surroundings get darker my eyes drift close. Sephiroth gently shakes me awake t the Sector 7 train station. The two of us walk out into the stagnant slum air. I wrap my hands around Sephiroth's arm, clinging to him as if he's my last lifeline. But in this wretched place… maybe he is.
The two of us walk around, searching every nook and cranny, knocking on every door, asking ever person… but we have no luck. Well… not until we reach the materia shop anyway. The owner mentions that he last saw Aeris (or at least a girl that looked like Aeris) crying over a dying woman at the train station… he didn't stick around long enough to see where she went. He pauses briefly in his description and coldly asks me, "But what's all this to you?"
"She's my older sister… we were separated… I haven't seen her since she left… and I promised her I would come and visit her…" A tear trickles down my cheek.
The man grunts, "You ain't planning on taking her back to them ShinRa bastards are you?"
"Of course not!" I exclaim, "Why would I take her back after I went to all that trouble to help her escape?"
"Had to make sure, we protect our own down here." The man glances around, "Go into the back room, I'll be with you as soon as I can." Sephiroth and I follow his directions, and find ourselves in a dark, dingy room. Sephiroth leans against the wall, but I pace around, exploring. The door swings open and I jump, guiltily. The man walks in and shuts the door. He goes over to the window and peers out before drawing the blinds, only after doing all that does he light a candle on the small round table with a quick "fire." "Have a seat." He gestures to one of the worn chairs. I glance up at Sephiroth as I settle into the indicted chair, Sephiroth doesn't move.
"There was a girl lying on a woman, she was crying. Another woman approached them. The girl wrapped her arms around the newcomer and cried. After a moment the first woman gasped out 'please, take care of my Aeris… they'll be coming after her.' I recognized the woman the little girl was clinging to. Her name is Elmyra Gainsborough… she lives in Sector 5. The little girl—Aeris—went with her. I haven't seen them since… so I don't know if whoever it is that's chasing her has found her yet or not." The man stares at his hands. "I'm sorry I can't do more to help."
I smile, "No, you've done so much for us already, I don't know how we can repay you. Thank you so much."
"Take care of yourself, that will be repayment enough." We follow him out into the main room, "Good luck finding her. Let me know if—when—you do." I nod, smile, and then exit the room, Sephiroth walking after me.
"So, Sephy, exactly where is Sector 5?"
The two of us head back in the direction of the station. "Around here, I can get us there, don't worry." I nod; I never doubted that he could. "It's actually one of the nicer sectors… the better of the horrible. Not the best… that would be Wall Market. Under no circumstances are you to go there without an escort… a large escort."
We pass by an old church, still in fairly good condition. The planet hums contentedly.
"Planet?"
-Yes child, I am here.-
"What is this place?"
It is a church dedicated to me. Few worship here. You should go in. You will like what you see.-
"Sephy, Planet's telling me to go in here." He nods and I reverently open thedoors. "Oh Planet, it's beautiful!"
-Foolish child! Leave this sacrilegious place!-
-Silence Crisis!-
A startled gasp echoes through the room and as I turn I catch a flicker of pink disappearing through and open door. I run after it. As I round the corner I see the figure running up stairs. I chase after it, each step bringing me closer to my target. I feel the mako pulsing in my veins. We're up in the rafters now and for the first time I clearly see the person whom I've been chasing. "Aeris?" I stumble and there is nobody to catch me. "Aeris!" I do not fall. "Aeris…" I take a tentative step toward her and she takes one away from me. We continue and suddenly she's run out of rafter and her next step sends her plummeting down. I run, grabbing a hand before she falls to her near certain death. I barely manage to catch hold and as I struggle to pull her up, I feel her slipping. Just as her hand slips from my grasp another hand reaches down and clasps around her arm, swiftly pulling her in.
Arcander T. Nacelsten-
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Didn't take me as long to update this time... although it still tooka while... sorry about that... Good news though, I finished my research paper... all ten pages of it (took me two days) Next update will come before June (if we're lucky, before May...) Love to all of my reviewers!
Arcy