Chapter Ten: Grandmother Aerith
Iris took Vanitas to some tree she said she went to in times of doubt. Vanitas couldn't see why. It was just a big tree. He guessed it was a nice place to think things over though since it was so quiet.
"This place is incredible." Vanitas said as he looked at a tree that had to have been there since the dawn of time if not longer in addition to all the other sights he had seen a few days previously. "And to think we came all this way just to dig it up for gold."
"Gold?" Iris asked as Sora swung down a vine.
"Hey Sora." Vanitas said.
"Wingabo." Sora said as he sat by his sister.
"What's gold?" Iris asked.
"Well, it's yellow, and it comes out of the ground." Vanitas said.
"Oh, then why didn't they just ask? We have tons of it." Iris said as she pulled out a yellow thing that looked like kernels. "This is gold, right?"
"No." Vanitas said. "Gold is like this." Vanitas pulled out a gold piece.
"We have nothing like that here." Iris said.
"No gold?" Vanitas asked.
"Not that I've seen." Iris responded.
"Looks like we came all this way for nothing." Vanitas said with a smile. "What do you guys call this stuff?"
"Maize." Iris said. "We eat is. A lot of times we mash it up and put berries and other fruits in it, or we can just eat it the way it is, after cooking it of course."
"Huh." Vanitas said as he looked at it.
"Hey Iris, tell Vanitas about when you spilled some mashed maize on Mother's quilt!" Sora said.
"Sora, shut up!" Iris said as she turned red. "For the one hundredth time, I was three!"
"Well the boys back at camp are in for a big surprise when I tell them there isn't any gold." Vanitas said as he knelt back and rested.
"Will they leave?" Iris asked.
"Some might." Vanitas said. By some, he was thinking about Xehanort.
"Will you go home?" Iris asked.
"Well I…" Vanitas said. "I don't have much of a home to go back to. I've never really belonged anywhere."
"You could belong here." Iris said. "So what are your parents like?"
"There's not much to tell." Vanitas said. "My father ran off when my mother was pregnant with me, and she died giving birth to me. She made sure I was in a place I'd be taken care of if the worst came to worst when it happened, and according to the people at the orphanage, she lived just long enough to name me."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Iris said sadly. "I lost my mother when I was young two. When Sora was young, Mother got some strange disease none of the wise men, not even Mickey, could cure. All my family and I have left of her is this necklace and the wind."
"Wow." Vanitas said when he suddenly heard a weird humming from nowhere. He then looked at the tree as the face of a woman very similar to Iris appeared and disappeared.
"What was that?" Vanitas called out. He'd admit that there was more about this place than met the eye, but this was getting a little too out there for him.
"Did you see something?" Iris asked with a smile.
"No, no." Vanitas said nervously. "I think I'm just a little tired. I didn't see anything…" Vanitas then looked at Iris who was smiling. "Did I?"
"Look again." Iris said, and Kaiba did so, as a woman walked out. She looked almost like Iris, but in a different outfit, different hair and style.
Let it rain upon you,
Like a wave across the sand.
Listen with your heart.
You will understand.
"Hello Vanitas." Aerith said with a smile.
"Iris…" Vanitas said. "What's that thing talking to me?"
"That's my grandmother, Aerith." Iris said calmly. "Say hello."
"Don't be frightened young man." Aerith said. "My bark is worse than my bite."
Vanitas chuckled slightly.
"Say something." Iris said.
"What do you say to a woman who lives in a tree?" Vanitas asked.
"Anything you want." Iris said, and it became a popular joke not long afterwards.
"So… Uh…" Vanitas said.
"Come closer, Vanitas." Aerith said.
The willows then pushed Vanitas closer to the spirit, and she starred into his eyes.
"He has a good soul." Aerith said before smiling mischievously. "And he's handsome too."
"Oh, I like her." Vanitas said with a smirk as Iris laughed a little.
"I knew you would." Iris said with a smile.
"Vanitas!" Luxord's voice called out. "Vanitas, where are you?"
"We can't let them see us." Vanitas said. "We've gotta hide."
"Over here." Aerith said, and an opening appeared, and they went inside.
()()()()()
"This place gives me the willies." Axel whined like he did back home. "Savages could be hiding anywhere."
"Well if you see them, don't ask questions, just shoot." Luxord said.
Suddenly, the two tripped on a root.
"Oi, watch your feet, you clumsy ox!" Luxord said.
"It wasn't my fault!" Axel said. "It was the tree!"
"Oh sure." Luxord said sarcastically. "The tree just felt like lifting its roots!"
They looked, and the root went back into the ground.
"Let's get outta here!" Luxord shouted when two willows smacked into their backside. "RUN!"
()()()()()
They both ran off.
"Wow." Vanitas said as he blinked. "I'm glad you're on our side."
"Oh, you definitely don't want to get on my bad side when I'm on your side." Aerith said with a smile. "Just ask Iris's mother."
"Or me." Iris said with a nostalgic, and pained, smile.
"Right." Vanitas said. "I guess I'll have to get back before they send the whole camp out looking for me."
"When will I see you again?" Iris asked.
"Meet me tonight, right here." Vanitas said as he left.
"Well," Aerith said with a smile. "I haven't had this much fun and excitement since your mother was two."
"What am I doing?" Iris asked. "I shouldn't be seeing him again. I mean, I want to see him again."
"Who wouldn't?" Aerith asked slyly. "I want to see him again, too."
"But still, something inside is telling me it's the right thing." Iris said.
"Iris's got a boyfriend!" Sora said with a laugh. "Iris's got a boyfriend!"
"Perhaps it's your dream." Aerith said as she had one of the willows cover Sora's mouth.
"My dream." Iris said. "Do you think he's the one the spinning arrow was pointing to?"
"Maybe." Aerith said.
Choas does not own Pocahontas or kingdom hearts, but she does own Iris and Surane belongs to SuraneSpiral!
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