Short Author's Note: Thanks for reviewing Blue-Huntress and Lady Nightlord.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

I'm sorry for any mistakes.

CHAPTER 25: Two Of A Kind

THE SLUMS-CHURCH

Zack entered the church and froze. Aerith stood in the aisle next to a monster. She looked up at him with worry in her eyes. "Zack!" she exclaimed. Zack put his hand on his sword hilt. He had to get Aerith away from it first before he fought it. She could get hurt.

He approached the monster slowly. The monster watched him closely. As Zack got closer, the monster lifted it's head and showed Zack it's neck. Zack froze and gasped. "An Angeal copy?" The monster had Angeal's face on it's neck.

The doors to the church broke open and a robot entered. Zack looked quickly back and forth between the Angeal copy and the robot. What did he do? The Angeal copy flapped it's wings and flew toward the robot quickly. It slammed into the robot so hard the robot was destroyed. Then the copy landed and looked at them.

The destroyed robot blew up and Zack shielded Aerith from the debris. Then Zack stared in shock at the copy. Then, nervously, in an unsure voice, he told it, "Thank you?"

Aerith looked around him at the monster fearfully. She held on to Zack, staying behind him. "Was it... protecting us?" she asked Zack.

Zack watched it curiously. "Yeah" He cocked his head. "Probably" The copy's wings flapped and then it collapsed. Zack gasped and went over to it. Aerith stayed behind him. Kneeling down beside it, he examined it. Then his expression saddened. "It looks like... it's degrading"

Aerith knelt down beside him and watched the copy sadly. "Poor thing...."

Zack glanced at her, and then back at the copy. He looked at Angeal's face. "Does this mean....? Is Angeal out there, too?" The monster stood to it's feet shakily. Flapping it's wings, it flew upwards and landed on a beam above. It sat there looking at them.

Zack stood up and looked up at the copy. Also looking up at it, Aerith walked forward. "It seems so... I don't know..." Aerith's face was concerned. "... sad" she finished.

Zack gasped as he looked at her. Angeal had used to be so happy and full of life. His face hardening, he looked at the copy. "What did you... come here to do?" he asked it.

Aerith glanced at him, and then looked down. "So...." She spun toward him, smiling. "A flower wagon!" She folded her hands behind her back. "Let's make one!"

Zack turned to her and nodded. "Yeah" He looked back up at the copy with a sad expression. "But...."

Aerith gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry"

"Can you hear me?!" Zack called up to it. He pointed at it. "Stay right where you are!" Aerith walked away from him. "I'll..." His voice broke and his hand fell to his side. He tried again. "... I'll handle things" he said softly.

Near the flowers now, Aerith looked down at them."So, that flower wagon...." She spun toward him, smiled, and said, "Let's do it!" She waved to him to come over. "Come on, Zack!"

Zack looked at her. "Uh, sure" He walked over to her. "Hey, Aerith?" he said as he stopped before her. "When the wagon is done, you're gonna go sell the flowers above the plate too, right?"

Aerith thought about that. "Yeah" She looked away and to the ground. "But... I'm still a little scared, so...." She paused, thinking. She looked up at Zack. "First, I'll fill the slums full of flowers!"

Zack slumped in disappointment. "Oh, come on, Aerith!" He straightened as he got an idea. "When you go above, I'll go with you. There's no need to be afraid"

Aerith brightened up considerably. "Thank you, Zack!"

He nodded. "Now let's get started on that wagon!" He pointed behind him with his thumb. "I'm going to go gather the materials, Aerith. You wait here"

She nodded. "Okay" She turned and bent down to the flowers. "I'll be here, tending the flowers"

* * * *

LATER ON

Aerith stood up as the doors of the church opened. "Zack?" she said as she turned around. It wasn't him. It was a young woman dressed in short shorts, a tank top that showed her stomach, a leather jacket and combat boots. She also wore a choker around her neck. The whole outfit was black. "Hi" Aerith said to her.

The woman walked over to her and looked her over. Her face was expressionless. "Are you Aerith Gainsborough?" the woman asked bluntly.

Aerith nodded. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled at her mockingly. "Do you not recognize your own sister?"

Aerith's eyes widened. It couldn't be! She looked at the woman closely and she suddenly felt the presence radiating off her. It was the presence of another Ancient. Her eyes clouded with unshed tears. "R-Rukia?"

Rukia backed away at her look and then looked past her to the flowers. She walked over to them and knelt down. She looked over at Aerith. "I wanted to see you" She glanced at the flowers, then back at Aerith. "Is it supposed to be a beautiful sight?" Aerith looked at her questioningly. "The flowers" Rukia clarified.

Aerith walked closer. Rukia stood up and she stopped. "You don't like them? You used to love flowers"

"I did?" Rukia looked away and then laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh. "I remember flowers. There were some... in the cell Hollander kept me in. But they always died" She snorted. "It was always... so cold"

Aerith's expression saddened. "Where have you been?"

Rukia looked around the church. "In the world above. I was raised by a scientist named Hollander. I had no friends, no real family. But then I met... Sephiroth, and Angeal and Zack"

'Zack?' "So... you have friends now?" Aerith asked her.

Rukia paced restlessly. "Angeal is dead. And Zack...." Rukia frowned. "I don't... feel that same good feeling I used to have toward him. Now there's just... hatred"

A tear slid from Aerith's eye. "And what of this... Sephiroth?"

"My life... has one meaning" Rukia said to her. "I have only one reason... to live" She looked at her big sister. "I saw you earlier... with Zack. If you love him, sister... hold onto him, and don't let him go"

She left.

* * * *

LATER ON

After the flower wagon was finished, Aerith shook her head, looking at it. "It's not quite... what I expected"

"Really?" Zack said, looking at it. He cocked his head. "I think it's fine" He folded his arms over his chest. "It's all about the flowers, anyway"

Aerith stared at the wagon, shook her head, then looked at Zack. "I want... a nicer one"

Zack frowned at her. "Aerith, what is really bothering you?"

"Zack" she said as her eyes misted. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Zack frowned."Why didn't I tell you what?"

Aerith looked at him sadly. "Why didn't you tell me... that you knew my sister?"

Shocked, Zack was silent for a moment. "What?!" he finally said. "Your sister?! What makes you think I know her?"

"She came here while I was waiting for you" Aerith explained softly. "She mentioned you. She said the two of you used to be friends. You must know Rukia"

Zack froze as that last bit went through him like shattered glass. "Rukia" He struggled to think. That meant.... Rukia was an... Ancient? He gave Aerith a serious look. "Are you absolutely sure Rukia is your sister?"

Aerith nodded. "You... you really didn't know?"

Zack shook his head. "No, I didn't!" He thought for a second. If Rukia learned that she was an Ancient.... Did she believe she was a monster now. That may explain why she turned her back on Shinra. "I have to call someone" He took out his phone and dialed Sephiroth's number. When Sephiroth answered, Zack blurted, "I found out something possibly vital!"

"Zack?" Sephiroth responded. "I was just going to call you. There are new developments. And what are you talking about?"

"I found out something about Rukia!" Zack told him.

"Headquarters. Now" Sephiroth hung up. Zack did the same.

"Zack" Aerith said. "I know you have to go. But... if you know someone named Sephiroth, tell him.... Tell him to take care of Rukia for me"

Zack figured Rukia must have told Aerith about Sephiroth. "I'll give him the message"

"Thanks"

A/N: Sephiroth is in the next chapter. I'll Update As Soon As Possible. Please review!