Author's Note: My friends! I'm SO sorry this is so late! Right after I uploaded the last chapter I got hit with all of the exhaustion possible, plus a slew of old mental health problems resurfaced. I had absolutely no motivation to write at all, I was that exhausted! But thankfully I'm off of school for a few months and I'm feeling much better. Thanks so much for being patient with me!
The chapter after this one is the one I'm most excited about - the ball! I know that's what you guys are looking forward to as well, so I'm gonna take all the time and effort to make it as amazing as possible. I know this chapter is a bit of a filler, but there's some important info here to remember later on. :) love you all!
Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII.
Madam M led Aerith to a small Chocobo carriage, gesturing for her to go inside. Aerith was suddenly very aware of her dirty dress as she sat down in one of the plush seats. She heard Madam M give instructions to the driver in a low voice. Madam M then walked inside the carriage, shutting the door behind her. There was a soft flick of leather reins, and the Chocobos let out a high-pitched warble as they began to trot forward.
"I still can't believe she did that to you," Madam M muttered, furiously waving her fan in front of her face. "Scarlet has always acted like she is queen of the universe, and everyone else merely peasants."
"You know my stepmother?" Aerith asked, cocking her head to one side.
Madam M snorted. "Sweetheart, everyone on the Upper Plate knows your stepmother. She's been in the Royal Court for years." Seeing Aerith's still puzzled look, she added: "I used to be a member as well, and I will simply say that I would rather mud wrestle with a Mad Oscar than work with her again."
Aerith let out a small giggle at Madam M's choice of words. "She can be...a bit difficult at times."
Madam M stopped fanning herself. "Difficult? More like impossible."
"Are you sure letting me go is a good idea?" Aerith asked, hoping to change the subject.
Madam M gave her a blank stare. "Well, let's consider the opposite: you don't go and get arrested for disobeying a direct order from the King."
"How would they know if I was or wasn't there in the first place?" Aerith pressed, feeling her anxiety rise.
"They have ways." Madam M said, in a mysterious voice.
"But my stepmother and stepsisters – surely they'd recognize me -"
Madam M's face broke into a devious smile. "That's where this comes in." She reached into a small handbag next to her and pulled out a large orb. It was roughly the size of an orange, with a light blush color. "This will do all of the work necessary so that your step-family won't recognize you."
"A...Materia?" Aerith asked, slightly confused.
"Not just any Materia," Madam M corrected. "this Materia has unique properties. It was specifically designed for those who wish to conceal their identities. You simply speak the names of those you don't want to recognize you, and they will see you as nothing more than a stranger."
Aerith hesitantly took the Materia from Madam M's outstretched hand. It was warm to the touch, and the color reminded Aerith of summer sunsets. "So...only the names spoken to the Materia will be unable to recognize me?" At Madam M's nod she added, "How long does it work for?"
"Exactly four hours," Madam M answered. "But it's perfect timing since the Ball barely started and doesn't end until midnight. Still, it would be in your best interest to leave the Ball before it wears off."
Aerith stared at the Materia in her hand. Was it possible to go to the Ball, completely disguised to her step-family? It almost sounded too good to be true. Yet for some strange reason, Aerith found herself trusting in Madam M's words completely. She didn't seem like the type of person to lie (at least, not about something like this).
Staring at her small reflection in the Materia, Aerith slowly felt her fears fade away. "Where did you get this?" she asked softly, looking into Madam M's face.
Madam M began to fan herself again. "Let's just say it was a gift from a friend." she said, in a rather dismissive tone of voice.
Aerith felt it best not to pry the subject any further.
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The girl still hadn't arrived, and Duke Tuesti was starting to get worried.
Granted, it was only a little after 8pm. The ball had barely started. In spite of this, however, the room was already heavily crowded. Women dressed in various colors huddled close together, or stood on tip toe in an attempt to get a look at the Prince. High pitched giggles echoed off of the marble walls, and the clicks of high heels were beginning to give Duke Tuesti a slight headache.
Reeve trusted his old colleague. He knew that Madam M wasn't one to break promises. Sure, she could be a bit stingy, but she always had good intentions. Giving her past with Scarlet and knowing how much his friend hated her, Reeve felt Madam M would be best to ask to get Aerith ready.
Aerith...his best friend's only child.
As usual, the thought of the deceased Professor Gast brought a sharp pain to Reeve's heart. His friend had been gone for many years now, but the pain was still fresh. Reeve had accepted a long time ago that Gast's death wasn't something he could just "get over." He didn't know Ifalna that well, but when Gast talked of her any fool could see how much he loved her. And when Aerith was born, Reeve had never seen his best friend so happy.
The happiness was short lived, however.
Reeve reflected on the last thing his best friend said to him: "If anything happens to me, or to Ifalna, do not let them have Aerith. Do whatever you can to take her in as your own."
Another sharp pain stabbed Duke Tuesti's heart. He should have tried harder. Logic continually told him there was nothing more he could do – Scarlet had somehow gotten the legal paperwork, signed by Gast and Ifalna's own hands. It was damning proof, and no amount of protesting or accusation could change the mind of the Court. Yet his heart continually berated him, saying there was more that could be done somehow.
Duke Tuesti was a man of few regrets, but this one took the cake.
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The Chocobo carriage came to an abrupt halt. Madam M and Aerith stepped out, watching their feet as they did so. The cool night air hit Aerith's face, carrying the scent of promise and excitement.
"First things first," Madam M began, "you need to clean up. Especially since Lady Scarlet threw you in the stables." She gestured to the large building in front of them. "And there is no better place to get cleaned up than here." Madam M walked up to the double doors and pulled one open, inviting Aerith inside.
Aerith walked in and felt her jaw drop. Glittering floors and counter tops dazzled her eyes. The low lighting gave the place a sultry, yet comfortable atmosphere. Gentle string music played overhead, accompanied by soothing sounds of nature: running water, birds singing and whispering wind.
A young woman sitting behind the counter said, without looking up, "Sorry, but the spa is closed. You can schedule another appointment, or -"
"I'm afraid this is an emergency." Madam M said, in a cool tone of voice.
The young woman looked up so fast it almost gave Aerith visual whiplash. "O-Oh! Madam M! How nice to see you!" A nervous grin graced her lips as she stood up and walked to the other side of the counter. "I'm sorry, I thought you were...someone else."
"You seem ready to close up shop," Madam M pointed out dryly.
"I was, but there's no reason to now that you're here," the girl said. "What can I do for you?"
Madam M gestured Aerith to step forward. Aerith took a few hesitant steps into the light. The receptionist's eyes widened slightly. Aerith could only imagine what she was seeing: a girl in a tattered dress, her face dirty and her hair tangled.
"Aerith, this is Midori," Madam M said, gesturing to the young woman in front of them. "She's the runner of this spa, and the best of the best. I should know, since I get treatment from her often." Madam M turned to Midori. "She's going to the ball tonight, and she needs to be ready in an hour, tops." Madam M instructed. "Do the works: hair, skin, nails, makeup, everything."
Midori nodded, still gazing at Aerith. "Any particular color palette?"
"Neutral, with some light pinks."
Midori gave Madam M a real smile this time. "I can do that. Will you be needing a treatment as well?"
"Not this time." Madam M gave Aerith a sly wink. "While you're getting ready, I'll be getting your dress."
Aerith blinked. "You will? But how do you know my size?"
"Women's intuition." was all Madam M said. She turned to leave. "I'll be back in a little bit with some things for you to try on. Enjoy your treatment."
Before Aerith could let out a syllable of protest, Midori gently took her arm. "You will love this. Trust me."
"I certainly hope so," was all Aerith could say.
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It started with a shower. Aerith was instructed to thoroughly wash herself off and get her hair wet. The water was delightfully warm, and for the first five minutes Aerith just stood under the showerhead, soaking it in. She scrubbed her skin until it hurt, just to make sure all of the Chocobo poo was gone. The soap in the shower stall smelled of sweet peas.
She could have stayed in that shower forever. Even the hot steam that stayed after the shower ended felt luxurious.
After wrapping herself in a fluffy white robe that Midori gave her, Aerith was guided to a chair. Midori gently pushed the chair back over a sink, squirted some shampoo on her hands, and began to gently massage it through Aerith's tangled tresses.
Midori let out a small laugh as Aerith let out a soft moan. "Feels good, huh?"
"You have no idea," Aerith murmured, closing her eyes.
"So, you're going to the ball?" Midori asked. At Aerith's nod she added, "Sweet. I wish I could go, but I'm already taken." She lifted up her left hand, and Aerith saw an engagement ring glinting in the light.
"Congratulations!" Aerith exclaimed.
"Thanks! It only took the dope forever to ask me," Midori said, laughing as she grabbed a small nozzle. She tested the water temperature on her wrist, then began to rinse out Aerith's hair. "I was afraid he never would."
"...How did you know he was the right one?"
It wasn't a question Aerith was planning on asking. Seeing the happiness and glee on Midori's face stirred feelings in her own heart. She only had one year until she could legally be free of her stepmother. If she was being honest with herself, the thought of being whisked away by someone special was...tempting, to say the least.
"This may sound silly," Midori said after a moment, "but I just...knew. We were friends for a while before we started dating, but even that far back I felt something. It was one of those things that just happened naturally. Falling in love with him was not only easy, but it also felt safe. Call it what you want: the universe, fate, destiny, but something brought us together." She grabbed a towel and proceeded to wrap Aerith's hair in it. "And I'm very glad it did." There was a soft, tender smile on the young woman's face.
Aerith reflected on her words in silence. How could someone "just know" about someone else? It almost sounded too easy. As if, the moment she met a stranger, the heavens would open and give her all the answers she needed.
"Do you have someone special in your life?" Midori asked, breaking Aerith's train of thought.
A face came to mind. Dark hair, bright blue eyes, and a confident smile. Aerith felt her face grow hot. "...You could say that." she said, suddenly feeling shy.
But that was it: Kaz was special to her. Aerith felt a slight twinge of annoyance that it took her this long to realize it. Wait a minute. This long? She questioned to herself. I've only known him for a few days! And yet, it felt so much longer. Kaz had that effect on her: time spent with him went by too fast. It almost sounded like an old love song type of cliché: the hours felt like seconds, the days like hours.
The more Aerith reflected on what Midori said, the more she realized. Thoughts that had been pushing at her subconscious for the past few days finally broke through. Aerith let them flood her mind. Some of them were like individual photographs: the curve of his cheeks, his calloused fingertips touching her face, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
The majority of the thoughts, however, were small details from the past few days: offering her the rest of his potion when he saw her wounded cheeks. The wool fabric of the cloak he always wore, with the hood casting shadows across his face. His excitement at helping her sell flowers. The sweet sadness in his eyes when he looked at the people of the slums – especially the children. The concern in his eyes the day she was particularly tired.
But it wasn't just that Kaz was good-looking, or he helped her sell flowers when he didn't have to. Being around him felt very much like being in the Church in Sector 5: peaceful. Calm. A safe place to land. A refuge from her life.
Kaz's very presence – and Kaz himself – was a sanctuary. Such peace Aerith had known known nor felt since before her parents died. She had heard tales of people falling in love quickly, of one being a "safe place" for another, of being so in love that everything looked brighter and clearer.
But...those were all just stories, right? Surely those things didn't really happen in real life…
….except that they had. The past few days proved that.
Sitting in that beauty chair, with her hair wrapped in a towel and her skin still pink from the shower, Aerith let herself accept what she had already known for a while: I really, really like him. I want to spend more time with him.
"Well, I hope things work out for you!" Midori said cheerfully, interrupting Aerith's deep thoughts.
Aerith shook herself out of her daze and gave Midori a smile. "I hope so, too."
Already, things seemed to look brighter and clearer.
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Midori had to be a magician. There was no other explanation.
In what seemed like five minutes, the young woman had brushed, dried and curled the ends of Aerith's hair. It was a bit strange to feel it resting on her back since she usually wore it in a braid, but it also felt nice, in a weird way. Sitting in that beauty chair, having hot air blown into her hair and an iron making soft curls, Aerith would be lying if she said she didn't feel spoiled.
Midori had called a few other young women in to help with makeup. As they peered carefully into Aerith's face, Aerith felt her cheeks grow hot again.
"Is it that bad?" she asked, half-jokingly.
"No!" one of the other girls said, horrified. "Not at all! I was just admiring your eyebrows. They're so delicate."
What does that even mean?
"She really doesn't need much," Midori muttered as she selected a few brushes. "some basic contour, light eye shadow, highlight..."
Contour? Highlight?
The last girl took Aerith's hand and brought it close to her face, scrutinizing her fingertips. "Just a trim, buff and some polish will do nice. You already have lovely hands."
What is going on…?
Midori walked over, holding a few different palettes in her hands. "If anything stings or burns, tell us right away, okay?" She said with a smile.
Huh?!
Confusion only filled Aerith more as the three women got to work. It was a flood of physical sensation that Aerith had never known. Lotion was squirted onto hands and gently massaged into her face. Small dabs of...something were put on her face, then blended in with what felt like a piece of a sponge. Then more containers were opened, and it went back and forth between being powder and liquid. It was very hard not to crinkle her nose at the feeling of the soft brushes against her skin. A few times she sneezed (thankfully, the workers thought it was funny). There were at least a few layers of makeup on her face now, and it felt strangely like a mask.
While two worked on her face, the other woman was filing down her nails. A strong smell filled the air, and Aerith felt something brush against her fingernails. Glancing briefly at her right hand, she could see that her nails were now painted a neutral shade of light pink.
The hardest part was her eyes. Despite the brush bristles being soft, Aerith was not used to having...whatever it was called put on her eyelids. It almost felt heavy. And keeping her eyes shut while they drew lines above her lashes was no easy feat, either. She nearly jumped every time. Thankfully, Midori and the others didn't seem to pay much mind. They were patient with her as they told her to look up or look down, to blink or keep her eyes shut.
It was when Midori had put the finishing touch of lip gloss on Aerith's lips that Madam M returned. "Just in time!" Midori exclaimed, setting down the tube of lip gloss. "Doesn't she look amazing?!"
Madam M walked a bit closer. Her eyes seemed to examine every inch of Aerith's face, and a soft smile graced her usually harsh features. "Lovely. Absolutely lovely. You three have outdone yourselves."
"Do you wanna see?" one of the other girls asked Aerith in excitement. Aerith hesitated, then nodded. The girl spin the chair around so that Aerith faced the mirror. Her eyes widened.
Her hair was shiny and looked smooth to the touch, parted down the middle with delicate curls at the ends. Her face looked completely free of any blemishes, although her cheeks were still rosy as always. There must have been something about the way the women used the makeup, because it seemed to make her cheekbones more prominent, but not to the point of extremes. Aerith's eyebrows had been combed through and plucked in some places, but not as much as she expected. Upon her eyelids was a shimmery champagne color that faded into some light shades of pink. She could barely see the line that the women drew on her eyelids, and yet it must have made some kind of difference because her eyes looked a bit larger.
Aerith wasn't sure what she was expecting to see, but it wasn't this.
Aerith blinked, hard. She felt the tips of her coated eyelashes touch her skin. It was still the same girl in the mirror. There suddenly seemed to be no air in the room at all.
From all the makeup that was put on her face Aerith almost expected to look like someone else. But to her immense relief, she looked like herself. Only with some features more magnified, like her eyes and her cheeks. This still looked like Aerith, but not Aerith-who-sold-flowers-in-the-slums. This...this was Aerith-who-is-secretly-a-royal-princess.
She looked...beautiful. Radiant, even.
Aerith swallowed hard, feeling a lump come to her throat. "Thank you," she said thickly to the women in the room. "Thank you so much. It's...it's wonderful. It's more than I could have hoped for. I wish I had some way to pay you for all of this -"
"That's taken care of," Madam M said with a wave of her hand. "Now, go try this on." She held out a long, zipped up garment bag that was draped over her arm. "I need to see if it fits right."
Aerith took it gratefully and went into a nearby changing room. Her eyes went wide as she unzipped the bag. This...this dress is… she couldn't find the words. Realizing she was on a schedule, she quickly took the dress out of the garment bag and put it on. It fit like a glove, and Aerith felt her shock only grow as she looked in mirror again.
Madam M and the women were talking outside, but stopped as soon as Aerith stepped out of the changing room. One of the girls even gasped and put a hand over her mouth.
"What do you think?" Madam M asked as Aerith looked in the mirror again.
"It's...it's like a dream," Aerith breathed. "I can't believe this is real."
Madam M smiled and held out a pair of low heels. "Put these on. You can't go to the ball barefoot."
As Aerith slipped on the shoes – which also fit perfectly – Madam M continued to talk. "The best thing about this dress is this." She walked up to Aerith and gently lifted the dress a few inches. Inside the many layers of fabric was a medium-sized pocket. Madam M held up the Materia from earlier and carefully dropped it into the pocket. "I double and triple checked the Materia. You're good to go. The only trick is," Madam M stood up, her face suddenly more serious than usual, "You must have this Materia on you at all times in order for it to work. The minute it is separated from you, the effects will wear off. Is that clear?"
Aerith nodded. "Yes. Thank you," she said again. "I don't know what to say, or how to repay you all for your kindness."
"Don't worry about that," Madam M dismissed, waving a hand. "just have a good time. Go dance. Meet the Prince. Eat hors d'oeuvres. With the way you look, you might get a proposal." She grinned at the startled look on Aerith's face.
The door to the front of the spa opened, and a man walked inside. He too was dressed to the nines in a nice-fitting suit (although the first few buttons of the shirt were undone). "Madam M, it's time." He turned to Aerith and bowed. "Milady."
Aerith recognized who it was and gawked. "Johnny?"
"Your chariot awaits!" Madam M announced. She gave Aerith a gentle shove. "Remember, the Materia is only going to last until midnight. Have a good time, and get home before then."
"I will," Aerith promised. "How can I ever repay you?"
"I told you, don't worry about it. Just thank Reeve when you see him."
Aerith cocked her head, confused. "Who?"
Madam M shook her head. "Nevermind."
As the Chocobo carriage rode off in the direction of the Castle (with a "WOO-HA!" and a whip of the reins from Johnny beforehand), Aerith forced herself to take some deep breaths. This was happening. This was really happening. The night carried the scent of promise, and Aerith slowly felt her fears flee away.
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The ball had only been going on for a little less than an hour, but Prince Zack was starting to get irritated.
Everyone else got to mingle, drink champagne and eat hors d'oeurves. His job? Stand at the front of the hall and greet every single young woman that entered. It didn't really help that he was on a slightly raised platform, so everyone could see him clearly. Zack was half-expecting a spotlight to shine on him so he could perform some kind of dance number.
Every girl so far had done the same thing: walked up to him as they were introduced, curtsied, and smiled. Zack would smile back and bow in greeting, then it was onto the next girl. Zack had bent at the waist so much that his lower back hurt.
A lot of the girls seemed nice enough, if Zack were to ever talk to them. But there were a definite few that made his skin crawl. At one point there were two sisters with so much makeup on that Zack wondered if that was what their faces actually looked like. Their audacious dresses only added to the effect of the sisters looking like something out of a fashion magazine rather than a real person.
"Here."
Zack looked up to see Duke Tuesti holding out a small glass of water. He took it gratefully. "Thanks, Reeve." Reeve nodded in response. "Have you seen her at all?" Zack asked eagerly before taking a large drink of water.
"I haven't," Reeve replied. "but then again, you've only described her to me. I've never seen her in real life." He gave Zack an unusually sly grin. "But it appears that she's the only one you're excited to see here."
Zack smiled sheepishly. "That's cause she is. Everyone else is nice enough, but...they're not her. There's something about Aerith that I can't really explain."
"So you said the other day." Duke Tuesti said with a smile.
After multiple days of the Prince being gone for more than a few hours, Duke Tuesti asked for an explanation. He couldn't tell everyone in the Castle that the Crown Prince of Midgar was sneaking out, but he was running out of excuses to give them.
At his request, Zack had bashfully rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Well...I'm just going out to see a friend of mine."
Zack had stood, his entire body rigid, but there was a light in his eyes that Duke Tuesti had never seen before. A countenance about him that felt much more carefree and cheerful. Even as Zack talked, he never seemed to fully focus on Reeve. His mind was completely somewhere else. And the smile that was on Zack's face...Reeve had never seen Zack so ecstatic.
"Who's the girl?" Reeve had asked, with a knowing grin.
Zack didn't even try to deny it. He told him about meeting a girl below the Plate, someone who sold flowers and very easy to talk to. The more Zack described her – her hair, her eyes, her kindness and how hardworking she was – the more his entire self brightened. "I want to be with her, Reeve. She's like no one else I've ever met." That was when Reeve knew the Prince was in love.
"What is her name?" he had asked.
"Aerith."
The shock of it all was almost overwhelming: his dead best friend's only child, who was in Scarlet's care, whom he had been watching over with Cait Sith whenever occasion allowed...this was who the Prince was in love with.
Reeve brought himself back to the present by looking out at the crowd. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. She might just be running late."
The crowded room was full of people laughing, dancing and enjoying one another's company. Their faces were full of hope, their eyes shining with anticipation.
"Reeve…" Zack paused, biting his lip. "What would you say if...if I already knew who I wanted to marry?"
Reeve looked at him, his eyes wide. "With all due respect, Your Highness, you've only known her for a few days."
"And yet, Royalty get married without even meeting their betrothed all of the time." Zack pointed out.
"True," Reeve agreed. "but this is more than a matter of politics, Your Highness. Your father wants you to marry someone you love as well as someone that could be of benefit to the Kingdom."
Zack sighed. "I know it sounds crazy, but...that's how I feel about Aerith. I know I don't know her that well. I know she's not royalty. But she's the one I want to be with, Reeve. I just know. I don't know how, but I do."
Duke Tuesti gaped at him. The Crown Prince had never sounded so serious about something before. Prince Zack was often one who tried to lighten moods in serious moments. But with the words he just said, his voice was firm and steady. No trace of a joke or laughter at all. There was conviction in his eyes, and a gentle smile on his face.
Murmurs through the crowd broke the conversation. Reeve looked to the entrance. Someone new had just arrived, and it was clear she was already making an impression. Even at this far of a distance, Reeve could see her familiar face.
"Your Highness," he said softly. "She's here."