The Storm
"I'm the reason you're here," Aerith revealed, her large emerald eyes in tears. "Aqua, I brought you here to this Planet from your home!"
A wave of goosebumps crashed into me, my unsteady feet stumbling backwards. My lower jaw dropped, tears suddenly there across my cheeks without effort, speechless.
Aerith sniffed, pulling her eyes away, closing them and cried silently as she stood there like she wanted to become a statue forever.
"I'm so sorry. I was so lonely. I was the only one, Aqua. After mother died, and unable to make friends, I begged the Planet."
She twirled around to show me pleading eyes, her hands to her chest just beneath the heart shaped neckline of her dress.
"Ever since I was a child, adopted from Elmyra, I prayed every night for the Planet to send me a friend, an Ancient like me," she choked.
The goosebumps didn't go away. The shock took hold of me, halting my breathing as I struggled to say something, anything.
What could I say? How was I supposed to react? A part of me unfurled into a storm I didn't know I had, furious, but there was also this other part of me, the part that loved Aerith.
Just as Aerith did, I cried silently, unable to say or do anything as she broke before me, her house behind her like we were really in Midgar, and not sleeping on Rufus's military ship.
"I'm so sorry, Aqua. I didn't know it would come true until recently. Just a few days before you came, The Planet told me. And to add, it has plans for you, for the both of us," Aerith gasped.
And then, finally, through her tears that broke off a piece of my heart, "please, don't hate me." The rest was a mix of sobs, gurgles, and gasps.
I fell into the memory of our first meeting, finally putting two and two together.
"That's why…" I remembered how she reacted when she met me after Cloud and I fell into the church.
You're here! I'm so happy you're finally here!"
Aerith's old words rang, a whisper mixed into the breeze as my mouth opened even further.
"That's why you were so happy to see me," I struggled, my voice choked in cracked whispers. My tears dripped from my chin down to my shirt until my face was soaked.
I shoved a hand over my lips, pushing tears and possible regrettable words in my mouth as they tasted like bitter salt.
Was this her secret all along?
It must've been painful holding it all in this whole time. The guilt, the dark feelings like she took me away from something even more precious than herself.
Would I have reacted any differently if she had told me sooner?
A part of me wanted to run like I always did when overwhelmed. I should just break free from the dream and run away, blaming Aerith for everything that has happened to me in this world. Behind thick tears, I watched her crumble, a pink blob sinking her knees atop of her flowers, her face hidden in her hands.
Aerith called to me, summoned me to this strange world, with monsters, magic, men with large swords and an unsettling way for the dead to be used up as energy.
It was a world beyond my New York, beyond anything I had ever dreamed of.
I stood there, watching her as the wind picked up my hair to one side.
How did Aerith's words make me feel? The tiny tickles of goosebumps stayed, filling up my chest with a slight explosion that may have blown up the hidden dark weight that sat there for a while. It was one that I may have detected all along, but I just never got around to it. There was this clean slate forming, one between Aerith and I, and I embraced it.
The moment I fell into her church, we connected, our Ancient blood intertwined, and an instant bond formed.
My legs were ready to flee, but my heart was ready to stay.
With great effort fighting the urge to run, I instead, dropped to my knees behind her, and wrapped my shaky arms around her shoulders. My tears smudged hard into the back of her red coat, and I wept.
"I love you so much," I grieved, holding her tighter. Aerith's body fell into tiny quakes, but then she lifted her head, lips to the sky with a mighty gasp so sharp, it shook the whole dream world. The winds strengthened, as though her heart flurried the weather, enhancing our own little space. Flower petals flew up into the air, getting stuck in our hair, tickling our cheeks and kissing our arms. My hands settled atop her chest, easily feeling her incredible heart thump against them. The sunlight expanded, enveloping us with its pure light while it sparkled the whole area into a white gold layer.
Very slowly, I felt Aerith's fingers work their way up to my hands, nesting in between my fingers until they meshed, the green powers of our Ancient blood blooming.
With closed eyes, I rubbed my tears against her back, and said again, "I love you, Aerith. It's okay. You don't have to feel guilty anymore."
Tears tickled the tops of my hands, and Aerith wept loudly, sounding like a child as her bow sank with her dipped head. She was so relieved, she emptied it all out in the open, her tears falling for a long time.
I held her for as long as she needed, my lips smiling while tears slid over them. Aerith cried until she couldn't cry anymore, our bodies sleeping away in our tiny space while in the dream state, we took our time, the workings of our magic keeping our world vibrant and soothing. Time seemed non-existent, a place for the two of us to be ourselves, sharing our secrets and sighing with comfort after a difficult moment.
When I opened my eyes again, I blinked to the dimming room on the ship. My head laid on the bed of the lower bunk while Aerith snuggled up along her side, quietly asleep while a small smile laid on her lips. It was a strange phenomenon, crying in a dream and yet waking up with dry eyes. But as I stared down at a sleeping Aerith, they began to steam. The top of my chest was feeling heavy, as though an unknown weight fell into one of my heart's ventricles, mixing with its blood. I put a hand across my face, shielding my mouth from the upcoming howl of feelings I had.
This was the woman who brought me here to this world. It was her years of loneliness and praying, asking the planet for a friend. No other Ancients in this world, and me, a lonesome survivor who may or may not originate from here, was the only option. It took years of wishes for the Planet to finally listen, pulling me into a vortex, and finally meeting with Aerith with a plan in motion. What was the Planet planning to do with us? Was there more to me coming here besides giving Aerith company? What else did she know?
For a while, with small tears, I watched her sleep, unsure whether to wake her or not.
I rested my chin over my hands on the mattress, my rear still on the hard floor, when I decided to glance up at the clock. It was around six, and just like a dream, time had flown by in the real world. The ship seemed to rock heavier, churning the liquid contents of my stomach that made me wish to be back on steady dry land. I could hear creaks of its metal walls whine, the ship quietly crying to the rough hands of the sea.
Had the storm arrived yet? There was no porthole window to peak through, so the outside world was unknown to me.
I turned my attention to Aerith again, watching her beauty under the orange light of the ceiling lamp, the bulb flickering a few times weakly. She must've sensed my stare because she fluttered her eyes open, and pushed herself up till the top of her head grazed the upper bunk.
She stared at me, her emerald eyes large with the guilt still in them, but they sparkled too. There was this unsureness about her, like whether she should smile or not.
To reassure her, I flashed a small smile, and she returned it, relaxing as she scooted herself to sit on the edge, and then looked down at me.
"That was a lot to take in, wasn't it?" She quietly asked.
I nodded, dropping my gaze down to the blanket with a soft, "yeah…"
There was a bit of silence, remnants of Aerith's insecurities hovering. When it stretched beyond comfort, I decided to remind her when I said, "it's okay, though. I do love you. You're my other person, Aerith."
Aerith's smile grew, her eyelids hiding half her eyes while taking my hand into hers.
"I know," she chirped.
It seemed like there was this expectation of me demanding answers, of bickering and questioning the Planet and Aerith's interference with my life, and yet, in reality, I felt none of that. There was just not many words to be said.
"You know," I began, my voice so soft, I could hear steps of walking bodies down the corridor through the door.
"I think I might have known all along."
When Aerith heard this, she blinked her eyes up to the metal ceiling and sniffed, eyes closed.
"I know," she repeated.
"Aerith, I do have one question, though," I warned. She dropped her gaze to me as I asked, "what does the Planet have in store for me? Am I here because you prayed? Or does the Planet have a plan for me?" I watched her bite her lip, her struggle to keep her eyes on me when I knew she wanted to look away and lie again.
Aerith stared, a half smile on her face when she replied, "it was both. I did pray for a long time. The Planet answered, but I think it was mainly because we both needed you."
I breathed quietly through my nostrils, unsatisfied with her answer.
"I know what you need me for, and I understand that. But the Planet, what does it want from me?"
Aerith finally had to look away, her strength to keep herself open, gone.
"It has a plan for us both but…" She smiled shyly to herself when I noticed her cheeks blushed to the color of her ribbon. "I have plans too, that may work out for our kind in the end if it all goes well."
I wanted to hear more, inching closer to listen in case she were to whisper her plan, but then a loud horn blasted, thankfully muffled by the layers of decks and walls. It must've vibrated the whole ship as I felt it pulsate into my rear and legs.
One more glance at the clock, and I noticed that it was right at six.
"Oh," I muttered. "I wonder if that was the dinner horn."
Aerith rose from the bunk bed, and stretched out her arms. I joined her, and rubbed at my rear from the hard floor, regretting not lying in bed next to her.
"I'm ready to eat. What about you?" Aerith asked, her helm held on her hip, while she smirked at me. I smiled back, and there was this feeling of a better understanding between us. Finally, Aerith told me her secret, but I knew there were more, and I also knew she doesn't reveal everything in one go.
"I'm starving," I exclaimed, taking my helm and slipping over my face. We both made sure our hair was in place, giggling lightly like shy girls whom just shared secrets about boys. I went for the door to open it for Aerith, and pulled it open.
"Let's check the infirmary first?" I suggested, but Aerith's gaze froze in fear.
Something, or someone, blocked the doorway.
I bumped into it before I could register what it was, and then in a breath, I watched in horror as a green Materia glowed, blinding me before a cloud of stars swirled in my vision. I was suddenly feeling very exhausted to the point of falling over.
Aerith's voice was groggy when she tried calling out to me. I made an attempt to help her, my mouth ready to scream out her name, but a metal hand crammed over my lips. Weakly screaming into it, I tried to reach for her before she were to land on her face. A Mako infused hand caught Aerith from collapsing, and guided her gently across the floor.
My arm grew heavier before it slapped at my side, and with blurry vision, I watched dreadfully as I was pulled out into the empty corridor. The intruder locked the metal door from the inside before slamming it shut, leaving Aerith asleep in the room. I wanted to scream in a panic, but with my energy strangely depleted, I instead fell into strong arms. Hands against his glowing chest, I looked up with heavy eyelids, and through their slits, I saw Isaac's Mako brown eyes inspecting me. And then I fell asleep.
I felt so heavy as I laid on something soft. The rocking of the ship awoke me, and I squinted to a flickering light on my face, my helmet off. The walls inside what appeared to be a suite, groaned along with me as I sat up, and quickly found Isaac watching me. He leaned against a smooth wall, his eyes carefully across the floor to a bed I propped up against. The effects of the sleeping magic he cast earlier lingered, and I struggled to climb out of bed, feeling drunk.
"Isaac? Why? Where-" My legs failed me as I thought of escaping, but instead, I almost fell forward to the floor. As quick as I remembered, Isaac caught me without taking a step, and settled me back on the bed.
"I wouldn't be so hasty just yet. The spell can leave you feeling light-headed for ten to fifteen minutes," he explained calmly. But as hard as I tried, I shoved his hands away and tried again, only to be tugged.
Painfully, with a scratchy throat, I screamed before his metal hand covered it up, and my back was up against a wall.
"Aqua, listen," Isaac whispered, his face depressingly serious as he gazed down at me.
"I need to tell you something," he continued, his eyes searching around the suite before settling on mine, and he breathed hard into my face as he leaned in to whisper.
"Rufus wants to have dinner with you. I don't know what's up, but he won't allow me in there with you two. He won't tell me nor share what his plan is. Understand?" His moist and cooling breath brushed inside my ear, sending shivers down my neck as I tried to squirm away from his hold.
Why was he telling me this?
Still holding my mouth shut, he continued, "He and I knew you were on the ship all along. Scarlet was close to finding you out, but I got you out of it before it could get awkward. She would not be pleased knowing you are here, even if Rufus allowed it temporarily."
Slowly, Isaac peeled his metal hand away from my trembling lips, watchful of me when he stepped back.
I still glared at him as I processed his words.
"So what? I should be jumping with joy that you went away with Scarlet to save my ass from detection?" I growled. Isaac kept his steady mouth shut as I, for once, ranged in front of him. He had his chance boiling in front of me.
Now It was my turn.
"I feel so much pain seeing you two. I feel replaced, betrayed, forgotten!" I accidentally screamed. "I don't want you back, in fact, I should've ended us before we were even sucked into this world! I should've left that restaurant after our conversation about the Doctors Without Borders when you threw my idea away. Has it never occurred to you that we both could've joined? But you were so absorbed getting into that fellowship, so absorbed with the idea of us, I thought you didn't really see me and what I wanted!"
As I shouted out all the heaviness that was meant for Isaac, I wondered if Aerith felt similar when she revealed to me her secret, the lightness afterward as it did me, while I was on the verge of tears. Isaac remained quiet, standing there, observant even as I continued.
"You were my friend, and then just proposed to me like that! I didn't want to lose you, so I said 'yes' instead of talking about it. I…" I slapped a hand across half my face, smudging away tears as I shook my head to myself, finally relieved of some pent-up words I buried for a long time, longer than I ever wanted.
"You think you have had it bad, and then behaved terribly towards me because of your shitty experiences here?!" I screeched.
Issac gave me a pensive look.
"Aqua," his tone told me had enough, but I slapped a hand to my chest and screamed, "I fell off a plate in Midgar! Got attacked, almost raped, abducted, poked and prodded, almost died from too much sedation, and fell into a two-day coma!"
Issac's brown eyes were beginning to carry a haze of Mako, and the thin lines in his suit glimmered gently. He clenched his teeth, ready to fire back as he inhaled mightily into his cyborg chest.
And then, one by one, he counted off with his fingers as he growled.
"I almost fell to my death, leaving me in a three-day coma! I got Mako poisoning and now live off a fucking suit with Mako to keep me alive. I have to not only obey every order of the President as his bodyguard, but also having to take commands from that sadistic whore, Scarlet. All while, in the back of my mind, you have replaced me with a new knight in shining armor. Big surprise!" He counted off seven fingers.
"You replaced me!" I fired.
"Not before discovering you found your own fucking man!"
We both took a break, catching our breaths with both our faces red with exhilaration. It was the biggest fight Isaac and I had ever come across. We were usually the quite discussion type, or more or less, more the "when Isaac wants to deal with it" type of arguing. But we both had built up feelings, easily cascading everything else that was going on for a minute until we had a chance to deflate.
Isaac regained breath first, enough to add with glaring eyes, "I was planning to save you from that tank! And then have you hide somewhere while I waited for my suit to enhance enough to not depend on too much Mako. But it all fell through when I saw you fall into that ex-SOLDIER"S arms. That was the moment I changed my mind. Yes, I've been sleeping with Scarlet, but not for my benefit, but for hers. How could I say no if it may have trashed me like I was worthless?! It was her idea to make me the President's bodyguard! What could I do, Aqua? Tell me?!"
Isaac finished with his fingers jabbing into his chest, the Mako lines brighter until they flashed in crimson red. His Mako eyes watered, tears speckling off his cheeks to the dark blue rug.
I sat back on the plush bed, feeling drained as I sniffed, wiping away the scant number of tears that came about during our heated argument. Isaac remained standing, facing me and ready to fire more if needed, like he was a better victim.
The flames of hating him diminished, leaving me empty inside, so when I spoke again, my voice was soft and broken.
"That still gave you no right to treat me terribly. Let's just admit it that we've had problems before falling into this world. I was alone, Isaac, even before. Just as you probably were. Let's stop bickering on who had it worst, it's not helping," I begged, looking up at him through my water filled eyes. Issac looked away, his arms crossed.
"I was so mad at you," he added, voice softer too. He dropped his eyes like he was recalling the day we reunited, the painful experience of watching each other fall under different circumstances right before our very eyes.
"Now I don't even know anymore…" he finished, dropping his head.
I had no more words to shout, and it seemed neither did Isaac as he sighed tiredly, and lifted his gaze.
"I understand you're upset with me, and I'm not asking you for forgiveness. I've done terrible things to you, even before getting sucked into this world together. I was insecure, clinging onto you and using the proposal as a way to make you stay. You're right, I was selfish."
He then looked away, hurt. I curled my hands at my sides, wanting to believe his words, but I shook the hope out of me. I hissed, "is that supposed to make me feel better?"
Isaac tossed me a strong gaze.
"No, but it's a start," he promised, and then his eyes fell on a dress that hung on a hanger over a door.
"But for now, you must get ready for your dinner appointment. Rufus expects you in the Wardroom soon. He even picked out a proper outfit for you," he muttered.
I threw fire at the dark blue dress, and scoffed.
"I won't have dinner with him," I demanded, and rose off the bed, my eyes were already searching for the correct door to escape.
"Aqua, please don't make this difficult. Rufus knows about your friends on board and will use that against you if you don't cooperate," he warned. His metal hands found my shoulders to keep me still, and said, "look, I know you are in an uncomfortable situation, and Cloud doesn't know where you are, so no one is going to come and save you. For now, please, I'm not asking for you to trust me, but just know, I'm here. But I can't defy Rufus's orders either."
I looked into Isaac's eyes, amazed at what I found. The Mako dimmed, leaving behind those dark brown eyes I used to get lost into. He was saying he could help me, but Rufus trumped ex-fiancee. So in the end, I was alone.
Red's words echoed, sending me goosebumps up my spine as I recalled what it was he said that night under the stars.
Isaac loves you. He loves you so much, it hurts him to the point of uncontrollable rage
I reminded myself, he did hurt me. He was sleeping with another woman. Even if Isaac was sleeping with Scarlet as a way to keep his place secure among the powerful level of Shinra Corp, it was no excuse. I simmered, but softened my gaze and crossed my arms.
"Fine," I snapped. "But I'm not changing into anything. Rufus can't threaten my friends just because I didn't wear a damn dress."
Isaac smirked at my outburst, and he slid his hands off of me.
"Your presence is more important than appearance," he commented. The ship unexpectedly rocked enough so that I fell against a wall while Isaac balanced on his feet. A couple of items rolled, the lightbulbs flickering. Walls screeched, the ship awake and warning us with its metallic wailing.
When the floor finally settled, Isaac and I peered through one of the portholes, a sky of darkness over what may have been a sunset if lucky to see it.
Issac sighed tiredly. "I really hate storms while on a ship," he complained dryly.
I stiffened at the darkness out there, unsure of the size of the waves, as I could've sworn I felt them push against the ship. Having Isaac next to me, the two of us staring out at a raging storm outside, made it almost feel like old times.
Almost.
"How are you managing to travel with Rufus? I thought you had to stay in Midgar," I asked him, eyes still glued to the dark clouds.
"Well, with Scarlet's brilliance, she and Hojo were able to make my own little personal reactor for my suit, as you can see here," he used his thumb to gesture to his back where the reactor glowed dimly.
"I can last three days on one canister of Mako," he boasted.
"You're a backwards Iron Man," I joked. Isaac smirked at the reference, like he needed a piece of our home in there somewhere. I wondered how much he missed home.
"Scarlet's a terrible person," he continued. "But her ideas are incredible when she thinks of what she gets out of them. She's the reason Rufus decided to keep me as a bodyguard after what happened to his father. Honestly, I think he was glad his old man is gone, so he may have thought of it as a favor. But for publicity's sake inside the company, he had to make it look like he needed persuasion to keep me around."
I couldn't believe he was telling me all of this as I eyed him suspiciously.
Isaac then flashed me a depressing look when he mentioned, "I heard you're a full blood Ancient. How did that happen?"
I let my fingers fiddle together, occupied with the porthole's metal edge, while I thought of how to answer that.
"I may have originally come from here, as a baby. Though I'm not certain. I didn't even know I was an Ancient until I met Aerith."
Isaac processed this, and blinked at the mention of Aerith.
"And is Aerith the other Ancient? The half-breed?" He asked, trying to keep up.
I nodded.
This seemed to make more sense to him when I saw his eyes grow.
"Ah, I get it now."
There was a knock on a door, which instantly, Isaac answered after a flash across the room with his cyborg speed. I noticed his suit glowed with the dash, the agility taking energy from his little reactor nestled on his back.
When he opened the door, a simple Shinra marine was there in the hall.
"The President is ready for his guest," the marine announced in a flat voice.
"On my way, thank you," Isaac rushed, and closed the door slightly.
"Let's go. I am to escort you there," he told me, watching me linger with the corner of his eye.
I sucked in a deep breath, and with my helmet back on my head, I followed Isaac out of the suite and into the hall. Open windows tossed rain sideways into the open A deck, hammering away with rough winds blowing up Issac's and my hair.
It was a short walk to the wardroom, just beneath the bridge and with its own corridor guarded by two officers, when Isaac stopped in front of its labeled door.
He cleared his throat, brown hair drenched, and gave me a careful look.
"I'll be outside," he whispered to me, drips across his face, and then he knocked before opening the door.
"Sir, she's here," Isaac announced with his head inside.
Through the heavy rain that puttered across the ship, I couldn't hear Rufus's words, but Isaac opened the door wider and gestured me to go inside. I slapped a hand to my chest, and threw him a worried look. He kept hold of the door and replied with a knowing stare. If it got out of hand in there with Rufus, would Isaac be there? He can't defy orders, and yet it felt like he was trying to help me in some small way. Isaac seemed stuck somewhere in the middle, not on one side nor the other, which made him unreliable.
I sucked in a deep breath, and stepped inside a warm room, the door slammed behind me. If it weren't for the rocking of the ship, I could've sworn I stepped into a fine dining hall, with windows around the room, covered by blue curtains. Fine polished light wood decorated the room, with dark blue velvet carpeting and rows of oil paintings along the walls between the curtains. A few gentle lamps created a candlelight effect around the room.
Rufus cleared his throat, and I finally dropped my attention to him, finding him settled over a long table with white tablecloth, and seven other empty chairs around him.
He stared at me dimly, disappointed in my outfit of the soaking wet Shinra uniform, so I wouldn't be matching his fine white suit, his jacket off to reveal silver silk sleeves.
Rufus had his blond hair gelled back, and holding a stiff pose in his chair, he cleared his throat before gesturing to an empty cushioned seat across from him.
"Aqua, take your seat."
"I'd rather stand, thanks," I grumbled. "Just tell me what it is you want to talk about it, and then let me leave."
Rufus sighed, tiny lamps across the table adding a gentle glow to his hard lined face.
"That hurts my feelings," he began. I laughed inside. What feelings?
"I've arranged a lovely meal for you, and just want to talk. I will let you go in peace after this if it all works well, promise," Rufus finished, poised.
I stared at the lovely delicate white plates across the table, watching him waiting patiently for me to decide.
"You knew I was already on the ship," I began, walking towards Rufus to take a seat. I sat across from him along the short length of the table, so we got to see our expressions easily under the glimmering light.
Rufus closed his eyes as he suppressed his anger, "Aqua, please take the helmet off. It's difficult to have a serious conversation with you wearing that."
I sighed and pulled the helmet off, my silver hair a tangled mess. I gave my helm its own seat next to me and tried again.
"You knew I was on the ship, and yet did nothing, why?" I demanded.
I was so focused on Rufus's blue diamonds eyes, so sharp, they could cut me, I didn't even notice someone poured me a glass of red wine. Rufus didn't even pay attention to his own glass being filled, too focused on staring at me with a calculating look. Shivers crept up my arms and into my neck like a ghost just walk through me. I think he enjoyed simmering on his words, watching his guests squirm before him with impatience or fear because he took a long time to speak. Behind the curtains, the wind howled, followed by rhythmic crashes of rain tossed around outside.
"I wanted to make a good impression," Rufus finally answered. He cocked his head a little at me and gestured to my wine glass.
"Please, take a drink. Relax. You seem uptight," he encouraged. I glared at him.
"You probably poisoned it," I grumbled.
Rufus smirked, and propped a silk elbow on the table, his head leaning into his hand.
"I promise you, it's not," and he even took a sip from his own glass with closed eyes, savoring the taste as it settled on his tongue.
I still didn't want to drink, and held still in my seat. Rufus settled his glass down, the rocking of the ship tossing the wine inside rather unsettling. A chef brought out our plates of a crispy green salad.
Rufus ignored his dish and eyed me.
"So, I take it you, and Cloud and the others are after Sephiroth too?"
I glanced down at my salad, and took a fork to pierce at a dark leafy green.
"So you want intel, is that it? You want me to backstab my friends with information for a fancy dinner?" I challenged, and then took a quiet bite.
Rufus closed his eyes again and dropped them to his plate.
"I was just making light conversation. You are brutal to me," he whined.
"What do you want with Sephiroth, anyway? Are you going to stop him, too?" I asked, and took another bite.
Rufus finally ate and replied in between bites, "No. We are following him, hoping he could take us to the Promise Land, since that may be what he's doing. I still have sights set on fulfilling my father's legacy of a Neo Midgar. We know this Planet has an expiration date, and I will do all that I can to find the Promise Land. It will be a new haven for the people to thrive in a bountiful place running with Mako for the remainder of the time here."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You mean suck it all up. Rufus, this is a long-term disaster. You will only hasten the Planet's expiration date. Why bother neglecting the old Midgar just to make a new one?"
Rufus smiled behind his napkin.
"I enjoy your bluntness. Great question. Well, I plan to fill the Planet with many Midgars," he replied. He held my fierce gaze with his cold one when he added, "I honestly don't care about the Planet. I just want a secure place to keep me safe for the time being while making money." And he cocked his head a little, the grip around his fork trembling.
At least he was honest, I gave him credit for that, but still a bit disturbed.
I leaned back into my seat, the salad unsettled in my stomach.
"What about your future children? How will they deal with it?" I demanded.
Rufus's eyes grew, and he pointed his fork at me.
"Ah, now that's the right question. Children. Yes, I do plan to have those. Which brings me to why I wanted you here."
The color drained off my face as I watched him settle his fork over his half finished plate.
"Aqua," he began. "I know we hardly know each other. But I do know a lot about you."
Another plate of food laid out for us, a bowl of simmering scallops in a white sauce. I pushed the bowl away when its scent twisted my stomach, and grumbled, "try me."
Rufus scoffed lightly.
"I know you're an Ancient, the last full blood, and with incredible powers. I know you destroyed Sector 7, which, if Father had known, he wouldn't have dropped the plate in the first place."
I despised how much Rufus reminded me of what I did to Sector 7, and crushed my teeth together behind tight lips.
"Just think about it," Rufus began, ready to bargain with me.
Slowly, he rose from his chair, and walked around the table smoothly. His red tie appeared bloodred under such a piercing gaze, I leaned back into my chair as far as I could before he was an inch from me. I could smell the recent ironing of his white pants, and then he leaned in, a settled cologne drifting around my face when he hovered his lips close to my ear.
Rufus whispered, "you're the last full blood Ancient, Aqua. That makes you special for carrying on your people's legacy. It's up to you to decide. Shall the purity of your race die off, or will you expand it?"
I could her my heart thumped into my ears, the contents of the salad slowly coming back up. With my eyes growing, I heard Rufus whisper to me as he laid a cold hand on my cheek, "I will be a gentleman, and do this nicely the first round."
It was a warning, and I anticipated with horror for what he was about to say next, his fingers falling between my shoulder pad and neck with strong and long fingers.
"Marry me."
I sucked in a silent gasp.
"I will make you the wealthiest woman on the Planet if you marry me and let me have children with you. Our future children will be well-off, with your Ancient powers and my status, it will make them even more powerful leaders. Imagine, instead of just wasting money on the costs of weapons and making Materia, our children will have the magic to fight off our enemies. It will unite Shinra Corporation with the old ways of the Ancients, like two opposite ends of the chain finally coming together."
I covered my fallen jaw with my hands, sick to my stomach at Rufus's terrible idea, it left me at mute.
As soon as Rufus's cold lips grazed my cheek, I jumped away, pushing my chair back till it crashed across the carpet, and smacked both hands on the table to stabilize.
I couldn't even look at him, I was so disgusted.
"You're sick!" I hissed, shaking my head at the white table cloth being squeezed into my hands.
"I will never marry you or have children with you!" I stormed, flashing lighting at Rufus with my unsettling eyes.
Rufus rose quietly, his eyes closed as he brushed imaginary filth off his suit.
"I'd expect you to resist, even after I mentioned you would be rich, in a powerful position as my wife, and a secure future."
With his sharp profile, Rufus cut me with his stare with the corner of his eye.
"Don't make an enemy out of Shinra, dear Aqua. It won't be good for you," he sneered.
I took a few steps back until I hit a wall, my eyes searching for an exit. There were two, one to the door guarded by Isaac, and the other to the kitchen. I didn't need Isaac to come rescue me. I didn't need anybody. I had magic, and I could feel it pulse in my blood as I clenched my teeth.
"Too late," I hissed. I held my fists up, and heat began to build around my body with a growing green light.
Rufus saw this and smirked.
"I didn't want it to be this way," he whined, eyes up in dismay, though it may have been condescending.
And quickly, he pulled an electric rod from his pocket, its extension expanding into almost a fencing word, and swung it at me. At the same time, I channeled all of my energy into the bracer in my arm under my sleeve, feeling it rattle until I unleashed a mighty fist of ice. The room grew so cold, I could see Rufus's breath as his electric rod crashed into the ice sculpt of my forearm, blasting a whirlwind of electricity and ice between us. When I thought of Rufus, I thought of ice magic, and decided to slam him with the stuff that chilled his heart.
Ice sparks flew away from the impact, spraying everywhere like tiny crystals. Rufus's hair fluttered violently, grunting to the blast before being pushed back. Cloth fibers of the sleeve of my jacket peeled away, torn back into bits, only to reveal the bracer across my bare forearm. The armor glistened with my stored magic. With Rufus a step back, I had a chance to throw my arm across the air, summoning more ice, and watched the room encased in it, along with half of Rufus's body into an ice sculpture. He clenched his teeth, pulling his face away from it as it traveled up to his shoulders, trapping him in half a crystal state.
I could have killed him, taking his fallen electric rod and planning to ram it straight into his eye socket where I know it will pierce his frontal lobe, helping him have a seizure till his brain fried.
But the door flew open, and Isaac along with the two officers appeared, stunned at what they saw. Green magic fluttered my clothes as I aimed a glowing green bracer at them, and the two officers stumbled back from an ice blast. Isaac was unfazed by my magic as he watched the two officers blasted across the room. Was he immune to it? He just watched me, like he was in disbelief at my abilities, but before another second could be wasted, I aimed for the door behind him.
I ran for it just as Rufus screamed, "don't let her get away, you worthless cyborg!"
Would he come after me?
I preferred not to find out, falling into rain and rough winds overburdening my run when I rushed across the main deck. The storm was dark, a horrible sky of black with heavy rain shoved into my face. The metal deck was slippery, difficult to rush effectively without slipping. I lost my footing and slammed myself into a deck gun, steadying myself. Lightning flashed, lighting up the whole deck with obvious signs no one was around. Thunder cracked, startling me. Everyone must be hiding from the storm below as the ship tossed roughly, leaving me slipping and falling again and again clumsily towards the stairs to the decks below.
But Isaac was already there, standing in front of the descending steps, waiting for me. Another lightning bolt flashed, revealing a bright solemn look on his face like a possessed Terminator. His suit expanded up his cheek bones, a dark visor sliding across his eyes to hide them. All I could see was his lips, frowning at me.
I gasped from the frightening display, and ran the other way.
"You can't run from me, Aqua. I'm sorry," he said in a low voice, sounding empty.
I almost fell again, and landed my hand on the floor, steadying myself before building energy into my bracer, and unleashing a bolt of lightning.
Lines of lightning struck Isaac down, but it decorated his suit with white lights of electric currents, his lips unchanged as he stepped towards me.
"Magic doesn't work on me, Aqua," he explained. Bits of electric bolts whizzed off his suit, striking down lamps and bursting them into broken pieces and sparks. Isaac watched me hurry away again, and the ship slid me towards the side railing, my head thrown over the water.
It was pitch black out there, a world of darkness that put me into my own storm inside, building me with anxiety from how the ocean appeared similar to the one I drowned in before in my unconscious state.
Isaac's hard hand suddenly gripped my bracer, holding my arm up with such immaculate strength, his suit glowing like he was a fallen God of Strength. He was gone, replaced with the Mako and the suit, a man possessed with power and an order from his master. He wasn't the real Isaac anymore. Was he just obeying orders, or did he lack any willpower? He did mention he couldn't defy Rufus.
"I'm sorry, Aqua. This is my job," Isaac explained flatly. I tried pulling away, and to my dismay, his grip began to dent into the Mythril metal till I heard it crack. My heart skipped, as though it, too, cracked along its muscular wall.
"No!" I screamed, not wanting him to break the bracer.
His other hand found my mouth, encircled from behind my head, and I tasted cold metal fingers under a muffled scream. I shut my eyes, hearing the bracer crack some more under Isaac's mighty fingers. Fighting against him was like trying to hit a metal wall with a string of licorice.
Where was Cloud? He had no way of knowing where I was, no way of saving me. I was alone this time. Not even my magic could save me.
Out of nowhere, gun fire bounced off Isaac's back, creating sparks to his personal reactor. It hardly made him blink, but it was enough to make him stop and turn his head around.
"Let her go! Fight me, you son of a bitch!" Screamed Luca.
Isaac's hand released my mouth, leaving me to turn my head to find a furious Luca holding a Gatling gun in his arms, its double barrel aimed right at the cyborg.
Isaac just stared with boredom. "You fool," he muttered to the Shinra infantryman.
"Luca, don't! He'll kill you. Run!" I screamed under the pouring rain.
Luca smirked, his scarred eye making it almost look like he winked at me while he was drenched head to toe.
"Don't worry. I told you I got your back," he cheered. Isaac turned his attention to Luca, and the bullets came flying again. I screamed, hearing them bounce off his suit, the gun fire flashing sparks as Luca cried out through rattled teeth. His belt of bullets became easily swallowed up by his gun, Isaac's suit undamaged as he kept a hold of my arm. After a minute of endless rain of bullets, they stopped, all gone, and clanked near Isaac's feet.
"My turn," Isaac's flat voice chimed, and he lifted his hand. All the lines of his suit glowed up towards his palm, and as quick as a gasp coming from my lips, a thin ray of Mako shot across the air. Before he had a chance to blink, It sniped right through Luca's chest where his heart pumped life into him.
"Luca!" I screamed.
The blast appeared weak, how it just seemed to cut through quietly like a faint laser, but its force pushed Luca back, his face forward as his eyes grew with dread. He dropped his ineffective gun at his side, and fell, face down.
"Worthless blue ants," Isaac groaned while I sobbed.
Luca grunted, and squinted his good eye up at Isaac through struggle.
"Nah. Just a diversion," he grinned, and slumped his cheek against the wet floor.
Isaac's hold tightened on me as he lifted a brow.
"Diversion from what?"
And someone jumped right on top of him, cutting into his shoulder with a hard stab from a long and wide sword. Isaac let go of me, and I fell on my hands and knees, wet silver hair over my eyes. I brushed my hair back from my wet face. When I whirled my head up, I found Isaac's half open shoulder let out sparks and a few drips of Mako leaving faint puddles by my hands. I then found Cloud's glowing Mako eyes across the deck, his sword held in his hands.
My heart hammered, his presence lifting me into a better place I never reached before when I was with Isaac.
"Finally!" Cloud screamed, itching for this fight for some time.
Isaac lifted his covered eyes at Cloud, and they both let the Mako swirl in their enhanced bodies.
Mako Cyborg versus ex-SOLDIER.
Isaac stepped over me, and he said through his teeth, "you get your fair right after all."
Lightning flashed, making Cloud's body turn white for a blink, and his Mako eyes shifted darkly, ready to kill.
"I won't hold back, even if she never forgives me," he warned Isaac. I curled my fingers over my heart.
Cloud…
Swirls of the Mako slithered off his old SOLDIER uniform, looking like his old self. Rain dripped off his narrow chin, and then, with speed, Cloud dashed forward so fast, the water peeled off him. Isaac reached to his back with both hands, and pulled out two short glowing swords from where his shoulder blades were.
And charged.
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