Aerith
"I'm pretty bummed you went shopping without me," I grumbled, watching Aerith dig through her bright yellow shopping bags that she slumped on the King bed.
She grinned as she pulled out items wrapped in tissue paper.
"But I got you something. You may as well wear it tonight," she sang, taking out a hefty clothing item. It sat in her hands, delicately wrapped in white paper, and she handed it to me.
The resentment of being left out, immediately disappeared when I took the piece from Aerith's hands, my eyes softening.
"You're always dressing me up," I warmed, smiling down at the package in my hands.
Aerith settled her hands behind her back, swaying shyly as she blushed silently.
Slowly, I untied the pink string, and peeled back the paper.
I lifted the dress up for us both to see, and my eyes moistened.
"Aerith, it's…" The word "beautiful" almost seemed too weak to describe it.
"I got it because its color reminded me of your eyes," she said warmly.
The fabric felt delicate, like georgette, with a relaxed fitting skirt and side slit.
Slowly, I slithered out of my long skirt, cloak and leather corset. The clothes plopped on the floor, wrinkled and still a little damp. I felt lighter standing there, naked. Tempted to view my reflection, it took great effort to keep my eyes away from the mirror, wondering if I'd changed since being that dressing room in Wall Market. But I avoided it, afraid to see that same, anxious woman there, the one always trying to run away, who is still unsure of herself, and still fighting in between worlds. Aerith, however, smiled, marveling me like she thought there was no flaw nor mark. I caught her openly scanning all my lines and curves, leaving me to wonder what she was thinking as I slipped on her gift.
It was when I put on the new dress, that I bravely checked the mirror. Ghosts crept up behind my head, another special effect that I took no notice to when I stared at how I looked.
The dress was a dark aqua, steering towards more green, with its skirt to my knees, and fitted bodice. Thin straps were of ribbon, and Aerith tied them into a nice loose bow over my shoulders. She zipped me up as she smiled at me in the mirror, watching me admire how I looked by just a simple dress, and yet, I felt transformed.
"It's beautiful. Oh, Aerith, thank you," I breathed, appearing both elegant and casual.
Aerith slipped me gel slippers, and I grinned at them. They reminded me of her old shoes I wore.
I slipped them on and turned to find Aerith pull out of her floral dress. Her body was thin, a ballerina's body, with long limbs, small breasts and a flat stomach. She could stretch and bend for miles if she were at the barre. I pictured her hand outstretched up in the air, arched overhead to perform an arabesque, her long leg behind her, foot extended, and eyes closed with a smile. The beautiful woman danced into a new mineral blue fitting dress, with a tight bodice and long relaxed trumpet skirt to her ankles. Thin straps wrapped around her shoulders, lifting her breasts snugly.
I watched her check herself in the mirror, how she was trying to smile, but something was haunting her, something that made her try too hard to lift her pink lips.
"You should put your hair up," Aerith mentioned, looking away from the mirror like she saw her ghost. I was hoping, by the end of this evening, she would tell me what was truly wrong. So, I was willing to play this charade, have a good time, to cheer her up, anything she needed, but in hope that the ending involved some resolution to her inner dilemmas. I let these thoughts swift through me as I collected my loose hair up into my hands, sorting all of its knots.
"Why?" I questioned, picturing my hair up in a bun.
Aerith grinned, and the dark ghost that was bothering her, disappeared briefly.
"We're going dancing."
—
Colorful nights flashed across the dance floor. Music blared to life from a stage, a four boy band wearing fairy wings, apparently called YOFO. Now Yuffie's old t-shirt made more sense. YOFO sang melancholic love songs beside a DJ, but with an upbeat twist, keeping the mood cheery despite such depressing lyrics. I caught myself standing there for a minute, paying too close attention to the words while every soul in the club was dancing, oblivious to my lonesome rock state in a land of wild bodies jumping up and down. There was a moment, when I thought only a second passed, when already, the song changed, and the rhythm of the room shifted. The whispers were lingering, mixing with the song when I tried to listen. Even with speakers to make one lose their hearing for a minute, little by little, the voices of the Planet decided to crash my party. It was nothing at first, barely there. But as I stood there in the middle of the crowd, the voices made themselves known, a brutal noise that I tried to ignore.
Why now?
"Aqua, you aren't dancing!" Aerith shouted over the music. She was trying to dance, bouncing her shoulders and jolting her hips to the beat, while neon lights flashed across her face. Sparkling dust stuck to her cheeks, and she pushed a hand up in the air, reaching for the glowing bubbles that floated over our heads.
I snapped back to the club, and tried to follow along with her as I ignored the voices.
"Don't you hear them?" I cried in Aerith's ear.
She looked confused as she twisted her legs into another dance move, her large eyes blinking up at me.
"Hear what?"
I gestured out to the dance floor, to the stage, and watched how all the others were enjoying themselves, unaware of the faint cries.
"The Planet. Even in this, I can hear it! But why?!" I demanded, turning back to Aerith, and found her finishing her first glass of cocktail. She was even slurping up the ice cubes, swirling them in her mouth, and she shrugged.
"I don't hear them anymore," she giggled loosely, handing me the empty glass.
I was dumb stuck, holding the glass in my hands while watching Aerith lose herself, her braid following her when she spun, and bouncing when she jumped to the beat.
My hands tightened around the cheap glass cup, possibly making it crack. I was tempted to follow Aerith down into the numbing hole she was already in, but something held me back. For one, someone had to look after her. I had my fun night at Wall Market. Let Aerith have a turn.
But also, I was unusually uncomfortable.
I tried to have a good time, but as I danced, the voices and haunting thoughts still lurked in the back of my mind. No matter how loud the music boomed in my ears, I couldn't let go of them as easily, even as I tried to ignore them.
I used distraction, dance moves a good place to start. I did the Walk like an Egyptian, the Snake, and even tried the Moonwalk, but with fail. Aerith laughed when I showed her the Macarena, and she tried to join, watching where I put my hands. After about the fifth time, she got it down, and I actually laughed when we were in sync, even if we didn't follow the beat.
"I didn't know you knew how to dance," she laughed, trying the Snake. I shrugged, catching a sweat.
"It's really just iconic moves everyone should know," I justified, following her to the moves.
"Hey!"
We found Yuffie jumping in towards us, wearing her black YOFO t-shirt, and she bumped her hips with mine.
"You made it!" Aerith cheered, and they joined hands, wiggling together to the music with hair flying everywhere.
"Yeah, baby!" Cid slithered in, clapping his hands up in the air, colors of pink and purple flashing across his t-shirt and muscular arms.
I saw Tifa in a short and tight, black dress, shaking her shoulders like she was partially liquid, and slipped in to greet us. Her high heels enhanced her height, giving her five inches above me, and her hair was long and loose. She let herself go, one hand holding her finished drink, her eyes closed and head nodding to the beating drums.
For a short time, seeing familiar faces around in the crowd, I was able to tune out the voices, thinking nothing of it. We had our group squeezed in the crowd, showing each other dance moves. I showed Yuffie the Floss dance, not realizing how ridiculous it looked until she started doing it. I laughed, watching how she made a goofy face while moving her arms in sync. Cid was trying to do the popular YMSC move that's been spreading around, which after swallowing my frustration, I showed him.
Temperatures rose. Sweat built up. More drinking.
Aerith wasn't holding back. She threw her head up, swallowed another cocktail in one gulp, smacked her cup on the glittery counter, and did a loud, "whoo!"
My eyes grew, mouth open. I never considered her to be a whoo girl. Ever.
"Uh, Aerith, take it easy," I cautioned. Aerith closed her eyes, feeling the alcohol warm her insides, and she trembled to it, enjoying it.
"Have one," she pushed, her voice loud.
I reconsidered. Even though I knew the voices would be muted by the alcohol, I was still unsure if it was a good idea after I found myself naked in bed last time. After much thought, I shook my head, hands up to gesture I wasn't interested.
"I think if one of us shouldn't drink, it should be me. I want to make sure we get back to our room in one piece," I explained. Aerith nodded, half listening, but I knew she was already losing herself to the alcohol. Tifa stammered in next to her, and barged in, "I'll have one with you, girl!"
Aerith whooed again, a hand in the air. Tifa joined, and together, they both whooed. I was starting to feel like Cloud, running my hands up my cheeks.
I squeezed in between Aerith and Tifa, only to hiss to Tifa's ear, "Don't push too much. She's very light."
Flashy blue lights only seemed to sharpen the angles of Tifa's lovely face, her eyes a bit distant. She was already gone, damn it. The sexy woman ordered two shots of Vodka, and like she hadn't heard me, was about to give Aerith one, but I protested, and snatched it.
"Nope. Nope," I demanded, handing it back to her, vodka spilling over my fingers.
Tifa shrugged and took the two shots to herself, leaving me speechless.
"Aqua, I want to dance some more. Let's go back out there," Aerith whined, taking my hand. I let her pull me through the crowd. Cid was doing his thing, smoking and sitting at the bar to let his bug eyes wander to all the ladies.
Yuffie got mixed in the crowd, dancing while her face gleamed in sweat. Aerith and I joined her, and the boy band played another upbeat song. I was so glad for having my hair up in a bun because loose strands clung to my moist cheeks and forehead. Yuffie was wearing the fake crown I gave her. It looked good on her, a crown with colorful gems like Materia.
I tried to have a good time, and in the stretch of the evening, there were moments when I lost myself. Like when Aerith and I embraced, both exhausted from all the dancing, just swaying back and forth to rest while the world around us blurred and spazzed in a wild frenzy. But the more Aerith let herself go, the more I worried.
As I held her, my eyes drifted through the crowd towards the entrance. I didn't know why, but I was hoping to witness Cloud standing there in the shadows, watching from a distance. Maybe it was just the romantic part of me, but I knew he would be in bed. A hidden disappointment lurked, making my eyes fall while I held a swaying Aerith. I held her a little tighter, constantly wondering what was troubling her.
Under the sparkling lights and glitter, everyone entertained, and through the loud music, I was oddly feeling lonely.
Aerith was still bubbly and bouncy as I pulled her out of "Happy Endings" dance club. I took her to the nearest food cart and shoved a carton of fries in her hands. She chewed them up rather loudly, her eyes busy looking up at all the lights and other platforms to other parts of the park.
I was already steering us back to the Hotel Square tunnel, saying, "You probably had far too much to drink. We should go back to our room before the sickness kicks in."
But a greasy hand clutched my dress, stopping me.
"No! Not yet," Aerith gasped, her mouth full of fries.
I whirled around, biting back some mysterious motherly instinct to snap that our night was over.
But Aerith had her eyes up, set on the moving gondolas that roamed briefly above us before fading into the night sky. She pointed at one, her eyes large, like a puppy's.
I sighed.
"You may get sick," I warned while we waited in line. Aerith licked her fingers and rubbed them absently across her lovely dress, sneaking grease stains on her skirt as I tried not to wince.
"That's okay. I think it will be worth it. Besides, I want to talk," she chirped. I tried not to get restless.
Would this be the time she finally tells me everything?
A man in a fat Chocobo suit greeted us when we were up next, sliding my GP card through a computer, and then he extended a wing, gesturing us to pass. Carefully, Aerith and I entered the rigidity wooden gondola, and the Chocobo slid our door shut.
It was a snug little box with two wide seats, and windows all around.
I took a seat, and Aerith sat across from me, our knees bumping together as the gondola creaked and swung lightly. I could hear the rotors outside, working as they spun the cable. We moved, my hands gripping my skirt while Aerith smiled sheepishly, her eyes drooping. With fluid motion, our little private world floated up into the night sky, and a roller coaster swerved under us.
I draped a hand out the window between us, and gawked at all the lights below from Speed Square.
"Whoa, this is pretty spectacular," I raved, admiring the view as the theme park turned into tiny Legos. People became little dots. The roller coaster shrunk away, its lights like a long, and large glowing snake lost in the dark. Aerith slapped her hands over the window's edge, her head poking out to let the wind take her bangs, and her eyes reflected all the lights and more. A swarm of balloons floated to greet us, a colorful flock of birds freed from somewhere below. Aerith reached, trying to grasp a string, but clumsily fell forward. I gasped and took a hold of her, drenched in a cold sweat, while I kept her safe, and she continued to grasp for the balloons.
As Aerith laughed, half her body sticking out of the gondola to reach for what Gold Saucer had to offer, I smiled, glad to be giving this to her, even if it was a temporary escape.
"Look, Aqua! Look at the Chocobos!"
I released her, and squeezed my head in next to hers to catch a glimpse of a few Chocobos scurrying over a glowing racetrack, a jockey on each back. They didn't even notice us, their eyes set ahead as they whooshed pass, heading into a narrow bridge that crossed into another part of the park.
"Wow, I should've ridden this the first time we came here. You can see a glimpse of every Square in Gold Saucer," I exclaimed.
Aerith glowed. "I know! Aren't you glad we went?"
I sat back in my seat and smiled at her.
"Yeah. I am," I shared affectionately, watching the lights reflect off Aerith's face. She closed her eyes, having a taste of the soft wind cooling her red cheeks, a hand to the window while another slipped loose strands behind her ear.
The sky then boomed, and I jumped with a yelp. Aerith laughed, more colors unfolding in our gondola from the windows.
"That's the fireworks, silly," she sloshed, unable to sit still when she leaned back in her seat. Her body went from one side to the other, her eyes stuck to the fireworks exploding in the dark sky, blossoming like flowers.
My mouth opened, eyes growing and just let out a long, "ahhhh," at the bursts of color and lights.
"It must be midnight," I guessed, edging my face back to the window to get a good view of the dark sky behind Gold Saucer's golden land. It was a world of darkness out there, almost something frightening, close to touching us with threat, but then a firework would release magical dust, and the darkness vanished, even if just briefly. It was light, and then dark inside the gondola, coming and going. I didn't want the fireworks to stop; they muffled the voices.
A hand touched mine, and I reeled my head back in to look at Aerith, finding her smiling wholeheartedly at me. The booze seemed gone in a flash. She was suddenly here with me, and I didn't feel lonely anymore. Her hand squeezed mine, eyes softening until they reflected more of the surrounding fireworks.
"Aqua, I want you to do me a favor, before it's too late," Aerith began in a brittle voice.
I tensed, and gripped tighter.
"What would you like me to do, Aerith?" I asked, ready to do whatever she wanted. I leaned in, watching the younger woman shift completely, her barriers and walls dissolving right before my eyes. She threw back a trembling breath, eyes trying to stay focused to mine as they glistened with moisture.
"I want you to kiss me."
Every inch of me petrified when I thought Aerith dropped an anvil in the middle of the gondola, for it swayed rather violently like a ski lift caught in a strong gust. Aerith closed her eyes, laughing to the swinging like it was just another part of the ride. More blossoms of fireworks erupted behind her, spilling colors like pinks, yellows, and orange on her round cheeks.
The gondola finally calmed, and yet, I gripped to my knees like we were falling.
"You want me to do what?" I questioned, wondering if I even heard right.
Aerith's face turned pink, or maybe it was the red flowers of more lights bursting in the sky, or the alcohol rushing blood to her cheeks. Either way, It made her appear like she was blushing in a cartoony way, eyes dazzled as they swerved to me and away again. Her hands clasped under her chin, eyes big again.
"I want you to kiss me, please?"
I blinked at her proposition, unsure what to think of it. Was Aerith that drunk? Was she actually into both men and women? It wasn't startling, but I didn't know Aerith saw me that way. I took a few deep breaths, and decided to ask a bit more.
"Aerith, I would be taking away your first kiss. Are you sure?" I began, hoping that I could pursue her to not give me something too special.
Aerith nodded, her head moving up and down with exaggeration, and slapped her hands on the knees of her light blue skirt.
"Yep! I mean it!"
"But Aerith, you're so beautiful, bright, and very young. You will have many come after you, with more to give than I can. I love you, but not like that. Don't waste such a lovely moment on me," I tried, hoping I wasn't raining on her parade. But Aerith shook her head until she got dizzy, hands to her stomach. She looked she was about to barf, but she blinked rapidly, held still, and the nausea passed. Her back straightened, and when I saw her eyes back on mine, the real pain showed itself.
"That isn't it," she whimpered.
I took her hands with mine, and they wedged between our knees.
"What is it, Aerith? Why do you want me to kiss you when you have plenty of time?" I whispered. I watched her eyes slowly grow, moistened with tears ready on the front lines, and she turned her head, gazing out at the firework show happening, a perfect ending to a fantasy out there, in the dark.
But our fantasy wasn't finished, even though I thought Aerith wished it was. If I could've picked which moment would've made for a good ending to our journey, even with much left to be hanging, I would've picked it here, on this gondola, with Aerith. I didn't care if her hands were greasy, I clasped them hard while a cold stone began to grow inside my chest.
"We don't have much time left," Aerith revealed, her thoughts distant. Even though her eyes reflected the fireworks, she wasn't really watching them. I could see the horrid truth in her eyes, the painful reality that would take a tight grasp of both of us soon enough.
"Aerith, will you tell me now?" I begged, sick of waiting.
I feared my voice didn't reach her, for she seemed lost in a trance, maybe reliving a vision, but then she blinked, and that let a tear loose.
"Kiss me, and I will tell you one secret," she whispered, eyes still lost out there.
One god damn secret.
I bit my lower lip so hard, fighting back tears, and then my head shook slowly.
"No. I want all of it. I want all of your secrets and burdens, your pain. I don't care how painful it is, I don't care." My voice shook as I continued, eyes growing hot.
"So please, tell me, tell me everything now, or I won't go to that Temple of the Ancients with you. I won't go. We're not supposed to, the Planet has told us not to. So, unless you give me a good reason, a very good damn one, you tell me everything, or I won't go."
I pressed my lips together after that, to keep from monologuing, and watched Aerith carefully, wondering if she took my threat seriously. Her eyes showed she was taking in my words, knit picking them one by one, lost in a daydream as she did.
Her head swayed, and with lips that barely moved when she said in a low voice, "Kiss me then, and I'll tell you the first secret, and we'll go from there, until I either get sick or pass out. But time is running short, and I will have all my walls up again."
The real Aerith kept her head together, but with much frustration, the alcohol was making her lean her head too far forward, her voice groaning.
I was on a time limit. Aerith being drunk, she knew she was left wide open, knew this was most likely the best place for her to be in with the alcohol as her truth serum. And she was handing it to me.
Aerith pushed her head back, breathing heavy to calm her nerves, the rocking gondola making her head spin. I didn't have much time.
"Okay, Aerith, I'll kiss you," I declared, trying to smile. Aerith squealed with delight, and clapped her hands, the sicker version gone for a minute.
"Are you sure?" She squeaked.
I nodded, finally smiling when I cherished how cute she sounded.
"Yes, I'm sure," I reassured.
Aerith sucked in a breath, and let it out quick, taking my hands.
"Okay," she gasped, her cheeks bright red.
For anyone else, this would've been a perfect moment, a first kiss with Aerith. Why did she want to waste it with me? I sat there, watching her beautiful smile unfold while a magical show of lights and shimmers happened behind her, music of the theme park playing, the night cool and fresh. I shouldn't have been the one sitting here, marveling all of this. But that is what Aerith requested, even though I thought it silly. It felt she wanted the physical experience, to have her lips touch someone else's, nothing more, but why give me this little blessing?
After a gulp, I leaned in, focused attentively on her perfect lips. Aerith closed her eyes, hands with mine over her lap, and waited. I pressed my teeth together, coming closer little by little, afraid.
What would I even think? Will it create a spark? Nothing? I've never kissed a girl before, and sure, I was curious, but I thought I would be ready. I'd hoped my finger nails didn't bite too hard on Aerith's hand, nor did I breathe too hard on her face when she was only inches from me. One more inch, I closed my eyes, letting all other senses take charge, and braved the last push.
Our lips met, a gentle, fairy kiss, lips puckered and sweet. Hers felt soft, kissing a warm petal to a rose, her perfume only helping me pretend she was that kind of flower. It happened faster than I'd predicted, the touch enough to let Aerith fall back, her lips gone. I opened my eyes, and suddenly found her weeping, her head leaning back against the window. Her wet cheeks lit up in colors, shoulders trembling, and she just stared at me with all the apology in the world.
"Thank you," she whimpered, taking a hand over her lips to muffle her sobs.
I lurched forward, wrapped my arms around her, and settled her head into my shoulder.
"I don't think it's a good thing when someone cries after a kiss. Was it that bad?" I, half joked, a thin guilt hanging over me for taking a beautiful girl's first kiss. Aerith choked a giggle into my shoulder, and her hands gripped my bare arms.
"No, it wasn't bad at all. It was nice," she sniffed.
"Then why are you crying? Is it the secret you are about to tell me?" I guessed. I felt Aerith nod against me.
"Yes."
Her hands pushed me to sit back in my seat, and I waited, watching her rub at her eyes and sniffling.
"Sorry, give me a minute," she cracked, her thumbs cleaning up her face, hands fixing her hair. She settled one over her heart, bowed her head, and took a rescue inhale, preparing herself.
"Okay, here's one secret," she gasped quietly, taking another deep breath.
I braced for it, my hands gripping the edge of my seat.
Aerith's red eyes lifted, finding mine, and she licked her lips. I wondered if she could taste me, and if so, how did it taste?
"Remember what I said, when the Planet has plans for us?" She began, and her hands wrapped around her mouth. I couldn't tell if she was ready to hurl or sob. Aerith bowed her head into her lap, hands squishing her wet cheeks and mouth. Her eyes blinked, more tears coming.
"Well, you're..." she took a shuddering inhale. When she exhaled, she did so quietly, and I almost missed it in the grand firework explosion.
"You're supposed to die."
Boom after boom, echoed and came through the sky in waves, one after another. Or maybe that was my heart, pounding loud in my ears. My mouth fell open, but I quickly closed it, revisiting Aerith's words over and over again. I knew I heard her right, knew it wasn't all the noise of a grand finale, dozens of lit up flowers blooming all around us.
And then it all sort of made sense, why she never wanted to tell me, why she told Cloud to figure himself out.
Before it's too late.
When I had braced for Aerith's words, I was expecting a feeling of absolution, but they transported me into a disheartened place. Her words shattered everything, and I found myself suddenly gasping and crying inside the gondola.
I had a hand to my heart, feeling it pound too much as hot tears flooded my face.
Aerith held me, her eyes wet again.
"Don't worry, I will make sure that never happens,. We'll be okay," she whispered, shushing me. The fireworks screamed at us, pounding across the sky with their massive sounds of shattering instability. My tears sparkled against a flash of white, arms tight around Aerith when I dropped my knees to the floor, and sank into her lap.
Aerith craned her chin over my head, her fingers stroking my hair and around my shoulders, eyelashes touching her tears when she closed her eyes.
"I promise, I won't let you die. There's another way," she whispered.
I had no words. Nothing but a depressing realization spilling through me, the Planet's cries forever haunting us in a never-ending twister, reminding us that no matter how much we wanted a normal life, we will never have it.
For the rest of the ride, I stayed like that, Aerith cradling my head in her lap, her gentle words and soft hands comforting on the surface, but I was starting to feel like I was sinking through the floor.
"That's why we need to go to the Temple of the Ancients. I know there's got to be some answers there. Something has to change," Aerith told me. I remained quiet, hating the idea of moving when the Gondola slowed. The fireworks stopped, the nightlife of Gold Saucer almost left in silence. I sniffed, rubbing at my eyes and collecting myself with fragility. It felt strenuous to walk out of that gondola, when all I wanted to do was lie in bed and hide under the covers.
But one thing was bothering me as I walked Aerith back home.
Aerith held my hand, her walk clumsy as she tried to move her legs in a straight line. Every time she was close to stumbling, I pulled, keeping her up.
"Aerith, I don't get it," I tried, sounding hoarse. I was hoping to catch her attention, though it seemed to be a lost cause now. She looked at me, but with sleepy eyes.
"If I'm the one who's supposed to die, then, why did you want me to kiss you like," I swallowed, finding the rest difficult. "Like it's you who's going to die?" I asked, and I sniffed, holding back tears. Aerith wobbled in her step, eyes half closed. She showed no sign she heard me, and the stone in my chest grew into a boulder.
My eyes must've been red when I blinked them at her, still waiting for an answer, until her free hand smacked over her lips.
"Aqua, I don't feel well," Aerith groaned through her fingers.
I closed my eyes, trying to stay focused. All of me cracked into pieces, awaiting to fall apart, but I held them all together with cheap glue as I ushered Aerith to a tall, Mog trash can, and she hurled into its mouth flap.
"Oh my Planet, this feels awful," she whimpered, pulling her hand away from me just so she could hold her painful belly in place.
I rubbed my hand over her back, feeling it spasm to each spill.
"Let it out. It's good to vomit. You'll feel better in the morning because of it," I soothed to her. Aerith sat on her knees, grasping the trash can with one hand to keep its flap open in case there was more to spill. She breathed through her fingers, eyes shut tight as she faced the wretched nausea. I watched her carefully, and a strong wind began to pick up, lifting my loose bun and strands of hair around my face like tiny little ghost hands, readying their long claws to dig into my skin.
After her third vomiting episode, Aerith sank deeper on the cement floor, and lifted her sticky face up to the night sky.
"Oh wow, a helicopter," she purred, drawn to it like it was a cat toy.
I blinked at her, unsure if helicopters could fly up this high into Gold Saucer.
"What?"
But the wind grew, until I could hear the rotors. I turned, gazing up over my shoulder, and found a Shinra helicopter whirling in, hovering just over the steps to Chocobo Square.
What's it doing all the way out here?
I kept my eyes up to the chopper as I rose, brushing my hair out of my face. Its door slid open, and I recognized the beautiful, upset one with long hair, Tseng. Aerith wobbled next to me, her hands crashing over my shoulder to keep herself steady.
"Tseng?" She garbled.
From the opposite direction, a big, white blob bounced towards the helicopter, until I recognized it as Mog, along with Cait Sith still sitting on his head. Mog held something in his large, white fists, something exquisite and glowing in green. One look, and I was hooked, the voices shouting in my ears. I crunched my teeth together when my hands slapped over my ears, eyes expanding.
"The Keystone," I cried, and then I lurched for it.
Our chance to change the course of the Planet's plan, to open the doors to a place where there could be answers. A chance to keep me alive, to have Aerith and I stay together.
It was being taken away!
Even when I was still twenty feet away, I reached, my hand blocking my view of Mog's body like I was grabbing a snowball in my hand.
"Cait Sith, don't!" I screamed.
Mog whirled his head slowly, his plain dot eyes spotting me just before he hurled the stone up towards Tseng's outstretched hands. Cait Sith jumped, his ears down.
"Ah, change of plans! Throw down the ladder," the cat shouted to the Turk. A black, plastic ladder, uncurled, and hung under the chopper. Mog gripped in tightly, Cait Sith joining with his paws around the ladder, and the helicopter began to ascend.
"Stop!" I cried, ready to release a spell, but then I remembered, my bracer wasn't there. I gawked at my bare forearm, almost forgetting as my hand began to burn.
"Shit," I spat, the magic heating my arm until I whispered over and over again, "No, not now, not now!"
Gun shots fired, startling me, and the magic dispersed. Bullets skidded off the chopper's black, glossy metal skin, ineffective.
I turned, and found Vincent at my side, firing. His red eyes glowed, teeth visible and tight together, fangs exposed before his collar. He growled, eyes glued to Cait Sith as he fired more shots, hitting Mog's mechanical body with a few holes. Cait Sith cried, clawing up the ladder as fast as his little body would let him, and the helicopter rose further, until Vincent knew it was no use.
"I'm sorry, but this is my job!" Cait Smith's voice echoed, and he disappeared inside the chopper. Mog's body had a few large holes, bits of wires and sparks sticking out of his wounds, but he hung on. His large white form, shrunk away into the sky, like a small moon falling further out of orbit. The last I saw, was of Tseng's perfect little smirk, one that told me he won. They all disappeared behind Gold Saucer's bright Chocobo Race Billboard. The display suddenly appeared too cheery for what had just happened.
"Fuck," Vincent hissed, shoving his gun back in its holster at his hip. He flapped his cape to settle it down, flustered.
"I knew it," he growled, eyes fading back to calm, dark red, and turned them to me with a pissed off gaze.
"He was working for Shinra."
I remained stiff, hands together under my chin, while my tired head was processing what had just happened.
"Why would they want to go to the temple?" I asked, my lower lip quivering, the only sure sign I was able to let go of when I felt to be holding in a violent storm.
Vincent closed his eyes and scoffed.
"The same reason that you all do. Or perhaps they know something about the place that we don't know yet. Either way, we have to go. I smell death ahead."
My eyes fell, flashes of Aerith's deep words hitting deeply.
You're supposed to die.
I was brought here as a sacrifice. I knew there was something dreadful Aerith was keeping from me, but not like this. My lips pressed together, trying to stay at the moment, Vincent watching me carefully, and yet a part of me hovered over the line into ten minutes ago, still reimagining Aerith sitting across from me, her eyes broken.
You're supposed to die.
It mixed with the whispers, repeating in a vicious recording. The whispers grew, and I pressed my fingers over my temple, wishing they would stop.
"Are you okay?" Vincent asked, but before I could reply with a flimsy lie, Aerith giggled, a weak finger up at the sky.
"Mog looks funny floating like that. He so big and fluffy!" Her hand smacked down next to her, and she leaned her head back against a wall, eyes threatening to shut.
Vincent gave me a hard look, and I sank my face into a hand.
"She may have had too much to drink," I clarified. Aerith quickly fell asleep by the trash can, taking comfort in the cold cement pressed against her cheek, until Vincent swooped in and picked her up.
"I'll bring her back to your room, and you go tell Cloud what happened," he demanded softly. Aerith fit into his arms easily, her bundled up form pressed into him like a fragile glass doll. He turned his head to ask, "What's your room number?"
I was still stuck on the idea of telling Cloud what happened, not fond of the idea so late at night. There was nothing I'd rather do than to just sleep next to a passed out Aerith, awaiting her to sober up, as I wondered if she will remember this night or not.
"It's past midnight, he might be asleep. It could wait until..." I trailed off, Vincent's stare as black as night. I swallowed down a thick stone, and finished with, "We're in room 325."
The rest of Vincent's body turned, and he stepped in next to me.
"Good. Let's get this over with," he sighed.
My hands fidgeted in a nervous mesh, my footsteps creaking the floors in the hall. The voices grew, telling me not to go as each step neared me to Cloud's door. The hallway felt too outstretched, a forever linear path filled with mocking horror effects. But the true horrors lied inside my head, the voices lurking around me, ghosts telling me to not go. They were sharp, harsh, almost threatening. I closed my eyes, hands in my hair, head squeezed in between them with small belief it would make it all go away. But the harder I squeezed my skull, the louder they were.
"Stop it," I begged, trying not to break. I held on, the pieces still hanging together by my shitty glue, and took deep breaths, the hallway grazing pass me like I was stuck in an endless loop. All the doors looked the same. The long, Persian rug kept going, followed by that same fake blood stain, over and over again. The flickering chandeliers dressed in fake webs, all looking too similar.
The voices grew louder.
I breathed faster, quickening my steps.
Make it stop.
"Stop it!" I said again, a little louder, ears covered in my palms. I squeezed my head, blocking all sounds except the voices. Was I going mad?
I had almost missed it, the door with 302, and quickly, I fastened to it. The volume of the voices turned up, even blocking out the sound of my trembling fist knocking on the door.
Make it stop, please?
It began to hurt, the rasping in my ears, and I cowered to it. They didn't want me here, in front of this door. In many ways, I was demanded to leave, each voice unique, and yet, sounding all the same when they all shouted to me at once.
But then, after a turn of the door's knob, it all became quiet, and the ghosts scurried away like they were frightened. I froze, hands up around my face, my back hunched and head down, waiting in the unexpected bliss of silence.
A second before the door opened, I straightened, and blinked to both sides of the empty hallway as though I would find the ghosts cowering away behind the bends.
"Aqua?" Cloud's husky voice lured me in, and I turned my head to find him peering at me, his head out the door.
"It's past midnight, what's..." He took one look at me, and his eyes widened. He opened the door wider, revealing his sword sitting at his side like his loyal companion.
"What happened?"
I was afraid to speak, my lips moving, but no words came. I licked them, feeling cold in the hallway as I feared the voices would return. Or if other ghosts were lurking around the corners, like other Shinra spies, watching me. Cloud sensed my uneasiness, and he stepped back, opening the door all the way.
"Come in."
I shivered, my feet slipping inside. My eyes closed, and I silently thanked the Gods for the peacefulness that I was blessed with. For some odd reason, they went away, and I suspected it had to do with Cloud, but why? I slowly turned around, finding him closing and locking his door before settling his sword up against it, like making a trap for any intruders. If anyone opened the door from the outside, the sword would plummet to the floor, startling Cloud awake.
It was dark, but a flash of lighting hit across the room, giving me a glimpse of him crossing his arms over his bare chest, his back against the door, and he sucked in a nervous inhale.
"Tell me what's wrong."
It felt odd to say it, how Cait Smith's name slurred out of my lips.
"It's Cait Sith," I started, standing taller and looking at Cloud, trying to find his eyes in the dark, but without the lightning, all I could see what his silhouette, a shadow of him.
I sucked in another breath, and let out in a raspy voice, "He took the keystone."
39