CHAPTER FOUR
That evening, Aeris and I ate dinner at a fashionable little Sector 7 restaurant named Valabar's. Business had been good over the weekend, and one of my wealthier clients had recommended Valabar's for several reasons. Throughout the duration of my career, I dined there many times, but my most memorable visit was that first one with Aeris.
The restaurant was located on a small side street near Shinra HQ in an upper-class residential area. Shinra VIP homes and such, you know what I'm talking about. The lots surrounding the place had all been cleared, and a garden had been planted there where diners could engage in intimate conversations on warm nights. I'm not talking about one of those puny Shinra flowerbeds; I mean one of those old-fashioned gardens with the high hedges where each table had its own little "room" with hedge walls.
The entrance was located at the end of a long walk lined by the shrubbery. The doors opened into a lobby where a polite waiter would escort the guests to a room appropriate to the size of the party and their dress. For instance, if most of the party was wearing blue, the waiter would show the guests to a room that would set off the hues in the outfits. After the group was seated, the waiter would take the orders, always making suggestions on which salad would be best with which entrée to ensure the best meal possible. Needless to say, Valabar's waiters were superb. After the orders were taken, the guests would be given about ten minutes to talk among themselves before the salads and entrees would begin to arrive. Sometime in between ordering and dessert, Valabar himself would pull up a chair and chat with the guests. I've often wondered if the little bald man had some materia that told him when it was optimal to join in the conversation without interrupting its flow.
After the guests had finished their meals, they could retire to one of the restaurant's many comfortable and softly illuminated parlors. In these rooms, everyone from the president of Shinra to a local chocobo farmer was equal. Monster hunters could schmooze with members of SOLDIER, and Turks would think nothing of talking to Item vendors. If one could get in, that was enough to remove any social barriers. I think that Valabar's was the only place in town that did not seat based on class, only on colors. Of course, to dine at Valabar's, one certainly couldn't be a pauper.
It's really too bad that Valabar's was destroyed along with Sector 7; perhaps, in a cynical sort of way, that is why I detest Mr. Shinra so much.
On that particular evening, Aeris wore a ravishing red dress and I wore a suit with a red shirt, and black tie, jacket, and pants. Just to be me, I also wore my black travel boots (freshly cleaned and shined of course). I had also shaved just before dinner. Funny how one remembers the small things.
The waiter gave us the choice of sitting inside or in the garden. I knew that Aeris would rather be surrounded by the exotic flora of Valabar's garden than be surrounded by stuffy Midgar society, so I chose the garden. We were promptly escorted to an intimate alcove with red roses growing in the greenery.
After the waiter left with our orders, I found myself lost in Aeris' deep green eyes. For a seemingly endless moment we smiled at each other, losing ourselves in one another. Whenever I think back on all my times with Aeris, those couple of quiet minutes in Valabar's garden top the list of my favorite memories.
Suddenly our gaze broke.
"You know, Zack," she said, smiling. "You didn't need to bring me to such a fancy restaurant."
"I wanted to take you someplace wonderful."
"But I feel so out of place here, Zack."
"I don't think so. You deserve this place."
"Okay, I'll let you have that one," she said, laughing mellifluously. "But what about your funds?" she asked seriously. "Won't this break you?"
"Dear, I think the last thing we need to worry about is money. I have all we need and more from the monsters."
"Still, there isn't any reason why we should break the bank every time we go out. How about if we go out of town into the hills for a picnic on our next date, okay?"
"Sounds great. And anyways, on a picnic, we could do things that might be a little awkward here." I smiled lecherously at her while she blushed and giggled.
"Excuse me sir, miss," a short man interrupted to save Aeris from having to reply. "I could not help but overhear you mention that you wanted to go picnicking," he said, and winked at me. "I know some wonderful locations, would you mind hearing them?"
"By all means," I answered while Aeris smiled sweetly.
"Of course, but may I have the honor of knowing who I am advising?"
"If you will give us the same honor, I am Zack, and the beautiful lady seated across from me is my girlfriend, Aeris."
He flashed a smile as he kissed her hand. My darling blushed some more as he did this. "I'm charmed," the little man murmured. "I'm pleased to meet you both. As for me, I am Valabar, and I am not lying when I say that I could not be more pleased to have two such wonderful guests dining in my house."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Valabar," Aeris said.
"Please,
miss, call me Valabar. Here there are no
titles, only names. Now, as to those
picnic spots. The best one is a little
chilly and somewhat of a climb if you don't have a chocobo. It's on the summit of
"Are there any others, Valabar?" I asked.
"Basically, anything outside the Midgar valley is excellent, but those two spots surpass the rest," he said as he began to leave. "Ah, here come your salads. Enjoy, and do not hesitate to call me if you need anything, and remember that my door is always open."
"Thank you, Valabar!" Aeris called out after him.
Shortly after the rotund owner disappeared, a waiter brought the salads, and Aeris and I focused on the greens. However, voices from the wall behind me interrupted my meal. Since Aeris wasn't disturbed by them, I didn't point them out to her. Of course, being me, and sensing something important, I listened in.
"Have you found the specimen?" a quiet, silky voice inquired.
"Yes, professor, we have indeed located the Ancient," a soft, refined voice answered.
"Where is it?"
"She is living beneath Sector 5 near the Central Support, and she spends a lot of her time at an old church down there." I could almost hear the man smile as he said, "Oh, yes, she has been growing flowers."
"How sweet. Now, you miserable excuse for a Turk, I have only one task for you now. Are you listening?"
"I am listening most carefully, professor Hojo."
"Good. You are to retrieve that specimen alive. It is very delicate, and it is of no use to us dead. We must begin as soon as possible in order to complete the project on time. Do you understand the urgency of this mission, Tseng?"
"Yes, professor. It is vital to the company that the Ancient be taken into custody alive at once."
"Then leave."
"Yes, professor."
"Oh, and Tseng?"
"Yes?"
"Remember that you are also helping out the rest of civilization as well."
"I understand."
There was silence for a few moments, and then the silky voice, Hojo, began talking again, as if to himself.
"The mess is cleaning up, finally. No one, not Gast, not Lucretia, not Vincent, could stop this, and I will see to it that no one will stop it. Soon, I'll have the specimen, President Shinra will have his promised land, and I will become king of a new race of beings."
Then he chuckled, a sound that could make a troll weep, and he left.
Aeris and I finished our meal without further incident, and all the praise I had heard for Valabar's was confirmed. Since Aeris was tired, we decided not to socialize in the parlors. On the way out, I glanced toward one of those rooms and spotted Sephiroth seated in a large, comfortable-looking chair. I was greatly tempted to go introduce myself.
However, Aeris tugged my arm, and I was reminded that she was what was really important to me, so we left.
He probably wouldn't have wanted to talk to me anyways.
On the way back to Aeris' house, I stopped by the flat and picked up the Buster Sword. I explained that the underneath was getting more and more dangerous by the day, but I had a reason of my own. You see, I hadn't forgotten that conversation I overheard, and there could only be one person who lived near the Central Support in Sector 5 and grew flowers in an abandoned church. Yep, you guessed it, Aeris. I didn't get why they called her an Ancient, or even what an Ancient was, but I knew that my love was in danger, so I got my weapon so I could protect her. Deep down, I'm just a big sweetie.
As we approached her house, I saw a shadow dart behind a bush off the path.
"Aeris," I whispered to her.
"Yes?"
"I'm going to walk in front. When I tell you to, run for your house as fast as possible, okay?"
"Okay."
Aeris was smart enough not to ask questions. I like that in a girl.
As we walked to the spot in the path where I saw the shadow, I turned and walked right at the bush.
"Now!" I yelled, and Aeris ran. After making sure she went, I turned my attention on the would-be attacker. He was tall with dark hair, and he carried a long, thin sword. Sort of a mini-replica of the Masamune, Sephiroth's sword. We faced each other in the path for a moment. Just in case you care, I had my back to Aeris' house so he couldn't run for it.
"You'll pay for that," he said quietly.
"Who are you?" I asked, ignoring his ominous comment.
"My name is Belial. I am a member of SOLDIER, if it matters to you. We require the Ancient to be brought into custody."
"Sorry, Belial, but I can't let you do that."
He shrugged, and attacked.
Now, I'm a fairly decent swordsman, and even then I was one of the best. However, this Belial character really kept me on my toes. It took me a good ten minutes of top swordsmanship to get the Buster Sword's point through his heart.
Belial slumped to the ground, and I checked his pulse to ensure that he was dead. Finding none, I ran to the house to make sure Aeris was safe. She was fine, and we decided to bring in the body to show to the police the next day.
Leaving
Aeris in the house with Elmyra, I walked out to the site of the duel, but the
body was gone.