Disclaimer: Why would you even have the tiniest thought in your mind that I
own FF7? 'Cuz I don't. I never will. So, stop rubbing it in my face
already, okay? Go to Squaresoft, if you want. Rub it in their faces.
Author's Notes: Okay, so here I am, thanks in no small part to my imouto- chan, Faye Chere, as well as the wonderful reviewers for my last chapter- GrainedPlanet (gee, thanks), Blizzaga (heeheehee- wouldn't you like to know?), and Emily (yea a new reader. My heart gets all tingly)!! Another tingly feeling- 125 REVIEWS!!!!!!! AISHITERU, MY IMOUTO-CHAN!!!!!!! Joy. Jubilation. Can no one know my happiness? No. No one can know my happiness. (Or would that be- yes, no one can know my happiness? Hmm...)
You may be wondering why I'm taking so long to get the guys to SOLDIER camp... or whatever. Well, once they're there it will not be much longer before the aging process occurs. However, unlike what my original plan was, I think it would be better if I gave two or three chapters a year, concentrating on the most important moments when they're growing up, as opposed to skipping all that time. Two or three chapters meaning, of course, nine or ten chapters given the way I write. But, hopefully I'll settle for five. Also, I'm going to be interspersing other characters into this randomly, like how Cid meets Shera, that sort of thing. Is that how you spell her name? Shera? Oh, well.
So, what have I been doing? Funny you should ask that. I have been watching the entire series of "Fruits Basket", crying miserably during the last three or four episodes, watching "I My Me! Strawberry Eggs", laughing my ass off at how WRONG the show is, playing "Kingdom Hearts", squealing like a fangirl over every single scene, typing my new Taito story (31 pages, stopped for a break and to write this!), surfing the net for fun sites (Heero is not toast!), and randomly reading fanfiction. What's that I hear? *looks around in a daze* What? Read... your fanfiction? My reviewers, is that what I hear? Well, I'm getting there, okay? OKAY?! Sheesh, you take a break for five days and people are ready to hang you. People these days... *wanders off in a huff and wonders if anyone caught her attempt to hold off reviewers who want her to read their work*
Wow. Long author's note. You all are like 'SHUT UP AND WRITE, DAMN YOU!!!!!!!' I think I'll do that. 'GOOD! BECAUSE WE NEVER READ YOUR AN'S ANYWAY! THEY'RE STUPID! AND LONG! AND DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SEPHIROTH/ZACK/AERIS!' Alright, already. I heard you the first time. 'WE'RE SERIOUS! GET WORKING, OR WE'LL STALK YOU!! THAT SHADOW YOU SAW LAST NIGHT WAS NO SHADOW!!' ... *backs away slowly* 'HEY! HEY!!!!!!! GET BACK HERE!!!!!!!' *AT suddenly finds herself chained to a computer with a gun pointed at her head* 'WRITE!! OR- OR WE'LL-' Or you'll what? Kill me? Hah! *panics as beloved stuffed animal is taken hostage* 'WE'LL KILL IT! SO HELP US GOD WE WILL!!!!!!!' No!!!!!!! Fluffy!!!!!!!! *breaks down and sobs* *begins typing slowly* Cruel... too cruel...
O_o;;;
Enjoy!!
Chapter 36:
Beyond the Plate
A bus was waiting outside of the school. It was the only time that she had ever seen a bus. Maybe when she was really little she had seen one and just forgotten about it. But today she was old enough to remember, and there it stood. In all of its rusty, old, dilapidated glory.
Aeris knew that today was the day when the boys who were going to become SOLDIERs would be leaving. She had gotten up early that morning just so she could run over to Sephiroth's house before school started and give him the note. When she got there, though, she realized it was still too early and he was probably asleep. Not wanting to wake him, she instead taped the note to his door.
She got back to her home early enough to have a piece of toast before she ran out the door again. By the time she had finally gotten to school, she was completely out of breath.
When she looked up and saw Sephiroth approaching her, though, she knew it had been worth it. He looked at her and stiffened, but kept walking forward.
"Hey, Seph!"
"Hi," he responded. "Thanks for the, uh, letter."
Aeris smiled, and Sephiroth felt his heart speed up. "Sure."
"What letter?" Zack asked, as he popped out from behind Sephiroth.
Aeris looked at him, blinked, and clapped a hand over he mouth. "Oh no! I forgot! Zack, I'm sorry!"
Zack laughed. "Don't apologize unless you did something wrong." He looked at Sephiroth and asked, "Did she do something wrong?"
Sephiroth sighed. "She wrote me a letter."
Zack pouted. "And I didn't get one?"
Aeris went over to him and hugged him. "I'm sorry! I'll remember next time!"
Zack smiled and returned her hug warmly. "Hey, if this is what I get, I don't think I mind being forgotten."
Sephiroth turned around and began to walk away. Zack held onto Aeris a moment more then pulled away from her and caught up with Sephiroth.
"What's wrong?" Zack asked.
Sephiroth ignored him, and Zack glared at the taller boy.
"You know, I thought we had gotten past this. What, are you mad at me? Or do you just like being a pain?"
"We'll be late if we wait around any longer."
Zack threw his hand sup in the air. "What is with you?"
Sephiroth said nothing and got on the bus. He sat down at the back and stared out the window. He expected to feel Zack sitting down next to him any minute. However, he instead saw Zack and Aeris talking outside. He glared through the window at them.
What did he care if they were saying good-bye to each other? He didn't care. Not at all.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Zack looked at Sephiroth's retreating back and sighed. Really, what was wrong with him? Was he so jealous over a hug? Was that it? If that was it, he'd have something to say to Sephiroth when he got on the bus.
Instead of following Sephiroth, Zack turned around and walked toward Aeris. The girl was standing there, looking somewhat confused at the confrontation she had witnessed between her two friends.
"Did you fight?" She looked so worried that Zack had to force himself not to laugh. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels.
"Only a little. Don't worry about it," he said before she could speak. "He gets like that sometimes." All the time, more like it.
Aeris nodded. She looked down, twisting her shirt in her hands. "So... you're leaving?"
Zack nodded. "Yeah, but only for a few days."
"Oh."
"Really, it won't be that long at all. We'll both be back before you know it."
She nodded.
"And, you'll have lots of stuff to do. You know, school work and stuff."
"Yeah."
"So, don't be sad, okay?"
Zack saw Aeris look up, then back down again. She was so cute sometimes that it made his heart ache. Would she really miss him all that much? She shouldn't. He wasn't that great that she should be so attached to him.
"Well," she said, breaking the silence that had grown between them. "I guess I'll... um... see you later."
"Yeah. Definitely. In a few days. You won't even notice the time passing." He looked at her and smiled. "Trust me on this. You'll have so much fun you'll forget all about me and Seph."
"Never!" Aeris looked up and shook her head vehemently. "I'd never forget about you guys! Never ever!"
Zack reached forward and placed his hand on top of her head. Since he was practically the same height as her, it was an awkward movement. "I know. I was only joking."
She felt slightly comforted by his touch, and closed her eyes. "Oh. Okay."
He pulled away from her once again and smiled. "I'd better get going. Later!"
"Bye!"
Zack walked away from her and onto the bus. He noticed Sephiroth was sitting all the way at the back. What a surprise. Zack walked back and sat down next to him, putting his suitcase in front of his legs.
"That seemed cozy."
Zack looked at Sephiroth in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
Sephiroth gestured to where Aeris stood outside of the bus, and Zack groaned.
"Please, please tell me you're not still mad about that."
"I'm not still mad about that."
"Sephiroth, don't lie to me!"
Sephiroth glanced at him and sneered. "You asked me to say it. I did."
"Why are you always so irritating?"
"I don't know."
"You must practice."
"Every day."
Zack glared at Sephiroth, and Sephiroth ignored him. They sat together in silence until the engine started. The bus began to leave the city, and both wondered what awaited them beyond the plate.
Author's Notes: Okay, so here I am, thanks in no small part to my imouto- chan, Faye Chere, as well as the wonderful reviewers for my last chapter- GrainedPlanet (gee, thanks), Blizzaga (heeheehee- wouldn't you like to know?), and Emily (yea a new reader. My heart gets all tingly)!! Another tingly feeling- 125 REVIEWS!!!!!!! AISHITERU, MY IMOUTO-CHAN!!!!!!! Joy. Jubilation. Can no one know my happiness? No. No one can know my happiness. (Or would that be- yes, no one can know my happiness? Hmm...)
You may be wondering why I'm taking so long to get the guys to SOLDIER camp... or whatever. Well, once they're there it will not be much longer before the aging process occurs. However, unlike what my original plan was, I think it would be better if I gave two or three chapters a year, concentrating on the most important moments when they're growing up, as opposed to skipping all that time. Two or three chapters meaning, of course, nine or ten chapters given the way I write. But, hopefully I'll settle for five. Also, I'm going to be interspersing other characters into this randomly, like how Cid meets Shera, that sort of thing. Is that how you spell her name? Shera? Oh, well.
So, what have I been doing? Funny you should ask that. I have been watching the entire series of "Fruits Basket", crying miserably during the last three or four episodes, watching "I My Me! Strawberry Eggs", laughing my ass off at how WRONG the show is, playing "Kingdom Hearts", squealing like a fangirl over every single scene, typing my new Taito story (31 pages, stopped for a break and to write this!), surfing the net for fun sites (Heero is not toast!), and randomly reading fanfiction. What's that I hear? *looks around in a daze* What? Read... your fanfiction? My reviewers, is that what I hear? Well, I'm getting there, okay? OKAY?! Sheesh, you take a break for five days and people are ready to hang you. People these days... *wanders off in a huff and wonders if anyone caught her attempt to hold off reviewers who want her to read their work*
Wow. Long author's note. You all are like 'SHUT UP AND WRITE, DAMN YOU!!!!!!!' I think I'll do that. 'GOOD! BECAUSE WE NEVER READ YOUR AN'S ANYWAY! THEY'RE STUPID! AND LONG! AND DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SEPHIROTH/ZACK/AERIS!' Alright, already. I heard you the first time. 'WE'RE SERIOUS! GET WORKING, OR WE'LL STALK YOU!! THAT SHADOW YOU SAW LAST NIGHT WAS NO SHADOW!!' ... *backs away slowly* 'HEY! HEY!!!!!!! GET BACK HERE!!!!!!!' *AT suddenly finds herself chained to a computer with a gun pointed at her head* 'WRITE!! OR- OR WE'LL-' Or you'll what? Kill me? Hah! *panics as beloved stuffed animal is taken hostage* 'WE'LL KILL IT! SO HELP US GOD WE WILL!!!!!!!' No!!!!!!! Fluffy!!!!!!!! *breaks down and sobs* *begins typing slowly* Cruel... too cruel...
O_o;;;
Enjoy!!
Chapter 36:
Beyond the Plate
A bus was waiting outside of the school. It was the only time that she had ever seen a bus. Maybe when she was really little she had seen one and just forgotten about it. But today she was old enough to remember, and there it stood. In all of its rusty, old, dilapidated glory.
Aeris knew that today was the day when the boys who were going to become SOLDIERs would be leaving. She had gotten up early that morning just so she could run over to Sephiroth's house before school started and give him the note. When she got there, though, she realized it was still too early and he was probably asleep. Not wanting to wake him, she instead taped the note to his door.
She got back to her home early enough to have a piece of toast before she ran out the door again. By the time she had finally gotten to school, she was completely out of breath.
When she looked up and saw Sephiroth approaching her, though, she knew it had been worth it. He looked at her and stiffened, but kept walking forward.
"Hey, Seph!"
"Hi," he responded. "Thanks for the, uh, letter."
Aeris smiled, and Sephiroth felt his heart speed up. "Sure."
"What letter?" Zack asked, as he popped out from behind Sephiroth.
Aeris looked at him, blinked, and clapped a hand over he mouth. "Oh no! I forgot! Zack, I'm sorry!"
Zack laughed. "Don't apologize unless you did something wrong." He looked at Sephiroth and asked, "Did she do something wrong?"
Sephiroth sighed. "She wrote me a letter."
Zack pouted. "And I didn't get one?"
Aeris went over to him and hugged him. "I'm sorry! I'll remember next time!"
Zack smiled and returned her hug warmly. "Hey, if this is what I get, I don't think I mind being forgotten."
Sephiroth turned around and began to walk away. Zack held onto Aeris a moment more then pulled away from her and caught up with Sephiroth.
"What's wrong?" Zack asked.
Sephiroth ignored him, and Zack glared at the taller boy.
"You know, I thought we had gotten past this. What, are you mad at me? Or do you just like being a pain?"
"We'll be late if we wait around any longer."
Zack threw his hand sup in the air. "What is with you?"
Sephiroth said nothing and got on the bus. He sat down at the back and stared out the window. He expected to feel Zack sitting down next to him any minute. However, he instead saw Zack and Aeris talking outside. He glared through the window at them.
What did he care if they were saying good-bye to each other? He didn't care. Not at all.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Zack looked at Sephiroth's retreating back and sighed. Really, what was wrong with him? Was he so jealous over a hug? Was that it? If that was it, he'd have something to say to Sephiroth when he got on the bus.
Instead of following Sephiroth, Zack turned around and walked toward Aeris. The girl was standing there, looking somewhat confused at the confrontation she had witnessed between her two friends.
"Did you fight?" She looked so worried that Zack had to force himself not to laugh. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels.
"Only a little. Don't worry about it," he said before she could speak. "He gets like that sometimes." All the time, more like it.
Aeris nodded. She looked down, twisting her shirt in her hands. "So... you're leaving?"
Zack nodded. "Yeah, but only for a few days."
"Oh."
"Really, it won't be that long at all. We'll both be back before you know it."
She nodded.
"And, you'll have lots of stuff to do. You know, school work and stuff."
"Yeah."
"So, don't be sad, okay?"
Zack saw Aeris look up, then back down again. She was so cute sometimes that it made his heart ache. Would she really miss him all that much? She shouldn't. He wasn't that great that she should be so attached to him.
"Well," she said, breaking the silence that had grown between them. "I guess I'll... um... see you later."
"Yeah. Definitely. In a few days. You won't even notice the time passing." He looked at her and smiled. "Trust me on this. You'll have so much fun you'll forget all about me and Seph."
"Never!" Aeris looked up and shook her head vehemently. "I'd never forget about you guys! Never ever!"
Zack reached forward and placed his hand on top of her head. Since he was practically the same height as her, it was an awkward movement. "I know. I was only joking."
She felt slightly comforted by his touch, and closed her eyes. "Oh. Okay."
He pulled away from her once again and smiled. "I'd better get going. Later!"
"Bye!"
Zack walked away from her and onto the bus. He noticed Sephiroth was sitting all the way at the back. What a surprise. Zack walked back and sat down next to him, putting his suitcase in front of his legs.
"That seemed cozy."
Zack looked at Sephiroth in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
Sephiroth gestured to where Aeris stood outside of the bus, and Zack groaned.
"Please, please tell me you're not still mad about that."
"I'm not still mad about that."
"Sephiroth, don't lie to me!"
Sephiroth glanced at him and sneered. "You asked me to say it. I did."
"Why are you always so irritating?"
"I don't know."
"You must practice."
"Every day."
Zack glared at Sephiroth, and Sephiroth ignored him. They sat together in silence until the engine started. The bus began to leave the city, and both wondered what awaited them beyond the plate.