Fatal Melody:
"You idiots! You morons! You're absolutely despicable!" The crazed scientist roared slamming his tight fist on the steel counter. The two Turks remained silent staring blankly at their feet.
"I asked you, no, I trusted you to get the ancient here last night, and did you? No, you didn't! I would like to hear your explanations!" The scientist hollered as he adjusted his large gold rimed glasses.
"Hojo, sir she escaped at the last second. I swear we almost had her, but-" Reno started in a low tone.
"But?" Hojo snarled through his clenched teeth.
"She just- I guess, escaped." Reno muttered.
"You call that an explanation! How hard is it to capture a one single girl when the both of you are fully-grown men? I still don't see how that girl manages to escape every time!" Hojo ran his hand through his black stringy hair in frustration.
"We'll get her next time, don't worry sir." Rude spoke up fluently.
"See that you do. I don't want to see the likes of either of you unless you have the ancient, now get out!" Hojo narrowed his eyes and pointed to the door, then he turned around not facing them.
Hojo listened to the large door close as the Turks exited the lab. He mumbled a few insults that he didn't mention then padded over to his disorganized desk and opened a lower cabinet. He reached blindly around the dark cabinet until he felt a warm jar at his fingertips.
Hojo brought the glowing jar out and he smiled to himself as he examined it. The contents that were held inside the glass jar were glowing a lime green and a small piece of vanilla duck tape was stuck to the side of it that red, 'JENOVA CELLS'.
Hojo smiled a toothy grin. "Soon." He mumbled not letting his gaze come off the illuminated jar.
- -
Aeris sighed as she sat on the curb. She held her head up with her palm with a bored expression on as she twirled a pink flower between her middle and forefinger. Dozens of people walked by her without even casting a glance.
She felt sorry for having to leave Elmyra every day without even saying a word. But, they can barely support themselves with the amount of gil they have. If Aeris didn't sell flowers they would probably be on the streets begging for food by now.
Aeris sighed again and closed her heavy eyes. She was restless and weak; she got home around three because of the instant with the Turks last night. They had chased her around for hours and she was lucky to have escaped.
Aeris opened her eyes and grabbed a hold of her flower filled basket. She stood up and took a moment to look around. The streets were flooded with crowds of people, which was usual for this time of day. Every morning she'd get up around six and hope to sell at least a dozen flowers by sunset.
"Flowers for sale! One gil each!" Aeris shouted out to the crowds, but no one looked as if they heard her. She inwardly frowned and leaned against the brick wall of a building.
"I'll take one, miss." Someone spoke.
Aeris smiled and turned around, facing the person. The person was clad in a navy blue SOLDIER suit and had spiked jet-black hair with a pair of vibrant blue eyes. He looked like he was in his early twenties or late teens.
Aeris reached in her basket and took a single blue flower out. "Here you go, that'll be one gil please." She held the delicate flower out to him with a gentle grin on her face.
"Thank you." Zack smiled as he took the small flower with one hand and reached into his pocket with the other. He grabbed a handful of gil and placed it in her small hands.
Aeris looked at him with uncertain eyes, "I'm sorry, sir. I can't take this from you, one gil will do fine." She tried handing the gil back to him but he refused it.
"That's all right, I don't need it, miss."
"No, I really must insist, sir. Take it." Aeris continued to hold out the small pile of gil to him.
Zack reached out and closed her palm with his hand. "Keep it."
Aeris smiled up at him and dropped the gil in her pocket. "Thank you very much, sir."
"Call me Zack." He replied as he smiled a wide grin back.
"Okay." She nodded.
"What's your name, miss?"
"Aeris."
"Aeris, huh? Pretty name, it fits you." Zack said happily.
Aeris blushed. "Thank you."
"So… Uh, how long are you going to be selling flowers?" Zack shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably.
"Probably the entire day. Why?" Aeris asked with curiosity.
"I was wondering if I could buy you lunch later on this afternoon… That is if you would like to."
Aeris thought for moment. "I would love to, Zack. It's the least I can do," she said kindly.
Zack smiled happily. "Okay, meet me here at… does twelve sound good?"
"Sounds great to me!" Aeris chirped.
- -
"Damn that scientist! He thinks he's better then us!" Reno snarled as he clenched his teeth.
"You're taking this too hard, Reno. Calm yourself." Rude replied quietly.
Reno punched the wall and cracked the paint. "I am calm!" Rude arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms in response.
"Rude are you telling me that you not the least bit angry for the way he treated us?" Reno was glaring at the taller man.
"…I didn't say anything." Rude said.
Reno groaned then turned around. "I say we don't listen to that crack pot of a scientist and do whatever the hell we want."
"What about Tseng?" Rude asked.
"Tseng's different! He's our boss, Rude. We are supposed to listen to him, it's our job!" Reno growled.
"…"
Reno looked over back at Rude. "You know what I think-"
"Turks!"
Rude and Reno both turned around and saw Scarlet at the end of the hall. "Yes…?" Reno asked, calmly looking at her.
"If you two weren't such half-wits then you would have remembered that you were supposed to meet Tseng in the cafeteria a half hour ago! So the president sent me to find you two cretins!" Scarlet shouted angrily glaring at them.
Rude and Reno exchanged glances. "Oops." Reno shrugged.
"Oops? Oops!? I'm missing the only break I get all day and all you say is oops!" Scarlet yelled pointing an accusing finger at Reno.
Reno felt anger start to rise within him. "Well, if you weren't such a b- ow!"
Rude elbowed Reno in the ribs then looked over at her. "Our apologies, Scarlet. We'll meet Tseng at once."
"Good, and hurry up before I have the both of you fired!" Scarlet snarled as she turned and stomped back down the hall.
"What the hell did you do that for?!" Reno yelled to Rude while rubbing his ribs.
"…"
"Hmph, let's go see Tseng…" Reno stomped off in a huff after Scarlet, Rude hesitated for a moment then sighed and followed.
- -
"So, here's the deal, Sephiroth. We need more Mako and you need more SOLDIERS. If we get our hands on an ancient we get both, sounds good?" The president started in a calm tone.
"Ancients are extinct, Shinra. And they've been extinct for centuries" Sephiroth stated firmly.
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, General. There is one still living." The president said.
"Oh? And where exactly does this 'ancient' live?" Sephiroth asked spitefully.
"Sector five."
"How do you know for sure, president? What if it's just a deceiving commoner?" Sephiroth asked in a low tone.
"Do you know any commoners that can grow flowers in Midgar, General?"
"…No I don't."
"You see? There is an ancient living!" Shinra said with glee. Sephiroth gave the president a bored expression.
"Well, why is it still in sector five? You should've had it by now."
Shinra's fists tightened and his eyebrows knit together. "Those Turks can't catch it!" He hissed.
Sephiroth remained calm. "If they can't I will."
"…Sephiroth, I don't think you're the right kind of person for this job." The president stated uneasily.
"What are you talking about? I would have it in captivity in no less then fifteen minutes." Sephiroth was becoming angry.
"Yes I'm aware of that, but it would probably be dead by the time you brought back."
"If you're saying I would end up killing it, I wouldn't. I know an enemy when I see it."
"Yes, but general, the ancient is a mere girl."
"How old?" Sephiroth asked.
"Late teens."
"Don't worry, I won't harm her in anyway." Sephiroth assured.
"Okay Sephiroth, if you're sure." Shinra sighed, defeated.
"…What does the ancient look like?" Sephiroth questioned.
"Brown hair, pink dress, green eyes, and she's a flower girl, you can't miss her."
Sephiroth went silent as recognition came over him. "Sephiroth, what's the matter?" Shinra asked.
"Nothing." Sephiroth said quietly as he lifted himself off his wood chair and headed out the door.
To be continued…