Another Time, Perhaps

By mihoyonagi

Chapter III

A slight rapping noise woke Aerith from her sleep. She sat up, slightly disorientated, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and looking about the dark room.

"Aerith, are you awake?" sounded the voice from behind the door.

Reality slowly seeped its way into Aerith's mind- the coliseum; the champion; the hatred; the hot chocolate; the pity; everything.

"Aerith, wake up," Sephiroth's voice began to rise slightly his attempt to rouse her.

"I'm up, I'm up," Aerith answered back, yawning. She stretched her arms out over her head and sighed heavily, taking in the new day. Scratching the back of her head, she rolled from bed and placed her tiny feet into her boots. She smiled down at them, not bothering to hide her own amusement. As comfortable as they may have been, they were, she mentally admitted, rather ugly.

She shook her head, opening the door to her room and stepping out into the hallway. Sephiroth, towering over her, looked down and tilted his head slightly. "Sleep well?" he questioned.

Furrowing her brow slightly, Aerith nodded. It occurred to her that she had not had the same horrific nightmare she had grown so accustomed to- no fire; no death- simply peaceful slumber. "Yes," she answered, looking up to meet his gaze. "I did sleep well."

For a brief moment, their eyes met. Aerith saw, for the first time in her life, a pair of eyes that were as eerie as her own. Though hers were the color of emeralds, his shone with the brilliance of the lifestream itself. Or at least the color it had been, before it was enveloped in darkness…

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "Ready to go, then?"

Nodding, Aerith forced a smile. Sephiroth walked to the door, opening the air lock. Aerith walked close behind him.

Strange thoughts began to plant themselves into Aerith's mind. What had begun as a trek with a murderous monster to find a friend had turned into a complicated, mind-numbing matter. She tired to shake of the strange feeling that had crept over her, but try as she might, the thoughts were there to stay.

Without her knowing it, Sephiroth had led her into the main square of Traverse Town. A moogle near by 'kupo'ed excitedly, handing out flyers to passer-byers. "Stop by and see our new shop, kupo," it merrily said, the pom-pom on the top of its head bobbing up and down each time it spoke.

It stopped in front of Aerith. "Glad you're back, kupo!"

"Glad to be back, Moggi," she smiled down at him.

The moogle smiled up at the young woman, handing her a flyer, just to be sure. "Cid has been trying to cook, and he nearly smoked us out yesterday, kupo!"

Aerith laughed, knowing Moggi's tendency to over-exaggerate things.

Moggi looked up at the tall silver-haired man that towered over him. "And who are you?" the happy little moogle asked, handing the stranger a flyer.

"An old acquaintance of Aerith's," he smiled down at the little creature before him.

Though she couldn't put her finger on it, Aerith felt strange. She had never seen Sephiroth smile so kindly- hell, she hadn't seen him smile so genuinely at all- and for him to look down upon an adorable creature and look as though he actually enjoyed its high pitched 'kupo's- it was rather mind boggling. This wasn't the man she remembered…

"Where do you suppose Cloud would go, if he were searching for you?" Sephiroth asked, looking over the flyer.

Aerith shrugged. "Probably Cid's accessory shop. Most people would recognize my description and send him there."

Sephiroth nodded. "Seems logical. Where is his shop?"

Pointing further into the square and up the steps, Aerith watched as Sephiroth turned around and looked in the direction of her pointed finger. He gave her a curt nod and began his way through the crowd.

Considering what day it was, Aerith made a mental note that though most of the city was away at the coliseum, there seemed to be a rather large amount of people on the street. Perhaps it was the hour of day, or perhaps they had somehow heard the champion of last year's tournament had come to the small town. Never the less, people were out and about, scurrying from here to there.

Like a true gentleman, Sephiroth opened the door to the accessory shop and allowed Aerith to venture in first. She shot him a questioning look, then realized what he was doing- should Cid see Sephiroth, the tough-talking old man wouldn't hesitate to jump over the counter, spear in hand, cigarette in mouth, and attempt to fight him. However, should Aerith be standing in front of him, perhaps Cid would simply spit out a strand of appalling expressions that would make a sailor cry. Then again, perhaps not, however, Aerith preferred to look on the bright side of things. At least for now.

The bell above the door sang its merry tune as Sephiroth closed the door behind them.

"I'll be with you in a minute," a gruff voice sounded from under the register. A few moments later, Cid's blonde head popped up from behind the display cases, mildly annoyed look on his face, cigarette dangling from his mouth.

As soon as the old pilot made eye contact with the companion Aerith was keeping, the cigarette fell from his lips and onto the floor. A vacant expression fell across his visage, and he turned as white as a ghost.

"What in Hell are you doing here?" Cid demanded, color back in face, anger present in his voice.

Aerith threw her arms out to her sides, almost as if she were shielding Sephiroth with her body. "He means no harm!"

Cid squinted his eyes and shot daggers at the silver-haired man behind Aerith. "What do you mean?" his voice was low, and angry still, but Aerith cold tell he was trying to keep his temper under control.

"Please, Cid," she implored. "He doesn't mean your or I any harm, I can promise you that. I met him at the coliseum. Apparently, he and Cloud had met up-"

"What was Cloud doing hanging around a monstrous brute like him?" Cid bellowed, slamming an open palm against the counter top.

Aerith bit her lip in worry and frustration. She was completely unsure what to tell the warm-hearted, however tough-talking, old man before her what she thought. She wasn't even sure if she believed what she heard herself. Thankfully, Sephiroth took the invitation and spoke up.

"Cloud didn't forgive me, if that is what you are insinuating, however, the planet did bring me back right before it was consumed by the heartless. You watched Cloud kill me- you know I was dead. But for some reason, the planet brought me back. I am living proof before you, as is Aerith."

Cid let out a frustrated growl, along side a strand of rather creative expletives. "Don't tell me you've forgiven him now?" he spat out.

"No," Aerith said, far too quickly and sternly.

Though she couldn't see it, Sephiroth raised an eyebrow behind her.

Stepping on his cigarette to stamp it out before it burned a hole in the floor, Cid continued to grumble. "I don't like this one bit. Not one damn bit," he protested. He looked up from the floor and stared straight into Sephiroth's eyes. "You may be here with Aerith, but let it be known that you are far from welcome." Heavy emphasis was placed on far.

"I understand that," Sephiroth countered. However impatient he may have been becoming, Aerith noticed that he kept his voice and facial expressions blank, not giving away any of his inner feelings of discomfort, or possible contempt.

Sephiroth and Cid continued to stare each other down while Aerith attempted to sort out her thoughts.

"Cid," Aerith began. "Has Cloud come by here looking for me?"

Turning his attention to Aerith, Cid slapped himself in the forehead with his palm. "Almost forgot!" he chided himself. "Cloud stopped by here no less than a few hours ago, looking for you. Said something about hearing your description back at the coliseum, and flew on over here too see if the rumors were true."

Aerith's heart skipped a beat. They had just barely missed one another. "What did you tell him?" she asked, full of hope.

"I told him that I had just flown you to the coliseum to see Leon and Yuffie fight," he answered, scratching the back of his head.

"Do you know if he went there?"

Cid sighed. "Can't tell ya," he answered, sadness apparent in his voice. "As soon as I told him where you were, he flew out the door. Didn't stay for tea or anything!"

"I'm so sorry, Cid," Aerith apologized, biting her lip.

He shook his head. "There's no need for you to be apologizing for what you didn't do," he replied simply with a light shrug.

Aerith herd a sharp intake of breath from behind her. She could tell that Sephiroth was angry with Cid's words, however, the old pilot didn't know better- how was he to identify that Sephiroth was being controlled?

"You got a problem?" Cid inhaled deeply, puffing out his chest.

Sephiroth lowered his eyelids and blinked slowly. Ignoring the question, he turned to look at Aerith. "Should we return back to the coliseum, then?"

Aerith nodded. She smiled at Cid, hoping to reassure him regarding their standings with the silver-haired ex-general. "Don't worry Cid- we'll find him." However confident her voice sounded, her thoughts betrayed her- were they really going to be able to find Cloud?