Another Time, Perhaps
By mihoyonagi
Chapter VI
Aerith hadn't meant to fall asleep -she really hadn't- but the quite of the guest suite called out to her, and the shelves of books begged to be looked through, and so long as the matches that were commencing didn't involve her friends, was there a true need to watch? With a stack no less than twenty books high, Aerith woke spread across the large armchair she had dragged toward the window. Instantly, upon realizing what time it was, the young woman sat up and peered out the window. The stadium had vacated, and the setting sun cast a scarlet shadow upon the two figures still on the arena floor.
Standing up, Aerith hurried in her attempt to place the books back upon the shelves in which she stole them away from. Not wanting to leave a mess, or seem rude, she moved the chair back to its original position, corresponding to the small indentations in the carpet. Only then did she exit the guest suite and hurry, and run down the stairs to the arena.
"You're too slow- next time, counterattack instead of trying to dodge," Sephiroth's deep, monotone voice rang out through the empty seats. A clashing of swords echoed from the walls, and Aerith could almost hear the general smirk as she neared the wall of the arena. "Good- you're getting better."
Leaning against the sun drenched stone railings of the coliseum's arena, Aerith watched in wonder as Sephiroth educated a young boy in various techniques. She had never noticed before, as his great, black cape had always obstructed her view, but a single, large, black wing, as dark as a starless night, protruded from the platinum haired man's back. His cape lay in a heap to the side of the arena, out of their way, forgotten. Aerith continued to watch in awe at how the general smiled as the boy did as instructed, and did it with courage and determination, no less.
It was, in fact, the young boy, that noticed Aerith leaning over the ledge first, and he smiled widely, waving his hand and over-sized key in the air. Sephiroth turned his attention as well, as the boy began running toward the flower girl.
"Aerith!" he called out, excitedly. "Did you watch the matches?"
Smiling sheepishly, Aerith shook her head. "Sorry, Sora, but I got caught in a really good book, and ended up missing everything…"
Sora merely laughed, shrugging lightly, shining his goofy smile. "You didn't miss much," he continued. "Seph's been named the champion, again."
Aerith peered over the boy's shoulder and looked to the man that still stood in the middle of the arena whom the boy had nicknamed, gazing intently off into space, as if he didn't hear the conversation that was going on. Or perhaps, simply ignoring it…
"What about Yuffie and Leon?" Aerith looked back to Sora.
He shrugged. "Something came up and they had to leave and forfeit their matches. I'm not sure what was up."
Aerith bit her lip. "I hope they're alright… But what about you, Sora? Did you get to fight?"
Large yellow shoes kicked the dirt, and a small cloud of dust was lifted into the air. "I got here to late, so I missed the prelims…" disappointment was apparent in his voice.
Smiling once more, Aerith tilted her head slightly. "It seems you're getting a private lesson from the champion himself- how lucky!" she giggled.
Sora scratched the back of his head and smiled. Two familiar voices called out his name from across the stadium, and Sora's face fell slightly. "Well, better get going, then," he began at a run toward the doors, his smile brightening up once more. "Thanks again, Seph! It was nice seeing you again, Aerith!"
"You too, Sora!" Aerith shouted after him, waving her arm above her head in farewell.
"You know him, as well?" Sephiroth's voice startled her, as she hadn't expected the swordsman to be right next to her- she hadn't heard him coming at all. She supposed she wouldn't- he was the ex-general of the military, and twice-named champion.
"Yes," she answered, watching the three small, silhouetted figures exit the large doors that lead into gummy-space. "We met in Traverse Town a while ago. He comes back ever now and again to visit." She turned her head back to the man before her. "So you won, again?"
She received a curt nod as reply, a rather bored look spread across Sephiroth's visage.
"Where to go from here, then?" she asked him, rather timidly- the change in her voice was obvious, and Sephiroth softened his dull look when their eyes met, for he knew her to be slightly uncomfortable.
"Should you contact your friends, then? Perhaps they have some information- they left in quite a hurry, earlier. So quickly, in fact, that I was unable to obtain the reason of their rushed departure. Yuffie simply insisted that it was urgent."
Aerith nodded, and Sephiroth went to fetch his cape that lay upon the ground. She headed toward the gummy ship, champion not far behind.
Stomping her foot, Aerith squished her visage in a manner that gave off the notion she was upset and angry at the same time. Sephiroth entered through the door and raised an eyebrow at her antics. "Cannot reach your friends, I presume?"
Heaving an aggravated sigh, Aerith shook her head.
"Perhaps then," Sephiroth pondered. "We go back to Travers Town… That old pilot could be in trouble."
Tendrils of chestnut hair swept across her face as Aerith shook her head. "If he was in trouble, Cid would have contacted our ship and left a message. Did Yuffie and Leon ask where I was?"
It was Sephiroth's turn to nod his head, his own silver locks caressing his angular face. "I told them you were here with me."
Aerith bit her lip. "If it had been something bad, they would have taken me with them…"
Sephiroth tilted his head and looked at her quizzically. "Then, is it possible the reason they left was not bad?"
Emerald eyes grew wide, then smiled. "I didn't think to look at it in such a way," Aerith confessed.
The one-winged man smiled gently. "Sometimes we need other people to see what we cannot. Shall I start up the ship, then?"
