Chapter 41: Secret Life
From red giant to supernova
Back to you and me
A cloaked entity within a virtual reality
Mechanized and organised, for me it's plain to see
The hand that's been busy weaving fantasy
It's so hard to understand
And often we are blind
But if truth were an ocean
Would it fit in the pool of the human mind?
You're all alone and it doesn't seem quite fair
Why we're all left in ignorance turning to despair
Philosophy and theology offer us a glimpse
Of something more incredible
Than you and I
So call on the secret life
Call on the secret life
Show me the way of life
Call on the secret life
Secret Life – The Corrs
"You promise you'll get me his autograph?"
"I don't promise anything."
"But you'll try?"
"Yuffie, this is a business meeting. We're discussing the song and the film. That's it." Aeris told her friend. They were sitting in Vincent's apartment as Aeris prepared herself. She was going to meet Rufus Shinra today, with the Turks. Yuffie, Tifa, Cloud and Reeve had come over and were bugging her for information.
"Try to get his phone number!" Tifa squealed.
"Don't." Vincent said. Aeris laughed.
"Stop it, you guys! As if I'm not nervous enough as it is!"
"You're nervous? He should be the one who's nervous. He's meeting the famous Aeris Gainsborough!" Cloud said, waving a sandwich in the air. Aeris snatched it and took a bite.
"Shut up Cloud."
"My sandwich!"
"My sandwich actually. I left it in the refrigerator." Vincent said, examining the sandwich. Cloud grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry man."
Aeris took another bite and threw it back at Cloud before saying,
"I'll tell you all about it tonight, when I get back. I'll meet you in the café, OK?"
"Urgh, don't talk to me about that café." Tifa muttered. They all looked at each other and then Cloud said,
"What's wrong?"
"You know the bar, across the way from the café? Well, they used to have a lot more business than us. But since we started the Open Mic Night, we've been getting a lot of their customers, especially since that article!"
The article in question was one written by the reporter from the last OMN, who had asked for a quote from Aeris.
"So they're not happy?" Yuffie asked.
"Nope. They're starting their own Open Mic Nights, the same nights as ours and everything! Barret is furious."
"Well, we've got Aeris in ours. We're gonna win." Cloud told her. Tifa shrugged.
"I know… but Dad is going crazy about it."
"Barret while angry? Eek." Reeve said nervously.
There was a knock at the door.
"That's my ride." Aeris said. Vincent answered the door while she pulled on her coat. Reno stood there, hands in pockets.
"Hey everyone. Ready to go, Aeris?"
"Absolutely."
"Autograph! Don't forget!" Yuffie called. Aeris rolled her eyes and kissed Vincent.
"I'll see you tonight."
"You OK, Aeris? You look kinda pale." Elena asked. Reno, who was driving, peered into the mirror.
"She does look pale."
"I'm fine. Just a bit nervous."
"Don't be. Rufus is a sweetie."
"You'd know." Rude commented. Elena hit him and he flinched. Mike glared at them from the front seat.
"Come on! I don't want you showing up with bruises!"
"Well next time I'll just hit him somewhere he doesn't show in public." Elena smiled sweetly. Reno, Rude, Tseng and Mike all flinched, while Aeris gave Elena a high-five.
They stopped at the security gate to the studio and were waved through. Aeris sat upright to peer out of the window.
"Studio 14… here it is." Reno said, pulling over. They climbed out of the car and Reno patted the car.
"Good Car."
"You sad, sad man." Aeris commented. Reno shrugged.
"I am what I am."
Mike pushed open the door to the studio and handed them all visitor tags.
"OK, here it is. The set for 'Secret Life'." They walked through and Aeris' mouth fell open as she beheld the sight.
It was a bustling hive of activity. People were shouting and running around. A set straight in front of them was of a train, moving in a life like fashion. A man with a ladder rushed past shouting,
"Watch your heads!"
Mike led them to the other side of the studio where a short, dumpy, middle-aged man with bushy black hair and beard was yelling towards a microphone operator.
"Left! Left! I SAID LEFT!"
"Jack!" Mike called. The man whirled around and grinned brightly.
"Mike! How are you doin'?"
"Can't complain. Brought the guys in to meet Rufus."
"The Turks, of course. It's been a while." They greeted each other and then Mike steered Aeris forward.
"And this is our saving grace, Aeris Gainsborough."
"Of course! It's an honour to meet you, Aeris. Jack Goldfeld, welcome to the set! Rufus is in the lounge, relaxing. We're shooting the last scene today and then it's going in for editing. It'll be out in October! I can't wait. Anyway, come and see Rufus, he'll be so glad to see you."
He led them to a door and they entered a large, comfortable room with armchairs and coffee tables. Several people in costume sat around, chatting amiably. At the end of the room, reading a book with his feet up on a table was Rufus Shinra. With strawberry blonde hair and grey eyes, he really was incredibly good looking. He closed his book, marking the page, and stood to greet them.
"Mike, good to see you again." he shook hands with him and turned to the Turks.
"Rude, Tseng, Reno… and Elena." Elena, to her credit, remained perfectly composed, shaking his hand with a warm smile. Rufus's eyes lingered on her a moment longer and then turned to Aeris.
"Aeris Gainsborough, I presume?"
"You presume correctly." She smiled, shaking his hand. He smiled back and said,
"I'm glad I finally get to meet you. I've heard nothing but good things about you."
"Which I'm extremely relieved about." Aeris told him with a grin.
They sat in the lounge chatting for another hour. Eventually Rufus looked over at Reno.
"So… you and Aeris are going out?"
"What? No! No, definitely not!" Reno panicked. Rufus shrugged.
"Just saying what was in the newspaper."
"It's not true. I already have a boyfriend, who apparently scares the living daylights out of Reno. And don't deny it; you always get nervous around him." She told Reno, who had opened his mouth to object.
"Vincent is a scary guy!" He said sulkily. Rufus grinned and said,
"Well, let me show you around the set before you show me the song."
It took an hour and a half to complete the studio tour. Aeris felt intimidated by every single person she saw. Rufus was friendly enough though. She could see why Elena was getting so ruffled by him. Aeris asked,
"So, what exactly is this movie about?"
"I play Jonathon Thompson, a scientist who is looking into theories about the Big Bang. I discover a whole load of weird facts that don't seem to make sense, but with the help of another scientist we discover that there's a whole new theory about the beginning of the world, to do with other worlds and stuff like that. I'm in it, and I still don't get it. It's very complicated."
"Let me guess. This other scientist is an incredibly attractive female and you end up together?" Reno asked. Rufus laughed.
"Absolutely. Kelly?" He called to a red headed woman who came over. She smiled.
"Hey, the Turks right? Kelly West. It's great to meet you." She shook hands with them all and said,
"Come to see the studio?"
"Yeah, I'm giving them the tour. They're gonna play their song for us in a minute. Want to listen?"
"Of course! I love that song."
"Kelly, Rufus! Time to shoot, let's go. We're on a time limit here." Jack, the director, shouted. The two actors hurried onto the set. Jack spoke to them for a few minutes and then waved to the Turks and Aeris.
"Pull up a chair. This is the last scene we're shooting."
Rufus sat at a desk, reading some papers when Kelly burst through the door to the set.
"Jonathon! Look at this."
"What-?" He picked up the paper she had tossed him and scanned it. His eyes widened.
"This can't be right. You must have gotten the figures messed up."
"This is correct. You can't fake this kind of thing. Look at it."
"This can be… according to this…"
"I know. Look… this should be a single line. It represents the universe and when it began. But look here. The line has split. There's another line!"
"Another world…?"
They looked at each other in pure amazement.
"Cut!" Jack said and jumped up to give them more instructions. The shot took 9 takes before Jack was satisfied.
"And that's a wrap! Well done guys. And now, to celebrate we've got none other than the Turks and Aeris Gainsborough here to perform the soundtrack song, "I'll Be There For You!"
He gestured towards a stage where their instruments had been brought in from the car. Elena and Aeris stood by the microphone. Elena played the opening chords and Aeris sang.
"So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your jobs a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA
It's like you're always stuck in second gear
And when it hasn't been your day, your week, your month
It hasn't been your year but-"
Elena joined in and they pelted out the chorus. The cast and crew all cheered and whooped as the song finished. They took a bow and Elena giggled.
"Wow, I'm so nervous!"
"I wonder why…?" Aeris said, elbowing her. Rufus came over to them clapping his hands.
"That was incredible. We were going to have a bit of a party now, to celebrate the end of filming. You're free to join us if you want."
"Sure, that'd be great!" Aeris said. She jumped as her mobile rang. She answered it.
"Hey."
"Aeris, it's Yuffie."
"Yuffie, is everything OK?"
"Sure. Just wanted to make sure you got Rufus' autograph!"
"Yuffie!"
Rufus, who had been listening, laughed.
"Yuffie's a friend?"
"Not for much longer." Aeris muttered. Rufus held out a hand for the phone and she gave it to him.
"Hello? Is this Yuffie?"
"Yeah…"
"This is Rufus Shinra."
"OH… MY… GOD!" Several people turned to stare. Rufus laughed.
"How are you, Yuffie?"
"I'm great! How are you?"
"I'm good too. Shall I send an autograph home with Aeris?"
"Oh my god, that'd be awesome."
"OK, I'll do that now. Great talking to you, Yuffie." He handed Aeris the phone.
"Yuffie Kisaragi, if you do that again I will personally lynch you." Aeris hissed. Yuffie didn't appear to be listening so she hung up. She turned apologetically to Rufus.
"I'm so sorry about her…"
"No problem. Here, give her this." He handed her a piece of paper with a message for Yuffie on it. Aeris laughed.
"Thanks… you realise that she'll start stalking you now?"
"That's OK. I don't have any stalkers at the moment!"
As they drove home, Elena seemed remarkably happy.
"OK, you're grinning like a madman. What's with you?" Aeris asked. Elena grinned and whispered,
"Rufus asked me out for dinner tomorrow night."
"Oh my god! That's so great!"
"I know. But don't tell the guys, OK?"
"OK, no problem."
"What are you girls whispering about?" Reno asked suspiciously. In unison they said,
"Girl stuff."
"Urgh, don't want to know." Reno said, turning to the front.
(A/n: sorry for the delay. No real excuse! Pure laziness this time. But it's finally here and some reviews would be nice. Thanks very much! Love you guys. By the way, if you have any questions about the songs I'm using, feel free to ask. These are all some of my favourite songs, especially the one in Chapter 13. The girl who sang that is a friend of mine, so I'm rather proud of that one! LOL, anyway please review before leaving. Thanks.)