Thank you for taking time to read this story! I am updating every Friday, with nice, big chapters. Thank you again to Rand0msmil3z for taking a look and editing the fic! Our friendship is one of my favorite things to come out of this fandom. ^_^ Without further ado, let's get this show on the road...
December 0007
Aerith scrunched up her face as she felt the pins go too deep into her skull to help hold her hair in place. While she knew her head wasn't bleeding from her usual hairstyle preparation, the sensitive skin there prodded at her mind for a moment, reminding her that she did not like wearing her hair up. And yet, thus was the inevitability of being a fashion icon for the entire planet. She resigned herself to her fate and closed her eyes with a sigh.
"Beauty takes time," her hairdresser, Lyla, reminded with the emphasis of another pin being shoved into her head.
"I know," Aerith said quietly and folded her hands gently in her lap, before opening her eyes to meet the gaze of just one of the many assigned to be on her fashion team. If there was one part of this charade she hated the most, it was the getting dolled up just for her guardian to show her off to the press. Of course, this worked more than effectively when he wanted the spotlight off of himself. Tonight, fortunately, this would not be the case.
Her eyes shifted to her own face in the mirror as she studied the contouring and coloring her team had chosen for tonight. The sea blue eyeshadow emphasized the emerald green of her eyes, , and contrasted nicely with the mauve color of her lips. Her hair was curled into a careless cascade of waves, currently on their way to being pinned up in a makeshift bun at the crown of her head. Despite the softness of the hairstyle, having her hair pulled up and pinned in place always made her feel stifled. She wished fashion would turn to less constricting hairstyles, but so far in her fifteen years as Shinra's ward, there showed no sign of swaying from that normal.
"There!" Lyla exclaimed, holding her hands out around Aerith's head and grinning. "Perfection."
"Thank you," Aerith replied politely, smiling. Lyla had the best personality of the team, and despite holding a small grudge for the constriction on her hair, Aerith liked her the best. She accepted her hairdresser's hand and carefully stood, new heels feeling a bit wobbly beneath her. She looked down, trying to see through the gentle folds of green and blue that swallowed her middle and pooled down at her feet. It would take some time to get comfortable in the outfit, but she knew that she would. She always did, after all.
There was whispering from behind her. She turned, confused.
"I thought you said straps were out," Nile, another member of her fashion team, spluttered with indignation.
Sera, the youngest member of the team, crossed her arms over her chest. "No, I said they were in again," she answered hotly. The two were staring at her dress and pointing. Aerith looked down at her bare shoulders. Straps would have been nice… She felt cold.
"There's nothing we can do about it now," Nile interrupted her thoughts impatiently, and he shoved a thin, silk scarf in navy blue at Aerith. She took it gratefully, and wrapped it around her bare shoulders while wishing it was warmer.
A polite knock came at the door. Aerith started heading towards it herself, but Lyla shooed her away and let Sera answer it. It opened, revealing a familiar face that instantly had her relaxing. Neat, brown hair and equally dark eyes with the ring of green around the pupil smiled at her, dressed in his usual SOLDIER uniform – sans weapon – and with the addition of a shiny medallion emblazoned on his chest.
"Kunsel!" Aerith greeted with a big smile, feeling more at ease already.
Second class SOLDIER Kunsel entered the room with a quick, formal bow. "Hey Aerith," he grinned easily, eyes taking in the fashion team surrounding her. "I called dibs on escorting you tonight!"
"That's a relief," she laughed, stepping forward carefully and taking his arm. "These new heels are a bit shaky for me and you know how I am with stairs."
"Wait!" Lyla surged forward, panicked. Aerith swung around, her dress flowing with her as she looked inquisitively at her hairdresser. Lyla was holding a can of setting spray.
"Oops," Aerith giggled. "One moment, please." She stepped away from Kunsel and closed her eyes, hearing the spray nozzle and feeling the chilly mist embed itself in her hair and drape delicately across her shoulders. She shivered again.
"There, now you're ready," Lyla said matter-of-factly. "Knock them dead, gorgeous!"
Aerith nodded her thanks and stepped back over to Kunsel, allowing him to escort her out of her room. The door slid closed behind them and they started down the hallway, on their way to the upper floors.
"How are you?" Kunsel asked gently, peppy demeanor vanishing once they were out of sight of her team.
Aerith sighed, drooping her shoulders a little. "Still no answers on my end," she said lowly. "I wish I could ask outright, but I don't want to start something with him."
Kunsel nodded thoughtfully, placing a comforting hand on hers. His hands were warm, and she drank in the heat, cursing fashion for every time she had been left freezing.
"I've been thinking," he told her quietly, "that maybe we should begin looking into…alternate means of finding information."
Aerith glanced up at him. "What do you mean?" she asked, taking note of his dodgy expression and worried lower lip. "Who else would know what happened?"
Aerith had only known Kunsel properly for a few months now, but having a good friend who understood her pain and wanted to help her find answers felt refreshing. They had stumbled across each other after her fateful, secret trip to the church, and she had gravitated towards him for a reason she couldn't see at first. It only took a few minutes of polite chatting for Kunsel to reveal that his best friend had been missing for years, and that Shinra was trying to cover it up by saying he was killed in action. It was then that Aerith had remembered where she knew Kunsel's name – Zack had brought him up a few times in passing as a good and trusted friend. When she confessed what she knew – that Zack had died and the Shinra army had something to do with it –, they had made a plan to figure out what happened to what happened to Zack the past five years, no matter what it took. It was the main reason Aerith remained at Shinra, despite finishing her painting and sending her guardian off to discover the Promised Land as he had always asked of her. While she hadn't been told she was free to go, the last few months she had breathed easier and slept better, determination to find out the truth flowing in her veins as she was left relatively to her own devices, at least until tonight.
It was Kunsel's turn to sigh now, one that spoke of burdens and nervousness. He led them towards the elevator at the end of the hall, and Aerith was grateful that nobody else seemed to be around.
"You've heard of Avalanche?" he asked , even more quietly than before.
Aerith's breath caught in her throat as memories from September flooded back to the forefront of her mind. Of course I have, she wanted to say. She'd had a run in with them a few months ago that almost ended up with her in their clutches. The fact that none of the Turks had given away her illegal escapade had been a relief, but it meant that she carried this information for herself only, unable to share the burden of that terrifying ordeal.
"Yes," she whispered back. "What about them?"
"Well…" Kunsel was thoughtful, calculating. "I think I may have found somebody who could do some research outside of Shinra for us. With that view from the outside looking in, they may be able to spot something we can't see."
"And…they're Avalanche?" Aerith was hesitant for obvious reasons.
Kunsel nodded. "We met on the message boards," he explained. Ah yes, the infamous online message boards that the citizens of Midgar spentd their lives gossiping on, Aerith thought wryly as he continued.. "I didn't mention who I was or that you were involved, but that we had a friend who was killed by the Shinra army recently and we wanted to know why. They claimed to have answers."
"That seems a bit far-fetched," she pointed out. "What did they ask for in return?"
Kunsel sighed, running a hand through his hair as he halted their momentum momentarily. He disentangled his arm from hers, pushed the elevator button, and put his hands on his hips. It made Aerith curious as to his age for a moment: his defined, muscular limbs in such a stance reminded her of somebody much younger.
"They wanted access to the celebration tonight," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "They promised nobody would be hurt and that we wouldn't even know they were here."
Aerith raised a hand to her mouth slowly, realization dawning on her.
"They're here?" she shrieked, legs feeling wobbly from the heels she still wasn't used to and head spinning in a new, unfamiliar panic.
Kunsel looked alarmed and grabbed her arm, helping steady her. "I'll keep an eye on anybody suspicious all night," he promised. "Chances are they weren't able to sneak in successfully anyway. Okay? Aerith?"
Aerith's heart was racing a mile a minute as she remembered her flight from the church, how Tseng had told her to run and she had run like her very life dependinged on it – because her very life had probably depended on it. Those same people, wanting to cause her bodily harm, here. She was horrified.
The elevator dinged its arrival, and Aerith barely even had a moment to compose herself as the doors opened to reveal the transportation mode was not empty. She struggled to breathe, doing her best to quiet her expression and appear more…positive, but then she caught a glimpse of who the occupant of the elevator was, and she was thrown off-balance once more.
"Rufus, you're here!" she exclaimed, doing her best to school her expression. Kunsel shifted nervously on his feet, giving a quick bow to the vice president of Shinra Electric Power Company. Rufus Shinra, whom she hadn't seen - or written to, if one didn't pay attention to the tabloids - in three years, had grown some, and yet somehow remained exactly the same. His calculated gaze was completed with his signature smirk as he met her eyes. His arms were crossed over a new navy suit – one that complimented her dress, she noticed inwardly. His hair was longer than she'd seen it before and was slicked back. He stood up from leaning against the elevator wall, removing himself from the mode of transport and joining them in the hallway.
"Of course I am," he replied impassively. "It's my birthday, after all."
Aerith mustered a smile up at him, giving him a quick touch on his arm. If she remembered correctly, he had never been much of a hugger.
"It's good to see you," she told him, hoping her expression conveyed this exact fact despite her insides thrumming angrily from her previous conversation. "Welcome home!"
Rufus brushed off the welcome, taking her hand and pressing his lips to it slightly. Ever the formal gentleman, she mused inwardly.
"Father asked me to escort you tonight," he said, eyes drifting over to Kunsel with distaste and a flash of annoyance. "SOLDIER, you can follow behind."
Kunsel looked about to say something, but he snapped his mouth shut and saluted. He shrugged slightly at Aerith, eyes apologetic, as he waited for them to step onto the elevator now. Rufus, still holding Aerith's hand, led her into the elevator.
"So…how have you been?" she asked, making her voice sound bright and innocent. Rufus's slight smirk grew more pronounced.
"You would know that if you'd written to me at all in the past three years," he replied, the smallest semblance of teasing in his tone. So he read the tabloids. Shoot.
"Sorry," she apologized, flustered. "I really am not good at that sort of thing. Most of what I do is to help the narrative…you know." She shrugged and smiled wryly at him. Her stomach was beginning to calm down, and she did her best to focus on the present.
"Yes, I do know that," Rufus agreed smoothly, tone low and thoughtful. "Has father spoken to you at all regarding tonight?"
Aerith shook her head and frowned slightly.
"He's been…busy," she replied vaguely, hinting at what they both knew was going on – he was hunting for his Promised Land. Rufus finally dropped her hand and chuckled to himself, in obvious agreement.
"That's an understatement," he said. "When I arrived this afternoon, he asked to see me. He has a new objective for us."
Aerith frowned at his…insinuating tone.
"And what would that be?" She asked cautiously, folding her hands together at her waist and peeking a quick glimpse at the stoic, quiet Kunsel in the corner. Her eyes darted up to the elevator floor indicator and saw they were almost there now. This was what felt like the longest elevator ride she'd had in awhile.
"You have been an excellent asset to the Shinra family," Rufus explained. "Your presence has assisted father and the company with public relations unlike we could have ever dreamed. With your primary objective now complete, he felt it was time for the next step."
"Spit it out, Rufus," she snapped lightly, frowning at him. He was dancing around the subject. He sighed and met her eyes, his own steely and dead serious.
"At the celebration tonight, father will be announcing our engagement," he told her without a hint of jesting.
Kunsel made a small noise behind her, but Aerith continued staring, mentally processing. Her brain was beginning to feel stretched from all of these bombshells being dropped on her, one after another.
"Engagement?" she whispered hoarsely, feeling her heart flutter anxiously at the unfamiliarity of the term on her tongue. Rufus nodded, crossing his arms again and turning away. The elevator slowed and came to a stop.
"It makes sense, of course," he said matter-of-factly, as if this was any other business proposition and not a…proposition. "After my three years away and the media's rundown of our…relationship, this is the next logical step."
Aerith's mouth was open as the elevator doors chimed. Rufus held out his arm, not unlike Kunsel had done a few moments earlier. When she didn't immediately show a sign of responding, he impatiently grabbed her hand and pulled her off the elevator.
"It's not that bad," he retorted as they moved along, at a much faster pace now. "Maybe someday, when I'm in charge of things, we can come to a better…arrangement. This is what he wants, and father always gets what he wants."
Aerith couldn't find the words to speak, and she could barely focus on even putting one foot in front of another. She felt like the room was spinning. Her breathing was a bit labored, she noticed, and a small voice inside her reminded her that she needed to mend that before stepping in front of the cameras.
"I will do all the talking," Rufus was saying now. "Just stand in front of them and look happy."
He slowed for a moment at the foot of the escalator that would take them up to the 63rd floor, softening his grip on her hand and turning back to her. He looked at her with pity, understanding. Rufus and she had never been very close, especially since he was seven years older than her. He had always seemed aloof and distant and never one to spend time with her when she was young. As they had grown older, they had been forced together for various spotlight opportunities, the dutiful, fashionable children that President Shinra cared so deeply about – on camera. The nicest thing Rufus had ever done for her was teach her some basic hand-to-hand combat and sneak her the precious fire materia she'd never used. This was before he had been sent away.
No, Aerith had never considered Rufus anything more than an unwilling brother and, later on, a strange almost-friend. The idea of being married to him was…she didn't even know what to think. She began to feel a bit warm in her dress, even with her bare skin's chilled goosebumps.
"Are you ready?"
Rufus broke through her thoughts, eyes penetrating into her mind. She gulped, schooled her expression into something soft and mysterious, and nodded. He seemed satisfied, and he wrapped his arm around hers formally as he led her up the escalator and into the barrage of vulturous media.
The next few minutes passed by in a blur. Aerith kept her mouth shut and let Rufus and her guardian do the talking. The announcement was brief and to the point: she caught a few words here and there, laying out the gist of a false budding romance and the intention of them to wed. The media had lapped it up like starving puppies, blinding her in their constant bombardment of camera flashes and hungry, greedy eyes. Aerith felt a squeeze on her hand at one point and she turned to look up at Rufus, who was significantly taller than her. He gave her the smallest of smiles, eliciting a collective sigh of adoration from the crowd.
Inside, Aerith was having an out-of-body experience. The detachment she felt from the scene she found herself in should have been more worrying, but all she could think about was the freedom she had lost – the freedom she had thought she could taste now that her "primary objective," as Rufus had so crudely put it, – was complete. She was beginning to digest that she would be stuck with Shinra for the rest of her life, a thought that completely and utterly terrified her. She had already given up fifteen years…could she really do another eighty or so?
The thought twisted in her gut and made her feel nauseous.
Thankfully, President Shinra concluded his birthday speech and led the way into the recreation center then, giving Aerith the perfect opportunity to quickly wipe one of her eyes from the tear that threatened to roll down her cheek. She matched pace with Rufus as they were led through the doors, past the operations center – which was alight with its own activity tonight – and into the recreation hall for the commencement of the celebrations.
Cheers erupted from the room as Rufus and she entered, startling Aerith. She did her best to smile and wave at the various employees of Shinra, including the entire cohort of SOLDIERS who had dressed in their uniforms – just like Kunsel – and were scattered amongst finely dressed employees. Her eyes sought Kunsel, who had been sent on ahead when they had reached the media, but she didn't have any luck on her first pass-through.
The recreation hall was decorated appropriately for Rufus's thirtieth birthday: formal tables draped in tasteful black tablecloths and surrounded by decorative chairs had replaced the usual relaxing furniture in the area. The usual centerpiece of the room, a single tree surrounded by a cacophony of wires and artificial light all bottled up behind a glass case, had been covered by hundreds of black and silver streamers, which glittered in the dim, colorful lighting provided by a music booth in front of it. Around the side of the room stretched a long, groaning buffet with every type of food she could ever imagine on it. A separate dessert table stood off to the side, a magnificent five-tiered cake its glistening centerpiece under the party lights.
Aerith was led by Rufus over to the table of honor in the middle of the room. The plates here had already been filled with a mouthwatering assortment of meats, cheeses, and other appetizer items. In any other moment, she would have been ecstatic by the feast. Tonight, she just felt sick to her stomach. Rufus helped her sit and she gratefully sank into the plush seat beneath her, her legs shaking from the stress and shock of her newfound fate. Rufus quietly poured ice water into the goblet in front of her, picking it up and handing it to her. He leaned closer to her ear.
"Father and I will make the rounds," he said under his breath. "You sit and work on your expression."
He didn't say this unkindly, but the idea that she still had to do this shook her to the core. Aerith nodded once, biting her lower lip and not meeting his eyes. Rufus strolled off to meet President Shinra, the two of them beginning to work their way through the hundreds of people scattered throughout the floor.
For a few needed moments, Aerith was alone. Music began to pulse beneath her feet as speakers played a soft, formal song to accompany the mingling of the guests. Aerith dug in the folds of her dress for the hidden pocket she had requested, pulling out one of her seldom-used PHS's and bringing it to life. She had a message from Kunsel, to her relief.
Sorry, it read. I had no idea they were planning this. It's going to make it more difficult for us to talk…you probably shouldn't be alone with another guy. I'll keep an eye out for you-know-who.
Tears brimmed at the words, Aerith took a shaky breath and fought her emotions, typing back a quick Thank you, Kunsel before pocketing her PHS once more. She took the goblet and drank the rest of the glass as quickly as she could, hoping the cold water would douse her emotions and give her the courage to continue on. She was beginning to feel rather hopeless at the situation. She watched as people mingled together, eyes constantly darting her way and then leaving again. Of course she would be the talk of the night – or rather, her engagement to Rufus Shinra, heir to the mako throne would be. When Rufus joined her again a few minutes later, the president having retired for the evening, she felt a bit more in control of her emotions. He signaled the beginning of the dinner portion of the evening and waved over the waiting servers, who deposited delicious samplings of the food in front of them. Aerith smiled as thankfully as she could at her server, a young woman with a pale complexion and long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. The server nodded and returned to her post.
"They really went all out tonight, didn't they," Rufus said conversationally as he eyed his plate. "Father made sure all of my favorites were on the menu."
"Mmm-hmm," Aerith replied softly, picking up her soup spoon and dipping into the delicious-smelling bowl of onion soup in front of her. She dug through the cheesy top, scooping out a dark broth. Taking the lightest sip, she let the hot, comforting broth slide down her throat and warm her insides. She was still feeling a bit ill, but not nearly as badly as before. Soup was her comfort item, and she was grateful she had been given some.
"Would you like a spring wedding?" Rufus asked then, putting down his fork and eyeing her carefully. "I know it's still a lot to take in, so the sooner we get it over with, the better."
Aerith shivered a bit, quickly setting down her spoon as well and folding her hands in her lap.
"Whatever you would like," she said, voice docile and light as she accepted that the future would continue steamrolling right toward her whether or not she protested. She pushed her bowl away, instead refilling her water goblet and taking a light sip.
"Would you like something stronger?" Rufus asked with a slight frown.
Aerith shook her head more vigorously than she initially intended.
"I'm fine," she answered. "Thank you."
They sat in a pregnant silence for a few more moments, Rufus calmly picking away at his loaded plate. Aerith stared at her water goblet, disassociating herself further from where she was at the moment. She wished she was with Kunsel. Hell, she wished she were with Zack, even if it was back in the lifestream. Anywhere would be better than this.
She didn't realize how much time had passed until Rufus gently tapped her on the shoulder gently. She started, glancing up to see he was standing next to her. His arm was extended, face a mask of politeness.
"May I have this dance?" he asked gently. Aerith took in a breath, realizing she had been in almost a trance, and she quickly glanced around them to see that the majority of others had begun to mingle again, while dinner was beginning to be cleared. Tables had been cleared away to leave an open space in front of the large centerpiece tree, and bright, slow colors were dancing their way across the floor and reflecting on its black, polished surface. A slower song was now playing.
Knowing she probably didn't have a choice in the manner, Aerith accepted his hand, leaving her scarf in her seat and following him to the dance floor. The space was empty and mingling voices dimmed as the music was turned up more. Rufus put one hand delicately on her waist and folded his other in her hand. She rested her hand on his shoulder and allowed herself to follow his lead across the floor to an easygoing waltz.
"I would speak, but I'm concerned that whatever I say is the wrong thing," Rufus murmured as he twirled her. She took an even breath, returning to their pose as she glanced quickly up at his eyes.
"It's a lot to process," she spoke finally, voice coming in almost a half whisper. "It will take some time."
"No doubt." Rufus pulled her a bit closer then, and she shuddered a bit at his touch.
"I – I think I need some air," she gasped softly. He halted instantly, putting both hands on her shoulders and leaning in to do the most affectionate thing she'd ever seen him do: he kissed her forehead.
"Very well," he said smoothly. "Would you like me to accompany you?"
Aerith shook her head. "If you don't mind, I…would like to be alone for a few minutes."
Rufus nodded and dropped his hands, grasping hers and kissing it lightly. Aerith picked up on a few "awwwws" from what she realized was now a floor full of dancers who had their eyes on them. She blushed, lurching away from Rufus and the entire charade while she made her escape. She fled out the door to the recreation hall, made it past the army of personnel in the operations center, and carefully peeked her head out to see the media room had cleared at the top of the escalators. On the other end of the room, past the glass elevators, she could see her destination and was relieved to find the door was open. Glancing left and right once to make sure she was truly alone save for a few lingering partygoers chatting in more intimate settings, she strode out the doors and marched to the open air of her personal escape.
The balcony this door led to was one she hadn't been on before, but she was familiar with the layout of the building and its similarly-structured upper floors. The open-air gated platform gave a wide expansive view of the northern side of Midgar, at least five of its impressive reactors, and the twinkling lights of the massive city below. Aerith stepped out into the cold December air, the flush from being inside the warm space and surrounded by other bodies keeping the chill out, at least momentarily. She was relieved to see she was alone. Gazing at the skyline that showed her nothing but black beyond the monumental green columns of mako energy coming from the reactors, she wondered what the world was like; what freedom was like.
Aerith rested her arms on the railing, quickly losing the battle to stop tears that threatened to fall. The overwhelming dread that pooled into her heart and spread to her limbs had her trembling and sobbing within moments, as she stared down at the impossibly far drop and wondered if this would be easier than living. For a single, tense moment, it seemed a proper option. But she shook her head, angry with herself for even considering the notion. No matter what, Aerith knew as the last Cetra she owed it to her people to keep on living, to keep on protecting the planet and its people from those that would cause it harm. Fat lot of good that had done her so far.
"Champagne?"
The low, male voice cut through the chilly breeze and she quickly wiped her eyes, quieting her tears and taking in deep breaths.
"Um, no thank you," she answered shakily, voice high-pitched and not sounding at all okay. "I'm…not really in the mood for a drink."
A presence leaned against the railing near her but not too closely, facing her as they held two glasses.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded, hiccupping slightly and doing her best to put on a smile as she greeted the stranger. He was a SOLDIER, smaller in stature with an uncertain expression in his baby blue and mako green eyes. He had the wildest hair she'd ever seen: a natural blond that stuck up in unnatural directions, but still managed to frame his rather delicate face.
"Thank you for the offer," she said gratefully, letting out a bashful smile as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "Ugh, I probably look like such a mess."
"Are you…unhappy?" the SOLDIER asked, uncertainty lacing his voice as much as it danced across his expression.
Aerith laughed a little, leaning back on the railing and gazing out at the sky again. "You could say that," she said softly, her voice almost getting carried away in the wind. Her bare arms were beginning to recognize the freezing temperatures, and she realized she was shivering. "It's been an…unexpected day."
"You mean about the engagement."
He said it so matter-of-factly he almost sounded like Rufus Shinra for a moment. Aerith side-eyed him, startled by his intense expression. He still clutched the glasses of champagne, all but forgetting they were in his hands.
"Yeah," she sighed, happy that she didn't recognize this stranger. Getting everything off her chest was so tempting right now… "I, uh…wasn't consulted on the decision, that's all."
Aerith made a decision then, and she sank to the ground, folding her legs underneath her while the skirts of her dressed pooled out around her. She glanced up at the SOLDIER and patted the ground next to her.
"Join me," she encouraged with a soft smile and a sniffle. The SOLDIER looked alarmed for a few moments, and it was almost as if she could see the gears turning in his head. He looked utterly confused, an expression that made her giggle and forget her worries for a moment. "You must be new here," she kindly continued as he finally found the courage to join her on the ground. He set the glasses to the side, choosing to rest an arm casually on his knee while his other one supported his upper body. He faced the city but glanced out of the corner of his eyes at her as she spoke. "Most SOLDIERS don't usually have the guts to talk to me, especially now that I'm…engaged." She spat the last word like it tasted disgusting in her mouth.
"Uh, yeah," the SOLDIER replied lowly, more to himself than to her. "I'm new."
"Well, I appreciate the company, Mister SOLDIER," she said, sniffling again as she turned her gaze back to the city too. Mako reactor one sat right in front of her, spewing fine particles into the air and leaving an aurora of sorts on her eyes. "It's been a tough last few months, and tonight has just been the icing on the worst tasting cake in history. I wish I could run away to some far-off continent and live simply," she daydreamed with a small, wistful smile. "Do you have any stories of your adventures, SOLDIER? Have you traveled the world?"
All was quiet from the other, and Aerith continued smiling, not feeling the pregnant pause she had felt when around Rufus. For some reason, she seemed to sense that this person was a slow, calculated thinker, and it didn't bother her in the slightest. She just sat, feeling her breathing and her heart-rate calm as she enjoyed the evening with somebody who wasn't pressuring her to think or to speak outside of what she wanted to think or say. It was a refreshing change of pace for her.
"I'm from the country," the SOLDIER replied after a long few, hesitant moments. "I'm new to the city."
She sighed. "I wish I was new to the city," she said, turning her head slightly to face him. "Do you even know who I am?"
The question was half-heartedly hopeful, but there was recognition in his eyes.
"You're President Shinra's ward." The words tumbled quickly out of his mouth before he could stop them, and he looked surprised he had even said anything.
Aerith turned her head away again.
"Yup," she replied glumly. "That's me. Token female distraction who does the most powerful man in the world's bidding. Including marrying his son." She shuddered again, this time not just from the chill. She glanced back at the two champagne glasses. "You know, maybe I will take you up on your offer." She reached for the champagne glass closer to her. She was surprised when he reached out too, knocking the glass over almost seemingly on purpose. Shards of glass flew everywhere.
"Here, have mine," he said, rushing to shove the other glass at her. Aerith frowned, watching as he seemingly nervously started sweeping up the glass shards into one pile. He ducked his head, avoiding her gaze, but she could have sworn she saw his face tinged a bit pink. Aerith took a small sip of the champagne, letting the bubbles dance on her tongue before she swallowed. The alcohol did its work quickly, releasing a bit of the tension she hadn't known she was holding in her shoulders.
"Ah, shit," the SOLDIER swore as he cut his palm on a piece of glass. Aerith set her champagne down and frowned, scooting closer.
"Here, let me see," she demanded, grabbing his wrist and practically hauling him towards her. He stumbled on his knees, mumbling grumpily to himself as he resigned himself to being looked at. The cut hadn't gone too deep, but blood was already seeping from the wound and pooling up in rapidly growing bubbles.
"I'm fine," he insisted indignantly. Aerith laughed again, loving the way he acted almost like he had wounded his pride instead of his palm.
"Here, let me help," she insisted, pulling up the folds of her skirt to reveal a simple white slip underneath. She tore at the fabric, feeling a small thrill of excitement as she did so. The thin strip of cloth ran ragged as it departed from where it had been woven, but it would do the trick.
"You didn't have to ruin your dress," he complained as she tugged at his arm, forcing his palm back open and carefully wrapping it. "I'll heal quickly."
"I know," she replied easily, knotting the fabric. "I'm not given access to any healing materia, but I can certainly do all I can to help." She sighed, finally letting his arm go. He withdrew it like he'd been stung. "It is my job on this planet, after all."
Aerith brushed down the folds of her dress, smoothing out where she had bunched it up before. She resumed her gazing, surprised at the moodiness that had overtaken her. It was true that normally she wasn't much of a crier, but the past few months had left a bit too much of a stain on her heart to let her be anything otherwise. The headstrong side of her resurfacing was actually refreshing.
"What do you mean by that?" the SOLDIER asked then, readjusting to cross his legs, glass shards momentarily forgotten.
Aerith cocked an eyebrow at him. "You really aren't from around here, are you?" she laughed. "I'm the last Cetra on the planet. Ancient, maybe?"
He shrugged, not comprehending her words.
"The Cetra lived thousands of years ago," she explained, closing her eyes and tilting her head to the sky. "The original stewards of the planet. They held a special bond with the lifestream and the planet herself. They even created materia. I'm…the last of them."
She felt a single tear slip down her cheek, but luckily it seemed like this was the last of the tears her eyes wanted to shed for now. She felt the breeze hit her face, chilling her lips and freezing the tear's track. It was getting pretty cold.
"I can help you get away."
Aerith blinked in surprise, tilting her head back down to confusedly glance at the SOLDIER. His stare was intense and dead serious.
"What are you talking about?" she asked with a quick laugh and smile.
He leaned in closer. "I can help," he insisted, blue-green orbs fierce in their in their genuine offer. "I can get you out of here."
Aerith frowned now, eyes wide. What was he saying?
Then a memory from earlier in the evening suddenly sparked at her, igniting her attention more. "Are you Avalanche?" she whispered, jerking back a little. After all, she was certain she'd met every SOLDIER in Shinra during her time here, and this face was not at all familiar.
He opened his mouth to answer. Before he could, the entire world exploded.
Cloud
Cloud cursed the universe when it delivered to him the absolute worst timing he could imagine. He had been that close to convincing this girl to join him willingly, rather than following through with the original, cruder plan. His split-second decision to deviate from the norm had left even him with whiplash, but something about the innocence, the kindness that she emulated had given him pause.
He felt and saw at the same time the explosion he'd been bracing for since he had followed Shinra's ward outside. He saw the eruption of green and orange fighting for dominance on her the girl's – Aerith's? – face. The orange won out rather quickly as the blast of hot, rancid air hit the back of his neck with an accompanying ear-shattering sound that made him flinch.
Shit.
Her eyes widened in surprise and fright, and Cloud watched through the mirror of her strangely familiar bright green eyes as the erupting smoke billowed up from the reactor, snuffing out the green plume of mako that had been pleasantly polluting the sky. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock, stifling a surprised scream. Cloud whipped his head around to look too, momentary shock stunning his features. Sure, he had known there would be a bit of an explosion, but – this was the entire reactor. As he stared, the power in sector one flickered off in a quick flash. Even from way up here, he thought he could hear screams.
"What happened?" she asked in horror, pulling herself to her feet and gripping the railing with wide eyes. Cloud jumped up next to her, looking quickly from the reactor to her stricken face.
"I – I don't know," he said, voice hoarse.
She turned on him, a flash of anger and fear on her face.
"You don't?" she demanded, taking a purposeful step back from him to put some distance between them. She clearly wasn't trusting him now. "You're Avalanche, aren't you? Is this you?"
Cloud realized his mouth was hanging open and he shut it quickly, head spinning from trying to communicate.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this," he told her, detesting the pleading that crept up in his wavering tone. "They said they were going to stop the reactor. Not…hurt anyone."
Aerith threw up her hands. "Well they did anyway," she shrieked, jumping as a secondary explosion from sector eight hit them. She quickly leaned over, peering desperately at the smoke quickly obstructing the area below. "All those people… How are you okay with this?"
"I'm not," he rushed quickly before he could think. "I came here instead."
This caught her off-guard, and Aerith quieted for a moment, fiery expression dimming somewhat as she stared, transfixed, at the burning reactor. Sector eight's power flickered off for a few moments before coming back in full force. He could see small fires and smoke billowing up from the sectors surrounding the reactor.
"Why are you here?" she asked quietly this time, fear evident in her tone. "Do you want to hurt me?"
Cloud looked at her, confused. Why would she assume that? If anything, he was probably the only person here who didn't want to hurt her.
"No," he replied. "I wanted…to help." It wasn't the initial plan and Cloud knew it, but it couldn't hurt to tell the truth he'd decided on now. After all, he'd purposely knocked over the glass that held the drugs that were meant to knock her out, something that he realized with a small guilty feeling that Tifa would be upset with him over. But he had heard this girl, seen her torment and her hopelessness. He had made a decision that she could come willingly if he could provide an escape.
"I want to help you," he said again, a bit more boldly this time. "I can get you out of here and keep you safe."
Aerith's eyes were transfixed on his face now, and she was involuntarily shaking her head. "Tseng said Avalanche wanted to hurt me," she whispered, taking yet another step back. She was retreating and he was losing her. His mission was falling apart and it was all his fault.
"Shit," Cloud swore to himself, turning back to grip the railing and glare at the reactor. Connecting with people was too difficult and menial a task for him to have attempted before now. Where was Tifa? She was much better at this. "Look, I…"
He didn't get to finish, as somebody new called out to them as they advanced onto the balcony.
"Hey there princess, there you are!"
Aerith and Cloud both turned their heads to greet the newcomer, an obvious Turk with a pile of red hair pulled back in a smooth ponytail and an easy cocky grin masking obvious nervousness as his eyes darted over to the exploded reactor behind them. The Turk looked Aerith up and down as if to make sure she was okay before turning to Cloud.
"And who are you?" he asked suspiciously, fingers twitching while a mag rod dropped from where it had been hidden up his sleeve.
Cloud was caught. He knew it before he could even open his mouth. He looked back at Aerith quickly, seeing her cautious expression as she stared at him. In the back of his mind, he was thinking of all the ways he could fight his way out of here. Sure, this Turk was the only one in his way now, but chances were others were not far behind, and there was certainly no way he would be able to take the girl with him, willingly or not. Not now.
"He's a new recruit," Aerith supplied, surprising both the Turk and Cloud. Cloud's eyes widened and he studied her face. She was composing a mask now, one that he had seen on her face before when he was watching her at the party. She was clearly a good actress. But why was she protecting him?
The Turk scoffed. "Well that would explain why he doesn't know the rules," he said with a threatening undertone as he lifted the mag rod up and rested it against his shoulder. "The lady is taken, kid. You're going to get in trouble with the big man himself if you don't listen."
"It's my fault," Aerith rushed, again shocking Cloud who could barely get a word in edgewise. "It was nice to talk to somebody new for once. Please don't be mean to him, Reno."
The Turk – Reno – rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, princess," he drawled, lowering his weapon. "Prince Charming is looking for you. He wanted to make sure you were safe. But obviously, newbie here was making sure you were." Eyes narrowed on him and Cloud set his expression, narrowing his eyes at this obviously cocky son of a bitch. Something about his personality grated against his skull, making a faint, familiar headache threaten to rear its head. Ugh, not now.
"Of course," Aerith was saying. "I'll be right in. I just wanted to say one more thing." She smiled through the worry on her face, doing her best to reassure him. Reno nodded but decided not to add any more input, turning around and stalking back to the door to wait.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Aerith was suddenly in Cloud's face. "Do you have a PHS?" she asked breathlessly, voice hard but not unkind. Cloud blinked at her, shocked at the turnaround.
"A – what?" He asked, confused. "Uh no, I don't have one."
Aerith huffed as she rummaged through the folds of her skirts, looking for something. After a few moments of an eerie calm while the fire lazily licked against the reactor behind them and the smoke began to lift to the air, dispersing as it rose, she pulled out a PHS. She unlocked it and fumbled around on it for a few moments.
"Is he watching?" she murmured as she worked. Cloud's eyes drifted over to Reno the Turk. He was watching the mangled reactor with unreadable eyes. Cloud shook his head.
Aerith handed him her PHS. Cloud looked at her in confusion, slowly reaching up to take it.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked suspiciously. Was she trying to track him back to the rest of Avalanche or something? Aerith sighed, losing her fierce composure for a few moments. Her face betrayed her true emotions, a mixture of sadness and weariness. It was as if she had visibly deflated in front of him. His chest joined the faint pounding against the back of his skull with an equally low pang.
"If you're Avalanche, then you can reach out to my friend Kunsel," she said quietly. "We're looking for some information about a friend who was killed. Avalanche said they could help. Maybe…if I can figure out what happened to him, maybe I'll take you up on your offer." Her green eyes, mingled with the orange of the flames down below, burned with a determination that nearly took his breath away. Cloud nodded and pocketed the PHS.
"I'll see what I can do," he promised. Aerith's returning smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I programmed my other number in there if you need anything. Be careful – sometimes they check my communications. Don't give yourself away."
Cloud nodded and watched as she turned around to walk to Reno. She paused, glancing over her shoulder again.
"I never caught your name, Mister SOLDIER," she said with a soft smile. He looked back at the reactor and back to her face, chest pounding a bit more.
"Cloud," he said. "Cloud Strife."
"Well, Cloud Strife, I hope to be hearing from you very soon." He watched as she applied the mask to her face once more, turning back and marching like an obedient child back to its scolding parent. Reno shot a suspicious glare over her shoulder as he ushered her back inside, and Cloud sighed in frustration, hand rubbing his temple as the headache grew. He would be returning home empty and out of luck. His first mission was a complete failure.
