ii.

We'd been traveling for a couple hours when we spotted a small settlement at the bank of a wide river up north. We were trying to get to the caves within a couple of days. We had little time to stop outside of the scheduled rest times I had planned for the group but the minute we saw what the settlement actually was, as we finally neared it, nothing I could have done would have stopped them. Aerith and Tifa stole a glance at each other and within a moment they were gone, off to the glittering lights of the camp. A traveling market.

It was nearing dusk and we had to stop soon regardless but I had hoped to get a few more hours on the road that day. Beyond I saw Tifa and Aerith holding hands, looking at the first booth in awe, pointing to each other the various trinkets and accessories that glistened on the velvety tables. There were over a dozen booths set up, colorful tarps draped over tall poles attractively and the traveling merchants had placed elaborate displays at every corner. Soft yellow lights were strung above and through each roof. The lights emitted a dull warm glow but it was plenty to see by and the long shadows they caused gave the place a mysterious yet welcoming atmosphere.

"Will you look at that?!" Barett said behind him. He set his bags on the ground and waved his hands around as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He grumbled, "I can't believe what I'm seeing! I expect this behaviour from Aerith but Tifa?! Women! Am I right?" He looked around to Red but the stately dog just shook his head, "Don't let them catch you saying that if you intend on living another day." Barett just crossed his arms and muttered something I didn't catch.

"I mean, we were going to have to stop soon anyway." I said resigned, trying to keep up with a certain pink bow bobbing up and down in the crowd.

"Well… I guess I can see if I can find something for Marlene down there. There's bound to be something she'll like" Barrett made a show of looking around. "Guessing this is as good a place as any to set camp. Lookout for our stuff there Spikey." I was only half listening to Barrett but I nodded my head and saw him tumble down the hill towards the floating lights. Red came up beside me and sat down on all fours, placing his head on his front paws and closing his eyes. I looked towards him curiously and he said, eyes still closed, "You should go down there too, Cloud." Had he noticed how my eyes bore down every inch of the place, how hard I was trying not to lose sight of Aerith's elusive figure dancing around each tent? Just then I had noticed how she pulled Tifa close each time she wanted to show her something new, how she whispered in her ear and laughed her twinkling laugh, interlacing her fingers into hers. Did Red somehow notice I was standing in a form of my own personal living hell?

I shook my head, "No, there's no reason for me to go down there. I should start setting up camp. Why don't you go instead." Red opened his eyes at this and gave me an incredulous look, "I wonder how a big talking dog might fare in a traveling market packed with people?"

"I keep forgetting…" I began but Red just laughed. Or at least I thought he did. I noticed his eyes wander over the market, in the soft glow of the lights below us his eyes gleamed with a steady radiance. Without looking at me he said slowly, "I think you would find it would make you feel better if you just told Aerith how you felt."

There was a brief silence. I could hear the steady beat of my heart accelerating.

"You know, maybe I will go down there for a bit. It wouldn't hurt to restock on supplies." I managed to say as casually as possible and I strode down the hill. Before I entered the loud and boisterous settlement I chanced a glance towards Red but I noticed he had his eyes closed again, tail swishing behind him lazily in the wind.

"Come right up sir, we have the rarest Materia this side Midgar! Can't find better rates here!" Merchants all around me yelled in their most enticing voices. The noise was deafening but there was a certain type of order to it all, I could tell that in the chaos deliberate planning had been taken to make sure their wares caught your eye. I paid little attention to them as I made my way through the crowd, hoping to catch Aerith or Tifa somewhere amongst the sea of bodies. I could hear the river on my right, the gentle pull of the water somewhere in the dark edges of this bright place. I moved into a booth to get my bearings, a small accessory stand with a simple round table, a rack adorned with different armors and leathers and a short woman standing at the very back. She looked up and smiled, beckoning me to come in further. I stepped in looking around. There wasn't much we didn't already own; not too long ago Tifa had restocked and updated our supplies in Kalm but I made a quick show of looking around, if only to take a second away from the crowd outside.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for, young man?" The woman said, taking a step forward. I shook my head and readied myself to exit but she came closer again and said warmly, "You haven't even seen everything yet! We have some new accessories just over here." She motioned to the table she had set up farther inside, the wares illuminated by a small lamp hung overhead. I looked over and sighed, I was still thinking about Aerith. I knew she'd be okay- Tifa was with her after all- but I'd feel better if I was there too. I could almost imagine Aerith's reaction when I'd find them, the indignant huff she'd give me, another finger jabbed at my chest, a "I can take care of myself, Cloud!" I looked down at the table and saw nothing out of the usual. There were a couple of wrist cuffs and bangles, a headdress and elbow guards. "I think I'm okay here…" I said but something caught my eye.

At the edge of the table were a pair of small emerald earrings, their light shone dimly but they were rich in color. Impressive. I felt my face grow hot as my mind went back to the first time I'd met her. How her deep green eyes were the only thing I came back to for days. The merchant noticed where my gaze had landed and she picked them up gently bringing them closer to me. I came out of my trance and the merchant displayed the earring on the back of her hand, bringing them to eye level.

"You have great taste. These earrings are lovely are they not? What's more they grant the wearer a small boost when wielding magic. Not too much but enough to matter in a sticky situation."

She placed them gently in my hand, patting them reassuringly.

"How much?" I said, trying to steady my voice.

"Let's see…" She paused deliberately and seemed to scan my face. I tried to put an air of indifference but that only made her crack a small smile. "500 gil"

"Oh, that's it." I said surprised. Some magic accessories could go for tens of thousands.

"Yeah," the woman shrugged "the earrings are lovely, yes, but they aren't made out of any special gem. My guess is that it's dyed crystal fortified with tiny flakes of materia. They truly only grant the slightest magical boost after all."

I nodded "I'll take them." I paid her and she reached for the earrings, placing them in a small brown pouch. The pouch was simple but elegant, a flowery pattern embroidered on the sides.

"That's a service for you boy. When you give them to her, you want to make sure they're presentable at least." Was I truly so easy to read? Before I got too flustered I pocketed the earrings and with a small nod I exited the booth and went back into the crowd.

This time I didn't have to wander around as much, I found Aerith and Tifa sitting on a bench by a small clearing. Or rather they found me. "Hey Cloud! over here!" Tifa said, waving to me enthusiastically. Here the booths had turned to food stands, the various smells wafting over to me before I even reached them. They were sharing what seemed to be a small bag of fried seasoned meat. Aerith was in between mouthfuls when she looked up at me and gave an upwards turn of her head as a greeting. "Hey"

Every tense feeling I'd felt earlier melted when I saw her and I tried to hide my relief by ignoring her remark and turning to Tifa.

"Would you like some?" Tifa asked, offering the bag towards me as Aerith began to protest.

"Wait a minute! Cloud has to get his own!" But she was smiling as she moved over and opened up a spot so I could sit.

I sat down between them and turned towards Tifa though I was deeply aware of Aerith's eyes on me, her chin resting on her hand, her legs crossed.

"Did you buy anything?" I asked Tifa, trying to focus.

"Ah no! We were just looking. It's best that we don't buy anything unnecessary since we're carrying so much already" I noticed Tifa's smile falter and I said quickly,

"I'm not quite sure why both of you thought it was a good idea to run down here in the first place!"

Aerith gave an exasperated sigh, "We were going to set up camp sooner or later! It's not everyday one stumbles upon a traveling market"

"It's a real waste of time, that's what it is," I said, turning to look at her finally .

Aerith raised an eyebrow "Well why'd you bother coming down yourself hmm?"

"I…"

Mentioning that I wanted to keep an eye on her would just get her worked up, so I lied. I turned away from her and back to Tifa. "I figured I could pick up some supplies for the road, since we're here anyhow."

"Ok, well what supplies did you pick up?"

"I didn't find anything."

"Well,that's a real waste of time isn't it"

"Aerith" Tifa said with a small chuckle. Feeling like I couldn't win I shrugged and tried not to seem bothered. I wasn't really but I felt my face flush as I heard her twinkling laugh. I took the bag Tifa was holding and ate, occasionally glancing at Aerith. Chin in her hand she looked up to me with her deep green eyes, the same color as the earrings in my pocket but also I thought- the same color as grass, fresh leaves and summertime.

We made our way to camp slowly, Tifa and Aerith still wanted to look around and I didn't bother them as they weaved their way through the crowd. We found Barrett at some point. He had bought some small trinkets, a doll and what looked like a new gun attachment. The girls went over to him and I followed closely behind. I noticed the way the lights above landed on Aerith's shoulders and how she seemed to glow from within. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and her hands were expressive, she'd touch her face often and sometimes she clasped her hands together when something surprised her. And sometimes she'd touch her lips very gently and I'd have to look away for a moment. She hardly turned to look at me, or at least I thought so. I could see myself imagining completely the small flicker of her eyes towards me. The next moment she was back to talking to Barret and Tifa, her voice the loudest among them. I can recount in great detail everything she did because in those moments I'd close my eyes and tried to imprint her in my memory. Back then I would replay that supercut of images as I fell asleep, hoping to meet her in dreams and reveling in the presence of her near me. Now, it is all I have to remember her by.