Once upon a time, there was a Godly valley with mountains that could touch the sky and trees that cast long shadows. The people who live in the small mountain town are hardworking and happy, so long as they never stray into the forest where the wolves lurk in the darkness. Adults brave the trees in groups to hunt the vicious pack as they have for decades, the conflict is deep with no sign of victory for either side. But wolves are not the only threat, nor the village's only secret - and the link connecting them is a simple cloak of Red ...
Every night, from the highest peak of the uninhabited mountains, a single Wolf howls to the good folk of the valley – as a warning, as a message, and as a reminder of what they did:
"Beware, beware, the Path where the Witch once stood. Beware, beware, of the Wolf in the Wood."
Cover art: thequalityrunaway DOT tumblr DOT COMpany/ post/138570607597/for-confessions-of-the-red-cloak-au-once-upon-a
Aerith danced downstairs in front of her Father, a bouquet of flowers in her arms "They're so beautiful, Father, you shouldn't have."
Gast smiled as Aerith continued to walk around the kitchen like she was walking on air, carrying her surprise like priceless jewels, Aerith watched his eyes twinkle as he watched her. "To see that smile I would buy you a meadow of flowers," he boasted. Aerith caught his hand and kissed his cheek in thanks, having said so a dozen times or more.
Her Father blushed at the tips of his ears, "I know you miss having a garden, darling, I'm sure there are some pots that can hold some small bulbs, or-"
Aerith shushed him at once, "Don't ruin some of Elmyra's pots for that! I have a wonderful friend who lives just inside the trees and she promised me I could come to her garden whenever I liked." She filled a pot with water and arranged the flowers on the windowsill, watching the weak daylight cast new vividness to the colours and to the warmth of the petals. Some were paper thin and delicate like an old woman's hands, and others were bright and bold like a Prince's coat of arms. Aerith touched the delicate petals absently, "Lady Edea's very kind to me."
"Is that where you've been off to all these days?" her Father wondered, sitting at the table with a broad smile having observed her every move, it had been a while since Aerith had been the centre of his attention and she realised he had missed it as much as she had.
"Yes, I love it there, working the Earth helps me remember Mother …" with a final touch to the soft petals she stood away and let them settle into their new home, thinking that the kitchen already appeared brighter for their presence.
"Perhaps I should visit her and pay her my thanks for your smiles," Gast pondered. "Would you be so kind as to introduce me?"
Aerith clapped her hands "Oh I'd love to- I might have to leave you partway through the day, though, I promised someone I would take a walk with them today," she warned, remembering Zack's second date he had promised her.
Gast waved a hand "Never mind an old man hanging about, if you have to meet someone while we're out you should go and be with your friends. I shall fetch my stick, and we'll be off so I can spend as much time with you as I am able. I won't stay long either, my new project requires a lot of attention," he grinned, "I'm sure you'll be interested once I have something of substance written down."
"As always Papa!" Aerith returned his smile and pulled on her boots, it had been a while since her Father had made time to spend together. Elmyra had gone to market earlier, and she had not asked Aerith to come with her so Aerith suspected that this had been planned at least a day in advance. Elmyra was always trying to get her out of the house and out of her gardens and doing something productive, like cooking or cleaning or reciting prayers.
Aerith brushed those thoughts aside and pulled the red cloak on her shoulders and waited by the door with her basket. I hope I can bring back more herbs today, they taste marvelous.
Gast reappeared with a thick city coat and a walking stick that he carried more for habit than for medical ailments, although Aerith had to admit he needed something to lean on more now than ever as his grief for his wife sapped his strength. Nevertheless, he stepped smartly out of the door and looked up at the white sky "Hmm, perhaps we should wear some hats to ward off the rain."
Aerith shut the door and stood by him "It shouldn't rain until this evening, the air isn't heavy enough," she commented casually, the clouds and the wind had told her everything the moment she woke up, and she was rarely wrong.
"Just like your Mother," Gast sighed, eyes far away "She always knew what the day was going to do as well. So, this way?" he pointed.
Aerith looped an arm through his "This way, Father," she giggled.
"Ah! Of course."
"Lady Edea!"
The old woman was weaving baskets when Aerith called for her, she waved from her doorstep, and her eyes wrinkled at the edges as she smiled: "Back again, my dear?"
Aerith blushed a little, stepping into the clearing and feeling a subtle tension leave her the moment she was engulfed in the private domain, "I hope you don't mind at all."
Edea gently dismissed her cautiousness instantly "Nonsense! You've been a delight since I first met you, and such a helpful hand around the house too." With a nod to the gentlemen standing beside Aerith, she trained her smile on him. "How do you do sir?" she pulled herself to her feet with a little difficulty and extended a thin and worn hand to the Professor.
"Good Morning, Lady Edea. My daughter has praised you highly on our way here, I'm glad she's made a friend with fingers as green as hers," he took her hand after briefly fumbling with his walking stick, unable to think with his fingers and his mouth simultaneously.
Edea chuckled and shook the larger hand with a smile "I have enjoyed her company. What may I call you?"
"Oh, this is my Father, Professor Gast," Aerith introduced quickly, as she spotted Gast's ears turning red when he realised his error in forgetting his name. Aerith spared him as quick as she could, "He really wanted to meet you."
The old woman's eyebrows rose a little at her introduction, with a tone of awe she addressed the now composed man, "A professor? I don't believe I've ever met a man of science."
Gast chuckled "Most are hiding as Clerics and Artists, I've found."
"Father studies the properties of plants and their relationship with people," Aerith interjected.
Unable to hide his enthusiasm for his work, Gast indulged them both in a little more, and his bashfulness faded. "Indeed! Though it may be old news for some, plants have shown us their wonders for years and years, and yet only a certain few can listen. I have looked into why this is, the talent or training within a person that allows them to hear the Earth- though I do hope I am not boring you."
Edea shook her head "Not at all, good Professor, I too have had a lifetime with these plants, and I've learnt them well." She waved a hand to her left like introducing a friend, "I know that some plants prefer the shade and others the sun, some prefer the soil tight around the roots to keep them warm, and others can tough through the cold with roots that reach and breath deep in the Earth." She tucked her hair behind her head "It has taken a lifetime, but I can now understand what a plant is saying to me to help it grow."
"Fascinating!" the professor's hands twitched as if he wished to write something down "Perhaps, if it isn't too rude to ask, I could ask you questions upon the signs these plants give to communicate their desires? My research could use a little inside knowledge."
Edea was pleased, a spot of colour appeared on her cheeks as he praised her simple art of living. "If you ask I will answer as best I can, but sometimes there is no sign that you can see, but one you can feel." She opened the door to her house "I may be lacking for chairs, but would you both like something to eat or drink? At the very least we can sit by the warm fire," she smiled.
Gast stepped inside, and his eyes widened at the many pots of herbal ointments "Quite the living you make, Lady Edea," he picked up one and inhaled it briefly before sneezing.
Aerith took it off him "Father!" she put it back "Don't meddle with other people's things," Gast turned a slight red at the scolding, muttering to himself that he was silly for getting carried away.
Edea laughed at them both, Aerith blushed and put her hands behind her back when she realised the reverse domestics that had just occurred – a daughter scolding her Father, for most traditional families she would have been clipped around the ear or stared at. But Edea didn't seem to mind the strange relationship they had, she patted her on the back kindly, "Oh he wasn't doing any harm, that pollen does cause many people to sneeze. Oh, Zack stopped by earlier, Aerith, he said you were going on another walk?"
Gast raised an eyebrow "Your friend is a boy?"
Aerith giggled nervously "Yes, Father. And, yes to your question too Edea. He's an excellent guide through the woods."
Edea nodded "I should think so, after running wild in them all these years," she poured some hot water onto some leaves. "I believe that boy and his friends spend more time in the woods than they do by a warm fire … is mint to your liking?" she held up a clay cup.
Everyone was soon seated, with Aerith standing impatiently by the door for her date, sipping their tea and making polite small-talk between questions of herbal living and scientific research. Aerith wondered how often a Catholic and a Scientist, who had no opinion on Religion, had had a nice little tea party like this, speaking openly and with more acceptance than should have been possible. As the mint made her mouth refreshingly chilled despite the hot water, Aerith wondered how exactly Edea had become so open to these ideas of life? Elmyra and Genesis were hostile and not ashamed to hide it, the Vicar approached Religion as life lessons and was not ashamed to learn something new, but Edea was none of those. She believed, Aerith saw her little shrine with the two pieces of wood nailed together, and yet she seemed distant from Religion too …
As she thought more about it, the women suddenly turned to Aerith "Zack is on his way now," she said with certainty "He'll find you in the next clearing, the one with the pond."
Aerith blinked "How did you know?"
Edea tilted her head with a small chuckled "Magic," she whispered playfully.
Curious and confused, Aerith tilted her head and looked around for a clue, had Zack been hiding or had he left a note (she quickly shook her head when she remembered that only she could read out of the three of them), but all she could see was a regular house, all she could hear was the sounds of nature; the birds, the wind, the rushing whistles of the leaves in the air and the fading howl in the mountains.
Edea shooed her with her fingers "Go on, I'll walk your Father home when he's run out of questions."
Gast laughed "My lady, you might be here all day!" he stood briefly to hug Aerith goodbye, and she stepped out of the homely clearing with a happy spring in her step, turning to wave seconds before the green engulfed her.
She stepped out into the next clearing her eyes wide as she scanned the area for the dark haired male she was to meet, but there was not another soul to be found. The trees sat in a rough oval with a pond to the far left of Aerith as she entered the open space, there was a young willow tree, rare for the area, and a blanket of green grass dotted with the last of summer's daisies.
But there was no Zack. Aerith sighed to herself and sank to her knees by the pond, falling backwards to enjoy the weak sunlight and the tweeting of wild birds.
Hands folded over her stomach and cape spread out like a blanket, thick and warm under her, she felt her eyes begin to grow heavy. Before she knew it, she was enjoying a lazy doze and relaxing fully in the middle of the wood. It feels like I could be anywhere … anywhere isolated and wild, she thought to herself, stretching out her hands over her head in an attempt to keep herself awake.
As she lay quietly, she felt a strange sensation on her hand. Eye closed, she smiled when she sensed Zack's warmth near her, his eyes on her. "What did I say about watching me sleeping?" she murmured, opening her eyes to meet the sky blue ones of her companion.
Above her was the dark blue she's been missing, the eyes sat in the face of a jet black wolf.
Aerith's heart leapt into her throat.
Gasping in fear she sat up and scooted away from the large animal, "Stay away!" she gulped, regretting her sudden movement, what if that had upset it?
The wolf was at least a head taller than her as she knelt, with a large noble head, a scar along his muzzle and wild fur as black as shadows. Pointed ears tilted forwards, and the long muzzle betrayed a hint of teeth and fangs under the velvety softness. The coat was glossy and thick, its paws were large with crude claws, and its long tail was still as the intensely blue eyes focused on her.
Aerith curled her feet closer to her with the wolf lowered its head to sniff at her shoes, trying not to shake and cry as she wanted to. The head raised to look at her, Aerith's breath lodged in her throat, and she raised an arm defensively.
Unexpectedly, the wolf whimpered and collapsed onto its belly, head on paws and eye wide in a submissive gesture that made it look twice as small as before.
Aerith's heart was still pounding despite the change of pace, her lips parted as her fear became merely caution. She tilted her head at it "You're not going to e-eat me … right?"
The wolf snorted, surprising Aerith significantly, and shuffled forwards just enough to nudge her knee before lowering himself in submission once again. It whimpered when she flinched away and pressed itself into her lap, it's head resting heavily against her legs and the tip of its tail wagging with pleasure.
Aerith found an awed smile spreading across her face, and brought a hand out, hardly daring to believe her own bravery, shaking and timid for the wolf to examine though she didn't want to be near those teeth for the world.
The wolf licked her knuckles and leaned against her hand as friendly as a domestic pup, tail thumping happily. Aerith breathed softly in awe, running her fingers through the fur of his ruff "Aww … you're friendly," she realised aloud. The wolf groaned and nuzzled at her knuckles as she petted him cautiously. The fur was fluffy and thick near the skin and silky smooth as it grew longer, it was very warm and when she rested a hand on its flank she felt its heart beating.
"So pretty," she murmured absently, admiring the blue eyes in the blackened face.
The wolf whined and tilted his head at her, giving a soft bark like asking for answers. Aerith giggled, laughing at herself and the curious wolf, "The eyes," she told him "So blue …" she petted the pointed ears with the tips of her fingers, which the wolf seemed to like, eyes closed in happiness and tail wagging madly. "Like Zack's."
At Zack's name the wolf gave a little bark and a wiggle ran down its spine. Aerith pulled her hand away just in case she had done something wrong, but the wolf just looked at her, just as excited and with an expectant face. Aerith returned her hand to the pelt, unable to resist the soft fur, and wondered "Do you know Zack? Maybe that's why you're so nice, like him."
The wolf got to his feet and nudged at her several times to get up. Understanding his wish, the girl in red got to her feet and brushed off the grass that clung to her legs, the wolf took a careful mouthful of clothing, the teeth came nowhere near her skin and tugged her towards the trees opposite the pond. Aerith warned him that she couldn't go far, that she had someone to wait for, but the wolf didn't take her far.
Only a meter or so in the wolf stopped at a pile of clothes. Aerith frowned, stooping down to hold the shirt, a single piece of fabric that slipped on at either shoulder and was secured by a belt. A style she had only seen one person wear "Zack's here? But these are just his clothes," she held the shirt close to her, biting her lip in worry. She knew stories of people attacked in the wilderness by wild animals, travellers who lost their way back in her previous home and here, she paled at the thought of Zack getting hurt like that too.
The wolf barked to get her attention, and she blinked at him, realising her eyes had filled with water. "I'm sorry, Mr. Wolf, I just … why would anyone just leave their clothes in the forest like this?" her hands tightened on the fabric "Did something happen?"
As she worried, the wolf stood closer to her and whined sadly. Aerith whipped at an eye with a sigh "Is he not coming?"
The behaviour of her companion changed, the wolf began to jump and bark and pounce on the clothes on the floor like it had gone mad. Aerith watched, bewildered, as it ran circles and jumped until she guessed "Are you trying to tell me something?"
It nodded.
Aerith stared.
The wolf had nodded like a person, like a human being. It was such an unnatural action that her jaw dropped. "O-okay then …" she stammered, blinking like a deer in a trap.
Curious, she tried again "You understand me, what do you want to tell me?" she continued as the wolf nodded, unnaturally awkward but clear nonetheless, and he never broke eye contact with her. Somehow he knew how to communicate, she never realised that a wolf could be so intelligent!
The wolf nudged at the clothes in her arms, he stood tall enough on his four legs to be level with her ribcage and was broad enough for a small child to ride like a horse. Aerith glanced at the clothes the wolf was so fascinated by, "Do you know Zack?"
The wolf huffed, shaking his head in a careful side to side action that looked very uncomfortable.
Thinking again, Aerith asked, "Do you know who left these here?" A nod. "Who do they belong to?"
The wolf took the shirt from her and wriggled it over his back. Aerith laughed "Oh they're yours?" she teased, pulling the sleeves over the wolf's shoulders and patting down the wrinkles, oddly at ease with the large predator now they were communicating.
Her fingertips lingered on the fabric, it was thick for the mountain air, looked like tanned animal hides and leather strips. Sighing slightly, "What good are clothes to a wolf?" she wondered. The wolf whined and stood on his hind legs several times. Aerith shook her head, not understanding "I'm sorry …"
The wolf sat and looked gloomy, head low and eyes away, it even huffed a long sigh, and Aerith tried not to laugh at his comically over the top expressions.
Aerith knelt gently and patted his back "I'm sorry, Mr. Wolf, please don't be sad … maybe one of Zack's people could understand you." At the name the wolf's head jerked upwards as if she had called it by name. She tilted her head "Your eyes … they're a lot like Zack's."
The wolf nodded, picking up the shirt in his teeth and pressing it against himself, whining, eyes pleading with her to understand. Aerith bit her lip "The clothes are yours … but you don't know Zack, but you respond to his name, and your eyes …" the girl puzzled and puzzled, hardly noticing when the wolf bent to pick an item from the discarded pile of clothes.
About to announce her newest theory, she turned to the wolf, only to be silenced as it bowed low on front legs, tucking one in at the ankle like bowing to a Prince, and offered her a rose with his muzzle.
Aerith took the flower from his delicate hold, eyes the widest they had ever been. Heart in her mouth, she breathed at last "Zack?"
The wolf yipped and licked her cheek, then suddenly, there was no wolf but a man in his place, arms around her tightly and laughter spilling from his shaking chest. "You did it!"
Aerith held him back, bewildered "Zack!" she pushed him back just enough to see his eyes "You're a wolf!"
Zack smiled, shrugging on his shirt as he spoke "Yes. That's my secret, I couldn't tell you, I'm under orders not to. You had to figure it out on your own … well, mostly alone," he allowed, glancing around to search for his pants.
Aerith pointed at them to help him out, glancing away as he got dressed, and stood holding the rose with her mind racing and disbelieving, hysterical giggles escaping her in bursts. "You're a … but how? You're a man and … how?"
Warm hands rested on her shoulders and Zack chuckled by her ear "Calm down, Red, I'll explain everything. Wolf's out of the bag, there's no rule stopping me from filling you in on the rest if you already know the big secret," he whispered dramatically.
Aerith giggled again, sliding back into the usual routine of laughing and play despite the rushing of her thoughts "Okay," she agreed, feeling better now some form of normalcy had returned.
Zack took her hand and led her back to the clearing by the pond, he sat down and she knelt opposite him while examining him carefully. Zack looked the same as ever, blue eyes, dark hair, scar on his cheek and all the features of a man, but Aerith couldn't stop herself from checking again, trying to see just how Zack worked from the outside.
Zack began his story, insisting on keeping Aerith's hand in his. He told her of his people, the Wolfe tribe and their canine friends, and their claim on the land that turned on them in an unknown sickness. A sickness Aerith understood very well.
"When I was younger," she began uncertainly, not wanting to deviate from Zack's tale too far, "My Mother's people told me that the life chain in the Earth had weakened, the sun wasn't as warm. They told her that the stars were pulling us away from our sun, that it was a challenge and test to life as we knew it, something that might not ever return to normal."
Zack looked troubled, "We knew it wasn't just a local issue … I had no idea that the entire world was feeling it …" he looked small, his face creasing with the weight of trying to imagine the impossibly big impact the cosmic event had across the world. The chill that had lengthened the winters, scarcened the food and beat the weak from the life chain had caused the sickness. "Your people weren't sick too, were they?" he asked.
Aerith shrugged "I don't remember hearing about any deaths … but we felt it, the chill. It made many of my people unhappy and lonely … the birth rate went down a lot," she admitted, thinking of the rarity that she was an only child to an agricultural family, she recalled her Mother telling her that she was her most precious because she had to wait longer than normal to have a child, and not through lack of trying.
Zack continued, explaining that the sickness of spirit across the world had had a near instant effect on his people, to the extent that many would just lay down and die. Aerith shuddered, her heart heavy at the thought of the old and the young Wolfe's, feeling abandoned by the life force of their beloved home, despairing and giving into hopelessness with nothing positive to feel from their efforts to reverse the process, then dying in apathy.
Zack shifted uncomfortably with the memories of the event, Aerith had been born later, once the worst of it had passed, and he described the emptiness inside him with a pale face. He held her hand tightly as he spoke of his near death, the numbness that took the place of starvation and dehydration, the hopelessness towards everything. Aerith was glad that he had made it.
His salvation caused his head to lower, admitting that the Wolves that had given them their name had lain down their lives to save their humans still weighed on him. Aerith squeezed his hand as his words got heavier. "I don't remember it that well, I was about ten at the time. Just … the wolves got us up, dragged us in some cases, outside to meet with them, and they offered us a way to live. Well … they pressured us really, we were beyond the point of caring. But when we agreed they gave up their magic, their spirits, and their hearts …" he closed his eyes "There was a lot of light, and I felt … I felt loved."
He smiled at Aerith "The wolf who became a part of me loved me, more than its own life, and I could feel it right here," he tapped his heart "Next thing I knew, I was a wolf. We all were."
"That's amazing," Aerith breathed.
Zack nodded "It wasn't a free deal, though. The wolves died, their bodies were left in the snow and we, the new wolves, had to give ten years as wolves before we became human again." He sighed "It wasn't easy. We had to learn things all over again, how to walk, how to eat, how to drink … some of us became wolves entirely, body and mind. Others kept their memories intact, like Cloud, and then there were people like me who faded from one extreme to the other like the tide – full moon brought out the wolf in me stronger than the human."
He leaned forwards a little "When the ten years passed, we'd had to relearn being human, some of us had been wolves longer than human beings, and we were lost all over again. It was confusing, we had aged like we had always been humans, gained ten years. We had a lot to learn about ourselves too. Our village was in shambles, wolves couldn't clean or repair human homes, our defences were decrepit, and our food supplies were gone. Getting back on our feet was the top priority, we couldn't afford weakness," a fond smile overtook his features as his eyes went distant "But Cloud couldn't help himself. He found Squall again and reconnected with him too."
Aerith smiled, "They must have been pleased."
Zack nodded "Cloud was a lovesick puppy, even more so when Squall remembered that he was a wolf from far back in their childhoods. Cloud enjoyed having no secrets between them. Honestly, he was unbearable," he laughed, light in his eyes and a brother's fondness in his face. "Howling every night, sighing every day, rolling around and smiling despite the fact he'd been grounded for breaking the number one rule of our tribe: Never tell an outsider that we're wolves."
Before she could ask, Zack nodded "And … I guess I've just broken it as well."
Aerith shook her head slightly, trying not to laugh. "How many people know?"
Zack hummed thoughtfully "Only a few; Squall, Edea and you."
"Edea knows?" Aerith echoed.
Zack's face fell a little "She found out around the time Squall died, it wasn't fair to leave her out of the loop." His voice became absent-minded "She's never asked questions about us, though, she just accepted us for what we were and at first only kept in contact with us because we were the only way she'll ever know if Squall was coming back. Eventually, I think we grew on her," he grinned. "She treats us like her kids, checking up on us, scolding us for staying out late. It's nice …"
Aerith chuckled "If they're all as friendly as you then no wonder she's fond of you."
Zack smirked "Yeah … a little wolf told me that you think my eyes are 'pretty.'"
Aerith blushed, she looked away and covered her burning cheeks "I didn't know it was you!"
"Does that make it less true?" the man asked, sprawling out on his front and peering up at her, totally relaxed and enjoying the discolouration blossoming under her skin.
Aerith cleared her throat but didn't answer. Zack beamed "I think you did know it was me, Aerith, you called me by name before you saw my wolf form, does my friendly, furry face make you more honest with me?" he teased, poking at her playfully.
The girl batted away his playful tickles and huffed, secretly thinking; Before I over trusted my eyes, I knew it was Zack because no one else can make me feel that warm and safe with just a touch. Oh, but why must he tease me!
Zack picked up the rose, the petals a gentle pink, and tucked it behind her ear with a handsome smile "Don't be mad … pink suits you, Aerith, you should wear it more often."
Aerith blushed a little and mumbled "My clothes or my skin?"
Zack snickered "You're cute when you blush too," he kissed her hand and Aerith found her cheeks heating.
"You're too bold!" she protested, smiling as she turned away to cool her face.
He laughed "I'm happy," he corrected. "I was worried you'd run away scared, or that you'd hate me … I guess I understand how Cloud felt now," his voice turned thoughtful.
Aerith hummed "You said you'd tell me more about them."
"Yeah …" Zack turned a little sombre "If you didn't know about us Wolves then the story wouldn't be complete." He sighed "Right, okay, where to start?"
Aerith noticed that he didn't smile anymore, his eyes were guilty and brooding, and they looked away from her own, she worried her lip, wondering how much the story had affected him.
Zack spoke, his voice a bit rushed as if he had forgotten to mention it previously "We wolves carry this story heavily because we can still feel it. We can feel each other's emotions when we're in close proximity, stronger in wolf form but still noticeable in human too, and Cloud's still alive and … dwelling on it." He let out a small whimper and buried his head in his hands "He's missing Squall terribly, and all the pain he feels we feel too when we're with him. We can't abandon him, and yet we can't help him either. Because if we had just helped him maybe, Squall would still be with us, we're guilty, and we know it. We carry it with us every day, hoping that it'll all turn out right in the end …"
He pulled his head up again and cleared his throat "I wish I had gotten to know Squall better, really, I only know the story through Cloud."
"You met Squall?" Aerith asked.
Zack nodded "Just a few times. Mostly because I was told to keep an eye on the love-sick puppy following him around," he snorted "Honestly, I thought Cloud had gone mad, falling for someone like him."
"Why?" Aerith pulled herself closer and rested comfortably against the grass.
Zack raised an eyebrow "Squall was a hunter."
"What?" Aerith thought she had heard wrong "But don't hunters … kill wolves?"
"And that's why I thought he'd gone mad," Zack smirked "That's a hunter's cape you're wearing. Squall told Cloud that hunters wear bright colours to stop accidental shootings, Squall never went into the woods without it." Aerith brushed a hand over it, slightly awed and slightly unnerved that she was wearing something so treasured.
"I knew this was a special item because everyone seemed to have a reaction to it, but it still manages to surprise me when I hear about its connections to people," she admitted.
Her companion rested a hand on hers "Red has become a symbol around here, Aerith. This cloak, in particular, has a lot of history. I think it's seen almost the entire story you're after."
Sighing Aerith said, "If only it could speak and tell us."
Zack's eyes were distant "Maybe it's good that it can't …"
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