~Ch. 04 - Ethereal Advice~

"Why won't you tell me where we're going? I'm getting scared…"

"Oh… it sounds like you don't trust me."

"That's not what I meant…" He frowned. "I'm just worried you're doing an entrapment operation or something!"

She pouted. "WHY in the world would I want to do that?" A sigh escaped her as she shook her head and began to laugh. "I can't do that to you."

"Where are we going, then?"

"In a town right there, beyond the cliffs. It's a quiet town, and really pretty, especially when winter comes." Aerith smiled, and held his hand. "Ready?"

"Huh…" Zack scratched his head, sighing heavily. "This again?… Can we do something a little more safer?"

Aerith only laughed and gave his cheek a kiss as she took him into an embrace. "Careful, I don't have a barf bag!"

And they poofed again.

Just as instantly as they disappeared, they appeared on one of the cliffs that had a hanging bridge. Zack groaned and stumbled as soon as they landed, but Aerith made sure he was okay as she chuckled. "Sorry. It's just the quickest way to get here, you know?" she said with a smile as she helped him up.

Zack sighed and blinked a few times, feeling a whizzing in his head slightly. "Man. You and your powers. Maybe if I ask you to teach me how to, it would be easier for me." He grinned.

"I would love to give you lessons!" Aerith beamed, clasping her hands together as she smiled up brightly at him. "Just say when, I'll be right there with you." She nodded.

Zack snickered and pulled her close to kiss her forehead, and looked around. He had to admit, it was pretty up there on the cliffs. "Okay, so… now that we're here… where exactly are we?" he asked, looking around.

"This is Wutai."

Of course, he had been to Wutai - he was sent on a mission to help dispatched SOLDIERs there. But Zack blinked, not realizing the landscape's beauty. Zack had traveled here via a Shin-Ra chopper, but at that time there were SOLDIERs on board and they were scrunched up inside like sardines, so he couldn't really take the time to peek out and see the view. The only time he had ever been to Wutai was when a war broke out. He could vividly remember the scenery of the whole situation. Pure panic.

She looked up and into his eyes, and smiled as she raised a brow. "I think you've been here."

"I have," he said, "Yeah. Was sent here on a mission by Lazard." And that's where it all started… he thought.

"Hmm. Well," Aerith began, "I've made this mission just for you." She grinned, and took his hand again. "We'll be crossing by foot, so you're alright. Another laugh came from her and she tugged him gently, humming a soft song to make the walk at least a little more enjoyable, hoping he'd sing along with her.

The couple crossed bridges and cliffs, until they reached a steep part of the short travel and Aerith resorted to making a swift and soft jump down. At Wutai's welcoming front arch she smiled, and with a soft giggle clapped her hands once.

"Well, here we are!"

Zack blinked, looking around. He understood they were ethereal now, but for a minute under the soft glow of moonlight he felt human. The sight of a quiet town settled before him made him feel like he was right in Midgar, under the plate. He could remember Sector 8's quiet plaza, the way neon lights glowed when LOVELESS was playing in the theater nearby. Of course, here in Wutai, it was a little more toned-down.

"Wow… Sure I've been to Wutai, but not this part of town." Zack rubbed his nape, half-smiling. "…Maybe because a war broke out back then… I wasn't able to see this side of it…"

Aerith tilted her head to look at him and linked an arm around his waist. "Come on, I'll show you where she is."

As they walked the streets, crossed short bridges that had koi ponds underneath, they talked under a starry night. They could hear families in their homes talking over dinner, and they peeked through windows seeing children play with little wooden toy horses. But the pagoda that stood tall, in the middle of a little grove in the town, made the Cetra excited for what was to come.

"And here we are… And we need to poof again."

"Whaaaaat…"

"Come on, just one more time." She pouted.

"Well alright," Zack replied with a laugh as he pulled her close. "Even if it means I'd get dizzy, I'll do it just for you." He kissed the side of her head and whispered. "I love you that much."

She giggled. "That's good. And heeeeeere we goooo~!"

They poofed and soon arrived at the top floor of the pagoda, and stood behind a washi-papered door. Aerith raised a finger to signal Zack to keep quiet, and she peeked inside to look.

… And there, seated at a low table, a short-haired ninja sat, fastly eating her bowl of Wutain ramen. Two more were settled on the table.

Zack's eyes grew wide, and his words became syllabicated as he pointed at the ninja. He stepped back. "Hey…Wha… HEY! I…I-I KNOW HER! I recognize her!… The short hair, the bandana around her head-"

Aerith covered his mouth again and blinked. "…You do?"

Zack muffled an, "I do! I really do, HONEST!" reply.

Yuffie stopped eating for a moment, hearing a creak in the floor. She could swear it was someone walking down the hallway… or maybe a rodent?

… When the couple hid again and no creak came from the floor, she continued to eat.

"… … Yuffie?"

Her mouth full, the ninja turned to the doorway and blinked. Aerith was peeking around the door, a soft smile on her face. The sight of her made the ninja drop her chopsticks.

"Holy… AERITH!" As quick as she was when stealing materia, Yuffie Kisaragi bumrushed to her to give her a quick and tight embrace. Aerith was left there giggling to herself as Zack stepped aside, watching her with big blue eyes. Yuffie, however, faceplanted the ground and groaned. She thumped her forehead against the floor softly a few times and frowned as she got up. "… Dang. I forgot. You're not human anymore."

Aerith grinned. "Sorry. Are you okay?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah… I'm okay." Yuffie laughed for a bit. "So you came to visit me, huh?"

"Aaaactually I have someone to introduce you to." She peeked inside. "Oh, you haven't finished your ramen…"

Yuffie blinked and rushed back inside, and busily buried herself into her ramen once more. "Plea-umm-in!"

The Cetra understood that of course, and she gave Zack a kiss on the cheek before she came in and sat in front of Yuffie. She watched as the ninja finished, and picked up the other bowl. "…How've you been?"

Yuffie took a moment to stop eating and swallow down. "I'm okay. You'd be glad to know I haven't been stealing materia lately!" she answered, grinning at the ethereal Cetra. "So how's life where you are? Haven't seen you in a long time…"

"Hmm…" Aerith sighed. "I've been traveling, actually. I went to Icicle Inn earlier!" she continued happily, nodding. "Had to show this person I'm going to introduce you to some things about myself…"

Yuffie knew what was in Icicle Inn. Yuffie tilted her head and began to eat again. "Eh?… Who is it?"

Aerith looked behind her shoulder and at the open doorway. "Zack?"

… As the ninja's brow rose, the SOLDIER cadet peeked round the corner and blinked. He walked out slowly, scratching his head with one hand and with the other, waved at the two ladies. "Hi there," he spoke. "Would it be okay if I came in and sat with you guys?"

Yuffie's eyes grew wide as she stared at the other ethereal form. She scowled as she began to remember a memory from her childhood and pointed at him, looking at each of them. "…O-Oh… SWEET GAEA HEY I KNOW YOU!"

"Yes, actually," the cadet spoke up, smiling brightly as he folded his arms across his chest and proceeded to join them, sitting down beside Aerith. Zack jutt out a hand's thumb afterward, introducing himself. "Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class!"

"H-Holy shit…" Yuffie stared wide-eyed. "You're the guy I ran into during the Wutai War!… Aerith, THIS is your boyfriend?"

Aerith giggled. "Why yes he is," she answered, looking at the two. "Fortunately we crossed paths in the afterlife…" She looked at Zack and smiled.

"He's the one who never came back, right?"

…Zack frowned for a minute, but he managed to just smile a little.

Aerith sensed the uneasiness, however. "Well… he was killed in action-"

"I was a fugitive." Zack answered quietly. "There was some betrayal going on in SOLDIER, all that… I was on the run. Shin-Ra sent some thousand troops to look for me and Cloud back then, and I died fighting.

Aerith kept quiet, not knowing what to say about the whole incident.

"…O-Oh… man, sorry…" Yuffie frowned. "I didn't mean to say it so bluntly like that, it's just that… well, you know… that's what I heard…"

Zack shook his head. "It's okay." He smiled. "It already happened. But now I'm here, and I'm kinda back! Heh-heh."

Aerith clapped her hands and smiled brightly. "I didn't know you knew each other! Well, Zack… this is Yuffie Kisaragi. The White Rose of Wutai!"

"DAAAAMN STRRRRRRAIGHT."

Zack nodded and snickered. "Wow, Yuffie. You've grown into a fine young lady since I last saw you! You were NINEEEE back theeeen… now you're all grown up!" He rubbed his nose and chuckled. "Taken care of yourself really well, must say!"

Yuffie grumbled and finished her bowl of ramen instead. The two stared at her intently, mumbling some things as she ate her ramen greedily. Yuffie slammed the bowl down on the table and got up to lean over, and waved her hand through Zack. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You. Have materia?"

"Unfortunately, can't give you some! Heh-heh."

"Do you have a stash?"

"Nnnnnope."

"Really?"

"Yyyyep."

"You're lying."

Zack pouted and folded his arms across his chest again. "Heeeey. What makes you think I'd LIE about not having materia? And besides I wouldn't give them to you even if I had them."

"Pfft. I'm as quick as lightning! Hence my limit break." Yuffie smirked.

Zack's brow rose. "Which is…?"

"Duh, 'Grease Lightning'? Oh, right, YOU MISSED OUT ON SOME YEARS ABOUT ME. Well there it is and I said it and most probably you'll think that's the weirdest name for a limit break." Yuffie huffed.

Zack stared at her. "….That is the most redundant thing I have ever heard."

"Oh, FINE, what's yours then, huh? I heard from my sources - and I won't tell you, ever - that you had to use some sort of SOLDIER contraption to do your limit breaks."

"Oh, the DMW?"

"What's that then?" Yuffie asked as she took the third bowl into her hands and began eating again.

"Digital Miiiind Waaaaave." Zack nodded smugly. "Unfortunately, little girls like you can't use them." He grinned. "But I could make an exception. How about a kiss?"

"What? NO."

"Ahh, I know! How about, ONE DATE?" Zack raised a finger, emphasizing the point.

Aerith giggled at the remark; Zack only winked at her, knowing what went through her mind.

Immediately, Yuffie coughed as she set the bowl down and quickly swallowed her food, then eyed Aerith, who only shrugged as she smiled. "…SWEET CARROT CAKE. Gaea, your boyfriend's a MASSIVE FLIRT!"

Aerith couldn't help but laugh. "He is, and surprisingly I'm quite used to it. I think the fact that I've seen him try to hit on girls in the Lifestream made me accept him for what he is even more."

Zack sighed. "I'm just sweet, that's all. I'm a nice guy, you've gotta admit." He smiled.

"Overly, most of the time!" Aerith nudged him and grinned. "It makes me feel uneasy and jealous sometimes for just a bit, but I still love you though."

"GET A ROOOOOM…" Yuffie muffled as she began to eat again. The couple only laughed quietly.

"I'm glad you're okay, Yuffie." The Cetra nodded, smiling. "I hope you and your dad are okay too."

"Pfft," the ninja said with a frown. She set down her third bowl of ramen and sighed. "…We're okay… I guess."

Zack blinked. "…What's the matter?"

"He expects a lot from me, really." Yuffie shook her head, suddenly feeling a loss of appetite. "…Eh. You know how fathers are when they have daughters. Very expectant. He treats me like a princess too much sometimes it's suffocating. Makes me wonder whether it really comes from looooove or something else retarded."

"Your dad loves you, I'm sure! No parent can resist their kid." Zack smiled as he nodded. "And he wants what's best for you. All parents want what's best for their children."

"Yeah? Like, locking me up here in the pagoda and helping him take care of Wutai? I'm not a prisoner, I'm a ninja! I'm supposed to be free running around doing whatever I want-"

"Stealing materia?" Aerith smiled. "You know that it can't always be a routine, Yuffie… Don't you think your dad wants you to stay around and help him because he wants you to be more productive? Wants to help improve you as a person?"

Yuffie stared at her. "I'm being productive. Heck, I help Tifa out at 7th! Guys… You don't understand. He wants to LOCK ME UP." Yuffie sighed. "Honestly, even that old man Cid is much more of a dad unlike my real dad here."

Aerith pondered about Cid. How was that man, anyway?

"I think you should talk to your dad, if you ask me. It's not too late to patch things up!" Zack grinned. "I think Aerith would be upset too if you didn't at least try."

"I know she's trying… Yuffie's just trying to gather some courage for some time so when she talks to her dad, it'll be okay…"

Yuffie didn't say anything, but deep inside she thought Aerith was correct.

Aerith leaned against Zack and looked at Yuffie, smiling softly. "I really do know you're trying, Yuffie… But do you feel scared?"

"Scared? Please. I'm not scared of anything!"

The Cetra sat up straight and tilted her head at Yuffie as she spoke softly. "C'mon, I'm sure there's something… we all have fears, big or small, you know?"

… Yuffie thought about her dad. She admitted to herself things back then were okay, but screwed over when her mom died. As she thought about her father she realized he was doing all he could to make sure she was a decent young lady growing up, whether it meant he was too strict about the house being clean or she couldn't play outside unless she had finished household chores and schoolwork. Yuffie realized her dad had been the mother and the father of the household ever since her mom died, and that she was lucky her father was still around… even if she was a troublemaker. The ninja admitted to herself too, that she was scared, despite the tough exterior, although that was naturally how she was.

"Yeah… I guess. Scared of losing him. I lost mom already; I mean, I'd like to have independence, but it's…" She sighed. "Man. PFFT, whatever. I really don't know. I try not to think about things like these."

"Hmm…" Aerith looked up at Zack, and leaned up to whisper something in his ear.

Zack blinked. "…Are you sure?"

"Mmhm. Just for tonight. Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good." She kissed his cheek again and stood up.

Yuffie looked at the two. "What- hey, where are you going, Aerith?"

"Weeeeell, I'll be walking around the town for a while. You guys go catch up, okay? See you later!-"

"-HEY WAIT YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE HIM WITH ME!" But as quick as she smiled at the ninja, Aerith had already left. Yuffie headdesked the table. "Whaaaat theeee…"

Zack laughed. "Hey, it can't be THAT bad. This is just catching up!" He grinned at her and leaned across the table, his arms folded to support himself on it. "Anyway, as you were saying," Zack continued, this time without the intention of flirting. "About your dad."

"Ahh." The ninja continued to gather her thoughts. "…Well… I am scared of losing him…" Yuffie rubbed her nape and looked at the half-finished third bowl of ramen. She folded her arms and leaned on the table, frowning. "…When I think about it, some of the other kids in town don't have their parents anymore and whenever they see me, they talk to me about my dad. And yet I'm not really open about him-"

"Do you treat him well? I mean, when you see him, do you say hello?"

"No, he instantly yells at me. Tells me to do this and do that… I know he just wants what's best for me, but I'm old enough to go out and have fun. That's why I just make my own escape route and do whatever. This is the only time I've ever come back here."

"So during the time away, you've been stealing materia," Zack laughed.

"AAAND traveling with the gang, staying at Tifa's!" Yuffie nodded. "I mean, come on - I'm twenty-something now and I come back here to Wutai," Yuffie continued, sitting up straight as her voice grew more expressive, "and he's telling me off like when I was younger! I mean it seriously, Cid is much more of a dad than he is."

"Cid?"

"Cid Highwind. He's a pilot. Wanted to go to space but the rocket launch failed. Shin-Ra helped fund his project, but stopped supporting him eventually. Anyway, so yeah - dad's not really someone I like to hang around."

"Hmm…" Zack pondered on a right thing to say for Yuffie - someone who had her father, yet felt she wasn't treated as she deserved to be treated. "…Well, you're right. Your dad may not be treating you as you think you deserve, but it's never too late to talk it out, y'know?" He gave her a bright smile and sat up straight. "Your dad loves you, we know. I guess some people just have difficulty showing that they care, but they feel it. I'm sure that's the kind your dad is like. Why don't you try talking to him?"

"Eh… I guess I could try. Wouldn't do any harm, right?"

"Right," Zack replied. "So, am I going to get that date yet?" He snickered.

Yuffie hurled the empty bowl of ramen at him, completely forgetting that he was a ghost. "I TOLD YOU, NO. I'm not into that mushy stuff, EEWW!"

"Reeeeeeally?" Zack smirked.

"YES."

The two were quiet. Yuffie scowled at him and Zack clapped a fist's set of knuckles against another palm of his. "Alriiiiight, it's a DATE!-"

"I MEANT NO, NO DATE! Moron!"

Zack laughed. "Well, you already gave your confirmation."

Yuffie groaned and headdesked again. "You have got to be kidding me… AERITH?"

"Nnnnope, she's not here! Went for a walk, remember?"

The ninja looked up at him. "…She told you to take me on a date, didn't she?"

… Zack whistled.

"DIDN'T SHE?"

Zack rubbed his nose.

"ZACK!"

Zack blinked and smiled sweetly. "Yeeees?"

"Did you hear me?"

"What exactly?"

"…You should be so glad you're not alive or else you'd be on the floor RIGHT ABOUT NOW."

"Whoooooaaaa… heh-heh. That sounds VERY intimidating, Yuffie." Zack leaned forward and bounced his brows. "Kinda tempting too."

And quite evidently, Yuffie blushed. And she tried to cover it by facepalming.

Zack only laughed. True to his personality, he admitted that he liked seeing girls blush, and making them blush. Unfortunately when he was alive, not many girls favored his presence. It was only Aerith that succumbed to his personality's 'wares', apparently, and he liked that she was quite protective of him, but he still enjoyed being a little flirt and she understood it was just his way of being sweet and nice. The fact that he was loyal to her comforted her too. But right now, Aerith asked him to take Yuffie out on a date, just to make her feel better. And Zack didn't want to fail Aerith.

"Come on, it's just for tonight. I'm never going to ask you on a date again. I PROMISE." Zack nodded. He put his hands together and tilted his head at her. "Pleeeeease?"

"OKAY, OKAY!" Yuffie huffed, waving it off. "Fine. Just tonight! Other than that nothing else!"

"WOOHOO! I promise this'll be the best date you've ever had. Although… quite frankly… they won't see me." Zack pinched the bridge of his nose in thought.

Yuffie laughed. "Another reason why I say NO to this. You and Aerith are better off."

Zack grinned. "Nah. A walk can be a date too, you know?"

…What they didn't know was, Aerith was up on the roof listening to their conversation. Zack and Yuffie left the ninja's quarters and went out into the quiet town. As the two enjoyed the quiet night together, Aerith smiled, watching them talk like old friends. When Yuffie showed signs that she was already sleepy around 2 hours later, Zack escorted her back upstairs and she slept. The cadet reunited with his girlfriend, and as the Cetra gave him an ethereal embrace, off they poofed once more.