http://cetra-legacy.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] cetra-legacy.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] timeandtides_backup2011-05-08 01:37 am

(no subject)

Characters: [livejournal.com profile] cetra_legacy and [livejournal.com profile] not2ndclass
Progress: Incomplete.
Summary: Set a few hours after Aerith arrived in his world. Zack takes a detour from his travels to Luca to go and pick her up.
Location: The streets of Alexandria.
Date: Dated the day of Aerith's arrival.
Warnings: None~

She had started off all fine and good after her call with Zack. Everything felt so surreal, that the flower girl hadn't given herself the opportunity to entirely realise that he was here and so very much alive. Each time such thoughts circled within her mind, the flower girl would do something to keep her busy and distract her. At first, she investigated the church within. It was quaint, but nothing like the small little church she had back in Midgar.

The church had only kept her distracted for so long before the flower girl had been unable to resist the lure of exploring such an unknown city. Her attempt worked like a charm, and she so easily found herself distracted by everything she saw around her. It was so unlike anything she'd ever encountered before that she couldn't help but dart from shop to shop in excitement. Everything was just so different, and the whole city just felt so alive!

Stepping out into the main shopping area, her gaze fell on the hat stall just off to her right. The owner was busy talking to another customer, but that didn't stop the flower girl from moving over to stare at the odd assortment. She couldn't help but giggle lightly in amusement as she saw the corn-shaped hat, and unable to resist, Aerith plucked it off of the stand before testing it out on her head.

"Not many can pull it off, but you're one of the lucky few," the cart owner said moments before Aerith spun around to face him.

"You think so~?" She asked before laughing lightly, "I'm not sure how well I can pull yellow off though teehee~"

The man seemed to ponder for a moment before reaching up and taking a large pale sun-hat from the display. "Try this one on. A pretty girl like you should't be hiding behind that anyway."

"Well, if you put it that way," Aerith teasingly said with a bright smile. Pulling the corn hat off of her head, she happily exchanged the hats before trying on the new one. "How do I look?" She asked while giving a demonstration of the hat by twirling for her audience.

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-10 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
She definitely looked different, although he couldn't put his finger on what it was. She was still pretty, though. And still her. And she wasn't too mad at him for...anything, at the moment! That was a really good sign!

"Well, sure I have! I mean, a lot happened, and..."

He sighed, and his face turned semi-serious.

"Yeah. I know I am. Man! I looked at the list you wrote me, and I came as soon as I could. I mean, I was taking Cloud with me to Midgar, to see you, because he was all messed up from Shinra capturing us after Sephiroth went nuts in the Nibelheim reactor. I wanted to come sooner, but I had to take care of him, too, you know? But! But I didn't forget, see!"

He fumbled around in his clothes for the note in question, and produced it proudly.

How he had managed to not lose it, even he couldn't say.

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-10 06:11 am (UTC)(link)
Zack unfolded the letter, his grin back in full-force.

"Well, you didn't trust me to remember all of them, right? So...spend more time with you. That's easy! I can remember that all the time. And you...you're still even wearing that ribbon! I'm really glad you liked it so much."

He looked down at her, wondering what she was thinking. There was something that had passed over her face that he wasn't sure how to read. Something...bad? Had something happened? How many days had he been stuck in Nibelheim, anyway? Stupid Shinra. Stupid Sephiroth. Stupid Nibelheim.

Well, they were here now. At least he could try to make some of it up to her.

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-10 08:39 pm (UTC)(link)
He was touched by that information. It was just a silly ribbon, right? But to think that she actually liked it so much!

He nodded his approval. "Yeah, it looks great! You look great."

He'd been so damn worried, and in such a rush to get back. He'd really missed her, after all. He was sorry she'd basically been waiting for him with no word or anything. And he still couldn't be sure how long he was in that stupid tube. Hopefully not too long.

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-11 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
"'Course I do!" he said, sincerely. He sure as heck wouldn't have told her otherwise, but he did like the dress. It matched the ribbon, anyway, didn't it? Everything all together and all.

"H-hey! Wait up!"

It didn't actually take him long to catch up, of course. He was tall, and she wasn't exactly running. But still. She was pretty impulsive. He guessed he was, too, though.

"Where are you going? It's not like you know where anything is, is it?"

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-11 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
Zack shrugged. He guessed she had a good point. It wasn't like he knew anything, either. He still had to get to Luca so Tifa wasn't waiting forever. But once they were done exploring, he figured he could take Aerith there, too. She'd probably get along great with Tifa, right?

"Yeah, this place is pretty. I forgot, you've never been out of Midgar, huh? See, the sky here...it's not scary at all." He pointed up, as if to prove his point. He'd always liked the sky just fine. In a way, living someplace like Midgar would suck.

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-11 06:08 am (UTC)(link)
"I...I did?" He tried to think when that was. Had he taken her to see the sky? BOY he'd sure meant to. Damnit, why was everyone but him from the future! That still didn't make any sense!

"Well, I haven't been here very long. I heard Midgar was here, but...it's ruined. It's just...moogles and stuff, now. I don't know why. I haven't heard about Wutai, but it's on the map?"

He pulled out the phone he'd been given, messed with it for a minute, then held it out to her. The map was displayed, and sure enough, Wutai was on it.

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-11 06:23 am (UTC)(link)
Zack sort of frowned at her. It wasn't an angry frown, just a concerned one.

"Well, I dunno. You sure you really want to see your home all messed up?"

Although, if it had been such an important place to him, he'd go anyway. He knew that. She loved her home, and her little church, as far as he knew. So...he could guess what her answer was going to be.

[identity profile] not2ndclass.livejournal.com 2011-05-11 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
Well, if she really insisted...

He took the phone back and put it back in his pocket. "Okay then! Let's go. But...don't be too sad, okay? Just remember that back home, the real deal is there, and it's just the same as ever! And you're right. You'll have me to protect you."