Chapter 4: AVALANCHE
Despite her dream, she found condolence in her flowers. Everyday they grew, stretching their green necks toward the sun provided by the hole roof. The hole he fell through. He would never ignore her like he had in her nightmare. She knew that he would have saved her from whatever was behind those glowing, green eyes – whatever they belonged to.
She pushed her thoughts roughly aside, concentrating on her flowers again. Flowers – they had no concerns, not really. They only needed water and sunlight to thrive; that much was apparent, seeing as they could even grow in Midgar, polluted and decrepit, all thanks to Shinra. Aerith allowed a small smile to form on her lips. It was early, but perhaps she should head out and sell her flowers. She plucked a few from the ground tenderly and placed them into the basket she had purchased with some of the gil she had earned. The small woven basket was her replacement for the wagon, for now. It would have to do.
Without warning, the doors to the church creaked open. Aerith blinked, squinting her eyes at the sudden light. A dark figure was standing in the light, and her mind went immediately to the nightmare she had. As her eyes adjusted, she sighed softly with relief when she realized that it was Tseng.
“Tseng...what are you doing here?” she asked softly, picking up her basket and dusting off her dress. He didn't answer immediately, but instead slowly moved forward, treading on the wooden floors softly as though at any moment they would break.
“I've just come to...return these.” He finally replied, pulling a small box out of his jacket pocket and handing them to her.
“Wha-” she paused, realizing what the small box contained: her letters to Zack.
“I...since I couldn't get them to Zack, I just assumed that you would like them back.”
“Did you read them?” she asked, gazing at the box sadly.
“No, no. I wouldn't think of intruding on your privacy.” Tseng assured her, arm still outstretched, hand grasping the box. “So here...take them.” Aerith moved as if in slow motion; her breath felt constricted, and the tightness in her lungs and throat only seemed to worsen when she finally took the box in her pale hands.
“Thanks...” she croaked, then cleared her throat, trying to loosen the pressure. “I appreciate you returning them to me.”
“It was the least I could do...” Tseng answered, gazing at her sadly. “Aerith...perhaps it would be best if you got away from this place for a while. Clear your head.”
Aerith smiled at his concern, shaking her head. “I don't think so...I need to stay here and take care of my flowers...besides, the little money I make selling them helps my mother pay the bills.”
“Ah...yes, of course. I see.” He seemed almost disappointed, but it lasted only a moment, and he was all business again. “Very well, I must be going. Lots of work to do.” Tseng gave her a small nod, then turned and strode out of the church, seeming much more confident than when he had entered.
Poor Tseng, Aerith thought, frowning. Zack had been Tseng's friend too, after all. She sighed, then returned her gaze to the box. 89 letters...had I been that hopeful, really? Aerith wondered, opening the box carefully. She sat down on the floor, setting her basket down, and began to rifle through all of the letters.
“There's one missing.” Aerith blinked in surprise, and counted again. There were only 88 letters in the box. Does that mean that Zack had gotten one of her letters after all? By the looks of it, he had gotten the last one...maybe. Maybe he didn't get it at all; perhaps the letter had been misplaced, or had strayed away from the box. She would never know.
--
Tseng returned to his office shortly after visiting Aerith. Perhaps his attempt had been poorly executed, or just too flimsy to work in the first place. He had hoped that Aerith would agree to go on a vacation somewhere, to get away from the memories and Midgar, the dreadful place that it was. But she couldn't, of course. And he knew that the day he would have to turn her in was dangerously close. If only there was some other person to help her...
--
Zack and Cloud had made it into Midgar when night had fallen. Zack hadn't taken any chances though; he used the shadows to hide in, not completely trusting the darkness to conceal them. It was a long trip, with Cloud still unresponsive and unable to walk, but they were in Sector 7 by the time the sunlight had finally begun to creep through the gaps in the plates.
“Time to find a place to stay, Cloud.” Zack grunted as he shifted Cloud's weight. His eyes scanned the dirty buildings surrounding him, searching for a hideout until night came again. A neon sign caught his eye immediately. “7th Heaven...” Zack grunted again, arching a brow curiously. “Sounds familiar.” From what he could see, the building had another level, so though he could tell it was a bar, maybe they would have some place he could room. He started in the direction of the bar, Cloud's head lolling limply on his shoulder, feet dragging across the dirt.
Zack pushed open the bar door open slowly, thankful that the bar was actually open so early in the morning. That, or they just hadn't locked their door. He was hoping for the former.
“Freeze, punk!” a gruff voice shouted, and suddenly there was a large gun in his face.
“Hey, wait!” Zack cried out, raising his free hand in a gesture he hoped said, 'Don't shoot me, I'm innocent!' “I just wanted to see if you guys had a room, that's all! My buddy here is...uh...kinda out of it.” He finished lamely, shrugging.
“There are no rooms in here, so get outta here, SOLDIER scum!”
“Scum? Come on, isn't that a bit harsh?!” Zack shouted, miffed. He could understand though, what with his recent dealings with Shinra...SOLDIER weren't exactly viewed as friendly either, and both he and Cloud had on SOLDIER uniforms. “Look,” Zack began, stepping forward to get a closer look at the angry man.
“Stop! Don't come a step closer or I'll shoot you full of holes.”
Zack sighed, hanging his head. “Actually, I've just gone through something similar, so could we skip it?” he pleaded, grimacing.
“Eh?” the man muttered unintelligibly. Suddenly a door opened, and a light flicked on. A man's voiced asked softly, “What's going on Barret?”
“This SOLDIER here was trying to come in and spy on us!” Barret barked gruffly. Zack got his first good look at the guy: dark skinned, short hair and beard...gun arm. Unusual, but not the strangest he'd seen.
“Why would I want to spy? This is only a bar, after all...” he trailed off, his curiosity intrigued by what Barret had said, but not stupid enough to ask about it and ruin his chances of getting a place to stay for the day.
“Hey!” the other man cried, eyes widening at the sight of Zack. “You're that guy! The one who bought my wood...didn't you build a wagon for Aerith?”
Zack almost dropped Cloud right there. “Is she okay?” he asked, suddenly fearing the worst.
“Yeah, it is you!” the guy exclaimed, grinning. “You gave me the name for this bar! Of course you can stay!”
“Yeah, but-” Zack's question was drowned out by Barret's snort of disapproval, followed by loud footsteps and a slamming door.
“Oh, don't mind Barret,” explained the man gently. “He doesn't trust Shinra or SOLDIER...with good reason.”
“I suppose nobody really does,” Zack muttered absentmindedly, startled when yet another door opened.
“What's going on?” a young woman demanded, dark brown hair flying behind her as she burst through the door. “What's Barret going on...” she suddenly trailed off, eyes glued to the two intruders. Zack grinned, recognizing the young woman.
“Well, Tifa, I hardly expected to see you here. You've grown.” But Tifa only nodded dumbly, her brain still trying to absorb everything. Zack was here...but that wasn't the shocking part. What held all of her attention was the young man next to him, head slumped forward lamely, spiky yellow hair flying in every direction.
“Cloud?!” she finally exclaimed, rushing forward to lift up his head and look at his face. His eyes were open, but dull and unclear. It was as if he couldn't see her. Cloud simply groaned and blinked dully. “What's happened to him?” Tifa demanded angrily, glaring up at Zack.
“...mako poisoning, as far as I can tell.” Zack explained, setting Cloud easily onto an open chair. “Some people's bodies don't accept the mako...it's dangerous.”
“But...who did this to him? Why?” she asked, looking confused. When Zack didn't answer, she knew the answer. “Shinra!” Tifa spat the word out, glaring and curling her fists until the leather gloves on her hands groaned in complaint.
“Yeah...Shinra. But I've brought him to Midgar for help...I'm just not sure where to go for help anymore...Shinra...Shinra betrayed us both.” Zack finished, watching Tifa warily. She looked ready to punch somebody, and he certainly didn't want it to be him, not in his current state.
“We'll find help!” Tifa exclaimed passionately, then gazed softly at Cloud. Apparently they have more than a friendship going on...Zack mused, rubbing his head.
“We have business to attend to first,” Barret's rough voice came from behind them. Zack almost jumped; he hadn't heard Barret return.
“I know...but-” she began, but was interrupted.
“We have to find the Ancient girl before Shinra gets her! They want her to find the Promise Land, but we can't let them!” he cried, grimacing in frustration. “They can't destroy the planet any more than they already have!” Barret proceeded to pound his fist on the bar.
“Ancient girl?” Zack asked, suddenly alarmed and alert. Aerith!
Barret nodded, glancing at Zack warily. “Shinra's President is hoping to get his greedy little hands on her; at least, that's what our sources say.”
“Who are you guys?” Zack demanded. Barret and Tifa exchanged looks.
“I think he can be trusted,” she told him, and he nodded.
“We're AVALANCHE.” Barret finally said, looking Zack straight in the eye. “And who the hell are you?”
“...Zack Fair...Ex-SOLDIER 1st Class!"
After placing Cloud onto a bed, Zack had briefly explained how Shinra had betrayed them and tried to kill him – he didn't go into too many details though, preferring to keep those painful memories behind him, for now. In return, Tifa and Barret had explained about AVALANCHE and Shinra's current situation – not to mention about the “Ancient girl”, who Zack was sure was Aerith. Hadn't Cissnei told him that Aerith was the last Ancient alive, and that the Turks were keeping an eye on her?
Zack wasn't comforted by the thought that the Turks had an eye out for Aerith though. The Turks worked for Shinra; the Turks worked for money.
“I'll help you find her...we can keep her out of danger.” He told both Tifa and Barret firmly, leaving no room for argument.
“And maybe this girl will have a way to cure Cloud.” Tifa put in, glancing over at the unmoving figure on the bed.
“Her name is Aerith.” Zack corrected.
“The Ancient? You know her?” Barret questioned, a surprised look on his face.
“...We were friends.” He replied vaguely. “And its high time I pay her another visit.”
--
Help is close, Aerith. The planet chorused, rousing Aerith from her daze. She had been lost in thought, gazing unseeingly at her letters for Zack.
“What do you mean, Planet?” she asked softly, almost smiling.
We say what we mean. Help is on the way. You will be happy once again. We promise. But be wary.
“...I'll be happy? Who's coming?” she demanded, but the planet had become hushed once more. It held no answers for her today, only question upon question. “Very well then.” Aerith said huffily, gathering her letters and her basket. “To work it is.”
Aerith walked slowly through the park, smiling as she watched the children played. She had already sold a flower or two, but today seemed to be more dead than usual. Little did Aerith know, a few sectors away, Zack and co. were on their way to the church to find her; a few feet away stood a hesitant Turk, unsure if he could follow orders this time. She sold another flower, unaware of sad eyes watching her, unaware of the decision being formed behind them.
“Aerith!” Tseng called to her, stepping out of the shadows he had been lurking in.
“Hmm?” Aerith looked up, surprised to see Tseng again already. “Tseng, what are you doing here?” she asked, smiling softly at him. “Come to buy a flower?”
“No...I'm afraid not.” he replied, one hand placed casually on his gun. “Actually...I'm here on business.”
It appeared that help for Aerith had not come soon enough. Help was on the way...but so was the danger the planet had warned her about.