A Spectroscope-
Chapter 4: A Reflection of Me in You.
“Aerith.”
The guitarist and singer
turned to see their manager standing in the door way dressed in a custom
tailored navy Armani suit that accented his tall, lean figure and made him seem
older then what he was. As usual his piercing midnight blue eyes beneath thin
dark brown eyebrows were expressionless, but he had a somber expression up his
handsome face.
“Yes, Reeve?” The singer
stood, gesturing to a chair along side the wall, only a few feet from herself.
“Yuffie, will you excuse
us...” Reeve commanded as he strolled to the offered seat.
The loyal Wutaian girl gave
the Cetra a questioning look.
“It’s okay, Yu-chan. It might
take a while, so go find the guys and wait with them by the back stage door.
This shouldn’t take too long,” The older girl gave her friend an encouraging
smile.
“Hai, Rith-chan.” Giving Reeve
a guarded look, Yuffie Kisaragi speed out of the dressing room with surprising
skilled agility.
The manger sighed with
exasperation then and rubbed his goatee absently as he sat. Letting silence
fall between, the man seemed to be carefully articulating his words in his
mind. With a guard look of his own, Reeve finally spoke again when he seemed
content with his words.
“The leader of the Turks is
here to see you again, Aerith. He’s out there now, but I told him I needed to
talk to you first.” Reeve’s eyes narrowed as he spoke. “I know some of the band
members don’t trust me with their problems since I came into the picture
through shady and questionable circumstances.”
The manger was speaking of
their former record company’s declaring bankruptcy after the disappearance of
their former manger, Senya Johnston and the owners then putting the company-
and the contracts- for sale not even twenty-four hours later. Shinra Inc. had
been quick to buy out the record label and buy all their old contracts that
very day, especially Mako poiSin’s andsYnthetic blade’s contracts- the hottest
two revolutionary bands that could be worth billions. And became so when Reeve
and his partner, Michael McCain, began marketing them world wide. Suspicious?
Very.
“But, I’m serious when I say
you can come to me about anything.” Reeve tried not to fall too deeply into
those fathomless emerald eyes when their gazes locked. “Especially when it
involves those of Shinra. Don’t think the Turks are going to be tolerated
pushing you around- I’ll have them whipped into place if they even look at you crossed
eyed.”
Aerith blinked and was
confused for a moment.
“Tseng is my friend. I knew
him before I even thought about becoming a professional singer.”
The Shinra Executive paused at
that.
“What?”
“It’s not like what your
suggesting- I think. Tseng is my friend, he just likes to stop by and keep tabs
on me.” The singer giggled and smiled at what Reeve was insinuating silently.
“As well as
“Reeve, hun, just Reeve,”
murmured the man as he blushed slightly while looking away in acute
embarrassment. “I was just worried, but thank you for clarifying the situation.
I guess, I won’t keep you from your guest now.”
Smiling genuinely for the
first time all night at a person, Aerith seemed to content just pretending she
was just a normal rock star dealing with a typical problem. Her usually guarded
expression was sunny as her caring manger left and sent in a man with the
deadly grace of a Wutaian Ninja: Tseng Ishida- the leader of the most feared
Turks.
Turning to her mirror, the
girl resumed to refresh her makeup. Brushing a pale rose blush to her cheek,
Aerith saw the Turk merely studying her, irritation written broadly across his
usually frozen features.
“Sorry about, Tseng. Reeve was
just being protective.” The Cetra almost could see steel-grey eyes narrowing
behind obsidian lens.
“Protective?” Shoulder blade
length ebony hair framed a cold, white marble face of masculine beauty as it
gave a look of disdained amusement. “Don’t make me laugh. Reeve is the biggest
joke at Shinra- what makes him think he could do anything to me?”
“Guarding an investment.”
“Ah.” The frigid Turk gave a
small smirk at her double-edged answer. “Yes, everyone thinks you’re quite the
investment with all the money you brought in- and will.”
Her eyes darkened slightly as
her guard went back up. This wasn’t a casual visit.
“I’ve seen General Sephiroth
at the concert.” Silent, measured strides took the male directly behind the
Diva. They could see one another in the mirror with sharp clarity and
intensity. “President Shinra even watched you on the TV, from my understanding.
I’m impressed, my dear- really.”
Burning ice fingers curled
themselves around her shoulders, causing Aerith to look up into the somber face
of Tseng. By the fine lines around the left side of his mouth as he fought off
a frown, she knew him to be worried by all this attention she was receiving.
“Hojo wouldn’t know what I
would look like these days.”
“You look like your mother, my
beauty.” Tseng usually emotionless face was clearly conflicted. “That is enough
to give you away.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not, I can’t
always hide in the shadows, Tseng. You know that. That’s what killed my parents
and allowed such a cover-up.” Aerith shuddered and looked down at her folded
hands in her lap. “Singing is one of the few joys in my life. Let me have it.”
“I know.” Tseng kissed the top
of her head lightly. “I will not ask you to give it up. I merely suggesting
discretion and caution.”
Placing a small, delicate hand
upon his spiritual red stained hands, she smiled at him kindly. It was truly
touching someone who knew her secret would protect her from the company who
owned their loyalty. Her eyes fluttered closed when Tseng’s face smiled sadly
back as he cupped her cheek with his free hand.
“Amore prosequi.” He murmured
breathlessly to himself.
And with those words the Turk
disappeared.
---
The female that met with Zack
and Sephiroth was not the one they expected as they passed into backstage area.
She was younger by three years at least, dark chin-length brown, and very
petite. Not to mention wild eyed and grinning like a mad woman. Without a doubt
in Sephiroth’s mind, he knew her to be estranged guitarist that attacked the
frisky fan. It would more politely explain the psychotic gleam in her eye:
protectiveness of a fellow band mate.
“Ho, Zack-kun!” Announced the
girl in a rambunctious manner as she pulled up from her mad dash from down the
hall towards them. “Rith-chan will be here in a few, just wanted to take care
of some personal business before going out. Ya don’t know Reeve, but he’s all
work before we can play. He’s cool, but such at times a drag by doing that...
Grrr! Oh! Whose this by the way?”
Zack rolled his eyes as his
friend shifted uncomfortably under the girl’s sudden fixated stare as she fell
silent. “This is Sephiroth Valentine, my commander and best friend.”
"THE General
Sephiroth?" The girl's face was expressionless as she cocked her head
sideways and studied the exotically colored man. "He seems more girly in
person, me thinks. I always expected someone a lot more scarier and manly. All
muscles. Then again, I haven't seen much pictures of him and the news tends to
play up famous people's actions, ya know? I mean, take the whole "Yuffie
broke a man's arm" deal in the news 5 months ago! HA! That didn't even
happen, I kicked the dude in the balls and set his ass on fire. Ehehehe...
Reeve paid to have it played down to just breaking the dude's arm- which is
worse, in MY opinion. But the media still ate it up! So, like I bet, girly man
here's actions were also played up in opposite of mine, liked, being played
down, right? Not to mention..."
The ‘girly’ man in question
restrained himself from throttling the girl whom millions found endearing as
she raved on.
“But you are rather well
dressed then MOST males that I’ve ever seen,” conclude the teen with a toothy
smirk. “He’ll be quite the spiffy sight at the party. Speaking of party, Aerith
said she would meet us at zee exodus door of freedom. Where did ya guys park?
Did you park back here like Aerith said? I sure hope so...”
“Ah, Yuffie, zip it.” Zack
commented with a laugh when he noted his friend’s stormy expression of
annoyance. “Yes, we did park back here. Are we going to take both cars or
separate?”
“BOTH!” Sang the girl as she
lead the way to the back-stage door. “Since it’s impolite to take one’s date
home on their first outing for the night. Aerith and I aren’t those kind of
girls, no matter what. Even if we do live in the fast lane of life and stardom.”
It was Zack’s turn to narrow
his eyes in confusion at that. “Date?”
Yuffie rolled her eyes at the
jealousy the sparked in the male’s eyes as she spoke. “Duh. Why else would you
introduce a male best friend to your good female friend, unless it was to hook
em up? What a pal you are, Zacky-kun!”
Sephiroth arched his eyebrows
at that, confusion written upon his own face. Date? Zack, strangely obsessive
Zack, was hooking him up with Aerith, his so-called true love? What
was this girl on?
The girl attached herself to
Zack’s arm when they halted by the backstage door. “It was also very kind of
Aerith to hook us up! What a pal she is! Wai!”
It was probably something very
strong to induce such delusions as this. Sephiroth gave his trademark smirk as
he saw Zack turn pink from anger and embarrassment. This was going to be a most
interesting night.
“I-I didn’t...” Stuttered the
male SOLDIER. “This, this is not what you think... ARUGH!”
Yuffie kissed his cheek.
“You’re so kawaii!”
Zack clearly looked if was to
burst into tears from all the misunderstandings that Yuffie was babbling about.
Why did Aerith have to invite her along? Why not one of the more sane ones-
like broody Asellus? Why was she already ruining this night- which was suppose
to be perfect- without even having Aerith arrive yet?
“Yuffie, didn’t I tell you to
behave if you were coming with us tonight?” Teased a harmonious voice from
behind them.
The trio turned, their eyes on
the girl as she approached them in a fast jog. Yuffie’s expression became meek
as she smartly closed her mouth. Zack’s was one of pure adoration and happiness
while Sephiroth’s eyes were keen and focused in the girl as she narrowed her
sights in on the younger girl.
“Really, Yu-chan.” Aerith
Gainsborough placed her hands on her hips with a sigh of amusement. “Trying to
scare them off with such nonsense- this is a new low. Heh. I’m getting out and
letting loose, just like you said, not trying to get it on.”
Amber brown eyes sparkled.
“Heh, Rith-chan, you know I do this only because I love you. And
only you...”
Zack nearly fell over as the
girl released his arm, shoved him, and bound over to her best friend. Growling
in irritation, he muttered, “she’s weirder then normal...”
Smiling brightly, Aerith
laughed. “You never met her after a concert. She usually more... interesting
then this.”
“I like to get naked. Reeve no
likey likey.” Yuffie added solemnly.
The males gave the bizarre
teen a weird look and Aerith rushed on to save some of her friend’s reputation
and tact. “It’s the adrenaline and the exhilaration. It’s like a drug to her,
similar to a typical responses of speed and being high- I think.”
“Ah, yeah.” Zack still watch
Yuffie with nervousness. “Aerith, this Sephiroth Valentine- Sephiroth, this is
Aerith Gainsborough.”
Turning away her attention
from Zack and Yuffie, her eyes feel upon the stranger in the group with
profound vividness. Emerald eyes widen as background sounds slow began to drown
in thundering echos of white noise. Around her, color ebbed away, leaving
shades of bleeding greys. All colors except for those icy, life stream eyes
that bore into her.
She was consumed by the
Planet.
An image of a younger,
unhealthy Aerith stood before a mirror. Dull eyes stared blankly into it,
hating what she saw. She saw nothing but a freak with unnatural glowing eyes.
Not one those mythical Cetra- they didn’t exist. She shouldn’t exist.
Mirror. Mirror. Mirror.
Mirror. Mirror. Mirror. Mirror. Mirror. Mirror. Mirror.
Translucent fingers painted
the Cetra words for freedom in curling strokes.
Immunitas. Vacatio. Liberatas.
Arbitrium.
Written in blood, tainting
the smooth glass of the mirror. Tainted like her.
Reflect. Reflect. Reflect.
Reflect. Reflect. Reflect. Reflect. Reflect. Reflect.
Solitudo.
She sought to escape it. To
have another with her secret. Her secret of lacking complete humanity. Her
secret of being a freak. Someone to share the pain with- to understand it.
Comprehendĕre.
Soul. Soul. Soul. Soul.
Soul. Soul. Soul. Soul. Soul. Soul. Soul. Soul. Soul.
You are not the last.
The Planet released her,
parting her with strength and leaving her disorientated with Sephiroth watching
her more intensity then she could fathom a person to have. Watching and saw
those emerald eyes darken and the soul fall within them to different level of
consciousness for a moment and struggle back. Watching her with feeling of
something brushing his own senses with acute exhilarating longing and excitement.
What was her secret?
Was her secret like his?
Was she like him?
Did she understand the pain
the secret brought?
/Yessssssssss./
They watched one another as
their hands of moonlight color met in greetings, unaware of the stare from others.
Their unusual eyes glowing with their reckoning of something more as they met
again with the first touch. A first touch that resounded in a cord of a bond
that existed between them. Of fate and race, though they did not know.
‘You are like me’, they
thought silently.
“Do you ever question your
life? Do you ever wonder why? Do you ever see in your dreams?...” The Diva sang
softly. “Oh the castles in the sky.”
Sephiroth whispered back, “why
do we build castles in the sky?”
Aerith smiled sadly, “the
people of this world are cruel. The castles are so way up high, away from the
misery that they bring. It makes for a long fall though...”
Yuffie watch her best friend
with joy and worry evident upon her young face. There was something building
rapidly between them, the red strings of Fate weaving fast. Musing silently to
herself discontentedly, the girl worried deeply because of this. Fate was
sadistic from her past observations and readings of people’s personal stories.
Fascination and jealousy
sparked within Zack as he saw their first responses to one another. It was
unsettling, but never had the SOLDIER Lieutenant see the General respond to
anyone like that. As if there was already a bond between them that he was
helping to add to, giving more fuel to the flame. Jealousy burned brighter at
him.
----
Author’s Notes:
It’s done, this chapter! XP
Sorry it took me so long. Holidays have been weird for me. Except another
chapter in about 2-3 weeks. ^^; I’m working in several group projects now with
websites, stories, and I’m drawing my own comic for fun. Weee!
The last bit of convo between
Aerith and Sephiroth is from “Castles in the Sky”, by Arist currently unknown
by me, but is found in my Trance Nation America Vol. 2. Maybe by Ministry of
Sound? ^^;;; I’ll post the artist when I dig up the case for the CD.