Flower Girl (Invites)

[Saephara]

As Cloud passed her to run through the door, she smiled. It was him. For a year he had not been seen by either her, the children or any of their former team mates. He had truly disappeared but here he was, acting like there was not a care in the world. One last look at Reno and she turned to follow her companion, hearing Reno speaking of them running away. She paid no mind to him. He was always saying silly phrases like that. If anything, they amused her to hear them.

Cloud had stopped just outside of the church to look around then turned to face her, asking where Sector 7 was since Aerith would be hiding somewhere around the area. Tifa's eyebrows furrowed slightly and she tilted her head to the right saying gently, "Cloud, your memory must be a bit..fuzzy. Aerith lives in Sector 5, not 7. Here, I'll take you there." She stepped forward and as she passed him, placed a gloved hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed, then dropped her hand, trailing her fingertips down his bicep for only a second. Briefly she stopped to grab her black vest and continued walking on.

She could only wonder from which time this Cloud was from. He had the look of someone who had seen things in the world someone should not have and knowing him, he was going to take the entirety of the burden on his shoulders even though she had gotten through to him the year or so ago. Quietly to herself she muttered, "Dilly dally, shilly shally." She smiled and glanced back as they approached the crossroads. Sure enough, he was following silently taking note of the surroundings. More than likely, he was remembering the events that had occurred here. As they passed by the soldier Tifa had defeated earlier, his hand moved out and grabbed her ankle. With a quick reaction, Tifa turned and, putting all her strength into her left hand, struck the man in the jaw to knock him unconscious once again. She brushed her hands off and turned back to Cloud. "Hurry, Cloud. It's this direction,"she said gently. With a finger she pointed down the right direction in the fork in the road and continued to walk. It was time to save Aerith. Just the thought sent an odd feeling through her, but it warmed her. She could save her friend again.

[Garrus Vakarian]

Rude pulled out the cellphone from his suit pocket and held it up to his ear.

"Yes?"

It was Reno wanting to know if he got Aerith. He was about to be in for a disappointment.

"I haven't found her. She isn't at her home. I'm checking the rest of sector 5 now."

[Alex]

Aerith nodded and headed out of the pipe. Glancing towards the sick man one more time in regret before leaving his house and pointing over to the bright light across from them.

"That way is my home. They wouldn't think to search there twice. At least not for a while. Come on!"

Aerith led him over to the direction of the light which grew to be blinding the closer they got to it but when the light began to fade the scent of flowers reached their nostrils and the sound of a waterfall reached their ears as Ayen found himself in a peaceful place. So unlike the place he had just seen.

"Welcome to my home."

Aerith led Ayen inside. Stepping into the small living room and looking up to the stairs where she knew her mother to be.

"Mom, I'm home!"

An older looking woman with brown hair and blue eyes descended down the stairs and quickly to Aerith's side.

"This is Ayen. My bodyguard."

"Bodyguard...? You mean you were followed again!? Are you all right!? You're not hurt, are you!?"

"I'm all right. I had Ayen with me."

The woman looked over to Ayen.

"Thank you, Ayen."

She bowed.

"I'm taking Ayen to Sector 6. I'll be back in a while."

"But dear... I give up. You never listen once you've made up your mind. But if you must go, why don't you go tomorrow? It's getting late now."

"Yeah, you're right, mom."

"Aerith, please go and make the bed."

Aerith nodded and then headed upstairs to make the beds.

[Ayen]

"That way is my home. They wouldn't think to search there twice. At least not for a while. Come on!"

Ayen followed Aerith to the other side of town. Passing through the blinding light to find out what was on the other end and honestly wondered if they were even still in Midgar. There were flowers everywhere growing naturally from the ground, a waterfall pouring in the background and a house that was apparently built out of natural materials as opposed to whatever one could find back in the slums. What was she rich or just extremely fortunate? Ayen looked back towards the Flower Girl unsure of what to even say now as he looked around.

"Welcome to my home."

“I can honestly say it's not what I expected.”

Ayen followed Aerith inside of her house, examining the living room while the Flower Girl called out to her mother who quickly answered and understandably so if this chase was a common occurrence. Though why they just didn't wait to storm this place with her inside was beyond his understanding. Were they allergic to waterfalls?

"Mom, I'm home! This is Ayen. My bodyguard."

"Bodyguard...? You mean you were followed again!? Are you all right!? You're not hurt, are you!?"

"I'm all right. I had Ayen with me."

"Thank you, Ayen."

“Don't mention it.”

"I'm taking Ayen to Sector 6. I'll be back in a while."

"But dear... I give up. You never listen once you've made up your mind. But if you must go, why don't you go tomorrow? It's getting late now."

"Yeah, you're right, mom."

"Aerith, please go and make the bed."

Ayen watched Aerith ascend up the single staircase before looking over to the mother, feeling slightly guilty that he was putting her daughter in danger again all so he could look up at the sky and find the Spiral. Not comfortable with the awkward silence now in the room he attempted to mend it.

“You have a lovely home.”

[Cloud]

Sector 5, how stupid of him. No, not stupid, forgetful. "I'll follow" Cloud said coolly as he followed the woman he once knew. What more had he forgotten..

"What has happened since I left?" He asked subtly.

((sorry for the short post, trying to regenerate muse)

[Saephara]

"Hmm?"Tifa turned around to look at Cloud as they continued walking. "What has happened? Not too much. I had assumed you had gone off on a delivery to Wutai or something of that accord since it was taking so long." She turned her burgundy eyes to the ground, studying the clay colored dirt. It certainly had been a while. From the way he had spoken, it seemed as though he was the Cloud Strife that was from her time. She turned to walk backwards as she continued, "Well, Denzel and Marlene are older now. Before I ended up here, they went to spend the summer with Barret since his oil company is doing well. I think he said he wanted to take them to the Gold Saucer for some fun."

She turned back around in time to head around another bend and enter into Sector 5. They passed by the various run-down homes of the Slums in this sector and headed towards the opening in the direction of Aerith's home. "Ah, business is doing well now. We have many customers every day now in the evening hours for a drink after work, not so many during lunch. It is enough to get us by, though." She paused at the item store and looked towards Cloud, asking, "Is there anything that you need before we get any closer?"

[Alex]

His reaction to her home wasn't surprising. A lot of the locals wandered here from time to time just to get away from the dirtier part of the sector, only to be shooed away by her mother after a time. It even led to some being resentful of her, which led to attacks and of course that was how the Flower Girl learned to defend herself. Elmyra smiled in response to Ayen's compliment and replied, "Thank you," before looking back up the staircase. Knowing that Aerith was well out of earshot she looked back over to Ayen.

"I don't know how to say this, but... Would you please leave here, tonight? Without telling Aerith."

Elmyra felt and looked awkward asking that but she was thinking of her daughter welfare and the last thing she wanted was her daughter to run off somewhere where Shinra could finally snatch her for good.

[Kragen]

Reno released a noise that could only be described as frustration as he headed for the sector himself.

"Well, you have some people coming your way. That man who showed up in the church. He's now traveling with some raven-head bimbo. I'll be there soon."

[Garrus Vakarian]

"Understood."

Rude ended the phone conversation and put his cell away, seeing the other blonde male that appeared at the church with a new woman at his side he moved to intercept them.

[Ayen]

"Thank you."

“You're welcome.”

"I don't know how to say this, but... Would you please leave here, tonight? Without telling Aerith."

Ayen opened his mouth to protest, he needed her help. But then he looked at the woman's face, her eyes, the eyes of a mother and was unable to protest.

“Of course.”

[Alex]

Aerith came back down on the stairs.

"The beds are made."

"Thank you, dear. Goodnight."

"Night, mom. Love you."

Aerith motioned with her hand for Ayen to follow her up the stairs, turning to the right once reaching the top step and going to the end of the hall opening the door now to her left.

"This is your room."

Before walking back to the next room closer to the door and opening it.

"And this is my room."

Aerith smiled and then grabbed Ayen by the hand and pulled him into her room closing the door behind her and locking it.

"Now. What else can you do?"

[Ayen]

"The beds are made."

"Thank you, dear. Goodnight."

"Night, mom. Love you."

“Goodnight, ma'am.”

Ayen followed Aerith up the stairs and saw there was only two rooms which of course made sense but if they didn't have an extra room then where were the mother going to sleep?

"This is your room."

“Looks nice but if you guys only have two rooms I have no problem sleeping on the couch.”

"And this is my room."

Before Ayen could say anything Aerith grabbed him and pulled him into her room, hearing the sound of the door close and lock behind him as he looked at Aerith in shock.

"Now. What else can you do?"

“Do you normally drag boys you hardly know into your room?”

[Alex]

"Only interesting boys."

Aerith replied as she looked the blonde over, noticing the small blush that was starting to form around his cheeks as she stared at him. Bringing a hand up to her mouth and giggling quietly.

"Just relax. You're a bit young for us to do what you're thinking. Now, is there anything else you can do or is lightning coming out of your hands your only trick?"

[Ayen]

"Only interesting boys."

“You find me interesting?”

"Just relax. You're a bit young for us to do what you're thinking."

“What am I thinking?”

"Now, is there anything else you can do or is lightning coming out of your hands your only trick?"

“I'm a telepath. I can read minds. Not a lot, just what you're thinking that moment unless I can touch you and focus. And it's not lightning it's electricity, and there's a lot of different creative things I can do with it. For instance...”

Ayen held up his left hand and created a rose made completely out of electricity and handed it to Aerith.

“Go ahead. It won't shock you.”

[Alex]

Aerith's eyes lit up at the fact that she was standing in front of a real live telepath. She smiled at the rose made out of electricity, looking it over before it faded away all its own before going over to her bed and sitting down. The Flower Girl patted the empty space next to it and waited for Ayen to join her on the bed. Oh, the ideas mother would have if she were to walk in on them now. Good thing Aerith thought to lock the door.

"All right, bodyguard. Read my mind."

Aerith closed her eyes and waited for Ayen to do his thing.