proudsoldier | Wherein our hero finds the city. Or it finds him.

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Current Location: the Old Church

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Wherein our hero finds the city. Or it finds him.

[is sprawled out on one of the pews in the church, turning his head to one side and groaning before blinking his eyes open and slowly trying to sit up, one hand pressed to his head] I've really gotta stop entering buildings through the roof . . .

[blinks again and frowns, studying the church interior] Hang on a sec. This isn't Aeris' church . . . [carefully stands up and looks around, hands on his hips and starting to look warier by the second]

Where am I?

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As lucky as anyone can be, although there are dangers here that I'd never run across before coming here, and none of them have been physical. There is something here that has power over things that I never would've imagined. Sudden blindness, loss of hearing, or the inability to speak that no remedy or magic could cure. People suddenly turning into children over the course of a night. And now...there's a series of nightmares plaguing people about a manor in the snow, and how they have these bruise-like marks that no one can see except for those that have them. I've never run across ailments that my powers couldn't cure before I came here. I...it's very unsettling.

[The touch makes her heart skip, and her eyes fall shut. For a moment she seems to be leaning into his touch, but she smiles sadly and looks up at him.] Must be a part of who we are, despite our name differences. Aerith. With a 'th' sound.

[small smile, a little cocksure, like his old self] Good thing I'm here, then. Sounds like you guys need me more than my Template does.

[sheepish grin] Sorry, Aerith. [And that sad smile shoots straight to his heart.] I think it's more than that. You're . . . you're really similar. I wouldn't have known the difference if you hadn't told me.

[Her smile widens and she almost laughs.] Maybe! You can never tell with these things.

That's..that's okay. Apparently the Zack from my world found me to be much too different from my teenage self. But then again, it'd been seven years since I'd been that age, and for him it must've been only a few months at the most. Things...didn't go so well when he and I first talked after he arrived.

[Laughing is good! He is starting to wonder whether he should let go now, but she hasn't said anything, and he's not going to until she does.]

Must've been a shock for him. Especially if he'd just seen . . . you, as . . . [doesn't even bother trying to finish that sentence, his brain still trying to wrap around the concept] This is too weird.

Yes, a lot of people say that. Although usually much more colorfully.

And here I am trying to restrain myself. [cheeky grin, then lets it fade as he leans his head against hers]

I missed you. Even if it . . . wasn't really you.

[tightens his hold a bit again]

I missed you too. [Her voice was soft, and she'd squeezed her eyes shut. This was so confusing. He looked like Zack, the voice, the smell of his clothes, the spiritual presence was a little different but otherwise she would have never known had he not mentioned the Template City where he was from.]

[quiet for bit]

. . . If I'm dead where you're from . . . didn't you get to see me in the Lifestream?

Mm. [She nods] Once I joined the Lifestream, you were there, but...it's different somehow. This is different.

[Relaxes. Wasn't sure what he was going to do if he'd found out that he couldn't be with her again even in death.]

Looks like I can't save you no matter which world I'm in. [his voice is laden with audible guilt, almost crushing] I'm sorry.

Sometimes personal sacrifice is necessary in order to save something greater. Besides, trust me when I say I knew what I was doing when I left for the City of the Ancients on my own. I was the last person that knew how to summon Holy, and I didn't want any of you in danger.

And I've had enough trouble with Cloud beating himself over it for years, so I would prefer it if you didn't start that either. [She manages a small smile]

[Quiet again, having trouble making the words come out, but feels she needs to know this for some reason.]

You didn't . . . go by yourself, in my world. We all went with you. And I still couldn't stop him.

[The guilt's enough to finally make him pull away, looking at the floor.]

It was him in your world too, wasn't it? It was Sephiroth.

Please don't blame yourself Zack, I didn't even know that would happen, there was no way anyone could've prepared for that.

Yes. [She nods, one hand moving to cover where the scar lay hidden beneath her clothes.] It was Sephiroth.

[voice is harsh with anger at himself, looking away from her]

I should've prepared for it. It was the sort of thing he would've done, I knew his tactics. I should have known he was coming.

[She cups his face in her hands, trying to get him to look her in the eye.]

Zack. Hören Sie sich du! Thinking like that will only make the wounds worse. What happened is done, beating yourself up over it isn't going to make anything better. Cloud nearly killed himself by thinking that way, and I don't think your Aeris would want you saying that either.

Becoming a part of the Lifestream made it easier to help control the counter-attack against Meteor. At least it did for me. I was able to get the help of everyone to fight it. I would have never been able to control something like that from the outside. I'm not saying I'm glad I died, but with my death, I don't think Sephiroth expected what I would be able to do after that.

[lets out a shaky breath and bows his head against hers, eyes closed]

JENOVA didn't, that's for sure.

See? Some good came out of it. [Her thumbs stroke his cheeks, her eyes closed as she just listens to the sound of his breathing, and the muted sound of his heartbeat.]

[relaxes slightly]

You--my Aeris helped Cloud and me, too. We probably wouldn't have won that last battle with Cloud if I hadn't had your Materia. Heck, I probably wouldn't have gotten out of the Lifestream.

Holy always comes to those who ask for its aid. You just have to ask nicely. [She smiles, trying to offer some humor.]

What would you boys do without us?

[chuckles and opens his eyes to look at her]

Get into more trouble?

[Sighs dramatically and rolls her eyes, shaking her head.]

I knew it.

[Laughs, hugging her again and relaxing more thoroughly.]

So I guess if I'm gonna be here a while, I'd better find somewhere to stay.

'Fraid so. [Hugs, she missed his kind of hugs.]

Where are you staying?

On Master Street, in the Caravaca house.

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