Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Thank Goodness for Reality! ❯ A Message for Aeris! ( Chapter 8 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

IMPORTANT Stuff: Squaresoft owns Final Fantasy VII, and Zack's at it again...

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Thank Goodness for Reality!

written by K-chan

Episode Eight: A Message for Aeris!


Monday morning, a wonderful day to start the school week... would NOT have been any student's thoughts, including Aeris Hojo. She had stayed up late finishing her five-page research paper for her art history class. She didn't like history at all, and even with the subject of art, it was still boring as hell. Instead of learning about the history of aesthetic creation, she would rather create it with her own hands.

BRIIIIIIIIING!!

Aeris inwardly rejoice at the class bell blaring in her ears, but that was all right when the class session was over. Everyone around was as happy as she was, but the professor wasn't through yet. The woman stoodly firmly at the front, glaring at the noisy, young adults packing away their books and whatnot to jet out of there, but they could sense the unsettled feeling emmanating from her aura, and it was that that silenced them.

"What is this?" she said, "Didn't I say the bell doesn't dismiss you -- I DO?!" Okay, so she was not a likable person -- one more reason Aeris didn't like that class. "There's no class for the rest of this week, BUT I better see everyone here next Monday in proper dress for a class trip and lecture." Everyone was still glued in their seats because they were too afraid of her 'evil' eyes to even budge. "All right," she sighed, "Dismissed."

And in a blink of an eye, the class cleared out of the lecture hall like a stampede of elephants to a waterhole. At least Aeris was the normal one of the bunch and eased herself out of the place only to meet a smiling Zack waiting for her, "Hey, babe! Lookin' good today!"

"Hi, Zack," she sighed, knowing his flattery were to be taken like cream and sugar in coffee -- just let them dissolve and you're back with coffee once more, but with the nice sweetness to remember what was there. "You're not going to make this a habit, are you?" she asked him as they walked out of the building.

"Of course!" he nodded like it was a known fact, "I'm gonna see you every chance I get!" He suddenly stopped her and looked around suspiciously, "It's risky... with your evil brother around, but..." He straightened up and gazed down at her with serious eyes of deep blue, "But I'll risk it all, including my life, just to see your beautiful face... The face of a stranded angel wandering lonesomely on this tainted earth..."

Aeris continued to look at him during his little monologue, appearing unimpressed. He noticed her expression and stopped, "Ha ha, is it working?"

"Well... for some other girl, it would work," she said, "but I know you too well."

He laughed and put an arm around her shoulders, "Great, that's a good start on a relationship. You must know your partner like you know yourself, right?"

"Oh Zack," she sighed.

"Let's get some breakfast! There's this really good place off campus..."

"Where we won't run into my brother, right?"

"Aaah..." his mouth hung opened, and Aeris closed it shut for him. He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "But you're just gonna love the comfy booths! They even have a nice view across the park..." he continued to describe the place for her as they disappeared in the distance with Aeris sweatdropping all the way.


Reno was lounging around in the diner, flipping through the latese swimsuit issue with a disinterested look since there wasn't much he could do when the models were two-dimensional flat in a magazine. The world was out to get him -- when he didn't need a girl, there would always be dozens flocking over him, but when he was in the mood, he was stuck with his buddy, who just finished a cup of coffee and was studying his notes across the table.


<< RUDE ?????: I'm NOT creative with set character's surnames, so let's leave it as is!! Here's Rude, one of Rufus's and Reno's best buddies, but so unlike his name, he is very polite and quiet. A hardworker since his life isn't as easy as Rufus's, but he's very loyal to his friends, usually the muscle man supporting and sticking up for them (not that those two need any help with their reputations). >>


Without taking his eyes away from the notes, Rude said in a calm tone, "You're seriously not going to study? You've gotten an hour before the exam from hell begins."

"Naah, I'll live," he replied, still looking through the magazine.

"You know you can't kiss ass through THIS class." When Reno paused, Rude looked up at his friend to see a wide grin plastered on his face, and from that expression, he knew one thing was certain, "Don't say another word. I don't wanna know." And he returned to his studying.

After a while, Reno began to get bored of the swimsuit models and put the magazine aside. He took sip of his coffee and looked around the eatery until he spotted a familiar face. He squinted his eyes to get a clearer look, and boy, did he look chipper. He recognized those beautiful green eyes anywhere. He put the coffee down and stood up, telling his friend, "I'm gonna chat with a cutie."

"Right, and I'll still be over here, studying... because there will no cheating."

Reno shrugged and walked over to the brunette, who was at the table with a young man. "Hey there," he greeted her, ignoring the surprised look on her companion's face, "You're Aeris, right?"

"And you're Reno, M.U.'s player, huh?" Zack asked, inwardly surprised that such a guy would know Aeris.

The red-head looked at Zack with a cocky smile, "That's right."

There seemed to be some tension between the two from the way there eyes were staring each other down, and that made Aeris nervous. "Excuse me," she said, hoping to break them out of their staring contest, and it did work, but now the attention was on her. "Is there something I can do for you, Reno?"

He smiled, "No no, just came over to say 'hi'... and to see if you've agreed to yesterdays's little proposition?"

"What proposition?" Zack inquired curiously, "What's this about, Aeris?"

Aeris sweatdropped, recalling her conversation with Rufus where he had asked her out on a date, and since then, she hadn't thought about it much. But she was certain that she couldn't let Sephiroth know because the idea of her dating (at the moment) was a big no-no and he didn't seem to take kindly to Rufus Shinra.

She wasn't sure what to say to Zack, who didn't like what was going on at the moment, but thank goodness Reno spoke up, "It's nothin' for you to know." He pretended to look at his watch for the time and then said to them, "I've got an exam to study for, so I'll leave you two now." Before he left, he leaned down to Aeris's ear and whispered, "He's looking forward to it... and so am I." He smirked, straightening up, and returned to his table, leaving Aeris to watch him... all the while Zack was fuming in the background.

"Aeris! I don't get it!" he whined, "What was that about?! How do you know that idiot?! Didn't Sephy tell you not to talk to suspicious guys?!!"

She looked at him tiresomely and sighed, "Zack, Sephy told me you were suspicious too."


Later that day, Aeris came home really tired and just wanted to take a shower and go to bed. She crashed on the couch and laid there for a few minutes. The house was completely (except for her -- duh) since Sephiroth wouldn't be home until another three hours. She reached her hand over the back of the couch, searching for the phone that was on the table back there, and when she found it, she clicked on the answering machine. She laid there, listening to the messages...

Message One: You're not home?!! My little cupcakes aren't home! *whimper* Of course you're not home, you're being good, little cupcakes and going to school! But when you get back, call me immediately! Your mummy needs to speak with you. Now be good and take care, sweeties!

Message Two: Hi... Is this really Sephiroth's and Aeris's place? If it is then... *pause* then I must have the wrong number... But if not, who are you guys really?

Message Three: It's mummy again, sweeties. I just need Aeris to call me back. Sorry, Sephiroth, it's a girl thing... *pause* unless you know your lingerie... *many screams in the background* Oh, I have to go! I think lunch is ready.

Message Four: *silence* Hi, this is <insert DJ name> at the <insert favorite radio station> radio station! Your number has been randomly selected to win a free book about winning contests by randomly selecting phone numbers...

Message Five: Hello, this is Rufus...

"WHAT?!" Aeris bolted upright at the name.

Message Five, continue: If you get this message, Aeris, call me back. I would like to hear your voice again, and to see you would be even better.

She just stood there like a statue, staring at the answering machine like it was sort of evil, slimey creature that crawled up through the tub drain and was jiggling before her eyes. She had to erase the message before it could reach her brother's ears, but where was the 'erase' button?! She never had to do that before since all she had to do before was click on 'play'. As she tried to figure out how to work the thing, the final message came out...

Message Six: *silence* ... *longer silence* ...... *deep breathing* Aeris... *click*

"EEK!" she squealed, looking very pale.

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Err... *twitch* I feel so weird... Anyway, this is for MidnightRose-san for her belated b-day gift... It's not much, but you did ask for this to be updated (along with two other stories, which I will hopefully get around to them). And THE date is coming up soon... and Zack won't be sitting still for it. Heehehe... and neither will Sephy-kun! Kyaakyahahaa! =6.6=