human
The massive war that took place between the citizens of Radiant Gardens, and the forces of darkness that filled the massive scar outside of the city. Shattered bits of wall, earth and machinery still littered the landscape and while the soldiers involved had mostly dissolved back into shadows, the event itself was something that would never feel entirely removed from the scene, not as long as the massive scars of war and time remained on the Garden's once beautiful terrain. He almost didn't recognize it when he first saw it. The difference hung in the air, and when he first arrived even the town itself looked haggard. Not just aged, or economically weak, but battered and beaten. The streets looked pale, the sky looked like it was running out of breath, and even the sun seemed like it was hiding. The air tasted dry as he stood atop the broken wall in the midst of repair, the sound of heavy machinery knocking down and putting up walls and rebar. His hands felt a bit tense, like muscle memory was telling him about the fights that had gone on here long ago were of great importance.
Zack let a deep breath free and turned away from the scene, dropping from the 15 foot high wall with grace that belayed his size and equipment. The broadsword on his back made an audible clank as he hit the ground and he turned to walk past the construction workers that seemed to be lost in their work. Despite the fact they were simply smashing the weak structures and replacing them with nearly identical old ones (Although cleaner and in some cases, a bit more cheerful in their atheistic design) they seemed very content, like they knew what they were doing was important. The town itself seemed to be in high spirits despite what had obviously transpired just a few dozen yards away.
Children played in the streets, merchants sold their goods with happy faces, and families even seemed comfortable leaving their doors wide open while talking with neighbors. He could even smell the baked goods cooling on window sills. He never quite remembered things being -this- cheerful when he was here last, but that was years ago, and even back then things had started to feel on edge. Now, now t was like things had bounced back from a great depression and everyone was riding that high. The streets were being cleaned by magical brooms, the tunnels were always lit and spotless, dogs chased anthropomorphic ducklings about playfully. It was like living in a children's book.
As he kept walking the houses seemed to sparse out, the walls continued but the homes became replaced by soiled areas where trees were planted, decorative statues erected. Zack remembered the area housing a lot more of a population than he had seen where he had just been, but it became apparent as to why this area seemed much more sparse now, and why it had been repaired before the rest of the town even with no one living here.
A massive graveyard sprawled out before him. Not rows upon rows of tombstones, in fact, it was more of a memorial, with a few large statues with bases covered in plaques. Rows upon rows of names, sometimes just family ones, listed. Over the years it seemed like more than a few had been lost to the enemies that seemed to populate the outskirts and torn plains of the city. At the back of the open court yard sat a humble Church, obviously old, but repaired and maintained with obvious care. It was the only thing in this part of town that looked familiar to him, and his stride stayed the same pace, but moved towards it with purpose. As he reached the great massive doors, he placed his hand to it, and pushed it open with surprising ease. The last time he had used these doors they had seemed rusted, and tired to move, but now it was like they were brand new.
As he stepped inside, the smell of flowers rushed his senses and his eyes quickly adjusted to the soft, natural light streaming in through the tinted church windows. He took a deep breath of scented air and called out, almost expectantly.
"Hello?"
gpt
Days were often spent staring at the barrier between the humble town and carnage beyond. From morning til dusk the flower girl sat, emerald eyes trained forward and her head filled with hope. Hope that he would return. Hope that the war would end soon and everything would build itself back to the way that it had once been. Tranquil and homely. And there was a lingering hope that he would return home, safe and sound. Every day Aerith came to the wall, still as stone and prayed to the Gods above that no harm would befall him. Yet when the days grew long, her vehement hope began to diminish and soon it was nothing more than to reminiscence on when night came and her head laid down upon her pillow. Each night there was a dream of life before the war until finally there resided no reason longer to remember what had once been. War had been eradicated and from the ashes all the townspeople did what they could to rebuild what had been previous. To reform what had been devastated and construct a someplace better than it had ever been previous.
Aerith spent much of the days doing what she could to lend a helping hand. She, far too frail, could not do much labor but the flower-girl tried her best. From baking good, to sweeping rubble, sewing clothes to spending her entire day with all the children. Her favorite thing to do however, was playing beautiful flowers. Rebuffed streets were adorned in foliage and often around the building laid at least one blossom, something to emanate cheer. Aerith's most favorite place to plant flowers happened to be a large church. Inside midst the massive stone pillar, a sea of pallid white blossoms swaying gently against a sweet breeze. While the plaque itself expressed a figure of great sorrow, nestled along delicate blossoms, it almost seemed more....tranquil.
Nested among the pallid swaying flowers, she often lost herself to prayer. Still sending a lone voice out for Zack's safety. The war was over but it had not changed the lives which had been stripped, while his name had never come up as killed, he had been on the list of missing soldiers for quite some time. And so she prayed until moonlight peeked through the large mosaic window overhead. She would then slip off to bed and sleep another dreamless night.
Today most of her time had been spend frolicking with the local children, telling stories and eating fresh baked goods. They played chase too, weaving along the various sectors and even scaling fences to keep out of sight. It had been rather, but soon all the children were called off for lunch and Aerith decided to take her packed lunch to the church, to sit in the flowers and enjoy the warm rays of light which seeped in. Even a blanket had been brought to lay out. A position had been chosen towards the front, laid directly under the largest window where sunlight pilfered down in various spectrum. Such radiant shades provided a seraphic glow upon lustrous chest locks, even casting the faint glimmer of a halo upon the young girl's crown.
Aerith just lifted an apple to pastel pink lips when a voice cut through the warm silence. Its source at first, remained unknown, but its presence did not startle her any. Soft emerald flitted up under long lashes as the apple delicately found its spot back within the basket. Under pink fabric, long smooth limbs disengaged from their folded posture, shifting to stand while hands slipped down to pat towards any dust lingering. Once upright, a call echoed his question in a tender cherub pitch.
"Hello? Can I help you with something?"
The words had not longer left her lips than a second before the figure's face came into view. From there the world suddenly became still. Time drew to a halt as her heart ceased mid beat, peridot gaze frozen upon his face which had filled her dreams for far too long. And for a moment, it was unclear if relief filled her more than the sheer excitement or vice versa. Time jerked forward once more, spurned by a elated squeal piercing the soft hum brought by a rolling breeze. Like a bolt from a quiver, Aerith shot across the church, svelte arms held wide and ivory cheeks flushed a heated pink in her enthusiasm.
human
The church's acoustics startled him momentarily, he hadn't had expected the wave of nostalgia just from hearing his own voice bounce off these walls, but it did. The momentary distraction dissolved as amusicalvoice called back. He had expected someone to be here, but moreso an old caretaker, or a priest, instead he was greeted by what felt like a ghost. A welcome ghost that suddenly made him feel five years younger, like the boy that had never seen war. She looked like she hadn't aged a day, if only growing more into her grace. Her hair was a bit longer, she was wearing more pink now, but other than that it was like he'd seen her the day before.
There was a momentary pause and Zack felt a sudden panic in the back of his mind lunge forward. She'd probably thought he was dead, since for all intents and purposes he was. He hadn't sent a single word to friend, family or colleague for years, and she'd probably thought after the first month or two that he'd be lost to her. She'd probably have moved on, met someone else. With her being the type of person she was it would have been impossible for another guy, or two dozen other guys, to fall for her, and try to win her over. She never struck him as the forever-in-mourning type, smiling just came too naturally to her. He was probably just bringing back the memories of loss and abandonment by coming back, and she-
His own inner monologue was cut short as the five foot three, light weight woman thrust into his stomach with enough force to cause him to half stumble before he caught himself. He felt the small, lithe arms wrap around his waist and squeeze tightly enough that he thought for a moment his belt was on too tight and he had to catch his breath. He was nearly twice her size and weight, but none of that mattered in that moment, she'd managed to hit him with enough force that he'd have been knocked flat had his training not come into play. He should have been thinking about her, asking her how she'd been, what had happened, explain where he was this whole time, that he'd never forgotten about her, but...none of that felt right.
Instead all he could do was raise his arms up, place one hand at the back of her head, the other across the small of her back and return the embrace. The church's flower filled aroma mixed with the smell of the natural perfume that came from her hair and he pressed his lips to the crown of her head, holding it momentarily before letting just his chin rest atop her head. The moment's embrace lingered and he finally took a deep breath before forcing himself to break the silence. "...I like the dress." He didn't break the embrace, partly for fear that she might disappear and this was all a dream ten years in the making, but his azure eyes scanned the church as he saw the blanket spread out in the middle of the floor.
"...were you expecting someone?"
gpt
She squeezed him a bit tighter, burying deeper into the build of his chest. He smelt much as he always had, a collection of cologne and musk. But now there resided something else, something which could not entirely be placed; foreign and dangerous. Upon his shoulders ivory fingers stretched, hooking against the dark cloth of his top as to try and nestle deeper into his essence. Aerith tried to withhold the tumult in her core, tried to keep halcyon, but found such difficult to achieve. Moisture dabbed to verdant orbs and threatened to spill down porcelain cheeks. Keeping to silence, for a passing time, was all the girl could do to keep from crumpling.
While it remained unlikely Zack's silence stemmed from the same cause, Aerith did not seem upset by it, rather the flower girl was rather understanding. After seeing so much in varying battles, there had to be a darkness whelming inside his chest, a distance opened by having to express apathy for so long. Enveloped by the soldier's presence alone, it was all she needed to be assured that it was not another dream derives from her memory. Clenching tighter to his clothes, she found it a struggle to keep from melting under his pressed lips. emanating a soft, breathless squeak. All held moisture whelmed, beginning to ribbon down pallid cheeks without further ability to quell them.
His question seemed to be the only thing which kept the pink-adorned girl from breaking down completely, if only due to it calling her full attention to divide. Watery eyes swiveled away, dressing back upon the outstretched blanket and with it the lingering picnic basket. She had nearly forgotten all about her lunch! A small peddle of laughter sounded, curling the fingers of one hand towards glossy pink lips. " No, no.... I was eating here alone. I just find it so nice and peaceful... Most of the time I eat here, in that very spot. It's....rather lonely to sit at home...."
Her smile diminished slightly and with it gentle angelic features churned into something pathetic and defeated. Silence pilfered through lingering sun beams for several passing beats, punctuated by a sudden hard sob. Aerith's thin shoulders drooped and took to a feeble shudder while svelte digits wrenched tight into dust-laced garb, feeling the strength to even stand upright draining abruptly away. She dipped into his body, clasping tight for support lest the poor girl collapse into a heap at his feet.
"Zack... I can't.... I can't believe you're finally back... I missed you for so long...."