[ unlike so many of the members of the group that was once avalanche, tseng had never managed to hear aerith's voice in drops of water clinging to eaves or splashing down to the earth; he had never seen her reflected in puddles or sensed her beyond the rainfall. but his attention has been caught by things that remind him of her—the scent of flowers on the wind, the flutter of a pink ribbon, the tinkle of feminine laughter from down the street. aerith has been everywhere, for him. everywhere, and also nowhere, or at least nowhere that tseng could touch.
which is why he jolts nearly out of his skin, to see her face suddenly reflected in the pool of water before him. in an instant, he's on his feet again, and he turns on his heel with his jaw set to face down whatever—whoever—might be co-opting aerith's appearance for its own gains—
but all he sees is—aerith. or someone who looks very much like her, anyway, right down to the fall of hair around her face, the amused twinkle in her green eyes. thank ramuh he didn't reach for his gun. ]
I don't, [ tseng says, for once at a loss for words. it takes a lot to leave a man like him speechless, but if ever there were something that could do it, it would be this: the reappearance of a woman long dead, against all odds. ] What—?
[ he draws a slow breath, shuddering, calming. the chances this is real are slim, tseng thinks; much more likely is a trick by some fiend, or even the inevitable fracture of tseng's own psyche under the weight of everything he's put it through over the years. is he hallucinating now? letting his brain cook up visions to comfort him in his grief? could his mind ever have a hope of recreating aerith faithfully, in all her perfection and all her flaws? ]
[ Has she ever seen Tseng this shocked? Not that she could blame him for being so stunned. Nearly everyone Aerith has seen since her return has met her with much the same, but Tseng is the portrait of cool and composed. His surprise isn't out of order, but it doesn't suit him.
Now, that deep breath? The way he squares his shoulders and asks her the first, most obvious and reasonable question? That's the Tseng she knows.
Unfortunately, she doesn't have an answer. Aerith hums out a wordless 'I dunno' and rolls her shoulders, her head tilting sideways as she does – the portrait of bewilderment. ]
Beats me.
[ Aware that while he might believe her, that answer isn't likely to cut it, Aerith continues, her tone light and conversational despite the mysterious topic at hand. ]
In a way, I was never really gone, but that doesn't mean I was here, either, but, after the stigma was healed, that changed.
[ There was a rush of light, water, and energy, and suddenly. ] Next thing I know I'm pulling myself out of this pool and giving Tifa a heart attack!
[ Then Tifa called the gang, and Reno, who called Tseng, and that brings them to the present, where Aerith clasps her hands behind her back and bends forward slightly, watching him with those luminous eyes of hers. ]
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Date: 2024-10-07 06:12 pm (UTC)which is why he jolts nearly out of his skin, to see her face suddenly reflected in the pool of water before him. in an instant, he's on his feet again, and he turns on his heel with his jaw set to face down whatever—whoever—might be co-opting aerith's appearance for its own gains—
but all he sees is—aerith. or someone who looks very much like her, anyway, right down to the fall of hair around her face, the amused twinkle in her green eyes. thank ramuh he didn't reach for his gun. ]
I don't, [ tseng says, for once at a loss for words. it takes a lot to leave a man like him speechless, but if ever there were something that could do it, it would be this: the reappearance of a woman long dead, against all odds. ] What—?
[ he draws a slow breath, shuddering, calming. the chances this is real are slim, tseng thinks; much more likely is a trick by some fiend, or even the inevitable fracture of tseng's own psyche under the weight of everything he's put it through over the years. is he hallucinating now? letting his brain cook up visions to comfort him in his grief? could his mind ever have a hope of recreating aerith faithfully, in all her perfection and all her flaws? ]
How are you here?
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Date: 2024-11-04 04:01 am (UTC)Now, that deep breath? The way he squares his shoulders and asks her the first, most obvious and reasonable question? That's the Tseng she knows.
Unfortunately, she doesn't have an answer. Aerith hums out a wordless 'I dunno' and rolls her shoulders, her head tilting sideways as she does – the portrait of bewilderment. ]
Beats me.
[ Aware that while he might believe her, that answer isn't likely to cut it, Aerith continues, her tone light and conversational despite the mysterious topic at hand. ]
In a way, I was never really gone, but that doesn't mean I was here, either, but, after the stigma was healed, that changed.
[ There was a rush of light, water, and energy, and suddenly. ] Next thing I know I'm pulling myself out of this pool and giving Tifa a heart attack!
[ Then Tifa called the gang, and Reno, who called Tseng, and that brings them to the present, where Aerith clasps her hands behind her back and bends forward slightly, watching him with those luminous eyes of hers. ]
I'm happy you came, Tseng.