Restless [Leon]

[Cloud]

August 7th

Searching For Answers

Cloud was starting to grow increasing restless. It had been more than a week since he had last spoken to Aerith, but it certainly wasn't out of lack of interest or trying to. Over that past week he had been searching around Radiant Garden for her every day, unforunately without avail.

On the first day or two of not being able to find her, he hadn't really been very worried; there was no reason to be. But as time passed, it was becoming clear that she was no longer anywhere in the world. Where she was, he had no idea. He insisted to himself that she most likely was doing just fine, but he couldn't stop his imagination from wandering to the worst...

He had already asked that Clive guy, who had been suspciously lurking around her house, a while ago and he had tried to tell him something about her being off at some orphanage across town. Needless to say, Cloud didn't trust him. Oh, and he had also asked Yuffie, but apparently she hadn't even noticed that she was missing at all. Typical.

Still somewhat vainly hoping to come across Aerith, or at least someone else who might know where she was, he was walking through the Borough. And he saw one, leaning against a wall like usual.

"Leon!" he called from a distance, moving over to him. "Do you have any idea where Aerith is?"

[Nothingness]

I KNEW I Should've Put a Bell on Her!

Leon had noticed a slight rise in the number of Heartless that were appearing. Under any other circumstances, he'd say that that was bad, but, for now that was good. It meant things were getting slightly back to normal. Besides, it meant that he didn't need to find himself lounging around all day until a Heartless randomly showed up--now he didn't even need to go searching for them.

For the moment, however, Cloud had grabbed his attention. Aerith? Well, she had been gone for quite a long time. And that Clive guy hadn't been particularly helpful when they first asked, either. "Sorry, but I don't. C'mon, let's check out her place. Maybe she left a note or something." Not much to go on, but he doubted Aerith would just up and leave without some sort of announcement.

[Cloud]

A Leash Would Probably Be Better

"Oh." Cloud frowned, clearly disappointed with the lack of information that he had just received. He honestly hadn't thought that Leon would know any more about where Aerith was than he did, but he had certainly hoped he could. It was worth a try...

"Okay." he agreed, nodding. They could go check her place. Even though he had already been there a few days ago, maybe this time he would actually be able to find something of interest that would be even remotely helpful. And if they ran into Clive again while there, he would make sure to get a better answer out of him than the ones he had already given them.

Cloud stayed pretty quiet as they walked the short distance to Aerith's house, to busy in thought to say anything. When they got there he glanced around, looking for any signs of somebody. He didn't see anyone.

With that, he stepped up to the door and knocked hardly on it. It wasn't until after he did this that he realized that it was a bit silly. Aerith certainly couldn't be answering the door if she wasn't even there. Granted, the door was probably still locked. "I guess we should just force our way in..."

[Aerith]

I didn't realize Aerith was so popular.
--------

While it was relatively peaceful in Aerith's house, there were the occasional rude men who came back, continually asking about where Aerith had gone. Typically, she hid upstairs, since Clive was around to answer their questions vaguely. Clive, however, had disappeared as far as she could tell.

There was hard knocking on the door downstairs, and Cinderella worked up her courage. It took her a bit to get down the stairs in her giant ballgown (which she had refused to stop wearing, naturally. She was a princess, after all).

Once downstairs, she quickly opened the door. She had heard talk outside of breaking in. It was the blonde man again, and he had brought a friend this time.

"Oh. Hello. You're looking for Aerith, aren't you? She isn't here."

[Nothingness]

Not interested in that response

Leon was about to suggest just opening the window, but the door was opened by Cinderella before he could suggest it. Wait, Cinderella? "What are you doing here, Cinderella? I thought you were back on your own world?" He couldn't hide the incredulous tone in his voice--it didn't make sense for her to be here.

Looking back, the last time he spoke with her was when he had first returned to Hollow Bastion two years ago. She was used by Ansem in his quest for the Door to Darkness, but after Sora had finished off the self-proclaimed "Seeker of Darkness", all the Princesses of Heart had returned to their home worlds. So, that still begged the question: what was she doing here?