The Path Ahead

FOUR

The days passed, going faster than Aerith would've liked as she and Edwyn spent what time they could together. She slipped off to see him any chance she got, even if it was only for a few minutes, and as the day she was set to leave with the others got closer, the less she wanted to go. She'd never felt so torn and uncertain about what she should do, and by the time that week was almost over, she wasn't any closer to a decision than she'd been before. What was she to do?

The day before she and the others were to leave, Aerith was inside the quartermaster's shop upstairs adjusting the Shinra uniform Edwyn and his men had obtained for her to use as a disguise while in Junon. It fit well enough, she supposed. The shop's only dressing room was little more than an alcove with a curtain, but it worked well enough. It didn't have a mirror, though. So once she was satisfied, she pulled the curtain aside and stepped out of the dressing room.

"Well?" she asked, slowly turning around. "What do you think? It's a little snug around the waist, but I guess it'll do."

"Looks good!" Tifa smiled.

She was wearing her own uniform as well, having tried it on to see how it fit. Neither of them wore the helmets at the moment. Cloud and Jessie had already gotten their disguises ready earlier and had left to go and prepare for their departure tomorrow. But despite all the uniforms Edwyn and his men had seized from the soldiers they'd taken prisoner after the battle, none of them fit Barret or Yuffie. Aerith supposed they would have to find something in Junon to use. And as for Red, his had been surprisingly easy to adjust and prepare.

Aerith chuckled. "Thanks, Tifa. Can't say I'm comfortable wearing this, but we don't really have much of a choice, do we?"

"No," she agreed. "I feel the same way."

"You heard Jessie's coming with us?" Aerith asked.

Tifa nodded. "She mentioned it to me the other day. It'll be good to have her along this time, although I can't help but wonder how it might change things from the way they went before."

Aerith had thought of that, too. "I know. This time... things will be different. Maybe not much at first, but later on..."

"It still feels so strange, Aerith, knowing we've done all this before," Tifa said. "I'm not sure I really understand it. I mean, who knows how many times we've gone on this same journey?"

"Yeah..." Aerith agreed. "Even I don't get it all."

Although she knew more than she'd told Cloud and the others, she still had only a vague idea of what it all meant and how it worked. The once-familiar path had grown uncertain, the road dark and empty. She wondered where it would lead, and if she would see its end. Shivering a little, she pushed that thought away, not ready to face it yet, and took a deep breath to calm herself and try to relax.

Just then, Biggs and Cloud came in. When Biggs saw Tifa wearing her disguise, he grinned approvingly and gave her a thumbs up. "Nice! Only you could make a Shinra uniform look good."

"Flatterer," she smirked.

"You know it's true," he quipped.

Aerith giggled. "Well, Cloud? How about me?"

"Uh, looks nice," he said.

"Oh, you!" she laughed. "Such a handful! But you're getting better! I'm sure you flirted with Jessie when she tried hers on."

Cloud shrugged. "She'd already finished before I got here, said that she had to get back to work on that secret project for Lena. So I haven't gotten to see her in her disguise yet, Aerith."

"Oh, I see," she replied. "Well, when you do, be sure to tell her how good she looks in it. She'll really like that."

"Will do," he promised.