Sera Rose

"Man, it's good to finally have a break!" Lea yawned and stretched his arms. "Master Yen Sid is one tough trainer." The red-haired man looked around his home; he felt so happy to see his homeworld restored to its former glory. He'd come back once as Axel and seen it's decrepit state.

He stopped as he heard a strange whirling sound, somewhere off to his right. Down an alley, he saw a strange red and white, swirling portal. "Huh?" Suddenly, a figure shot out of the portal, rolling across the pavement.

"Uh..." the figure held their head and began muttering softly, groping around as if they couldn't see.

"Hey, are you ok?" The pyro ran to the figure's side. He could see that it was a girl, a few years younger than him. She wore a red and black dress and her dark brown hair hung down around her, with her bangs falling over her face.

The girl pulled back, hitting her head against the wall of the building to their left. "Augh... p-please don't hurt me... don't take me to them... I don't want to be experimented on... please..."

"Calm down," Lea gently touched her hand. "I'm not going to hurt you." He watched as she groped about for something to hold onto, and through her bangs, he saw pale gray eyes. It took him a moment, but he put the pieces together: this girl was blind.

She swung her hand, fire appearing as she attacked. Lea grabbed her hand, his own pyrokenetic powers preventing him from being burned. "Let me go! Don't take me to them!"

"Hey, listen, I'm not here to hurt you. I want to help."

The girl stopped, sightless eyes lifted up to Lea's face. Suddenly, what he could see of her eyes became surrounded in fire; she relaxed, giving a small smile, "W-who are you?"

"My name is Lea. I'm a friend..." He took her arms, helping the girl to her feet. "Now, who are you, and where did you come from?"

"I-I don't know... I can't remember where I came from or how I got here. B-but I do remember my name, its Sera, Sera Melanie Rose." Her legs suddenly buckled beneath her. The man caught her before she hit the ground.

"Well, Sera, let me get you somewhere where you can rest." Lea picked her up in a bridal carry. "A friend of mine runs an inn nearby." He carried her through the streets, ignoring the questioning looks he got from the people around him. As if exhausted from her strange journey, Sera fell asleep, her head leaning against the young man's chest.

The sign for 7th Heaven rose up before him and he went to the door, kicking it as a manner of knocking. Tifa threw the door open, taking in the sight before her. "Lea, what in the name of sanity is going on?"

"This girl needs help. Do you have a room available?" Tifa nodded, stepping back, allowing for the pyro to follow.

"So, what's the story?"

Lea looked down Sera. "She came out of this portal and doesn't remember anything but her own name. She's also blind, but her eyes did glow for a second or two." Tifa opened one of the room doors, allowing the pyro to step inside and lay Sera on the bed.

"I can keep an eye on her..."

"No Tifa," the man pulled up a chair beside the bed. "She seemed scared, and I'm the only one she knows. It's probably better if I stay with her." The young woman nodded, leaving the door open as she left.

Lea sat by the blind girl's side, listening as she mumbled in her sleep; she seemed to say the word "pipes" over and over again, for no apparent reason. After a few hours, she eventually rolled over, giving out a long sigh before speaking. "I-Is anyone there...?"

"Just me, Sera." Lea smiled. "So, care to talk?"

"About what?"

He placed a hand on the bed. "Well, I saw you use fire, like I do..."

"You have powers too?" Sera sat up, looking surprised.

"Yeah, well, kinda... I've used Fire magic so much it's augmented to my body and I'm stuck with it. And, what was with the glowing eyes earlier?"

Sera began wringing her hands out of nervousness. "I-I well, it's another power I have... I may not be able to see, but my powers allow me to 'see' the auras of people... their emotions, personalities, and who they are in general."

"So you were checking my aura, to see if I would hurt you?"

She nodded. "Sorry..."

"No need to apologize." He waved a hand dismissively. "You were scared, so I wouldn't blame you." His face became serious all of a sudden. "But why were you asking me not to take you to someone, and that you were scared of being experimented on?"

"Well, I-I... I don't remember..." She shook her head. "I can't remember anything..."

Lea frowned. "So all you know is your name and your powers?" She nodded. "Well then, there's not much we can do about that... until you remember, you probably will just have to stay here, on our world."

"B-but I have no way to pay for anything." The girl protested. "I can't buy food, or clothes, or even afford this room."

"Let me handle that... for now, you just rest."

"Why are you being kind to me, no one is ever nice to my kind..."

Lea cocked an eyebrow. "Your kind...?"

Sera placed a hand to her head. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that..." She laid down. "Maybe you're right, I should just rest..."

It only took a minute, before Sera was asleep once again. Tifa came through the door, hands on her hips. "So, what's the verdict?"

"Same as earlier, but it seems that she was treated cruelly wherever she came from." He glanced over at the sleeping girl. "It might be best if she stays here."

"I want to help, but I can't make exceptions. She still needs to pay for her room."

Lea smiled. "I'll take care of it."

With a moan, the blind girl sat up, her sense of smell suddenly full of a delicious smell. "What is that?"

"Stew," Lea's voice rang out. "The landlady made it for her guests, and that includes you."

Sera took the bowl, slowly grabbing the spoon before swirling it around the bowl, figuring out how large the bowl was. "Thank you, but I can't pay for this..."

"I told you, I've got it."

"I know what you said, but what do you mean?"

The man smiled. "I'm going to have to leave in two days; I have to get back to some training I'm in. So, I've told Tifa, she's the owner of this place, that when I get back I'll pay for whatever charges you've amassed while I was gone."

"Oh!" the girl gasped. "That's not necessary. I mean, I'm only a stranger; you don't need to do that for me."

"Just call me a good Samaritan... I want to help you, because it's the right thing to do, Sera."

She smiled, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "W-why thank you, Lea..."

"It is my pleasure, Sera."

Two days later, Sera stood at Lea's side. "You've been so kind to me, even though we barely know one another."

"It's the least I could do." He grinned. "You're a sweet girl..." His grin turned a little slyer. "Maybe, when I get back, we could get to know one another some more... over dinner, perhaps?"

The girl blushed. "W-well, we shall see..."

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