Guardian Angel

Chapter 9

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"What!!! You gave her a STAFF for her BIRTHDAY??" The spiky black haired young man looked as if he had been told the end of the planet had arrived.

"Yes." The silver haired young man glanced at his companion. "What's wrong with that?"

"Oh man!! What's NOT wrong with that??" The black haired man countered.

"It's an extraordinary weapon, Zack. It's light in weight, yet it's powerful. And it's retractable also." The silver haired man explained calmly.

"I KNOW it's a killer weapon. But, for god sake, she is a GIRL, Sephiroth!! A F-E-M-A-L-E, FEMALE!!" Zack was practically shouting in front of Sephiroth's face, which was not something others found wise to do: considering Sephiroth would soon be promoted to be a general.

"But she needs to know how to protect herself. I cannot be there to protect her twenty-four hours a day. The only thing I can think of to keep her safe from harm while I am not around is to give her a weapon and teach her how to use it." Sephiroth recalled all the unnecessary attentions from males Aeris had attracted in the past two years. She had just turn sixteen. Still a teenage girl, but her beauty was so unearthly that made her looked like an angel living on the planet among all those unworthy human. She looked so innocent, so pure that one would be gladly to throw away one's life just to protect her. Yet she was much wiser than she looked. And sometimes she could be very manipulative if she wanted too...

"That's nice, Seph. But girls like pretty stuff. Useless, but pretty stuff." Zack's eyes scanned at a pretty blonde receptionist who just passed by and whistled slightly before he turned his attention back to his future commander. "You know, like necklaces, earrings, rings. No, take that back. Never ever give a girl a ring unless you want to stuck with her for a while. Let me remind you, buddy, Valentine's day is less than a week away. Just because your last name is Valentine doesn’t mean you’d automatically get your chick. This time, DO IT RIGHT!! Buy her jewelry, chocolate, anything that's pretty, but useless!!"

Sephiroth looked down at his gloved hands without saying a word.

"Oh, I've got an even better idea!!" Zack brightened suddenly.

"What?" Sephiroth managed to act unconcerned despite his racing mind.

"Heh heh heh, you owe me a BIG one for this, man." Zack grinned widely before he continued. "I bet you she'd like flowers!! All girls like flowers. And flowers are far more precious than jewelry in Midger. That's right! Send her flowers!!"

Flowers... Yes, Aeris loves flowers. Midgar is too polluted for anything to grow, yet somehow she managed to grow flowers in her backyard. She is *that* special. But there's a problem. Aeris and her mother own the only floral shop in Midgar.

Sephiroth's thought was cut short.

"I bet you know there's only one place that sells flowers in Midgar, right? But there's something that you don't know..." Zack paused to wink at a voluptuous secretary, then he leaded closer to Sephiroth as if he was going to share his little secret. "You see, there's a chick in that floral shop that would make any man on this planet drop dead. She's unlike any chick you see on the streets or even in this building. She's got those big emerald green eyes that look so muck like sparking jewels. Her skin looks so silky soft just like baby's. Her lips are always moist and pink, just like cherry. Man! What would I give just to kiss her and see how she tastes like..."

Zack was too into his daydreams that he missed the glowing fire in Sephiroth's eyes.

"Oh!! And let's not forget her body! I mean, she's not the most voluptuous type, but her curves... and her legs... Heh heh. You've got to see it to believe it." Zack let out a dreamy sigh.

"So did you hit on her?" Sephiroth asked all of a sudden. Zack was too preoccupied to notice his dangerous tone.

"Who do you think I am??" Zack nearly jumped up from his seat as if he was very offended by Sephiroth's remark. "Of course I did! I am, after all, the Shinra's greatest lover, ain't I? But, even I, Zack the infamous First Class SOLDIER, could not get far with this chick. Man! After all those gils I spent on her shop, I only know her first name!!"

Zack hanged his head as if he was so ashamed of his "failure." Again he missed the sigh of relief from his companion.

"That is exactly why I gave her the staff." Sephiroth announced suddenly as he stood up and ready to leave the lounge.

"What do you mean?" Zack looked at the tall man, completely puzzled.

"To keep perverts like you away from her." The silver haired man turned and walked away without waiting for Zack's reaction.

"...? You don't mean...?"

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