I Never Let Her Die! (Aerith x Male Gamer Reader)

Disk 02: Chapter 02: Minerva's Gift

"It's still really early morning and we should wait until she's alone." I said. So we waited perhaps ten minutes, until the front door opened and a young brunette rushed out carrying a heavy bag of school textbooks and ran off down the road. Ten minutes more to be sure the girl hadn't forgotten anything she might return for, and I said "Alright, we should be good now."

"Like we discussed?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah."

Together we approached the house, climbed onto the porch, and stood before the door. I knocked twice and waited. After less than a minute a plump elderly woman answered. "Yes?" she asked, glancing back and forth between us.

I cleared my throat and asked "Elmyra Gainsborough?"

The woman eyed me warily, clearly concerned that I might be a threat. Yet it seemed as if she had all but given up on life after being told her daughter had died. She was weary, holding together only for Marlene's sake, and with Marlene gone for the day, well... "Yes that's me. Can I help you?"

"You don't know me ma'am, but I have some very important news for you. Well, more precisely my companion here does." I nodded towards the still disguised Aerith. "If you insist, we can handle this out here. But this is very sensitive information, best kept secret for now. If you'll trust us, we'd like to come inside."

"Did Mr. Tuesti send you?"

"No ma'am, though I do know of him."

Elmyra seemed to waver on her decision for a moment, then waved us in. Inside, we found a cozy well-appointed home. "Mr. Tuesti provided for my needs until I was able to get back on my own feet." She explained. "And yet in my heart I find anger toward him. I know it's wrong. But he was the one who bought me the news... ...About my little girl..." She shook her head, fighting away the tears. "We're inside. What's your news?"

I looked to Aerith, who pulled back the hood over her head. "Hi mom." She whispered.

In seconds, mother and adopted-daughter were in each other's arms, embracing tightly, Elmyra's formerly restrained tears flowing freely. When they finally pulled back from each other, Elmyra asked "But how...? Reeve said that that Sephiroth man, that he had..." she couldn't finish the sentence, instead asking "Why would he lie to me?"

"He didn't actually lie mom." Aerith explained. "I... The truth is that I really was hurt, badly, and it's a long story what happened next but Reeve had a good reason to think I really was dead. In fact, he still thinks I am, though that's going to change in a few hours."

Elmyra nodded curtly. "You're not staying then, I take it?"

"We can't. As dangerous as it is, Sephiroth is still a danger and we're the only ones who can do anything about it."

"I understand..." Elmyra looked to me. "And you are?"

As I introduced myself, Aerith said "We met just outside Midgar... Y/N's the reason I survived Sephiroth's attack."

Hugging me tightly at this news, Elmyra said "Then I owe you more than I can ever repay... Listen, I know you have to go soon, but do you have time for tea?"

"Of course." Aerith said. "I really want to catch up while we can."

"I'd like to stay ma'am." I said, "But this seems like a time for just the two of you. And besides that I need to check on something else." To Aerith I said "Gonna check out the Weaponsellers, see if I can find a new blade. Be back in an hour or so."

As I walked away, I heard a confused Elmyra asking "He lost his weapon?"

----------------------------------------------------------