A Dance in Death
Title: A Dance in Death
Pairing: Alastor x fem!reader
Word Count: ~3,927
In which Alastor takes the reader out to Mimzyâs club. Things go sideways much too soon, but the Radio Demon is quick to make amends.
A/N: This is a part 2 of sorts to my previous Alastor x reader fic, Doubt, but it can also be read as its own individual fic! Hope you enjoy :)
Mimzyâs speakeasy was most known for three things.Â
One, it was known for its captivating acts and performances. Demons and sinners from all around Pentagram City had heard stories and whispers about what could be experienced there. Two, it was known for being one of the most lively and entertaining places on this side of Hell. And three, it was known for being on the wrong side of town, making it the perfect place for no-good demons to spend their time and even do discrete business, so long as they paid their dues to Mimzy, of course.
That last point probably should have kept you away from this place. But you couldnât help but feel safe knowing that you had come on the arm of the Radio Demon himself. After all, who would dare approach you with Alastor around?
Nobody, as it turned out. You and Alastor had been sitting in a corner booth for almost an hour now, and nobody had dared to come within ten feet of you, save for one unfortunate server who had graciously provided you both with your drinks before scurrying off and hiding, not coming back even once.
And although you enjoyed any time that you got to spend alone with Alastor, you couldnât help but notice that the two of you were both on edge that night.Â
You, on one hand, simply wanted to dance. It wasnât often that you were able to go to bars or speakeasies, and you would have loved nothing more than to lead the demon across from you on to the dancefloor. But you knew better than that. Alastorâs interest in you came with limits that you hadnât yet discovered, but youâd be double-damned if you were going to find them out tonight.
Although you had to admit, as you gazed out longingly at the dancing demons on the floor, that you wouldnât mind at least trying to share a drink and a conversation with your partner. But that wouldnât happen until Mimzy finally decided to saunter over to your table.
Which led you to the reason for Alastorâs impatience.
The whole reason that he had invited you out tonight was because Mimzy had requested an audience with him at her place of business. To discuss what, you werenât sure, but you knew that the Radio Demon hated to be kept waiting.Â
His impatience was starting to become evident, though it was likely that nobody around you noticed anything amiss. You, however, had become well versed in reading Alastorâs silent cues.
He had yet to touch his drink, though his clawed hand was firmly wrapped around the glass. He was surveying the building with apparent disinterest, but you could see the way that his sharp gaze roamed over each and every other demon and sinner present. You could see tension in the corners of his ever present smile, even though his eyes were hooded in an expression of mild boredom.
As you downed the last drops of your drink, you risked a glance over to Alastor once again. You had wanted to strike up a conversation since you had stepped foot through the door, but hadnât wanted to distract him from his thoughts. But when his grip around the glass tightened once again, your internal war finally ended. It wouldnât do anyone any good to have him suddenly lose his composure and bring the whole place to the ground.
You cleared your throat lightly as you placed your glass back down on the table. You received Alastorâs attention immediately, his eyes darting over to yours. âYes, my dear?â
You smiled back at him. âMimzy has a lot of nerve hyping this place up when it has such terrible customer service, doesnât she?â
With no small amount of satisfaction, you noticed Alastorâs smile ease into something that almost resembled kind amusement. âIndeed,â Alastor hummed. âThough I must say, her choice in song is quite enjoyable.â
You shrugged, looking back at the dance floor. âItâs fine to dance to, I suppose. Not so much fun when youâre stuck sitting and waiting for someone to show up.â
There was no response. You returned your gaze to Alastor to see him looking at you almost curiously. âI wasnât aware that you were one for dancing, my dear.â
A laugh bubbled up and pushed its way through your lips before you could stop it. You pressed your fingers to your lips to try and conceal it as Alastor tilted his head at you in confused interest.
At the sound of your laughter, his shadow suddenly perked up, quickly making its way over and sitting beside you.
When your giggle had finally subsided, you opened your mouth to respond to Alastorâs comment. It wasnât completely his fault that he knew so little about your past life, after all, but you hadnât expected that he, of all people, would make such blatant assumptions.
Before you could get a word out, though, the shadow placed a clawed hand under your chin, tilting your head to face it. Its fingers wandered until they reached the base of your throat before gently clawing their way back up, almost as if trying to coax another laugh out of you through touch alone.
It was so much more intimate than you had thought Alastor was capable of.
But then Alastor waved a hand in the air, summoning his shadow back to his side. It obeyed almost immediately, caressing your throat once more before melting back into the floor and returning to its rightful place.Â
You cleared your throat again, this time in an attempt to fight the red spots on your cheeks. Not that their presence had escaped Alastorâs notice. His smile had widened dramatically, though thankfully, he chose not to comment on the interaction, instead waiting for a response to his earlier comment.
âI do dance,â you finally replied, looking back up at the Overlord. âI used to dance plenty beforeâŠwell, you know,â you said with a small grin. âI died.â
Alastor waved away your comment with a flourish. âAh, yes, I do see how such a thing could impede on your abilities for a moment. Though, if Iâm not mistaken, you now have two perfectly functioning legs.â
âBut I havenât been to a club since before I died. And thereâs not much opportunity to show off my moves at the hotel,â you replied with a shrug. You tilted your head at the demon. âAnd you? Do you dance?â
The Overlord smiled wistfully. âOh yes, I was quite known for my dancing abilities back in the land of the living.â
âI thought you were known for being a mass murdering radio host.â
Alastor shrugged, giving you a devious grin. âIâve always been multitalented, my dear.â
You laughed again, this time trying to ignore the eager look you received from both Alastor and his shadow.
âYou know,â you said slyly once you had calmed yourself, looking down at your empty glass. âI wouldnât mind brushing up on my skills tonight after your meeting.â You looked up innocently, meeting Alastorâs eyes. âIf you havenât lost your impeccable skills, that is.â
The demonâs eyes flashed. âCareful, mon chere. I-â
âAlastor! Howâre you doing, doll?â
You whipped your head around at the sound of the new voice. You stared as a short, blonde woman made her way across the floor, arms raised in welcome and a broad smile on her face.Â
Alastor, on the other hand, didnât seem at all bothered as he greeted the woman. âMimzy, dear,â he drawled, turning away from you. His smile stretched unnaturally. âYou are extraordinarily late.â
The woman- Mimzy- waved her hand in indifference. âIâm busy running a business, Al, you know how it is. Canât eva get anyone to do what you want without a bit of prodding.â
Her gaze slid over to you, eyes widening as her smile grew. âSay, Alastor, did you bring me a new toy?â Her eyes roamed over you slowly. âSheâs a little dull, but I can spruce her right up.â
You suddenly felt very exposed.
You recoiled slightly, attempting to keep your movements unnoticeable as you pressed yourself further into the booth to get away from the Mimzyâs prying eyes.Â
You tried not to notice the way that other demons and sinners had begun to glance over at the sudden appearance of the barâs owner. They arenât looking at you, you told yourself. But you couldnât help but take in Mimzyâs confident appearance and attitude, coupled with Alastorâs calm poise. You could see how the Mimzy could have mistaken you for one of Alastorâs wayward souls.
Almost as if it could sense your discomfort, Alastorâs shadow suddenly reared up and placed itself directly in front of you, blocking you from Mimzyâs line of sight.Â
âUnfortunately, Mimzy dear,â Alastor said from opposite you, though he avoided looking in your direction. âCharlie has grown quite attached to her little friend, and I doubt she would be thrilled to discover that I had allowed her to become a part of yourâŠâ
âProductions,â you piped up. Alastorâs shadow looked back at you in delight before shifting through the air to sit beside you once again.
âPrecisely,â Alastor said.
Mimzy only shrugged, giving you a wink. âWell, Iâm here if you change your mind, hun.âÂ
She turned back to Alastor. âLetâs you and me talk for a bit, huh? I know this sorta thing ainât really your cup of tea. Iâve got a room in the back that we can use. Your little doll will be alright on her own for a while, wonât she?â
At her words, Alastor finally turned to face you once again, his eyes roaming over your face for only a moment before he stood. âOf course. I never would have brought her otherwise.â
With that, he made to follow Mimzy without so much as a glance back in your direction. A move that he had made on purpose, you were sure. After all, it simply wouldnât do to have others believe that the Radio Demon actually cared for someone.
Even so, you couldnât help but sigh in disappointment as the two sinners walked away. From beside you, in the dim light that the club so generously provided, Alastorâs shadow placed its hand on yours comfortingly. You turned to face it with a smile. âAt least I still have you.â
The shadow grinned, using its other hand to gently cradle your cheek, pulling you closer until your foreheads met. You closed your eyes, savoring the feeling as your heart grew light. The shadow might not have been Alastor himself, but you had learned enough to know that it was heavily influenced by Alastorâs own thoughts, feelings, and commands. This was as close to affectionate that he would ever be with you.
Suddenly, the shadowâs touch left you.
You opened your eyes to see that it was nowhere to be seen.
âMy, my,â a voice said from behind you. You jerked forward in surprise, spinning around to see a tall, winged imp casually leaning against the booth. He definitely hadnât been in the building a few minutes ago, you noted.Â
The imp leaned forward. âWhatâs a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?â
You flushed, glancing around to see if you could catch a glimpse of Alastorâs shadow. But it was as if it had never been beside you in the first place. Which would explain why the imp had decided to approach you at all. Nobody would have dared spoken to you if they knew that you were here with an Overlord.
You opened your mouth to tell him as much before you caught yourself, clamping your mouth shut. No matter how well Alastorâs conversation went with Mimzy, it was likely that he never would have danced with you anyway. There were too many eyes and ears here for him to let his guard down.
âYou here alone?â the imp asked, trying his luck once more.
You fixed a smile on your face. If this was your only chance to dance, you were sure as Hell going to take it.
You stood, extending your hand in greeting. âWould you like to dance?â
The impâs flirtatious smile changed to one of intrigue. âStraight to the point. I like it.â
You wiggled your fingers. âAre we going to dance, or what?â
The imp grinned, taking your hand and leading you on to the dance floor.Â
Sure, it wasnât exactly what you were hoping for when you and Alastor had come to Mimzyâs club, but you figured that it would at least be a decent substitute for something that you would never be able to have.
You felt your smile slipping as the pair of you began to move to the music.Â
You hated moments like these, when you realized that no matter what you did or how you felt, you would never be able to show your feelings for Alastor in public. It wasnât just the fact that he disliked physical touch, which you had never faulted him for. It was the fact that as one of Hellâs most powerful Overlords, he felt the overwhelming need to keep up an appearance. One that did not, unfortunately, include you.
A gentle touch snapped you back to reality. âYou alright?â the imp asked.
No, you werenât. But you werenât going to let that stop you from dancing.
You nodded, taking the impâs hand in yours as you began to move to the music once again. âIâm fine.â You smirked. âNow, show me what youâve got.â
~~~
If you were to later ask anyone at Mimzyâs speakeasy what had happened that night, you would probably receive a whole mix of stories.
Some would say that the Radio Demon had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, his antlers growing and his bones cracking as he laid waste to the bar, presumably for fun or out of an unjust anger.
Others would say that he had come to seek some sort of revenge on a winged imp that had been spotted dancing before he suddenly disappeared, not to be seen again.
One specific witness, who shall remain nameless, would say that she had been speaking to an old friend about a business opportunity that he had foolishly taken no interest in. As she was speaking, a shadow had entered the room, whispering in its owner's ear. Her old friend had walked away from her, re-entering her bar, where he was met with the view of an imp dancing with the very woman that he had brought here in the first place.
The witness hadnât even had time to blink before her friend had taken on his true demon form, batting people aside as if they were only flies before promptly picking up the imp dancing with the woman and melting into the shadows with him.
When her friend returned, he refused to say what he had done with the poor imp, though the witness had no trouble making a few assumptions. He had walked over to the women, gently taken her hand, and gave the witness a clipped farewell before vanishing with the women into the shadows.
It was a brutal display, even for the Radio Demon. If the witness had to guess, she would assume that perhaps the woman had something to do with the whole debacle.
Not that she would ever say so to anyone else, of course. She knew better.Â
You, however, had no trouble saying straight to Alastorâs face what you believed had happened.Â
âWe were dancing, Al. It was harmless. If Iâd needed your help, you would have known.â
âYou would never have summoned me if he was threatening you, my dear.â
You groaned and buried your face in your hands. The two of you had been going back and forth like this ever since he had so graciously brought you back to the hotel from Mimzyâs bar.
You lifted your head and took a breath before continuing. âIf he was threatening me, we probably wouldnât have been just dancing.â
Alastorâs eyes flashed dangerously, his shadow rearing up and scowling in disgust.Â
You whirled around and pointed at the shadow. âAnd you. You went and told him that something bad was happening, didnât you? You are a liar and a rat, my friend.â
At your words, the shadow suddenly shrank down in size and hid behind its owner, almost as if trying to avoid your accusatory glare.
Alastor, on the other hand, didnât break eye contact. âHe only meant to protect you, my dear, the way he was instructed to.â
âWhat did you think I would need protecting from, exactly? I canât exactly die again, can I?â
âThere are things far worse than a second death, my dear,â Alastor said with false sweetness.
He was right, you knew. You had almost been subjected to such a thing after your death, when you had sold your soul to the Vees. You still werenât sure exactly how it had happened, but Alastor himself had found out about you and somehow saved you from a life of imprisonment and torture.Â
Not everyone was as lucky as you were.
But that wasnât why you were upset.Â
As soon as Alastor had saved you from the Vees, you had been determined to help him even a fraction of the way that he had helped you. You owed him so much more than that, you knew, but it was the only thing that you could give. And so, from that moment forward, you had tried your very best to become a solid and stable presence for Alastor, unmoving in your trust in him and, hopefully, eventually something like a friend.
But tonight, you had done the exact opposite. To see the Radio Demon defend you was to know that he felt things like affection, or even something more than indifference. That wouldnât do for his reputation at all, you knew, and you hated yourself for being the cause of it.
You sighed in defeat, crossing your arms over your chest in defense. âI know that,â you said, holding your position and glaring daggers at the Overlord. âBut I also know that you risked a lot today by protecting me. Iâm not worth losing your power over-â
You gasped as Alastor appeared directly in front of you, glaring intensely. He didnât lift a finger, but you swore you could feel the heat of his gaze.
âI do hope you havenât finally started to doubt me, my dear.â
âNever,â you promised, searching his gaze.
The Overlord stepped back, his stretched out smile immediately concealing his true feelings. âWonderful,â he said. âThen we both understand that my power and status will forever remain.â
You nodded once before finally breaking eye contact, choosing to look down at the floor.
You could feel the anger seeping out of you slowly, replaced by embarrassment. Of course Alastor would never give up his power for you. Even if someone had truly seen the incident, it was unlikely that anyone would ever be able to use it to their advantage. You were talking about the Radio Demon himself, after all.
âYouâre right,â you muttered, wrapping your arms tightly around yourself. âI made a foolish assumption.â You smiled to yourself. âI seem to be full of those today. Iâm sorry.â
You were met with silence.Â
But before you could look up, you suddenly felt the cool touch of a shadow. It rested its hands against your cheeks, tilting your head up to make eye contact. It moved its thumbs in slow circles, leaning down until your foreheads were touching. It didnât move any closer than that, but you knew that this was more than anyone else had ever received.
It was lovely.
But oh, how you wished it were really him.
The shadow stepped back, returning to its place beside its owner.
Alastor himself acted as though he hadnât noticed the interaction at all, instead looking around your room as if seeing it for the first time.
âI do plan to maintain my powers, my dear,â Alastor repeated.Â
Before you could even open your mouth to reply, he pushed forward. âAlthough,â he said, almost thoughtfully. âI certainly wouldnât mind losing a few souls to keep what is most certainly mine.âÂ
He looked towards you then, his gaze hard, as if daring you to argue.
And you should have. You should have told him that you werenât worth losing souls for. You should have told him that you only wanted to help him, never hinder him.Â
You should have done lots of things.
What you did do, however, was smile and duck your head to hide your rising blush.Â
You looked back up and extended your hand wordlessly.
Alastor looked down at it before glancing back up at you, his eyebrow raised in a silent question as his shadow looked on eagerly from behind him.
Your smile only widened. âI believe, good sir, that you owe me a dance.â
The shadow nearly leapt with excitement, rushing forward and taking your hand.Â
You laughed at its enthusiasm before Alastor stepped forward and waved his hand, whisking the shadow away and taking its place.Â
He placed his hand under yours, bringing your hand up to place a soft kiss on the back of your knuckles before releasing you and straightening. Slowly, he brought his claws to the base of your throat before gently dragging them back up until he reached your chin. He tilted your face up further to meet his gaze before dropping his hand down to yours once more.
With his other hand, he waved his staff, summoning a slow dance tune that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves.
You tried to ignore the heat in your cheeks and looked up curiously. âDidnât you used to dance to songs that were a bit more lively?â
Alastor smiled gently down at you before summoning his shadow and surrendering his staff to it. âI did indeed, mon chere. But we arenât exactly alive now, are we?â
You smiled back in agreement. âNo, I suppose weâre not.â
You placed your hand on his shoulder as he placed his hand on your waist. He lowered his head down until your foreheads were touching and began swaying, taking you with him on his slow trek around your bedroom floor.
You couldnât have asked for anything more.
~~~
If you asked anyone at the hotel what had happened in your room that night, you would receive a few different stories.
Angel Dust would have told you that the Radio Demon had suckered a poor woman into going out with him that night, and you were most likely getting it on.
Charlie would have told you that she hadnât seen either Alastor or the hotelâs newest resident all evening, though she doubted that the two of you had gone off somewhere together. Right?
Husk would have told you that he felt sorry for the woman who had gotten caught in the Radio Demonâs line of sight. You were such a sweet thing, and you deserved so much better.
You would have simply smiled and shrugged, giving nothing away.
Nobody would have dared ask the Radio Demon, of course.
But if anyone had bothered to ask the shadows, they would have received a rather lovely story about two sinners who had found their peace, only for a moment, dancing in each otherâs arms that night.Â
An Overlord and a sinner.Â
A woman and a man.Â
Two damned souls, finding home at last.
A/N 2: I didnât get to proofread, but I hope you guys still enjoyed it! If you read the first fic (or even if you havenât), Iâm thinking of making another part where itâs platonic Angel Dust x reader and he finally gets to give her a makeover. Let me know if you want to be tagged!
Also, I want to write more Alastor x reader (maybe a continuation of sorts, maybe not) so let me know if you guys want to be tagged in those!
Taglist:Â @severusminerva @anh4125 @midorichoco @rapturenyx-blog @maybememoriesx
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Hi Dutch. Since you have answered many questions about Cloti, what is your thought about Zerith in Rebirth? I saw many people disappointed or having no hope for them but others said the devs are creating angst. Do you agree?
Hi, thanks for the question.
Yeah, I understand being disappointed with the Zerith content in Rebirth. The developers spent a lot of time hyping up Zacks importance, not just with Remake but also with developer interviews and such.
To have such a build-up and then have him relegated to just a few playable intermissions, to not get a Zack Aerith reunion, and depending on who you listen to to have him being brushed aside in favor of Cloud in regards to Aeriths affections, can understandably feel disheartening.
But really this is just a lack of understanding concerning story structure, to put it simply, Rebirth is EXTREMELY Zerith.
When reading Harry Potter I always knew that Snape was most likely going to end up a good guy, despite the seeming back and forths. And do you know which moment to me proved that he was a good guy? When he killed Dumbledore at the end of book 6. I knew then without a doubt that he was a good guy, because there was still one book to go, and it was obvious that that book would have the final ultimate reversal.
Rebirth didn't have a lot of Zerith pay-off, but if anything that's a good thing. If it did I would be worried about what would happen in part 3 to flip that pay-off on its head. Instead Zerith has gotten a lot of build-up that is now screaming to receive pay-off in part 3.
We have shots of Zack desperately trying to come back to Aerith.
We have Aerith admitting she still has feelings for Zack.
We have Aerith desperately trying to recreate her time with Zack.
We have Tifa and Aerith talking about Zack.
We have Aerith sensing Zacks touch in the cave of the GI.
We have Aerith singing songs about meeting again.
We have Aerith admitting to seeing Zack again in Cloud.
We have Aerith instantly going to Zacks parents.
We have Cloud talking about how Zack is head over heels for Aerith.
We have Zack in Nibelheim talking to Cloud about their respective girlfriends
And the question you need to ask for all these things is "why?"
Why would they include all these scenes if it's not getting a pay-off?
Why show scenes of Aerith trying and failing to recreate her days with Zack interspersed with scenes of Zack trying to get back to her if that ultimately isn't of importance?
Why show Zack positively contrasted with a negatively presented Cloud if the message you're trying to convey is that Zack has been replaced?
Why show Zack to be an amazing guy if you want to end his arc with people being ok with him being rejected? Why make a themesong with the desire for meeting again at its core and have Zacks entire story in the game being about trying to reunite with Aerith if the point of that reunion is heartbreak?
The answer is that a writer wouldn't do those things, they make no sense. If you want your love story to feel positive then you need to disassemble the alternatives first. You need to show how the other pairings don't work, minimize their importance, or in some other way make it clear to the audience that the "main couple" coming together is the desirable outcome.
If you want to show that Aerith is getting over Zack you don't spend your limited screentime showing Aerith pining over Zack, you instead show how she's no longer occupying his mind as much.
If you want to show Aerith getting over Zack you don't have her talking about still loving him, you instead have her talking about how she DID once, but that that was a long time ago.
You don't end her arc with a date that remind the viewer of the existence of Zack, but one that is fully between Cloud and Aerith.
If you want to show the compatibility of Cloud and Aerith then you don't make it so that everything goes wrong, you make it so that the dream date goes "DREAMY"!. And if you want to sell the idea that Aerith is over Zack and has come to the conclusion that she truly romantically loves Cloud then you DON'T place that confession right after said horrible date, with Zack scenes left right and center, a Cloud thats talking about you being "nakama", and Aerith dialogue that at best says she's not sure about what she feels, and at worst is a straight up friendzoning. If you want to replace a very positively portrayed romance then you will need the end all be all of chemistry and certainty in the new one, and talks about "well, I like you, but there is liking and then there's liking" is NOT a recipe for that.
In short, if you want to sell the idea that Cloud has truly replaced Zack in Aeriths heart and more importantly IN THE NARRATIVE, then you don't put emphasis on the existence of Aeriths feelings for Zack, and you don't put emphasis on Zacks feelings for Aerith. Those things all serve to maximize the connection between Aerith and Zack when what you need to do if you want to sell Clerith is minimize it. The reason being that this romance is in narrative conflict with the supposed Aerith Cloud romance, and the stronger the Aerith Zack connection is presented, the more extravagant the bond between Cloud and Aerith needs to be written for the story to make sense.
And that won't happen when you have Cloud deriding Aerith for the way she tries turning everything into a date the one moment, and then a scene showing Zack taking care of Aerith while in a coma the next. It doesn't happen when you show a scene of Cloud bonding with Tifa in one scene and almost kissing her, and then show Zack bonding with Aeriths mother in the next. It doesn't happen when you show Aerith failing to recreate her date with Zack and asking Cloud to find her in "her place", and then show Zack waiting for Aerith in "her place" the next.
All these things signal the same thing "Zack good for Aerith, Cloud bad".
You can extrapolate this idea beyond Rebirth of course. If Zack and Aerith isn't getting a pay-off what is the point of re-releasing Crisis Core before Rebirth? If the point is to show that Zack is no longer in the picture what is the point of showing off an entire game all about how important he and Aerith are to each other and about how desperate he is to get back to her? What is the point of showing that the bow Aerith is always wearing was gift from him. What is the point of her always wearing the clothes that she said she'd wear in anticipation of seeing him again. What is the point in bringing up the fact that she wrote Zack 89 letters and has been waiting for him for 5 years if Zack is replaceable in 2 weeks? What is the point of writing that Aeriths one wish is to spend more time with Zack if her literally spending time with a Zack stand-in isn't relevant? What is the point of writing it that Aerith didn't just see Zack in Cloud because they're similar...but because he's LITERALLY putting on a fake persona based on Zack, if Zacks presence in Clouds persona is irrelevant to Aeriths feelings regarding him?
If you want us to believe that Aerith likes Cloud for Cloud then these are all very questionable writing choices, especially when you also keep harping on about her wanting to get to know the real Cloud, which implies that she doesn't know him YET. It's not that you can't still have it so that Aerith does actually prefer Cloud despite all this, but if that's the case then you've failed as a writer because this would be VERY incoherent storytelling. If the writers want you to believe that Aerith has moved on from Zack, then they shouldn't and wouldn't have spend so much time showing Aerith not having moved on from Zack.
Ultimately the question is one of focus, a story about Aerith falling in love with Cloud, and a story about moving on from Zack might look superficially similar, and entail the same basic events. But the difference is the focus. Is that focus on Cloud and what he means to Aerith? Or is the focus on Zack? In rebirth there is a heavy focus, not on the developing bond between Cloud and Aerith, those are limited almost exclusively to Tifa, but there is a heavy focus on Aeriths feelings in regards to Zack. There is no storytelling purpose to Aerith telling Cloud she still loves Zack 3/4ths of the way through her story if the focus of the story isn't Aeriths feelings for Zack, but her feelings for Cloud. If the writers wanted you to think Zack doesn't matter they wouldn't spend so much time hammering in the idea that Zack matters. These moments are all in service to Aerith and Zack, not Aerith and Cloud.
Even things like Zack discovering that Aerith has started developing feelings for Cloud only makes sense to include if the pay-off for that is them reuniting and him showing Aerith what love really is.
So if we saw in Rebirth wasn't a "lack of Zerith", then what DID we see? Well, to reiterate what I said earlier:
If you want your love story to feel positive then you need to disassemble the alternatives first.
This is what we saw in Rebirth, Cloud and Aerith being disassembled, so that part 3 can get us to the pay-off. We see Cloud and Aerith bonding, yes, but it's ALWAYS contrasted with Tifa and Zack. If we have a scene where Aerith tries to engage Cloud in talks concerning food he will be shown to engage with the same discouraging passivity of the average woman on tinder, then that scene will invariably be followed by a similar scene with Tifa where he is enthusiastically trying to keep the conversation flowing. If we see a scene where Aerith is trying to get a certain energy from Cloud and failing, it won't be long till we see a scene of Zack having that same desired energy naturally.
In short, Rebirth was filled with scenes that "serve a purpose in the overall narrative". But the only way those scenes WOULD serve a purpose in the overall narrative, is if the overall narrative is: "Aerith is trying to get over Zack and is trying to move on through Cloud. But by doing so she discovers that it's just not the same. While Cloud helps Aerith move on and accept the past, he can never replace Zack".
If the overall narrative is: "Aerith used to be pining over Zack, but now she has truly replaced Zack in her heart with Cloud and Zack is a relic of the past" then none of these scenes would make sense to include.
You can also look at it like this, why didn't Rebirth have a Zerith Reunion scene? Because apparently that's too important of a scene to quickly tack on to the end of part 2. Nomura has already hinted at something very important to include in part 3 that wasn't in part 2, something that he thinks will make people very happy if done right. And I am pretty freaking confident that what he's talking about is the long-awaited Aerith - Zack reunion.
And that is why this game is extremely favorable to Zerith, so be excited for part 3.
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