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Aeris leant against the railing, feet aching, mouth dry and the storm-front of a headache on the horizon of her brain. So close to the front and unsure about her course of action. Perhaps better to go back to the hotel with Mom? Sit down, have some lunch, something to drink, rest up and come back later. But-
Somewhere ahead the current roller-coaster riders screamed and cheered. How could she pass up the same experience? The ride in question remained one of the main selling points of the Gold Saucer; a thrilling rush of dips and curves. Also lasers and targets with prizes for high scores. The ride's popularity resulted in huge queues; like most of the attractions here the complex's designers artfully hid the amount of waiting with winding, irregular routes full of switch-backs and multi-levelled areas.
All part of the plan; give the illusion of a short queue and count on spite - or, perhaps, desperation - to ensure the unwary stayed in the queue no matter the duration. At least they included a separate queue for singletons like her; it seemed to move a little faster. Conversely, good to have some water right now. And lunch. But returning to the hotel would feel like a waste of the hard-saved for trip now they were here. Mom might not have the stamina to spend most of the day on the rides, but Aeris should. Wait it out. Better than retracing all her steps and requiring people to move out of her way.
Somewhere ahead the cars arrived back in the station and the various participants in both queues perked up. The group line shuffled forward in fits and starts to stall once more. Next a slow trickle from the single rider queue, Aeris gaining a significant distance on her previous position until everything stopped and the wait began again. Only-
The filled cars of the roller-coaster cars swept out of the station ahead; closer to the front of the line than she anticipated. Not much longer. The cycle of shuffling, one queue moving before the other continued for a few more iterations until- The attendant stopped her when she reached the head of the queue. A quiet thrill; all things equal she should be in the next set of riders. Unless- Difficult to discern the make-up of the group queue. A huge, heavy-set guy talked to someone outside her line of sight. At least one couple there- Further back people were not all in twos or fours. Wait. Unless those were sixes? How many of them planned to share and how many engaged in casual conversation from proximity?
She shuffled from one foot to the other. Her turn next. Probably. Chances were good. Maybe she would need to wait another round. Annoying but only a minor delay. If not she would glare and if any justice existed in the world, she would convince the attendants to fill a whole set of cars from her queue.
Aeris straightened up when the train returned to the platform and the passengers exited. The attendants opened the other queue and she tensed; the train filled up with frustrating speed. Stuck for another round? It took her a moment to react when an attendant shifted the barrier in front of Aeris. “One at the front.” He gestured to the car. Aeris blinked.
She somehow overlooked this opportunity; the left hand seat of the front car lay empty. “Thanks.” She hurried across the platform. No other seats open on this train; lucky. Momentary impression of the other person in the car. Girl, black hair. Aeris scrambled into her seat and pulled the safety belt across her lap. A panel in front of her held a holster containing a stylised, old sci-fi movie looking ray-gun and a score display. The attendants moved along the train and reached without warning to tug at the safety belts.
“Do you know if the ride goes upside down?”
An angel sat beside her. Aeris blinked. Hyperbole - not an angel - but wow. Staring; the girl glanced away quickly, lips quirking into a smile, her cheeks flushing. Aeris blinked again and twitched. “Ah, no. Not as far as I know.” Did it? Brain stalled. She fidgeted, the movement halted abruptly by the belt. Ah. “It doesn’t.”
The girl relaxed but remained cautious. “That’s a relief.”
“We’d have more than this if the ride went upside down.” Aeris tugged at her belt and hefted the laser gun. “Plus bit of a risk if you let go of these during a loop.” The girl nodded. An attendant strolled past to a control panel and pressed a switch; with a lurch the ride rolled forwards. The girl’s hand tensed on her gun and a concealed speaker related the plot for the ride. “You don’t like roller-coasters?”
The girl glanced at her and gravity forced both of them back into their seats when the train hit the upward slope. “More I’ve never had the chance,” she said. “This is my first time in a theme park.”
“Mine too.” And yet the spectacle of the roller-coaster did not seem to unnerve Aeris in the same way.
The girl directed her attention ahead. “Are you here on your own?”
Aeris shook her head; the girl didn't see. “No. With my Mom. Feels a bit silly at my age.”
“I don’t think its silly.” The end of the slope drew closer ahead and above them.
Aeris cleared her throat. “Are you here with someone?” Her presence in the other queue did not dictate she was with someone, though made it likely. But if true, what kind of relationship with the someone else brought her to the theme park?
“Yeah.” She jerked her head back. “My friend and his daughter behind us.” Not partner. Significant. “They won a lotto and this was the top prize. Meant to be for families, but-" She swallowed. "It's just the two of them, so they asked if I wanted to come too.” The girl tensed in her seat and raised her laser gun; Aeris dragged her attention back to the ride; the rise turned into a fall. The car plunged forward and into weightlessness, her stomach feeling odd. All around the track, translucent three-dimensional monsters, objects and structures appeared, vanishing when a laser struck them.
The girl aimed and pulled the trigger over and over, including when the car jerked to one side on a curve. Aeris followed her example and fired at every target. The console ahead of her showed a growing number. No time to check; the holograms changed, shifting position and form. UFOs shot across the track and monsters dive bombed the vehicle-
The train plunged into a pitch-black tunnel and slowed to a halt back at the station. Aeris's score consisted of at least one digit in all the available fields. Maybe worth something? Aeris re-holstered her laser. “So what did you think?”
“That… was fun.” The girl grinned. “I think I like roller-coasters.”
Aeris undid her lap belt and scrambled out of the car. “There’s loads others here to try. Personally? I think Lunatic Pandora’s the best one.” The same heavy-set guy and young girl from the queue approached them. Ah, the rest of the girl’s group – best leave her to her friends. “Nice meeting you.” Aeris waved. “See ya!”
Aeris paused on the exit path. She never got the girl’s name or made an introduction. Maybe they could have gone around the theme park together, let father and daughter spend time alone. A friend on this holiday. Nice thought. Little chance now. For the best; a holiday with Mom, not an excuse to pick up girls.
A booth sold photos of the completed ride; a video screen depicted her look of intense concentration - one mirrored by the girl sitting next to her. Aeris smiled and asked to buy her picture. It also showed her score for the prize selection. A nice memento if nothing else. “Number seven please?” The girl stood at the other end of the counter paying the excessive amount of gil for the same photo. Few opportunities would fall into her lap like this. Aeris skirted the other people massed at the booth, against the minor flow leaving the ride. Where had the girl’s friends gone?
“Hi.” She stepped closer to her ride partner.
“Hi again.” The girl smiled. Her gaze dipped to the photo Aeris held. “You wanted to memorialise your win too?”
“I did.” Aeris lifted the cardboard sleeve. “And to claim a prize. Haven’t made it that far yet.”
“Not convinced they’ll have anything great but-“ The girl shrugged.
“Want to investigate together?” A raised eyebrow from the girl. “And-“ She could cope with the sore feet, and Mom would likely enjoy the comforts back at the hotel than the rides and she could apologise for all this later and- “-if you want some company, I’d be delighted to hang out with you.”
Too casual? Too forward? The girl seemed to mull the idea over for a moment. “Sure. Just need to check in with Barret – that's my friend – and Marlene, but sure.” She held out her hand. “I’m Tifa.”
Aeris took it. “Aeris.”