Prologue;
At the bottom of the Northern Crater, there was movement. A slender arm twitched slightly. A weak sigh. A pair of Lifestream green eyes with slit pupils opened, while a frown marred porcelain features. A memory. A mission. A name. Mother. Sephiroth? Kadaj...
1. The Awakening.
The sun was setting, and the two figures that sat on the roof top was gazing at the wonderful sunset. However, the mood was uncomfortable for one, and resigned for the other. Only a few words had been spoken since the latter of the two had joined the first, but they both knew what the other was thinking.
"She's worried, you know," Vincent finally said silently, not taking his eyes of the multi-coloured horizon.
Cid gave a faint nod. "I know." He didn't want to elaborate. He just wanted to be left alone, and the former Turk knew that.
A barely noticeable sigh. "Cid, she thinks..." Vincent finally glanced over. "She thinks you're angry. That she's done something wrong."
"I ain't angry," Cid muttered with a frown, feeling that horrible yank of guilt again. Was that woman always going to make him feel like that? "Shera should know that by now. She usually reads my mind and knows what I want, even before I do." He loved her, but right now he didn't have patience with her low self-esteem. Even if he was the one responsible for it? The pilot groaned silently and pulled his knees up to his chest to fold his arms around them while resting his forehead on top. "Dammit, man! I can't deal with this! I'm not... I just..."
Vincent studied his friend and once again felt torn between the two. Cid was acting like an idiot, and most likely knew it too. Shera was slowly shattering into pieces, and Cid probably knew that as well. Still, the dark haired man knew that fear was an enemy that didn't fall as easily as a monster you could strike at with a weapon. "At least talk to her. You owe her that."
Cid returned to stare at the sunset. "I dunnow what to say, Vince." He managed a bitter smile. "I don't even know why I'm reacting this way! I just... I don't think I can do it."
"Cid Highwind, if someone like me can manage it, then I assure you that the odds are in your favour," Vincent declared in a gentle voice and a faint grin. "You just need to calm down and think about things, ok? Stop panicking, and breathe."
"Breathe, huh?" Cid met the crimson gaze and shrugged. "I can't do anything right. Not even this."
Vincent gently placed his human hand on the weary pilot's shoulder. "We all make mistakes, Cid, but if you don't sort things out real soon... It's going to be too late."
The blonde nodded again, but avoided his eyes. "I know what I should do... I just don't know if I can." A half-choked laugh. "I mean, seriously, can you even imagine me as a... as a... you know?"
"As a father?" Vincent asked, forcing the pilot to acknowledge the dreaded word. "Yes, I do. And so does Shera. You should have a little more faith in yourself, Cid."
This time, Cid shook his head. "Nah, man." He nervously started fidgeting with the sleeve of his flight jacket. "I ain't cut out for this. Me and Shera, we never even talked about this! A-and now... Now it's too late!"
"You're making it sound like the end of the world," Vincent declared softly. "Considering all that you went through two years ago, I thought you of all people had learned to appreciate life. You're going to have a child, Cid Highwind. You should rejoice!"
Cid glanced hastily over at the other man. "Did you? What was the first thought that went through your mind?"
A wry smile, then Vincent brushed away a lock of his black hair that was dancing in front of his face. "I think it went something along the lines of; Is this a joke?" He allowed Cid to grin weakly, then continued in a solemn tone. "But I am rejoicing now. Every single day, and every single time I see Dawn. She is the only thing I ever did right in this world."
Cid got a pained look and he trembled before gazing away again. "I just..."
"You just what?" Vincent asked resigned, fearing there would be no reasoning with the pilot. "What are you so afraid of that you're willing to risk your wife and unborn child?"
"I don't want my kid to hate me, ok?" Cid snapped, getting up to glare at the former Turk. "You all know it, that I'm not a... not a nice guy! I swear, and I do whatever damn well pleases me, and my planes are my second wives! A-and I got this curse inside me! How the hell am I supposed to raise a kid?"
Frowning, Vincent got up as well, sensing there was more to this than what Cid was saying. "Why would your child hate you? Don't tell me you're not a good person, because I've fought beside you for years now. I know you."
The pilot shook his head. "Just trust me, Vince... I wouldn't make a good dad, ok?" And so he jumped down to gracefully land on the lawn, before finally walking inside the house he'd shared with Shera for so many years. Only now he had to pretend he didn't hear her hurt voice whispering softly to Rain in the kitchen, and know that this was a hurt he could never make up for.
Aeris smiled against the lips against hers, trying to swat her attacker away with a half-hearted slap at his chest. "Sephiroth!" She completely failed at sounding strick, her tone heavily tainted with laughter. "I'm going to be late!"
"Call in sick," Sephiroth drawled, sliding his arm around her slender waist. "They'll manage, and you know you want to."
The brunette managed to squirm free of his persuading embrace and brushed her hair out of her flustered face. "You're forgetting one thing, genius."
Sephiroth grinned predatorily, moving towards her again. "And what would that be, Aeris?"
Smiling sweetly, Aeris circled the sofa to keep something between them. She knew she wouldn't be able to withstand him for a second if she fell into his embrace again. "That you have a mission you agreed to do today, and you also promised our daughter that you'd visit her before leaving!"
The silver haired man froze and blinked. She had a point. He hated when she was right. Aeris was always right, when he thought about it. Sighing, he nodded in defeat. "Alright... Alright..."
Softening at the sight of the unmistakable disappointment in his face, Aeris dared to walk over by Sephiroth's side again to place a light hand on his chest. "Tell you what? How about I ask Lily if she don't mind keeping Zefiris over the night, and we can have an evening just by ourselves?"
Sephiroth lit up instantly, and tried to hide it. "Sure... If you want to..."
"I do," Aeris assured, reaching up to steal a light kiss. "So you make darn sure you come back in one piece, ok?" She knew he was the most powerful warrior on the planet, but she still worried about him. Sephiroth was powerful, but he wasn't immortal. Aeris had nearly lost him once. She did not want to experience that again!
Smiling, the silver haired man pulled her into a warm hug. "Nothing can keep me away, babe!" He loved the feeling of her in his arms. The scent of her. The heat. Sephiroth released Aeris abruptly and took a step away. Tonight couldn't come fast enough, he realised. "Yeah, uhm, I guess I'd better be off to say goodbye to the Pumpkin."
Aeris giggled, marveling that the man still reacted after two years in her company and countless non-elegant viewings of her face when Zefiris had kept her up at nights when she was sick. After a small, but wonderful wedding where she swore to be his forever. "Take care, Sephiroth. Tell Zefiris I'll be by later, ok?" She couldn't help herself as she sauntered towards Sephiroth once again. "And remember; I love you." Slender arms around his neck, a long and deep kiss, and Aeris almost felt bad as she watched him stumble out of the house. "Be safe, Sephiroth!"
Her reply was a weak wave, and she snickered silently at the silly thought of him at least being warm enough for the trip!
They'd continued to live in Icicle town, since the defeat of Jenova and Jinrei. People here didn't stare and Sephiroth was accepted like one of their own. They even turned to him for help. So, he'd become somewhat of a bodyguard and hunter. It wasn't until recently that Aeris had started working a couple of days a week in the store. Lily, who was running the Icicle inn, had offered to baby sit Zefiris while she was at work. Other than that, Aeris had created an impossible flower garden behind their house. Sephiroth claimed that she'd been wrong when she'd said the soil in the Midgar church was special. He firmly believed it was Aeris who gave the flowers souls and life.
She was certain Hojo would have had a thing or two to say about that. The thought brought a sad smile to her face. It was only a few days ago since they'd been at Hojo's and Lucrecia's graves. Life wasn't always fair, Aeris mused as she pulled on her jacket. Hojo and Sephiroth had barely started being able to be in the same room without trying to kill each other, Lucrecia appeared only to die, and they both had to leave before their son got to know them at all!
Aeris had hated Hojo, feared him, and now she almost... missed him? His sour remarks. The battles between him and his son. The glimmer of heart she'd seen, and how desperately he tried to hide it. It was strange, but... It just felt uncompleted!
A quick check on her PHS revealed a message from Tifa, and Aeris smiled gently at the confirmation of their girl night a few nights from now. The two were still good friends, as were their men. Sephiroth and Rufus complained about being used as baby sitters, but they never objected.
Actually, Aeris was in contact with all her friends. Unlike the last time, they'd decided to make sure they didn't lose contact this time! That was... Cloud and Jessie were still missing. No one had heard a single word from them. Aeris was surprised at how much that hurt. She never thought Cloud would just leave like that. She knew she probably deserved it, but Cloud had always been the better man. Late nights, Aeris sometimes gazed out the window and wondered... Where was he? Was he thinking about her too? Why hadn't he said goodbye?
Aeris forced the thoughts away and opened the door. She had a job to do, a daughter to check up on, and a romantic evening to plan!
Sephiroth glanced up at the sky and sighed wearily at the sun's location. It was still at least four or five hours before they would return to Icicle, and he to Aeris. Trigger warked softly as if to comfort him and got an absent pet on her neck.
Boring merchants and their trips to Bone Village to pick up supplies sent from the mainland. Monsters and thieves had always had a bad habit of intercepting the merchants, and Icicle town had suffered more than once of food shortage, but that had all ended after Sephiroth had agreed to accompany the defenseless people. He didn't mind the gil, but was hoping they could start learning to fend for themselves soon! Leaving his Aeris and their daughter for an entire day once a week did not sit well with the former general. Sephiroth would be happy doing the hunting and removal of annoying monsters deal, as it rarely took more than a few hours. The feeling of freedom, to be allowed to do whatever he wanted, was something he was growing more fond of by each day. It was his life, and he alone was deciding how to live it.
It was wonderful and dead scary at the same time!
Out of nowhere... A glimmer of sunlight on metal.
Sephiroth unsheathed the Masamune just in time to deflect the bullet intended for the merchant beside him. Someone was shooting at them?
The two merchants cried out in fear, and their chocobos started stomping nervously as the silver haired man made sign for them to keep still while Lifestream coloured eyes scanned the surrounding area. Where had that shot come from?
For one horrid moment, Sephiroth thought he was staring at a clone sitting on a huge motorcycle. Like the ones Jenova had produced three years ago. But then the second passed, and he realised that this person had even more delicate features than him, but the resemblance was frightening! The eyes meeting his were the exact same shade and shape. The once so great general found himself unable to speak.
"Big brother, I see your honour your reputation."
His voice was different as well. For some reason this send a small wave of relief through Sephiroth.
"Heh. That was nothing." A second voice spoke, and another silver haired man drew attention to himself where he was sitting on a motorcycle as well, on top of a small hill. "Anyone could've stopped that bullet. We haven't seen him fight yet."
Sephiroth frowned, not liking the situation one bit. At least this second copy was a bad one. Much too tall, too heavily muscled and short hair. But the eyes... "Who are you people?" Sephiroth growled, tightening his grip on the Masamune, and praying that the terrified merchants would do the sane thing and keep still. "Is there a dress-like-Sephiroth party, and no one invited me?"
"I'm Yazoo," Yazoo explained, placing a slender hand on his chest before gesticulating softly towards the other person. "And that there is Loz." There was barely withheld glee in his eyes as he locked gazes with Sephiroth again. "We're your brothers."
The words felt like a physical slap to his face and Sephiroth was unable to hide the confusion on his face. "What?" The idea was ludicrous! Hojo never had any other children, and Lucrecia never got the chance. "I should warn you! I don't like bad jokes. Turn around, go away, and no one gets hurt."
Yazoo tilted his head slightly, like he was somewhere between half dreaming and half paying attention. "I don't do jokes, big brother. Mother sent us here to find you."
Mother. The word sent chills through Sephiroth and he felt something react inside him. A tug. A whisper. A voice dead for two years. "Who are you?" Sephiroth's voice was now deadly sharp and his body tensed dangerously.
"Yazoo told you," Loz drawled, grinning playfully like a predator to a prey. "We're your brothers. We've come to play."
"And if I refuse?" Sephiroth asked, cutting the air with the Masamune and gathering Trigger's reins with his other hand. These two clearly meant business, and everything about them told him they most likely had Jenova cells within them as well. The trademark signs. But what unsettled him the most was the urge he had to simply follow them. Like the call of the wild to a domesticated wolf. His soul yearned to join the family he'd longed to have, but his heart and mind refused to release Aeris and Zefiris for a single moment. He was his own master now, and Jenova had no room in his life.
Yazoo started up his motorcycle and lifted his gun in a greeting. "Our brother feared you would say that, so while we're here with you, he went ahed to that cozy town of yours to get a little reassurance of your cooperation."
Sephiroth started violently, realising that this so-called brother was in fact going after Aeris and their daughter. Anger and fear battled for control. "You're dead. All of you."
Sephiroth gazed back at the merchants. "Don't make a sound. It's me they want. Wait until we're out of sight, then head back to Bone Village. Keep a quick pace and your chocobos should be able to out run any monsters you meet. Now, go!" He didn't wait for them to answer, merely dug his heels into Trigger's sides harshly and set the golden chocobo off into an amazing sprint.
Yazoo grinned, knowing he'd been disappointed if Sephiroth hadn't put up a fight. The legendary ShinRa General was after all a legend. It would be a shame not to test ones powers against a legend. The second youngest of the three brothers had yet to find someone to beat him in fair fight. As Kadaj was not someone you played with and survived, and Loz flat out refused to fight him, Yazoo was looking forward to this! He nodded towards Loz, and the two set their motorcycles to chase their older brother.
Sephiroth kept his eyes on the horizon, hearing the motorcycles roaring coming ever so closer by each second. He didn't care about them. He cared about Aeris and Zefiris. He had to reach them in time. Wouldn't accept anything else!
"Chocobo, brother dearest?" Yazoo taunted softly, raising his gun to aim casually at Sephiroth. "You need to keep up! Those things are way outdated."
Using the Masamune to deflect the bullets fired at him, Sephiroth sneered slightly. "Never was much of a slave to fashion." He made Trigger take a sudden turn to avoid Loz's fist crackling with some unnatural energy, the golden bird having no trouble keeping up with the machines. Sephiroth wasn't surprised. He knew what the bird could do, and she had been a gift from the Sage himself. Trigger had yet to fail him.
The thick snow made steering difficult enough, but underneath it was the trickery ice that forced the two pursuers to focus a bit more on their vehicles than they liked. It appeared that bullets were having no effect because of the Masamune, and Loz found it hard to come close enough to launch his own attacks. It slowly pushed the two angrier and more determined to dye the snow red with Sephiroth's blood.
Trigger ran. A sprint across a field to create a small head start, then sliding down a small hill, and then Sephiroth saw his first opening. He clenched his jaw hard and gave Trigger a harsh kick to make her increase her speed even more, not bothering to react at the protesting wark.
Loz grinned widely as he saw the small slope down to where Sephiroth was, wrung the accelerator handle on the motorcycle and jumped up into the air to land heavily in front of the startled chocobo. As the wheels lost their grip on the slippery ground, Loz climbed up to stand on the sliding motorcycle that was aiming to crash directly into the bird. He raised his arm, ready to leap, when he heard the sound.
Yazoo had barely enough time to force the motorcycle into a sudden turn, careening into safety, as the ice shattered. He struggled to regain control as Loz was running towards land with the ice cracking underneath his every step, while the motorcycle was already sinking fast towards the bottom of the frozen lake. He stared with barely controlled fury at Sephiroth easily ordering his chocobo to run over the water. Eyes narrowed as Yazoo wondered if he couldn't just disregard Kadaj's order about not killing Sephiroth, and unleash the Phantom Beasts. Creature made from nightmares, made form by the substances available. Maybe the great SOLDIER would find it difficult to face a few hundred Beasts. That would most likely wipe the smug grin off his face!
They needed him alive, Kadaj had said. And Yazoo resentfully had to watch Sephiroth vanish into the distance, before forcing himself into action and driving over to pick up Loz. At least he hadn't lost his bike as well...
Several glances over his shoulder later, Sephiroth frowned uneasily. They'd given up too easily. They hadn't even really tried. It was like some... test. The thought was even more unsettling. What did they want from him? What would be important enough for them to risk his anger by going after his family?
Family. They'd called him 'brother'! He did not have any siblings! He would have dismissed them as crazy people, if not for those eyes... He could see Jenova in those eyes. Feel her. Shuddering, Sephiroth merely focused on reaching Icicle again. Praying he wasn't too late. And the road never seemed to end. His fear growing by each second. By each step Trigger took. By each beat of his heart. And his destination never seemed to come closer at all...
The second he saw the smoke rising towards the sky, Sephiroth knew he was too late.
Buildings were burning. People were screaming. But destruction was going one way, towards Icicle Inn.
Leaping off Trigger, Sephiroth ran towards the building.
He saw the trail after motorcycles in the snow.
He heard Aeris screaming hysterically.
Sephiroth saw the blood on the floor and walls.
Rufus ShinRa hummed to himself, fastening the towel around his waist, and ruffled his hair a final time with his fingers before walking towards the door to the bedroom. He needed that shower.He'd had such a crappy day! Hours upon hours in boring meetings, his back still aching after that incident, and Tifa still angry as hell because he got himself involved in that incident... One would think Midgar's most powerful man would have less worries than the common man, but you simply had to reconsider that thought!
Just yesterday, Robin had been throwing up like they were giving out awards for it, and now Rufus feared her brother was going to pick up where his sibling left off!
Yet, Rufus wouldn't have traded places with anyone!
He was getting the hang of this looking at the bright side thing! Especially as he knew he had a date with his lovely wife this evening!
Stepping into the bedroom, Rufus nearly walked straight into someone. He knew he was of course physically unable to shriek like a girl, but there was a dangerously high tone in the yell, and he had to fight some absurd instinct to cross his arms over his chest to cover himself.
Two seconds later, Rufus was glaring murder at Sephiroth. "What is your problem, man? You simply do NOT enter Rufus ShinRa's bedroom uninvited!" His anger died the second he saw the look on the silver haired man's face. "Hey... What's wrong?"
Sephiroth tried to force a smile, but failed. "I need your help."
"I think we all agree that you need help," Rufus muttered uneasily, but motioned for them to walk over to the sofa where Sephiroth could sit down. "What's happened? If it's within my power, you know I'll help."
A rush of feelings attacked Sephiroth once again as he sank down on the sofa, staring at the floor. "Zefiris..."
Starting at the name, Rufus became even more worried. "What about Zefiris? Sephiroth, tell me what happened, damn you!"
"They took her," Sephiroth whispered weakly, hesitating a second before he managed to meet the blue gaze resting on him. "These... men appeared out of nowhere. Two of them stalled me. The third... He went for the town. For Zefiris."
"Aeris?" Rufus asked silently, fearing the answer. Whoever would be foolish enough to challenge Sephiroth? And who would be crafty enough to get away with it?
Sephiroth closed his eyes, as if the question pained him. "She was working at the store. The man went straight for the inn. Like he knew Zefiris would be there. Killed Lily and several of the town people... Aeris was too late as well. She only came out when she heard the commotion, and then..." His voice failed and Sephiroth merely shook his head, remembering the man restraining the hysterical Aeris. How she'd screamed. Cried. The look of terror on her face.
Rufus reached out and placed a hand on Sephiroth's shoulder. "She here with you now?"
Sephiroth nodded. He'd left her with Tifa and the twins.
"These men... What did they want?" Rufus gently squeezed Sephiroth's shoulder to regain his attention, hoping to get the most information out of the man as possible before he collapsed. Because Sephiroth would collapse. It was only a matter of time.
Swallowing hard, Sephiroth pulled himself together one final time. "They wanted me to join them." Reptilian eyes focused on the young president. "These men, Rufus, they're like me! They look almost exactly like me! The hair. The eyes." Predicting the next question, Sephiroth didn't wait for it to be asked. "No, these aren't clones. They're... different. It's like... they're me! Really me, but... not. It's hard to explain, but... They're different. Dangerous."
"Alright, just... Stay here, and I'll get some clothes on. Then we'll decide what to do, ok?" Rufus' mind was already struggling to digest what he'd heard.
Sephiroth stared down at the floor again. "They just took my daughter and disappeared. 24 hours, and nothing. Not a word." He hid his face in his hands and tried to remember how to breathe. "I have to get her back, Rufus..."
"We will," Rufus promised quietly. "I promise you. We'll get her back, and they'll pay with their lives."
Nodding, Sephiroth rubbed his eyes wearily. Fear and exhaustion battling for rights to his sanity. He had to get her back, there was no other option.
Rufus left the silver haired man to his agonized thoughts, but was unable to fight uneasy thoughts of his own as he dressed. What if it had been one of the twins? Being the President ShinRa always brought risks, and his family was under heavy protection, but nothing in life was certain except death. Rufus shuddered, gazing at his own reflection. He remembered the last time he saw Zefiris... No, Rufus dismissed that thought. That had not been the last time he'd seen the little girl, as precious to him as his own daughter, and those fools were going to suffer! Suffer more than they ever thought was possible!
Tifa slowly lowered the PHS and clutched it close. She didn't know why she felt this sinking feeling inside her. It wasn't like she really expected anything else. This was how it always was. Yet...
The brunette opened her eyes again, the wine coloured gaze heavily tainted with sadness.
He'd promised he'd come if she ever was in a pinch, and he had. But did he only mean to rescue her once? If Tifa needed his help again, did he ignore it as he'd kept his word when saving her all those years ago? Did he chose to turn his back, because he never made such a promise to Aeris?
Cloud, where are you?
All this time, and he'd never once replied when she'd tried reaching him through the PHS. Tifa knew he'd brought it with him when he vanished. Him and Jessie. She never got an explanation. Nor did Aeris. He just left. No trace. Not a word. All this time.
Glancing over at the door to the living room, Tifa unknowingly clutched the PHS a little tighter. Aeris had been in a numb state ever since she and Sephiroth had arrived. Since the loss of their daughter. The flower girl had barely acknowledged Tifa when she'd excused herself for a moment, hoping that against all odds that Cloud would reply this time. She shouldn't be surprised that he didn't. But disappointment and fear tasted bitter in her mouth.
Tifa gathered herself through sheer force of will and slipped her PHS into her pocket. They all had fancy cell phones now, but for the old AVALANCHE network it was still PHS all the way. It probably had more with memories than practicality that they kept on to the old contraptions. That, and it was their only link to Cloud.
Rufus and Sephiroth were both indifferent to Cloud's disappearance, to say the least, but Tifa knew that Aeris had no more peace in her heart than she herself had. The blonde warrior was the ghost of both their lives.
Pushing the door open, the brunette entered the room again and gazed over at the forlorn Aeris. "Sorry, I just had to..." Tifa made a helpless shrug, but realised that Aeris didn't appear to particularly care. She was staring out the window, down towards the streets of Midgar. "Aeris... It's going to be ok. We're going to get her back."
Aeris nodded absently, still with her arms tensely wrapped around herself.
"Aeris..." Tifa sighed, walking over to sink down into the sofa. "I wish I knew what to say... All I know is that I pity the fools that did this. Rufus will do whatever he can to help track them down, and we both know that Sephiroth will tear them to pieces."
Aeris gave another faint nod.
A silence followed, then Tifa sighed again. "It wasn't your fault, Aeris."
The flower girl flinched. How could she say that when Aeris let her daughter get kidnapped? "Yes, it was."
"No, it wasn't," Tifa snapped and wrung her hands tensely. "You stop that silly notion this instant! We'll get her back, you hear?"
Aeris glanced over, pale as a ghost. "And if we don't?"
Tifa held her gaze calmly. "We will." She tried a faint smile. "Trust me."
Turning back to stare out the window, Aeris swallowed hard. "I need my baby girl back, Tifa. I can't imagine life without her!"
"And I tell you, we'll get her back," Tifa stated once again, firmer now. "I promise."
Aeris suddenly tensed and stared intently at something, or someone, then gazed quickly over at Tifa. "But I can't just sit quietly by and do nothing!"
Tifa got up as the flower girl suddenly walked towards the door. "Where are you going?"
"Out." Aeris halted briefly in the door, not gazing back. "I just need a little time to myself. I wont be long."
Gazing helplessly at the door closing, Tifa shifted uneasily. What was she supposed to do? It didn't seem right that Aeris was to suffer through her agony alone, but she made it pretty clear that she didn't want company right now.
Tifa made her way over to the window, gazing down until she saw Aeris appear in the street. It made a little more sense when she saw her heading for the church. Of course. Maybe a sliver of the Cetra was still around, and hopefully provide with more comfort than she herself was able to at the moment.
"Cloud... Aeris needs your help..." Tifa whispered, gazing into the horizon. "Where are you?"
Aeris slowly pushed open the creaking door and let the sight of her old flower garden greet her. She knew there were people who tended to the garden, but in some small way it was relieving to see that it still was there. She'd lost enough now.
Wandering into the old building, Aeris felt tears stinging in her eyes but she refused to acknowledge them. Instead, she crouched down in the center of the flower field and gazed at the debris still lying scattered around from Cloud falling into her life. So much had happened since then. She was a completely different person now, it seemed. Would she have made the same choices? Yes. Aeris' only regret was the way she had treated Cloud, but life had been good to her. Which was why she was far from accepting what happened. Slender fingers slowly wrapped around a piece of debris roughly the same size as the Princess Guard, and Aeris used all her might as she whipped around and slammed it into the person behind her.
He'd taken worse hits, but the impact and the surprise of it all made him stagger backwards. Lifting a gloved hand to his bleeding lip, Yazoo stared in puzzlement at the furious half-Cetra. She was still holding on to her 'weapon' and seemed ready to continue the fight.
Aeris had seen the flicker of a silver haired man outside of the ShinRa Tower, and she knew it had to be one of the men Sephiroth had told her about. One of the ones who took Zefiris. She had felt his presence as she let him follow her to the church. Aeris knew she'd made Sephiroth a promise that she wouldn't risk her life again after her fight against Jenova, but somehow that promise seemed so faded now.
"Nice hit," Yazoo finally drawled, shaking his head slightly to remove the ringing sound the impact had left. "Didn't even see that one coming. Nice hit, indeed."
"What do you want?" Aeris demanded in a whisper, her green eyes flaring with fury. "Where is my daughter?"
Yazoo tilted his head slightly, taking in the alluring sight of a young woman ready to fight to the death. "She's safe. With my brothers." He smiled slightly. "Don't worry. We would never hurt our little niece."
Aeris barely was able to restrain her anger. "Do not flatter yourself. She's not your niece. She's nothing to you, and you are just a child snatching cretin!"
Some of his good mood vanished at the harsh words and Yazoo frowned. "No need for name-calling, I assure you, half-Cetra. And your child is our brother's child too, correct? That would make her our niece." Eyes, so simular to the pair she loved gazing into, were now filled with lazy smugness. "She's family."
"Family?" Aeris nearly laughed, the statement so absurd that she couldn't believe her ears. "Did 'mother' tell you this?" She nodded as she saw the silver haired man tense. "Yes, I know of your 'mother'. In fact, I met her once. Didn't she tell you? I know for a fact that she's a lying heap of infection puss. I know she's not anyone's mother! She's just a voice in your head!"
Yazoo was now staring harshly at her, but appeared strangely amused. "I heard you were the softer part of the AeriSeph duo."
"Yeah, just imagine what Sephiroth will do to you once he catches you lot," Aeris sneered, now aching to hit again. "Give me my daughter back, damn you!"
"I'll admit to underestimating you," Yazoo drawled, once again measuring her with his eyes. "But I'm afraid I can't grant you your request. We need our little niece to make sure big brother will help us."
Aeris shook her head, torn between despair and anger. "You guys must be complete idiots. There is no way Sephiroth will have anything to do with you now, except from when he kills you most horribly! And I'll cheer him on when he does." She darted forward to take another swing at him, but the silver haired man moved impossibly fast. Aeris was unable to hold back the defeated whimper as a hand locked around her wrist painfully and wrung her arm behind her back, feeling his light laugh against her neck from where he was standing behind her.
"You got one free shot because I underestimated you, sweetheart," Yazoo murmured in her ear, while tightening his grip on her wrist until she had to let go of her 'weapon'.
"Please," Aeris whispered through tears. "Give her back to me. She's innocent, damn you! I'll take her place. Please..."
Yazoo frowned slightly, suddenly feeling a little less proud over what he'd helped do. "I give you my word that your daughter is safe, ok? I will personally make sure that no harm comes to her. Meanwhile, I suggest you talk a little sense into Sephiroth. He is the key. He decides for how long your daughter is kept from you."
She didn't hear or see him leave, but Aeris sank to her knees the second he released her and vanished. The flower girl hung her head low and sobbed quietly.
Yazoo halted outside the church, his keen hearing allowing him to pick up the discrete sound of the girl's agony. Frowning and shaking his head, he forced himself to walk away.
AN; Aah, she's back! (gets peppered with rotten tomatoes and whatnots) Yeah, it took a long while, and I promised to have this up a week ago! Bad me! But at least, it's here! The sequel to the sequel! We're off to a darker start this time, but I promise even more fluff and even more angst than Where the Lost ones Go! And, yes, I do need those reviews to keep going! Questions, comments, just bring them on!
