REGRETS
Sephiroth awoke quickly, startled.
Alarmed, he looked around and calmed down when he remembered where he was. He held his head in his hands. She was still haunting him in his dreams. Dreams that were becoming more and more frequent. Dreams that reminded him of what he had done to her. Dreams that were beginning to scare him.
This can't be happening! It was so long ago!
The dream was still way too fresh in his mind, or was it even a dream? He thought for a minute and then decided it was a flashback, still clear as if it had just happened yesterday.
He had tried to warn her. He had tried to convince her to stay away, to protect herself, but she wouldn't listen. It's not his fault he couldn't stop himself from killing her.....
No, he thought to himself, you are responsible. You could've fought back against Jenova, but you didn't, you weak, pathetic....
"NO!" Sephiroth shouted into the darkness around him. "I couldn't help it!"
Yes you could, he thought, she didn't deserve to die. You know it. She was special.
Sephiroth nodded sadly to himself. She was special. He closed his eyes. The whole scene began playing itself once more to him......
~*~
She was walking through the Sleeping Forest. Sephiroth could see her coming closer to where he stood above on the tree's branch, one hand absently touched his arm and found a wound. He quietly watched in awe as her beauty seemed to slowly wake the forest. It was dangerous here, so why would this innocent young woman take such a risk?
He knew why she was here.......
Suddenly she stopped almost right below him and looked around. She knew he was nearby.
Deciding he was bored by just watching her, he jumped down from the branch and landed gracelfully before her.
"Sephiroth...." said the young woman. She didn't seem the least bit scared nor angry at him.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sephiroth "Don't you know you can't stop me? Stop this pathetic mission before I become annoyed and will have to do away with you."
"My life doesn't matter." she said "Only the life of the planet and the people here."
"The people here have stolen this planet from the Ancients, so I will rid the planet of these inferior creatures."
The woman shook her head. "No," she said "you do not understand. I am not sure if that is true, but all living things have a right to live, no matter what crime they may have comitted." She paused for a minute and looked at him. "Jenova has poisoned you."
"My mother would never do such thing. Cetras are pure of heart."
"Would somebody so pure take so many lives?"
"Mother never did that."
"You have. She is telling you to do all the horrible things that you do for her. How can she be so pure then?"
Sephiroth brought his hands to his head. How could anyone say such things about Jenova?
She put her hand on his shoulder in sympathy but he quickly shoved it away.
"I'm sorry." she said.
Sephiroth looked at her. There was something special about this woman. "You're not the least bit afraid of me. Who are you?"
"My name is Aeris." she said in reply. "And I am daughter to the Cetra Infalna."
"IF you're a cetra, then how come you don't fear that we will become extinct?" he asked "Or hate the humans? They must have hurt you too."
Aeris nodded. "Some have, some haven't. But you have to realise everyone gets what they deserve. And you will too if you don't stop hurting people."
"My mother said you have to punish people for what they've done or they'll do it again, and I believe her. Shinra would inject me with mako, and try to turn me into a monster. No one stopped them, so they kept on doing it until I became the beast I am today. Nobody looks out for another, just use them until they've gotten what they want. Why would you be any different?"
Suddenly Sephiroth wondered why he was telling her all of these things. He brought his sword up.
"Everybody hurts me." he said, so quietly it scared himself. "You will too. I must kill you before you hurt me like all the others." He held the sword inches from Aeris's neck. She didn't seem alarmed
"I didn't seek you out to hurt you." said Aeris softly. "I came to help you."
"That's what they all say, all pretending to be kind, then BAM!"
"Then what happens to that one kind person who comes to help?" asked Aeris.
Sephiroth brought the sword down. "No one had ever said anything like that to me. They all crumble in front of me and beg for mercy."
"I can help you." she said softly. "Just trust me."
Aeris bowed her head and began praying. When she looked up, the cut that was on Sephiorth's arm had dissapeared and the torn material also returned to the way it used to be. He looked up at her in surprise. No one had ever been so kind to him before.
"Who are you?" he asked.
She smailed and for the first time he could remember, he felt safe. He hadn't even felt this safe talking ot Jenova.. He liked this new feeling.
"A friend." she said.
"Jenova wants you dead." said Sephiroth bluntly. He knew this was a lame way of warning her, but this is the only way he knew how to say it.
"I don't have much time beofre my friends show up." she said, "I can free you from Jenova, but only if you're willing. I'll be at the alter in the Forgotten City praying. Come if you want me to help you. I must hurry before Cloud finds us and stops me by trying to kill you."
"No one understands us cetra." said Sephiroth sorrowfully and Aeris nodded knowingly.
She walked off and Sephiroth found himself watching her until she was out of site.
I can't believe it! Jenova hissed, her presense now known to Sephiroth. You didn't kill her! She wants to take me down! She wants to tear us apart!
"No," said Sephiroth. "Didn't you hear her? She wants to help me. I can trust her."
Are you blind? her voice screeched She was saying all those things about me! You have to kill her before she stops us from gaining what is so rightfully ours. You must destroy her!
"She's a Cetra too." said Sephiroth." said Sephiroth "I can't hurt another of our kind."
You must destroy her! Jenova repeated. Give her a lot of pain if you can't bear to hurt her then. Just as long as she doesn't hurt me!
He could feel the tension rising. He began to wonder if Aeris was right that Jenova only uses him as a puppet.....
"I can't." he said quuietly, almost a whimper.
Then I will make you. said Jenova coldy.
"No," whispered Sephiroth softly, feeling helpless.
"Aeris?" called a voice. Sephiroth lifted his head to the direction of where the voice came, the direction of where Aeris had come from.
Who's that? questioned Jenova.
"Cloud." said Sephiroth as he stepped off the path. "I knew him when I was working for Shinra."
I remember. I live inside this one too. cooed Jenova with evil delight. He can do the job for me if you are not willing.
Sephiroth felt Jenova's presence fade just as Cloud ran by with no notice of him. Why was his mother sounding so harsh all of a sudden?
Realising that Cloud will reach Aeris in only a few minutes, he flew up into the air and headed for the alter.
No, said Jenova suddenly while Sephiroth was still in mid-air. This boy is strong, though I nearly had him. Now it's up to you, my son.
He felt her taking over again as he reached the alter and shot straight down, his sword ready to strike.
"I will not fail you, mother!" he whispered to her.
~*~
Sephiroth winced at the memory. It had all happened so quickly, he couldn't have been able to stop it, could he? Probably.
He looked around. Meteor had truely done quite a lot of damage.
He had killed Cloud and the boy's friends, and was the only one to survive the hit. Now he hated himself even more for what he had done. Aeris was right. He had gotten what he deserved.
Jenova longer haunted him. She no longer saw the point. He did his job, now he was useless her her. Even his own mother hurt him. Sher didn't care for him, just used him to get what she wanted, just because she couldn't do it herself. Where ever she was, he hoped she was more miserable than he was about the situation, though he knew that wasn't likely.
He wiped a tear away. He had destroyed what the Cetra had created, what the humans had vainly taken care of (but still succeeded in), the planet.
But what hurt him most, was that he had killed the only person he cared about, the only person he loved.
Where he stood now was the ruins of the place at there he had killed Aeris. He prayed everyday here for forgivness. Not just from her, but from himself as well. Though he knew he would never forgive himself, Aeris might, because that was the type of person she was like.
And everyday he asked himself the same question.
Did she love him too?
He would never know.
THE END
Sephiroth awoke quickly, startled.
Alarmed, he looked around and calmed down when he remembered where he was. He held his head in his hands. She was still haunting him in his dreams. Dreams that were becoming more and more frequent. Dreams that reminded him of what he had done to her. Dreams that were beginning to scare him.
This can't be happening! It was so long ago!
The dream was still way too fresh in his mind, or was it even a dream? He thought for a minute and then decided it was a flashback, still clear as if it had just happened yesterday.
He had tried to warn her. He had tried to convince her to stay away, to protect herself, but she wouldn't listen. It's not his fault he couldn't stop himself from killing her.....
No, he thought to himself, you are responsible. You could've fought back against Jenova, but you didn't, you weak, pathetic....
"NO!" Sephiroth shouted into the darkness around him. "I couldn't help it!"
Yes you could, he thought, she didn't deserve to die. You know it. She was special.
Sephiroth nodded sadly to himself. She was special. He closed his eyes. The whole scene began playing itself once more to him......
~*~
She was walking through the Sleeping Forest. Sephiroth could see her coming closer to where he stood above on the tree's branch, one hand absently touched his arm and found a wound. He quietly watched in awe as her beauty seemed to slowly wake the forest. It was dangerous here, so why would this innocent young woman take such a risk?
He knew why she was here.......
Suddenly she stopped almost right below him and looked around. She knew he was nearby.
Deciding he was bored by just watching her, he jumped down from the branch and landed gracelfully before her.
"Sephiroth...." said the young woman. She didn't seem the least bit scared nor angry at him.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sephiroth "Don't you know you can't stop me? Stop this pathetic mission before I become annoyed and will have to do away with you."
"My life doesn't matter." she said "Only the life of the planet and the people here."
"The people here have stolen this planet from the Ancients, so I will rid the planet of these inferior creatures."
The woman shook her head. "No," she said "you do not understand. I am not sure if that is true, but all living things have a right to live, no matter what crime they may have comitted." She paused for a minute and looked at him. "Jenova has poisoned you."
"My mother would never do such thing. Cetras are pure of heart."
"Would somebody so pure take so many lives?"
"Mother never did that."
"You have. She is telling you to do all the horrible things that you do for her. How can she be so pure then?"
Sephiroth brought his hands to his head. How could anyone say such things about Jenova?
She put her hand on his shoulder in sympathy but he quickly shoved it away.
"I'm sorry." she said.
Sephiroth looked at her. There was something special about this woman. "You're not the least bit afraid of me. Who are you?"
"My name is Aeris." she said in reply. "And I am daughter to the Cetra Infalna."
"IF you're a cetra, then how come you don't fear that we will become extinct?" he asked "Or hate the humans? They must have hurt you too."
Aeris nodded. "Some have, some haven't. But you have to realise everyone gets what they deserve. And you will too if you don't stop hurting people."
"My mother said you have to punish people for what they've done or they'll do it again, and I believe her. Shinra would inject me with mako, and try to turn me into a monster. No one stopped them, so they kept on doing it until I became the beast I am today. Nobody looks out for another, just use them until they've gotten what they want. Why would you be any different?"
Suddenly Sephiroth wondered why he was telling her all of these things. He brought his sword up.
"Everybody hurts me." he said, so quietly it scared himself. "You will too. I must kill you before you hurt me like all the others." He held the sword inches from Aeris's neck. She didn't seem alarmed
"I didn't seek you out to hurt you." said Aeris softly. "I came to help you."
"That's what they all say, all pretending to be kind, then BAM!"
"Then what happens to that one kind person who comes to help?" asked Aeris.
Sephiroth brought the sword down. "No one had ever said anything like that to me. They all crumble in front of me and beg for mercy."
"I can help you." she said softly. "Just trust me."
Aeris bowed her head and began praying. When she looked up, the cut that was on Sephiorth's arm had dissapeared and the torn material also returned to the way it used to be. He looked up at her in surprise. No one had ever been so kind to him before.
"Who are you?" he asked.
She smailed and for the first time he could remember, he felt safe. He hadn't even felt this safe talking ot Jenova.. He liked this new feeling.
"A friend." she said.
"Jenova wants you dead." said Sephiroth bluntly. He knew this was a lame way of warning her, but this is the only way he knew how to say it.
"I don't have much time beofre my friends show up." she said, "I can free you from Jenova, but only if you're willing. I'll be at the alter in the Forgotten City praying. Come if you want me to help you. I must hurry before Cloud finds us and stops me by trying to kill you."
"No one understands us cetra." said Sephiroth sorrowfully and Aeris nodded knowingly.
She walked off and Sephiroth found himself watching her until she was out of site.
I can't believe it! Jenova hissed, her presense now known to Sephiroth. You didn't kill her! She wants to take me down! She wants to tear us apart!
"No," said Sephiroth. "Didn't you hear her? She wants to help me. I can trust her."
Are you blind? her voice screeched She was saying all those things about me! You have to kill her before she stops us from gaining what is so rightfully ours. You must destroy her!
"She's a Cetra too." said Sephiroth." said Sephiroth "I can't hurt another of our kind."
You must destroy her! Jenova repeated. Give her a lot of pain if you can't bear to hurt her then. Just as long as she doesn't hurt me!
He could feel the tension rising. He began to wonder if Aeris was right that Jenova only uses him as a puppet.....
"I can't." he said quuietly, almost a whimper.
Then I will make you. said Jenova coldy.
"No," whispered Sephiroth softly, feeling helpless.
"Aeris?" called a voice. Sephiroth lifted his head to the direction of where the voice came, the direction of where Aeris had come from.
Who's that? questioned Jenova.
"Cloud." said Sephiroth as he stepped off the path. "I knew him when I was working for Shinra."
I remember. I live inside this one too. cooed Jenova with evil delight. He can do the job for me if you are not willing.
Sephiroth felt Jenova's presence fade just as Cloud ran by with no notice of him. Why was his mother sounding so harsh all of a sudden?
Realising that Cloud will reach Aeris in only a few minutes, he flew up into the air and headed for the alter.
No, said Jenova suddenly while Sephiroth was still in mid-air. This boy is strong, though I nearly had him. Now it's up to you, my son.
He felt her taking over again as he reached the alter and shot straight down, his sword ready to strike.
"I will not fail you, mother!" he whispered to her.
~*~
Sephiroth winced at the memory. It had all happened so quickly, he couldn't have been able to stop it, could he? Probably.
He looked around. Meteor had truely done quite a lot of damage.
He had killed Cloud and the boy's friends, and was the only one to survive the hit. Now he hated himself even more for what he had done. Aeris was right. He had gotten what he deserved.
Jenova longer haunted him. She no longer saw the point. He did his job, now he was useless her her. Even his own mother hurt him. Sher didn't care for him, just used him to get what she wanted, just because she couldn't do it herself. Where ever she was, he hoped she was more miserable than he was about the situation, though he knew that wasn't likely.
He wiped a tear away. He had destroyed what the Cetra had created, what the humans had vainly taken care of (but still succeeded in), the planet.
But what hurt him most, was that he had killed the only person he cared about, the only person he loved.
Where he stood now was the ruins of the place at there he had killed Aeris. He prayed everyday here for forgivness. Not just from her, but from himself as well. Though he knew he would never forgive himself, Aeris might, because that was the type of person she was like.
And everyday he asked himself the same question.
Did she love him too?
He would never know.
THE END