Not Quite So Meaningless Author's Note – I'm aware this couple isn't very popular but after reading some of the very few fanfictions on Aerith and Leon I began to fall in love with them because it made sense to me. I am a yaoi fangirl at heart but I am proud to say that they are going to be my first Hetro-couple story ^.^
WARNING: Rated T at the moment but might change to M depending on how dirty my mind gets later on!
IMPORTANT: This story was co-written with my good friend lakrar1201 so pleeaasseee check out his work; your mind will be blown! xD
Maybe He's A Lion
Chapter: 1
Radiant Garden had grown into a much more peaceful town since Sora, Donald and Goofy left for the last time. The streets had grown warmer, livelier and brighter. People were no longer afraid to step outside their doors. The numbers of Heartless and Nobodies had decreased dramatically allowing The Restoration Committee to defend the town's people more efficiently. With a happy future ahead, the committee members couldn't help but feel bored in their new peaceful routine. The sun was at its highest in the sky, ready for its slow decent into night. The committee members decided to take a break from doing nothing and headed back to Merlin's to prepare for lunch.
She knew everyone would be angry with her for walking off on her own. There was a slight dreaded feeling of going back to Merlin's house. She was not ready to head back inside; staying out in the sun was far more appealing. As she carried on walking to the outskirts of town, she decided to take her time. Aerith began to wander down The Great Maw. Her pink summer dress billowed gently against the draft that tunnelled down the area and her long braided hazelnut hair whipped behind her. With each clip of her brown boots, she hummed happily to herself; a beautiful contest to the dull quiet surroundings. She briskly made her way up into the small cliffs of The Dark Depths looking over Villain's Vale holding Maleficent's empty castle. With her bare arm, she wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed on her brow from the trek uphill. She placed her hands on her hips as she sighed happily at the silence around her. It was difficult not to look at the towering black castle before her. As unsettling as the site was, she knew she was safe. Immediately catching her attention a moment later, Aerith gasped suddenly as she spotted two yellow flowers sprouting from the very edge of the rock face. Their fragile stems swayed as their tiny petals fluttered gracefully. She ran to them with a wide smile across her cheeks.
"Finally!" She exclaimed joyously, falling to her knees before them. She gleefully clapped her hands in a small victory.
Her fingertips brushed against the smooth coating of the petals before drawing back into a giddy laugh.
"After all this time…" her emotions flared in her chest. "Flowers are finally returning to Radiant Garden…"
She took a moment to bring her clasped hands to her chest in silent thanks to nature who finally decided to return to her barren homeland. Quickly wiping a few tears that made their way down her cheeks she gave out a long content sigh as she continued to simply gaze at the small innocent miracle. Her thoughts soon drifted to a bright future ahead, starting with these two simple little creations.
"How foolish of you to wander off alone…"
She scrambled to her feet in fright at the knowing voice that cut through the silence. She sharply turned on her heel. Her eyes widened at the man who stood before her; an amused smirk across his angular face.
"Sephiroth…"
His long sliver hair framed his piercing green eyes that narrowed in amusement. He took his time to drink in her obvious distress.
"I am truly insulted that you have all forgotten my existence" He frowned dangerously.
Aerith instinctively took a small step back but immediately remembered that she was on the edge of the cliff. She was completely trapped. Without moving, she slowly looked down at her side to the fatal drop behind her. Her breathing quickened with panic, trying desperately to think of way to escape…there was none.
"I do not take kindly to being ignored" the warning tone in his smooth voice snapped her gaze back up to meet his.
"Perhaps I should make myself known to your pathetic lot."
He sneered in satisfaction as his heightened senses noticed her lithe form tremble ever so slightly.
"But I wonder..." he continued. "What form of sign shall I send to them?"
He slowly began to take small steps forward; like a cat, he intended to toy with his prey.
"How about you're mangled corpse as a token of my will?"
Aerith's eyes began to fill with fearful tears. Her breathing was now erratic in horror as she watched him stalk towards her. Her body curled in on itself in a pitiful defence against her impending torture.
Sephiroth hummed deeply as he raised his hand ever so slightly towards her. Aerith convulsed in a sudden burst of pain; she doubled over from the force that shot through her body. She cried out in agony as her whole being burned. The pain left as soon as it came, leaving her to drop to her knees completely drained of all energy. She quivered viscously from the shock, trying to gather the strength to stand, but her legs were too heavy to move.
"W-wha…?"
"It's futile to even attempt to resist, you will only waste the little energy you have left. I intend to make you scream"
Sephiroth could not help the laugh that escaped his chest, watching the pathetic girl squirm was far too entertaining to ignore.
"I doubt it will take long for Cloud to find me again; what a fitting gift you will be on his return"
Aerith whimpered in terror, allowing her tears to fall freely down her face. She lifted her head to stare at Sephiroth who was now only mere feet away from her.
"You…" she began weakly. "Y-you will never….get away with this…"
Sephiroth barked out a laugh.
"You pitiful girl…" he mocked her. "You dare insult me further? Your worthless friends could never hope to defeat me"
Her hands shaking, she brought them up to her chest, mustering the courage she needed to stay strong.
"You may believe that is so…" her eyes seared with determination. "But my friends…they have a kind of power you…can never hope to have!"
She clasped her hands tightly at her chest.
"Their hearts!"
Sephiroth hummed a deep menacing cackle within his chest.
"You truly are an insignificant site. That boy, Sora, has filled your mind with nonsense"
He quickly swatted away her idiocy as he continued his provoking prowl towards her.
Aerith's head spun in a wave of dizziness; her head fell. Her body jerked as sobs erupted in despair.
In the following moments, Aerith couldn't help but think of someone who was probably sitting in Merlin's cluttered house, swimming in unorganised spell books. She imagined them squashing up against the others around a table too small to fit them as they ate their lunch in animated chatter. She recollected their stoic features curling into a smile, their deep ocean blue eyes bright with unspoken thoughts. She imagined herself hearing their rare bursts of laughter, the way they walked, talked and the feel of their calloused hands. She thought of how badly she wished she could have gone home with them instead of wandering off on her own. Her regret spilled forth from her eyes to the ground below her.
"Leon…"
Sephiroth grunted as he launched himself high into the air. His devilish grin spread wide in a manic frenzy. Angling his sword, he plunged down with the intention of impaling the girl beneath him.
His target came rushing towards him, but in the blink of an eye, a strange blur obscured his vision. A split second later, his sword deflected violently against a metal surface forcing him to thrust back up into the air. Before he could recover from the mild shock, Sephiroth found himself being assaulted by a feverish series of strikes. He quickly changed tactic to parry each attack from this unknown swordsman whose form was blurred by the agility of his raid. Every strike caused loud sparks of clashing metal to ring out into the air. When final blow came, it clashed with his Masamune with impressive force that propelled him away out of range for a counter attack. Sephiroth managed to land gracefully back onto the rocky ground, a snarl twitching at the corners of his mouth. However, he was caught in surprise as he identified the one who managed to catch him off guard. It was not who he thought it was…
"You!" he growled as he saw Leon stand before him in a defensive stance, his free arm outstretched in a protective gesture to Aerith who had a stunned expression across her face.
"Impossible! But how did I not see this inadequate fool?"
Sephiroth was intrigued by this new development. He was going to have fun with this.