The faint clicking of heels bounced off of the bare, empty hallways. The
tile wouldn't be laid for much longer. As soon as Elise reached the rooming
floors, deep plush carpeting would cradle her feet.
She nervously quickened her step. It seemed silly to be apprehensive about
the call, but, after all, he was the Great Sephiroth. What he could possibly
want from a simple and unimportant girl like her was inconceivable. And
yet, they had grown so close so quickly…
A mere two months ago, Elise had just started working in the weapons development
department at Shin'ra. She had been damn lucky to receive such a highly
sought-out job. Her previous accomplishments, developing a superior saber
at a weapons store somewhere in Rocket Town, had earned her a headline
on the front page of the Midgar Tribunal and her current position.
Her first assignment was to create a deadly sword for the great General
Sephiroth. She had practically gasped at the thought. To be thought of
so highly as to be given this honor was like a dream to her. She had always
admired Sephiroth and his swordplay. He was also kinda hot…
So she slaved day and night working on his new weapon. When it was finished,
it seemed perfect. It was not the masamune that he would later make legendary.
This sword did not have a name. But it looked like a regal version of the
French Revolution swords, with a magnificently detailed handle and a smooth,
admirable blade, capable of killing anything in just one swipe.
And the final barrier was broken when she was asked one random afternoon
to deliver it to Sephiroth himself on the front.
"W-what?"
"You heard me! Get your ass to Gongaga and deliver it to the General! He
needs it as soon as possible!"
The trip to the other continent was as long as a day of summer. The wagon
ride to the town was even worse. It was freezing and raining buckets. The
ground was liquefied with mud and puddles the size of lakes.
It didn't look too good that Elise showed up at the General's tent soaked,
muddy, and utterly speechless.
Rain poured onto her heavier than it had been doing previously. She gently
lifted the flap to the General's tent and peered inside. The area was lit
with only a dim candle. The General was sitting at a makeshift desk, writing
something with his head in one hand. His gleaming silver hair dangled loosely,
giving Elise's heart a little slam.
"General…" she addressed breathlessly.
Sephiroth looked up and paused. He spun around to face her, his electric
green eyes glinting with what was either fury or surprise, or even both.
He didn't speak, and she dared not open her mouth either. Rather, there
was a breathless silence between the two for nearly five minutes.
The stillness was painful. Sephiroth finally shifted and stood, rising
to his six-foot plus height. She felt dwarfed- Elise wasn't nearly as tall
as he was; she was a petite 5'5".
"You're the messenger with my new weapon?" he inquired.
"Yes," she stuttered, holding out the carefully wrapped sword.
He nodded and strode over, taking the sword that felt so heavy effortlessly.
He stepped back and took a few graceful swipes. "It's perfect." He looked
to her for an opinion.
"It is quite a piece, and it suits you beautifully."
"This will most definitely help tomorrow." He looked into her with the
cold expression now melted into a warm twinkle.
She smiled back and blushed a bit. Apparently she wasn't used to strong
attractive men giving her so much intense attention.
"You look cold, " he observed. Indeed she was, with wet, muddy clothes
still clinging to her. "Would you like to stay for some tea or something?"
She was shocked. Elisa had heard stories about the great General, that
he was cold and ruthless and didn't get close to anybody, but all she saw
was a warm, generous man offering her some company and hospitality.
She nodded, still dumbfounded at his benevolence. "Thank you very much,
sir, I would love that."
Was that a hint of a smile? He seemed to sigh to himself and replied, "Call
me Sephiroth, please."
She nodded and corrected herself. "Alright…Sephiroth…" It felt so odd to
address him so non-formally. Not only had they just met, but also he was
The Great Sephiroth…
He poured her a cup of hot tea and pulled a dry blanket around her shoulders.
He then left her with herself and went to the otherside of the tent to
unwrap his new sword once more. It really was beautiful. It was broad and
majestic, a splendid piece. He ran his finger along the delicate edge and
a spot of red appeared.
"Oh!" Elise cried in surprise. "You've cut yourself! Would you like a bandage?"
He shook his head and laughed. "It's alright. It's just a scratch, I'll
be fine. Believe me, I've gotten worse in battle." He gave her a small
smile. Did he view her as anxious and childish?
She wasn't sure, so she thought of something else to say. "You're a magnificent
fighter," she commented with a hint of pink rising into her cheeks.
He seemed to laugh a bit at this once more and she wondered if she had
said the wrong thing.
But he spoke up. "Thank you very much. But the higher the pedestal, the
farther away I am…"
He paused and she asked, "From what?"
"From reality," he lied. The truth, unbeknownst to her, was that the time
spent in the public eye pulled him farther away from his place of safety
in the memory of his beloved Vincent. The two had been separated so painfully
and quickly, without even a goodbye.
Elise didn't catch the lie, as Sephiroth had even averted his eyes. She
simply murmured, "Oh…" and took another sip of her tea.
Sephiroth sat next to her after putting down the sword. She finished her
tea and set the cup down. And then, at the same time, they turned to each
other, their faces inches away.
Her eyes are as beautiful as Vincent's, Sephiroth thought. Oh
how I could get lost in those eyes…
Elise seemed to be looking past him, right into his soul. The General's
gorgeous green stare captivated her.
They sat there for a minute just like that.
"You have beautiful eyes," Sephiroth admitted. "I love looking into them."
Elise misread his comment and looked away, blushing again. She cleared
her throat and thanked him. Her nerves forced her hands underneath her
kneecaps and she sat swinging her legs like a child. She felt so strange,
as if a connection was being forged between the two.
A messenger came to fetch Elise and beckon her back to the small makeshift
wagon. She nodded and turned back to Sephiroth.
"Thank you for the tea," she mumbled, the pink rising up one last time.
"You're always welcome," he replied. "And thank you for the sword, it's
magnificent. I couldn't have asked for anything better."
"It was a pleasure to meet you."
The both of them stood up and faced each other. After another awkward moment,
she shook his hand and hastily turned away, led back to the road so that
they could finally go home after the tiring and long journey.
"So, what was it like?" the messenger had urged.
She shrugged, not wanting to give away any details of those precious few
moments.
"Oh come one! I saw the way you two acted; The General seemed so relaxed
with you. Definitely not the stone-hard leader he's rumored. Am I right?"
She shrugged once more and gave a nervous giggle. "He's decent, I suppose,"
she fibbed. "Now let's go. I want to get back to work."
So they returned home- a 3-day journey to and from that tent, just so she
could have 5 minutes alone with Sephiroth. And was it worth it?…
Yes.
Upon returning to Shin'ra Headquarters, Elise was mobbed with showering
praise, questions, and requests for stories of the Great Sephiroth. She
fielded all as best she could – after all, she was a modest girl and didn't
expect so much attention to be drawn to her so quickly. After a few days,
when all stories (and rumors alike) were told, things quieted down a bit.
That is, until Sephiroth returned to the picture once more.
It was another dreary and slow afternoon. The skies were blackened with
storm clouds and city smog. Elise looked out the window and sighed with
a melancholy note in her voice. The days just seemed so average lately…
With nothing better to do, she headed into the less-visited areas of the
building – the non-executive floors, the library, and on one floor imparticular,
she came upon a black, small door with a small silver knob. There was no
sign, yet no indication that the area was restricted. She tried the handle
– it wasn't locked, and clicked open with ease.
She cautiously stepped inside. The walls were whitewashed, but something
glinted off of them.
Blades.
Dozens of swords hung magnificently from the ceiling. Each had a unique
shape, curve, texture, and style to it that made Elise's mind wander. It
was a splendid, somewhat frightening sight.
A grunt and a clang sounded from the other inside of the room. Elise stepped
out of the small overhang just inside and took a few steps forward to get
a closer look.
There he was. The Great and Powerful Sephiroth stood like a god, slicing
his sword through the air in invisible play. He maneuvered so gracefully,
and so passionately, that it became clear why he was such a pillar in SOLDIER.
He stopped in that same instance, detecting her presence. Without turning
around, he murmured, "I remember you." He held the sword he was using to
his left side, giving her a good look at her masterpiece. "Thanks for the
sword." Indeed it was the sword she had made for him.
She blushed a bit and muttered, "Thank you."
He turned to get another look at her. Her skin was pale and her features
were fair. Her hair hung in short ringlets around her face in a silvery
platinum blonde shade. Her eyes glowed almost as much as Sephiroth's, both
the same shade of electric green. Even the press of her rosy lips gave
a burst of life to Sephiroth's senses. He smiled slightly and invited her
to sit down.
She sat down beside him once more, recalling the feeling of the same action
from the last time they had been so close.
"How are you?" He asked. Sephiroth made even the most common phrase sound
elegant.
"I've been very well, sir-"
"Please, call me Sephiroth."
She couldn't control the red rising into her cheeks. "Sephiroth," she uttered
uncertainly. "A-and yourself?"
He looked past her, pensive for a moment. "I have been well myself," he
replied.
His eyes looked vexed. She noticed this from the way they seemed to dull,
as if a shadow had crossed them. "Something is wrong," she whispered to
herself.
Apparently it wasn't quiet enough. "What was that?"
She looked up into his eyes, startled. "Oh, n-nothing, it just seems like
there's something troubling you…"
Sephiroth nodded with a bitter chortle. "Indeed, your senses are sharp.
There is something…"
She dared not push him any further, but after another long pause, she asked
breathlessly, "Yes?"
In a prophetic manner, he asked her, "Elise, do you know what it feels
like to have someone you love torn from your arms, never to see them again?"
She thought for a moment. Of course she had had quite a few relationships,
some more serious than others. But as for love, well, that feeling was
still reserved. "No, I can't even say that I have ever been in love before."
He laughed bitterly. "Love is a double edged sword, Elise. Your heart feels
full of exhilaration and elation, but when it ends, it quickly turns into
bitterness and a sour depression. My love has cut me. My love was torn
from my arms and I don't know where he has taken them. Now I live, ever-wondering
if my love is even alive…" He trailed off, choking on tears.
Elise put a hand over his and tried not to cry herself. "It sounds like
such a disheartening life…"
"Indeed, it is. I am nothing more to him than a killing machine.
But I have a heart and I love. I also hate. And I can't control the raging
feelings of both right now."
Elise was afraid now, afraid of pushing for too much, and afraid that he
would close up. Sephiroth started to, averting his eyes and closing his
mouth, trying to stop the hyperventilation. "No, please," she begged. "Go
on. Tell me more."
"My love, my angel…" he sobbed. "I was holding him so close but then he
was taken, such a long year ago… I don't know what to do now. I can't mourn,
I don't know if my love is still alive, and I can't move on, because what
if he is?"
Elise nodded empathetically. "Perhaps for now you should just stay with
your family and friends, and have them console you."
