A/N: Okay, now I know that this could move faster, I feel it is moving quite rapidly. Without further adieu...number 2
PS: Sorry this is short, I had an epiphany...I had to leave it where I left it!
Chapter 2
'Now I'm nothing to you I can't see, just walk away from me.' -All That Remains
Jenova had not expected the blonde to be so accusatory. The ruse could only go so far with him. She just hoped that Sephiroth could start taking action as soon as possible. This was the best way to bring Minerva down, from within. She then made her way to deepest depths of darkness away from the light, awaiting news that all was lost for Minerva.
'Soon she will see the error for everything,' Jenova thought.
The initial astonishment soon gave way to complacency. Sephiroth had been disillusioned when his mother left without saying anything to him. He now knew that his plan should be prioritized with utmost importance. The blonde seraph was nothing but interference; though, he still could not overcome his need to consume the blonde.
As Sephiroth lay in bed that night his agitation mounted to unnatural proportions. Those white wings painted with their own blood, the blonde hair caked in seed and blood. Visions of bloodied seraphs looking like Cloud were causing him bewilderment. How could one creature become such an obsession with little familiarity? He sorely wanted to see how easily corruptible the blonde could become.
The next time he encountered the blonde was before the day was set to begin. The lack of color palette made him shudder at the thought of the same color every day. The stereotype that white resembles good was beyond cliché.
Sephiroth lay in his bed thinking about all the desires that lay within demented confines of his inner desires. He never once believed in his mother's conquest for domination. He wanted to consume and pillage. It was while feeding his inner demons that he heard the shy knock at his now new room.
Opening the door he was greeted with the sight that plagued or was it haunted, he just knew that the blonde seraph would have to be dominated and covered in blood.
"Mine duty is to see to thine comforts this day," Cloud greeted shyly.
"Are such formalities necessary? We may have just met, but yet I feel comfortable enough to treat you like I would my own mother," Sephiroth mused with a smile that soon spread across the blonde's face.
"Mine speech is but habitual. The library 'tis filled with stories of old. Alas, mine mother says they bespeak fictitious happenings," Cloud replied.
"So you are really not allowed to read them, yet you have," Sephiroth rebutted.
"No, the eyes of man have not been graced to know the truths that have befallen mine mother and thine mother," Cloud rebuked Sephiroth's last statement with ease.
"Linus has summoned thee. He wishes to test thine skill with sword and foot," Cloud added quickly before turning and taking flight.
Sephiroth looked and could not stop the visions of red and screams he imagined. He wanted to see what types of torture the blonde could withstand before acknowledging his 'master.' His mother had not yet found out his true desires for the power that he possessed. He was struggling keeping them contained and mostly confined. His hesitation was only slight before he too took flight.
Cloud could not shake the demonic figure that was following his every move. At first Cloud thought that it was a race, but he soon saw that it was more of a game. Seeing how agile and quick witted he could be while evading something that threatened his presence. Shaking his cousin was not going to be an easy task, nor did he want to. The exercise was necessary, since it had been more than a week since he had taken flight.
Quickly sparing a glace behind himself, he saw that the figure following him was no longer there. In that split second, he crashed into hard muscle. He quickly looked up to see the feline emerald eyes staring back him with such hunger. There was something else he saw that made him shiver; yet he could not name the emotion that trying so hard to dominate the others that were playing in those eyes. He struggled almost futilely till he found he edge. Once he had loosened himself from the arms that almost secured him, he then took off toward Linus.
Sephiroth had not expected the strength and agility. He had figured that the lean and toned mass of seraphim was for show. He quickly learned to not underestimate his prize. The end of the game was not clear to him yet, but he could see that it was full of treasure. His time was not spent in vain. He still loathed stomaching the bland color palette.
Upon following the blonde seraph, he soon saw that it was for the purpose of sparing with the seraph that had led Cloud to the meeting last evening. This really was going to be an interesting day. He had not had a good workout since he could remember. If the agility of the blonde was testament, he knew that the auburn haired seraph should be more than enough to sustain his edge.
"Thine eyes have seen mine master, I know this. Thine newest acquaintance is mine teacher and friend, Linus," Cloud stated in greeting.
"Linus, I had heard of you from my mother. She said you reeked of chivalry," Sephiroth stated with mirth. "She also warned not to underestimate you knowledge of all things combat related."
"It is good to know that one of my pupils remembers the reason I teach," Linus rebutted. He knew that he was being tested. His only hope was that he could pass and knock the demon off his feet. "Are you ready?"
"Being born ready is the understatement I would not use, but yes. Let's see what you're made of," Sephiroth's blood was boiling a way that it never had before. He only hoped that his mother's stories were true. He really wanted to test himself against his mother's teacher.
"Art thou prepared, Linus?" Cloud asked.
"No worries Cloud, I have learned my lesson from yesterday," Linus teased, remembering the loss of breath listening to Cloud had caused.
"Mine ears trust not what mine cousin speaks. Dost thou truly feel prepared to face him?" Cloud asked again.
"Cloud all will be fine," Linus answered. He looked to Sephiroth and watched as he summoned the legendary demonic Masamune. This was something that Linus was not prepared for. He knew that the young demon was powerful, but he had heard the legends that no one could harness the power of Masamune. Linus thought that summoning Tsurugi would not hurt. This, he saw, had caught Sephiroth by surprise.
"It seems this is going to be fairer than I had planned," Sephiroth sneered.
"Thou art not worthy of Linus' teachings," Cloud spat. "Thou dost not understand true combat."
In a split second, Cloud found himself pinned to the floor with Masamune staring him in the eye. He did not shake nor cower. He merely kicked Sephiroth in the chin with his left foot and launched himself off the floor, readying himself for a quick jab to the jugular. He only stopped himself when he saw Linus staring him down to yield.
"Now, I hope that you find yourself sorely mistaken if you think I or my pupil to be marked 'easy targets.' You have yet to learn to never underestimate your opponent. Now, ready to truly start this?" Linus queried with great caution pointing Tsurugi at Sephiroth.
"You seem to have underestimated me as well," Sephiroth sneered. His clouded judgment mistook the query for mockery. He then met Tsurugi with Masamune clashing the metal together.
"Calm yourself," Linus commented. "We truly mean no harm. If you wish to survive this day, then you must proceed with caution."
"You lie," Sephiroth shouted as he rushed toward Linus pointing Masamune straight at Linus. He had misjudged his footing and soon found himself knocked off of his feet with a simple leg sweep. He knew that the old man was right. He needed to center himself again. Upon looking at both the blonde and auburn seraphim, he did indeed see serenity and not the mockery that he had imagined.
Linus then saw the fluctuating emotions become determination. He knew that the real fight was about to begin. This was what Minerva had asked. She wanted to see if he could attain the answers to Cloud's questions that he had thrown at Jenova. He could only see the carefully guarded secrets that were not betraying the true intentions.
They circled each other looking for weakness. Slash, parry only to be followed by forward rush. The dance went on like that with no end. Only the metal striking each other could be heard. Both knew that this was just to see if any answers could be met. The end result was that they were not to be met with the result that they had wanted.
"You are far better than my mother had mentioned," Sephiroth complimented.
"You are indeed far better than first estimated once you find your center," Linus remarked. "You must remember young master, we mean you no harm. We are only seeking the truth and fighting someone is the best way to seek the truth."
Linus then turned to Cloud who had been running through the kata he had been taught to do since childhood.
"You ready for round two, young one," Linus called with the pet name no one knew of, not even his mother.
"Thou art finished too soon," Cloud answered. "Thou must have needed rest old man."
Sephiroth watched the two continue their banter. He had never felt any such closeness to anyone before. Envy soon seeped from his every pore. This blonde was not paying him any mind. He knew that trust was the greatest reason for the lack of interaction. It was not as though he had not been trying, he just did not know that Cloud was truly shy.
He looked upon their dance with great curiosity. He had never seen such complex routines. He prided himself on being able to learn visually, but even he could not keep up with the foot work. His mother had wanted him to keep her conversant on what Cloud was privy to.
This was beyond what he had been prepared for. He soon felt his visions coming forth to forefront. One scene, found the blonde covered in blood. His wings were misshapen and hanging limply behind the blonde seraph. His arms were chained to a wall above his head, bleeding and raw. Around the neck was a collar of ownership and power inhibitor. The blonde wore slash marks from whippings very well. This is what must be done to satiate the hunger burning deep within.
He next saw that blonde wore nothing. The seraph was still chained to a wall but struggling against his bonds. He saw a weeping erection and could not help but freeze it. He saw himself touch it only to slide glass rod inside the hole to help the blonde keep the erection. This vision had Sephiroth confused; he did not see himself attracted to the blonde in that way. Though he never doubted his visions, he could not help but think that this was just a dream.
Sephiroth soon heard the sapping of fingers next to his ear. He assumed that he had tired following the movements of the seraphim.
"Art thou unwell?" Cloud asked
"No, I was just meditating," Sephiroth answered.
"Linus hath retired and left us for the day," Cloud commented.
"Would you kindly give me a tour of your mother Gaia," Sephiroth rebutted.
"It is mine duty to fulfill thine requests," Cloud replied, unknowing the double meaning that his last comment beheld.
"I want to see where the best spot could be to catch some color," Sephiroth chided.
Cloud's only reply was to grab Sephiroth's hand. They took off to the sky. Impulsiveness was something that Sephiroth again was not expecting. He felt that he needed to rethink his impression of these people. He thought his servitude to his mother to be saving factor of what would make quick work of Gaia. He was soon going to find out that the whole of Gaia was not as it seemed.
"If thine strength is not waning, follow me," Cloud quickly stated over his shoulder.
Sephiroth was now seeing what he had hoped would happen in the beginning. A common sense of comradery that maybe could lead to friendship with the blonde seraph was all that was needed to begin the treachery. He needed to possess the blonde.
The blonde soon set a quicker pace; twisting, turning and shortening the travel flying through windows, around towers, never once being seen by any earthly being. He never showed this to anyone. Cloud almost did not know why he was trusting Sephiroth. Once doubt started planting it's seed, Linus' words came back into Cloud's mind and heart. 'There is good in everyone, you just have to find it.'
Cloud did not have the heart to doubt his sensei. Linus had never been wrong, but he had said anything of the sort to the blonde before. Hope was all that everyone could do at this point. Relations between the light and the dark depended upon the relationship between Cloud and Sephiroth. The biggest reason for attempting such trust was his mother. She desperately wanted to believe that there was still good even in darkness.
Sephiroth was finding it quite difficult to truly follow the blonde. His speed and agility were something that he could not easily match. He himself had never seen the need to practice such evasive maneuvers. There was indeed a need to now; he had never thought that Cloud would actually fly to the earthly realm.
The blonde's pace slowed when he came to a peak. They both landed not knowing that if they were any lesser than they were they would be close to death. This particular peak was something that Cloud had yet to show Linus. He felt bittersweet, something was going to happen soon and there was nothing that could be done.
"Mine eyes have seen something thou hast yet to understand," Cloud hazarded slowly. "Mine entire being feels the impending doom thou hast brought with you. I beg of thee, beseech thine heart for peace of mind."
"Why are you saying this to me now?" Sephiroth rebuked.
"I see thine goodness yet to release within thee," Cloud implored. He knew that there was an inner struggle happening.
"You know nothing of me or my life," Sephiroth stated bluntly.
"I know that thine mother wishes thee to be like her," Cloud replied.
"Your mother wishes that for you as well," Sephiroth commented.
"Mine mother understands mine intentions, but does not believe them," Cloud said. "Mine will is mine own, but I am not mine own person. All is for the purpose that mine mother's premonition comes to fruition."
"That is where we differ, my mother wishes to make her will my own," Sephiroth added quietly.
"Thine own person is all thee can be," Cloud replied.
"What made you so wise?" Sephiroth chided.
"Reading hath been mine own passion for eons," Cloud embellished. "Look."
They both stare as the sun broke through the clouds. This was the first color that Sephiroth had ever seen. The reds played with the yellows, blues and greens painting the morning sunrise as the darks mixed with the lights. Slowly making way for the blues, reds and purples to become the daylight. Each light kissed the tops of trees and mountains wishing for more than just chastity. The rivers reflected the morning glory with barely a ripple.
Sephiroth turned and looked at Cloud. He had never seen the look of utter tranquility before in his meager existence. Existential predestination is what his mother preached to him every day. She begged him to stay and never be his own person. This blonde seraph was the start of independence. He would write his own ending and defy the fates.
"This is something special that you have made for yourself," Sephiroth commented.
"No, this hath been mine wish to see for a while," Cloud answered. "No one would understand the meaning."
"Not even Linus," Sephiroth mused aloud.
"Linus would understand, but hath been too busy of late to venture with me," Cloud said.
After a few more quiet minutes of watching the light, they both took off back to Gaia. Sephiroth had not missed the deeper meaning behind the show. Cloud was saying that he now trusted him as he would his own mother. That was something that made the demon smirk with triumph. He had thought that it would be harder to gain the trust of the blonde.
He truly would hate breaking the blonde at first. He knew that there was some fight that would not be easily quelled. He was not a true submissive, but it would not be that hard to find the factor that would make Cloud yield. He would somehow have to find a way to kill Linus.
As they made their way back, Cloud felt a chill run down his spine. He was having a hard time concentrating on his flight path. He could not shake the distrust. He had wanted to find the good in Sephiroth. He was convinced that there was still some good buried deep within. It should not be too late to show that there is beauty like that sunrise.
They were me by a peeved Linus. He had left to bring them food only to find them gone. He knew that his pupil was just trying to befriend the demon, but this was not the answer. They had to work with Sephiroth to break the clouds of anger and replant the seeds of trust and faith. The only person that had enough patience to do that was Cloud.
"Cloud I had expected the two of you to have been meditating," Linus barked angrily.
"I beg thine forgiveness," Cloud meekly replied kneeling in front of Linus.
Linus could only smile at the blonde. He had suspected something about the blonde seraph. The feelings of protectiveness and pride. Cloud even had his eyes. Why had Minerva kept his offspring from him? Was Cloud truly his son, having not known his true father?
