I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

The Angel's Heir

Chapter IX: Wanderer

The motorcycle screeched to a halt at the base of a rock face. The jutting cliff provided shade from the burning sun and Seraphim was prompted to put down his hood. It was then that the blonde man could really see the long silvery locks that dominated his companion's head. He narrowed his eyes and swallowed hard at the sight of him...how he looked so dreadfully like his father.

"It's getting dark soon." He said coldly. "We're camping here tonight, go get some wood will you?"

Seraphim looked around, wondering where he'd find wood in such a desolate place. But he did as he was told and started searching for something for a fire.

The blonde man leaned against his bike and watched the boy obediantly hunting for twigs. He smirked and pulled out his cell phone. It was an item he'd not used much for personal purposes; mostly using it for business. He stared at the wolf's head on the screen and deliberated making a certain call. He turned his eyes back up at the boy. His mother must miss him desperately. His thumb hovered over the button to conjure up his contacts, but in a split second decision, he shut the phone and replaced it in his pocket. He'd take the silly child home as soon as he'd delivered his parcel to Junon and that would be the end of it.

Seraphim returned to their campsite with an armful of branches he'd broken off of some dead shrubbery.

"Good job." The man commended him and he quickly arranged the branches into a suitable position and lit them on fire with his lighter.

Seraphim smiled and sat down. "So what's for dinner? I'm starving!" He clutched his growling stomach.

"Let's see." The man reached into his bags and searched around noisily until he came across a couple cans of beans. Producing a small sauce pan from the same bag, he unloaded the cans into the pot and held it carefully over the flames. "I promise a real meal when we make it to Junon."

Seraphim nodded and waited eagerly for the beans to heat up.

"So, what's a young kid like you doing out in a place like this?"

Seraphim gulped as he turned his eyes up to meet the man's bright blue ones. He then turned his gaze back to the fire.

"I'm searching for someone."

"Who?"

"Someone I've never actually met...but...I...I just..." He searched for the right words. "I...can feel her...she needs me to find her."

"Who is she?"

"I don't know." Seraphim wrapped his coat around him as he felt a chill run up his spine.

"Hmph." The man scooted closer to him and handed him a spoon, placing the pot on a stone between them so they could share. "What's your name?" He knew his name even before he spoke.

"Seraphim."

"Seraphim...you don't have a last name?" The man prodded playfully.

"Seraphim Valentine."

"Ah." He was curious as to what name her family would have. "Not a bad name."

"Uhh...thanks?" Seraphim eyeballed the man for a moment. "So what's your name?"

The man smirked. "My name is of no consequence."

"Should I just call you 'Old Guy' then? Come on, who are you?"

"Who am I and what my name is are two different questions. I know your name is Seraphim, but who are you?"

Seraphim thought about it for a moment and saw his logic. He then straightened up his back and announced majestically, "I am the first-born son of Sephiroth."

The man bowed his head and said, "Are you? Are you the son of Sephiroth...or...your mother?"

Seraphim narrowed his eyes at him. "Both are my parents, what is the difference?"

"Are you your father's son, or your mother's son?" He took an idle bite of beans. "Which do you idolize more?"

Seraphim furrowed his brow. He was unsure how to answer such a question. "The truth is...when I was very little, my mom used to tell me stories about when she was young and I used to wish I could have been with her on her quests."

"How come? I'm sure her journey was parilous."

"Yeah...but...there was someone she talked about, I forget his name...She stopped telling me these stories when I got older so I don't really remember much...But there was a guy, a warrior that lead mom and her friends on their journey...I think he was who I idolized..." Seraphim's eyes glazed over as he tried his best to recount the long forgotten stories. "I remember my dad making me a wooden sword when I interested in learning...I used to play with my brothers and pretend that I was the hero that my mom talked about..."

The man's heart pounded heavily as he listened.

"...I never told my dad about the play-fantasy I had; I kind of had a feeling that he didn't really like my mom telling me those stories...Maybe that's why she stopped." He shifted in his spot.

The man felt a sense of anxiety pull his stomach, he remembered the woman who loved him and how he pushed her away, he remembered when she told him she was with child and how he refused to accept it and attempt to love it. So he left and he was alone. The child was not to blame, nor was the mother, or even the father, the only one to blame was himself. Now that very same child sat before him and inadvertently confessed to having idolized him. He didn't know how to respond the feelings flooding his body and mind, nor how to respond to the child.

"Cloud Strife."

Seraphim looked up at him. "Huh?"

"My name is Cloud Strife, and I am...nobody."

Sephiroth was in the lead of the group as they trekked through the wasteland surrounding Midgar. He looked back over his shoulder at Tifa and the others. Each of them showed signs of exhaustion, but they kept up with him well.

"We'll rest in Kalm." He promised as they neared the grasslands.

"Good, I'd love some food." Denzel moaned as they reached the flat grassy terrain.

"Restaurants are few and far between." Tifa warned. "We won't necessarily be sleeping at an inn every night either."

"I know..." He replied as he noticed Marlene slipping further behind. He ducked back and grabbed her hand, pulling up to the group.

"Thank you." She blushed as their eyes met. Denzel smiled and squeezed her hand tighter.

Sephiroth saw this brief exchange and turned his eyes back forward. His heart leapt in his chest as remembered what Seraphim had told him the other day. 'I think I'm in love with Marlene', he'd confessed. Well, my son, perhaps you were right about Marlene and Denzel. He saw the semblance between them and his relationship with Tifa and Cloud. It was heart breaking, that his own son may have to endure the same pain.

"There's only two rooms available." The woman behind the counter said regretfully. Sephiroth had asked for three, but it seemed that they had double up.

"Alright, I'll take them." He turned to Tifa. "Who is bunking with who then?"

She looked at Marlene and Denzel who where waiting in front of the fireplace. "Hmm...well..."

"How about you and Marlene and I and Denzel?" Sephiroth didn't wait for her answer.

"They're not kids anymore, they can share a room." Tifa said in their defense

"I don't trust him."

"You don't trust him?" She was taken aback. "With what? Marlene? They are both adults..."

"Yes I know...but I don't what them to be alone together."

Tifa smiled and blushed. "You've got that over-protective father syndrome going...I was thinking that would wait until Demetria was older."

"It's not that."

"What then?"

"Seraphim." Sephiroth gulped.

"What's he got to do with them?"

"Tifa...Seraphim called me the other day...just before he went missing." He chewed on his bottom lip and sighed heavily. "He told me that he was in love with Marlene..."

Tifa's brow knitted and she looked at back the two near the fire. "So you want to do what you can to keep them from being together?"

Sephiroth said nothing.

"That's so selfish of you." She turned to the lady who brought them their keys and took one over to Marlene, sending her with Denzel up to the assigned room. She returned to Sephiroth. "Let the girl chose who she wants to be with...she'll pick what's best for herself."

As she was about to charge angrily away, Sephiroth grabbed Tifa's hand and hauled her up to their room. She fought to free herself from his grasp as he struggled to unlock the door. As he managed to get inside, he forced her ahead of him and tossed her on the bed, kicking the door closed behind them. As she landed on the bed, Tifa was up again.

"What are you doing, Sephiroth?"

"Hush, do you want to get us kicked out?" He hissed at her.

"Why's this so important?" She quieted down.

Sephiroth glowered at her. "You're a mother, and you don't think your own child's feelings are important?"

"Wh-what? Of course they are!"

"So why do you spoil my plans?"

"You're trying to play match-maker for our son and Marlene? She is much, much older than him, the chances of her returning his feelings are - "

"You don't think our son is good enough for her?"

"No...it's not that...I just...don't think she yet realizes that Seraphim is no longer a child."

"So you think she'll love Denzel more?"

"I...I don't know..."

"Denzel definately fancies her, that much is certain." Sephiroth turned to her. "Alright, have it your way."

He shed his coat and chest guard, followed by his boots and pants. Tifa followed momentarily, shedding her own clothing and laying them on the chair near the bed. "We could've shared a room, considering there are two beds." She chose the one opposite Sephiroth and rolled over with her back to him.

"Why are you sleeping over there?"

"Because you're in that one."

"Tifa, why are you acting like this?"

"Because I'm sick of being with selfish men. Did her feelings ever occur to you? No, all you thought about was only Seraphim's feelings."

"Tifa..."

"Quiet, Sephiroth." She bit her lip and swallowed har.

"This isn't just about Marlene is it?"

She remained quiet for a moment, then spoke. "I see similiarities between them and us. I want Marlene to have the same chance that I did, to freely chose her mate and understand the reason."

"What was your reason for chosing me?"

"You loved me completely without condition. You sought to right the wrongs..."

Sephiroth narrowed his dragon eyes at her. "Is that truly the reason? If that's the case then why did you run so easily back to Cloud? It was nearly a year later that you returned...with a baby in your arms."

"What are you saying?" Tifa remained still, not turning to face him.

"Did you come back because you loved me, or because Cloud didn't want your child?" He waited patiently for her to answer. She didn't respond. "When you're ready to stop being selfish, I'll listen to you."