Chapter 10

"Man what the hell is you saying huh? I'm gonna shoot ya if you don't back off me."

"I am telling you to get off my street, punk ass."A brave citizen stood up against the muscle bound youth while several citizens were scurrying to get back into their houses

"Hey, I ain't told no one to move," the man shot off several bullets, hitting some innocent people. Shrieks tore through the cold air as the gang leader smiled on his work "That's what I is talk'n 'bout, run little critters run!" he turned back to his current victim, "Now back to what I was a sayin'" the man pulled the gun slowly up to the others head, "I'm gonna pull this trigger, are you scared?"

"No"

The leader didn't like his answer. He burrowed his eyebrows and threatened him again, but the answer was the same. Fed up, the leader shot the man. Upon his doing, a little girl's voice was heard at the death of her father.

"Papa? Papa no! Come back papa!" the leader smiled

"Go get me that girl, she's gonna be fun." Two men walked over to her licking their lips, but before they were able to touch her, a bullet shot through both their skulls, leaving the girl to cry even more.

The leader frantically looked around for the shadowed pursuer. "Hell I'm outta here, you'se guys are on your own."

"What man we suppose to be family. You can't abandon us here!" but the leader was already out of sight.

"Don't move you are under arrest by order of President Shinra." The gang members looked behind them and saw MP's pointing guns at them. They put their hands behind their head and dropped on their knees.

Zack was watching his unit take care of business. He looked up and saw a silver wall blocking the moon and beside him stood his friend.

"Damn good shot Missurani," he said over his radio.

Missurani barely herd him for he was too concentrated on following the leader.

"Can you shoot him?" Sephiroth said in a whisper

"I might be able to; I just need him to make a mistake." Sephiroth nodded his head and followed the runaway with his eyes.

"General, we have him in view, should we shoot?" The General heard helicopters hovering above him, "No, we don't need to risk anymore casualties. Let the sniper take him out."

"Yes Sir Understood Sir. Holding back. Next order."

"Follow the fugitive. When sniper hits, make sure he is down."

"Roger. Gamma Squad over and out." The helicopters headed in pursuit of the man

Sephiroth picked up a whisper that a normal man wouldn't hear, "steady, steady." He looked over at Missurani. He witness something no one would ever witness. A sniper falling upon his prey. Time stood still to him. The glare in Missurani's eyes. In an instant time sped up. He followed the barrel of the gun to the target. Right on mark, Incredible. The next thing he heard was Missurani holding his breath. He knew that man's end was here. He heard the sound of the trigger being pulled and next was the sound of the bullet bursting out. He watched the vapor trail behind the bullet and the target jolt.

"Incredible, Gamma Squad to General, target dispatched. Good Job sniper. Let's head back. Over and out."

Sephiroth looked over to Missurani, "That was fantastic, where did you learn how to shoot like that?"

"My father was a marksman, so he taught me a lot of things." He picked up his riffle and shouldered it. A helicopter hovered for the two of them to board, making their way back.

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The blast of the alarm finally reached her ears. A hand shot out from under the pillow as muffled expletives flowed from the sweet mouth. Aeris rolled over and opened her eyes momentarily and gasped. The silver haired god was standing right beside her bed, with paper in his hands. She was wide awake now. Frustrated, she sat up in her bed and gave her best glare at him.

"What are you doing in a lady's room uninvited?" Sephiroth paid no attention to her.

She tried again, "Hellooo? Mr. Wisecrack?" She lowered her eyes to the item in his hand

Oh no, the picture

She blushed, embarrassed.

He looked up at her with playful eyes. That's a very good look for him. Oh, what am I saying? And why is he looking at me like that?

"You should hide your crush's pictures better." Her mouth dropped to the floor and her eyes widened, her cheeks growing a deeper red. She angrily jumped out of bed, her body accidentally brushing against his. Her cheeks were blazing by now. She forced a hand into her hip and the other one pointed at him.

"How dare you make those assumptions? I would never like you. You are gross and ugly and you smell bad."

I lie too much. He is beautiful from head to toe and he smells, divine. I just want to reach up and touch his hair. I'm close enough. But, Zack…

"I wasn't talking about me." Aeris' body became stiff. Oh, I hate my mouth

"I was talking about Angeal, but apparently you had someone else in mind." A smirk graced his lips, "Don't worry girl, I wouldn't touch you if you were the last person alive. Now hurry up and get dressed, we need to start training."

Aeris averted her eyes for a second, his were too intense. She immediately changed the subject, "What about Zack? He's supposed to be with me."

"Zack and I had a mission last night and I am allowing him to get sleep. Hurry up and get dressed."

"No, I don't want to train with you."

Sephiroth pursed his lips together, "and why not?"

"Cause your mean. You probably want to hurt me. And I don't want to be pushed too hard today, for I am on girl time." Sephiroth rolled his eyes, to him it seemed she was always on her period, "and I don't want to get all sweaty and gross like you. And I hate the cafeteria food, it is horrible. I just don't want to go."

Sephiroth stooped down to her eye level, "Do you want some cheese with that whine?"

Aeris' hair stood straight up, "EXCUSE ME!!! How dare-."

"If I recall correcting, you were apologizing to Zack about how you were acting; apparently you were lying to him."

Aeris' features softened. He was right. She bowed her head in reverence and walked off to the bathroom to change. Sephiroth was a little hurt. He brushed it off and turned to go sit on the couch. The whole reason he come here was to help her warm up to him so he could get to know her. Apparently, she only wanted Zack. A click brought him out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw she was ready to go. Her hair was not brushed, she had no make-up on and her eyes were a little puffy. Has she been crying?

"I'm ready." Sephiroth walked out the door as she followed

Sephiroth has had encounters with women of the Scarlet kind. Gaudy, fake, and slutty. But Aeris is truly beautiful. Even as unkempt as she was walking behind him, she was beautiful. But she would never be his. He sighed and he picked up his walk, leading her around the twists and turns of the halls. The cafeteria wasn't as packed as usual. Aeris recalled that it was a Saturday, so mornings were off for some soldiers. They got in line and food was thrown on their plates. Finding a table suitable for them, they plopped down and began to eat.

Silence was the only conversation between them. It was the longest she has been with him. Her heart raced a million miles. She stared at the small V of skin peeping from his jacket. He caught her staring and cleared his throat. She gasped and smiled politely.

"Do you wear that every day?"

Sephiroth was intrigued by her small talk, "Yes, it's my uniform." Aeris nodded in understanding

"Can you tell me about that picture of you and…Angeal was it?"

Sephiroth swallowed and nodded slightly, "Angeal and I were assigned to watch grunts train. We were critiquing them you could say. And we were talking about last year's Shinra Ball."

"What about the ball? You were laughing, so I assume it was funny."

"It was very humorous. President Shinra choked on escargot and Heidegger was trying to perform the Heimlich maneuver on him, but he couldn't get around his stomach to get to the President's stomach. So Scarlet had to do it and that snail went flying into Angeal's drink." Sephiroth smiled at the memory, this time letting a chuckle escape his lips. Aeris saw life in him for the first time. He was alive.

"If you look closely at the picture, you can see Zack in a Chocobo outfit. He was the new meat of the group and he tried to talk back to the drill sergeant, but he had none of that." Aeris giggled

So…sweet

Sephiroth looked down at his plate, "I say we are done here, let's get to training." Aeris nodded and again followed him to the gym. Today felt different to her, like, something amazing would happen, but tragic at the same time. She filed the thought in her memory and quickened her pace to catch up with the General.

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HELLO!!! I am back. I am so sorry for such a long wait. I have gotten in a groove again. I have been working a lot on my new story, which is extremely complicated. Anyway, please review. I really like this chapter and I hope you guys do to. I will update as soon as I can. Keep the reviews coming :)

~jazzy~