Chapter Thirteen
All he saw was red. Blood red. His mind seemed clouded with it, like a fine red mist that colored everything deep crimson. He couldn't think straight. He couldn't see straight. Insane. That's all he could sense was that he must have gone insane. Mental. He couldn't think in full thoughts, only bits and pieces. Insane, enraged, Sephiroth, enemy, Tifa, love, hate, Spike, devil, kill, destroy.
Tifa looked around her, not quite sure how far they had traveled. All she knew for sure was that the group had been walking for what seemed like hours and hours. The only light came from materia and mako rocks that gleamed an ethereal emerald color.
"So, young Cetra, you and the Flawed one actually had the nerve to come and face me."
The whole group stopped in confusion. Looking around, they couldn't see the source of the voice, but everyone recognized the voice.
"Sephiroth," Spike and Cloud spoke in unison. Cloud glared and Spike in pure hatred. Spike never wavered, a calm, almost serene look in his eye.
"Are you all ready to face destiny? Are you actually ready to throw your lives away to save this useless planet?" The figure of Sephiroth appeared in front of the group, clad in his white tunic, black pants and cape, white hair flowing down to his knees.
"Well," replied Spike, as his lips curled back into a grin which showed no laughter, "Either way, we die, right?"
"Interesting philosophy," commented the warrior of the underworld, "But, you will regret your audacity once I split your chest open and cut out your heart."
"Nice description," Cloud joined in, eyes flashing.
"Ah, the Flawed One. I'm surprised you made it this far."
"Well, Sephiroth, I can tell you that it wasn't luck."
"Touché."
"So, Sephiroth," Spike asked, "Are you ready to get this show under way?"
"When it pleases you."
Drawing his gun, Spike fired three quick shots at Sephiroth. Evilly grinning, the bullets stopped before they hit Sephiroth, turned around, and ended up speeding for the group. One bullet found its intended target. Rude dropped to the ground, a wound to his chest. Aeris quickly cast a restore spell on him, and then put Rude to sleep to recover his strength. During this interval, Cloud had his sword drawn, and commenced to charge at the evil man.
The collision of swords showered sparks in a five foot radius around the two fighters. Cymbals seemed to crash with every thrust, strike, parry, and riposte. Both men seemed to gain power from somewhere, and two separate auras surrounded the two. One white, around Cloud. The other, black, around Sephiroth.
"He looks like a fallen angel," Spike commented.
"Yeah," Tifa agreed.
"You two have some past history. Did he always act like he hated the world?"
"Not at first. But, I guess when the chips were down, he wasn't what I thought he was."
"Wow," Spike replied, "Sephiroth is like that?"
"Well, him too."
"Are you serious?! Is this the best you got?!" Sephiroth, with ease was parrying Cloud's strikes easily. The blonde warrior already had scratches and wounds all over his body. Even with Aeris's powers of healing, it was apparent that the fight would be over soon. Finally, a thrust threw the leg brought Cloud to the ground with a cry from his parched throat. Sephiroth stood over him, sword ready for the killing stroke.
As he brought the sword down, a blur came into Sephiroth's line of sight. Unfortunately for him, he was too far into the swing to bring up the sword in time. The kick caught him in the jaw and sent him stumbling back a few steps.
"I need him alive so we can fight later," Spike smiled, "You, I don't need alive."
"Empty words from an empty heart."
"Maybe."
As Spike finished the word, Sephiroth leapt at him, dropping his sword to make the fight even. Driving his boot into Spike's stomach, he followed with a flurry of punches. Most missed, but the warrior kept swinging, until a boot hit his kidney, and a fist drove through his nose.
Running to join the fight, Tifa got in shots where she could. Spike was Sephiroth's main opponent, and Tifa's hits weren't deterring him from Spike. He could take care of the bitch later.
Tifa came in from the side, and aimed a kick at Sephiroth's head. Turning, he quickly cast a Flare spell. The ball of fire built up and exploded, sending Tifa through the air and against a wall of rock. Slumping, she didn't get up.
"Bastard!" Spike bellowed. Driving a right hook into his stomach, he followed with a kick to the jaw, sending the spent warrior towards the fallen Tifa.
"You'll pay for that," Sephiroth growled, a sneer forming on his lips. He gathered the energy from around him, aiming an Ultima spell at the unconscious woman.
Spike knew he was too far to help at all. His gun lay yards away, and the spell would be cast before he had a chance to get a shot off. He could do nothing but watch.
"NO!" he screamed.
A shot rang out, breaking off the spell nanoseconds before it cold be cast. A look of shock spread across the face of Sephiroth as he fell to the cold earth, never to rise. Whirling around, Spike's eyes rested on the source of the shot.
"Just thought I'd lend a hand."
"Thanks, Rude," smiled Spike.
"Not a problem," the wounded Turk replied. He grimaced as pain coursed through his body. Spike held him up, and draped an arm around his torso.
"No, Spike," Rude argued, "Go to your woman. Aeris will hold me up."
Letting go of him, Spike ran over to Tifa. He bent down and shook her gently.
"Hey. Teef, wake up."
Slowly opening her eyes, she whimpered, "Did we get him?"
Relief rushed through Spike. He was so ecstatic to see that Tifa was alright. In fact, he was speechless.
"What?" Tifa asked, "Why aren't you saying anything? Why do have that look in your eye?"
"Because I'm gonna kiss you. Do you mind?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips."
Before Tifa could object, Spike laid his lips on hers. Sparks exploded in her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"I love you, Spike Spiegel," she whispered when the kiss ended.
"I love you, too Tifa Lockhart."
Standing with Rude and Aeris, Cloud shook with rage. He drew his sword, but was stopped by Aeris, who laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Not yet, Cloud. You ruined Rude's proposal to Faye. Let Spike and Tifa have their moment."
Glaring at her, he snarled, "Fine. I'll let them have their moment. But, I promise you, it won't last forever." With that, he stalked back towards the Bebop, with Aeris and Rude following slowly behind. After a few minutes, Spike and Tifa followed as well. As they left, no one saw the figure in the shadows. The figure with white hair, a long sword, a raven on his shoulder, and a sneer on his face.
All he saw was red. Blood red. His mind seemed clouded with it, like a fine red mist that colored everything deep crimson. He couldn't think straight. He couldn't see straight. Insane. That's all he could sense was that he must have gone insane. Mental. He couldn't think in full thoughts, only bits and pieces. Insane, enraged, Sephiroth, enemy, Tifa, love, hate, Spike, devil, kill, destroy.
Tifa looked around her, not quite sure how far they had traveled. All she knew for sure was that the group had been walking for what seemed like hours and hours. The only light came from materia and mako rocks that gleamed an ethereal emerald color.
"So, young Cetra, you and the Flawed one actually had the nerve to come and face me."
The whole group stopped in confusion. Looking around, they couldn't see the source of the voice, but everyone recognized the voice.
"Sephiroth," Spike and Cloud spoke in unison. Cloud glared and Spike in pure hatred. Spike never wavered, a calm, almost serene look in his eye.
"Are you all ready to face destiny? Are you actually ready to throw your lives away to save this useless planet?" The figure of Sephiroth appeared in front of the group, clad in his white tunic, black pants and cape, white hair flowing down to his knees.
"Well," replied Spike, as his lips curled back into a grin which showed no laughter, "Either way, we die, right?"
"Interesting philosophy," commented the warrior of the underworld, "But, you will regret your audacity once I split your chest open and cut out your heart."
"Nice description," Cloud joined in, eyes flashing.
"Ah, the Flawed One. I'm surprised you made it this far."
"Well, Sephiroth, I can tell you that it wasn't luck."
"Touché."
"So, Sephiroth," Spike asked, "Are you ready to get this show under way?"
"When it pleases you."
Drawing his gun, Spike fired three quick shots at Sephiroth. Evilly grinning, the bullets stopped before they hit Sephiroth, turned around, and ended up speeding for the group. One bullet found its intended target. Rude dropped to the ground, a wound to his chest. Aeris quickly cast a restore spell on him, and then put Rude to sleep to recover his strength. During this interval, Cloud had his sword drawn, and commenced to charge at the evil man.
The collision of swords showered sparks in a five foot radius around the two fighters. Cymbals seemed to crash with every thrust, strike, parry, and riposte. Both men seemed to gain power from somewhere, and two separate auras surrounded the two. One white, around Cloud. The other, black, around Sephiroth.
"He looks like a fallen angel," Spike commented.
"Yeah," Tifa agreed.
"You two have some past history. Did he always act like he hated the world?"
"Not at first. But, I guess when the chips were down, he wasn't what I thought he was."
"Wow," Spike replied, "Sephiroth is like that?"
"Well, him too."
"Are you serious?! Is this the best you got?!" Sephiroth, with ease was parrying Cloud's strikes easily. The blonde warrior already had scratches and wounds all over his body. Even with Aeris's powers of healing, it was apparent that the fight would be over soon. Finally, a thrust threw the leg brought Cloud to the ground with a cry from his parched throat. Sephiroth stood over him, sword ready for the killing stroke.
As he brought the sword down, a blur came into Sephiroth's line of sight. Unfortunately for him, he was too far into the swing to bring up the sword in time. The kick caught him in the jaw and sent him stumbling back a few steps.
"I need him alive so we can fight later," Spike smiled, "You, I don't need alive."
"Empty words from an empty heart."
"Maybe."
As Spike finished the word, Sephiroth leapt at him, dropping his sword to make the fight even. Driving his boot into Spike's stomach, he followed with a flurry of punches. Most missed, but the warrior kept swinging, until a boot hit his kidney, and a fist drove through his nose.
Running to join the fight, Tifa got in shots where she could. Spike was Sephiroth's main opponent, and Tifa's hits weren't deterring him from Spike. He could take care of the bitch later.
Tifa came in from the side, and aimed a kick at Sephiroth's head. Turning, he quickly cast a Flare spell. The ball of fire built up and exploded, sending Tifa through the air and against a wall of rock. Slumping, she didn't get up.
"Bastard!" Spike bellowed. Driving a right hook into his stomach, he followed with a kick to the jaw, sending the spent warrior towards the fallen Tifa.
"You'll pay for that," Sephiroth growled, a sneer forming on his lips. He gathered the energy from around him, aiming an Ultima spell at the unconscious woman.
Spike knew he was too far to help at all. His gun lay yards away, and the spell would be cast before he had a chance to get a shot off. He could do nothing but watch.
"NO!" he screamed.
A shot rang out, breaking off the spell nanoseconds before it cold be cast. A look of shock spread across the face of Sephiroth as he fell to the cold earth, never to rise. Whirling around, Spike's eyes rested on the source of the shot.
"Just thought I'd lend a hand."
"Thanks, Rude," smiled Spike.
"Not a problem," the wounded Turk replied. He grimaced as pain coursed through his body. Spike held him up, and draped an arm around his torso.
"No, Spike," Rude argued, "Go to your woman. Aeris will hold me up."
Letting go of him, Spike ran over to Tifa. He bent down and shook her gently.
"Hey. Teef, wake up."
Slowly opening her eyes, she whimpered, "Did we get him?"
Relief rushed through Spike. He was so ecstatic to see that Tifa was alright. In fact, he was speechless.
"What?" Tifa asked, "Why aren't you saying anything? Why do have that look in your eye?"
"Because I'm gonna kiss you. Do you mind?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips."
Before Tifa could object, Spike laid his lips on hers. Sparks exploded in her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"I love you, Spike Spiegel," she whispered when the kiss ended.
"I love you, too Tifa Lockhart."
Standing with Rude and Aeris, Cloud shook with rage. He drew his sword, but was stopped by Aeris, who laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Not yet, Cloud. You ruined Rude's proposal to Faye. Let Spike and Tifa have their moment."
Glaring at her, he snarled, "Fine. I'll let them have their moment. But, I promise you, it won't last forever." With that, he stalked back towards the Bebop, with Aeris and Rude following slowly behind. After a few minutes, Spike and Tifa followed as well. As they left, no one saw the figure in the shadows. The figure with white hair, a long sword, a raven on his shoulder, and a sneer on his face.