Bright Seraphim
Ten
The elevator chimed and opened. A small, dark goblin's face cautiously peered out, soon followed by a silver and black dragon several feet above. The conspirators crept out and down the hall to the ballroom, which opened onto the central atrium as the dealers' room did.
Some of the costumed people standing outside the dance hall stared appreciatively at Sephiroth, and wondered why such a beautiful costume had missed the costume competition. No one wanted to speak to him directly - he seemed to be deeply in character. The well-made goblin tugging him along by his coat sleeve barely detracted from his costume.
They entered the ballroom. Sephiroth stared out over the whirling crowd: an enchantment of costumes and masks, ringed by more costumes. Some wore masks; some merely wore their regular convention garb; some were barely made up, adding only a little paint in order to achieve their chosen character.
For a moment, he thought he saw Cloud and some of his friends, but when he looked more closely the resemblance faded.
Jamie was leading him again, now pointing. There was tawny-haired Katie in the gown and mask he'd seen her leave in: A cream-colored gown, delicately embroidered and decorated with leaves and feathers, and covered by a magnificent feathered cloak. Her sharp hawk mask matched her hair.
The music playing was thrumming, obviously passionate.
"See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side
I wait for you...
Slight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait, without you...
With or without you..."
Another woman was standing next to Katie. She wore a black gown, accented with copper and fiery leaves, and bits of reddish fur. A black gem was wrapped in a copper choker at her throat, much like the white-flecked black stone that adorned the forehead of his dragon mask. A black beaded shawl was pinned at her shoulder and opposite hip, acting as a short cape.
He saw her red hair and pale green eyes, and realized that it was Jaz. Her face was covered by a tabby cat mask that blended with her hair; she had added black streaks in her hair to extend the mask's stripes.
She saw him.
Katie noticed their approach as well. For a moment, it looked like Jamie was going to be in serious trouble.
Jaz stepped forward to meet Sephiroth.
For another moment, they only looked at each other.
"With or without you, oh
I can't live
With or without you..."
Sephiroth held out one gloved hand, palm upward, and bowed slightly. This was something he knew; as ShinRa's greatest warrior, protocol had commanded him to attend many such events... Though he suspected that Jaz would be far more interesting to dance with than, say, ShinRa board member Scarlet.
Jaz hesitated, then took his hand.
Katie watched him lead her out onto the dance floor. "Uh-oh..."
"My hands are tied
My body bruised, she's got me with
Nothing left to win
And nothing else to lose
With or without you..."
Jaz wasn't sure how long they'd been dancing. He was very good at it, even if she wasn't. She didn't feel tired at all, but they must have been dancing for a good while, because the floor was becoming less crowded. She looked up at Sephiroth's masked face and wondered when he'd drawn her closer... or when she'd drawn him.
A song ended; another began. Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited".
"Like anyone would be
I am flattered by
Your fascination with me..."
Katie was standing near the double doors at the front of the room again. Jamie was curled up in a chair near the doors, asleep, the long nose of his mask askew.
There was a cop wandering vaguely just outside the doors. Leaning on the door frame, Katie watched him - he seemed to be watching the dance as if he'd been instructed to.
"Like any hot-blooded woman
I have simply
Wanted an object to crave..."
On the dance floor, Sephiroth decided that they'd been staring at each other long enough. He took his mask by its chin and pulled it off.
Jaz was feeling light headed as she pulled off her own mask. She noted the song that was playing; that a few other dancers were looking their way; that Sephiroth was tilting her head back slightly, bringing his lips closer to hers...
The room suddenly went pitch black in time to the music.
Jaz heard/felt Sephiroth exhale, as though he'd been struck. He let go of her. By the time - less than a second later - that the music-timed laser lights came back on, he'd disappeared.
"...This is not allowed,
You're uninvited..."
Jaz looked around wildly. A streak of light nearby caught her eye - the emergency exit at the rear left of the ballroom was just clicking shut. She fought her way through the crowd toward the door.
When she reached it, she found the black and silver dragon mask lying on the floor.
She stooped to pick it up, then flung the door open and ran out into the access hallway beyond.
She looked both ways. Far down to the left was the main hallway. To the right was a door leading to an emergency stairway.
The door rattled. She glimpsed a slash of light gray hair through the door's window. He was there.
She pushed open the door.
Sephiroth whirled around. He'd been looking over the edge, down into the stair well. In his hand he held his sword - which was stained red.
The music drifting out of the ballroom reached a crescendo.
The door jammed against something. Jaz looked down - and screamed.
The door had run into the leg of a dead woman whose blood was still pouring out onto the floor. Several pieces of her were arranged on the upward flight of stairs.
At the other end of the access hall, Katie and the cop that she had noticed both jumped at the cry.
Jaz looked back up at Sephiroth, her worst fears realized.
One of his gloves was torn and dripping red; there was a slash across his chest that just missed severing one of the straps of his sword harness.
She'd let go of the stairwell door; it slammed shut. Sephiroth reached out, his torn and bloody glove hitting the reinforced glass of the door's window and leaving a red smear. "Jaz! ~~Wait!~~"
Nearly at the same moment, the emergency exit to the ballroom burst open.
The horror on Jaz's face was replaced by fear. She staggered backward, almost fell, and caught herself on the wall. She screamed again, a broken wail.
A cop emerged from the ballroom, pistol at ready. There were confused and frightened cries coming from inside the room.
Sephiroth stood with his hand on the small window for a moment more. His mouth hung open slightly. The realization that Jaz was now terrified of him settled in his mind like snow, slow and numbing.
The cop leapt into his narrow field of vision, cutting off his view of Jaz. He instantly turned and bounded down the stairs.
A song ended; another began.
Author's note: The first song above is "With or Without You", by U2. Unfortunately (or not), I now have it inextricably linked in my mind to Final Fantasy VII, thanks to writing this...
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII, its story, and characters (particularly Sephiroth) are the property, copyright and trademark of Square Electronic Arts L.L.C., and no ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by their use in the work(s) of fan fiction presented here. This fan fiction constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This fan fiction is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes. The same goes for Clock Tower, Tekken 2, Soul Blade, Star Trek, Dark Shadows, Lost in Space, Pepsi, and any other games, television shows, movies, etc. mentioned in this fanfic: all belong to their respective owners. Clock Tower, its story, and characters (particularly Scissorman) are the property, copyright, and trademark of Ascii Entertainment.
Ten
The elevator chimed and opened. A small, dark goblin's face cautiously peered out, soon followed by a silver and black dragon several feet above. The conspirators crept out and down the hall to the ballroom, which opened onto the central atrium as the dealers' room did.
Some of the costumed people standing outside the dance hall stared appreciatively at Sephiroth, and wondered why such a beautiful costume had missed the costume competition. No one wanted to speak to him directly - he seemed to be deeply in character. The well-made goblin tugging him along by his coat sleeve barely detracted from his costume.
They entered the ballroom. Sephiroth stared out over the whirling crowd: an enchantment of costumes and masks, ringed by more costumes. Some wore masks; some merely wore their regular convention garb; some were barely made up, adding only a little paint in order to achieve their chosen character.
For a moment, he thought he saw Cloud and some of his friends, but when he looked more closely the resemblance faded.
Jamie was leading him again, now pointing. There was tawny-haired Katie in the gown and mask he'd seen her leave in: A cream-colored gown, delicately embroidered and decorated with leaves and feathers, and covered by a magnificent feathered cloak. Her sharp hawk mask matched her hair.
The music playing was thrumming, obviously passionate.
"See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side
I wait for you...
Slight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait, without you...
With or without you..."
Another woman was standing next to Katie. She wore a black gown, accented with copper and fiery leaves, and bits of reddish fur. A black gem was wrapped in a copper choker at her throat, much like the white-flecked black stone that adorned the forehead of his dragon mask. A black beaded shawl was pinned at her shoulder and opposite hip, acting as a short cape.
He saw her red hair and pale green eyes, and realized that it was Jaz. Her face was covered by a tabby cat mask that blended with her hair; she had added black streaks in her hair to extend the mask's stripes.
She saw him.
Katie noticed their approach as well. For a moment, it looked like Jamie was going to be in serious trouble.
Jaz stepped forward to meet Sephiroth.
For another moment, they only looked at each other.
"With or without you, oh
I can't live
With or without you..."
Sephiroth held out one gloved hand, palm upward, and bowed slightly. This was something he knew; as ShinRa's greatest warrior, protocol had commanded him to attend many such events... Though he suspected that Jaz would be far more interesting to dance with than, say, ShinRa board member Scarlet.
Jaz hesitated, then took his hand.
Katie watched him lead her out onto the dance floor. "Uh-oh..."
"My hands are tied
My body bruised, she's got me with
Nothing left to win
And nothing else to lose
With or without you..."
Jaz wasn't sure how long they'd been dancing. He was very good at it, even if she wasn't. She didn't feel tired at all, but they must have been dancing for a good while, because the floor was becoming less crowded. She looked up at Sephiroth's masked face and wondered when he'd drawn her closer... or when she'd drawn him.
A song ended; another began. Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited".
"Like anyone would be
I am flattered by
Your fascination with me..."
Katie was standing near the double doors at the front of the room again. Jamie was curled up in a chair near the doors, asleep, the long nose of his mask askew.
There was a cop wandering vaguely just outside the doors. Leaning on the door frame, Katie watched him - he seemed to be watching the dance as if he'd been instructed to.
"Like any hot-blooded woman
I have simply
Wanted an object to crave..."
On the dance floor, Sephiroth decided that they'd been staring at each other long enough. He took his mask by its chin and pulled it off.
Jaz was feeling light headed as she pulled off her own mask. She noted the song that was playing; that a few other dancers were looking their way; that Sephiroth was tilting her head back slightly, bringing his lips closer to hers...
The room suddenly went pitch black in time to the music.
Jaz heard/felt Sephiroth exhale, as though he'd been struck. He let go of her. By the time - less than a second later - that the music-timed laser lights came back on, he'd disappeared.
"...This is not allowed,
You're uninvited..."
Jaz looked around wildly. A streak of light nearby caught her eye - the emergency exit at the rear left of the ballroom was just clicking shut. She fought her way through the crowd toward the door.
When she reached it, she found the black and silver dragon mask lying on the floor.
She stooped to pick it up, then flung the door open and ran out into the access hallway beyond.
She looked both ways. Far down to the left was the main hallway. To the right was a door leading to an emergency stairway.
The door rattled. She glimpsed a slash of light gray hair through the door's window. He was there.
She pushed open the door.
Sephiroth whirled around. He'd been looking over the edge, down into the stair well. In his hand he held his sword - which was stained red.
The music drifting out of the ballroom reached a crescendo.
The door jammed against something. Jaz looked down - and screamed.
The door had run into the leg of a dead woman whose blood was still pouring out onto the floor. Several pieces of her were arranged on the upward flight of stairs.
At the other end of the access hall, Katie and the cop that she had noticed both jumped at the cry.
Jaz looked back up at Sephiroth, her worst fears realized.
One of his gloves was torn and dripping red; there was a slash across his chest that just missed severing one of the straps of his sword harness.
She'd let go of the stairwell door; it slammed shut. Sephiroth reached out, his torn and bloody glove hitting the reinforced glass of the door's window and leaving a red smear. "Jaz! ~~Wait!~~"
Nearly at the same moment, the emergency exit to the ballroom burst open.
The horror on Jaz's face was replaced by fear. She staggered backward, almost fell, and caught herself on the wall. She screamed again, a broken wail.
A cop emerged from the ballroom, pistol at ready. There were confused and frightened cries coming from inside the room.
Sephiroth stood with his hand on the small window for a moment more. His mouth hung open slightly. The realization that Jaz was now terrified of him settled in his mind like snow, slow and numbing.
The cop leapt into his narrow field of vision, cutting off his view of Jaz. He instantly turned and bounded down the stairs.
A song ended; another began.
Author's note: The first song above is "With or Without You", by U2. Unfortunately (or not), I now have it inextricably linked in my mind to Final Fantasy VII, thanks to writing this...
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII, its story, and characters (particularly Sephiroth) are the property, copyright and trademark of Square Electronic Arts L.L.C., and no ownership or claim on said property, copyright or trademark is made or implied by their use in the work(s) of fan fiction presented here. This fan fiction constitutes a personal comment on the aforesaid properties pursuant to doctrines of fair use and fair comment. This fan fiction is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes. The same goes for Clock Tower, Tekken 2, Soul Blade, Star Trek, Dark Shadows, Lost in Space, Pepsi, and any other games, television shows, movies, etc. mentioned in this fanfic: all belong to their respective owners. Clock Tower, its story, and characters (particularly Scissorman) are the property, copyright, and trademark of Ascii Entertainment.
