SERAPHIM
Chapter One
FalconIce


Northern Crater; Final Fight

Sephiroth looked at Cloud, his hands wavering. He knew that his body could no longer last the entire fight ahead of them. His knees were trembling and threatening to buckle from sheer fatigue, hands were shaky as they death gripped Masmune's hilt and his entire body was just on the verge of shutdown.
Cloud before him was still staring straight into his eyes, the Ultima sword flashing and pulsating in his grip. The silver haired man took an unconscious step backward as he saw a familiar glow in the blue eyes on the young man before him; it was the glow of his approaching Limit Break.
"Cloud." He said suddenly, unaware where it had come from. The young man before him was as surprised as he was but Cloud swiftly stifled any of his shock and started toward Sephiroth; Mako blue eyes blazing.
The silver haired man could only shake his head in weariness as he soon lost any space left to retreat.
"Why did you have to be so hateful?" The blonde demanded, his purposeful strides unwavering." Why did you have to kill so many innocents?" He continued blue eyes burning as he spoke" Why did you have to kill Aeris?" He now stood only a hand span from the silver haired form." WHY?" He demanded, his whole body quaking with the emotion.
Sephiroth could see the rage, confusion and hurt visibly emanating from the figure across him and inside his heart which he previously thought was as hard as stone; the silver haired warrior felt an emotion that he thought was regret.
"I-I'm sorry…" Sephiroth replied. Today seemed just full of surprises as Cloud stopped in his charge, his face seeming to freeze with confusion.
"What?"
"I said I'm SORRY!" Sephiroth yelled, his body faltering and swaying as his knees nearly buckled under him.
"It's too damn late to say sorry!" Cloud retorted angered once more and clutched at Sephiroth's shoulders; his gloved hands digging into the pale skin painfully.
"After you've killed so many damn people you now say you're sorry?!" The spiky haired young man gritted his teeth, hands clenching equally which made Sephiroth wince." Never once you've considered how others would feel. All you've ever thought about was yourself!" He almost screamed right at the silver haired man's face. Blazing blue met equally burning emerald before Cloud grew disgusted and threw the lithe form down on the blackness that served as their floor.
Sephiroth gasped as his bare upper body felt the shock of the cold blackness of abyss. He struggled to get up but found that his body was too weak even to try and even as he fought, the darkness below him was sucking his body of the last vestiges of energy he had left.
"You were always so single minded in everything…"Cloud whispered more to himself than the struggling silver haired man behind him." You always thought of only one side of things…never even giving a chance to the other side…"the blonde man's tone softened even more until it could barely be heard." You never thought of me…"
Still vainly struggling, Sephiroth gasped. His whole body suddenly trembled as something inside him snapped and blossomed into a bright light that blinded him. Then, it hit him…


Flashback…
Five and a Half years in the past
A Training Camp based somewhere near the Midgar Swamps

"Sir!" Sephiroth eyed the young First Class Soldier before him languidly. The young man had long spiky black hair that flowed pass his shoulders down to his back in an untamed cascade of ebony. Eyes, grey as the stormy clouds, glowed faintly showing the Mako hidden within.
"You are dismissed Zachary." He intoned, voice soft but conveying a tone that was as commanding as a gun at the back of the head.
The young Soldier nodded, saluted, and turned his back in crisp, neat movements. The silver haired man could not help but smile. His army—he scowled as a nasty memory surfaced—no, Shinra's Army was the best of the best…
He let his gaze scan the horizon only to land on the batch of gangly and awkward new recruits filing in through the south gate of the camp. Grimacing at the task set ahead of him, he slowly and gracefully made his way down the slope. He was yet again assigned, as Shinra's greatest General, to welcome the new cadets. It was a task he thought of as most distasteful indeed.
The ground, slightly muddy from a recent downpour, clung to his well polished black boots as he slid down the slope. His balance was always perfect and the descent down the slope proved no mishap and he made it to the fore of the assembly in remarkable time.
The groups of new recruits gasped and gawked as usual at his entrance. It was hardly new to the silver haired man, after all, a six foot or so figure decked out in all leather was a sight that even the most reserved man would gawk at. Then, there was, of course, the fact that he was the youngest and strongest General in the entire history of Shinra and that even included the feared Special Forces called Soldier.
He let his emerald gaze wander amongst the gathered throng before him. They were, as most of the time, all hopeful young men that were all too caught up in their pride and ego to know that they would not have the determination to survive through Soldier training. Shaking his head, he went on his way to the man in charge which happened to be one of the Turks—surprising really.
"Tseng…" He began and paused just a little behind the long dark haired man who had turned around to nod at him.
The Wutaian smiled at him—no smirked was more like it. "Hojo sent me here to scout for a certain person whom he would…" He coughed, before continuing in a low whisper," Experiment on…"
Sephiroth scowled, his hands clenching." Disgusting." He commented," But get on with it. I have to make sure these young cadets be placed under the right drill Masters."
The Oriental man nodded his head," As you wish. I promise that I'll be quick about it…" He stood up straight and soon left the site which left Sephiroth wondering as to when he would pick up the not so willing cadet—scratch that—the cadet would probably be bribed into it…Knowing Hojo as well as he did, he'd be certain that no matter what the cadet's opinion might be in the matter, he'd still end up unwillingly volunteering to the task. The silver haired man glowered, his thoughts were wandering off to areas which were better left alone, and to top it all off he still had his duties to fulfill. This aspect was brought up to him shortly as a curt 'Sir' sounded just beside him.
"I thought I dismissed you earlier Zachary." He stated, his eyes trying their very best to bore holes into the young Soldier's head.
The spiky haired young man only grinned and saluted," I was assigned by the higher ups to lead the new cadets to their respective camps!" Sephiroth frowned.
He was sure that it had been his duty to see the new recruits to their training instructors, then here comes Zachary with the news that he'd suddenly-after years of doing so-gotten reassigned. It was more than surprising; it was unusual for such things to happen—too unusual for his comfort.
"Who told you so?" Sephiroth asked his leather clad fists clenching beside him unconsciously. The young man before him merely smiled and handed the silver haired General a folded piece of parchment with the Shinra logo on it.
"Heideggar said that you'd say that so he gave me this." Zack scratched his untamed mound of hair before looking up to meet Sephiroth's somewhat blank yet thoughtful expression." Told me that you'd help Tseng with some job; you know what's he talking about? I don't have a clue hon—"
He stopped the young Soldier mid-word with a wave of his hand as he pondered the implications of the statements that Zachary had bequeathed to him.
He turned to look at the fidgeting Soldier," Are you confident as to what he had said?" He intoned, his eyes searching the spiky haired young man before him.
Zachary nodded," Sure as hell…" He snorted and kicked at a pebble at his feet," He even made me repeat the damn message like three times." The young Soldier looked at Sephiroth with a smirk." That asshole's so full of himself ya know!" He declared with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. Sephiroth merely frowned at the statement which of course was already known to him.
"I see." He acknowledged," See that they get organized by the time I come back and make sure the weaklings get paired with Captain Urvemille. Is that understood?" Emerald eyes flashed as Zachary nodded and saluted.
"Yes SIR!" Sephiroth nodded, satisfied at the curt obedience
"Well then," He started and saluted back to the young man before continuing." You're dismissed. If you ever need to find me, I will be at the newly set up field lab near the North Gate." Zachary nodded.
"I'll be off then sir?" He asked and with a quick nod from Sephiroth, he was off to take care of duties that were supposed to be the General's but Sephiroth—though he loathed admitting it in front of others-despised.
He quickly made his way to the field lab brushing past others and totally ignoring them on the way. There were certain things Sephiroth hated more than doing the Welcoming and that was associating with awestruck fans of his. It was supposed to be flattering but to him, it felt more like an annoying itch at the back of his head that wouldn't go away. When would people ever learn that he wasn't social and was better off left alone—he shook his head—or were they just so stupid not to realize…
Then as soon as he approached the open tent flap of the Field Lab he stopped, his mouth if it wasn't for his strict self discipline would be wide open at the moment but since he was otherwise they were pursed into a tight line.
In front of him was the sight so breathtaking that it made his thoughts run in circles and his breathing which had stopped a moment ago, accelerate to two hundred fifty miles an hour—as impossible as that might sound coming from him of all people.
The teen was sitting on the table with assorted devices attached to his bare upper torso. His gorgeous blue eyes—deeper than any sea-were confused as he looked at the technicians surrounding him. Skin—Sephiroth breathed deeply-was pure and smooth as cream—how he'd love to caress its expanse.
"Seph." Sephiroth was suddenly snapped out of the trance he had been unwittingly placed on," Hojo told me that you'd help with the testing." He explained while eyeing the silent General with a curious eye.
The tall man blinked before answering," I was informed so, yet I am puzzled as to what I may be needed for…" He trailed off expecting Tseng to understand and answer the question implied in his statement.
Unhelpful, the Wutaian shrugged before answering," Sorry. He didn't say why exactly—been wandering about that too."
"I see."



Northern Crater; Final Fight

Sephiroth sucked in a deep breath as the memories of his past assaulted his senses and almost drowned him in their torrent. Why were these things battering at him now—maybe the life and death situation was a clue…or maybe not.
"No matter…"Came the cold voice of one called Cloud Stryfe," I'm not even sure why I'm trying to understand you-" He turned around and looked down on the shuddering form of the silver haired man on the floor before him," You're too twisted…Nothing about you is ever rational is it…?" It was more of an accusation than a question and even though Sephiroth wanted to answer it, he was simply too fatigued to do so. He just lay there shuddering and generally looking pathetic—it wasn't as if he could help it.
"Silence." Cloud stated, his eyes looking detached as if he was trying to remember something," You were always so silent…so, so silent." He said, his voice as detached as his eyes…
Was I? Sephiroth questioned to himself before everything faded to white…


Flashback…
Five and a Half years in the past
A Training Camp based somewhere near the Midgar Swamps

Sephiroth looked at the beautiful boy once more and couldn't help but sigh. Aforementioned boy in the meantime was playing studiously reading about the Soldier exam he would have tomorrow and once in a while he would turn to look curiously at the silent man sitting not so far away from him.
"Seph?" He asked, a smile brightening up his countenance," Why 'ya so silent all tha time?" Surprised, the silver haired man abruptly brought his head up to face the speaker in front of him.
"Words sometimes cannot express what is in my heart." The blonde boy only blinked and shrugged before going back to his notes. Sephiroth himself, was as confused as the boy as to what the meaning of his words had meant.
'Cannot express what is in my heart' the silver haired General blinked. Where had that come from? He wondered to himself as he, unconsciously, raised his eyes again to gaze at the lithe form studying.
It had been just a few days ago that Professor-curse his soul or whatever's left of it to an eternity of hell-Hojo had told him that he would-unwillingly volunteer-to take this new recruit as his new apprentice. At first, he had been shocked then the secondary feeling of confusion had sunk in.
Why would he need an apprentice? He had asked the nasty leering Professor. But the white lab coated scientist had just grinned and told him to follow instructions or-he had raised a scalpel right then-ELSE.
Sephiroth shuddered at the memory. He, of course, had vehemently agreed to that point without further questions. Tseng, he'd notice, had gotten a slight tinge of green on his complexion; even his eyes looked a bit wild then.
Now-he stared at the boy across him who had gotten a furrow on his face at something particularly hard-he was stuck with this-annoyingly-beautiful boy to train and…etc.
"Could dya help me with this Sephy?" Cloud asked and stood up from his stool holding his said troubled part.
The silver haired man blinked and then nodded. Cloud smiled and then took a seat next to the now amused silver haired older man.
"Point out your problem." He stated to the cheerful boy beside him who had then showed the said problem that so troubled him.
The silver haired man nodded and began to scribble down the answer when he was interrupted by Cloud," Even if you're so silent…I still seem to understand what you're feeling…almost like I can read your mind…" Blue eyes then met with confused emerald. Cloud chuckled and leaned on to Sephiroth's side which made the silver haired man's eyes widen with renewed surprise." Somehow I always feel at home with you…even though…" He looked up with a smile to the older man beside him," I hardly know you."
Sephiroth couldn't help but smile as he laid down the papers in his hand on the table beside the bed they were sitting on." Sleep now. We'll continue tomorrow." He stated and not surprisingly, he found that the spiky hared boy had fallen asleep somewhat adorably at his side.
"Oddly enough…" He started as he tucked the sleeping boy into the bed," I feel the same."


Northern Crater; Final Fight

"Well…it's time to end this." Cloud turned a cold glare towards the gasping silver haired form and hefted the blazing omni-colored sword in his hands high above him readying himself for the final strike that would end all…
Sephiroth knew that it was inevitable and so gave up any other hope; he turned his eyes up towards the intimidating form towering before him.
"Prior to your ending of my life…" Sephiroth stated, feeling oddly peaceful deep within," I would just like you to know that…"
Cloud's eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth-in anger or pain Bahamut could only tell-and began the fearful descent of his great blade towards the now limp and hopeless form of what was once Shinra's greatest General.
"Sorry."



Author's Notes: I know that I am evil for being such a slow writer but it cannot be helped. Thank you very much to IcE-bLuE * aRcTiC aZuRe, Lady 'Oak and Faelran Archer for reviewing my prologue; it was you guys who made me want to continue this story. More reviews will always be welcome and would help quite a lot in the writing process. ^.^

Doubly Note: This is gonna be one hell of a philosophical love story. If you've read the prologue I'm sure you'll see it was heading that way even in the beginning.

This story will effectively explain my thoughts on Sephiroth's past as being a Seraph. Lemon in later parts-obvious enough-but I won't change the rating as of yet. Not until the lemon's well established.

Triply Note: Yes, I know. You've all figured it out and yes, they are the four Gundam Pilots. I know, unoriginal of me yes? But, hot damn, them boys sure make pretty good Gods don't ya all think so? ^.^;;

Quadruply Note: One last thing. If you want me to write faster…more reviews would help. That is all, thank you for reading. ^.^

Pentuply Notes: I shall now stop babbling. Goodbye and have a nice day and I sure do hope that you'll come back to read the continuations.