Part Three

It never really occurred to him what her intentions were, and for some reason he came to the conclusion he would never know. She seemed so bizarre, so happy, so...annoying, that it appeared she would always stray from the subject. As he had entered her room for the past few days he had always seen her standing on the ledge, gazing out to the rising sun like a moth to a lamplight, mesmerized by its beauty. He on no account saw it, but somehow she did and would stand there, staring with her eyes blindfolded. At some points it reminded him of someone he had once met. Or rather, once witnessed speaking to others. It reminded him of that little brat who was said to be a ninja, always happy and at some times painstakingly irritating. This was during the day when he saw this, but in the brief moments he would see her continuance there, it made him remember someone else. He wasn't exactly sure who, however he did know it was someone familiar.

He walked up, clearing his throat and aggravated to get her attention. It was stupid when he had to do this every day, even if he made a sound as he entered. Whether she knew this or not, she just gave a half-hearted smile as she did every time, stepping down from the ledge and pacing over to him.

"Anything you want to know today?"

"Is there anything you haven't told from the nothingness over this past week?" he questioned, and she shrugged.

"You're just not asking it in the right way," she finally said, at least giving him some clue he was doing something wrong.

"What do you mean?" he asked as they both walked out, beginning to travel on their same pathway they did ever time.

"Well, you see you have this way of asking things in a...forceful manner. You may want to try a different approach to that," she stated.

"Why, when everyone seems to cooperate."

"Except me," she proclaimed.

"Except you," he agreed. "It makes me wonder, too, why you don't."

"Because I know something. You may not, but at least I do. I know what you're trying to achieve and I'm not going to answer you until you ask in the right way."

"But if you know something why don't you just tell me so I will know and we can just get this over now?"

She stopped, staring up at him and blinking. She shook her head, chuckling slightly. "Okay...you lost me."

He laughed, shaking his head and crossing his arms, leaning against the wall. "Just tell me what I want to know and you can go. Simple as that."

"But if I could leave anyway, wouldn't I already be gone?" she smiled slightly, turning Sephiroth's face to question. He stared, really beginning to wonder and, surprisingly, not in anger.

He leaned forward, getting face to face. "Then why are you still here?"

She tilted her head again, soon tapping him on the cheek and nodding her head. With this she continued on, Sephiroth following after her.

"Now you can ask me something," she said, putting her hands behind her back as she walked.

"You won't answer my previous question will you?" he inquired, and she shook her head. It made him frustrated that she wouldn't, thought at least he could ask her something an get an answer now. "Alright. Where are you from?"

She shrugged, looking off to her side. "I don't see what importance it is now, seeing that I'm here. But if it is that important to you, I came from a place far away from here. I'm not exactly sure what it was called, if it had a name, and I'm not quite sure if it has a name now. Sorry, but in truth that's all I know."

"Wait..." He grabbed her arm, stopping and staring at the floor in thought. "How can you not know where you came from?"

"See that's the thing," she said, striding in front to face him. "If I can't remember if I've seen the light of day, do you expect me to remember where I came from?"

"Is that why you stare out at the sunrise everyday?" he questioned.

She nodded. "Yes it is."

"Hmm...Makes sense I suppose."

"Ah-ha!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at him. "It doesn't does it?"

"What doesn't?"

"It doesn't make sense to you!"

"Not really...But what relevance does it have?! Just continue on, this is getting into more nonsense than it needs to!" Sephiroth shoved her forward, making her walk on.

Under her breath, however, he heard the words that somehow echoed through his mind, like somewhere, way back, it was said and gave meaning. He quickly stepped before her, shadowing the light from reaching her. Eyes turning glassy, he glared at her, though she seemed to continue in staring forward.

"What did you just say?" he whispered harshly.

"...One who knows nothing can understand nothing..."

In this he froze, like a sudden trigger going off in his brain. He couldn't understand why or how this was happening, but in a moment's notice he felt his heart suddenly stand still, having his eyes widen. Feeling like he was about to lose balance, he put a hand on her shoulder, Ray finally looking up. The strangest thing was, when she saw it, he gazed back as well, just with as much question as she had.

With a touch of his hand on her shoulder he did not feel the warmth that she did from him. Instead her shoulder, even with the black clothing over it, was icy cold, like she had been stuck in an icebox over the night. Ray, on the other hand, felt the warmth from his hand, giving question to her. She wasn't exactly sure of the words, but knew what she wanted to ask.

Though it never came when he glared, his rage gaining within him and pinning her against the wall. His hands tightened on her shoulders, beginning to cause pain to her, and his interrogation beginning to unfold.

"What was that just then?" he questioned.

"What was what?" she answered, her face wincing under the pressure.

"Don't lie to me!" he shouted, tightening his grip. "You said something that made me freeze up. Now tell me, what is the significance of those words?"

"I don't know..."

"Tell me!" he yelled in anger, finally closing his clasp with a sickening crunch. Her collarbone snapped like a twig, even seeing the indentation in her fragile skin. The odd thing was, however, that she did not scream or cry in agony. Instead she just stood there, slouching slightly but remaining with a bit lip, seeming calm in every way.

"I told you I don't know and I honestly don't know. You should realize what it means, but to the reason why you froze...I don't know..." she said, and in this he believed her, letting her fall to her knees and stepping back.

"Somehow your words are truthful, which is something I do not find in most people," he stated, but soon shook his head, his eyes narrow. "But so help me, if you ever do something like this again, whatever it was you did, I will not care whether you have useful information or not. You'll be dead before you can speak another word."

Shockingly she began to laugh, softly to herself and then out loud, trying to stand up. "There is one thing you just don't quite get yet Sephiroth, and I fear you never shall."

"And what might that be?" he asked, and she stood, walking over to him and gazing deep within him.

With a menacing whisper, she said, "There are worse things than death, Sephiroth. You granting me death would just be a merciful cause to the rest of the life I have lived."

As she turned to walk away, he suddenly took the back of her shirt and flipped her around, wrapping a hand around her neck. A certain evil glaze formed over his sight, finally appearing to strike fear into her. Either that or it was something completely knew to him, something he didn't quite understand just yet.

"Then what actions must I take to make you suffer?" he inquired, making her gasp a bit in disbelief.

In a moment of silence she replied, "The only thing you could ever do is to leave me be and continue as you are."

"Don't try and work your way out of this. You've dug your grave as it is."

She shook her head. "Many times have I done so." Looking up at him, she continued, "There is no point anymore. Are you through with asking me things because I cannot think at this time."

"Then later we will speak," he said, releasing her from the grasp around her neck. She just stared for a moment, and without another word turned and ran back to her room.

As he stood there in silence, he imagined how foolish this girl was for crossing him so. Everyone he had ever met feared the sight, and yet somehow she did not. She did not see his threatening presence as anyone else would have and it made him think of who, or rather what she could be to make her so unwavering to his commands. It made him infuriated that he could not just do it like he always did and get the information simply.

In this he grinned, remembering the bones he had broken in her shoulders. She did not squirm in pain, but maybe she would react when her retinas where burned from her blindfolded eyes...