Chapter 2.

That moment that Aerith was falling seemed to last for an eternity. But she had not been falling long enough to even muffle a scream. Her feet touched the ground first but the force of the fall caused her to collapse immediately. By the sound made when she landed she guessed she had landed on a sturdy, wooden floor. Her vision was still lost to the white light when she heard Sephiroth speak up.

"That was quite a hit you gave, too bad it only resulted in you falling." That annoying laugh that was his filled her ears.  Her small hands covered her ears, shaking her head to drown the sound out but it was no use.

"Where are you, Sephiroth? Show yourself! Or are you afraid to?" Aerith stood up bravely waiting for him to spear, but he didn't. He could only laugh at the sight.

"I'm right in front of you, about four steps away. You're eyes have not adjusted to real light yet." His voice lost that mocking tone and he leaned back in the chair of which he sat. Muscular arms crossed, watching the girl's futile attempts to focus her eyesight. Every time she thought she saw him her head would snap to that direction only to find nothing.

Frustration took its toll on her as she shank back to her knees, her face buried in her hands.

"Ah, don't cry, it's a waste of time, sound, and energy."

"I'm not crying, I'm thinking."

"Of?"

"Of how I'm going to kill you?" Her face lifted from her hands, her vision slowly beginning to return. Aerith saw Sephiroth rise to his feet, his black cape straightening as he stood. Aerith tried to follow his simple movements as best she could but he was still just a blurry figure in her sight. Before she realized Sephiroth was upon her his course, rough, hand gripped tightly around her upper arm and yanked her to her feet.

"Get up!" he growled. "Keep it up, that 'little miss tough' act, and I will kill you!" his tone emphasized 'will', and at the same time he threw her forward. From her guess she'd been thrown on a bed. She quickly turned around to find where he was, even if it was just a blurry mix of color in her eyes but he was gone.

It was then realization struck. If she wasn't mistaken he said 'I will kill you." But wasn't he going to do that anyway? "I wonder what he meant." Locating the sheets and pillow of the bed she drew back the covers and slipped beneath them, resting her head on the pillow. Sephiroth had been right when he said she looked cold and needed rest. Aerith fell swiftly into a deep slumber, filled with nightmares, and torturing pictures of how he intended to kill her.