Return of the Sinned; Part Four


In the mountains of Wutai did the end finally come to Sephiroth's quest. At the fierce edge of the Masasume did the remaining piece of Jenova fall and turn into nothing more than a memory. The crimes and perversions done to him were ceased with a final blow and just like that, his life was over just as quickly as Jenova's. She was put to rest at his hand and would not plague the Planet any longer. That was his job now, he mused. He had taken any purpose he had in life when he avenged his name and that in itself, was enough to trouble him.

The camp below the mountain had been set up for a long time now and a well formed fire pit centered itself in it. Supplies had been gathered and were actually gathering dust from setting so long. The night air blew cool over the sands around the camp and only the distant sounds of monsters could be heard. Near the flames were a gathering of boxes that held the blade of the Masasume, resting after a long life on top of folds of black fabric. The fabric was the long, black coat worn by the fallen angel, though now it simply resided with the blade as reminders of the past. Against a smaller box was the Princess Guard, once handled by the Cetra who had helped Sephiroth find his salvation. Besides that, the camp was desolate.

It was a farther up the mountain where the story was coming around.

The caves in the side of the mountain seeped out steam from the geothermic activity they hid, offering a welcome recreation to any who dared the brave the monsters and find the pools of hot water inside. Formations of stalactites and stalagmites adorned the cave with natural beauty and terror. Sounds of dropping water filled the air and danced off the walls in a melodic fashion that would charm the heart of their fiercest beast. And indeed, it did just that.

The water just beaded off the skin of Sephiroth and rolled its way back down to the pool he sat it. The hot water neatly rested around his waist and strands of silver hair dipped slightly into it behind his back. He was slightly hunched forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his chin on the backs of his hands. Those Mako-stained eyes stared forward at nothing, though they reflected the deep thought about him. His hardened body and mind were still at a fully stern rigidness, even though he had nothing else to care for in the world. That is, until he heard the voice fill the air once more.

"So, here you are. I should have guessed."

Aerith's quiet voice drown out the water for a moment and she approached the pool from a shadow. Her words didn't even get a reaction. The angel just stared forward and didn't even acknowledge her presence. All of this made Aerith frown a bit and she stepped out of the shadow. Her innocence to his location was betrayed as she wore nothing but a swimming suit she had bought at Costa Del Sol and a blush across her face. She didn't know how he would react to her wanting to join him in the pool and she was a bit embarrassed to see he had not taken the liberty of wearing anything at all. What caught her interest most was that he hadn't even said a word to her since they defeated Jenova. Once again the silence made her uncomfortable and she lightly stepped into the water behind him.

"Sephiroth, are you okay?"

The burning on her foot made her wince and she couldn't see how he was just sitting there, but she committed herself to joining him and soon lowered herself into the water down to her waist as well, though her eyes never left him. The silence was beginning to make her worry when he finally spoke in a very blank tone.

"What does one do when they have no reason for living?"

"Wha....what do you mean?" She replied in a shaky voice. She had already known he was never to be taken lightly and this subject made her heart beat a bit quicker. The angel's head turned lightly and she could see the glow of his eyes as he looked back to her over his shoulder and through the strands of silver setting across his shoulders.

"Jenova is dead. I have fulfilled my task and have no other purpose now. I have thought about continuing the crusade my mother began; to destroy the humans. However, I do not know if that is what I am destined to do any longer. So I ask again, what does one do when they have no reason for living?"

This subject made Aerith frown even more and she was lost on how to handle this. They had grown very close, it was true, but she knew he still didn't trust her, or anyone for that matter. He was as alone now as he was when trapped in the Materia in the Northern Crater. Even their kiss many weeks ago seemed distant. All of this came off as sort of a vibe and she could feel it as vividly as she could feel the humidity in the air. She soon found that she should try and cheer him up and a childish grin crept over her face.

"You could always keep traveling and see parts of the Planet you haven't before. Or you could try and live somewhere like the island where Meedel was. Maybe you could even help people like Cl......"

Her own words caught her and she suddenly covered her mouth lightly. Those emerald eyes widened at his impending reaction but there was none. She couldn't help but finish her sentence with a barely audible whisper, "Cloud." The mention of him seemed to bother her more than him. The blonde fighter had become a taboo between them, Aerith never mentioning him when she could avoid it. Sephiroth didn't seem to mind it much at all. A long and awkward silence filled the cave around them. Aerith kept waiting for some kind of reaction from him. Then, she got it.

"This task is over. You should return to your friends. As the ShinRa are dissolved now, you should lead a free life. They must be worried about you."

Aerith bit her lip lightly and thought of them all. Cloud's opening heart and Tifa's unwavering loyalties. Barett's kind heart and Cid's hidden honesty. She even missed Yuffie and her tricks. Even Vincent would be a sight for her to smile at. But something made her restrain those thoughts. When they had parted last, she saw Cloud's eyes. She saw the way he loved her, but never as passionately as he did Tifa. That made her smile and cry at the same time, though not when Sephiroth was around. Everyone had found their places in life. Everyone but her and Sephiroth. Maybe that was why she said what she said next.

"I miss them dearly, but I would.....rather stay with you."

That seemed to warrant a reaction from him and those long strands of silver hair began to shift. He sat up straight, though his face was still hidden from her. The curves and muscles of his body seemed to tighten as he did and didn't go unnoticed by the girl who perched behind him. Either not being human, or his life of battles had honed his body into the mold of perfection. Each stretch of muscle held tight under his skin and glistened under the falling water from above. A burning couldn't help but wash across Aerith's face as she looked and hoped he wouldn't notice. Unfortunately, she looked back up to him and saw an eye. His head turned enough to let a single sanctuary for that Mako energy look upon her once more. She quickly tried to fight off the blush but she had been caught. Then, she almost jumped when he started laughing in a light tone.

"You want to stay with me? What possible reason would you have for such a thing? You're just a child with a crush. I do not have the patience to indulge your little fantasy any longer. Go back to your friends, Cetra."

As he looked back forward, her blush was replaced by anger and she was tired of him brushing her off like that. She made it apparent to him with her sharp tone, "I'm not a child! Quit treating me like one! I can make my own decisions about my life. Just because you don't let anybody in to that cold, hardened heart of yours doesn't mean that I'm just some kid with a crush! You're the only child that I see, Sephiroth!"

Her words rang through the cave for a bit and then only her heavy breathing followed. He made no sound. Maybe that was what ticked her off the most. She was suddenly startled by the moving water as he rose up to his feet in front of her. His form tightened a bit as he turned in the water and faced her. As the glistening water ran off his body, that wave of burning red came over her face again but he continued to stare into his face. Her eyes dared not to go anywhere else. He was now looking down at her with no expression. There was no shame as he stood nude before her. His powerful arms soon moved up and crossed across his broad chest, diverting some drips of water from his skin. His eyes seemed curious and finally, his lips parted to speak, "You don't even dare to look at me. If it was not for my conversations with Zack, I would say you had never seen a man before. Your immaturity and childishness make you naive and indecisive. You even wear a bathing suit to clean yourself. Tell me then, how should I see you?"

She had caught him. True, she had been slightly intimate with Zack, and she had worn the suit because he was here, but it still made her angry. With all they had been through, he still thought of her as just a child. She was going to change that. With a determined look she stood up before him and looked him in the eyes. They burned with determination and actually brought his brow up in curiosity. Then she tucked her arms back and unclasped her top, letting it fall from her chest to the water below. Her breasts rose and fell in sharp breaths as her heart raced, but she was going to teach him who was a child. Next she reached down and slid her thumbs under the suit at her hips, sliding the fabric down slowly onto her thighs. Soon it fell to the water as well and she stepped out of it, leaving herself completely bare before him, "Like this.......as a woman." As desperately as she wanted to hide herself from him, she did not. She stood proud and tall with her slightly darker skin reflecting some stray light from outside. Even in the dim light, the curves of her body lit up with a glow, especially her stomach and hips. His eyes slowly looked down and over her young body, though no expression still graced his features. It was as if he looked her over in a set of clothing. How she wished she could be as calm when looking at him.

Sephiroth wandered up from the graces of her figure and slowly back to her emerald eyes. He was intrigued by this look she had. Slowly his arms uncrossed and stretched a totally new set of muscles. His body was as solid and beautiful as hers, though he seemed infinitely more calm. Ripples of water moved from his legs as he stepped forward and splashed against hers, making her jump a bit. Her pupils seemed to widen as he stepped up right in front of her, so the very heat of his body made her skin tingle. The proximity of his perfect skin made her knees feel a bit weak and she couldn't help but bite her lip nervously, her emotions running wild. He seemed as cold as ever. He brought his face right close to her and kept his eyes in hers, but stopped before his lips touched hers. She had almost finished the distance herself to kiss him before he began to speak in a voice that almost made her melt.

"What do you see for us in that perfect little world you have in your head? A house with a proud fence out front? Neighbors who would treat us like any others? Perhaps small children running around with smiles on their faces and assassins hiding in the bushes?" The last part made her wince slightly and that seemed to sour his expression a bit, "I didn't think you have thought of that. Do you honestly think the humans would leave us alone? A devil and a Cetra trying to live like them. Hah! It's absurd! They will never accept us just like I will never accept them. I may have not been the one to try and destroy the Planet after all, but I will never enjoy the fact that the humans soil this Planet." His outlook for humans had not changed. That in itself made her feel sorry for him but at least he wasn't trying to kill them all now. Still, it made her eyes dim a bit and she could barely keep looking at him. He spoke again, "Like me, you are not like them. They will always hate us and despise us. Knowing all of that, now you tell me what you want."

The truth in his words made her bite her lip a bit more, but she could never hate them as he did. She thought all life was precious and it was that reason that she had even come with him. She knew that his hatred could soon lead to another battle for the Planet. Maybe that was why she had done it. The feelings she had and the current that pulled her had purpose. She could keep him from hurting others. She could make sure he didn't go through life alone. She could love him. She did love him. It had almost snuck up on her. All the time they spent searching for Jenova had brought her to one conclusion; she loved Sephiroth. It almost seemed right. It seemed to be destiny.

For that reason, she suddenly lifted up on her toes and pressed into him. Their bodies came together in a connections of heavenly touch and she quickly pressed her lips into his and threw her arms around his thick neck. It had seemed to startle him. He nearly fell backwards when she did it. Then, his arms fell from their place and slowly moved around her frail body. She seemed so small compared to him. Her body seemed to just mold into his and as flesh touched flesh, both of them fell out of the world. The Planet everywhere seemed to tremble at their embrace and the air seemed to get slightly colder. The two most influential beings on the Planet had joined.


The point of contact under her back had seemed so much more rough from afar. She was slightly surprised how gentle he was as he placed her against the smooth face of rock in the cave. By now her breath was so quick that she thought she would pass out. Her hands remained around him, one at his neck and the other on his lower back. She feared that if she let go, he would disappear and she would wake up. Almost eternity passed before she felt him press inside of her. The rush of sensations was almost maddening. Through her blurry vision she even saw him wince slightly as her fingernails dug against his skin. Who could have know what this felt like? Perhaps she was the first and only. All she knew was that a fire burned in her like she had never felt and his touch was the equivalent to throwing gasoline on it. The cold touch of the rock behind her and the hot skin which pressed against her from the front sent her sensations into chaos. She had spread her legs and basically sat on the tops of his thighs, giving him her full trust. The rhythmic motions of his hips caused surges of pleasure to resonate within every point in her body. Without the slightest thought she found herself whimpering lustfully at his motions. It was something that just seemed to boil up from inside of her. She had never made these sounds before but now they came out with every beautiful movement. Meanwhile, her skin was being assaulted from every element. His own skin and the water on it slid smoothly over hers and tickled each invisible follicle. The hot water around his thighs would splash up slightly and burn against the backs of her thighs, chilled by the air around them. Even his hands that resided around her lower back seemed to trickle past a ticklish point every once and a while. It all made for a very salacious experience. She could even see his face through her vision blurred by pleasure. For the first time, he seemed relaxed. His features had softened and those eyes had closed. It seemed he was having just as much fun a she was. More and more levels of excitement washed through her and she pulled up tight against him, even beginning to moan a bit. His solid chest moved against her breasts as they danced and brought even more pleasure. She had never expected this much and feared if she received any more, she would simply die. She even thought how she could die right at that moment, in the chains of ecstasy. Down in her waist she could feel the source of the pleasure, exploring her body in blissful agony. She became so sensitive to any touch now that the slightest breeze made her heart race. His body and soul had brought her to the breaking point. Her mind focused only on the movements of their bodies together and the feelings she had. Nothing else was coherent. Her hands quickly began to wander down along his body and she felt each hard muscle. The mist of water that lingered on him made her hand trace across every canyon and mountain along his bulk and she began to moan louder. Her hand even slid along his stomach, down to the point of intercourse and then up her own body in a search for more pleasure. She thirsted for more.

Finally she could feel a building of fire within her. It defied description. His motions even became faster and more harsh, though she found that it brought her even more bliss. Her moaning was now ringing off the walls and her body was tight. A permanent blush stained her cheeks and her eyes pressed closed. This was the moment. His own body gave away that he was as far into this as she was. The two had been one for eternity, it seemed. In a burst of pure joy, she felt something hot rush into her. The entire Planet seemed to pound at the event. Soon the both of them were slowing down and cooling off. She could only clutch to him and breath, waiting for all of her senses to align once more. It had happened. A new feeling washed over her. They were connected now and would never lose each other. Something had happened and she knew it. Him making love to her seemed paled by a revelation. The voices spoke of new things to her and she could hear them. It took her a moment to sort it out and her brow became furrowed. She still sat perched on his thighs and she buried her face into the nook of his neck, holding tightly around it with her arms. The Planet had calmed down as well and the cave seemed silent. Only their combined breathing filled the air and she strained to hear what the voices told her. Then, she heard it.

Sephiroth must have sensed something because his eyes slowly opened and he looked to her curiously. His voice barely broke out over the cooler air, "What is it?" Aerith opened her eyes slowly and stared into his shoulder for a while. Something had scared her. It was an anxious look, however, not a frightened one. She even smiled quickly once before arching her head back and looking into his face quietly. How kind he looked right now. She could barely believe that he was what he was. It was all surreal. Then, she let out a shaky breath and addressed his questioning glance.

"Our.....child."