(Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for this but here it is! Enjoy!)
Disclaimer: FF7 and Squaresoft are not mine. Any one else is…
Chapter 7
Aeris stood looking out the window of the inn waiting for the members of Avalanche to arrive. Sephiroth was sitting on the floor in one of the corners of the room not saying anything which was fine with her.
She waited for a few more minutes then a group of people came out of the shadows and walked towards the door of the inn. She caught a glimpse of a moving fire and then raced towards the door leaving Sephiroth behind.
She ran down the stairs and into the lobby just as the doors opened.
"Aeris!" Tifa and Yuffie yelled and ran to meet her in a big hug. The others hurried over. Aeris gave them each a hug but stopped when she reached Cloud.
"I've missed you," he said softly.
"I've missed you too," she replied as she hugged him. She hugged him a little longer than the others.
"You said that Sephiroth was with you?" Red asked.
Aeris nodded and hugged Cloud tighter. Cloud narrowed his eyes and looked at the stairs. The others turned and followed his gaze. Sephiroth stood there just watching them.
They moved so they stood between him and Aeris. They also readied their weapons in case he attacked. There was only a tense silence in the air as no one dared to move.
"What are you doing here?" Cloud asked angrily finally braking the silence.
Sephiroth looked around and tossed his hair over his shoulder. "She told me to lead the way from the crater to the village so I did."
"But how are you alive?"
"…that spell said something about 2 souls…so when Aeris was revived I'm guessing Sephiroth was too," Red spoke up with a thoughtful look.
"Were you able to translate anymore of it?" Cid asked.
Red shook his head.
Vincent lowered his gun. "He's not going to attack or anything," he said watching Sephiroth who still hadn't moved.
"I don't trust him," Barret muttered.
"Who does?" Aeris asked glaring at Sephiroth.
"Well. We'll get a room here tonight then go back to Cosmo Canyon tomorrow," Cloud said. They went to the front desk and got rooms for everybody. Once that was done Aeris went up the stairs to the room she now shared with Tifa and Yuffie. They were talking happily. The others filed past Sephiroth giving his dirty looks as they went to their rooms.
When they were all in their rooms Sephiroth went up to the room that he and Aeris had been in. He sat down on the edge of the bed. It was a long time before he was able to fall asleep.
****
When Sephiroth woke up the next morning he had a bad feeling. He got up and brushed out his hair then went down stairs. It was just as he had thought. All the members of Avalanche were gone. They had left him behind.
He sat down at a table in the restaurant and ordered a small breakfast. He thought to himself while he waited.
'So I'm alone again…why should this bother me? I've always been alone…'
****
The Highwind landed outside of Cosmo Canyon and the group got off. They headed for the entrance while talking happily with Aeris. They entered the small town then went to sit around the Flame as they continued to tell her what had been going on the past few months. She listened excitedly to what they said. After they were done she told them about the place she had been.
"The Promised Land?" Red asked.
Aeris nodded. "Yes. That's where I was. It was really nice. My…my real mother was there with me. We had fun together. But I like it back here with all my friends," she said.
"Now…what should we do about Sephiroth?" Of course it was Cloud who brought this up.
"I don't trust him," she stated.
"But he gave us no reason to do anything to him yesterday," Vincent pointed out.
"That's true but we don't know what he's like," Barret said.
"He was quiet the entire time I was with him," Aeris said.
"I think he's going to try to finish what he started," Cid stated.
"Well? What should we do?" Yuffie asked.
"I say we just wait and see what he does first but be ready in case he does anything wrong," Tifa suggested.
They others agreed.
"Who's that?" Aeris asked nodding towards the place where Kendra sat reading a book.
"Her name is Kendra. She was on her way here to study when we found her unconscious just outside the entrance," Red explained.
"Oh. What's she here to study?" she asked.
"I'm not sure," he replied.
"Well I'm going to go talk to her," Aeris stood up and walked over to Kendra. Tifa and Yuffie followed.
****
"You have your orders now."
"Highly doubtful that we'll follow them."
"You better!"
"What will you do if we don't?" a third person asked.
The first speaker pushed a button on his desk and armed guards rushed into the room.
"HEY! LET ME GO!"
"Let her go!" the other 2 speakers exclaimed.
"Only if you do as you are ordered will she not be hurt," The first said.
Reno and Rude glared at him then stormed from the room.
"Don't worry Elena. We'll be back," Reno said as they slammed the door closed.
"What's the big idea?" Elena snapped at the man behind the desk.
He laughed softly. "This is just to make sure they do as told."
She continued to glare at him as she was taken from the room.
****
Sephiroth left the small village and headed for the nearest seaport. He adjusted his pack and newly found Masamune as he trudged through the snow. He had a feeling that trouble was about to strike.
****