Chapter 2 - Near Death and Bliss
[And this is chapter 2, redone. Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Final
Fantasy 7. The character Nikkarii is an original character of mine.]
The City of the Ancients was almost silent and was back to its original state, yet the center of the city hid a girl at the bottom of the crystalline pool of water. She opened her deep green eyes and was greeted with the sight of the blur of blue and light green colors. She struggled to sit up from the bottom of the deep pool, but the stab wound on her stomach prevented her to do so. She shut her eyes tightly, attempting to cry out in sheer pain, only to have precious bubbles of her air escape from her lips as they made their floating journey to the surface; holding her pained cry and releasing it to the heavens for anyone to hear. Aeris could feel the cold water seeping into her mouth, down her throat, sliding into her pink lungs and slowly suffocating and choking her; taking away the life that hung by a single string. She could hear a single dull splashing noise from the surface, perhaps her savior; her knight in shining armor to rescue her from the abyss. She felt a strong pair of arms grasp her lightly and pull her up to the surface. When she broke through the water's barrier, she was placed on the platform and Aeris gratefully accepted the air that was presented around her. She gasped and coughed, spitting out the water that almost sent her to death. She fell forward on her hands and knees, struggling to regain her breath and looked up slowly, her long brown wet hair sticking to the sides of her face.
"S-Sephiroth!" She gasped, seeing a black-cloaked figure wielding the masamune.
The unknown creature sat down on the railing of the platform, looking down at Aeris with the bright green eyes from the darkness of the hood and remained silent as she slowly ran her claws across the long blade of the mighty sword.
"... You're not Sephiroth." Aeris said quietly, keeping her fear-stricken eyes glued on the creature.
Aeris stood up slowly in slight pain and clasped her hands near her face. She watched cautiously as the robed figure reached into a small pouch and removed a glowing multi-colored materia into view. It was tossed to Aeris, who caught it gingerly and looked down at it, as the other person continued to trace her claws across the blade. Aeris looked at the materia and noticed that it was glowing brighter, feeling her own pain within the deep gash through her stomach and back fade away slowly. She looked up suddenly, hearing her savior painfully hiss in agony. She slowly walked over to the other creature, slowly pulling the hood back that concealed her facial features. Thin strands of black hair, with blood red highlights fell across a young woman's pale face and Aeris stumbled back, seeing the masamune clatter to the floor and the young woman falling on her hands and knees in complete agony.
"Please, let me help you." Said Aeris softly, seeing a trail of blood slowly start to run down the young woman's face.
The woman shivered from the pain, flattening her cat-like ears and stood up, grasping the railing with one hand for support and clenched her stomach with the other, feeling the blood soaking through.
"... Why did you do it?" Asked Aeris, becoming more concern. "Why did you save me? You're terribly injured... it was like you took my injuries away from me and damned you with them!"
Aeris stepped forward to help the cat girl but the feline woman put up a claws hand in protest. "A-actions... always come with consequences... always..."
Elsewhere, Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and made no effort to move away from the gun that was pressed against the back of his head. He was in no place to fight off the red-eyed vampire-like being.
He raised his hands slowly, as in a sign of peace. "I don't know why I am alive, Vincent... I am as curious as you are and I would like some decent answers myself... a true man does not go in a battle for death with an unarmed man..."
Vincent growled,, removing the gun slowly from Sephiroth's head but keeping his finger on the trigger. "I want to know why the hell you are still alive and well... Cloud destroyed you long ago..."
Sephiroth sighed in relief and lowered his arms back to his side, raising his eyes towards the ceiling in time to hear bounding footsteps on the upper floor. Vincent cringed noticeably, hearing the oh so obnoxious voice that he hated to dearly.
"Vinnie! Where are you? You know who I am!" Yelled Yuffie. "Damn, this place is a mess!"
The old Shinra Mansion stairs creaked and groaned as Yuffie ran down them, two at a time. As soon as her gaze caught the view of Sephiroth, she slid to a halt, snatching her Conformer from its sheath.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Yuffie snapped, jumping into a battle stance.
Sephiroth shot a cold glare at Yuffie and decided to ignore her. He then remembered the odd materia that he had in his pant pocket and took it out, looking at it in wonder. Yuffie's eyes widened at the materia, which she assumed was rare and her thieving instincts took over.
"Heeeeey, Sephy. Buddy old pal." Said Yuffie casually. "Can I see that materia you got there?"
Sephiroth rolled his eyes and pocketed the materia, walking back to the main floor to glance out the window. He pulled one of the blinds back and seethed, seeing Cid's awfully parked airship sitting a little too close to the town.
'That bloody fool is going to break things... why in hell's name would he do that?!' Growled Sephiroth to himself.
He looked back at Yuffie and Vincent and his mind thought up of an idea. "One of you two ask... Cloud if he would be so kind to transport me to Cosmo Canyon. There is something quite important that I wish to attend to."
Yuffie made a face. "I'm going to get Cloud but he's not going to give you a damned ride!"
With that, the ninja girl ran outside to the Highwind. Sephiroth shook his head slowly when she returned with Cloud, weapons drawn. Cloud narrowed his dark blue eyes at the former SOLDIER General in hate.
Sephiroth smirked slowly. "Surprised to see me alive, aren't we."
"... I killed you." Growled Cloud, tightening his grip on the Ultima Weapon. "This can't be possible."
Sephiroth pushed some of his long silver hair over his shoulder. "Yes, I thought as much. If you want to find something more surprising, I suppose we should go back to Cosmo Canyon. If -I'm- alive, then that flower girl, the Cetra should be alive and walking as well. Does that interest you?"
Cloud sighed heavily and lowered his weapon. "I really hate to say it but you have a point... don't you DARE try anything funny or I'll be sure to kill you for good, Sephiroth."
The cautious group approached where the Highwind was idling and Cid's cigarette almost fell right out of his mouth.
"Are you three playing a damned joke?!" He roared, grabbing for his spear. "He's supposed to be dead, damn it all!"
Cloud shook his head slowly, almost in defeat. "Cid, we need a lift to Cosmo Canyon. From what's happened, I think Aeris is alive too and we'll have to go back to the Temple of the Ancients to make sure..."
"NO!" Yelled Cid, grinding his teeth. "I am not letting that little-"
"You swear too much." Cut-in Yuffie.
"- Onto my airship!" Finished Cid.
"... Just let it go..." Cloud then muttered. "Ignore him and hope that he goes away."
Cid swore and flicked the butt of his cigarette to the ground, climbing into the airship. This was going to be a long night indeed, he thought as he was starting up the controls.
[And this is chapter 2, redone. Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Final
Fantasy 7. The character Nikkarii is an original character of mine.]
The City of the Ancients was almost silent and was back to its original state, yet the center of the city hid a girl at the bottom of the crystalline pool of water. She opened her deep green eyes and was greeted with the sight of the blur of blue and light green colors. She struggled to sit up from the bottom of the deep pool, but the stab wound on her stomach prevented her to do so. She shut her eyes tightly, attempting to cry out in sheer pain, only to have precious bubbles of her air escape from her lips as they made their floating journey to the surface; holding her pained cry and releasing it to the heavens for anyone to hear. Aeris could feel the cold water seeping into her mouth, down her throat, sliding into her pink lungs and slowly suffocating and choking her; taking away the life that hung by a single string. She could hear a single dull splashing noise from the surface, perhaps her savior; her knight in shining armor to rescue her from the abyss. She felt a strong pair of arms grasp her lightly and pull her up to the surface. When she broke through the water's barrier, she was placed on the platform and Aeris gratefully accepted the air that was presented around her. She gasped and coughed, spitting out the water that almost sent her to death. She fell forward on her hands and knees, struggling to regain her breath and looked up slowly, her long brown wet hair sticking to the sides of her face.
"S-Sephiroth!" She gasped, seeing a black-cloaked figure wielding the masamune.
The unknown creature sat down on the railing of the platform, looking down at Aeris with the bright green eyes from the darkness of the hood and remained silent as she slowly ran her claws across the long blade of the mighty sword.
"... You're not Sephiroth." Aeris said quietly, keeping her fear-stricken eyes glued on the creature.
Aeris stood up slowly in slight pain and clasped her hands near her face. She watched cautiously as the robed figure reached into a small pouch and removed a glowing multi-colored materia into view. It was tossed to Aeris, who caught it gingerly and looked down at it, as the other person continued to trace her claws across the blade. Aeris looked at the materia and noticed that it was glowing brighter, feeling her own pain within the deep gash through her stomach and back fade away slowly. She looked up suddenly, hearing her savior painfully hiss in agony. She slowly walked over to the other creature, slowly pulling the hood back that concealed her facial features. Thin strands of black hair, with blood red highlights fell across a young woman's pale face and Aeris stumbled back, seeing the masamune clatter to the floor and the young woman falling on her hands and knees in complete agony.
"Please, let me help you." Said Aeris softly, seeing a trail of blood slowly start to run down the young woman's face.
The woman shivered from the pain, flattening her cat-like ears and stood up, grasping the railing with one hand for support and clenched her stomach with the other, feeling the blood soaking through.
"... Why did you do it?" Asked Aeris, becoming more concern. "Why did you save me? You're terribly injured... it was like you took my injuries away from me and damned you with them!"
Aeris stepped forward to help the cat girl but the feline woman put up a claws hand in protest. "A-actions... always come with consequences... always..."
Elsewhere, Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and made no effort to move away from the gun that was pressed against the back of his head. He was in no place to fight off the red-eyed vampire-like being.
He raised his hands slowly, as in a sign of peace. "I don't know why I am alive, Vincent... I am as curious as you are and I would like some decent answers myself... a true man does not go in a battle for death with an unarmed man..."
Vincent growled,, removing the gun slowly from Sephiroth's head but keeping his finger on the trigger. "I want to know why the hell you are still alive and well... Cloud destroyed you long ago..."
Sephiroth sighed in relief and lowered his arms back to his side, raising his eyes towards the ceiling in time to hear bounding footsteps on the upper floor. Vincent cringed noticeably, hearing the oh so obnoxious voice that he hated to dearly.
"Vinnie! Where are you? You know who I am!" Yelled Yuffie. "Damn, this place is a mess!"
The old Shinra Mansion stairs creaked and groaned as Yuffie ran down them, two at a time. As soon as her gaze caught the view of Sephiroth, she slid to a halt, snatching her Conformer from its sheath.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Yuffie snapped, jumping into a battle stance.
Sephiroth shot a cold glare at Yuffie and decided to ignore her. He then remembered the odd materia that he had in his pant pocket and took it out, looking at it in wonder. Yuffie's eyes widened at the materia, which she assumed was rare and her thieving instincts took over.
"Heeeeey, Sephy. Buddy old pal." Said Yuffie casually. "Can I see that materia you got there?"
Sephiroth rolled his eyes and pocketed the materia, walking back to the main floor to glance out the window. He pulled one of the blinds back and seethed, seeing Cid's awfully parked airship sitting a little too close to the town.
'That bloody fool is going to break things... why in hell's name would he do that?!' Growled Sephiroth to himself.
He looked back at Yuffie and Vincent and his mind thought up of an idea. "One of you two ask... Cloud if he would be so kind to transport me to Cosmo Canyon. There is something quite important that I wish to attend to."
Yuffie made a face. "I'm going to get Cloud but he's not going to give you a damned ride!"
With that, the ninja girl ran outside to the Highwind. Sephiroth shook his head slowly when she returned with Cloud, weapons drawn. Cloud narrowed his dark blue eyes at the former SOLDIER General in hate.
Sephiroth smirked slowly. "Surprised to see me alive, aren't we."
"... I killed you." Growled Cloud, tightening his grip on the Ultima Weapon. "This can't be possible."
Sephiroth pushed some of his long silver hair over his shoulder. "Yes, I thought as much. If you want to find something more surprising, I suppose we should go back to Cosmo Canyon. If -I'm- alive, then that flower girl, the Cetra should be alive and walking as well. Does that interest you?"
Cloud sighed heavily and lowered his weapon. "I really hate to say it but you have a point... don't you DARE try anything funny or I'll be sure to kill you for good, Sephiroth."
The cautious group approached where the Highwind was idling and Cid's cigarette almost fell right out of his mouth.
"Are you three playing a damned joke?!" He roared, grabbing for his spear. "He's supposed to be dead, damn it all!"
Cloud shook his head slowly, almost in defeat. "Cid, we need a lift to Cosmo Canyon. From what's happened, I think Aeris is alive too and we'll have to go back to the Temple of the Ancients to make sure..."
"NO!" Yelled Cid, grinding his teeth. "I am not letting that little-"
"You swear too much." Cut-in Yuffie.
"- Onto my airship!" Finished Cid.
"... Just let it go..." Cloud then muttered. "Ignore him and hope that he goes away."
Cid swore and flicked the butt of his cigarette to the ground, climbing into the airship. This was going to be a long night indeed, he thought as he was starting up the controls.