The room was almost unbearably warm. Sephiroth's first thought was that it
resembled a large prison cell, the colors were bland and the lighting was
dim. His mako-infused eyes ran over the examination table in the middle of
the room to the chair in the corner. In it sat a small woman, staring out
the singular window ahead of her into the streets.
He shifted uneasily, shouldering the Masamune. He could feel the aura of power in the room, but also the sadness. "Are you the Summoner?" he asked, his voice was low and seemed to roll on, like a purr.
The woman visibly jumped in surprise and turned to face him. To her, he looked like the black-clad Angel of Death. Silver hair and marble skin were freckled with blood while ruby drops trickled down the blade of his massive sword ever so slowly. But what caught her most about him were his eyes, glowing emeralds in the darkness of the doorway by their own flame.
"Yes," Yuna's voice choked in fear.
The warm air around her shivered. She understood the words it produced.
Stand.
Obediently, she stood, gripping her staff tightly to her. Who was this man? He was not one the scientists she had seen nearly every day for the past ten months. Should she fight?
Sephiroth glanced over the young woman, clenching and unclenching his great, sweaty palms. He was surprised, but on the outside he appeared calm and composed. This was not what he had been expecting. He had been expecting a big, powerful man like himself. After all, a Summoner was the highest class of Mage, therefore the strongest in the magic arts. Here was just a tiny, delicate female.
No matter.
Without looking, Sephiroth shut the door and strode to her. Yuna flinched, considering running away. The notion quickly passed when she discovered that he was suddenly right next to her, staring down at her with fierce emerald eyes. Her eyes widened. She tried to back away, but he grabbed her arm in an iron grip, crushing it. Yuna yelped as the pain throbbed up her arm and tried to pry his hand off her, but it was useless.
"Let go of me," she pleaded, feeling tears well up in her eyes.
"Be still," he snarled. Reaching his other hand behind her thin neck, he pressed into the back of it. She collapsed unconscious into his arms.
Sephiroth picked her up and lay her across the examination table, tying her arms over her head. Now what?
He stood back, looking over her and pondering her from a distance. Could this really be an ancient Summoner?
He slowly drew closer and bent over her, his silver hair brushing against her shoulders. Along with her overwhelming aura came the strong smell of tropical flowers mixed with musk and magic. He gazed over her face, framed by wisps of feathery brown hair. Her eyes were closed, her dark lashes brushing her cheeks. Her skin didn't look worn and weathered by pollution and battles, as most people's did, but rather soft and lightly sunburned. And, although he would never admit it, enticing.
He glanced over her clothing. The fashion certainly seemed ancient; a white top wrapped around her neck, pink sleeves tied halfway up her arms, a flowered yellow obi, and a soft purple skirt with part her leg showing through the slit up the side.
She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. In an instant he was upon her, the sharp blade of the Masamune against her throat. Again, she heard something, felt something, telling her what to do. Yuna closed her eyes and tilted her head back, exposing more of her neck.
"Please be quick," she whispered softly.
"Aren't you afraid?" he asked coldly. She could feel him on top of the her, the warmth of his breath on her face when he spoke.
A tear formed in the corners of her closed eyes. "No."
Sephiroth frowned, his eyebrows furrowing together. His eyes glinted dangerously. "You should be," he hissed.
"Most of my life I have spent preparing to die."
He paused, considering. "What do you mean?"
"I am a Summoner," she felt the cold blade press a little harder against her throat. "It is my duty to sacrifice myself for the people. But now what Sin is gone, I was just beginning to..." she stopped, a single glistening tear trickling down her cheek.
He lifted the Masamune from her throat, and leaned back. Yuna still did not open her eyes, as though scared of what she might see if she did. Reaching down again, Sephiroth easily sliced the bonds holding her arms then looked at her face. Her wide eyes were open and staring into his, two mismatched orbs of deep emerald and sapphire.
"Y-you're not going to kill me?"
"Prove you're a Summoner."
Shakily, she sat up, gripping one of his arms as she did so. "Very well."
She gingerly stepped from the examination table, placing one bare foot on the cold floor. It gave way beneath her and she felt two warm, strong arms collect her and help her to stand.
Yuna glanced at him in surprise as she gripped the front of his leather cloak. She did not hold it against this man that he had threatened to kill her, as she had been expected death all her life, but kindness seemed uncharacteristic. He stared back at her with a pale green, unfeeling gaze.
"Your recovery time shouldn't take this long," he stated shortly. "Get on with it."
She nodded and pointed to the floor behind him. "My staff..."
He growled and let go of her, retrieving the painted staff that had rolled to the other side of the room. He thrust it into her outstretched arms. "Stop making delays, Summoner," he growled in his deep voice.
Unafraid, she glanced at him and clutched the staff to her. "I have a name."
Sephiroth grabbed her by the front of her shirt, pulling her face towards his. Her eyes widened, but she did not flinch. She was not about to show this horrible man the fear she really felt. "I don't care what you're name is!" he roared. "Just summon something or I'll impale you on the end of this," he held the tip of the Masamune to her neck. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes." He let go of her roughly. "Stay behind me," she whispered to him.
She spread her arms, and closed her eyes tightly as though concentrating. After a few seconds, she opened them and shouted to the plastered ceiling. "Valefor!"
At first, nothing seemed to happen. Sephiroth was considering the circumstances when colorful, glowing symbols appeared on the tile floor around them in a language he couldn't understand, filling the cell with an unearthly light. Mako? To his horror (or amazement), the symbols began to rotate, shimmering colors dancing off the walls, and an enormous bird crashed through the ceiling.
Unafraid, Yuna walked to it amidst the bits of falling plaster and choking dust and stroked the top of its white beak to the horns at the back of its head. She buried her face into its red, scaly neck while the huge, leathery wings spread over her protectively. Sephiroth could overhear her murmuring something, "Thank you, Valefor." She turned to face him but did not leave the magnificent bird's side.
"Is this what you wanted?" she asked meekly. She had trained herself to smile when she was angry or upset, and now her lips curled up in the thin smile.
Sephiroth was impressed, but on the surface his marble features portrayed calmness and uninterest. "Yes, it is." He strode to her but the bird only drew defensively closer to the Summoner, its glowing yellow eyes narrowing.
"Please don't come too close," Yuna said.
Sephiroth stopped advancing and watched her turn to the bird. "You are dismissed," she whispered, petting the bird lovingly. Valefor.
The bird hesitated.
"You will know if I need you."
The bird appeared to nod then flapped it wings, flying back out the way it had come.
Yuna turned back to Sephiroth, returning his cold gaze. "Do you believe me, now?"
"Yes," he stated calmly. "What was that?"
"It's an Aeon. His name is Valefor."
He brushed a lock of stray snowy hair behind his shoulder and strode closer to her. She was defenseless now. "A what?"
She shrunk back from him, from his glowing green eyes. After years of controlling her emotions it was easy not to show her fear, but it did not mean that she was not afraid of this dark angel and what he might do. "An Aeon. A spirit of a warrior who tried to defeat Sin. They come to me when I call..."
Her voice trailed off as they both heard footsteps echoing on the stairs at the end of the hall. Reinforcements, thought Sephiroth. I should have thought of it sooner, it's been too quiet.
"Come with me," he said, looking down at the small woman, but not into her eyes. The temperature of the room was beginning to bother him as beads of sweat began to form on his brow. He was almost thankful for an excuse to leave the cell.
She obediently followed him to the door, her feet padding along behind the heavy thud of his boots. Sephiroth placed a gloved hand on the handle. "Be prepared to fight," he advised icily.
"Fight?"
Sephiroth groaned. There wasn't time. "Don't tell me you can't defend yourself."
Yuna blinked, then smiled and nodded. "I can take care of myself."
Thus, Sephiroth swung the door open to the reinforcement SOLDIERS.
Author's Note: Next chapter, Sephy and Yuna escape Shin-Ra and the plot thickens.
He shifted uneasily, shouldering the Masamune. He could feel the aura of power in the room, but also the sadness. "Are you the Summoner?" he asked, his voice was low and seemed to roll on, like a purr.
The woman visibly jumped in surprise and turned to face him. To her, he looked like the black-clad Angel of Death. Silver hair and marble skin were freckled with blood while ruby drops trickled down the blade of his massive sword ever so slowly. But what caught her most about him were his eyes, glowing emeralds in the darkness of the doorway by their own flame.
"Yes," Yuna's voice choked in fear.
The warm air around her shivered. She understood the words it produced.
Stand.
Obediently, she stood, gripping her staff tightly to her. Who was this man? He was not one the scientists she had seen nearly every day for the past ten months. Should she fight?
Sephiroth glanced over the young woman, clenching and unclenching his great, sweaty palms. He was surprised, but on the outside he appeared calm and composed. This was not what he had been expecting. He had been expecting a big, powerful man like himself. After all, a Summoner was the highest class of Mage, therefore the strongest in the magic arts. Here was just a tiny, delicate female.
No matter.
Without looking, Sephiroth shut the door and strode to her. Yuna flinched, considering running away. The notion quickly passed when she discovered that he was suddenly right next to her, staring down at her with fierce emerald eyes. Her eyes widened. She tried to back away, but he grabbed her arm in an iron grip, crushing it. Yuna yelped as the pain throbbed up her arm and tried to pry his hand off her, but it was useless.
"Let go of me," she pleaded, feeling tears well up in her eyes.
"Be still," he snarled. Reaching his other hand behind her thin neck, he pressed into the back of it. She collapsed unconscious into his arms.
Sephiroth picked her up and lay her across the examination table, tying her arms over her head. Now what?
He stood back, looking over her and pondering her from a distance. Could this really be an ancient Summoner?
He slowly drew closer and bent over her, his silver hair brushing against her shoulders. Along with her overwhelming aura came the strong smell of tropical flowers mixed with musk and magic. He gazed over her face, framed by wisps of feathery brown hair. Her eyes were closed, her dark lashes brushing her cheeks. Her skin didn't look worn and weathered by pollution and battles, as most people's did, but rather soft and lightly sunburned. And, although he would never admit it, enticing.
He glanced over her clothing. The fashion certainly seemed ancient; a white top wrapped around her neck, pink sleeves tied halfway up her arms, a flowered yellow obi, and a soft purple skirt with part her leg showing through the slit up the side.
She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. In an instant he was upon her, the sharp blade of the Masamune against her throat. Again, she heard something, felt something, telling her what to do. Yuna closed her eyes and tilted her head back, exposing more of her neck.
"Please be quick," she whispered softly.
"Aren't you afraid?" he asked coldly. She could feel him on top of the her, the warmth of his breath on her face when he spoke.
A tear formed in the corners of her closed eyes. "No."
Sephiroth frowned, his eyebrows furrowing together. His eyes glinted dangerously. "You should be," he hissed.
"Most of my life I have spent preparing to die."
He paused, considering. "What do you mean?"
"I am a Summoner," she felt the cold blade press a little harder against her throat. "It is my duty to sacrifice myself for the people. But now what Sin is gone, I was just beginning to..." she stopped, a single glistening tear trickling down her cheek.
He lifted the Masamune from her throat, and leaned back. Yuna still did not open her eyes, as though scared of what she might see if she did. Reaching down again, Sephiroth easily sliced the bonds holding her arms then looked at her face. Her wide eyes were open and staring into his, two mismatched orbs of deep emerald and sapphire.
"Y-you're not going to kill me?"
"Prove you're a Summoner."
Shakily, she sat up, gripping one of his arms as she did so. "Very well."
She gingerly stepped from the examination table, placing one bare foot on the cold floor. It gave way beneath her and she felt two warm, strong arms collect her and help her to stand.
Yuna glanced at him in surprise as she gripped the front of his leather cloak. She did not hold it against this man that he had threatened to kill her, as she had been expected death all her life, but kindness seemed uncharacteristic. He stared back at her with a pale green, unfeeling gaze.
"Your recovery time shouldn't take this long," he stated shortly. "Get on with it."
She nodded and pointed to the floor behind him. "My staff..."
He growled and let go of her, retrieving the painted staff that had rolled to the other side of the room. He thrust it into her outstretched arms. "Stop making delays, Summoner," he growled in his deep voice.
Unafraid, she glanced at him and clutched the staff to her. "I have a name."
Sephiroth grabbed her by the front of her shirt, pulling her face towards his. Her eyes widened, but she did not flinch. She was not about to show this horrible man the fear she really felt. "I don't care what you're name is!" he roared. "Just summon something or I'll impale you on the end of this," he held the tip of the Masamune to her neck. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes." He let go of her roughly. "Stay behind me," she whispered to him.
She spread her arms, and closed her eyes tightly as though concentrating. After a few seconds, she opened them and shouted to the plastered ceiling. "Valefor!"
At first, nothing seemed to happen. Sephiroth was considering the circumstances when colorful, glowing symbols appeared on the tile floor around them in a language he couldn't understand, filling the cell with an unearthly light. Mako? To his horror (or amazement), the symbols began to rotate, shimmering colors dancing off the walls, and an enormous bird crashed through the ceiling.
Unafraid, Yuna walked to it amidst the bits of falling plaster and choking dust and stroked the top of its white beak to the horns at the back of its head. She buried her face into its red, scaly neck while the huge, leathery wings spread over her protectively. Sephiroth could overhear her murmuring something, "Thank you, Valefor." She turned to face him but did not leave the magnificent bird's side.
"Is this what you wanted?" she asked meekly. She had trained herself to smile when she was angry or upset, and now her lips curled up in the thin smile.
Sephiroth was impressed, but on the surface his marble features portrayed calmness and uninterest. "Yes, it is." He strode to her but the bird only drew defensively closer to the Summoner, its glowing yellow eyes narrowing.
"Please don't come too close," Yuna said.
Sephiroth stopped advancing and watched her turn to the bird. "You are dismissed," she whispered, petting the bird lovingly. Valefor.
The bird hesitated.
"You will know if I need you."
The bird appeared to nod then flapped it wings, flying back out the way it had come.
Yuna turned back to Sephiroth, returning his cold gaze. "Do you believe me, now?"
"Yes," he stated calmly. "What was that?"
"It's an Aeon. His name is Valefor."
He brushed a lock of stray snowy hair behind his shoulder and strode closer to her. She was defenseless now. "A what?"
She shrunk back from him, from his glowing green eyes. After years of controlling her emotions it was easy not to show her fear, but it did not mean that she was not afraid of this dark angel and what he might do. "An Aeon. A spirit of a warrior who tried to defeat Sin. They come to me when I call..."
Her voice trailed off as they both heard footsteps echoing on the stairs at the end of the hall. Reinforcements, thought Sephiroth. I should have thought of it sooner, it's been too quiet.
"Come with me," he said, looking down at the small woman, but not into her eyes. The temperature of the room was beginning to bother him as beads of sweat began to form on his brow. He was almost thankful for an excuse to leave the cell.
She obediently followed him to the door, her feet padding along behind the heavy thud of his boots. Sephiroth placed a gloved hand on the handle. "Be prepared to fight," he advised icily.
"Fight?"
Sephiroth groaned. There wasn't time. "Don't tell me you can't defend yourself."
Yuna blinked, then smiled and nodded. "I can take care of myself."
Thus, Sephiroth swung the door open to the reinforcement SOLDIERS.
Author's Note: Next chapter, Sephy and Yuna escape Shin-Ra and the plot thickens.