Disclaimer: I don't own them, just my merchandise.
Warnings: Violence right at the beginning which is more or less repeated throughout the story, the swearing is basic...And Aerith may see out of character, but keep reading...
Chapter 1: Makou
Blood and spittle flew from the mouth, the neck twisted and the body falling. Spinal cord severed, bones protruding from the ribcage. Blonde hair turned blood red, blue eyes wide with the shock of the sudden attack, pale flesh ripped open and no longer protecting the woman's body. Over the body she stood, wiping the blood off her weapon. She sighed as the blood was cleaned from the glittering edge of the short sword and flicked her long honey brown hair under her black beanie. There was a sound behind her and she spun around then threw the dagger she held into the man's back. She watched his body fall to the ground the dagger allowing the blood to seep out, she knew she'd killed him. He deserved it. She pushed her brown hair away from her pale face and looked around, her bright green eyes seeing nothing but the darkness of the night around her. A new noise came from behind, she whirled around to come face to face with a man with long silver hair and green glowing eyes.
"You did well Aerith. I will have to tell President ShinRa of your improvement." He said.
"Thankyou Sephiroth. If everyone's dealt with, I should think that we'd be going now. After all, we have to be back before sun rise." She pointed out.
"You are right. We should start going now. Come on. The chocobo's over here." He lead her towards the group of trees where the Golden chocobo was grazing.
He helped her up onto it's back then jumped up behind her. [Ever since I fell off the last time, I have to sit at the front. At least now I get to control it.] Anyone could see she wasn't looking forward to going to back to ShinRa HQ. [Pretty boy Rufus will be there and he isn't my idea of a decent date.] Aerith had only been able to come on this trip with Sephiroth if she went out with Rufus upon her return. The idea made her senses go dull and that was the ultimate sacrifice she had to make. [Oh well...Sephiroth had to make one as well. He had to put up with me for the night and I had proved myself this time, and the next time I went out with him on an assignment, he wouldn't think of me as the same, untrained girl who couldn't do anything, but as a trained SOLDIER!]
"Perhaps not as a trained SOLDIER, but a SOLDIER the same." He said.
Her ego deflated quickly.
"Why do you have to do that? I am allowed to let myself wallow in self-glory for a short time aren't' I?" Her voice filled with anger.
"I don't want your head to get too big for your shoulders...Many others have done that and they've ended up as nobodies that aren't remembered. You are a good fighter and you will continue to be one, provided you don't let your ego get the better of you." He said as he put his hands around her waist to make sure she wouldn't fall off again.
"I won't fall this time Sephiroth. It was only because of your awful riding that I fell off last time. I'll show you how to ride a chocobo!" A hint of cheer and dare could be heard as she spoke.
Aerith urged the chocobo into a sudden run and Sephiroth leant backwards as though falling off.
"Don't do that!" He yelled.
She laughed and pushed the chocobo into a harder run. Every now and then, she would feed it a Krakka Green to keep it's stamina up and was at the water's edge within a minute of starting off. She lead the chocobo around for a while before choosing the path to take across the water. She pushed him off the edge and started towards Midgar. As they rode over the waters, she heard Sephiroth grunt into his PHS.
"What's wrong?"
"We're out of range..."
"Oh...Well at least Rufus can't get to us right?"
Her hopes were shattered as the PHS reached its range and began to ring. "Yes?"
After a few grunts he passed the PHS over to Aerith. "It's your dear boyfriend Rufus."
She knew he enjoyed tormenting her, but when it came to Rufus, it wouldn't be tolerated. "You know as well as I do that bastard isn't my boyfriend Sephiroth!" She put the PHS to her ear. "Hello?"
"Oh Aerith...Are you alright? I wouldn't want the goods damaged or anything. So are you on your way back? Whereabouts are you both? I could send a chopper out to get you both back safely so you don't have to fight anymore monsters."
A frown of disgust touched her features as she replied unsure of whether or not he could hear such emotions over the PHS, "No. We're fine Rufus. We'll be there soon enough." With that, she hung up. "Gods he annoys the hell out of me."
"He is the president. After all, ShinRa died from a heart attack only a few months ago." Sephiroth pointed out as she gave the PHS back to his gloved hand.
"He's a perverted president. What does he think he's doing ordering SOLDIER around like that? And worst of all! Forcing me to date him!"
"I have heard many stories where you often tease those you love. You certainly seem to talk about him quite an amount..."
"That's just because he's an asshole." She flicked her hair allowing it to escape the prison of the beanie lashing out on Sephiroth. "Just because he's President ShinRa doesn't give him the right to do whatever he wants..."
"Well, ShinRa are rather influential, he has got a lot of power and women would kill to be in your position."
She grunted. "Like that's a great place..." She considered the idea further, "I'd rather be selling flowers on the streets of Midgar Slums then going out with him..."
"Best not to speak to soon Aerith. Always be careful what you wish for."
They arrived at Midgar and to her annoyance, Rufus was there waiting for them at the gate. Her spirits dwindled even further upon spying his blonde hair and blue eyes, the lithe frame hidden beneath those white things he wore. He waited for them to approach and as much as she wished she could just urge the chocobo into a run right away from him, she had to give him a debriefing.
"I trust the mission was successful. Neither of you are hurt I see. Now, I believe you owe me a date Miss Gainsborough."
"Sorry to interrupt your meeting again...But I need the Ancient." Hojo slunk up out of the shadows. The thought of spending time with either of them made her stomach churn yet Hojo was a better choice than the wandering eyes of Rufus. "I'll need them both actually." He began off, Aerith and Sephiroth both following closely behind.
"Looks like you got off your date then Gainsborough." Sephiroth taunted from behind her.
"Oh Aerith! I'll change the reservations to tomorrow. Is that suiting to your plans Professor?"
Hojo glanced over his shoulder. "I'll be needing them for far longer than that." He replied before opening the heavy steel doors of his underground laboratory. "Come along you two..."
They followed him into the lab and he indicated to two beds next to each other, which they both climbed onto and lay back. Hojo approached and strapped them down on each wrist, ankle and their foreheads. He walked around the lab chuckling to himself and soon left to gather something Aerith was sure she didn't want to know.
"What do you think he wants us both for?" Aerith asked trying her hardest to look over to Sephiroth, but even her Mako enhanced strength wasn't enough to destroy the grip held by the bonds.
"He'll be increasing our strength and skills. He has done it many times in the past, why do you think the strength of our bonds have increased?"
"I thought it was because of something else."
"At least you're no longer obligated to that date with Rufus."
"That goddamned pretty boy...I swear, if I ever get my hands on him..." Her arms twitched beneath the bonds.
"You've become stronger recently Gainsborough."
She stopped to consider what he had just spoken. "Was that a compliment I heard coming from the mouth of the Great Sephiroth himself? To me? His favourite form of humiliation?"
"I speak what I believe is true."
"I can never understand you." She did her best to shake her head but gave up as the strap rubbed harshly against her forehead. "What could he possible use on us to increase our strength or skills?"
"That my dear, is something I've been working on as of recently. I knew I couldn't put Jenova cells into you so I have created a synthetic form of them so they won't destroy your cells like the last attempt did. As for you Sephiroth, you will receive your usual injections." He chuckled further to himself and began to fill the hypodermic needles with a purplish fluid.
"How do you know that thing'll work for me? After all, I'm a Cetra."
"I have done simple research, taken cells from your body and reacted them with this. It will do nothing to you and will indeed work. Now just relax. There will be a small amount of pain..."
Aeris clenched her jaw as she felt the needle being pushed into her neck. Her eyes closed tightly, her eyebrows knitted together in unmistakable pain. Sweat beads glistened on her forehead as the drug began working almost immediately. She tightened her fists into balls and tried to pull out of the bonds. She heard something like a rip when something else landed heavily on her wrists.
"Not now my sweet Cetra..." Hojo frowned looking at her gentle face.
Her mako coloured eyes opened and she took a deep breath. She saw him move over to Sephiroth holding a needle filled with a similar fluid. She saw out of the corner of her eye Sephiroth flinch as the needle was inserted into his neck then released after the fluid was moved into his bloodstream.
"Now you will both be moved into the cell for observation." He said removing their bonds.
It seemed like a viable explanation to them both. Observation; the word resonated in Sephiroth's ears like alarm bells. Hojo locked the door behind them as Sephiroth figured what Hojo would be observing.
"Hojo! You bastard let me out of here!" Sephiroth ordered pounding with his new strength on the glass walls.
He chuckled again. "Now Sephiroth...You both need your rest. After all, you'll both have a busy day tomorrow." A smirk crossed his face and he pressed a button releasing a sleeping gas. Sephiroth and Aerith both tried to fight the gas' effects but both collapsed on the ground shortly afterwards.
Cloud opened his eyes to find a pair of emerald green eyes peering into his mako blue. "Are you alright?"
He groaned as he tried to sit up. "Where am I?" He asked discovering he was lying on a flower bed in front of a beautiful brunette looking at him with a smile playing upon her lips.
"You fell into my church. You're on my flower bed." She stood up and offered her hand for him. "My name is Aeris."
"I'm Cloud." He said taking it and pulling himself up onto his feet. He looked around the church after getting off her flower bed trying hard not to crush any more flowers than he already had. "Where are we?"
"This is Sector 6." She smiled. "Are you feeling better?"
"Oh, yes." He nodded. "How did you get the flowers to grow here? There's almost no sun in Sector 6..."
She giggled a little bit. "Oh, they just grow here. I'm the only one who can make them grow."
"..." He looked at her with the smile upon her face, her emerald green eyes shone with a happiness he couldn't understand, but nevertheless, it was infectious and he soon smiled too.
"Hey...I saved your life. How about a favour?" She teased.
"A favour? What did you have in mind?"
She looked at him, her actions suspicious. "How about...You be my body guard?"
"Body guard?" He frowned then nodded. "Alright then. I'll be your body guard."
No sooner had he said that then the door suddenly burst open and in came the Turk Reno. Aeris hurried to hide behind Cloud. The red headed Turk flicked the red ratty pony tail over his shoulder as his companion joined him.
"Turks..." Cloud hissed ready to draw his sword, but he felt a hand on his realising it was Aeris.
"Move aside Spike. We're only after the girl."
"Cloud..." She whispered in a desperate plea.
Without any further hesistation, he pulled her into the back of the church, the Turks not following immediately after them. "Is there another way out of here?"
"Yeah...Follow me." She began climbing up to the roof.
"We follow them. We have to get Aeris." Reno said before walking over to the flower bed. "Oh, and mind the flowers." He walked across the flower bed crushing several blooms beneath his feet.
"But you -" Rude's protest was in vain as Reno was already closely behind the escaping couple. He shook his head and carefully wound his way through the church trying not to step on the flowers.
Aeris indicated to a leaning pillar and Cloud began to climb, Aeris close behind before she misjudged a chip. She slid backwards and fell screaming for Cloud before she landed in the awaiting arms of Reno who saluted Cloud. "Don't worry Spike, we'll take good care of her."
With that the two Turks left the Church with Aeris trying to punch Reno with her weak fists. "Where are you taking me?"
"Hojo has to check up on his clones..."
What did you think? Reviews and flames are welcomed. It'll help me decide whether or not to continue with the fic if I get more flames or no comments at all...
Warnings: Violence right at the beginning which is more or less repeated throughout the story, the swearing is basic...And Aerith may see out of character, but keep reading...
Chapter 1: Makou
Blood and spittle flew from the mouth, the neck twisted and the body falling. Spinal cord severed, bones protruding from the ribcage. Blonde hair turned blood red, blue eyes wide with the shock of the sudden attack, pale flesh ripped open and no longer protecting the woman's body. Over the body she stood, wiping the blood off her weapon. She sighed as the blood was cleaned from the glittering edge of the short sword and flicked her long honey brown hair under her black beanie. There was a sound behind her and she spun around then threw the dagger she held into the man's back. She watched his body fall to the ground the dagger allowing the blood to seep out, she knew she'd killed him. He deserved it. She pushed her brown hair away from her pale face and looked around, her bright green eyes seeing nothing but the darkness of the night around her. A new noise came from behind, she whirled around to come face to face with a man with long silver hair and green glowing eyes.
"You did well Aerith. I will have to tell President ShinRa of your improvement." He said.
"Thankyou Sephiroth. If everyone's dealt with, I should think that we'd be going now. After all, we have to be back before sun rise." She pointed out.
"You are right. We should start going now. Come on. The chocobo's over here." He lead her towards the group of trees where the Golden chocobo was grazing.
He helped her up onto it's back then jumped up behind her. [Ever since I fell off the last time, I have to sit at the front. At least now I get to control it.] Anyone could see she wasn't looking forward to going to back to ShinRa HQ. [Pretty boy Rufus will be there and he isn't my idea of a decent date.] Aerith had only been able to come on this trip with Sephiroth if she went out with Rufus upon her return. The idea made her senses go dull and that was the ultimate sacrifice she had to make. [Oh well...Sephiroth had to make one as well. He had to put up with me for the night and I had proved myself this time, and the next time I went out with him on an assignment, he wouldn't think of me as the same, untrained girl who couldn't do anything, but as a trained SOLDIER!]
"Perhaps not as a trained SOLDIER, but a SOLDIER the same." He said.
Her ego deflated quickly.
"Why do you have to do that? I am allowed to let myself wallow in self-glory for a short time aren't' I?" Her voice filled with anger.
"I don't want your head to get too big for your shoulders...Many others have done that and they've ended up as nobodies that aren't remembered. You are a good fighter and you will continue to be one, provided you don't let your ego get the better of you." He said as he put his hands around her waist to make sure she wouldn't fall off again.
"I won't fall this time Sephiroth. It was only because of your awful riding that I fell off last time. I'll show you how to ride a chocobo!" A hint of cheer and dare could be heard as she spoke.
Aerith urged the chocobo into a sudden run and Sephiroth leant backwards as though falling off.
"Don't do that!" He yelled.
She laughed and pushed the chocobo into a harder run. Every now and then, she would feed it a Krakka Green to keep it's stamina up and was at the water's edge within a minute of starting off. She lead the chocobo around for a while before choosing the path to take across the water. She pushed him off the edge and started towards Midgar. As they rode over the waters, she heard Sephiroth grunt into his PHS.
"What's wrong?"
"We're out of range..."
"Oh...Well at least Rufus can't get to us right?"
Her hopes were shattered as the PHS reached its range and began to ring. "Yes?"
After a few grunts he passed the PHS over to Aerith. "It's your dear boyfriend Rufus."
She knew he enjoyed tormenting her, but when it came to Rufus, it wouldn't be tolerated. "You know as well as I do that bastard isn't my boyfriend Sephiroth!" She put the PHS to her ear. "Hello?"
"Oh Aerith...Are you alright? I wouldn't want the goods damaged or anything. So are you on your way back? Whereabouts are you both? I could send a chopper out to get you both back safely so you don't have to fight anymore monsters."
A frown of disgust touched her features as she replied unsure of whether or not he could hear such emotions over the PHS, "No. We're fine Rufus. We'll be there soon enough." With that, she hung up. "Gods he annoys the hell out of me."
"He is the president. After all, ShinRa died from a heart attack only a few months ago." Sephiroth pointed out as she gave the PHS back to his gloved hand.
"He's a perverted president. What does he think he's doing ordering SOLDIER around like that? And worst of all! Forcing me to date him!"
"I have heard many stories where you often tease those you love. You certainly seem to talk about him quite an amount..."
"That's just because he's an asshole." She flicked her hair allowing it to escape the prison of the beanie lashing out on Sephiroth. "Just because he's President ShinRa doesn't give him the right to do whatever he wants..."
"Well, ShinRa are rather influential, he has got a lot of power and women would kill to be in your position."
She grunted. "Like that's a great place..." She considered the idea further, "I'd rather be selling flowers on the streets of Midgar Slums then going out with him..."
"Best not to speak to soon Aerith. Always be careful what you wish for."
They arrived at Midgar and to her annoyance, Rufus was there waiting for them at the gate. Her spirits dwindled even further upon spying his blonde hair and blue eyes, the lithe frame hidden beneath those white things he wore. He waited for them to approach and as much as she wished she could just urge the chocobo into a run right away from him, she had to give him a debriefing.
"I trust the mission was successful. Neither of you are hurt I see. Now, I believe you owe me a date Miss Gainsborough."
"Sorry to interrupt your meeting again...But I need the Ancient." Hojo slunk up out of the shadows. The thought of spending time with either of them made her stomach churn yet Hojo was a better choice than the wandering eyes of Rufus. "I'll need them both actually." He began off, Aerith and Sephiroth both following closely behind.
"Looks like you got off your date then Gainsborough." Sephiroth taunted from behind her.
"Oh Aerith! I'll change the reservations to tomorrow. Is that suiting to your plans Professor?"
Hojo glanced over his shoulder. "I'll be needing them for far longer than that." He replied before opening the heavy steel doors of his underground laboratory. "Come along you two..."
They followed him into the lab and he indicated to two beds next to each other, which they both climbed onto and lay back. Hojo approached and strapped them down on each wrist, ankle and their foreheads. He walked around the lab chuckling to himself and soon left to gather something Aerith was sure she didn't want to know.
"What do you think he wants us both for?" Aerith asked trying her hardest to look over to Sephiroth, but even her Mako enhanced strength wasn't enough to destroy the grip held by the bonds.
"He'll be increasing our strength and skills. He has done it many times in the past, why do you think the strength of our bonds have increased?"
"I thought it was because of something else."
"At least you're no longer obligated to that date with Rufus."
"That goddamned pretty boy...I swear, if I ever get my hands on him..." Her arms twitched beneath the bonds.
"You've become stronger recently Gainsborough."
She stopped to consider what he had just spoken. "Was that a compliment I heard coming from the mouth of the Great Sephiroth himself? To me? His favourite form of humiliation?"
"I speak what I believe is true."
"I can never understand you." She did her best to shake her head but gave up as the strap rubbed harshly against her forehead. "What could he possible use on us to increase our strength or skills?"
"That my dear, is something I've been working on as of recently. I knew I couldn't put Jenova cells into you so I have created a synthetic form of them so they won't destroy your cells like the last attempt did. As for you Sephiroth, you will receive your usual injections." He chuckled further to himself and began to fill the hypodermic needles with a purplish fluid.
"How do you know that thing'll work for me? After all, I'm a Cetra."
"I have done simple research, taken cells from your body and reacted them with this. It will do nothing to you and will indeed work. Now just relax. There will be a small amount of pain..."
Aeris clenched her jaw as she felt the needle being pushed into her neck. Her eyes closed tightly, her eyebrows knitted together in unmistakable pain. Sweat beads glistened on her forehead as the drug began working almost immediately. She tightened her fists into balls and tried to pull out of the bonds. She heard something like a rip when something else landed heavily on her wrists.
"Not now my sweet Cetra..." Hojo frowned looking at her gentle face.
Her mako coloured eyes opened and she took a deep breath. She saw him move over to Sephiroth holding a needle filled with a similar fluid. She saw out of the corner of her eye Sephiroth flinch as the needle was inserted into his neck then released after the fluid was moved into his bloodstream.
"Now you will both be moved into the cell for observation." He said removing their bonds.
It seemed like a viable explanation to them both. Observation; the word resonated in Sephiroth's ears like alarm bells. Hojo locked the door behind them as Sephiroth figured what Hojo would be observing.
"Hojo! You bastard let me out of here!" Sephiroth ordered pounding with his new strength on the glass walls.
He chuckled again. "Now Sephiroth...You both need your rest. After all, you'll both have a busy day tomorrow." A smirk crossed his face and he pressed a button releasing a sleeping gas. Sephiroth and Aerith both tried to fight the gas' effects but both collapsed on the ground shortly afterwards.
Cloud opened his eyes to find a pair of emerald green eyes peering into his mako blue. "Are you alright?"
He groaned as he tried to sit up. "Where am I?" He asked discovering he was lying on a flower bed in front of a beautiful brunette looking at him with a smile playing upon her lips.
"You fell into my church. You're on my flower bed." She stood up and offered her hand for him. "My name is Aeris."
"I'm Cloud." He said taking it and pulling himself up onto his feet. He looked around the church after getting off her flower bed trying hard not to crush any more flowers than he already had. "Where are we?"
"This is Sector 6." She smiled. "Are you feeling better?"
"Oh, yes." He nodded. "How did you get the flowers to grow here? There's almost no sun in Sector 6..."
She giggled a little bit. "Oh, they just grow here. I'm the only one who can make them grow."
"..." He looked at her with the smile upon her face, her emerald green eyes shone with a happiness he couldn't understand, but nevertheless, it was infectious and he soon smiled too.
"Hey...I saved your life. How about a favour?" She teased.
"A favour? What did you have in mind?"
She looked at him, her actions suspicious. "How about...You be my body guard?"
"Body guard?" He frowned then nodded. "Alright then. I'll be your body guard."
No sooner had he said that then the door suddenly burst open and in came the Turk Reno. Aeris hurried to hide behind Cloud. The red headed Turk flicked the red ratty pony tail over his shoulder as his companion joined him.
"Turks..." Cloud hissed ready to draw his sword, but he felt a hand on his realising it was Aeris.
"Move aside Spike. We're only after the girl."
"Cloud..." She whispered in a desperate plea.
Without any further hesistation, he pulled her into the back of the church, the Turks not following immediately after them. "Is there another way out of here?"
"Yeah...Follow me." She began climbing up to the roof.
"We follow them. We have to get Aeris." Reno said before walking over to the flower bed. "Oh, and mind the flowers." He walked across the flower bed crushing several blooms beneath his feet.
"But you -" Rude's protest was in vain as Reno was already closely behind the escaping couple. He shook his head and carefully wound his way through the church trying not to step on the flowers.
Aeris indicated to a leaning pillar and Cloud began to climb, Aeris close behind before she misjudged a chip. She slid backwards and fell screaming for Cloud before she landed in the awaiting arms of Reno who saluted Cloud. "Don't worry Spike, we'll take good care of her."
With that the two Turks left the Church with Aeris trying to punch Reno with her weak fists. "Where are you taking me?"
"Hojo has to check up on his clones..."
What did you think? Reviews and flames are welcomed. It'll help me decide whether or not to continue with the fic if I get more flames or no comments at all...