Chapter Five: Scary Reunion
One hand tightened the other hand's fitting glove.
Metal jingled every time he walked. One would have to ask themselves: How can he fight in that get up? But none ask.
Layered dark brown tresses were combed back easily in the Coliseum breeze.
Squall Leonhart was there to fight and with a rooting crowd to back him up, Yuffie and Aerith. Today was the opening of the Pegasus Cup and Leon was ready for anything, even Yuffie was going to enter but not Aerith, she liked to stick with her "Love and Peace" motto. The three all walked up to the lobby doors and Leon gave them a good push.
"Welcome! Guessin' you're Leon? And Yuffie?" Phil had his roster chart whipped out and ready with a pencil in the other hand, his goat-frame stood upon the single pillar within the lobby with Leon and Yuffie talking to him. Aerith on the other hand aimlessly looked around at the intricately made lobby room and could hear the other spectators and fighters in the fighting arena from the dark hallway.
"Aerith? You ready?" Yuffie snapped Aerith out of her little trance, the young woman then followed the ninja and partially silent man into the arena.
Riku swung around his new sword, which Hercules gave to him. It was a simple short-sword with a leather-wrapped hilt and silver guard. Sephiroth leaned on the door way with Masamune across his back and watched Riku warm-up in his cell before going down to greet the people.
"Do you think you'll win?" Riku asked, however it was harder to talk to Sephiroth since now he knew the whole truth behind those mako eyes. Sephiroth made a 'hmm' sound.
"Of course." He replied to the teen's question with a neutral voice. Riku then stopped swinging his sword in a downward motion and turned to Sephiroth, the older man pushed off of the door panel and walked down the corridor with Riku behind him. "So," Riku began. "Are you going to go up against Cloud?"
"If he makes it up to me."
"Would you...Would you try and kill him?" Riku's words struck Sephiroth but he kept walking to show that he was unmoved, but, when coming to the light at the end of the stairs to the coliseum he turned to Riku with those glowing hues.
"In a coliseum you are made to fight, it only matters if his soul and body gives up." Sephiroth then turned back down the stairs and entered into the bright light of the coliseum. Riku sighed and quickly followed suit.
She froze.
"S-Sephiroth...?" Aerith muttered to herself and stared right at the six foot one figure. Her killer, though not successful and... "You're still alive...But..." Aerith stood up and started to walk up the stone steps, unable to watch anymore as the crowd coaxed and jeered for their favorite warrior. Then, that soft leather boot stopped on a step, her gaze turning back to Sephiroth, the One-Winged Angel only gazed around with a cold stare then sat down at the benches where the other fighters were. Aerith blinked: He didn't see me...Cautiously turning Aerith then returned to her seat and stared right at the back of Sephiroth's silvery head.
The first battle that brought the Pegasus Cup to a beginning was a match between Artiel and Leon.
"Match One! Artiel Decus and Squall Leonhart!"
A mumble of "That's Leon." was made after Phil had said his announcement from the brown headed Gunblade wielder. Artiel still wore his simple attire and flicked his halberd into both hands, those fingers tightening against the wooden shaft of the pike, he moved back and fro on his feet and looked at Leon. Leon stood still that Gunblade boredly over his right shoulder and dark blue eyes staring right back into Artiel's hazel hues.
Like that Leon did a side-step and leapt forward, that arm gave a shrug while those arms did a heave downward with his Gunblade ready to slice into Artiel's arm. But, Artiel was ready and slammed his halberd downward making the Gunblade swerve off it's target and Leon stepped back, though, his feet then made him go back into heavy combat with Artiel.
Sephiroth watched Leon's every movement intently. His footing and swings of that Gunblade were clean and neat, Sephiroth commented to himself in his head but still wasn't impressed, he knew Leon wouldn't last that long against the great ex-general. Sephiroth could also tell that Leon was going to win this match. Riku sat next to Sephiroth and watched in awe like one of the spectators rather than watching how Leon swung his Gunblade and thinking that the swing could have been stronger, he would blink at times then glanced at Sephiroth who folded his arms over his chest and boredly sighed.
"You're actually bored?" Riku asked, surprise mostly devouring that question. Sephiroth bowed his head and looked away from the fight and down at his thick boots with raised heels.
"Yes, I am. Leon can be easily read: His moves either are downward swings or left-to-right swings with some Fire magic here and there -- To please the crowd. Artiel's pike can only go forward or downward. Phil is poor at choosing fighting partners." Riku only looked back to the battle and before you know it Leon did win.
Walking up in his casual stride Riku scooted over a tad to give Leon some room to sit down, he was panting and sweat beaded down the side of his face. His Gunblade rested across his lap with the hilt to Riku, those icy blue eyes studied it more carefully: The trigger right under the handgun like hilt with a key chain of a lion's head that matched Leon's necklace. Riku would try and strike up a conversation with Leon since now the two new fighters were getting ready with Phil yelling into his loud-speaker.
"You're pretty good fighter. I never seen a weapon like that, either." Riku's beginning line. Leon traced a smirk across his lips and allowed his gloved hand to wipe off some of the flecks of dust on the gray-colored blade.
"It's called a Gunblade, only one other person can wield it." Leon replied, his tone mono and suggesting some emotion, perhaps a off-memory when one is thinking back of better days -- Or worse.
"Whose that?" Riku flickered up his gaze to Leon's face and saw that long line across his forehead in between his eyes, it was a scar all right and moved when he frowned faintly.
"A man named Seifer. No one of great importance."
"Riku," Sephiroth, for the first time, addressed Riku by his name rather than "boy". "It's rude to ask people about their past world."
Suddenly, Yuffie came jogging up and whispered into Leon's ear. Leon glanced to Sephiroth who only kept looking down at the ground then to Riku. "Excuse me, Riku." Leon then stood up with his Gunblade heaved over one shoulder and walked up the bleachers with a distressed Yuffie, Riku watched in confusion then turned back to the battle between a knight and a berserker.
"Wonder what happened..." Riku muttered, then Sephiroth added: "Nothing of your concern." But, Sephiroth knew by that glance Leon gave him.
Aerith fidgeted with her hands and paced the corridor, light reached only a mere fraction in the inside with people's roaring cheers echoing inside like waves. Yuffie watched her friend pace the ground in worry with Leon leaning on a wall with arms folded trying to think things over.
"Leon was sitting right next to him, too!" Yuffie finally peeped out. Aerith nodded and stopped pacing her green gaze falling upon Leon who still kept silent. "How come you didn't punch him then and there, Leon?!" Yuffie got into Leon's face, the Gunblade wielder only gently pushed Yuffie back and replaced his arms back into a fold with a shrug.
"Too many people. There was a boy with him, too. His name was Riku." Leon commented, a glance given to Aerith, then went back to Yuffie. "Maybe Sephiroth is his mentor...So, maybe he changed."
"Never! Sephiroth will always be evil." Aerith butted in and had to keep in those tears of fright. Yuffie groaned and placed a half-gloved hand unto her shuriken strapped against her back. "Well, lets take him out now! C'mon, Leon." Yuffie started to walk back to the bleachers, but Leon's echoing voice stopped her.
"Yuffie, no. We will wait after the Tournament to confront him. Aerith, stay here if you need to." Once saying that last line he looked back to Aerith and pushed off the wall, grabbing his Gunblade, he nodded and left, but Yuffie stayed here and swiftly walked up to Aerith. Trying to comfort her. "Don't worry, Aerith, we'll get him! I'll stay here with you if you like."
When walking down the steps Leon saw that Riku was up and fighting a stealthy fighter but kept up a good pace. Leon then returned to his seat at the front bleachers -- And right next to Sephiroth. The One-Winged Angel twitched his wing then relaxed keeping a hawk-eye upon Riku. Leon leaned forward to make his elbows rest on his thighs with his Gunblade leaning up against the stone bench.
"She's still alive." Leon suddenly mumbled. Sephiroth barely caught it.
"Excuse me?"
"You know, her. She is still alive." Leon repeated, a tad more clearly. Sephiroth blinked started to breath shallowly and swallowed hard.
"...Aerith." Sephiroth said under his breath, Leon nodded and didn't make the slightest eye contact with Sephiroth.
"Yeah. I want to see you after the tournament."
Sephiroth only nodded, most disturbance was upon his expression and he suddenly felt the need to get up and get into some shade.
Riku glanced to Sephiroth and noticed him walking off -- His heart sank. Then, one of the fighter's knives almost got him in the arm, doing a quick leapt to a side and slashing his sword down Riku managed to escape from a cut to the arm and gathered up his concentration instead of wasting it on thinking why Sephiroth just got up and left. Riku then twirled around and slashed downward making the fighter loose his twin knives -- And loose. Everyone cheered, even Leon clapped, but Riku really wanted Sephiroth's approval more than anything right now.
The One-Winged Angel rested both hands upon the stoned-stacked wall and pressed his weight into his arms, trying to relax his tension. He stood near the stairs to the fighters cells', a soft breeze came up and brushed up into his intricately cut trench coat. He then folded his arms against the wall and leaned his head upon the cold stone looking down at the tiled floor.
"Fate...A cruel thing. Why? Is being in this Hellhole not a good enough sin already?" He asked himself, bitterly spitting it out and sighing.
"What're you talking about?"
"Leave, Strife." Sephiroth inwardly groaned.
"Right..." Cloud turned back to his dark spot, awaiting for his name to be called, and right on cue it was...Sephiroth then blinked and pushed off the wall grabbing at Cloud's shoulder and pulling him back so he could murmur into his rival's ear.
"She's here, Strife. Your angel, your love. She is well alive with her little group." Letting go of Cloud's shoulder Cloud just stood there studying the tiled floor, then shook his head, and slowly walked out with his cape dancing behind him. Sephiroth leaned on the wall and watched Cloud move out unto the battle arena with Buster sword kept in one hand, wrapped in those white bandages.
Cloud looked every where in the bleachers. No sign of a young woman in a pink dress with long, brown hair. He sighed and turned his gaze upon his opponent. He lied...Of course. Don't fall into his traps again.
Riku went off in search of Sephiroth, and quickly found him since the first spot Riku looked was at the entrance of the fighters' dwellings. Sephiroth's gaze glanced to Riku standing there then back to the shadow the teenager made from the high Olympus Coliseum sun.
"Why'd you leave?" Riku stepped closer, slightly annoyed. Sephiroth pushed off the wall and actually knelt down to Riku's height.
"Boy...I told you about my past...However." Sephiroth swallowed. "There is one more thing...You need to know."
Riku looked back into Sephiroth's eyes, those matching ice blue eyes that Riku found baffling: A person who just looks like him. Then...Riku saw the tension relax and all of that weight Sephiroth was carrying upon his shoulders disappear.
A/N- Oooo, cliffhanger. Sorry for the delay: Had a writer's block. Also, I'm thinking on making a Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children one-shot story, so, if you've seen the English trailer (which rocks!) you should give it a look once I post it up.
Thank you's go out to our newest readers and old ones who posted, too:
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I'll see you guys in the next chapter! ;)