This idea just popped into my mind while I was listening to Sephiroth's battle theme. I don't know Sephiroth's character all that well, so don't gripe if it doesn't sound like him. Also, an enormous apology goes out to PurpleRoses for taking much too long to finish this story. Anyone who enjoys this story, thank her for forcing me to complete it.
Deep underground, in a crystal cave hidden away from the world, she slept. It was by his work that she was put there, but his messenger-- the brazen, delusional one-- had taken for himself the right to set her in her resting place. He had not given his messenger this right, nor had he wanted to discipline the fool by murdering his own loved one.
However, it did not matter. The messenger was busy with his feeble task-- counteracting his master's design, setting about the world to find the Holy Materia. His love unattended, the master was free to do as he pleased. And he was indeed pleased. Sephiroth stopped before the crumbling city of the Ancients. This is where I belong, yet somehow I do not belong. I am exiled by circumstances-- nothing more than lineage, really-- and by his stubbornness. Sephiroth passed a weary, tearful eye over the seashell homes. He listened to the wind as it howled a frightened note; it knew of its impending doom. The world was aware of its imminent death. My love, I have returned for you. He stomped his way defiantly up the dusty road that led to the glistening cave.
Inside the cave he scowled at the walls, at the ceiling, at all that laid before him. His reflection leered back at him in the milky waters, and upon his sword shone a dim reflection of a reflection. This place reeked of naïve optimism and hopeless ideals. So fantastic were these ideals and optimism that it seemed to soak into the walls and make them soft. The world around Sephiroth was watery with superficial hope. Only at his feet, at the depths of the lake, could he find his solidity. Only with Aeris could he find integrity in himself. "I did not want to take your life, Aeris. I wanted to make you mine. We would have been the last, the greatest, beings of this planet. But Cloud could not control himself, so I had to consecrate our existence as soul mates before he could. I would not then, nor will I now, allow him to eternally bond with you. You are mine. I am yours."
Relaxing his grip on his hilt, but never dropping his weapon, he retrieved a small black ribbon from his pocket. He wrapped the ribbon around his wrist and tied it securely. Casting a softened glare into the water, he trudged through the murky pool until he was submerged to his waist. Looking across the surface again, he searched for his beacon resting at the bottom of the lake. If I must hunt you down I will. Inhaling through his nostrils, he plunged underneath the thick surface of the pool and stroked gracefully through the water. His eyes stung as sand and dust scratched them, but he dared not blink. As he descended further into the lake his lungs began to burn and his limbs ached from swimming. Despite his taxing labors and waxing discomfort, he would not forfeit until he found her.
The irritation of his eyes too great, he finally blinked, but as he did so a dark mass passed the corner of his eye. Was that her? Curious and more determined now that ever before, he urged his limbs to carry him closer to the mysterious object. With his final efforts he drew near it, only to discover it was a rough boulder. He cursed to himself as he felt the last of his consciousness fade. Twisting about in the water, he allowed himself to sink to the base, lying on the muddy depths and awaiting death. At least I will be near you.
In languor his head fell to the side, and his last breath left his chest. His vision, clouded by eminent death and swirling sand, detected another mass sprawled on the mud near him. His waning mind perked, and he fought to get near this new discovery. Immediately he recognized the crimson vest and pink blouse. He took her arm up in his gentle grasp, musing over her fair skin. Placing a soft kiss on her still hand, he pulled himself over his love and uttered a silent promise, "Let us go back to the world, where we can be one perfect entity, one consciousness aware only our strength in each other." He wrapped his arms about her stiff, frail waist and lifted her from the muddy bank. In his strain he recalled his exhaustion and he collapsed next to her, unable to move. Does it end here? he asked himself in despair.
All about him, a thunderous voice reverberated its response. No. It does not. You must live on. Live with your love. The voice of Jenova pressed new life into Sephiroth, commanding him to rise and carry his burden from this dank grave. He gladly partook of his regeneration and pushed his way through the thick water until he could feel the cold air washing over his face. "We made it, love." He drew her closer in a possessive embrace, smiling at her upturned face staring at the ceiling. Her extremities swayed limply as he tugged her back to the white bank and laid her out on the dirt path. Her pale skin glowed in the light, unmarred even in death, and her wound had been washed clean by the water of the lake as she rested. She was as beautiful now as she ever was, but now she held a serene peace-- a calming stillness-- in her being.
"All that is left is to make you whole again," Sephiroth stated with melancholy as the ends of his lips were tugged down. "And give you life, I shall." He checked the knot of the ribbon tied to his forearm. Unsatisfied, he undid the knot and moved it further up his arm, then pulled it taught and retied it. Next, he folded his sleeve back up to the ribbon, exposing his pallid skin. Taking his sword in his free hand, he deftly slashed his exposed wrist open. For a time he stared at the blood run down his arm and fall in droplets to the ground. His fascination slowly vanished, and he remembered what he intended to do. Holding his arm carefully, twisting it from side to side to prevent spilling any more blood on the ground, he came to stand over Aeris. He looked down at her with longing eyes and murmured, "With the blood of Jenova, I give you life. May Her cells repair you and make you perfect once again."
He turned his arm over and the blood fell freely upon her wound, pooling inside the deep gash and filling the space between the severed flesh. As the blood clotted together it began working on its new host. The cells were assimilating this new body, and soon, once they had control, would reanimate the body. The cells made contact with her heart and sparked new life into it. Her face began to regain its slight rosy color, and the curves of her body filled in slightly with renewed life.
A single breath crossed her lips. Now the miracle was done, and Sephiroth shed a silent tear in awe at his own work. She moaned and stirred, stretching her muscles. Her entire body tingled from lack of blood. To rid herself of this sensation she rolled back and forth in the dirt a couple times, pausing to rest her atrophied muscles occasionally and breathing heavily. Finally, she opened her eyes to stare up at a beautiful man with flowing silver hair. The first detail about him she noticed was how his wet hair gathered into lumps that hung over his face. Next she noticed his gleeful smile, a mixture of joy and insanity, and by her motherly nature she urged to nurture him. Only when she began to lift her arms to embrace him did she remember that she was once dead, and as she realized this she recognized the man standing above her to be none other than Sephiroth.
She recoiled, pulling her arms tight to her chest, and cried in emotional agony. Why am I here? What has happened to me? She pleaded wordlessly. All I can remember right now, all I can think of, is Cloud. Tears streamed down her face to the ground and she sobbed bitterly. Hurt by the sight, Sephiroth wiped a few tears from her cheeks. She rejected his touch and rolled to the side, crying more intensely.
"Do you not remember me, Aeris?"
Glaring up at him, she spat, "Of course I remember you! You were the one to--" Her voice faltered at the thought of dying and being reborn. He had defiled her eternal sleep, and now she would have to live on in suffering until she could come to rest again. "You were the one to kill me. Sephiroth, why did you bring me back?" He stared at her, contemplating his answer. "I hate you, Sephiroth. Why bring me back?"
His shoulders sagged with the burden of disappointment and sorrow. "Can you not see that you and I are alike? Have you not felt as though you were an outcast from the other adventurers you traveled with? Did you not feel closer bonds to me than you did someone as volatile and pathetic as Cloud?" Eyes brimming with tears, Aeris shook her head. Sephiroth threw his hands to his face, shouting in frustration. He turned away to walk down the path he stood on, then whipped around to plead frantically with her. "Please understand! I love none other than you, Aeris." He knelt beside her and took up one of her hands. "Please," he begged once more. Furious, she drew her hand back and ran it across his face. She expected him to react hostilely, but rather he stared at her with heartbroken eyes. He wept silently, pleading again. Seeing him tortured invoked a need in Aeris to help him, but she knew it was not wise to leave oneself unguarded near Sephiroth.
There was something different about this man before her though, something sincere and honest. Perhaps he is trust-worthy after all, she began to think. Gingerly, with utmost caution, she wiped a tear from his cheek. She was amazed at the touch of his skin. It was much softer than she would have expected from someone of his likes. Her opinion swayed even further, and she felt a sudden hope to possibly reform him under her care. Yet there was a slight irregularity in his character that frightened her and forced her to restrain herself from touching him too much, either physically or emotionally. With every shift or twitch he made she flinched, and though a smile had been spreading on his face it now rapidly began to fade, replaced with a grim, resentful frown.
"Why do you not accept me?" he asked, slightly angry.
She shook her head defensively. "No, that's not the case! I just-- I just feel a little weak right now. I need to stretch." That was a lie. She did in fact feel uneasy being so close to him, and she needed time to think over what was happening. Then a thought hit her with renewed impact, I've already died, and he's the one that killed me! I can't allow him to continue harming others to satisfy his own ends. I need to stop him somehow. She smiled weakly at him, trying to hide her intentions. Placing her hands at her sides she shoved off of the ground in an effort to rise, and though it pained her immensely she managed to get to her feet. Sephiroth offered to help her maintain her balance, but she declined with a note of panic in her voice. As his suspicion grew and his stares became more inquisitive her composure quickly collapsed to reveal a frantic and distraught wariness of his actions.
Perhaps she is too shaken to see this as it is for now, he thought to himself. In a few minutes she will begin to understand that she should be happy with me, and that this is for the better. As Aeris stumbled about Sephiroth offered her his hand again to help her stay erect. "You do not have to do so much alone. Let me help you." She declined and turned away from him, trying either to hold back her frightened tears or shed a few quickly before he could see her crying. In the end her emotions got the best of her and she began crying openly, sobbing loudly enough to be heard. She knew he would not be pleased, and that he would strike her or do some other harmful act, but before he could do such she stumbled over a rock in the path and fell to the ground screaming in pain. Sephiroth rushed to her side and gently rolled her onto her back. He then began to massage the sprained ankle and explained to her that she was too fragile to be getting injured so soon. The massage was relaxing, but Aeris noted how tight his grip was.
"That's enough, thank you," she tried to say politely, but her voice wavered again. She silently cursed herself for acting suspicious.
Sephiroth tightened his grip even further. His breathing quickened and his nostrils flared. He grumbled and moaned in dissatisfaction, becoming increasingly irate with Aeris. He rose to his feet and stormed off to sort out his thoughts, pressing his hands to his face in frustration. A sensation caught his attention, a sticky wet feeling on his face, and he remembered the self-inflicted wound on his arm. After so many sacrifices she still denies me? At wit's end he rushed back to her, taking up her ankle again and thrusting out his bleeding arm. "Look what I've done for you! I have hurt myself countless times just to bring the two of us together again! Surely you would not reject me after all I've done for you?"
"You have done nothing for me!" she snapped back. "True you have brought me back, but that was certainly nothing I ever wanted from you." She turned away from him, painfully twisting her ankle in his grip. "Please, just leave me alone." He released her and slowly moved backward, his vexation worsening. His lips quivered, and his limbs felt weak. The sturdy foundation of his mind began to collapse, and he could hear raspy breathing from creatures hidden away in the shadows-- creatures that sneered and mocked, and crept closer to him, until they would be upon him. They would ravish his flesh and gorge on his bones, leaving nothing of him in their wake. He knew that if he did not gain her favor, they would certainly not leave even the slightest wisp of him, and for that he began to panic.
What can I do? What could possibly make her see that she needs to be with me? that she is powerless without me? He tightened and relaxed his grip on the hilt of the Masamune, working the hard leather around in his hands. At last, he found the solution he sought. "I'll take you to your old village, so that you may see the home of your mother! Surely that would satisfy you!"
"No, Sephiroth! I won't have any of this!" Aeris scorned him like a dog, taking a reprimanding tone of voice. He lashed back, running his hand against her pale cheek. She fell backward in surprise, touching her face gently as she stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. He loomed over her and again demanded that she go with him. Turning bold once more, she replied, "No, Sephiroth! No! No! No! I won't ever cooperate with you, for as long as I live!"
His head dropped in solemn rage, and he muttered, "I can think of one way to fix that." Sensing his malignant intent, Aeris shuffled backward in retreat. Sephiroth raised his sword up high over his head and brought it down at her ankles-- a warning strike. The sharp steel sliced her leg open, allowing a small flow of blood to trickle freely. Yelping out in pain, Aeris struggled to her feet and tried to run. Sephiroth was quick to ready himself for the next blow, and, taking careful aim, severed a slender piece of flesh from her shoulder. Her scream echoed against the limestone walls, rippling the surface of the water and sending shivers through Sephiroth's spine. Momentarily disgusted at himself, Sephiroth stepped back a few paces and peered intently at Aeris. Is this what I wanted? Have I brought her back, only to murder her once again? Frightened, Aeris held her hands up before herself in defense. Backing away toward the mouth of the cave, she pleaded him to let her go. No. Look at how pathetic she is. I should not have ever allowed her to disgrace this land any longer. He raised his hands and threw his head back to the sky in veneration of his creator and cried,"Oh, Jenova! Absolve me of my mistake, and accept this sacrifice as my atonement." Fully aware of his intentions, Aeris forced herself to her feet and desperately limped toward the soft white sands of the city outside. Her ankle gave out under her weight, and as she tried to catch herself her arm buckled from the pain in her shoulder. Her voice went hoarse as she screamed out again in a mixture of agony and terror. She extended her arm out to crawl away, desperately trying to escape. At the sound of steel striking stone, her arm jerked and fell limp. Sephiroth knelt over her as he slid his blade free from her back. Scowling disdainfully, he wiped the weapon clean and laid it on the ground. He carried the lifeless woman to the lake and discarded her to its depths.
"Good bye, my love."