2. The Battle!
Aeris nearly walked straight into Sephiroths back as he'd halted right outside the door.
Stumbling to a halt, she gazed quizzically up at him, "something wrong?"
The silver haired man shook his head barely visibly, but his eyes had a restless look. Like he wanted to do or say something, but didn't know how.
Biting her lower lip, Aeris followed his flickering gaze and slow realisation dawned on her as she saw what his eyes kept returning to.
Poking the tip of her boot into the snow, Aeris cleared her throat discreetly, "I know we have to leave right away, but... I wont nag at all if we can just stop one second at the candy store..."
Sephiroth's eyes shot over at her, piercing her. "We don't have time to play your silly games! We're leaving! Now!"
She watched as he strode off in his usual impossibly long strides, and sighed before following.
This was not going to be easy.
They'd soon walked for hours through the snow covered land, and Aeris found that she was endlessly grateful for the warm jacket. Arms firmly wrapped around herself and collar pulled in snugly around her neck, Aeris managed to keep from complaining about the cold.
She was more than a little amazed that Sephiroth didn't seem affected by the low temperature at all, showing no signs of feeling any discomfort.
Was he even human anymore?
The silence had given her a lot of time to think and the more she considered her situation, the more depressed she got. There was no way she could win this fight. Not in such a short time!
Lost in her gloom, Aeris was completely unprepared for the harsh grip on her arm and she promptly lost balance.
Choking a startled yelp as she fell flat on her behind, she was unable to keep the terror out of her eyes as she gazed up at Sephiroth. Was this it? He'd decided to kill her. It's was over. She had failed. Everything was going to be destroyed, even hope.
However, she quickly realised his eyes weren't even on her, despite having drawn the Masamune, but focused on something in front of them...
Slowly turning her head, Aeris gasped and scrambled backwards until her back was against Sephiroths legs and away from the huge monster looming over them.
"Oh, dear Planet..." She whimpered silently, wishing with everything in her that she had one of her staffs, if just for the false feeling of having something to protect herself with.
"Stay here," Sephiroth demanded calmly, not taking his eyes of the monster. "This wont take long."
Stuttering, Aeris stared from the monster to the former general, "I... I can help..."
Sephiroth snorted haughtily, not dignifying her offer with a look, "stay where you wont be in my way, girl!"
Stuttering again, this time with both worry and offence, Aeris could only watch as Sephiroth stepped forward and lifted the Masamune in front of himself.
And in the middle of being scared out of her wits, frozen half to death and fuming with offence, Aeris felt awe sink over her like a blanket.
Sephiroth moved with deadly grace, eyes sharp and focused with Masamune like an extended part of his own body. His slender and musculature body danced over the snow, silver hair swimming softly in the air and death flowing through Sephiroths veins.
Dear Planet, he was beautiful...
The monster roared and lashed after the former general, but Sephiroth had no problems dodging the attack and Masamune was soon soaked with blood, snow melting when hit with the red spray.
Turning back to her as the monster fell, Sephiroth pulled out a cloth and wiped the Masamune clean while walking back to her, "get up."
Aeris was still staring.
He wasn't even out of breath, his hair looking as sleek as before he'd fought a monster twice his own size and his eyes deadly calm.
Slowly getting up on her feet, Aeris absently brushed the snow off herself, "that... was amazing."
Eyes narrowing, Sephiroth holstered the Masamune and turned to continue on his journey, "I've spent my entire life learning to fight and kill. I need a bigger challenge."
After the fight, Sephiroth fell quiet and was lost in thoughts as his legs moved by their own will.
Mother was pulling at him again.
The fight had left him energized and with a craving for more blood, but there was no time for that now. He had to move quickly, feeling the puppet and it's friends being on his trail, his pace not lessening as the hours passed.
He heard the girl try to talk to him a few times, but wasn't able to answer. His head was starting to ache, and random thoughts were getting harder to dismiss. Surges of paranoia came in waves and a strange laughter was echoing in the back of his head. His own laughter.
He wasn't going crazy, Sephiroth mentally chanted to himself, he was NOT going crazy!
Suddenly his instincts warned him of danger and Sephiroth quickly leaned to his left, feeling an object shoot pass his head.
Hand on Masamune, he spun around, only to barely avoid the second object swishing pass his neck, grazing his hair. It was no small surprise to find his hostage as the culprit, but Sephiroth had known it would only be a matter of time before she began to fight him. That time was obviously now. Well, she would find him very hard to kill!
Sephiroth was about to pull out the Masamune when Aeris launched another attack and this time he barely avoided getting hit in the middle of his face... by a snowball.
"What the devil do you think you're doing?!" He snapped angrily, his hand releasing the hilt of his sword, "has your brain frozen completely?"
Aeris huffed, patting the third snowball in her hands, "I don't like being ignored!"
Hardly believing his ears, Sephiroth tilted his head, "well, obviously you've gotten a taste for being killed! You don't just throw things!"
"Oh?" Aeris raised a challenging eyebrow, feeling the weight of the snowball in one hand, "afraid of a little snowball fight?"
Sephiroth had to sneer a chuckle at the absurdity, "I don't have time for childish acts such as..." And then he had to duck under the snowball hurled at him.
Straightening, he gazed sternly at her. "Right." And as Aeris dropped to her knees to gather snow, he did the same.
He'd teach her to challenge him! Bah, he'd never lost a war!
Sephiroth quickly realised he had two disadvantages.
One, he'd never actually made a snowball before...
Two, the girl was not waiting to throw hers until he'd figured out how to make his!
A quick jump to his side saved Sephiroth from the first flying attack, but also resulted in him squeezing his own snowball too hard and it crumbled between his fingers.
Cursing, he grasped new hands fulls of snow and angrily packed them together.
Side-stepping yet another snowball flying pass him, Sephiroth was looking doubtful at the compact lump of ice in his hand, somehow feeling that he'd created more of a deadly weapon than a harmless snowball.
Sephiroth dropped the ball, gathered once again snow and gave another try. A little more gentle with the pressure and he found himself gazing proudly at the nothing short of perfect snowball in his hand!
With a triumphant look, Sephiroth glanced over at his soon to be victim and blinked puzzled. What on earth was she doing?!
Aeris was lying on all fours and used both her hands to dig into the snow, stealthily creating a small hill of snow between her and Sephiroth.
She might be faster than him to make snowballs, but he had the reflexes of a snow-cat and would counter attack soon enough! She needed cover!
Pure luck made her duck as a snowball grazed her head and Aeris squeaked with surprise. Dear Planet, he was good!
Adrenaline was pumping as she quickly made a snowball, poked her head up and sent it flying towards Sephiroth, huffing as she saw he didn't even bother to seek cover and merely side stepped her attack again!
Oh yeah? She thought, ducking down to make two more snowballs, let's see how you handle this then, Mr High and mighty!
Popping up again, Aeris didn't flinch as a snowball grazed her shoulder, but sent her first snowball at Sephiroth and waited a heartbeat before launching the second.
She held her breath as she saw him dodge the first, and her heart jumped as she saw his eyes widen slightly when he sighted the second he hadn't calculated would come.
With impossible speed, the former general managed to avoid the hit to his chest, but Aeris cheered as the snowball hit his arm to Sephiroths great disbelief.
Waving her arms and laughing satisfied, Aeris did a little victory dance. "Got you!"
The silver haired man shook the snow off his arm and slowly gazed over at her, choking her laughter with one look.
Squeaking, Aeris ducked down into her little fort and franticly began to make snowballs. Oh no... He was after revenge now...
Her heart was hammering as she peered over the edge and she gasped softly as she didn't see him. Sephiroth had vanished.
Ducking into her fort again, Aeris turned to sit with her back against the edge and gazed nervously around, waiting for the ambush as she clutched the snowball close.
A few agonizing minutes later, she couldn't stand it anymore and peered over the edge again... instantly awarded with a snowball in her face.
Luckily it was a soft one, but the cold sent a shock through her and she yelped as she fell straight on her behind.
Shaking her head, Aeris blinked hard and focused her eyes just in time to see Sephiroth crouching on top of her little snow hill with a smirk on his handsome face.
"Gottcha," he smirked, arms resting on his knees.
Aeris huffed, raising an eyebrow, "don't get too confident, Mr Smarty Pants!"
His eyes widened comically as she yanked up the snowball she had protected from her fall and she threw it before he could react.
The impact on his shoulder made him loose balance as well, and Sephiroth landed rather ungracefully on his behind to a thrilled laughter from Aeris.
The shock on his face made her laugh even harder, and Aeris grasped a hand full of snow and tossed it at him, "I win!"
Snorting, Sephiroth grasped a hand full snow as well, returning the favor by tossing it at her, "did not!"
Aeris got up on her knees, "did too!"
Sephiroth lazily measured her, "did not. I got a full hit before you got me. The game was over when you cheated."
Gasping, Aeris felt anger rise through her, "I did NOT cheat! There are no such rules, and you know it!"
Shrugging, Sephiroth brushed away some snow from his knee, "in a real fight my hit would have killed you."
Aeris had never cheated once in her life, and no way was she going to be accused of it by someone who was trying to destroy the world!
"You better take that back," she warned, eyes narrow with thoughts of revenge.
The silverhaired man lifted his chin slightly, smugly confident, "or what...?"
Drawing a deep breath, Aeris closed her eyes and began shoveling massive amounts of snow in Sephiroths general direction, and was smugly satisfied to hear the muffled sound of surprise.
Sephiroth wasn't prepared for the minor blizzard that hit him, and it took him two seconds to gather himself enough to scramble to his feet and ward of the snow.
His mind was reeling at the sudden attack, and by all standards it made no sense!
The girl had lost! And even if she decided to not play by the rules, she had no chance of defeating him so why bother?
Years of military training and strategic knowledge defied what she was doing, and Sephiroth saw no other option...
He dropped to his knees again and began shoveling back with a vengeance!
It was then he noticed the laughter. The girls laughter. And someone else was laughing with her.
It was him. Only... his laughter did sound like his. Light and warm, it sounded like a strangers. But it felt so good...
Sephiroth suddenly dove through the miniature blizzard and pulled the startled girl along as he fell beside her, "you loose!"
He heard her squeak in surprise, but was once again baffled as she refused to give up and began shoving snow at his chest and face.
Cursing softly, Sephiroth grasped her wrists, rolling half-way over her to keep her down as he pinned her hands over her head, "you lost! Realise it!"
Huffing for air, he gazed down into her sparkling eyes, and was a little surprised to find no trace of anger or defeat in them. It was like it didn't matter at all to her...
In fact, she seemed more interested in studying his face and Sephiroth felt a little nervous.
"What?" He snapped uneasily, feeling snow melt in his neck soak his collar.
The girl tilted her head, a smile on her lips, "Sephiroth...?"
Why was his heart picking up it's pace? Why did his nerves tingle? What was this hyper sensitiveness to his skin?
Sephiroth swallowed hard, "yes...?"
Letting her eyes wander over his features, she then put up a pleading face, "can I braid your hair?"
Sephiroth blinked.
He released her like she was suddenly the most dangerous creature on the planet, not him, and sat up abruptly, "What-NO!"
Sitting up as well, the girl began to brush snow off herself, "why not? Pretty please?"
The former general got up on his feet, waving a frustrated hand at her, "forget it! Braid your own hair!"
She gazed up at him, running her hands meaningfully over her twisted braid.
Huffing, Sephiroth tossed his silver hair back over his shoulder, "I said forget it."
Obviously disappointed, the girl got up as well, still brushing off snow and he couldn't help but to notice the rosy colour in her cheeks and her trembling lips.
Oh no... she wasn't going to cry?!
Sephiroth was about to snap for her to gather herself and grow up when he noticed her hands trembling as well and the wet hair clinging to her pale skin.
"You're freezing," he stated, scolding himself for forgetting that everyone wasn't immune to the cold as he was.
Shaking her head, the girl tried to act brave as usual, "n-no, I'm fine."
Sephiroth snorted, "liar." He glanced into the horizon, "I think there's a cabin up ahed... We'll rest there."
The girl stomped her foot, glaring at him, "I told you; I'm fine!"
Chuckling silently at her stubbornness, Sephiroth motioned her to follow him as he set course for the cabin, "it will be dark soon. We need to stop for the night anyway."
And with that he strode off, fighting off the horrible image of himself with pigtails.
Aeris was so cold. She'd never been this cold in her entire life! Her fingers were frozen, her legs numb and her hair soaked to her damp skin.
Still, she was too proud to admit weakness to Sephiroth and was secretly so relieved that he insisted on them resting at a cabin that she could've cried!
It had been so many years since she'd been in a snowball fight, and she'd almost forgotten how fun it could be!
Aeris still didn't know what came over her when she'd suddenly picked up snow, packed it together into a snowball and flung it after Sephiroth.
It was a stupid thing to do. He'd killed people for less. But hours of the silent treatment had killed her final ounce of reason, so she did something crazy.
All in all, it had turned out brilliant! She hardly believed her own ears when she heard him laugh, and then felt a tingle at the rich warmth in that laugh.
Of course she'd known he would win the fight, but that didn't mean she would give up so easily, and his shocked expression as her snowball hit him would linger in her memory forever!
And that silver hair... just begging to be played with.
Aeris giggled silently at the memory of his utterly shell-shocked face at her question, but blamed the silver strands caressing her cheek for the idea.
Maybe Sephiroth just needed a little tweaking?
Aeris giggled again at the image of Sephiroth with pigtails.
She made a small cry of joy as they spotted the small cabin up ahed, but her joy quickly turned to worry as she saw the old man chopping wood outside.
Gazing over at Sephiroth, she saw his eyes narrow and his hand move over to his sword.
Gathering her courage, she reached out and placed a tentative hand on his arm.
The effect was immediate.
His eyes snapped over to glare at her, and Aeris had to use all her will-power not to pull her hand away.
"Don't kill him," she pleaded silently, holding his glare with gentle eyes. "Please?"
Snorting like an agitated race-horse, Sephiroth trembled tensely under her touch, "I wont have any witnesses. He can identify us if we let him live!"
Aeris mind scrambled for a solution that didn't demanded lives to be lost, and she drew a quick breath. "What if... what if I deal with him?"
Sephiroth rolled his eyes rather uncharacteristic, and would have moved on if she hadn't held him back.
"He wont see us. He wont be able to tell a thing. Just... let me handle him, ok?" Aeris knew she couldn't handle to mere watch another innocent life die in front of her eyes.
Finally conceding, Sephiroth pulled away from her touch, "fine. You get one chance. Mess up and you both die!"
Strange how this man had been laughing with her in a childish snowball fight that very day...
Aeris nodded, "alright." She made sign for him to wait there and made her way over to the cabin with a hammering heart.
She made sure the old man didn't see her, closing her eyes, mentally asked for his forgiveness and cast Sleep on the unsuspecting man.
It was with a sigh of relief that she saw him sink to the ground, and Aeris started as Sephiroth appeared behind her.
"Would've been easier just to have killed him," the former general drawled, resting one shoulder against the wall.
Swallowing hard, Aeris sent him a undefinable look, "help me carry him inside."
Straightening, Sephiroth raised an eyebrow disdainfully, "why?"
Realising he had no consideration for others at all, Aeris shook her head slowly in disbelief, "we can't just leave him out here in the snow! He'll freeze to death!"
Shrugging again, Sephiroth gazed at the limp form, "so? It'll solve our problem nicely."
Stomping her foot angrily, Aeris poked a finger at Sephiroths chest. "You promised he wouldn't die if I made sure he didn't see us! Now, help me carry him inside!"
He was looking blankly at her, eerie eyes burning into hers, yet she refused to budge.
Two heartbeats later, the silverhaired man sighed annoyed and picked up the unconscious man easily under one arm, "fine!"
Aeris watched him stomp inside the warm cabin with a smile. Aeris - one. Sephiroth - zero.
Sephiroth tossed the man rather unceremoniously into a corner, walking over to the fire and sighed satisfied.
True, the cold didn't bother him like it did others, but he wasn't immune to the satisfaction of enjoying a warm fire after a long trip through snowfields.
He heard the girl enter as well, closing the door behind her and was a little surprised to find that she had carried with her more logs to throw on the fire.
Watching her a little awkwardly as she tossed the logs with the others, Sephiroth got the feeling it was something he should have thought of himself.
Sephiroth demonstratively stared into the dancing flames as she tended to the sleeping man, getting a blanket to put over him, and the sight made the former general annoyed for some reason.
"For crying out loud," he finally snapped, "you're soaked and frozen half to death, how about taking a little care of yourself? If you come down with a fever or something, I'm not letting you stay!"
The girl sighed, like a mother to an impatient child once again. "We're imposing on this man, Sephiroth. I put a Sleep spell on a innocent human being, and are now violating his home. The least I can do to make sure he doesn't get sick."
Sephiroth merely turned to stare into the flames again, ignoring her as she finished tending to the man.
"Hungry?" Her voice was suddenly beside him, and Sephiroth started slightly.
Gazing quickly over at her, he cleared his throat. "I do not require regular meals."
The girl smiled slightly, holding up a tin can with cheerful eyes. "That's not what I asked you, now is it?"
Hesitating, Sephiroth glanced down, absently placing a hand to his stomach as if asking it himself. Finally he glanced over at her, a little uncertain.
"I could eat...?" He'd always been taught to consume nutrition because it was necessary, and only when needed.
Nodding, the girl walked over to the kitchen bench and began to open one can, "today we have the delicacy of spaghetti to offer you, sir!"
Blinking, Sephiroth tilted his head, a little puzzled at her official tone. "Ok...?"
She gazed back at him with a dazzling smile, "it's either that or candy, I'm afraid!"
Feeling his stomach clench at the word, Sephiroth managed a faint smile, "maybe candy later?"
The girl turned back to struggling with the can, "agreed! Candy as dessert it is!"
Watching her huff and puff as she struggled, Sephiroth felt his smile widen slightly and he monitored her for a few minutes before sauntering over.
"Here," he took the can and the opener from her, "let me."
It was no effort for him to open the can, and he felt a little embarrassed at the impressed look she sent him.
"Well then," she took the can from him, "you undress and have a seat at the table."
Sephiroth blinked. "What?"
Surely he'd heard wrong...
Turning beet red, the girl stared at her feet, stuttering, "I only m-meant you s-should change out of y-your wet clothes...!"
Giving a slow nod, Sephiroth held his eyes on her a little while longer, "uh huh...?"
He then gave a slight smile before turning to do as she had suggested, letting his shoulder armour slide off him to place it by the fire to dry.
Aeris slowly stirred in the food over the open fire, closing her eyes hard to try erase the memory of the smirk on Sephiroths face.
Dear Planet, she hadn't meant it how it had sounded! She'd only been concerned that he'd get sick in those wet clothes, and she had made it sound like she wanted him to do a strip tease at the table!
Where was a hole in the ground when one needed it?!
And the worst part was the amusement in his eyes, Aeris wanted to hide at the memory.
What he musn't be thinking about her now?!
Turning to try to explain a final time, she froze at the sight that met her.
Sephiroth had shed his armour and his coat, leaving him standing in his black pants and boots by the fire. Firelight flickering over his flawless skin and silver hair radiating in the shadows as he tossed another log in.
Aeris clutched her spoon, forgetting to breathe at the sight, but then he tossed a lock of his hair absently back over his shoulder and she started to life.
Spinning around, she stared at the boiling food and blinked wide-eyed.
Nono! Bad thoughts!
Aeris drew a deep breath, mentally chanting to herself about good behavior, morals and keeping focus on her mission.
That meal was one of the hardest ordeals of her life!
Sephiroth was obviously oblivious to her blushing and stuttering, more interested in the food.
Aeris ate quietly, staring at her food as well, casting fleeting glances his way, only to see if he liked her food of course!
Later she had rinsed their plates, casting a second Sleep on the man before adjusting the blanket a little around him.
"Well, I am tired," Aeris chirped as she sat down on her bedroll a mere meter away from the bedroll Sephiroth was sitting on.
"We start up early, so you better get some sleep then," the silverhaired man mumbled, pulling out the Masamune to clean it again.
Slowly inching under her sheet, Aeris gazed curiously at him, "you really love that sword, don't you?"
Smirking, Sephiroth let a gentle hand move over the deadly blade, "she's loyal to me."
'She'? Aeris thought, smiling slightly, "it's beautiful!"
Sephiroth glanced over at her, his eerie eyes filled with a challenging malice, "she's yet to fail to kill when drawn against my enemies."
The memory of pain as that very blade pierced through her made Aeris pale and she quickly turned her eyes away, "I remember."
She heard him sigh, was there a touch of regret in that sound, and he put the sword away. "Get some sleep, little girl."
Aeris gazed harshly at him again, "I'm not a little girl! And my name is Aeris!"
Sephiroth seemed to consider it, then slowly sank down on the bedroll as he closed his eyes demonstratively, "get some sleep... Aeris."
It was a small victory, but a victory none the less!
Aeris closed her eyes and let herself relax, "goodnight Sephiroth..."
Failing to see the former general watching her with a strange look in his eyes...
AN:
Phew, finally finished second chapter!
Huge thank you once againt to the reviwers, who inspires me to keep writing!
This chapter is to you reviwers!
Will hopefully have 3rd chapter up in not too long...