Author's notes: I'm sorry if I haven't updated in the longest time. Real life has a way of making things difficult. I'll be continuing my fanfic, since right now I'm stranded in Singapore taking care of my mom for six months. Hoping for more updates soon. Sorry to make you guys wait for three years. I'll try to update once a week time willing. ;

I've been getting questions regarding Rufus' fiancée, I won't delve on their relationship in this fanfic since that belongs to an entirely different fanfic all-together. ;;;

The fanfic depicts AeriSeph pairing. If you don't like it, then go away. Reviews are welcome. Flames are not. Flamers will only be pointed, laughed at and ignored.

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7. I don't own Squaresoft. Please use your head. All original character belongs to me. Take them and die.

Vile Rose
Chapter 4: Seeds of Deceit
By Silver Countess

Everything always began in a dream.

Aeris floated in that now familiar darkness, as the voices of the Old Ones reverberated in her ears. In them she could hear their stories of sadness, loss, pain and that insatiable thirst for revenge. But none of them mattered, except for that one voice that murmured instruction, gave her direction. It could have been days, weeks or even years she spent in that womb of perpetual darkness, she could not tell, only that she had to learn and take in all the information the voice was feeding her.

And by the gods! So much information...with so much possibilities and she began to understood why the humans feared them. How the humans in envy did all that they could to destroy their race. She burned with anger at that thought. Wretched creatures! How dare they! Her mind was so filled with anger, fueled by the Ancient's wailing of injustice.

But just then the image of her foster mother appeared in her thoughts. She was smiling, the same smile she gave her every time she would come home crying or when she felt alone. She remembered her smile, the warmth of her arms that held her at night. She recalled how her foster mother would sing her to sleep and drive away the monsters that lurked under her bed.

Mother...?

Another face, this time that of a man with shocking red hair and a smiling blue eyes, he was laughing and he was ruffling her hair just as he carried her around. She could see the man's brotherly love for her in his eyes.

Reno..?

Finally she saw the face of another man. Long spiky black hair and laughing blue eyes. Strong arms held her and she could remember laughing with him, her heart light and filled with so much love. She remembered flowers and promises, soft kisses and dreams.

Zack...My...Zack..?

At that her heart softened, and the anger that was building within her dissipated. But the voices of the old refused to be silenced and from within, Aeris felt pain lance through her very being. The voices swore, and flooded her mind with the images of her dying race. She felt every grief, every pain they experienced. It was horrible...it left her empty, all the love she had was slowly fading away, replaced only by an indescribable rage.

She swore to the heavens, that the humans would pay, and pay dearly.

The sentient voice that watched over Aeris smiled. Everything was going according to plan. It had been sheer luck that she would encounter a Cetra, well a half-Cetra that learned compassion and all that nonsense to be precise...It would have been better if she found a more bitter and cruel person, but beggars can't be choosers as the humans would say. Besides the child has more than enough anger and resentment for the humans in her memories for her to use. It shouldn't be much of a problem. She had a plan to fix that little oversight, and that spiky haired blonde will be the perfect tool.

What she found troublesome however, was this appearance of the other side of Prophecy...the One-Winged Angel.

She remembered the power that flowed in that one. His presence made her shiver. She can not act...not right now, when she wasn't in full power and in full control and when that happens, her Dark Messiah will come. But for now, hiding her from the One-Winged Angel is her first course of action, until she could help the Cetra become the Dark Messiah. And when that happens...she'll win.

Sephiroth was riding a jeep, courtesy of a certain young President, poring over the folder that Rufus had given him. This was the most recent report that Hojo had when she was still in his custody. The folder held very little detail of the young Cetra, except that she had a great deal of untapped potential as proven to the unusual surge of power the young woman emitted. Sephiroth frowned, as he took note of the date and time it occurred, coincided with the strange nightmare he had of the young woman.

He felt a bitter after taste in his mouth at the mention of Professor Hojo and tried to push him out of his mind by studying the pieces of paper in his hand. Luckily, this one contained more pertinent information since it was so recent, and the attack on the base had left Hojo with little time to hide or change the data.

"So where do ya want off?" drawled a familiar voice from the driver's seat. Sephiroth turned to look at the red headed man in a rumpled blue suit. Two other passengers looked at him expectantly from the rear, the intense looking Wutanese man and the blonde young woman. They both wore identical suits as the driver; only theirs was a lot neater and a lot less wrinkled.

"Well?" Reno drawled as he gave a sidelong glance at him. Sephiroth noted that he didn't look terribly happy to see him, nor did his manner become even friendlier when he glanced down at the folder he was holding.

The Wutanese man from the back gave him a calculating smile. "You can opt to head for Junon or you could follow the girl. Though I would strongly suggest that you go to Junon. My men and I can handle her."

He noticed Reno's grip on the steering wheel tightened and the lips tightened in a thin smile, as the driver looked on the road ahead in obvious displeasure. Sephiroth didn't exactly like the way he spoke either. Tseng on the other hand didn't seem to care at all; even if he did, his kept it hidden behind his emotionless mask. "Don't worry, the president gave strict orders that we aren't supposed to harm her. Just follow her...for your benefit of course."

The jeep suddenly jerked around in a sharp turn before turning back to the main road. The people within who weren't buckled down—that meant everyone but the driver—were nearly thrown off the side.

"Ow! Watch were you're going, Reno," the blonde complained in a shrill, whiny voice as she nursed the beginnings of a bump on her forehead. The red haired man only shrugged as Tseng gave him a disapproving look, a frown creasing his usual emotionless features.

"Sorry, there was a stupid wild chocobo blocking the road," he drawled out, his answering grin told them exactly just how sorry he was about it. "Didn't want to mess the new jeep with chocobo road kill."

Sephiroth refused to comment, considering that he did not notice any chocobo blocking their way, but instead sat down and buckled himself in securely. "Right," then returned his attention back to Tseng. "You said you could track her down."

"Yes, in fact I can give you a brief demonstration..." Tseng turned to his companion. "Elena, can you tell me where she is now?" There was a rustle of something and an audible click and a soft beeping sound.

"North of here...they're in Kalm, sir, estimation is that they're heading north...Chocobo Farm will be most likely their next destination," the blonde woman replied, holding what looked to be a small hand-held device.

Tseng gave him an oily smile. "One of Hojo's little contraptions. It's quite useful especially if you don't want good lab specimen to escape too far. The professor had something slipped on the Cetra when she was caught. Nothing she could detect...even if she did, which is unlikely, I doubt if she can get it out unless she an intention of going around without a left arm."

Implants. Sephiroth didn't like the idea of the actual use of implanting anything mechanical inside a living being but right now, he was thankful that he found a way to track her. She was Cetra...the Cetra he was set out to find. And the implant she was carrying was going to make life much easier for him. He was tempted to steal the machine that Elena was using to track down the mysterious woman, which of course was out of the question. One, that would mean a confrontation with her and he was unaware of what she could do in case she decided to go on an offensive.

There was also the timing. Prophecy has a way of making him do things, and one of them told him that now is NOT the right time to confront her, as much as he didn't want to he knew better than to disobey orders, especially those given by the highest authority.

"Junon," he finally gave his reply.

Aeris fingered the outfit she now wore, something that looked a lot more pleasing than the dress she wore before. A pair of short yet sensible jean skirt and a matching pale pink tank top, a red jacket and a pair of sensible boots. It was so unlike the dress she used to wear. She twirled about, showing off the dress as she giggled and smiled at her blonde benefactor.

"Are you sure these are for me?" she looked at Cloud, her emerald eyes wide as she gave him a cute smile, which she also knew was irritating the dark haired woman.

"They look good on you so you get to keep it," Cloud replied, a little gruff but sincere. His blue eyes looked at her with some admiration and even Barret wasn't unaffected.

"Ya look much better now than before you were in Hojo's clutches," he commented and even Red XIII nodded, rubbing his head against her leg. She smiled gratefully as she absently scratched him behind the ear. Only Tifa didn't reply and Aeris didn't mind really.

"Thank you so much, Cloud...everyone..." she looked at everyone gratefully or what would pass as gratitude.

You're doing well, Aeris...the glamour you used on them is working...like a charm...the voice in her head crooned softly. It was the same voice, seductive and sultry that made her want to follow it without question. It was slightly frightening...

"Well now, let's get down to business," Barret grumbled as he sat down on a chair, "Now we're outta Midgard. Why don't we all talk and see what we can do now."

There was a brief silence, when Cloud sighed. "I guess I should start from the beginning. It happened five years ago, I was a SOLDIER back then, and we were sent to Nibelheim..."

The others listened intently and for some reason Aeris began to remember something. Five years ago...Nibelheim...? Was this the Nibelheim incident..?

"We went to Nibelheim to investigate on the reports about the faulty reactor...our commanding officers: Zack Buster and General Sephiroth were leading that mission when the massacre happened. I was in patrol out of town when we heard that both Sephiroth and Zack had been acting strangely. Next thing we knew, Zack had gone on a rampage and started killing everyone left and right, I heard that Sephiroth had been partly responsible by allowing it to happen... "

Zack...? My Zack..? Aeris remembered the young man she first lost her heart to. No...that's a lie! Zack would NEVER do that! "That can't be true!" She suddenly blurted out, surprising the rest, "I...I know Zack...He would never hurt anyone...Someone made him do that...And why weren't we told of this? Shin-Ra said that he died when the Mako reactor exploded..."

Cloud looked at her, a little bit surprised and a little regretful. Barret himself slightly winced when he heard her. But it was Tifa who answered, and she was strangely sympathetic when she spoke. "Shin-Ra has a nasty habit of covering up the truth. So it's not surprising that they didn't tell everyone what really happened."

"Well, they were never clear as to what really happened that day," Cloud shrugged. "Only thing I can remember was that both Zack and Sephiroth were acting strangely...Zack was sick when he arrived and Sephiroth shut himself up in a hole somewhere until Zack began butchering everyone."

"Sephiroth...?" Aeris frowned slightly. The presence of her mind would have smiled if it could when she saw this opportunity. "Didn't he also die in that incident? The official reports said that he had died while protecting the town."

"Well yeah...sort of," Cloud replied. "He was the one who killed Zack, ran his sword through him while Zack pushed him over the ledge. They both fell to the Mako stream. That's why there was no body recovered. For those remaining SOLDIERs, Shin-Ra had no intention of any of this information leaked out, so we were given to Hojo for experimentation. The town was rebuilt from the ground up, and the people in it are no more than Shin-Ra employees, pretending that the incident never happened."

There was a bit of silence at that. This was obviously news for everyone. Aeris was sitting there digesting the information when the Presence within her took this moment to speak.

"The man...the one he calls Sephiroth...He's alive. He's the one that I sensed in the Shin-Ra building...and he's after you."

Aeris was confused and she tensed upon hearing the name of the man who killed her lover. "Sephiroth? Why him of all people? And why would he be after me?"

"I take it that he was a powerful man during his time, was he not? Cloud's memories indicate that he was a great warrior, unparallel to anyone. He would be the perfect candidate for our enemies to set against you. But fear not...I won't let him hurt you."

"But why didn't you tell this earlier?"

"I didn't want to distress you even further given the state you were in when you were captured...Had I known that this was the same man that killed your love, I would have told you sooner," the voice replied, sounding concerned. "But the fact is, this man is alive and your new friend seems to know him...We might have an advantage here."

"It's a lie...what Cloud said about Zack, right? He couldn't...he wouldn't have done that."

The presence would have laughed in glee when she heard her uncertainty. Oh this was TOO easy! "No, no...from your memories of him, your Zack wouldn't have done that...No...most likely, Sephiroth did something to him...maybe, who knows...but it is too coincidental that your boyfriend would be murdered by the same man who now hunts you..."

Aeris was silent as the presence finally retreated leaving her to dwell on her thoughts. So deep in her thoughts that she didn't see that Tifa was waving her hand in front of her face to get her attention.

"Helloooo! Planet to Aeris! Is anybody home?" Tifa sounded irritated at her spacing out.

"Oh...what...I'm sorry..." Aeris blushed as she looked down on her hands as she tried to make up an excuse. "I didn't mean to drift away like that...The Planet sometimes calls...on inappropriate moments."

"I've heard from my grandfather, that the Cetra have the ability to commune with the Planet...and sometimes the spirits of the lost Ancients," the soft rumbling voice of Red XIII spoke up.

"Well now what?" Barret repeated. "Ain't like we're going anywhere with your flashbacks, spiky. Now that President Shin-Ra's deader than a friggin' doornail, where to now?"

"Even with the President dead, there's still the matter with his son taking the reigns," Tifa spoke up. "We're not really sure what his intentions really are or what he plans to do, only that it was his help that we got in this far."

"So you're saying that Rufus could be or could not be on our side," the black man grumbled.

"Shin-Ra is still a problem but dealing with them right now isn't going to be our priority," Tifa added.

Cloud nodded. "Well, we did finish our mission here...and more," he turns to look at the lion-like beast they were able to rescue. "Bugenhagen, would probably be happy that we finally got you out, Nanaki."

The beast gave him a toothy grin, his remaining good eye flashed with a hint of feral mischief. "He would. Though I am quite certain that I would be getting quite an earful for my carelessness. It had been my fault for being captured in the first place. What of you, Barret, Aeris? Will you be joining us back to Cosmo Canyon?"

"Ain't nothing in Midgar now to keep me there," Barret didn't look too happy at that. "Not with Vicks, Wedge and Jessie all gone. At least I know Marlene will be ok with Elmyra. I'll join Spiky here and Tifa and see where it goes. Staying in the city won't be good for Marlene."

Aeris fidgeted. "I...want to find out what makes me so different...and why Shin-Ra would be after me. I need to know what I am...and what I can do. It's hard...especially when you can hear the cries of the Planet..." she looked at Cloud. "I've been hearing it for so long, but now I feel that it needs my help now...but I can't do it alone..."

Cloud gave her a warm smile. "You won't be alone, Aeris. We'll be here with you. Besides, Shin-Ra might still have some interest with you, considering Hojo is still out there." Aeris smiled at that, ignoring Tifa's slightly irritated look.

"Yes, I believe grandfather would have something that could help you as well," Red XIII added. "He has some books and other things related to the Cetra. He might be of some help to you."

"That's settled then," Barret yawned. "We'll be together until something else comes up." He yawned. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to crash. See you tomorrow."

It was already nightfall, and Sephiroth was beginning to nod off when he felt the jeep stop. "We're here, folks. Welcome to Junon," yawned Reno's voice at the driver's seat.

Sephiroth unbuckled his seat belt as he hopped out of the jeep to stretch his cramped legs. Reno followed him, stretching and yawning. "That's a peaceful trip," he absently commented, looking at the empty passenger seats.

He paid it no heed. Tseng and Elena had dropped off earlier yesterday to pursue the Ancient and Cloud's party and was rather grateful that he didn't have to spend one more minute with their company.

Reno took out a cigarette stick and a lighter, lit it and began to smoke. "Oh yeah...this is for you," he took something out of his pocket what looked to be a business card. "For your little 'date.'"

Sephiroth took it and examined the card. It looked to be a business card of the Blue Dagger, a popular bar in Junon. He flipped to the back of the card. "10pm, table 12," he read the card, then turned to the Turk. It was a woman's handwriting, definitely not Reno's. "There's no date on the card."

Reno shrugged. "Hell, don't look at me. I was just told to give that to you. She said to meet her after you're finished with your job." His voice was a little edgy, a bit on the gruff and on the unfriendly side.

"Her?" Sephiroth echoed, and Reno just threw his cigarette and stomped on it. He didn't looked inclined to give him any details, and looked more than just itchy to get away from him. "Never mind," he tucked the card into his trench coat pocket.

"Well I'm outta here," Reno waved as he made his way toward the Junon security checkpoint. "I won't bother you with the tour. I'm sure you know your way around..." he yawned again, swiping his key card and disappearing into what looked to be the employee's door, leaving him standing there as the sun finally set.