999'O! leave the past to bury its own dead.'
-William S. Blunt (1840-1922) To One Who Would Make a Confession

Chapter 9: Memories

It was an extremely cold day that day. It was miracle he passed through the tundra without any monster encounters. It was probably because of the snowstorm. He leaned against the windowpane, eyes reflecting the light that passed through it. It was also a wonder he didn't turn into a human icicle, though he had higher resistance against chilly weather than normal humans, it was still damn cold.

When he had entered the ice town, no one recognized him. Surely they knew about him, Sephiroth, the greatest SOLDIER, or Sephiroth, the monster that murdered thousands of lives. But it seems that they do not know his face. Which was just as well.

Sephiroth rubbed his sore shoulder. The old woman that owned the inn he approached was kind enough to give him clothes and lent him restore materia. He was wholly thankful for that.

He thought about his destination. Nibelheim. Why Nibelheim? There is more than one reason. To read more of the Mako studies Professor Gast had in those musty libraries. But his real motive was to find out more. More about himself. Last time, he was blinded by JENOVA, by hate. As Zack would say, He had a few screws loose. Maybe…just maybe…he can find out more about himself and find out who his birth mother was. He closed his eyes, breath shaky.

There was a ship going to the lower continent the next day late afternoon. He will have to travel south to reach that port. He needed a weapon, too. He had no idea where the masamune had gone.

Dammit. Tybalt, are you there?

'You seem troubled.'

As usual. What happens when I die, Tybalt? Will I go back to hell?

The reaper paused for a minute. 'I have not told you this, but you cannot die. I have made it so you cannot. No matter how much you are damaged, your soul will not leave the body. '

Great. Sephiroth thought sarcastically.

'I have assigned you to a mission and you must succeed.'

No turning back, then.

'Affirmative.'

Midgar

Dusk has fallen, and the storm kept on. The party couldn't set off that day, because of bad weather. It was forecasted tomorrow would be a clear day, though. Yuffie was glad that it was postponed. As everybody knows, she hated flying. It made her sick to her guts. But does anybody listen? Noooooo… Yuffie is just a spoiled brat who tries to steal their materia and just happens to be airsick, too.

Which, technically, is true.

She twirled a shuriken around her finger as she walked into the bar. There were very few customers today, most of them thugs that mope around ordering beer all day. They were the only type of people that go to bars even though a storm was going on.

She scanned the area and said aloud, "Where's Cloud?"

Tifa set down the dirty mugs into the overflowing sink, answered without turning around. "He's at sector 6. In the church."

"What the heck is he doin--? Oooooooohhhh."

Yuffie slapped her palm against her forehead. Tifa turned around and gave the younger girl a little forced smile.

Sector 6

The mercenary stood at the entrance of the destroyed cathedral, taking in the scenery. His vision turned blurry as he remembered those times: Times with the flower girl he loved.

And still loved.

His gazed ran over the beams that stretched high up the ceiling, over the dust-covered stained glass windows, and finally to the spot before the altar, where the floor has broken up along time ago, and flowers grew miraculously without sun and little nourishment. The place where he fell through the roof and landed in front of the woman in his dreams.

He stood over the patch of bright yellow flowers, showered with rain and swayed by the wind, closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He knelt down and plucked a dainty blossom and held to his lips, loving the feel of its velvety petals as if it was Aeris' lips he was touching. He gripped the single flower and stalked out of the abandoned church and headed back to the bar with a slightly lighter heart.

The next morning

The silver-haired man awoke hours before the sun peeked behind the snowy mountains, awoken by disturbing sleep. Since then, He just lay there, staring blankly to the wooden ceiling above him, disconcerted. It's one of those… nightmares again. Images that blurred upon each other, each showing illustrations of torture, and sins of the past. Similar to those he had experienced back in the dank cell of hell. He was still lost in thought when the he heard knocking and the door creaked and a little old lady with a blue bandana stuck her head into the room. "Young man, I brought breakfast. You need to keep strength up with your recent wounds."

She walked in and placed a tray bread and soup on the side table. Sephiroth watched. The woman noticed this and smiled. "Go ahead. It's free."

"I can't take it. You've done too much for me."

"Oh, I don't mind." She waved her hand. Then her eyebrows drew together. She sat on the side of the bed. "I have a son, maybe a few years older than you." Her eyes misted. "She got sick of this little town and me and went away to Midgar." She looked at him. "Even though you don't look the same at all, you remind me of him, I don't know why." Then she shook her head, and straightened. She smiled once again and stood up.

"Ah, well, I need to be going now. And promise me you'll eat that!" She ducked out of the room.

Sephiroth watched her she went out and his eyes drifted to the covers. She left a pair of short swords, wutaian, judging from the inscriptions on its handles, where she sat. He picked one up and unsheathed it. A piece of paper flew out and landed on his lap.

" I thought you might need this. It was my son's, and it was just lying around being dusty. Safe travels."

He shook his head, the corner of his lips turning up slightly. That woman thought of everything. He slid the blade back into the hilt. He pulled the tray over and took the spoon and dipped it in the warm soup.

Back to the Seventh Heaven…

Tifa opened her eyes and sat up. She yawned and stretched as she glanced at her digital clock. Her eyes rounded. Nine o' clock! The bar was supposed to open that time! She swung her legs over to the side of the bed and ran to shower, dress and brush her long brown hair. She took the steps two at a time, and skidding to a stop as she reached at the bottom of the stairs. And smacked her head in frustration.

Dangling in the bar's door said "Closed". She forgot that they were going to Nibelheim that day. That's why she didn't set the alarm. She looked around and saw Cloud sitting at one of the stools in front of the counter. On the table surface were pictures. She went closer and realized it was snapshots of him and Aeris, some with the whole gang.

"You're really missing her aren't you?" Cloud sat up startled, looking up at his childhood friend. "Hi Tifa. Didn't notice you were there." Tifa didn't answer, but leaned closer and took a picture of all of them in front of the giant chocobo. All of them were smiling; Tifa, Cloud, Yuffie, Aeris, Barret giving a diminutive grin. Back then, they were so happy. So carefree. Even when they knew there was trouble ahead, having Aeris made it seem easier. She knew it was silly, but Aeris did have a talent of livening things up.

But now with Aeris gone, it seems that one part has been cut out. She squeezed the blonde's shoulder, and whispered, "We all miss her, Cloud, but we have to move on. We can't cry over spilled milk, or nothing will be done. Aeris is probably in a happier place now." She smiled at Cloud, and gave one last hug and walked out the back door probably going out to help Cid fix the Highwind.

As Cloud stared at the picture of Aeris, he knew Tifa was right. He stood up, and followed Tifa out.

Back to our silver-haired warrior, early afternoon…

A monster jumped into the air, baring his teeth to his opponent. Sephiroth quickly dodged, then plunged the knife into its neck. It screamed and slumped to the ground with a pool of blood. Sephiroth stepped away from the bloody mess and quickly collected items and Gil from the misshapen bodies of monsters. He walked away quickly. He had to get to that ship, it was going set sail soon. He was almost there anyway, with unmistakable shadow of ship on the horizon. His brisk walk changed to running.

He made it just in time. He quickly handed the Gil to an attendant and turned away before he could speak. He stalked over to a corner where shadows would hide him. It was better to lay low, if he wanted no trouble.

Drawing his legs to his chest, He leaned his head against the cold metal wall as he listened to the bustling of people as they arrived…

Meanwhile, the AVALANCHE have boarded the Highwind. Everyone settled himself or herself in for the two-hour trip. Yuffie stayed outside, at the deck, dreading the trip.

"I'm gonaa be sick to my stomach again!" Yuffie whined.

They ignored her as of before. Tifa gave her airsickness pills, though. Cid gave her a barf bag. "I don't want regurgitated food on my deck, ya hear me?" The pilot grumbled.

"Aye aye, sir" Yuffie gave him a half-hearted salute as he disappeared into the ship.

In a few minutes, the Highwind rose up in the air and the ninja girl's complexion instantly turned pale green.

AN: O.O What will happen now?

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