Chapter Two The Angel Has a Name

Aya had gone back home early in the morning. The police were unable to catch the man and he had seemed to vanish. Aya thought it was a bit odd to not be able to find a man with silver hair and dressed in black. That man's words still bothered Aya, to an extent. Monster? That man was the monster with those glowing, green eyes and that odd smirk that seemed to hunger for battle. The way his blade had moved was beyond human and the fact that he could even use it was illogical. No, that man was worse than a monster, he was a devil.

"Hey, Aya." Eve's voice said.

Aya sat up in her bed.

"Eve, shouldn't you be in school?" she asked.

"It's Saturday."

"Oh, right."

"You've been moody ever since you got back from that one job. What happened?"

Aya rolled onto her side.

"Don't wanna talk about it." she responded.

Eve jumped onto her sister's back.

"C'mon, speak." she said.

"No, and when'd you get so heavy?"

"Hey, I don't even weigh one-twenty."

"Well enjoy now, because that metabolism is gonna go downhill once you're an adult."

"Yeah right, you're thirty-one and you're thin as a stick."

"Don't remind me."

Aya then grew tired of her sister and flipped her onto her belly in an instant and got her in a headlock.

"Hey! No fair!" Eve pleaded.

"You pissed me off, so suffer."

Aya then began tickling Eve.

"Hahahahaha stoppit!!!"

"You asked for it!"

The two of them eventually rolled off the bed and landed on the floor, Aya hitting first.

"Ow." she groaned.

"I think we learned our lesson."

"Yeah."

Aya's cell-phone rang she picked it up off her bedside table and looked at it.

"It's Pierce."

Aya answered the phone.

"Hey." she greeted.

"Hey Aya, come down to the MIST center, the weapons department just made one helluva weapon."

"Why do I hafta see it?"

"Well, they figured they'd test it out with you since you're, uh, resilient."

"Alright, I'll be there."

Aya closed her phone and got up.

"Pierce insists I do something for him, I'll be back in an hour or two." she said to Eve.

"Alright, have fun."

"I doubt I will."

Aya put on her jacket and boots before she slipped out the door, grabbing her keys. She headed down the stairs to the garage and started her car. The radio droned as always and she turned it off, preferring her CDs. She pulled out into the street and began enduring the drive to MIST in New York traffic.

"Dammit, I should find a new apartment, but Eve doesn't want to change schools plus it's too expensive." she mumbled to herself.

After about an hour's commute, Aya came to the MIST building. She entered, flashing her badge to the guard and going into the offices.

"Hey Aya!" said a blonde man with sunglasses and a ponytail.

Aya smirked.

"Hey Pierce." she greeted.

"So I take it the traffic was bad?"

"Not horrible, but the commute could always be shorter."

"I don't understand why you don't just take the subway."

"I don't like going through places that smell of cigarettes and booze."

"Ah."

Aya looked around.

"I don't see Jodie anywhere." she said.

"She's on maternity leave, you know that."

"Oh yeah, I'm in and out so I keep forgetting. I just find it a bit hard to believe that a guy like you could ever have a kid."

"And what is that meant to imply?"

"I'm not implying anything, I'm saying it straightforward."

"Unrelenting as always."

"Anyway, what's this new weapon you want me to check out?"

"Let's just say you might be in a bit of awe."

Pierce led Aya down hall and to a room with many guns and other sorts of strange weapons. Some were prototypes while others were only slightly modified version of others. Aya then noticed a scientist in a blue jacket typing away at a computer. The black-haired man adjusted his glasses and kept typing.

"Maeda, what are you doing in Weapons?" Aya asked.

The Japanese man turned around and gave a grin.

"I come her occasionally." he responded "Mostly just to see how that special ammunition works on other weapons."

"Ah. Speaking of which, Pierce said something about me testing out a new one they got here."

"Ah, one minute."

Maeda strolled over to a large case and picked it up, though it seemed to be an uphill battle.

"Uh, you need some help with that?" Aya asked.

"N-no, I have got it."

Maeda set the case down on a table, panting.

"This is the most advance and unorthodox weapon MIST has made." he explained "It is very powerful but very hard to wield."

Maeda opened the case, revealing a weapon Aya had seen before, though in the hands of her enemy.

"That's…!"

The case held that odd gun/sword hybrid she had seen No. 9 use on her when they last fought. The hilt was an enlarged revolver handle with a blade as the barrel.

"That GOLEM soldier used this." she stated.

"Yeah, MIST got interested and decided to make one." Pierce explained.

Aya picked up the unusual weapon, hefting it.

"It's a bit heavy." she commented.

"The entire thing is made of titanium alloy for resilience. The shells are shotgun shells that hold anti-mitochondria."

"Isn't that a bit punchy?"

"The blade is ultra-high frequency so be careful were you swing it."

"Neat."

Aya dropped it onto the metal floor and then the blade buried itself to the bullet chamber. Aya merely stared.

"Whoa." she gasped.

"Yeah, it's really sharp."

Aya picked up the odd weapon and swung it, hearing it singing due to its sharpness.

"Watch it!"

Aya accidentally swung right through shotgun standing up.

"I-I didn't even feel it slice the metal." she said.

"I told ya it was sharp."

Aya stared in awe at the blade.

"Why is there a blade on this anyway?" she asked.

"It's used for close-quarters combat when you run out of ammunition." Maeda explained.

"Man, I could slice an NMC in half with this."

"Yes, sort of reminiscent of a katana or nodachi."

Then Aya was reminded of that silver-haired man. She put the weapon back in the case.

"It's impressive, maybe I'll try it out next time I go out." she said.

An alarm then blared through the office.

"Well, speak of the devil." Pierce said.

"Ugh." Aya groaned.

"Well, you said you'd try it out."

"Alright, I'm on it."

Aya grabbed the case and headed out the door, getting the information on the location.

"Hmm, Chinatown, this should be interesting."

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Meanwhile, a certain silver-haired man was in a restaurant eating orange chicken. He heard several screams and looked out the window.

"Hmph, everyone is always screaming in this blasted city." he mumbled.

He heard a crash and then looked out the window again.

"Oh, more of those creatures."

He smirked.

"This should entertain me somewhat. Though I do find it a bother that they always show while I'm trying to eat."

The man stood up and walked outside, ignoring the people who were running from a rather large dog who was dripping slaver. The man whistled to the dog.

"Over here."

The monster charged, its jaws wide. However, the man sidestepped the creature and sliced the beast's head of with a single stroke. He shouldered his nodachi and sighed.

"Far too mediocre. I need something powerful, something strong."

A mutated bird appeared behind the man and he stabbed it without even looking at it.

"Oh well, at least this is more interesting than most things in this worlds. Though those odd animated shows do pique my interest."

A rat attempted to bite the man but he waved his hand.

"Fira."

The rat exploded in hot flames and turned into ash. The man felt a presence and ripped through an abandoned building's wall, hearing something hit the ground on the other side.

"Tch."

The man then felt a presence, something he had felt the other night.

"Ah, I was wondering when she would come."

The man ran down the street, merely a black blur in the place.

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Aya had parked her car near a blockade and quickly gone in. Apparently she was the only MIST member in there because of the severity of the situation. She had a bandolier across her chest with extra shells and the gunblade in her hand. She raced down an abandoned street and saw the first of the NMCs. Finger on the trigger, she aimed the heavy weapon at the creature. A great bang was heard and then Aya saw the huge hole that she had made in the beast. She stared at the weapon.

"Jesus Christ, why didn't they just give me a grenade launcher? This thing hardly has any kick though, or is that just me?"

Aya was assessing the weapon as a cat sneaked up behind her. She managed to turn around and use the blade. The cat was sliced in two as easily as it were paper.

"This blade may be a bit too sharp, to think I can cause injury and death so easily."

CRASH!!!

The loud sound alerted Aya to an alley that had many NMCs running out of it.

"The hell…?"

The sound of boots on the concrete was heard as well as metal dragging alongside a wall.

"Great, he's here."

Aya's acquaintance appeared from the alley, blade at his side. The man swiped his sword to remove the blood from it and looked at Aya.

"It seems you also find yourself wherever these beasts may be." he said.

"Hey, I do it 'cause it's my job, why do you do it?"

"For fun."

"I was thinking you were going to say that."

The air behind the man seemed to distort.

"Watch out!"

The man reacted just in time so his arm wasn't severed. However, the sleeve to his coat was torn open.

"To remove its presence and then manage to scratch me, impressive." he said.

"This is not time to be impressed."

"I suppose not."

The man readied his blade, bringing it to eye level.

"I shall deal with this one." he said to Aya.

"Hey, I can take him myself."

"You can deal with the crowd behind us."

"Crowd?"

Aya looked over her shoulder and saw several NMCs. She sighed.

"Alright, I'll take care of the NMCs and you can take the GOLEM." she said to the man.

"Very well."

The man charged the GOLEM, blade raised. The GOLEM activated its laser-blade arm and swung it at the man. He pressed his hand against the back of his nodachi and parried the blow.

"Hmm, a great deal of strength, let's see how swift it is."

The man leapt over the GOLEM and then swung his blade and the creature's back. The GOLEM blocked the blade.

"Hmm, adequate agility and intelligence. Perhaps this shall entertain me a bit more."

The man turned around and faced the GOLEM, going into a stance. The GOLEM brought its blade up and crashed it down onto the man's nodachi, driving his feet into the concrete slightly. The man sighed and pushed back the GOLEM with a mighty shove. The man went for another blow, whirling with centripetal force and aiming for the heart. However, the GOLEM managed to evade his blow.

The man smirked and dragged his blade on the ground, sparks flying. He dug the sword in deeper and then swung upwards, causing the street to rip open and create makeshift projectiles. The GOLEM was struck by several chunks of concrete and rock but merely grunted as the rock hit it.

The man, despite not liking using such a tactic, slashed the GOLEM's arm and caused a deep gash. The GOLEM was then struck in the chest with a powerful kick and the sound of cracking bones was heard. The GOLEM collapsed, its mind wanting to go forward but its body unable. The man sheathed his sword and began walking away. However, the GOLEM got up and started walking towards the man.

"Hmm, your persistence is admirable…" the man said.

He faced the GOLEM and got into a stance.

"I shall honor you with my first ougi."

The man then seemed vanish.

"Fukyuu Ryuudou!"

The man appeared on the other side of the GOLEM, his sword drawn and covered in blood from tsuba to tip. He swiped his sword to remove the blood and then looked at the GOLEM whose eyes were misted over.

"Now."

The GOLEM then fell apart, starting at the head and then to the legs. The creature had been struck with a spiraling slash that was a single strike. The man sheathed his sword and then looked at the havoc that Aya had wrought.

Every NMC had been eviscerated exquisitely. Some had a combination of bullet holes and slashes on their bodies. Aya's breathing was labored and her clothes were stained with blood. Her shirt, which had been white a few minutes ago, was now completely red. Her face was dripping in sweat which stained her shirt further. She bent over and breathed in greedily. The man narrowed his eyes and smirked evilly.

"Beautiful, all of it, beautiful."

The man opened his palm and his sheath disappeared. Aya noticed it out of the corner of her eye.

"So, that's where you keep it." she said breathlessly.

"Yes, and I suppose that you cannot perform the same task with your weapon."

"No."

The man looked at the NMC corpses.

"Well, you seemed to have ripped these creatures apart quite masterfully." he said.

"I wish I didn't have to."

"You could have done this much more swiftly and wasted less stamina if you had only used those abilities of yours. Why didn't you?"

"Because it wasn't necessary. I could deal with these things with this."

"I suppose, but it's better to overestimate one's opponent and defeat without much effort."

"Just the hell up."

Aya walked up to the man and looked into his green eyes.

"You're a friggin' psycho." she said.

"And what might give you such an implication, woman?"

"My name is Aya, Aya Brea."

"Ah, Sephiroth at your service."

The man took a bow Aya just stared.

"You're weird." she said.

"I suppose I am a bit eccentric, Aya."

"Don't speak my name like you know me."

Sephiroth walked up to Aya, backing her against a wall.

"Ah, but I do know you, we're exactly the same." he said.

Sephiroth placed his hands on the wall behind Aya, his thumbs inches away from Aya's eyes. The man seemed to purr, his eyes laughing. Aya just stared, not frightened, but intrigued for some bizarre reason.

"I'm nothing like you." she finally said.

"How so?"

"You seem to enjoy killing, I don't."

"I might determine differently if I were to see your expression in battle."

Sephiroth felt a sharp point dig into his chin and looked down to see that Aya was pointing her gun at his head.

"We've been through this, and I remember quite well what happened last time." he said.

"Screw you."

Aya pulled the trigger but the man seemed to vanish. Aya looked around not finding a trace of him.

"The hell…?"

Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and she felt something warm breathing against her neck. She knew it was Sephiroth. She swallowed nervously.

"You know, I found your fragrance quite intoxicating before, but now that the carnage of battle has been added to it, you smell even lovelier." he said.

"How nice, a compliment from a psycho."

Sephiroth growled playfully.

"It is a pity that you can't enjoy this more." he said.

"There's nothing nice about a pervert rubbing against my ass and putting his hands where they don't belong."

Sephiroth then placed his hand in a certain area on Aya's torso that certainly was not meant to be touched. She finally snapped and attempted to stab Sephiroth. She felt the blade sink into Sephiroth's thigh and he backed away. He looked at his hand.

"Just as I thought." he said.

"What?"

"You lied when you said you don't enjoy battle."

"And how can you tell?"

"Your mouth may lie, but your body can't."

Aya thought for a moment, and then the realization caused her to blush madly.

"You…!" she growled.

Sephiroth chuckled and wiped his thigh. He licked the blood from his hand and seemed to relish it. Aya just looked disgusted.

"You're a sicko." she said.

"And a rather swift one as well."

Sephiroth then revealed that he held something golden in his hand. Aya stroked her hair and noticed that some of it was missing.

"How did you…?" she asked.

Sephiroth pointed to his nails which were pointed and sharp.

"You cut my hair with your nails?" Aya said.

"Yes, they make rather nice weapons at times."

Aya readied her blade and rushed Sephiroth. He grabbed the blade between his fingers and looked at Aya.

"You follow the basics quite well, though you need training." Sephiroth lectured

"Shut up!"

Sephiroth seemed to be evading Aya's blows very easily despite his injured thigh. Aya kept swinging and Sephiroth just seemed to become more stimulated.

"Yes, lets me see that look in your eyes, that excited, desiring look." he said.

"Shut up!"

Aya brought her blade down and Sephiroth struck it by slamming his fists together. The blade shattered and Aya gasped. Sephiroth looked right into Aya's eyes, smirking.

"That was it." he said.

"What?"

"You enjoyed fighting."

"Shut up."

"Then tell me that you don't wish to see me killed."

Sephiroth stepped forward and Aya stepped away.

"Tell me that you didn't want to kill me, that you didn't wish to rip me from groin to gullet and see my eviscerated body lying on the ground."

He cupped her chin with his large, elegant hands.

"Tell me."

Aya didn't answer, she merely stared, her eyes wide.

"Wh-what the hell is going through his mind?"

Sephiroth smirked again and then seemed to edge closer to Aya. A shot rang out and Sephiroth turned on his heel to see Daniel firing.

"Blast," Sephiroth cursed "we'll finish this later."

Daniel fired several rounds as Sephiroth vanished into the streets.

"Shit," Daniel cursed "the hell wazzat?"

Daniel holstered his gun and walked up to Aya who had fallen to her knees and just stared blankly.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked "Aya?"

Aya didn't answer, she just stared, a broken blade in her hands and her hand covered in blood with Sephiroth's words ringing in her ears.

"Tell me."