Journey Eight – Ashura
Visual Communicator Room, Vatican
Screen turns up and she can see Yuffie and Leon, along with a few more moogles somewhere in a room in Hollow Bastion.
"Hi Aerith!" The young kunoichi exclaimed with happiness, though Leon behind her, was mentally slapping his head. "Long time no see!"
"Hi Leon and Yuffie!" The young woman smiled. "It's been a long time, you guys."
"Yeah and those weird guys from whatever the Star or Solar System aren't so bad at all. With you know bringing this what-do-you-call-it telephone or something."
"Yuffie, those 'weird guys' you're referring to are some technicians of some Galaxy network company from the Theophilus Star System and in front of us, where you are talking to Aerith is a Visual Communicator." Leon smirked as he rolled his eyes.
"Oh yeah. Sorry Leon, not getting used to this new technology from there."
Aerith laughed, since she missed her friends joking around each other, even though the silent warrior was groaning on Yuffie's yarn. "So, how's it going in the Heart Star System or Hollow Bastion, in your case?"
"Well, there are some Heartless in there and although we've 'knocked out' several, there's much chaos rebuilding inside, though thankfully the moogles from Traverse Town came here for a little assistance."
"And speaking of Traverse Town, how's Cid doing?"
"Cid? Well, he's had help from Donald's nephews in the Accessories shop, though he's allergic to the nephews' feathers and things got a little complicated. Then Pinocchio soon helped him afterwards, but I'm not too sure if he's very comfortable with his wooden co-ordination."
Then Leon pushed Yuffie to the side, much to her complaint. "So, how are you Aerith? Did you and Sephiroth have gotten used to travel space?"
"Of course! We've been to a few amazing planets on some Star and Solar Systems and we've even went into a planet with the people that look like us and 'invited' someone from there. I think it's Vincent Valentine."
"Wow! That's great, but isn't that Sephiroth behind you?"
Aerith looked behind to see the One Winged Angel, though still on his wheelchair and mostly observed the stars through the large window and not taking notice; looked back to the screen "Uh, yes he's here with and I'm taking care of him."
"Hang on! I know he's the most powerful swordsman in all of the Heart Star System, but why his right arm on bandage and further on, why the hell is he on a wheelchair?"
"Uh well, it's a long story and er…"
"It doesn't matter now. Just one more thing, before I logged out."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Where are you going anyway?"
"Apparently, the captain of the Vatican, i.e. Bach or 'The Guy Who Strangled You to Death' told us we're going to the planet Third Saccharine on the Moona Solar System to meet a person called Ashura Zhan, who knows more about Seraphiel's Compass and the Archangel Michael's artefacts than anyone. However…"
"However, what?"
"…You see, this is what Bach told us about him…"
Earlier at the meeting room, Vatican
"Ashura has some multiple personality disorder and one of his persona egos is pretty much an insane guy that has the strength of a thousand horses." Bach explained to his 'crew' calmly.
"Then how can you be so calm, when describing this Ashura is scaring a lot of us?" Vincent asked melancholy and calmly as he crossed his arms, even though he barely had information about the situation.
"Well, you see…Ashura's a very dangerous character when it comes to swordplay, not to mention a rabid sword collector, and he has many tricks up to his sleeves."
"Sword collector?" Sephiroth confusingly asked. "You mean he likes to take my Masamune?"
"Probably, but he likes a bit of a challenge who wields swords, especially yours."
The One Winged Angel smiled when Bach mentioned the person. "Hmm, perhaps I would accept this challenge, since Masamune hasn't has an opponent for a long time, since the tournament in Olympus Coliseum."
"Well, er, good luck. Anyway, Adrian?"
"Now, what Bach? More ridiculous complaints again?" The 'Chinese' asked as he woke up.
"No, but just the folks about the planet of Third Saccharine, while I'll check the progress over at the bridge." And Bach left the meeting room.
"Erm, Third Saccharine's a pretty weird place for civilisation, but it has the richest minerals in the Nimbus Galaxy. Though there's one problem – even though the atmosphere is safe for everyone to breathe, the surface isn't and you would sink one kilometre and die instantly, due to that ninety percent of it are muddy-like water. Therefore, the MAs would be suitable for such, until we arrived at the gates of Ashura's manor."
"…And that's how he said."
"I see. Just let me replay you for a moment. You and Sephiroth pilot the MA Jehovah and you're there? Jeez, I wish I have a MA, so that Yuffie and I could join you in, though Gummi technology wouldn't be useful here."
"Yes, I know."
"Well, gotta go. I'll have to re-fix Hollow Bastion, before the Moogles and Yuffie start slacking each other."
"Okay, talk to you later." And the screen that showed Leon and Yuffie, now gone, turned off.
Third Saccharine
As soon as the Vatican left the atmosphere for a while, the four MAs, Jehovah, Anima, Dominion and Lakia, landed on the surface and began walking to Ashura's manor. The environment had a clear blue sky and it was typical that it barely has land, but a collection of rigs digging for minerals.
Lakia Cockpit
"Let me get this straight," Vincent remarked as he was 'sat' above Eliza's position. "You say YESHUA pilots this MA or whatever this called."
"Yep." Eliza replied as she smiled. "Lakia is also a prototype that we've trying to connect him and this."
"I see."
Jehovah Cockpit
"Sephiroth, are you sure?" Aerith asked with some concern. "Your legs are not fully healed, not to mention you're not able to fight!"
"I'll be fine, Aerith." He remarked with some confidence. "Besides, it's been a long time, since I have opponents worth a challenge."
"But what about your legs?"
"Don't worry. I do have one advantage for being an One Winged Angel."
"And what's that mister 'oh-I-am-so-strong'?"
"I can…" Unfortunately, he didn't finished that sentence as the warning signals and the female computer voice announcing danger was coming near. Then Eliza was on screen looking concern as she was typing ever so fast.
"Guys! Trouble at twelve o'clock!"
Unexpectedly, a blurred image came straight forward to Jehovah's direction, though luckily 'she' pulled the huge version of Masamune and guarded, to reveal a somewhat maroon humanoid mecha that was holding a large scimitar, whereas the other MAs dodged and pull out their long-range weapons.
"Very impressive Jehovah!" The voice who piloted the maroon mecha exclaimed. "Or should I say, the person piloting it, isn't it Sephiroth!"
"How did you know my name, if I didn't meet you for the first time?" The One Winged Angel asked with anger, via the communicator, as Jehovah apparently pushed this maroon mecha away and got into offensive position.
"I wonder if a newbie from the Heart Star System can handle such machinery made from Lost Eden Technology against my MA Chocolat." And suddenly, the MA Chocolat retreated from battle and was heading east from there. "If you want to meet me in person, then come to my manor and we can settle this in person." Subsequently that maroon mecha left at high speed.
"Damn you, come back you coward!" Suddenly, Jehovah had put Masamune back on its back and went into high speed as it was spread its 'wing'.
"Hey, wait for us!" Bach exclaimed, as Dominion, followed by the other MAs put back their weapons and went into high speed as well.
"I've never knew Ashura would live in a place like this!" Aerith exclaimed while she looked in awe of this wonderful, yet so dull-coloured large Victorian-esque manor that has many large windows and rooms ever imaged on top of a large, yet flat and high hill; when the party got off from their MAs and in front of the black and gold gates.
"I wonder how he can never get lost in this place." Sephiroth calmly smirked as he clutched his Masamune by his side, though on the wheelchair of course.
"Before we're going inside, let me tell you a warning." Bach nervously explained to everyone.
"What? Does Ashura have many booby traps that need to avoid?"
"Uh, partly yes, but he also put many hidden traps that no one could see, though I'm not sure where he hide those things."
After an awkward silence and the gates creaking open, the crew walked at a leisurely pace as they were heading for the detail doors, automatically creaking unlock towards this Roman-esque hallway with marble stairs that lead to the corridor and two red doors opposite to each other leading to other corridors.
The environment looked to be quiet and lonely, until some shadow appeared behind Aerith's back, while everyone was looking distracted and grabbed her; covering her mouth, disappeared into the darkness. That is, until Vincent pulled his 'Death Penalty' and fired behind the young woman's struggling body that got every member's attention. As for the shadow's counterattack – he turned his hand around, while still grabbing on to Aerith's neck and as if by magic, playing cards appeared and threw everywhere at the members.
Luckily, everyone managed to dodge the cards be spreading, but the One Winged Angel – he decided to jump off from the wheelchair, sliced every card that was oncoming to him and landed on top of the marble rail. And then he looked at the shadow that was grabbing Aerith, running like a wind.
"Aerith!" He shouted as he jumped from the marble rail to the floor and chasing after him. Sephiroth, not caring anymore about his legs' condition not to mention the screamingpain he endured inside his mind,dodged the knights' slash, the hidden needles that shot toward sideways and another hidden shadow attempting to make a clear shot at right; thankfully Vincent came right on time and intercepted with more shots.
"Go and save Aerith, while I'll try to distract this individual." The red cloaked person remarked calmly as he reloaded his gun and shot some more. Sephiroth nodded, while still chasing after the shadow and after a long trip or short, to which he has a black wing behind his back and can glide at speed faster than any human, he arrived at the white and silver double doors locked to each other.
Is this another trick from Ashura? He thought to himself as got his blade into position, charging with bright powers. Once I free Aerith from his trickery, I'll tear him to pieces, if I have to! With a few chants, he cross slashed his blade into an aura version of itself, destroying the doors and entered into another strange room.
What the hell is going on?
Ugh, where am I? Last time I was with Sephiroth and the others was in the manor. Aerith woke up, after somewhat a 'hangover from hell' moment and quickly realised she wasn't in a room! In fact, she was standing on a clear glass floor and when she stood up; Aerith touched every glass wall surrounding her and turned around to see so many clear buttons with words. Okay! Don't panic Aerith! This is all in your dream! Just look around and…is that Sephiroth? Why is he out of his wheelchair and…oh, dear mother of Hollow Bastion!
She looked around the surroundings and saw trees of red and white swirls, artificial green grass and a river of some kind of brown liquid; complete with a waterfall – while it was surrounded by windows showing the bright blue sky. Aerith forgot to realise, until later that the strange-looking glass prison-slash-elevator was actually holding nothing, yet it seems to be floating in the middle of the room!
Meanwhile, Sephiroth was frustrated that shadow disappeared and not noticing Aerith was actually on top of him, until he saw this eccentric person – wearing a purple top hat, covered by a maroon brown trench coat and a black Victorian suit with a white tie – chuckling at him with a sheath load of many swords behind his back. The One Winged Angel was particularly pissed at him, as he got himself and Masamune into an offensive position.
"Welcome to my manor Sephiroth or One Winged Angel should I say?" Slyly chuckled the strange man with an evil smile on his face. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Ashura Zhan the thirteenth – A Man with a Thousand Swords and with a few hidden tricks!"
"Call me what you want." Sephiroth hissed to Ashura, as he tipped Masamune sideways horizontally. "I'm only here to rescue Aerith Gainsborough."
"Ah, so is thisyour girlfriend I've 'invited' her is Aerith, eh?"
"Shut up! She's only a friend to me! Both of us have nothing in common to each other!"
"And yet your conscience want to rescue her from my wrath, isn't that so?"
"…"
"I would wish I want to, but I can't do that."
"Meaning, I would have to accept a challenge from you? I've to say 'yes' for this."
"Ah, that's a very good response. I've never had this much fun." Ashura closed his lavender eyes and opened to reveal flaming red ones; as if he changed into something much stranger and dangerous. "Now, then say a little 'hello' to my many friends!" And with that, he sheathed and threw many swords into the ground randomly, some of them at the One Winged Angel's position.
Sephiroth had no idea what on earth Ashura was doing, but one thing for sure – he is such a challenging, but fun opponent to fight, better than Sora or some Heartless. He jumped into the air, dodging many swords and found Aerith on some glass prison on the wall, banging on it; shouting, but muting to him a warning.
However, his attention to her was interrupted when behind his back; Ashura spoke like an insane person, full of rage and madness.
"Hey, did you miss someone?" He laughed evilly as he kicked the One Winged Angel's back to wall, though landed safely and Ashura pulled his first sword – a short-medium thin Chinese sword with green kanji decorated by the blade and went towards him. Swords clinging on and off and the eccentric swordsman pushed Sephiroth's grip to the Masamune off from him to the deep ground.
Dammit! That Ashura must be the first guy to have let go of Masamune from my hand.
After some evasion from Ashura's thrusts and slashes, the One Winged Angel managed to fly down onto the ground and grabbed another sword – a long nodachi with light lilac lines of swirls with the handle in light lilac – to intercept Ashura's attack, which was on the ground now and rushing to him, and clangs and dances of elegant evasion ensues.
Okay, so plan A didn't work out as I thought. Sephiroth thought to himself, while still thrusting and slashing onto Ashura's sword. Time for plan B – get Ashura off from his swords ASAP and as soon I get Masamune out of the ground, rescue Aerith from that glass prison and get back to the hallway!
With that, he charged the nodachi and pushed Ashura off, letting go of the Chinese sword, which then he chose another sword – an European double-edge sword – and thrusted the nodachi off from his hand. Though luckily, Sephiroth managed to grab another sword – this time a long one-hand Chinese double-edge, thinsword – and managed to get off the European double edge sword from Ashura's hand.
"So, not only you're such a skill swordsman of the katana, you're also a skill swordsman of the Far Eastern swords!" Ashura chuckled in such cruelty. "But that doesn't mean you're a skilled swordsman of the World swords!" And with such power surging into the strange gentleman, he grabbed another sword – this time a thin rapier decorated with a crimson and gold handle – and forced the One Winged Angel go into a defensive position, but was pushed on the wall and fell onto the ground, where Masamune was stuck to the ground.
Dammit! My legs are not working again!
'Don't give up Sephiroth! You've still got Kusanagi.'
Yeah right! I don't even know how to call it!
'Once your legs are fully healed and you're awake, grab Masamune, call out the name, Kusanagi; slam your hand onto the ground; pull it and merged them together.'
Merge Kusanagi and Masamune together?
When he got back into conscious of the reality, the One Winged Angel was slightly confused about Jehovah's instruction, but regardless, he stood up quickly, not caring about the legs' aches, grab Masamune from the ground and within seconds of Ashura's rage coming in, he used his left hand to raise it up and then slamming onto the grass, chanting the words 'Kusanagi! Come onto me!" and pulled the legendary sword.
She says merge them together, right? If I do those and this doesn't work, I'm going back to the Olympus Coliseum and never speak to Jehovah again!
By the time he merged the two swords together, something was happening as it was turning so bright; that after Ashura grabbed onto a huge double-edge sword, he was striking onto the One Winged Angel's position, but then the table has turned – Sephiroth guarding with his new katana from the gentleman's strike and turned a smile to him.
"Now out of my way, you insane, cold-hearted bastard, before I have to go hard on you!" He exclaimed as he pushed Ashura out of the way. Ashura meanwhile, somersaulted; landed on the ground and grinned maliciously.
"Okay then!"
"Sephiroth! Sephiroth!" Aerith shouted, while banging on the glass wall. "Oh, where are Bach and the others when you need him?"
"There's no use shouting to him." Coldly said the person next to her, as she was surprised to see this person from nowhere. Though covered in a dark Victorian suit, his face was pale with dark brown eyes and had smartly short brown hair. "This glass elevator Lord Ashura made is completely soundproof, so there's no use talking to him."
"Tell me, who are you and what are you?"
"Where are my manners? I am one of Ashura's apprentices, Mardo Locket and I am responsible for kidnapping you, so that Sephiroth might take the bait."
"Wait, you mean this is just a set-up?"
"Yes, presently your other friends are locked from outside of the room, even if he broke the doors. Lord Ashura likes to challenge a person who wields a sword."
"You mean…?"
"Yes, until Lord Ashura is either defeat him or be defeated by him, he will not rest when he is rage mode. Unless his 'other' personality comes at an inappropriate time and lost concentration."
Many sword clashes and changes to Ashura, from a huge sword to a Gunblade, Sephiroth finally found the unconventional gentleman's weak spot – he was completely defenceless, if he kept his rage up; so he summoned every charge to his katana that turned into such bright, celestial, holy light and as he slashed upwards on the oncoming Ashura, the bright light took so much impact on Ashura himself, for the first time in his life, he defeated – hit hard on the wall between the two windows and fell onto the ground.
"So, this must be the power of the One Winged Angel." He muttered as he sat up slowly, until he can see the tip of Masamune and in front of him, the One Winged Angel himself. Then suddenly, as he closed his flaming red eyes and it turned into pale blue eyes, showing the fear.
"Aargh! Don't kill me!" He screamed as if he changed his personality and cowered by protecting his body. "I'm only an innocent person! It was him! I didn't do it! Please have mercy on me!"
"What! (?)" Sephiroth exclaimed as he was confused about this person now – an insane individual or just a crazy coward.
"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I ONLY HAVE PLENTY OF LIFE LEFT IN ME!"
Just where is Ashura's real persona? The One Winged Angel thought. This is getting more strange being on many planets and meeting eccentric people.
"You won't lay a finger on Lord Ashura!"
Then he looked up at the floating glass prison and saw the person of this cold voice – another young gentleman and Aerith, standing up and clutching on the edge of this hollow glass.
"Just who are you?" He snarled as he got Masamune, after dismantling Kusanagi, which then disappeared, into an offensive position.
"Who am I?" Replied the young gentleman, while clutching onto his own katana and standing quite calmly. "I am his apprentice, Mardo Locket and if you dare to take a first slice, even at the slightest touch; I have no decision, but to kill you in front of your girlfriend."
"For the last time, she is not my girlfriend! She's just a friend and has nothing in common with us."
"Really, then? Then so be it." With his sentence finished, Mardo 'dived', his katana ready to poke the One Winged Angel, until…
"That's enough fighting, Mardo!" shouted Ashura, as he got up from the match and his eyes turning back to his lavender eyes. "This person and his 'friend' are one of Bach's crew."
Mardo, instead of poking the One Winged Angel, he somersaulted and landed on the ground, not far to his position; sheathed the katana.
"Yes, Lord Mardo. What are your orders?"
"Tell Ran to stop fighting and show our guests to here. In the meantime, I should welcome Miss Gainsborough by getting the glass elevator down and Master Sephiroth."
"Yes, Lord Mardo." With that, the young gentleman left the room in a polite manner, leaving the eccentric person, Aerith, when the glass elevator was on the floor, and Sephiroth.
"I apologise if I mean any harm to you." Ashura politely apologised to them.
"Umm, that's okay, even if you used me as bait for Sephiroth!" Aerith was a little pissed off about that statement.
"Apparently, that fight wasn't bad at all." He commented rather calmly. "At least it's better than fighting against that Sora in the Olympus Coliseum."
"Sephiroth!"
"What?"
Ashura just laughed lightly. "This is just like Professor Gast."
Aerith, now taken aback that the eccentric gentleman knew her father. "Wait, how do you know my father?"
"He came from the Heart Star System, just like you two are from and he was a good friend to me, until he left."
"Then why would he come here to your manor?"
"He wanted to research about how Lost Eden became an invisible path that no one seems to have discovered using the artefacts the Archangel Michael used, as well as finding the reason the Heartless came to your Star System. When he came to my manor, as Yeager Enterprises' special guest, he asked if he would like to use one of the empty rooms for research and the library and I said yes to him. He also gave me an instruction to his daughter, i.e. you."
"What is it my father wanted me to do?"
"Should my daughter Aerith is all grown to be a young woman, just like my wife; just give her the key and hopefully, she will know the truth about the Nimbus Galaxy and its state of turmoil."
Then, as Professor Gast would have told him, Ashura gave Aerith the key that actually lead to her father's research room.
"Just go to the glass elevator, press the 'Professor Gast's room and open it. I haven't entered there for a long time."
And with that, Ashura left them two alone for some time that Aerith thought.
"My father said about the truth on the Heartless and the Nimbus Galaxy itself – what does it mean?" she asked confusingly as she and her One Winged companion entered into the glass elevator.
"I don't really know," Sephiroth remarked with the same expression as Aerith. "but I would like to know about this turmoil he's talking about."
"Hmm, we'll just go into his room then. Now, which one is my father's room? There must've been one of the thousand buttons that'll take us there."
"You mean this one?" Surprisingly, as Sephiroth pressed the button that would lead them into the room, the glass doors behind them shut quickly and with the boosters well truly ready for blasting off, they were soon gone to the room – a place, where the truth can begin.
Author's Note: This will be the last time I am going to post this latest chapter, until after the A2 Level exams ((Insert bad language)!) in the summer, because I want to concentrate more on the subjects to improve, rather than carrying on. Now then, before I babble about random subjects, not good at action scenes and stuff, so do that in your head to imagine and because this is an Aeriseph fanfiction, I'll leave the imagination to you for the events happened to Vincent and now, Ran and Bach and his crew, if you want to know during these procedures. Also, if your head is pretty much confused as is to why Sephiroth felt fine when he got off the now damaged wheelchair, you'll just have to be paitent upon Journey Nine to know the answer.
Now, while I was watching Advent Children, I came to look on the two silver-haired blokes, Kadaj and Loz. This might have been a trivia, but when I looked closely, I saw that they are left-handed weapon users and when I saw the famous fight of Cloud versus Sephiroth, guess what the One Winged Angel is? That's right, he's also a left-handed Masamune wielder and probably if I'm wrong or not,Aeris (or Aerith) giving a hand to Cloud by her left hand as well while fighting against that Neo Bahamut or whatever, which comes to surprise me that I'm also left-handed for most of the stuff! Huzzah! (Laughs like an idiot) I swear I don't really often see most characters are left-handed, but it's a good job, the director made him a left-handed person.
As for the Ashura and his manor, yes it does has some connections with Tim Burton's film version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Ashura's appearance looks like the Johnny Depp version of Willy Wonka (drools) the difference is that this character has some ties to the other versions of Ashura and for that, it had no Oompa Loopmas doing the job. Instead of three heads, my version of Ashura has been given three personalities – one being his normal self, the other being the crazy, insane version of Albedo from Xenosaga and the other, the scared version of Ichabod Crane from Sleepy Hollow (Tim Burton's version) – instead of giving him lots of arms holding lots of swords, how about giving him a whole load of them?
Now thanks again to the Aeriseph fans and regular reviewer Black Malva for supporting me and without it, I might have abandoned the fanfiction. Keep reviewing and I'll reply to you ASAP. Except for anti-Aeriseph one and flamers, they can all be disintegrated by the Testaments' powers from Xenosaga!