Tainted Souls

Chapter VII

Hey everyone I'd just like to say I'm sorry that the previous chapters were so dang short. I'm starting to make the chapters at least twice as long.

A Demons Confessions, A Burden Lifted

This was it, all he needed to do now was to summon Meteor and cleanse the Planet. Sephiroth stood atop the Temple of the Ancients, waiting, for her. She was the only one who could stop them now.

"Don't worry mother, I will not fail you, the planet will be cleansed, but first I have to deal with the interlopers," Sephiroth looked to the south, a powerful presence was on it's way to the temple, "So they've decided to come for it then."

The fire in the center of the camp roared, bathing them all in it's warm light. Vincent and Sesshomaru sat around the fire staring at each other, unsure of what they were looking at.

"Where did the girl go?" Vincent asked staring at the demon.

"To the springs that we passed earlier." Sesshomaru replayed.

"Why's she traveling with you? I figured that demons hated mortals." he asked inquisitively.

"That girl is important to me, your questions are not, hold your tongue." he snapped at the gunman.

Steam rose from the hot springs, Aeris looked around to see if anyone was around. She slowly removed her clothing looking around once more, and slid into the steaming waters of the natural springs. The hot water eased the pain in her joints. It seemed like years since she met Sesshomaru and started traveling. Her thought turned to Vincent for a moment. What was he? He wasn't human. Was he a demon like Sesshomaru? Or something else. Why did he decide to come with them when they mentioned Sephiroth?

Aeris waded out into the deepest parts of the springs and let her body sink down below the water.

What is Sephiroth after? Wait, why am I thinking about things like this now? I should be relaxing. Let Sesshomaru and Vincent worry about that. She thought as she drifted in the springs.

Her thoughts drifted back to Sesshomaru, she wondered what was he like in the past. Whether or not he had any family… any children.

She floated back to the surface , as her head poked out from the water, she heard a noise, she grabbed a rock from under the water and flung it into the bushes. A clawed hand snatched the stone in midair and it dissolved from the poison in the claws. Sesshomaru leaped from the bushes drawing his sword as if he was under attack.

"AHHH," Aeris screamed covering herself with a towel, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I heard someone, so I came to investigate." he explained placing the Tokijin under his belt.

"Yeah, well you found what you were looking for." She walked up to the demon and put her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, the towel fell from around her body and floated away.

Sesshomaru looked down and saw what had happened, he stared both confused and awestruck at the girl.

"Aeris…" He started, but she cut him off.

"Just shut up, Sesshomaru. Just shut up and let me hold you," she said as tears flowed from her eyes, "Why, why did you care for me so much? No ones ever cared for me before, I've always been scared and alone. "

"Aeris," Sesshomaru blushed trying not to stare at her naked body, "Look down"

Aeris backed off from the demon, she looked down and saw here exposed body. Shrieking, she dove under the steaming water and covered herself with her hands.

"Well what are you waiting for, get out of here, pervert!" she screamed reaching for her towel.

Sesshomaru both confused and embarrassed, walked towards a tree and didn't look as Aeris dressed. Thoughts raced though Sesshomaru's mind as he waited for Aeris, why was she so emotional around him? Why was she so happy one second and angry the next? Why did she always touch him and sleep next to him? It seemed that he night never understand women.

"Okay, we can leave now," she said gathering her things, she paused and looked at Sesshomaru, "I'm sorry for what I did back there, I was surprised that's all."

"It's all right, I'm still confused about how the female mind works…" He stopped talking realizing what he had said. Aeris stared at him scolding.

"Well, You're not supposed to." She said blushing, with a smile on her face. Aeris pulled on Sesshomaru's arm, "Come on, there's something I want to show you."

Perplexed Sesshomaru followed. She led him deeper and deeper into the forests, it became darker with every step they took, a large canopy of ancient vines and leaves blocked out any light the sun offered. The trees seemed to become more alive the further into the forest they went. They finally came to a large clearing in what seemed to be the middle of the woods. In the center of the clearing there was a small lake with a tree growing out of the center of the water. Small glowing orbs of light filled the air and seemed to be spawned by the lake itself, the foliage canopy that blocked out the moon did not reach over the clearing. Moonlight shot into the clearing bathing them all in a comforting aura.

Aeris walked up to the bank of the lake and walked into the dark water. She waded to what seemed to be the deepest part of the lake, she turned and motioned for Sesshomaru to follow her. He walked to the waters edge and stopped for a moment to admire the lakes beauty. It reminded him of the last time he saw his Father. It was a night just like the one he was experiencing.

His father was wounded from the fight with the dragon, Reyokotse; he was on his way to meet that mortal woman who bared his younger brother, Inuyasha. He had asked his father for the Sword of World Conquest, Soy-unga, He wouldn't give it to him. He ran off after that, flying over the sea to that women. He never saw his father again. He died that night in a burning fortress, at the hands of a mortal.

Aeris motioned him to come further, he waded out to meet her. She grabbed on to him for support, the tall demon stood perfectly fine in the deep water.

"Sesshomaru, listen, I have a bad feeling about our future." she said looking own into the water.

"Our…future?" He asked staring at her. She seemed incredibly sad, a lone tear started to slide own her cheek. Sesshomaru raised his hand and wiped the tears off of the crying girls face.

"I…just…want to be with you…forever, no fighting, no Sephiroth, no Black Materia. I want to forget about it all. I can't stop thinking about how every thing could have been different." Aeris floated away from the demon, as she did, Sesshomaru got an ominous feeling.

Aeris.

What is taking them so long?

Vincent holstered his handgun and walked out into the forest. After several minutes he came to the hot springs where Aeris was supposed to be bathing. No one was there.

Sesshomaru must have found her, they're probably off alone somewhere. It's getting late, I'd better find them.

Vincent looked all around for any indication as to which way the two went. After several moments of searching he found two sets of footprints one seemed to end a few feet from some bushes near the springs and then moved to the north. The other pair of footprints was also headed north.

It seems that two parties passed here earlier. Both around the same time. I'd better follow them.

The tracks stretched for what felt like miles into the dark forest. The second pair of tracks stopped here and headed into the bushes. It was no use to follow them anymore. Vincent followed the other pair, these were more then likely the tracks of his comrades.

Sesshomaru walked closer to Aeris, She was crying. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear.

"Aeris, Why do you act so strangely when we are alone? Your heart races, you start to sweat, you smell different, you act strange. You don't do any of these things when we are around people." He stood there perplexed wondering why he grabbed her. He was acting on impulse, this wasn't like him.

"You mean…," she turned around and stared at him, crying harder, "You can't tell?"

"Can't tell what?"

"Damn it, Sesshomaru, can't you take a hint. I act like this because I love you," she screamed at the top of her lungs. She turned away from the demon and started crying again. "I…love you…with all my heart…and my worst fear is that you don't feel the same way about me."

Sesshomaru grabbed Aeris by the shoulder and flung her around so that they were facing each other, surprised by the demon's strength and ferocity, Aeris stopped and stared at him, both shocked and devastated. Sesshomaru grabbed her face with both hands and pulled it towards his until their lips met. Aeris' tears stopped and she was filled with joy.

Vincent neared what looked like a clearing, the canopy didn't cover this area, the moon shone brightly, there was a lake in the middle of the clearing. He heard a scream and ducked behind the nearest bush, two people where in the water. Vincent reached inside his cloak and drew a snipers rifle. He trained the scope on the two figures and magnified the image. It was Sesshomaru and Aeris, Sesshomaru grabbed Aeris and started what looked like kissing her.

I'd better not watch this.

He turned around lowering the rifle, as he did he heard a sound in the bushes in front of him. It sounded like people. Vincent went prone and readied his rifle. Whoever was here wasn't supposed to be here. It must have been whoever made that second pair of tracks. Two men appeared out from behind the bushes, Turks. Aeris told him that they were came after a lot.

You bastards, can't you see their in love! Why are you trying to ruin their moment.

Vincent placed a silencer in the guns barrel. He closed one eye and looked through the scope. He targeted the head of the Turk in the back and pulled the trigger. The silencer made a whisper of the gunshot, he doubted Sesshomaru would hear it. Even with his ears. The man fell to the ground without making a sound. The leading Turk didn't even know his comrade was dead. Vincent loaded another bullet into the rifle and sighted the other mans head. He, like his partner fell to the ground without a sound.

You shouldn't have interfered with love, Hojo should have learned his lesson after what he did to me.

Vincent stood guard, no one was going to ruin those twos time together. No one. Not after what he'd been through.

"Oh, Sesshomaru." The two stopped kissing and starred at each other.

Aeris was overjoyed, she jumped up and flung her arms around his neck. She had never been happier in her life. It seemed that Sesshomaru shared her feelings.

"Aeris, I love you." It felt like a burden was lifted from his shoulders.

"Let's head back to camp." Aeris said. Sesshomaru carried her the rest of the way. The two hardly took their eyes off each other for the rest of the night.