Promises and Smiles
Chapter Two: Calamitas Et Sua Rosa
by Ruff Collie
Suddenly, Sephiroth realized something.
It wasn't over.
It had never been over, not even for a second.
His majestic form had already taken flight, gliding down towards the innocent young woman who had pulled him back from the precipice of madness. Masamune's sharp glare was hidden by her matte leather sheath; for once in his mess of a life, Sephiroth had made up his own mind. The ex-General had certainly defied fate before, so why should any circumstance change that fact now?
The Calamity's son, once blinded by his own blood lust, had taken his first, tentative steps back into sanity with fully opened eyes. Sephiroth would eventually take care of his 'Mother', but other things were more important at that moment. The knowledge that he had Jenova under his total control assured him that Aeris would not be in any danger.
He landed in a slight crouch next to a wincing Aeris softly, slowly lifting his head to lock his brilliant eyes with her own. The man's body uncoiled into its entire, imposing height.
"Sephiroth?" whispered Aeris, rising hesitantly from from kneeling position. The flower girl clasped her hands against her chest anxiously, a curious look on her face."What...what are you doing?"
"I...," Sephiroth paused, at a loss for words. What was he doing? And what exactly could he tell her?
"You...you aren't going to...you know, from the front, are you?" Aeris squeaked, terror paralyzing her completely as she fell to her knees again; her breathing was shallow, exiting her body in strangled sobs. "Please, please! N-No! I'll...I'll do anything! I don't want to s-see that..."
Sephiroth stepped forward quickly, lowering himself so that he could place a gloved hand on Aeris' shoulder. Of course she would be afraid of him doing that, especially with what he had become. Haltingly, the ex-General let the other hand rest on her cheek in a quiet attempt to get her attention. Sure enough, the flower girl soon glanced up at him through heavy eyelashes.
"Hush," He gave the command in a soft voice, leaning forward to whisper in Aeris' ear. "It will never happen. I refuse to spill your blood, Aeris. You have only ever shown me kindness and understanding."
"B-But...," Aeris stopped, unable to overcome her shock. Taking a deep breath, she continued weakly. "What about my friends! They'll be here soon! And you! Why? What's changed in you?"
Sephiroth exhaled heavily, bowing his head for a few seconds before answering her frantic questions.
"I'll deal with your friends," Fear washed over Aeris' face, and Sephiroth shook his head rapidly before continuing. "Don't worry. I won't harm them. And I'll lend you my strength to defeat Jenova. It is...the least that I can do to redeem myself."
"Sephiroth..." Aeris looked away, her face completely unreadable. She closed her eyes for a second, before pulling away from Sephiroth and turning around completely; her entire frame began to shake violently.
"Aeris?" Sephiroth asked, uncertainty lacing his voice. He glanced at his hands, wondering what he had done wrong. 'Maybe I really am past redeeming...' Resting a hand on her shoulder, he braced himself for the worst.
What Sephiroth did not expect to see was a very joyful Aeris face him slowly, tears patiently making their way down her face. He stared at the girl in shock, perplexed by her sudden mood change. She only responded with a tiny, almost shy smile. This in itself was strange enough; however, her next actions shook the very depths of his blackened soul.
Aeris' arms had somehow found their way around his neck, and her head had come to rest on his chest. The flower girl's eyes were closed; she was whispering something frantically and breathlessly. Hesitantly, Sephiroth craned his head forward slightly to hear her better.
"It really is you, Sephiroth. You've come back to me, haven't you?" Aeris was delirious with joy, and liquid euphoria was rushing through her pulsing veins. Grinning widely, she allowed the insanity of it all take over for a few moments. "Seph, it's you. I knew it couldn't have been the real you who had done all those terrible things, and now you're here. You're really here, and I'm not going to die. You won't let me. I'm not going to die..."
"Aeris..."
With a bashful smile, she pressed her lips against Sephiroth's for the first time in five years. Instantly, his vibrant green eyes widened from the impact her actions had left on his mind. Nothing could have ever prepared him for this moment; it wasn't even fated to happen, but that simply made everything even more surreal and a thousand times more precious. Pulling away from Aeris, the ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as he held her closer; he noticed that his neck had become wet with her delightful tears.
As much as he would have loved to stay there with Aeris, Sephiroth knew their gentle exchange would soon have to come to an end. He could sense Cloud and his group coming perpetually closer, meaning he would need to act soon. Placing his hands on Aeris' shoulders, the man pulled her away from him slowly.
"They're coming for you," Sephiroth said, carefully picking her up off the ground. "Your friends. Aeris, you need to decide where you want to be."
Aeris only shook her head, attaching herself to Sephiroth once more. As she spoke, her voice vibrated softly against his chest.
"Please, Sephiroth. Don't let go of me again...you've been gone far too long."
He looked at her questioningly.
"I know," she whispered in reply to his silent inquiry. "I'll miss all of them so much. But let's play by Fate's rules this time, hm? I'm...I'm as good as dead."
Gulping, Aeris stared at the ground as she bravely fought off the tears that were coming fast. She shook herself slightly, shivering at the thought of her friends' sorrow upon learning of her supposed death. The idea of betraying and hurting everyone she had shared so much with was almost unbearable, but she felt as if she could not be a part of their lives anymore. In returning to Sephiroth, she had given that up; it would be unrealistic of her to think that they could ever accept her relationship with him. In their eyes, she believed she had become tainted, tainted by the hands of a fledgling god. Pulling away from Sephiroth, the flower girl reached into the pocket of her jacket, playing with her precious ring; absentmindedly, she wondered if Sephiroth still meant what he had written in that note all those years ago. She'd ask him later.
"All right, then," Aeris smiled mournfully, hugging herself tightly. "Let's go. Just...just tell them that you killed me...and disposed of my body...Cloud, I'm sure he'll look, so...I'll just...hide until he's gone, okay?"
After nodding his agreement, Sephiroth moved forward so that he could hold Aeris close again, if only for a brief moment. She sighed quietly, relaxing against him.
"It'll be okay," Sephiroth said awkwardly, trying to find the right words to comfort Aeris. It was hard; what do you tell someone who would never see their best friends again? "You have me, if you so wish it. I'll make up for those lost years, all right?"
Aeris shivered against him, then looked up at his face. Gratitude was glowing in her red-rimmed, overbright eyes.
"Thank you."
oooooooo
Frowning, Cloud glanced around at the long abandoned streets of the Forgotten Capital. Something was in the air; it felt as if the entire place was pounding with some sort of static electricity. The spikey haired man gripped the hilt of his sword for comfort. Every minute that passed left him even more worried about Aeris, and the creepy shadows the strange shell-like houses gave off were not helping at all. Something was definitely not right, and they needed to hurry. With a sour look on his face, he motioned to Cid and Vincent, who had accompanied him, to hurry up.
"Goddamnit, boy!" Cid growled agitatedly, flicking some ashes off the end of his cigarette. "We're hurryin', we're hurryin'! Don't get yer goddamn panties in a bunch!"
"I have a feeling," said Cloud, looking away from the other two men, "that something isn't right. I don't think we should keep Aeris waiting."
Vincent glanced over at him, not saying anything.
"What the hell do you mean somethin' ain't-" The pilot suddenly stopped talking, paling considerably. "Aw, shit..."
"Thank the Planet! You're finally getting serious!" Cloud sighed in relief, glaring at Cid.
"Shit, no, Cloud...turn yer ass around!"
"Why..."
He pivoted himself around quickly, immediately falling into a tense battle stance when he saw his greatest advesary standing there with a neutral look on his perfect face. Cid and Vincent were right behind him, readying spear and gun, respectively. Cloud gripped his sword tightly, trying to find solace in the power it gave him. Sephiroth regarded him calmly, the Masamune not even raised.
"Where's Aeris?" questioned Cloud in a demanding voice, trying to hide his shock and a sneaking feeling of fear.
"Oh, your little Cetra girl?" Sephiroth leered at him viciously, like a wolf who had just found a tasty lamb for dinner. "She's dead. I was the one who had the delightful pleasure of killing her."
When the ex-SOLDIER and his comrades made a move to run the way Sephiroth had came, the ex-General raised a hand and shook his head, amused.
"I disposed of her body, puppet. It would be of no use to run after her; you'd find nothing."
"You --" Cloud's face contorted in what looked like terrible pain as he fell to his knees. The ex-SOLDIER began to shake, his body completely tensing up. "You bastard! WHY?"
"Stop acting as if you have real emotions, puppet," Sephiroth scoffed coldly, an arrogant look plastered on to his face. He regarded the pained man below him cooly, stroking the Masamune with a gloved thumb.
"But...Aeris...," gasped Cloud, clutching his stomach as a terrible feeling continued to assault his body. "She was..."
From behind one of the ancient building, a soft whimper sounded out; the owner of that voice could not be mistaken. Cloud immediately jumped to his feet, sending an ice filled glance towards Sephiroth who was calm on the outside but was almost panicking mentally. Why had she cried out!
"Cid! Vincent! Go get her!" Cloud commanded, never taking his eyes off the man who had ruined every single part of his life. OUt of the corner of his eye, he saw the two men running towards the source of Aeris' cry. Steeling his gaze, the ex-SOLDIER stepped forward towards Sephiroth slowly.
"Liar," whispered Cloud quietly. "What were you planning to do with her? Take her as part of your sick plan to destroy the Planet? What, were you going to rape her and then dispose of her body? You...you..."
"Stop speaking of things you do not understand, puppet!" Sephiroth growled, nearly losing his composure. How dare that insignifigant weakling accuse him of wanting to hurt his Aeris! 'But you were going to kill her...' a voice in his mind snickered, coldly pointing out the truth. Sephiroth hushed it, a little shaken.
"I understand enough!" spat the ex-SOLDIER, rushing forward to blindly strike his foe, who nimbly dodged the attack.
"You know nothing," Sephiroth hissed, pronouncing each syllable slowly, venom building within his voice. "Maybe you should ask her about her past sometime. You might learn something useful."
With that, Sephiroth took to the air, sparing a last, longing glance towards Aeris. He saw her stare up at him, sorrow evident on her face. It was as if she was just begging him to take her with him.
"I'm sorry, Aeris," he sighed, almost to himself. "I'll be back for you, and you will have me. Wait a little longer."
He was off to take back his real body.
ooooooo
On the ground below, Aeris was on the verge of completely breaking down. So much emotional dischord had been her own in the past few hours that she could no longer hold back. Sanity was like a tantalizing dream that she almost remembered but could not quite grasp a complete hold of. The tears began to fall; they were slow at first, but soon gained momentum. She would have collapsed if it hadn't been for her friends' strong grip on her body.
"What's wrong, girl?" Cid asked unsteadily as Aeris began to scream wildly at the sky, occasionally crying out Sephiroth's name. She struggled against his hold, then broke free. "Woah, there. Calm down! What's wrong with ya?"
"Aeris," Vincent commanded quietly, grabbing a hold on her wrist. The disraught girl yelped and tried to pull free, but the ex-Turk would not give her that liberty. "What about Sephiroth? What did he do to you?"
"That...he...left! Bastard..." Aeris groaned, suddenly going limp in Vincent's grasp. He carefully lowered her to the ground, watching as she stared forward despondantly.
"What do you mean 'he left'?" he questioned gently, kneeling in front of her. "Did he hurt you?" At this point, Cloud had joined the three and was staring down at the Cetra in confusion.
Aeris shook her head slowly, still looking to the sky. "He came back to me after so long...," she murmered, reaching into her pocket to take out her beloved ring. The Cetra smiled childishly at the small piece of jewelry, watching it sparkle as she moved it back and forth. "Seph, you're so strange. Through a note! Of course I will...it'll be wonderful, too. We'll have lots of beautiful flowers, and you'll be so amazing in your dress uniform...mom is going to cry, you know. It'll be okay, though..."
Vincent froze as he listened to Aeris' babbling, suddenly understanding what she was referring to. Apparently, Cloud came to the same revelation as his countenance began to show signs of his comprehension. Aeris continued to speak, oblivious to the flabbergasted beings around her.
"What the hell?" Cid was the first to speak up after inhaling from his cigarette. "Why is she talkin' 'bout marryin' that freaky ass silver boy?"
"I think that there's something we don't know," Vincent remarked, studying Aeris' curled form.
Although Cloud did not utter a single word, inside his emotions were coming from all sides, and he no idea what he should feel. Happiness that Aeris was alive, confusion towards the ring and her nonsensical mutterings, fury at Sephiroth for even looking twice her way, and just an overwhelming sensation that something was not right were all whirling around like a dust storm in his mind. Shaking his head slightly, the ex-SOLIDIER fixed his eyes on Aeris for a split second, then motioned for Vincent to pick her up.
Vincent silently reached over and carefully took Aeris into his arms, minding the sharp points on his claw. Her emerald eyes were glazed over, and she was wearing an incredibly content smile. Allowing herself to be picked up like a small child, the confused girl slipped the ring on her finger, then yawned and promptly closed her eyes.
"I believe she's in shock," Vincent said quietly, adjusting his grip on the girl. "She needs a lot of rest. Then I think we can get some answers."
"Damn right we can!" exclaimed Cid, recieving a glare from Cloud when Aeris stirred. The pilot grumbled a bit, pulling out another cigarette to light. "Then let's get 'er ass back to that boney place with all those looney scientists, whatever it's called."
ooooooo
There was something warm beside her. Curling up some more, she whimpered a bit and leaned into the sensation. It had been a terribly long time since she had been this content, and she planned on taking full advantage of it. Wrapping her arms around the heat source, Aeris grinned in her drowsy half-sleep.
"Seph...," the Cetra yawned widely, her eyelids working themselves up to a state where they could open fully. Something tugged on the blankets around her. "Mmm, Seph! Stop taking all the covers!" She opened her eyes.
Black strands of fur filled Aeris' vision; throwing herself backwards, she bit back a terrified yelp. A very frightened Cait Sith was staring at her like she was some kind of insane mental patient who had just escaped from her padded room. His mog stood next to her bed, obviously turned off. She sent an apologetic smile towards the stuffed cat, then sat up fully with another drowsy yawn.
"Good morning, Miss!" Cait Sith chirped merrily, having regained his composure. "Are ya feelin' well? You've been out for about two days, y'know. We're in Icicle Inn right now."
"Really?"
"Yeah, everyone's been worried about you," Cait explained. "Especially with what you said before you passed out..."
"Oh...," whispered the girl, averting her gaze to her trembling hands. She already knew what words had slipped out of her mouth in her temporary breakdown.
"They thought that I should talk to you, miss," the cat paused. "That is, if you're all right with it."
Silence swept over the room as Aeris weighed her options. Either way, her friends would most likely never trust her again. After putting them through so much, the least she owed them was the truth about her past and Sephiroth. Her lips twitched slightly as she glanced down at her ring, finally making up her mind.
"Where should I start?" Aeris let out a short laugh, turning her eyes to the ceiling. Vainly, she struggled against the oncoming tears. "Sephiroth and I...well, we met when we were young. I was, oh, around five or six, and I believe he was fourteen. We were both lab specimens of Hojo, and me and him...we became great friends. We were going through the same pain, and I guess we just connected through that."
Cait Sith said nothing, but a certain controller back in Midgar was fighting back rage. Reeve had always hated Hojo; that hatred only strengthened with the knowledge that the scientist had taken Aeris to experiment on as a child. If he possessed any doubt about the matter before, Reeve was completely certain now that his fellow employee lacked any sense of morality.
"Anyway," Aeris continued, fiddling with a corner of her sheets, "after my mother and I escaped, I didn't see Sephiroth at all. That is, until a military parade for Shinra. I was sixteen, and he was twenty-two; I guess he caught my attention, and we went out for dinner that night."
Much emotional turmoil was coiling up inside the flowergirl at this point, so she turned away for a second to gain her face back. She couldn't cry, not now and not at this. Cait Sith's ears were drooping in an almost comical sadness at this point, so when Aeris turned back, she just had to smile. Clearing her throat, she continued.
"We got to my doorstep, and he...well, he kissed me," the girl smiled fondly at the image in the back of her mind. "We became inseparable over the next few months. He had to go to war, but he came back on my seventeenth birthday to spend it with me, and then Nibelheim."
Aeris' mission of fighting her tears at this point had all but been aborted, for she did not stop them from falling freely down her red stained cheeks.
"He...he left this for me," she sobbed, gesturing wildly to her ring, "and also, a note. He was...he was proposing to me. I still have both, because by the Planet, I still love him. I've never stopped, Cait."
Burying her face in her hands in shame, Aeris allowed herself to think that every single person on her team was going to hate her for this. However, she was not going to let their opinions persuade her; she was stronger than that. They could hate her if they wanted. She was beyond caring at this point.
On the other hand, Cait Sith had gone slightly unresponsive. Reeve was deep in thought, and sympathy was his leading emotion in this whole mess. It would be an extremely hard task explaining all that the flowergirl had told him to the team. Clould especially would be crushed. The doll perked up when Aeris continued to speak.
"He's changed, Cait," she said faintly, her lips curling up slightly. "He doesn't want to destroy the Planet anymore. I guess seeing me again changed his mind."
"Oh...well, whaddaya think we should do, miss?" Cait asked gently, watching her curl up under the blankets again.
"You can tell them if you want," she yawned, blearily looking at the stuffed cat. "I can never change what I feel about him."
With a sigh, Caith Sith crawled up onto her bed and wrapped his tiny arms around Aeris' neck. She hugged him back with a grin, snuggling him close.
"Thanks for talking to me. I feel a lot better...I think I'll sleep a bit more," the Cetra closed her eyes, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
"Goodnight, miss," Cait whispered, hopping onto his mog as silently as he could manage. "I hope you'll be all right. We all do."
oooooooo
Thoughts tore around Cloud's mind as the news came in the form of Cait Sith, and he could not say a single word. It wasn't like he hadn't tried; the words simply got caught in his throat like a traffic jam at rush hour. Cait's tone had been solemn as he had recounted what Aeris had told him before she had passed out again. Total silence had fallen like a blanket over the inn room, until it was broken by a muffled cry from Tifa. The martial artist was the first to speak, her voice throaty and hoarse.
"I...I never knew," Tifa whispered, anxiously wringing her hands. "She told me that there was a guy in her past, and that he had been a SOLDIER, but I never knew it was Sephiroth..."
"Aeris told me that he had changed," Cait interjected. "He was supposed to kill her but she thought that him seein' her and talkin' to her changed his mind."
"Why the hell was she hidin' from us?" Cid growled, his fists clenching at his sides.
"I dunno, guys," the cat shook his head with a sigh. "But I think she was going to go with him."
"So she was engaged to him?" asked Yuffie, unsually monotone. She looked away when Cait answered in the affirmative.
"I don't believe her that he's changed," Cloud had finally found his voice. "I think it's just some plan of Sephiroth's."
Cait looked uncertain. "I don't know. She was extremely happy about it, and she would know him the best out of all of us. Miss Aeris wouldn't lie about something like that."
"She's not in her right mind!" the ex-SOLDIER spat, suddenly rising from his chair. "I think he messed around with her head!"
"Cloud...," Tifa cautiously got up and placed one of her hands over his. He refused to look at her. "He didn't mess with her. She's showed me that ring before. I believe her."
With an infuriated cry, Cloud lunged towards Tifa. His hands found their way to her shoulders, and soon he was shaking her violently. Barret and Red startled at this, but Vincent was the one who tore the man away from a very shaken Tifa. He eyed Cloud cooly.
"Do not let your petty feelings of jealousy get in the way of making a rational decision," Vincent said in a low tone. "Just because she cannot be yours does not mean you should hurt others around you."
A small squeak echoed throughout the room; immediately, its occupants fixed their gaze to its source. Aeris stood in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth in shock.
"I'm so sorry," she choked, backing away slowly. "I've been a terrible burden to you all! I'm sorry for ever wasting your time!"
Without a backwards glance, the Cetra fled from the inn into the unforgiving wilderness.
A/N: And the author said, let it be updated! Yes, I decided to continue this with thought to my first reviewer's suggestion. This will have a plot, believe it or not. Rating may go up, though. By the way, I do actually take Latin in school. I ain't usin' none of dem cheap translators.
Read and review, please! Your feedback is always appreciated. Please tell me if I messed something up.