The Grey Ancient

by Ancient2

This is the Kingdom Hearts storyline through Riku's point of view. It's a take on who he is, where did he come from, and 'what' he is. Neither of the Light, nor the Darkness. So then where does he belong?

13. Chapter 13

The Revelation in the Reprieve

... Day 118 ...

It was a lovely day. As lovely as a recovering world would allow. But... Aeris would gladly bare it. It has been so long since Radiant Garden had a peaceful day like this. There were no Heartless attacks, no citizens in need of healing, it was a lovely day of rest. The sky shined brightly in its sunless, pink hue. Although Aeris did miss the sun, this was still nice.

Nice enough for her to take out a book to read and rest under the tree in her backyard. Even though she was relaxed, Aeris still worried about Riku, about her family, about Sora and the others. But there was nothing she could do for them now. She would have to trust in their own power. In the end, the people in her heart always come back to her.

Speaking of which.

"(Sigh) Sephiroth, I know you're here." She closed her eyes with a long exhale as she shut her book and rested it on her lap. Turning her face towards the shadows in the corner of her flowerbed. Her eyes seeing what was hiding within it. "Come out. You know there's no use hiding from me."

"Hm..." Sephiroth morphed from the shadows. "How did you know it was me?"

"Cetras can Sense each other. And besides," Aeris said with a smoke. "I recognize your heart anywhere."

"..." Sephiroth didn't comment on that remark, both the one implying that he was an Ancient as well and had a heart. He just didn't feel like it today. "What are you doing?"

"Resting. Like all living things occasionally need to do."

"Hmph, waste their insignificant short time of breathing?"

"To replenish themselves." Aeris corrected, lifting up a hand from her lap to beckon him over. "You look pretty tired yourself. Come. Rest with me."

".." Sephiroth just stared at the Ancient flowergirl, wondering if she truly meant what she was saying or if she had lost her mind. He was the enemy to all that she stands for, maybe this was a trick. Either way, he was too intrigued and curious to see where this would go. So without any guard, he made his way towards her.

"Don't step on the flowers," Aeris commanded as he made his way to her through the flowerbed.

"I do what I want." Sephiroth coolly said back, subconsciously avoiding the flowers with each step.

"Hm, as you always do. (Gasp)?!" She comments back with no malice, only to be startled as he nonchalantly kicked her book out of her lap and replaced it with his head as he lied down in front of her. "Am I your pillow now?"

"You're soft enough." Sephiroth retorted with a smirk, turning to rest on his side, breathing her in. 'She smells nice. The scent of Light disgusts me. But hers is... soothing. Natural. Just like her...'

Sephiroth waited, to see what she would do next. Would she protest his actions, would she try to push him off? Anyway, with his strength, he wasn't going anywhere. But it would be amusing to see her try.

"..." Aeris looked down at his face. Knowing that even with his eyes closed and his sudden silence that he was still awake. Even so, he looked so peaceful, just like old times... It brought a smile to her face.

"!" Sephiroth was slightly taken off guard as she gently ran a hand down his head. Her fingers softly brushing through his hair. It was startling but pleasant. Sephiroth wasn't use to anyone else getting this close. Usually, they would have met Masamune and their end by now.

"This is nice..." Aeris said, her hand continuously running down his platinum mane. "Just like old times..."

"Old times?" Sephiroth question looking up at her with his eyes.

"We use to do this all the time, long ago. You would stay by my side as I faced and got over my fear. And over time, we just did this so you could rest..."

"..." Sephiroth had no recollection of this, but... He felt something twitch inside him. "Fear?"

"Hm," Aeris nodded down to him. "I use to be afraid of the sky. I had never seen it before in my prison lab, and its vastness frightened me... Don't you remember?"

"..." Sephiroth closed his eyes once again. Closing himself away. From what?

"Please, Sephiroth, can't you remember anything...? About Shinra...? About us?"

"..." Sephiroth clenched his eyes closed tighter. His head... hurt...

"(Sigh) You must be tired..." Aeris concluded, seeing the exhaustion in his eyes. Using her other hand, she placed her hand on his forehead and began channeling a Cure spell to him. "Here. This will help the fatigue."

"..." It did soothe the headache, but it brought on something else. In the darkness behind his eyelids, he began to... see... things...

...

The first memory of Sephiroth's existence was a blur. All he could see was jumbles of color through the cold, glass of the nursy tube he was kept in. Mumbled voices of a man and a woman in white arguing. The woman screaming with cries as the man laughed. The woman's head was brown and long as it stood up to flow down, this must have been her hair. The mans was black and slinked down like a rats tail. Sephiroth could see a darkness in them, especially in the man. But the woman's darkness... was eating her...

"Please give him back!"

"That is impossible. He was created purposely for the Jenova Project and to keep a species alive. After his birth, he is now the property of Shinra Corps Science Department, as you agreed to."

"Please give him back! I just want to see him!"

"Gwaw, haw, haw! What do you care?! He's not even your son!" The man laughed at her in mockery.

"He came from my body!"

"Only," The man continued to mock and taunt at her. "He came from Jenova's egg and my genius DNA which were inserted into you as a surrogate donor. You agreed to this and the terms applied willingly and in full conscious, Doctor! Whether for the glory of science or from misguided guilt for another man is of no concern to me. Regardless of which, you have played your part, and now it is time for you to leave."

"You can't do this!"

"This is my lab, I can do whatever I want. I don't see what the problem is, Dr. Crescent. You couldn't wait to get rid of him when you were carrying him."

"You Monster!" It looked like she grabbed his... 'lab coat?' tighter, but the darkness consuming her body made her weak.

"Gwaw, haw, haw! And how is your experiment doing?" The man mocked in a meaning that only she would understand. She let go of his lab coat in frustration and disgust.

"I don't know! I don't know, I don't care!"

"We're through here. Get out of my lab." The man escorted her to the door none-the-gently, her weak state made her unable to put up much of a fight. Even as she was being pushed out, she pleaded.

"Please let me see him! Just Once!"

Even though all was a blur and mumble, Sephiroth could remember Her voice so clearly. He could remember feeling her presence around him like she was actually there. A darkness the soothed around him like a dark, cruel lullaby.

"Foolish woman. She has served her purpose as a vessel for my offspring and will die from the aftermath of my Darkness. Humans are so pathetically weak, they break so easily. Oh how I miss toying with them. That imbecile Hojo is nothing but a pebble compared to Dr. Gast. He was so gentle while handling me, but still respectful and scared at the same time (Soft Laugh). Oh how I would have loved to have used him instead. But Hojo has served his purpose. Isn't that right, my son?

"My beautiful, little boy. My Dark Harbinger. You will bring calamities to the Worlds and bring them to Darkness. (Chuckle) Just like I did long ago. You will bring me pride and joy, my Dark Angel. My Sephiroth..."

...

A few years had gone by, and Sephiroth was still in the clutches of Hojo. Sephiroth had come to learn that he was in one of the highest Floors of Shinra Corp, in the part which was the Science Department. It took up two Floors, the only two Floors that Sephiroth ever knew, Floor 67 and 68. He was kept in a holding cell made of armored glass, on Floor 67, along with the other experiments, only his cell had a cot and a proper latrine. He would be fed through the slide door by one of the lab assistants and could only come out to be washed and for experiments. Both would take place on Floor 68.

They would make him exercise, testing his limit each time to see how much stronger he would get. It was a continuous slope up. Soon he would be stronger than humans. An amazing feat for a toddler still developing. They would take blood samples, inject things into him to see how he would react. Diseases would cause him discomfort, but eventually, his Ancient body would burn them away. But the worse for him was when they would soak him completely in a tube of Mako, or liquefied Lifestream, as he learned. It made him feel weird, he couldn't describe it but he didn't like it. It felt wrong.

Other times they would just observe him, taking notes. He developed faster than humans mentally. He was only a little over three-years-old and already had the mental capacity of a Six Grader. They educated him, taught him to talk, read, write, and gave him science and history lessons. They gave him what he needed to function in normal society, but never any emotional contact. Sephiroth had never experienced love or parental nurture from the assistances or even his father. He had no idea what such actions would be like.

Since he never built such a bond with any of them there, he wouldn't talk to them. He didn't trust them. No... more than that. He hated them. They would ask questions on how he was feeling, or if he ever felt different.

But he said nothing. He would never tell them. He wouldn't even tell them when he had enough with the experiments, he would just collapse. And later on, he would learn to collapse once alone inside his cell so that they would never see him weak. And above that... He would never tell them about the voices he could hear. Their voices, inside their heart, and beyond the walls of his building confinement. They were mostly jumbles, words unable to be picked up, but emotions that were strong and individually their own. He could hear and sense the hearts of all in the lab, which were mostly dark and secretive. Another reason why he didn't trust them.

Well, except for one.

Dr. Gast, he was a kind scientist that would come to visit Sephiroth as much as could. But he lived a long ways away, based on how far off Sephiroth could sense his heart, so the visits weren't as frequent. But when they were, they were nice. The Floor would automatically come under his command, even Dr. Hojo as he couldn't light a candle to Dr. Gast's brilliance. Hojo was just a hack-job that just randomly spliced genes together to see what would come out, and copied after Dr. Gast's work rather poorly at that. Dr. Gast consistently argued with Hojo about his treatment of Sephiroth and would go up to the higher Floors, that Sephiroth has only heard of, to speak to the higher ups. But they did nothing about it, so Hojo continued with his actions. Even so, Dr. Gast would personally visit Sephiroth. Teaching him what he knows, telling him story's, and giving him treats. There was a light in Dr. Gast that was rather refreshing like a snow mountain breeze that Sephiroth had only heard of but would soon learn in the future. His grin was pleasant and held no hidden motives like the others on these Floors. It was rather soothing, and would even make the voice of his mother swoon a little. He had a gruff bear look to him that was still soft, especially in the eyes. He would rub and pat Sephiroth's head... It was the only positive reinforcement that Sephiroth ever received in this place...

But when he was gone, all Sephiroth had left were the voices. Not all the voices were just noise and clutter, one voice sounded clear. The dark, soothing yet cruel voice that has been around since his first memory. She called herself his mother; she called herself Jenova. She didn't make her appearance often. But when she did, a darkness would come over Sephiroth's heart. She would drive him to do things which he would hold back on in fear of disciplinary actions from Hojo. She would always tell him that they were weak and he could crush them in his hands, but his chains were too strong. Mental chains were harder to break than physical ones. Aside from that, he wanted as little interaction with Hojo as possible. The man was insufferable and a simpleton, 'that' he and his mother could agree on.

Her presence was not welcomed, but at the same time not unwelcomed. Sometimes her voice would be deceptively soft and gentle, other times she would be shrieking like a banshee. Even so, this became normal to him. Just another unchanged part in his routine existence.

Or so he thought.

One day, out of the blue, a new specimen was dropped into the cell right next to him. Or specimens, if he was being accurate.

It was a woman with a Light so bright in her heart that it filled up the room. Sephiroth was taken aback, he had never felt so much light come from one person's heart before. He was so use to being surrounded by hearts filled with darkness that when he bumped into someone with barely a drop of it he was unnerved, but at the same time fascinated. The woman had thick, long, wavy hair tied up into a half-ponytail and flowed down her back like a stream. Her hair was light brown like chestnuts, and her eyes were a vibrant green like the Lifestream. Her spaghetti strapped dress was red and went down to her ankles, close to her light earth colored slipper shoes. She had a purple sash that hung on her hips and down on her left like a second half-skirt. She was lovely both outside and inside in a way that Sephiroth had never seen before in his short life. But for some reason, what truly brought him in was the wrapped up baby she held tightly in her arms.

She was practically thrown into her cell by Hojo's lackeys as Hojo watched. She was forced to catch herself with one hand as she fell to the ground, still holding her baby close in protection as she fell to her knees. She was crying, not just from her handling, she was crying before she was brought here. Her heart was telling Sephiroth so. Once she saw that her whimpering baby was okay, she turned back to Hojo with barely the closest thing Sephiroth could recognize as hurt and hate in her eyes.

"You Monster! How could you do this? You stole us from our home. You killed Gast... You killed my husband!"

"!" Sephiroth couldn't believe it, Dr. Gast was dead. Sephiroth felt a pain in his heart that was different than the ones from the experiments. It... Hurt. He didn't like it.

Hojo just laughed at her, from behind his men.

"Heh, heh, heh. Why so angry? I only reunited his heart back to this World's Heart. I thought that's what you Ancients strived for?"

"Not like this! Not taken away from the Realm of Light so viciously. It wasn't his time..." She looked down at her baby and then to the floor, her tears began to flow some more. She was shaking with grief. "What you've done is a crime!"

"Heee, hee, hee! No, you're wrong!" Hojo laughed back at her in his sadistic way, Sephiroth could practically see the darkness festering with glee in Hojo's heart. But he would continue to be ignored by everyone in the room. "It's my desire as a scientist! Heee, hee, hee! I... was defeated by my drive to become the best scientist. I lost last time, too. But now that he's no longer in the way, it's my turn to shine as a Scientist. Hee, hee, hee! But don't worry, Ifalna, you and your child will become glorious specimens in our quest to reach this world's heart and the Promise Land!"

"!" She held her child closer, away from the sight of the madman.

"Gwaw, haw, haw!" Hojo laughed louder, shaking in his shoulders. He sealed the cell shot with her in it, walking away with his lackeys and leaving the Holding Area. The place was quiet once more. All except the crying of the woman called Ifalna and her whimpering child.

"My poor Gast..." She cried some, quieting as she looked down at her baby as only her tears fell. She tried to hold a brave smile. "Don't you worry, my precious Little Light, I'm not going to let him touch you. In my arms, you'll be fine. I'll never let go of you. Aeris..."

"..." Sephiroth didn't know why, but for the first time... he wished that these glass walls didn't hold him in...

...

A day had passed since the woman and her baby arrived. Her tears had stopped but had become more silent. Sephiroth could feel the grieving in her Heart, the unmistakable ping of sadness. But above that... He could feel something that he had never encountered before. Something so small like one light in a dark room, and yet somehow strong enough to drown out the sadness and grief. Sephiroth had no idea what this 'feeling' was but... it felt so warm.

"Hello, little one."

"?!" Sephiroth was startled to hear the woman speak again after so long. Even more so when he looked up at her to see she was staring back at him. Her lips were curved up softly, her eyes looked at him so gently. Dr. Gast use to do the same thing towards him, he called it 'smiling'. It was so much nicer than the one Hojo would give, Dr. Gast's made him feel good inside. But Sephiroth was straying from the present. He found it hard to believe that the woman brought here against her will was actually talking to him. "Who? Me?"

"(Chuckle) Why yes, you." Her laugh was so gentle, she found his antics cute. But then she saddened to see such a young child caged in this horrible place. "You poor thing. Did they take you from your home too...?"

"This is my home," Sephiroth answered truthfully. "I was born here."

"(Gasp)!" The woman's eyes widened in sad horror. "That can't be. There is no love in this place to nurture a child. Surely you came from somewhere else?"

"I don't... think so..." Sephiroth thought and thought it over, trying to remember a time before these two Floors.

"A home is where your family is. Where is your mother and father? Can you remember them?" The woman asked, trying to help him with his memory.

"My father... is the one who locked us in here." Sephiroth with a bitterness and hate that no 3-year-old should ever have before his face turned confused as he continued on. "He says that the woman vessel that birthed me had perished. But my actual mother is far away. He said her name was-"

"Jenova..." The woman finished for him, her eyes clouded as if she was looking to a far off place.

"?!" Sephiroth was caught off guard by her response. "How did you know?"

"(Smile) I'm a Cetra, Sweetie. We Cetra can Sense our own kind. And since there are so few of us, I assume you came from the only other remaining Ancient."

"Cetra? What?"

"!" The woman gasped, startled by his confusion. "You mean you don't know what you are?"

"No... I don't..."

"You're an Ancient."

"An Ancient?"

"Yeah. An Ancient by legends' name, but Cetra by our people." The woman tried to explain to him to the best of his young understanding. "More than human. Beings with a strong connection to the Worlds' Hearts, Lifestream, and Kingdom Hearts."

"..." Sephiroth always knew there was something different about him, he could see it in the way the scientists on the Floors looked at him. But... to actually have someone put a name to it for him was frightening... But also relieving... "Worlds? Lifestream...? I don't understand..."

"... You poor baby." The woman's tears nearly escaped from their dam at his lack of knowledge to his culture provided to him. "They didn't tell you anything...?"

"They say that they tell me only what I need to know."

"Well, this is something you Need to know." She huffed, not mad at him but at the ones caging his own knowledge and potential. They were putting an invisible collar on the boy, and he was too young to even notice it. She would not allow this to happen. "What's your name?"

"They call me Specimen 0. But I keep telling them my name is Sephiroth. That's what she keeps calling me."

"Who's she?"

"Mother."

"..." She had an idea that was the answer but wanted to confirm it. Ancients had a strong connection to hearts, especially hearts of other of their kind. But it especially ran deep when it was blood ties. Jenova's voice must come clearly to him beyond muffles of hearts going through his mind in such his inexperienced and unpolished Ancient skills. Jenova was truly an ancient Ancient, and one that had strayed to the darkness to the point she was not one to trifle with. Sealed away for thousands of years and yet still alive with her powers un-withered. The fact she allowed Gast to handle her was beyond the Ifalna's understanding, and the fact she let Hojo too was even more so. Jenova was coy, manipulative, and cruel. Ifalna did not want Jenova to lead the boy astray as well. There was a darkness birthed in his heart through his mother, but... There was also a light in him. A light that was not nurtured or raised into being by the dark hearted people around him, but birthed on its own. There was a goodness in his heart that was truly his own. "Well, Sephiroth, you don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm going to teach you everything I know about our people and our ways. There's so much that you can do, and so many capabilities in your grasp. If only you have someone to guide you to reach it."

"..." Sephiroth couldn't believe it. Someone willing to give him any form of a benefit without any secondary reason or benefit to themselves. This woman was truly different. "What's your name?"

"Huh? Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't notice that I didn't even properly introduce myself." The woman said, slightly flabbergast, before giving Sephiroth a warm smile. "I'm Ifalna. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sephiroth."

"Ifalna..." Sephiroth said, trying the name out... It sounded lovely...

"I will teach all that I can. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask."

"Ms. Ifalna."

"Yes?"

"I... I know you're sad about Dr. Gast."

"!"

"I can feel it in your heart. I'm sad about him too. He was the only one that didn't show me darkness in this place. But... there's something else in your heart that I've never seen before."

"?"

"It's so warm and small, and yet it floods over the sadness and grief. What is that...?"

"..." Ifalna was saddened that he didn't even know what that feeling was, that this place had never even once given him the chance to feel it before. But she was happy that today maybe she could plant its seed in his young heart. It made her smile. "It's called Hope, dear."

"Hope?"

"Yeah. Hope is the feeling that things will get better." Ifalna tried to explain to him. "Hope is what we wish for when the days are terrible and tomorrow comes a new. We hope that tomorrow will be better than today. I hope that you see that there is more to life than this place. I hope that my baby does not grow up to see the horrors that we are caged around. I hope for a better future where we can get out of this dark place, and where we can be free. I hope this for you, and me, and Aeris..."

"!" Hope... It sounds like a beautiful thing, and yet so frail. He hoped that it was hard to crush. (Gasp)! Had he had just hoped? It truly was contagious... And strong. But then he realized that Ifalna had mentioned someone else. "Aeris?"

"Why yes. My baby. My little girl..." Ifalna said down to the baby in her arms so lovingly. "You didn't get a chance to meet her yet."

Just then, as if answering to her own name, the baby Aeris had woken up and started to wiggle and whimper.

"Oh, look who's up," Ifalna said in happy endearment. "And so lively this morning."

"..."

"Would you like to see her, Sephiroth." Ifalna offered, walking over to the glass wall separating their cells and sitting down again. "Sorry, I'd offer you to hold her. But, as the way things are..."

"..." Sephiroth slowly crawled over to the wall separating them, curious to see what a baby looked like. He had been one once. To think that there was a time he was actually so small. She looked so fragile...

"Come on out, Aeris. Say hello to Sephiroth." Ifalna gentle cooed to her daughter in encouragement. She held her child out to Sephiroth with both hands to see. Her blanket wrapped snugly around her, only to reveal her face and a small patch of slightly wavy hair.

Her hair was slightly lighter than her mothers. And her cheeks were so puffy and pink, Sephiroth found her kinda cute.

"(Gasp)!" But when her eyes opened, it made his heart skip a little. It squeezed and felt tight in his chest, but he strangely liked the feeling. Her soft Lifestream green eyes stared at him in wonder then sparkled with a gurgled giggled. His heart fluttered. "She's... beautiful."

"Hm, yes." Ifalna couldn't help but smile at his honest compliment and innocent wonderment. "She's very pretty."

"(Gasp)!" Sephiroth eye's widened in concern as Aeris's eyes began to water and she started to whimper again.

"Oh, and very hungry apparently. Don't worry, Sweetie, Mommy will nurse you." Ifalna giggled at her daughter's wiggling with endearment. But then she looked around at her situation, starting to think aloud to herself and slowly starting to mumble. "Hmm, well this will be awkward. I can't really nurse with a young boy right there. Maybe if I turn around in the corner it won't be so bad."

"!" "!" But both Ifalna and Sephiroth grew quiet in alarm at the sound of the door leading to the Holding Cell Area opened. Ifalna pulled Aeris close to her again.

Hojo's Lab Assistants came in with their food and some baby supplies for Ifalna, along with other things...

"Here. Eat up." One of the Assistants barked in command, sliding the food into their cell while another blatantly entered Ifalna's and tossed her baby supplies at her, regardless of the baby currently in her arms. "Here's what you need for the infant so the specimen doesn't die."

"..." Ifalna said nothing, looking straight into their eyes in defiance as she smacked the oncoming supplies away from hitting her child. They scattered on the floor to the right of her, but she never moved her eyes away from them.

"And here's what Dr. Hojo wants you to put in the child's food to see how the specimen will react to digesting Mako."

"!" Ifalna's eyes slanted with rage at the bottle of Mako, liquefied Lifestream which was literally liquefied hearts. They would dare try to feed this to her baby just to see what would happen. She already knew the answer. Pain; many screams from the hearts; shock to the baby; death."

"Urahh!" The Lab Assistant cried out in startled pain as his hand was set on fire, making him drop the bottle of Mako on the floor and shatter. Its contents vaporizing and disappearing back to the World. But how? Where did that fire come from? That was an actual Fire spell. That's when all of them around, except for Ifalna and her baby, realized in shock that it came from her. She had actually used Magic without Materia. "You witch! How did you do that without Materia?!"

"..." She said nothing, continuing to stare at them in open defiance. But the softness in her heart still made her cast a Cure on his hand so it didn't blister.

"Stop that you Freak and answer me!" He was going in to slap her, regardless of the baby in her arms, when the other Lab Assistant grabbed his arm to stop him. But not out of morality.

"Are you stupid?! She'll just burn your hand again." She pointed out. "Besides, Dr. Hojo will be angry if we damage the specimens."

"Tch, right," the Assistant yanked his arm from his peer's hand and reluctantly backed out of the cell. Keeping eye contact with Ifalna not only in rage but to not display any form of Beta. "We'll just Report this. You're lucky the experiments are going to be slow for you until the infant is bigger."

"..." Ifalna watched as they walked away, never changing her hard expression until she felt them leave with the door's shut.

"How did you do that?" Sephiroth asked in his own way of wonderment.

"Magic. It comes more naturally to us. You can do it too." Ifalna answered, finally speaking again and her face softening again as she looked over to Sephiroth.

"I can?" Now there was excitement in his voice, or so his heart told Ifalna.

"Yes. And I can show you." Ifalna smiled, happy at his willingness to learn. Not only to better himself but also, in a way, to continue on the ways of his people along the line. But then her face turned to stone once more as she looked towards the direction of where the door to the Cell Area was, along with concern. "Listen to me, Sephiroth. Never tell them anything. Don't speak to them; don't cry because of them; don't even hate for them. They are trying to break us, trying to cage us."

"We are already caged."

"I don't mean physically caged. I mean the caging of the heart, which is nearly impossible to break once the chains are made." She insisted before pleading to him with her eyes. "Please, Sephiroth. Whatever you do... Don't ever let them break you."

"..." Sephiroth didn't fully understand want she meant, but he took her words to heart.

...

Two years had gone by with them still trapped in their cells. Aeris had grown from a baby to a happy toddler. With her growth came the simple aqua-green long sleeved shirt and blue skirt with white socks and brown shoes to wear. There was nothing outstanding about them, but they still brought out Aeris's natural growing beauty. Her hair had grown to past her shoulder blades, which her mother had plaited nicely to flow behind her with her bangs untouched. Her baby fat was still there but not as chubby while her body was growing. Aeris knew of nothing outside of the Cell Area as her mother protected her from being taken for experiments, as did Sephiroth in his own ways. There was something in his eyes that scared everyone in the Science Department. They could not understand how a five-year-old could place so much fear in them. Mostly it was the darkness inside him, inherited from his mother, that commanded over their own darkness in their hearts. However... It was not enough to stop them from taking Ifalna, but it grew beyond terrifying when they tried to lay a hand on Aeris.

Ifalna would teach them everything she knew about their World, the Worlds, Kingdom Hearts, and their culture. She had taught them things about the Ancients and about Magic, even showing them to the best of her ability. It was hard to do in their limited confinement space, safely. But she was able to properly teach them Cure. Aeris would learn to talk and read in those cells. Ifalna saw to both Aeris's and Sephiroth's education, even teaching the lost language and writing of their people. She was truly a mother to both of them. She would sing to them, tell them stories, and tried her best to give them a decent childhood given their current circumstance. She truly loved them.

But would hide it away when Workers would show up, remaining silent until they were gone. Aeris and Sephiroth copied after her. Aeris out of fear for the men and women who would take her mother away into the unknown, hiding behind her mother as she gripped at her dress to try and keep her there. Sephiroth, on the other hand, did it because he didn't like the people. They showed him nothing but pain and fear and negativity. He had nothing to give to these people. No, he would not give these people anything.

They continued to cause pain to the only two people in this place that he ever cared about. And he hated them for this.

Aeris, sweet Aeris, who always had a smile for him. His name was one of her first words. She would talk to him, play with him to the best of her ability their separated cells would allow, and she would even draw pictures for him. Ifalna would silently refuse to allow them to take Aeris out for education, so they provided the means and supplies for Ifalna to do it herself. Sadly, the information was limited and caging to Aeris's possible potential, to Ifalna's disgust. But she made up for it easily, naturally and also from the perks of being Dr. Gast's wife. Aeris was a loving girl and never asked for much. It would fill Sephiroth with rage when these people would come in and put a look of fear on her face and in her heart. But he also would begin to hate himself when he could do nothing as they would take Ifalna away. Aeris's screams and cries would always get to him. But Ifalna would remain strong and silent. No matter what they would do to her.

Aeris, or even Sephiroth for that matter, have never seen all of it. Only the parts when they were taken out during the same time to Floor 68, Aeris for her check ups and blood sample collections, Sephiroth for his own experiments. They would watch as she was taken samples from, infected with substances to see how she would react, given ailments and poisons to see if and how her body naturally Cure them and even would immerse her body in a tube of Mako. No oxygen mask given to keep her from drowning. It was the cruelest thing to watch, most likely an even crueler experience for her. She was being submerged in liquefied hearts, their Lifestreams being soaked into her forcibly and agonizingly so. But through it all, she sadly smiled. Because passed their pained screams the lifestreams would utter these words... 'I'm so sorry.'

Hojo had tried to put her through other experiments that the two of them never saw. Something about breeding the specimen so that they would have more closes to the bloodline for further future studies. Sephiroth had no idea what that implied but he had subtle hints from Hojo forcing other specimens in the other cells to create more specimen or horrible gene splicing botch ups. The idea that he was trying to do the same to Ifalna made his blood boil. But each time Hojo would take Ifalna away to the Floor 68 to try, the place would shake with a raging Quake most likely worse at the center, angering Hojo that the experiment couldn't even commence. When a live partner wouldn't work, he tried injection, which resulted in the same failure of a catastrophic level. Eventually, the Higher ups on the upper Floors put a cease to these experiments for the building's structure's sake, much to Hojo's frustration and rage. Ifalna wouldn't allow them to touch her during these experiments, but still when they would bring her back to her cell and leave she would reveal how shaken she was. Holding her daughter close and tried to hide her silent tears from view. It pained Sephiroth to see it and filled his rage more that Hojo and his lackeys-of-hack-jobs would cause her tears. The darkness inside him would fester and Jenova nurtured it.

Today Sephiroth had to go in to see Hojo for verbal experiments. Reluctantly, Sephiroth would talk to Hojo but only to get the process over with, never really telling him anything. He had already not liked Hojo much, but over the years he was given more descript and detailed reasons as to why he did. That made it even easier to hate him.

"Alright, boy, let's see if there are any changes," Hojo asked, taking notes on Sephiroth on his notepad without actually making eye contact with him. "Anything feel different?"

"No."

"Nothing strange or unfamiliar going on with your developing body?"

"No."

"Hmm, strange. Your mentality is developing fast enough by Ancients' standards. Seems your human dilution isn't hindering it, which goes against my calculations. But according to their records Ancients had the ability to hear the voice of the World's Heart, along with its living inhabitants. Do you hear any voices?"

"No." He lied easily.

"Good boy."

"Hmm, I suspected as much." Hojo easily dismissed his answer, already seeing that part on Ancients' abilities as an old wives tale. "Still, the records say that you should be coming into your ability to condense Mako energy naturally and create reactions."

"You mean 'do Magic'."

"Tst, yes." Hojo hissed with reluctant as if the idea of using the term 'Magic' irked him. "In nature, the condensing of Mako energy does produce Materia, which is what we also need as a means to do Magic. 'The knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the Materia. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the land and the world. That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the world calling up Magic'. Pfft, or so they say. Ridiculous fools."

"Magic is a mysterious power."

SLAP!

"Never use unscientific terms like 'mysterious power'! It shouldn't even be called 'Magic'!" Hojo shouted at him in anger. The sharp slap didn't really hurt although it reddened his cheeks, it just served to anger Sephiroth more, silently.

"Break him, my son. Show him how inferior he is to you. Give him a taste of true Magic, the way darkness intended it. It is your birthright!"

"..." His mother's soothing words were tempting. But Sephiroth held his place, facing back to Hojo with his stone face still un-chipped.

"Such idiotic notions and fairytale dribble will rot away at your mind! It's that Cetra woman isn't it?! She's the one filling your mind with this nonsense! I'll see to it to move your cells apart immediately!"

"The woman doesn't speak. I heard it from one of the Assistants." Sephiroth lied blatantly, keeping his face the same, never showing how truly scared he was that Hojo would act on his threat.

"Hmm, still. I would have thought she would at least open up to another Ancient like you. She doesn't even see to her offspring's education."

"I help teach Aeris." That... was only half a lie.

"Hmph, the stubborn woman just won't break. Even for the well-being of her inferior runt."

"..." Sephiroth nearly bit down on his tongue to the point of bleeding behind his lips at that remark. He was clinching his knuckles white.

"Oh well. In time she will fall in line like a good specimen and bend to my will like the rest."

"..." Sephiroth found that highly unlikely.

"We're through here. Return him to his cell!" Hojo said to Sephiroth, not even looking at him, before shouting over to two of his lackeys. Each flanked one side of Sephiroth and not too gently shepherd him back to his cell on the Floor below. "And I'll be sure to screen all the workers in the Department to put an end to this Mumbo-Jumbo talk you're hearing about!"

"..." Sephiroth said nothing to Hojo's comment, he didn't even look back. As he was escorted through the main laboratory walkway, he had passed Ifalna who was currently locked in a large testing tube soaking in Mako. Her eyes were tired, her energy was chaotic and fluctuating from the Mako making her mind and body exhausted from the constant change. But still, she pulled enough energy to look up at him as he passed and give him a small, but still warm, smile. It always hurt him to see her in those experiment containers and unable to do anything to stop it. He felt so weak. "..."

"But you're not weak. No spawn of mine can ever be weak. Why do you keep being subservient, Sephiroth?! It's bad enough Ifalna plays the part and clings on to that weak notion of good and light. But my seed should know better! You Should Be Painting The Walls With Their Blood! WITH. THEIR. BLOOD!"

"Sephy."

"!" Sephiroth was startled to the present as Aeris's little voice rang in his voice like chimes. He hadn't even noticed when he made it back to his cell.

"What happened, Sephy? Why is your cheek so red?" Her poor little heart was flooding with concern.

"It's nothing, Aeris. It's just... the experiments were a little rough today."

(Gasp)! Noooo." Aeris whined with a sound so soft like the coo of a dove. "The mean, scary people hurt Sephy."

"Don't worry about it, Aeris. I'm fine." Sephiroth tried to ease to the small girl with a big heart twice her size. Only to be startled as she sent a Healing Wind to his cell. "Uh!"

The blemish was gone.

"Those bad people hurt Mommy. They hurt Sephy. Why would they do that? Sephy and Mommy are the nicest people I know. Your hearts aren't icky like the rest of them. So why don't they love you? I love you. Why can't they do the same? I don't understand..."

"It's because they don't have a big heart like yours," Sephiroth replied back, leaning his side on the wall separating their cells where he sat. Subconsciously getting as close as he could to her soothing words.

"My heart isn't that big." Aeris lightly laughed in an honest answer to the physical means. She crawled over on her knees from the spot she sat to the glass wall where Sephiroth was, placing her little hands on the glass where they would have touched.

"It's bigger than anyone else's here, Silly." Sephiroth smirked looking over at her, looking at her through the corner of his eyes. Only to suddenly sadden and look down. "And mine..."

"Sephy's heart is big too."

"No, it's not. It's dark and smells different. It makes me want to... do things. Bad things. Maybe... I'm just as bad as them."

"Noo!" Aeris huffed, giving a light bang on the glass to get Sephiroth's attention.

"!" Sephiroth was startled by the sudden outburst from the gentle Aeris and the fact she was flowing a Cure through the glass to him.

"Don't listen to them, Sephy. They're trying to make you think you're bad. But you're not! You're the best!"

"(Sigh) Now I know it's true. You're so good, Aeris. And I'm nothing like you. So I must be bad."

"You're right, you're nothing like me!"

"!"

"You're smarter, stronger, and braver than me! You can do so many good things! You resist the darkness inside you when others hurt you! Weaker and bader people, without your power, give in to it so easily!" Aeris insisted before her voice softened along with her eyes and rested her forehead on the glass where his was. "Your heart is sad and sometimes you feel weak. But you don't wallow in it, you hide it in your strength from others and strive to become stronger. You better yourself every day. What I mean is... well... I think you're pretty great, Sephy..."

"..." Something happened that never happened to Sephiroth before or will happen to him after this day... He shed a tear.

"I'll hold you the best that I can until the sad feeling goes away." Poor little Aeris tried her best to hug him while her Cure spell continued. She more than anything was just hugging the glass and pressing herself to it, but the gesture was still very much appreciated.

"..." Sephiroth rested the rest of his head's weight onto the wall. The glass was cold, but the Cure made him feel warm. Almost as if Aeris was astrally wrapping her tiny, little arms around him. He felt the nice squeeze in his heart again.

...

Five years had passed, marking nearly over seven years Aeris and Ifalna were trapped in this place. Seven sunless years. Ifalna had missed the beautiful skies of their world and longed to see them again with Aeris and Sephiroth. But she did not break. Her hope continued on in this dark infested place.

For years Hojo had tried to break her. Making it into a game for him. He threw everything he could at her, even to the verge of killing her. But still, she did not bend. It infuriated Hojo. She continued to say nothing and openly stare at him in defiance. He saw it as her looking down on him like she was better than him. Just like He did. Just like Gast!

He would push her to the limit, both body and heart. He had even tried to put a collar on her with a master Manip Materia slotted into it. Hojo had even ordered for Aeris and Sephiroth to get collars too in an attempt to demoralize her. But her collar was shattered the moment it was locked around her neck, the Materia shattering and returning its energy to the world. Sephiroth and Aeris's collars didn't even make it to them. Hojo was fuming, not only did his specimen still defy him, he had just lost valuable resources. Not only was Materia hard to come by, it was rare to master. The fact that she could do the same things that Materia could naturally and he had no means to control or contain it from her only frustrated him more. This specimen had tested the last of his patience.

One morning, when the darkness truly festered in his heart, Hojo had stormed into Ifalna and Aeris's cell with four of his lackeys. Three of them held her down while the last one grabbed Aeris. Her scream is what woke Sephiroth up. Aeris kicked and screamed in the man's rough arms, struggle to get out to help her mother. Again a glass enforced wall got in the way of Sephiroth helping them.

"!" Ifalna struggled to come to her daughter's aid, but the three men continued to hold her down. Exhausted and still groggy from sleep, she couldn't focus enough to use Magic. At least, not enough to not hurt Aeris along in the process. Only when both specimens were fully contained did Hojo make his way in. 'Coward.'

"Well my precious, rebellious specimen. I have an ingenious experiment for you today!"

"..." The only reply Ifalna gave him were slanted eyes.

"You're so full of Spirit and Light. You Ancients seem to have an abundance of Light. I wonder what would happen if I were to give one of you Darkness."

"?!"

"You see, I've obscured myself one of these rare species on our world that feeds off of hearts." Hojo bragged for some reason, dangling a needle in his hand containing a darkness so potent that even Sephiroth recoiled for a second. "They're rather hard to come by. But the things you can do when you're backed up with Mummy. I lost half a team trying to get it. But it's all for the name of Science! Gwaw, haw, haw, haw!"

"..." This man was insane.

"Now I've condensed it, liquefied it, place it into an easy to inject needles for you and your Offspring," Hojo said with glee, pulling out another needle which he handed to his Assistant holding Aeris. The Lackey easily held Aeris with one arm while holding the needle to her neck with the other hand.

"Ah." Aeris softly cried out in fear, trying to get away from the needle with the scary substance as far away as the man would allow.

"!" Ifalna's eyes widened in horror, along with Sephiroth as he pressed his fists to the wall separating them.

"Use it."

"But I only need one specimen for this experiment." Hojo continued on sadistically. "I can't afford to chance two endangered specimen on this."

"You want to save them, do you not? Use It."

"I'll let you decide which it'll be, you or your spawn?"

"Mommy." Aeris whimpered out to her mother as the man pressed the needle closer.

"!"

"The Darkness is all around them and bends to your will! Use it to crush them!"

"What's it going to be, Ifalna?"

"..." Even in this situation she still said nothing while he had called her by her name in the end. This was a victory to her in Hojo's book. And he was not a graceful loser.

"Fine. Then I'll choose for you! Inject them both!"

"Ah!" Aeris screamed louder as the needle pressed to her neck.

"!"

"USE IT!"

"!" Sephiroth did nothing. His eyes widened in horror as Ifalna used her Magic to Bolt the needle by her daughter which shattered it. However, this left her open to Hojo whom literally stabbed the needle violently into her lower back.

"(Gasp)! (Exhale)! Gh..." The only noise Hojo would ever get from her. The only signs of pain she would let out. In the end, Hojo still didn't win.

"Ah," Aeris pitiful cried out to her mother, reaching out to her as she felt more than saw the darkness tear up her heart.

"(Heavy Breathing)!" Ifalna gasped in pain, clenching her fists to the cool floor as the darkness injected into her back began to spread out and bubble as if overflowing out.

"Tch, another failed experiment." Hojo hissed through his teeth, disappointed and upset that they had gotten a common result. "The heart will be lost, and the specimen will perish. I guess the Ancients are not immune to everything. In the end, they fall to darkness just like us."

Hojo had waved a hand signal for the lackeys to let them go and head out.

"Aa!" Aeris instantly ran to kneel at her mother's side the moment her feet dropped to the floor.

"Tst, it's a pity that it was the child that survived and not the mother. As a specimen, she's inferior to her mother. The difference between them is 18%." Hojo said aloud to himself, not caring that said child and her dying mother could hear him. Not to mention that his own son was there to hear his calloused words. "But it'll be impossible to finish all our research on the Ancients in our lifetime. Or in the lifetime of the specimen too, for that matter. I think we'll have to breed her in the near future. Then we could create one that could withstand our research for a long time."

"!" Sephiroth grew alarmed and disgusted by his words. There was never a moment where Sephiroth hated Hojo more than he did now.

"That's what I need to plan. The mother is strong... and yet has her weaknesses. Heee, hee, hee, hee." Hojo chuckled sadistically to himself, walking out of the cell as if he was going out for a stroll while the woman inside slowly parishes in agony. "Unlike Ifalna, the child will be more complacent since this place is all that she knows. She won't be as stubborn. Hee hehe! And I guess I'll have a new heartless specimen to look forward to soon. Gwaw, haw, haw!"

"Ggh!" Sephiroth grunted in frustration and rage at Hojo's retreating back. He despised Hojo with a great intensity. But more than that, he despised himself.

"Stupid boy. Your inaction is just as the cause of our fellow Cetra's demise as Hojo's doings..."

The door to the Holding Cell Area shut with an echo.

"Mom...!" Finally, words could be spoken. Aeris began to bawl with tears and sniffles.

"Dry your tears, little one, it's alright." Ifalna tried to soothe to Aeris while struggling to get up on her knees.

"No, no it's not." Aeris whimpered, knowing the truth of the situation. Her mother's heart was being devoured. She could see the darkness already leaking out from the other side of the injection, boiling out from her stomach.

"..." Ifalna couldn't correct her, nor lie to her. All she could do was try to get up. "(Inhale, Exhale)!"

"Careful, Mom... Don't strain yourself..." Aeris pleaded as Ifalna finally got back on shaky feet.

"(Harsh Inhale)! Oohh..." Ifalna groaned as her feet gave out, making her fall back. Her balance made her walk backward trying to keep it until she fell, hitting her head on the back wall of their cell as she slid down onto the floor again. Her head resting on the wall as the darkness continued to bubble out from her body at her stomach. It had already made its way to her heart ages ago, and now was overflowing.

"Mom...!" Aeris whimpering, crawling back over to her mother's left side.

Ifalna rolled her head to look over at both Sephiroth and Aeris. She wanted to cup Aeris's cheek, but her hand couldn't make the trip. It ended up resting under her chest.

"My dear, sweet, little ones. Do you remember what I told you of the Promise Land?"

"Yes..." Sephiroth nodded in confirm while Aeris did the same.

"(Sniffle) I guess so... But why does that matter now? You've gotta get better." Aeris pleaded to her mother who only gave her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. It looks like I'll be returning to the World's Heart. Here..." With a weak hand, she struggled to reach the ribbon that contained her upper half of her hair in a bow and yanked it loose. Inside the ribbon unknown to the children was a Lifestream colored Materia of a kind they had never seen before, or anyone else for that matter. She held the Materia and ribbon in her hand out to Aeris. "This is yours now."

"What is it?"

"It's called White Materia. The only one. As of this moment, it's good for absolutely nothing." Ifalna honestly answered with a weak chuckle. "It doesn't do anything, now. But when the time arises when it does need to do something, it'll keep you safe. It'll keep everyone safe. So keep it safe until then. Keep it hidden in your hair, just like Mommy did. Go on, tie it on."

"Why are you giving it to me now?" Aeris asked, tying the pink ribbon onto the start of her plaited hair, wrapping the Materia snuggly inside just like her mother had done. And now the torch had been passed on to the next line of Ancients...

"I'll be going to the Promise Land to see your father. Perhaps you two will hear my voice in the mumble of the World."

"What do you mean hear your voice? I can always hear you." Aeris said, refusing to accept that her mother was parting from them. But she was startled as the darkness bubbling out of her mother had sizzled away as a light burst out of her in its place. Her body was beginning to fade away into a beautiful light. "(Gasp)?!"

"Ahh, my time is short... Aeris, let your heart guide you. It whispers sometimes. So you'll have to listen closely." Ifalna gave one last advice to Aeris as her voice became as weak as a whisper before rolling her head over to look at Sephiroth. "Sephiroth... You've been a wonderful presence to me in this dark place. I love you as if you were my own son. My only regret is that I never got the chance to hold you in my arms. Just once would have been the world to me..."

"..." He felt the same way too.

"Both of you, remember to listen to the World's Heart. It only wishes to help you. You can trust it when the ones around you cannot be." Ifalna brushed in a few more words to them before the light began to break her apart and gather her to return to the World's Heart. "Gghh... Aeris, Sephiroth... It's time."

"Mom..." "Ifalna..."

"..." As her body began to scatter into specks of light from her toes and up, she looked back at Sephiroth to say one more thing. Her last words were. "Please take Aeris somewhere safe."

"!" "!"

And then she was gone... Her light specks gathered up into the air and through the cell's ceiling. She was truly free... They felt her as her heart joined the others in the world's heart. Aeris knew this was how things happened, she knew that they all would eventually return to the World's Heart. It was a beautiful thing. But still...

She cried.

...

Poor Aeris had cried herself to sleep, her young body too exhausted to handle the grief. She had dreamed... It was a good dream.

She was surrounded by the warm glow of the light, one far more consuming than the lovely one she had known from her mother. It was vast and ever going, it possibly infinite expanse frightened the girl. She was use to her world being so small, but this proved that there was so much more than she'd known. Beautiful rays of nearly golden lights would shoot down from above, breaking through what Aeris had learned from pictures were clouds. They were so pretty and yellow, but they were more than that. They shaded into so many hues, Aeris couldn't believe anything so lovely could truly exist. She was startled as she heard the fluttering of a bird beside her. Its wings stretched out and beat with flight as it flew away in the vast sky, leaving behind a gentle rain of feathers for Aeris.

"Your wings are so big and pretty," Aeris said, reaching out to the bird in the sky. "I want them too."

She was startled to hear the flutter of even larger wings so close to her, even more so when their flapping stretched out from behind her. But then she realized that the wings were coming from her. Fascinated by the lovely white that danced with the different colors from the light, she gave herself a twirl. But she didn't want to just look at them, she wanted to use them. Aeris gave them a try and took flight. They were so good to her, she never faltered once or feared of falling. She felt so light and free. She could feel something gale brush against her cheeks, this must be the wind, a true wind. She wanted to follow the bird, it felt like it was going to true freedom. She wanted to go to.

"(Gasp)!" But Aeris woke up, startled and overwhelmingly filled with joy. She wanted to tell her mother about her dream before it faded away, which it was starting to do. She looked and looked in her cell, only to remember that her mother was gone. She would never see her again.

The joy was gone, the sadness took its place. She began to curl up and cry again.

"Ehh ehhhh-eh-ehahhe." She began to cry as her whimpers began to take volume. The sniffles were coming back.

"(Sigh)," this would be how Sephiroth woke up and found her. He brushed his morning hair out of his face and walked over to the wall separating them and taking a seat on the floor. He placed a hand on its cold glass as he attempted to comfort her. "Don't cry, Aeris. You're all right."

"(Sniffle) It's not fair." Aeris whimpered with a sniffle looking up at him from her curled up ball, her little fists clenched. "It wasn't her time to return. Stupid Hojo! (Exhale) But it's all my fault."

"For what?"

"That mom's gone." Aeris sniffled out.

"!" That answered caught him off guard. He had no idea that little Aeris was blaming herself for her mother's demise too. Perhaps they really were more alike than he originally thought. "Ohh, I see..."

"Why couldn't I learn Magic faster so I could help her?" Aeris asked aloud to herself, her crying made it a struggle to finish the sentence. "(Sniffle) Why didn't she save herself instead?"

"Aeris, it's not your fault. It's not my fault. And it's certainly not your mother's fault." Sephiroth insisted to her.

"That's a li-ie. (Giggle)!"

"..." Sephiroth did his best to ignore his mother's chiming words. "Now. You listen to me, Aeris."

"Yes. (Sniffle) But-"

"It's none of our faults." Sephiroth gentle soothed to Aeris to the best of his ability to ease her pain, just as she would do. "The great Cycle of the World just continued. (Hiss) Hojo just sped up the process for your mother. But even so, not all of us are suppose to return to the World together in the end."

"But what do I do? I miss her so much. I'm all alone now."

"And you'll always miss her, so will I. But she'll always be with us, as long as we listen to the voice of the World's Heart and remember the things she taught us." Sephiroth assured to Aeris, slowly starting to get her out of her curled up ball and crawl over to him to sit. "And you're not alone. I'm here."

"..." She lightly smiled at that through the tears. At least she still had Sephy. At least she still had Sephiroth.

"In a way, Aeris, you and I are the same. Both our parents are out of the picture now."

"I'm here."

'No you're not. You're far away. There's nothing you can do for us here.' Sephiroth shot back at his mother for the first time, letting her voice fade back again as she steamed a little. He continued where he left off, barely a second in the break-off. "We both grew up in these cells. All we've ever known was this horrible place. But even so, our light inside our hearts still shines better than the rest of them here. They know this, they try to crush. They hate us, but it's not just that. It's jealousy and fear. They fear what we are because it is something they can never be."

"We're on our own now. (Sniffle)" Aeris concluded, wiping away the last of her tears. With her tears dried and her sniffles gone, Aeris became more at peace. She placed a hand on the glass where Sephiroth's was. If the glass wasn't there, their palms would be touching. "Us Cetra have to stick together."

"Hm," Sephiroth nodded in agreement. "That's why we're unstoppable."

SCREECH

"!" "!" Both their eyes widen in alarm at the sound of the Holding Area's door opening. They pulled away back to their cots instantly, not wanting to give Hojo or any of his Assistants any leverage over them. Sephiroth just lean on his cot from his spot on the floor, and Aeris did her best to hide behind hers.

Hojo had come to the front of Aeris's cell, angered when he only saw one specimen present.

"Where is she?! Where is my specimen?!" Hojo barked at Aeris, making her flinch at his harsh, loud voice.

"Mom is gone." Aeris honestly answered. "She returned to the World's Heart. She's gone to the Promise Land."

"There is no such thing as the Promise Land. It's a legend... an old wives tale... ... It's utterly ridiculous."

"You're a fool if you don't believe in something that has evidence of its existence all around you!" Aeris huffed at him from her spot in her small little fit that could hardly be called a rage. "You can't even diagnose the simple truth. You're no scientist, you're no Biologist. You're just a... Just a big, stupid- hmm BUTT."

"!" Aeris struggle to get the last one out as if 'butt' was the biggest insult she knew. Sephiroth could barely keep a straight face. A small grin was his only giveaway.

"!" But Hojo, however, did not take the insult lightly. "You... Disrespectful little brat! What do you know about Science?! You moronic child!"

"Ah." Aeris screamed and pressed closer into her cot's frame as Hojo stormed into her cell with the means to strike her. She sealed her eyes close and duck her head as best she could to the cot.

"You'll never understand the intricacy of my genius!- Ggh." Hojo was going to strike her with a hand raised and ready when he felt a chilling sensation brush over him and crawl up his spine that made him flinch. It halted his actions and got his heart running, he had never felt such unreasonable fear before. It was digging in his back like a dagger, with the blade twisting itself more inward.

It was coming from beside him. Slowly Hojo turned his head to see that it was coming from Sephiroth. The boy's face was stone cold but his eyes held true livid, and it was solely directed towards him. The darkness within Sephiroth began to flow out and curl around him. It was raw and menacing. Hojo couldn't see it. Hojo didn't have to see it, he could practically taste it. He felt fear in the most primal of states. He was the prey, and the ten-year-old boy in the cell across from them was the predator. Hojo could see it in his eyes, eyes that practically screamed 'don't touch'. His heart clenched painfully in fear as those eyes' pupils slit more.

But then Hojo pulled himself together. He would not play into his 'son's' game of 'cat-and-mouse'. But he had still backed away from Aeris.

Aeris had opened her eyes when the strike didn't come after a time. The darkness had seeped back into Sephiroth before she opened her eyes again. Leaving her unaware of what just happened.

"Ifalna isn't here to protect you anymore, child. Be ready, your real experimentation begins tomorrow." Hojo mocked down at the little girl before walking back out of her cell and the Holding Area with his arms crossed behind his back. "If you want to blame anyone for your predicament, blame your mother and her weak emotional attachment. Such weakness led to her demise! Just like your father! Gwaw, haw, haw, haw!"

"!" Aeris flinched as the Holding Area's door shut with his exit. She began to shake in fear of what was to come.

"It's all right Aeris. You're going to be all right." Sephiroth tried to assure to Aeris to ease her shaking fear.

"Hm, right. We're gonna be fine..."

...

Weeks had gone by since Ifalna's passing, and the experiments were passed on to a new. Aeris had to continue where Ifalna had been left off. Various injections, sample taking, Mako immersion, the works. Sephiroth could barely hold back from what they were doing to her. But the darkness inside him had been unleashed and unrestrained on the day Hojo took it too far.

He was on his way back to his cell from his physical capacity testing with his unwelcomed, security entourage when he saw something that would haunt him for years to come.

"Ahh!"

"!" Her scream is what drew him in first. He had turned to look in the main laboratory area to see that Hojo was testing Aeris's endurance to pain. Aeris's clothes had been ripped and slashed as she was sporting burn marks and bleeding cuts all over her body. Hojo had been using Materia on her; casting shards of Ice at her; burning Aeris with Fire; and now, he was striking her with Bolts.

He had even put a Manip collar on her neck to keep her from Curing herself to see how much her body could take. She was young and didn't know how to manipulate the Materia to remove the collar herself, and she was too scared at the moment to try. Her growing up in this place made her more complacent than her mother, but she still had that natural defiance fire burning inside her. Like her mother, she refused to give Hojo anything and remained silent. Hojo despised that stubborn indifference that she showed to him, just like her mother, it fueled the fire to his aggressive experimentation. It made Hojo smile that unlike the mother he could get the child to scream in pain. That was a great victory in his sadistic count.

"The specimen seems to be reacting nicely," Hojo commented for his verbal report. "The subject has a natural resistance to Materia reactions and can take more damage from them than the average person. Continuing to verify said specimen's limit."

"Aagghh!" Aeris cried as more Bolt was shot out at her. Her systems frying as her skin burned where the Bolts touch. She was in agony, but also sadden as she could feel the Materias' remorse of what they were being forced to do. It hurt, but Aeris would never beg...

"..." Sephiroth was beyond livid. All he could see was beyond red. It was black.

"Do not stray from the designated path!" One of his entourage ordered as Sephiroth started to step towards Aeris and Hojo. When Sephiroth continued to ignore, he placed a hand on his shoulder to force him to stop. "I said, return to your course!"

CRACK

The sickening sound rang out as Sephiroth impaled the man's hand and arm with dark spikes that came from his body around his shoulder area. The spikes shook and clicked as if they had a will of their own.

"Ooo, (Giggle). That's my boy!"

"AHHH!" The man cried out from the pain, falling to his knees as he gripped his arm. The other entourage tried to back away, but the dark spikes on his back stretched out and flattened at the end. Acting as a battering ram that slammed into the man full-force and crushed the man into the wall on the side of them.

"!" Hojo had heard the commotion and grew alarmed at the condition of Sephiroth. Not for Sephiroth's well-being, but for his own. He had subconsciously stopped using the Bolt Materia, giving Aeris a chance to drop to the ground and rest. The darkness was starting to spread and consume Sephiroth's body, while the spike from previously before where taking the form of one wing under his shoulder blade. Sephiroth's eyes were practically glowing, his pupils began to slit more noticeably. Those eyes were solely focused on him. Their owner began to march toward him. "Security!"

Six trained men rushed at Sephiroth, only to be thrown around like ragdolls. The snapping sounds of bones cracked out as Sephiroth tanked on through them, his steps un-faltered and his eyes remaining on Hojo the whole time. As he kept coming, the darkness continued spreading until covering his whole body. All that was left were those glowing Mako, cat-like eyes.

"!" Hojo was torn between feeling ecstatic that his project was showing so much progress at an early stage, or terrified that said product was directing full aggression towards him. "Now boy- Yaagghh!"

Hojo couldn't even finish that. Sephiroth had reached with a dark covered arm, the darkness none-the-gently wrapped around Hojo's torso and flung him behind Sephiroth where he landed on one of the heavy lab machinery. Hojo was bruised on the impact, his back beyond sore and a rib or two broken, he had made a crater dent in the machine.

"..." Aeris was starting to pull herself together as she saw the dark almost smoky pair of feet walking toward her. She felt more than saw Sephiroth behind the darkness that covered him. "Sephiroth...?"

"..."

"Sephiroth, you're in pain." Aeris saw in his heart, worried that it was the darkness that caused this. "Is it hurting you?"

"I'm fine..." Sephiroth said, his voice sounded like an echo with a filter like water. "Heal yourself, quickly."

"I can't. This collar won't let me." Aeris admitted with a sting of sadness, not only from her wounds but from her own weakness to be unable to take off restraints that her mother had easily. "(Gasp)!"

Sephiroth had in an instant gripped the collar on her neck, gently, and shattered its front with his hand. Letting the rest fall to the ground in pieces. However, through it all, he was careful not to touch her, as if he would taint her if he did.

"Do it quickly," Sephiroth ordered with a slight plea. He couldn't bear to see her in pain. It tore him apart inside. He needed to make the ones that did this to her pay for it, ten-fold.

"Sephiroth, the darkness is hurting you. You need to push it back." Aeris pleaded, surrounding the both of them with her Healing Wind.

"But they Need to Pay," Sephiroth growled, a dozen ideas instantly went through his head on how he was going to do it. But it all went away just a fast when Aeris reached up to cup his cheeks in her small hands. The darkness immediately recoiled from her so she could safely make contact with skin. "!"

Their first actual contact...

"Sephiroth. I know these people did bad, and I know that they hurt us. But sometimes, we just got to know when to let go..."

"..." The darkness was starting to pull away from Sephiroth, revealing his face.

"How dare you interrupt my precious experiment, you stupid boy!" Hojo bellowed out in rage, finally pulling himself out of the crater his body was dented in. "What do you know of my genius to be hindering my Projects? I should have you undergo the same experiment. Doubled since it looks like your body can take the damage the same as you deal! Along with her!- !"

Hojo's eyes widened in shock and horror as Sephiroth had whipped back around at his unfinished threat to Aeris. The darkness fully covered him again as he reached out to grip Hojo's face.

SNAP

...

Sephiroth was locked away in a confinement area for what he had done. A full week of darkness with no human interaction, even during designated feeding times. The darkness Sephiroth could handle, the world's voice and his mother's made for all the company he would need. But it was the lack of another body's presence that made the whole confinement so cold to him. He missed Aeris. He worried about how she was doing.

After he had snapped at Hojo for the second time all the events after that came like a chaotic blur to him where he took a backseat in his own body as it rampaged. He had done a real number on Hojo and caused a big enough commotion that security from all the other Floors had to respond. They couldn't even put a dent on him, the whole building was literally at his mercy. The only thing that stopped his rampage was the fact that his young body couldn't handle all the darkness he was letting out yet and it knocked him out in exhaustion. The next thing he knew he had woken up chained to the wall on a cot in a dark room with not a single ounce of light. He was about to break out but the person on the other side of the door heard the commotion of his chains and told him to settle down or Aeris would be put in the same confinement.

Sephiroth had immediately simmered down at that. He would not allow Aeris to fall under the same conditions that he was in now. Her sweet, little heart of light couldn't handle it. Her well-being meant more to him than his own. These chains couldn't hold him down, Aeris was the only chain that could contain him, and they knew it.

Sephiroth's designated time in punishment was almost up. He would be out soon to see Aeris again. The thought alone made the darkness in this place not so bad anymore. He could see for himself how Aeris was doing soon. She was probably lonely and scared without him, she must have cried when he didn't return to his cell for days. The thought agonized him, but... at least she was still in the light. She should always be in the light; that's where her beautiful smile belonged...

"Pss, hey, did you hear?" Came a voice no louder than a whisper to Sephiroth from the other side of the door as he heard two sets of footsteps passing by. Sephiroth recognized the hearts more than the voice, these were some of the Interns.

"Shh, quiet. He'll hear you."

"Pfft, please, he's not going to hear anything behind those vault sealed doors."

"I wouldn't put it past that thing."

"But speaking of which, he's getting out soon."

"(Shutter) I get chills just thinking about it. They should keep that thing locked away for good and throw away the key if you ask me."

"Ha! As if that would ever contain him! 280 security members were injured from his little anger spaz; 210 of them wounded up in the Medical Ward; and, 88 of them are in critical condition! The Turks couldn't even contain him, and those guys are President Shinra's elite personal guards." The guy was laughing at the notion as some form of relief to the horror they had both witnessed. "And to think, the only reason he had stopped was because he tuckered out! Ha hahaha! Like, as if that monster were a normal kid after a hissy fit!"

"Well, no normal kid could do the things he did. The damage done to the Science Department will take a massive bite from the Budget for repairment. President Shinra is beyond upset about it."

"What had caused the monster to act out, again?"

"Apparently Dr. Hojo had gone too aggressive with one the experiments on the other Ancient specimen and ended up injuring it badly. It took everything we had just to keep that monster from tearing him apart."

"Oh, you're right. I forgot about Dr. Hojo's condition from this. Will he be able to walk again soon?"

"Not for another 3 weeks, if ever. The damage that monster did to his body, and snapping his back to add to injury, was so severe that he will have a limp for the rest of his life. He will never walk the same again."

"..." Sephiroth couldn't help but grin at the news.

"Geez. Is one Ancient specimen really worth all the devastation?"

"Apparently she is to him. She's was the only one to get that monster to calm down before Dr. Hojo provoked it again. In fact, she's the only reason why that thing is staying so calm in there. She's the only one he ever willing interacts with, or is close to."

"Hmph, Ancients. They're all the same... Blessed of the World, more like Curse on our Land. They may look like us; but, they're no better than those heart eating creatures. For her to be able to have such a hold on that monster makes her just as much of a monster as he is."

"!" "!" They both startled in fear with a flinch as they heard a chain move from inside the room as Sephiroth twitched in a moment of irritants at their words.

"..." They stayed quiet for a minute. Waiting for something to happen or for another sound to come from the other side of the sealed door. When nothing else happened they nervously continued with their conversation and walked a little faster.

"So, are the experiments going to be halted?"

"Yeah, what with the repairs being done and Dr. Hojo still in the hospital. But he wants us to separate both of the Ancients' cells as a form of correctional punishment to the monster."

"Are you brain dead?! I'm not going to take away the only thing that's keeping that Monster complacent! President Shinra will probably agree too once he reads the report." The Intern didn't even have to feel the menacing aura coming from the other side of the door to know that 'that' was a horrible idea.

...

At the age of Twelve, Sephiroth was permitted to begin Combat Training. Hojo, with much reluctance, signed the Approval to allow him access to hone his skills. The boy was already naturally skilled and stronger than them or anyone in the building, and he was already hard to control. Giving the boys the means to make himself more of a threat jeopardized the little power he had on the boy. Which, in all reality, was non-existence.

After recovering from Sephiroth's attack, Hojo had returned taking a more subtle, submissive turn towards Sephiroth. The limp that Hojo had now sported had settled down but was still there. Hojo now flinched whenever around Sephiroth, or did his best to hide it which was not so great in Sephiroth's keen eyes. Hojo no longer took a direct involvement in Sephiroth's experiments, and Sephiroth literally has had no conversations with Hojo since that day. Sephiroth honestly found that part to be a blessing. And President Shinra had followed through on the Intern's words.

After the President had gone over the incident's report he had disapproved of the separation of the Ancients and immediately put restraints on Hojo's liberties. Hojo could no longer conduct experiments without sending up a proposal to the President and getting it approved. Not only that, he was only allowed limited amounts of experiments on the Ancients for a set period of time. And said experiments were mellowed down so as not to jeopardize the physical and mental health of the specimens. Hojo was furious at these limitations but could only bite his tongue as President Shinra was the one that held the funding to his Lab and his seat in the Science Department.

Now President Shinra didn't do this for morality's sake. Oh heavens, no. He didn't even do it for the fact that he was a father with a son just a few years older than Aeris. No. He did it for profit.

Shinra Corp. had put a lot of investment towards Ancients finding a way to lead them to the Promise Land for their future plans, but also in Sephiroth. He was an investment project for a line of new world's defense that would put the enormous commission in Shinra's pockets. It was an investment that was almost ripe and nearly ready to be cashed in. But, it was also a wild dog on a nearly non-existent leash. President Shinra did whatever what was needed to keep Sephiroth calm and content- without fully hindering the Promise Land Project. After all, a complacent person was easier to control.

So for two years, Sephiroth's small world had been expanded from Floors 67 and 68 to the Shinra Gym Floor on 64. His daily routine was now more focused around training than anything else. The Coaches and his Trainers on the 64th Floor loved him. He was a gifted student that picked up things easily and was willing to learn. Sephiroth rather liked the people on the 64th Floor, enough to speak civilly to them when they would talk to them. He was seen as a rather quiet boy, not shy but only said enough to get the meaning across. They had thought that he was one of the higher up's kid who was sent there to get some curricular activities in their generously abundant facilities. Records of Sephiroth or anything dealing with the higher Floors was off limits to them, and Sephiroth chose to keep quiet about it as well. They couldn't have done anything to help him or Aeris if they had known anyway, it would have only put them in danger as loose ends.

Time had passed, Sephiroth had gotten stronger. And bigger too. Aeris would comment on how his muscles were starting to tone, or 'how big his arms had gotten' she would say. Her words had flattered him and made him want to try harder. The two of them were growing, Sephiroth skyrocketing like a bean stock more than Aeris. His voice was starting to deepen, and hers was losing the squeakiness of youth. Sephiroth was now fourteen and Aeris was eleven. Both of them entering into the first stages of puberty, the subtle signs of curves forming on Aeris was proof of that, along with the broadening of Sephiroth's body. However, both of them seemed to keep a steady hormonal and emotional stability due to their different development process as Ancients.

Everything seemed to be changing and different beyond their control, even their bodies. The voices of hearts began to become clearer to them, and their natural Magic was developing at a faster capacity than what they were use to. More than once Sephiroth had woken up to his cot set on Fire by him while he slept or Aeris freezing the cells' glass over with Ice as she got cold at night. But they weren't worried, the World's Heart would assure them that it was all right. And as long as they had each other they could tackle any awkward obstacles together.

This was the norm for Sephiroth now. They'd train him at the gym; tested his physical limits; send in the report; then return him back to his cell where Aeris would be waiting for him in the other cell next to him. That is until President Shinra had seen his steady progress in the reports and deemed Sephiroth ready, summoning him into his office on the 70th Floor.

"My you have grown splendidly, my boy. You keep getting bigger every time I see you." President Shinra complimented, creating small talk. He sat at his large desk while Sephiroth stood on the center Floor. The President's Turks stayed in the background by the side walls of the Floor, still on guard if Sephiroth were to try anything.

"..." Of course Sephiroth would be bigger than the last time he had seen him, President Shrina hadn't made any contact with him for years.

"I've been looking over your progress in the reports. You've come a long way, like a good stock hold that's overflowing with credits and shares." President Shinra commented, standing up from his seat and crossing his arms behind his back. Unlike Hojo, who had done this same gesture often, his back stood tall as he asserted himself with power and authority. Hojo couldn't even come close to this, and not just because his back could no longer stand straight like that. "But now it's time to cash it all in."

"?"

"I'm sending you out on missions as a means to reinforce our new launch of enhanced contractor military force, Soldier. You will be our poster boy to draw in new recruits, selling off the promo of power, wealth, and the promise of adventure. The Perfect Soldier."

"..."

"The Soldiers will be enhanced with Mako to give them more power, separated into Class depending on how much their bodies can handle. First Class Soldiers being the best. But not better than you, of course. You're the genuine thing since you're the creme straight from the crop. You'll be special, better than the rest."

"..."

"You should be happy. You're finally getting out of this place and going out to see the world. And the first thing you'll do is show that we of Shinra stand for the good of the people and defend them from the heart eating creatures that hide in the shadows. You'll finally get to stretch your wings. You were born for this moment. Aren't you excited about this?"

"When will I be able to come back?" Was all Sephiroth said in response.

"!" President Shinra was shocked that Sephiroth would want to come back to this place that was literally his prison since he was born. He thought he would practically have to order two dozen of his future Soldiers to forcefully drag him back. This couldn't be Stockholm Syndrome, the boy's mind was too strong for that. Something else must be holding him here. That's when it hit him. Oh course, the girl! Like a twisted oxymoron, they have been inseparable separate since the day they met. He couldn't imagine Sephiroth would go anywhere far without her. Especially for long intervals. She was the leash that Sephiroth willingly put on himself. Shinra would not have to worry of Sephiroth running away or turning, as long as they had her. "Depends on how well you accomplish your missions. You will be going on tour all around Radiant Garden to show the Kingdom and our King what Shinra is capable of. How long that takes depends on how long you get the job done. You're always welcomed back when your jobs are complete."

"..."

"Best get your things packed and say your farewells. You'll be heading out tomorrow."

"..." He must be joking. As if Sephiroth had any possessions other than the clothes on his back. This place left him with no attachments. He might somewhat miss his Trainers but certainly wasn't going to say goodbye to anyone in the Science Department. Well... Maybe just one person.

"Sephiroth!" Aeris cheerfully greeted him at his return to his cell.

"!" Sephiroth hadn't even noticed when he made his way back. Everything that's happened so far has made the rest of the day a blur. He focused his mind on the surrounds at hand, returning to normal for Aeris's sake. "Aeris..."

"How was your day? I hear you went up to the top Floor."

"It was... eventful..." Sephiroth was trying to get the words out without upsetting her, but his mind was failing him.

"Eventful how?"

"..." He couldn't look into her curious eyes. Not while saying what he had to say. He turned his face away and looked to the floor. "I just got news that I'll be putting my training to use. I'll be leaving the building soon..."

"What...?" Aeris dropped from her cot to her knees, her eyes starting to water at what she was hearing. "You can't leave."

"Aeris, I have to. It's the whole reason I was born. I have no choice."

"No...!" Aeris pleaded, walking over to him on her knees as she pressed her hands to the glass wall separating them. "We're all we've got. We have to stay together. What will I do without you? Who's going to make sure you're doing okay? If we get taken apart, we won't stand a chance."

"It's only a temporary thing. I'll come back to you." Sephiroth rushed over to where she was, placing his hands on the glass as well.

"No you won't." Aeris shot back, starting to cry. "(Sniff) It's all over. I'll never see you again."

"Don't say that! Why would you even think that?!"

"Because this place is horrible! No one in their right mind would come back here! What would possibly make you want to come back once finally getting out of this place?!"

"You!"

"!"

"The answer will always be You!" Sephiroth shouted for what to Aeris seemed like the first time. He took a breath to calm himself, trying to make Aeris understand. He pressed his forehead where hers was, wishing that he could dry her tears. "I care about you too much to never come back. Besides, I can't stay too long apart from my Light anyway, right? I'd miss you too much."

"(Sniffle) Really?" Aeris's crying stopped, the rest of the tears she wiped away.

"Yes. I promise to finish as fast as I can to get back to you."

"Promise not to forget me."

"I could never forget you, Aeris."

"Right. Like I will never forget you. We may be far apart, but our hearts will always be one..." Aeris said, finally coming to the acceptance that they would be separated for the longest period of time they've ever had to before. She pressed her forehead on the glass to his, wishing that she could hug him. "Even so, I'll miss you, Sephiroth. Please be careful out there."

"I will."

...

It's been nearly a month since Sephiroth was sent out by Shinra to assist Wutai with their heart eater monster problem. Sephiroth knew these creatures were called Heartless from what Ifalna taught him and what the World and his mother would sometimes scream at him, but he never cared to correct people otherwise. Word of his actions has spread around the world fast, building up fame for him and Shinra. Soon many young men seeking glory were signing up for Soldier to become a hero like Sephiroth.

As his deeds drew the attention of the young men of the world's kingdom, it has also gain the attention of the king.

So here he was, summoned to the kingdom's royal capital city, Radiance Garden, to meet the king in Hollow Bastion Castle. The sage king, Ansem the Wise, himself wanted to thank Sephiroth in person for his actions.

"So you are the great Sephiroth that I've been hearing so much about?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Sephiroth answered the king. Ansem the Wise was considered a young king in his late 20s with his blond peach hairs starting to set into a beard. He held himself tall just like President Shinra did in Sephiroth eyes, but the king had more of an air of honor and nobility in his presence as he stood behind his desk in his Castle Office.

"Hmm, you seem to have made yourself the talk of my whole kingdom. I thank you for taking care of those pesky creatures that have been terrorizing the traditional eastern people of Wutai."

"Thank you, your Majesty."

"How were you able to destroy those monsters?"

"It's part of the enhancement from being a Shinra Soldier, your Majesty," Sephiroth answered, not telling the full truth of the reason behind him being able to destroy the Heartless was because of him being an Ancient. The last thing he needed was to draw more attention to the last remaining Ancients.

"Is that so. If that is the case then the Shinra Corporation will have my full support and any resources they need from the kingdom to further this Soldier project. For the sake of my people, we must have whatever forces it takes to defeat these heart devouring creatures. But I must say, you're quite younger than I imagined. How old are you?"

"Fourteen, Sir."

"Hmm, that's far too young. Especially to have to fight those monsters."

"That's cause I'm the best, your Majesty."

"So I've heard. But regardless, I'm putting an Age Limit on the Soldier enlistment. Sixteen is the lowest I'll allow. Our children shouldn't have to fight our battles for us."

"As you wish, Sir."

"However, your noble deeds should not go unrewarded. I have a gift for you, Sephiroth."

"?" Sephiroth barely pulled his quirk eyebrow back to normal just as fast as it appeared when the king turned around to the low bookshelves behind him right under his Bay Window. When Ansem the Wise turned back to Sephiroth he was holding a seven-foot long, sheathed katana on a pillow in his hands. "!"

"This is Masamune, a ceremonial blade only but was forged with the best materials our world has to offer. On behalf of the kingdom, I hope it serves you well." Ansem the Wise said as he held the katana out to Sephiroth to grab.

"..." Sephiroth was awed by Masamune beauty as if it was calling to him. It was far superior to the standard Soldier sword that was given to him and was perfect in every way. It was as if the blade was made for him. So with a grateful grace, he retrieved the blade by its sheath with both hands. "Thank you, your Majesty. I will cherish this blade for a lifetime."

"I am pleased that you like it." Ansem the Wise said, placing the pillow down on his desk and crossed his hands behind his back. "Continue with your exceptional work and I'm certain we will meet again young Sephiroth."

"Thank you for your time, your Majesty." Sephiroth gave a small bow to his king before he took his leave from the king's office and the Castle. His Turk escort was waiting outside of Hallow Bastion Castle for him. Sephiroth said nothing to him and continued to silently walk off to the inn, the Turk following behind him without a word. He and his Turk escort were staying in the city's inn closest to the Hallow Bastion at the summon to the king. After meeting with the king, Sephiroth was to continued with Heartless hunting escapades.

But Sephiroth was tired. As vast and beautiful the World and its sky were, he missed Aeris. He just wanted to go back to see her. No matter how many Heartless he defeated, it was never enough for the Turk or President Shinra to allow him to go home. In his tired frustration once he had returned to his room he just crashed on his bed, refusing to even look or say anything to his fine suited companion. He just went to sleep, hoping that his dreams would take him to the place where he wanted to be.

Sephiroth dreamed of an unrealistically elongated room that stretched out like a hallway. Its design was similar to Shinra's Science Departments look but lacked its darkness. At the far end of the room, he saw something, its form unrecognizable due to the distance. But that light, he knew that heart. He couldn't believe it, this couldn't be real. But that heart couldn't be copied, even by his dreams. Sephiroth ran to it.

It felt like he ran for minutes, the backside of the person he was running to pushed him to keep running to them. When he finally got there Sephiroth was more than happy to see whom it was at the end of the room. She, in turn, had felt his heart approaching her and had turned around to face him in surprise.

"Sephiroth...?"

"Aeris."

"But it-it can't be. I felt your heart out in the distance, but somehow it's now here... with me?"

"Aeris, how are you here? What is this place?"

"I don't... I don't know. I remember missing you and calling out to your heart as I was going to sleep. And now, somehow, I wound out here."

"!" Sephiroth was touched that she would reach out to him even to the point where her powers caused her heart to pull to his. He closed the distance between them and hugged her, gentle so as not to squeeze her too tight. "I called out to your heart too, Aeris. I miss you a lot."

"..." She smiled and hugged him back. The room seemed to brighten with the happiness in their hearts at reuniting again. They noticed this. With some reluctance, they pulled away. "I think this place was made by the connection of our hearts. Like a manifestation of our hearts' bond."

"Hmm, I think you're right." Sephiroth agreed, seeing how this place looked just like them. A manifestation of the place they only knew, however vibrant it was like their hearts it was still closed-off by walls just like they were. It was a beautiful thing where he could unite with Aeris but at the same time a sad place...

"Oh but the details don't matter. I'm so glad your here."

"I'm glad to see you too Aeris. How have you been?"

"(Sigh) The experiments have been the same as always, but they have been so draining without you there to be with me after it's all over." Aeris tiredly admitted as she sat down with her legs on the side of her. Sephiroth could see the dark rings starting to form under her eyes and they concerned him, but her smile made it hard for him to worry as it melted his troubles away. "But how have you been? Could you tell me what the outside World's like, please?"

"..." He couldn't help but smile at her curiosity, sitting down with a leg bent inward while the other was bent upward with his arm rested on the knee. "The world is larger than we ever imagined, with so many people. Their hearts are so different than the ones at Shinra."

"Are they... are they nicer than the ones here?"

"Most of them are, yes."

"That sounds lovely. I'd love to see it one day."

"You should. Along with the scenery. The sunsets out here are beautiful."

"!"

"What's wrong?" Sephiroth asked, noticing her flinch.

"I'm scared..."

"You don't have to be scared. The world isn't as bad as we thought it would be."

"No. I'm scared... of the sky..."

"..." Sephiroth didn't mean to belittle her fears but he couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at that. "Really?"

"Don't mock me, Sephiroth! It's just... I've been trapped behind these walls for so long. All my life in fact... The mere thought that there is a vastness out there that exists with no borders and endless limits is overwhelming. It terrifies me..."

"..." Sephiroth couldn't help but feel sorry for making fun of her worries, sliding over to her side he placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Sure sometimes the sky is not always sunny, and sometimes it'll rain, snow, and hail down on the earth. But the sun will always come back to greet you the next day. And... that's what makes it so amazing. It's just like our hearts during good or bad times."

"Really...?"

"Of course. One day, when you leave Shinra, I promise to take you to see the sky. Together we'll see the sunrise and sunset, so you don't have to be afraid. I promise to be there for you every step of the way."

"... Okay, Sephiroth. Someday, let's go see the sky. Together..."

...

Three years have passed, and Shinra's Soldiers had grown in numbers. From the one came twelve; from the twelve came forty-two; and from the forty-two came two hundred. All strapping young men eager to follow behind Sephiroth's shadow to become the hero of their world. Allowing Mako to be injected into themselves without any regards to the possible consequences. They wanted to become a Soldier, they wanted to be just like Sephiroth.

But they would never be what Sephiroth was.

Some came close. The First Class division of Soldier took a higher amount of Mako injection to become the best, and a little bit of something extra to make them nearly as strong as Sephiroth. From the numbers came ranks, Sephiroth making it all the way up to General, but still took missions and orders assigned from the Soldier's Director Lazard Deusericus. Lazard was a good man with a lot of honor, his strength could not compare to Sephiroth's but Sephiroth still respected him. He had reminded him of another honor bound person that he has come to know.

"Still lounging about the barracks I see, Sephiroth." Said a young man in a long red coat with shoulder guards, held by crossed leather straps with black clothing underneath the coat. His hair was spiky with a deep color red but did not go past his neck in length. Strapped to his left hip was the Rapier, a large red sword. The blade was long, but not as long as Sephiroth's Masamune. His black boots sounded out his closing in proximity. "Don't you ever get tired of playing the good Soldier?"

"Leave him be, Genesis." Came another young man who was slightly more muscular, broad and taller than the other young man known as Genesis. His black hair was slicked back except for two bangs on each side. He lacked the flare that Genesis had in clothing as he wore the standard Soldier First Class uniform. On his left hip was strapped a Standard Soldier Sword, but on his back was an enormous buster sword. One that Sephiroth learned that he rarely ever used. "Sephiroth has the right to choose how he pleases to use his time between missions. Regardless of how you say otherwise."

"Genesis, Angeal." Sephiroth greeted the two of them.

Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodas. Both hailed from Banora Village, Genesis coming from a wealthy landlord family while Angeal came from a poor one; however, both grew up as best friends. They had wanted to join Soldier together when Shinra had first started recruiting. But ever since the king had put an age limited on Soldier's enlistment, they had to wait two years later on their sixteenth summer to join. They had tested into First Class Soldier and immediately rose in the ranks.

And that's when they met Sephiroth. For a year they began to do missions together and got to know one another. They grew to like and admire Sephiroth and saw him as their friend. Sephiroth over time began to see them as his friends as well, much sooner than they would have expected and took much longer for them to notice it.

Over the year Sephiroth learned so many things about the two of them from the many stories they had told about themselves. Angeal had once told Sephiroth the story of how he and Genesis met. How he use to steal 'dumbapples'- apples that ripen randomly throughout the year- since his family was poor. The largest tree grew outside the house of the richest family in the village, but Angeal would never take an apple from that tree since the rich family's son was his best friend. When Sephiroth asked him why he didn't ask Genesis for apples, Angeal replied, 'Honor can be quite a burden at times.'

That's when Sephiroth truly understood Angeal. He was honor-bound where nothing could stand between him and his honor and pride. He could see it in his work as he was a dedicated and moral driven member of Soldier who took pride in what he was and what he does. You could even see in the way he treats his sword, the buster blade his stepfather gave to him when he joined Soldier, one of the only valuables his family has ever owned. He saw the sword as a symbol of his family's dreams and honor. And therefore, to damage it would represent damage to his honor, so he refrains from using it. 'Use brings about wear... tear... and rust.' as he would always say.

Now Genesis was another story. Genesis was indeed prideful, but at times could come off as arrogant. He took pride in his looks, fighting style, and popularity they garner him, but he does not enjoy mingling directly with people. In that way, he was more similar to Sephiroth than Angeal, as he only opens himself up to his close companions. Although Sephiroth could still sense the envy and rivalry Genesis had towards him in his heart, he could still feel the friendship and respect that Genesis held for him in his heart more. Genesis always strived to be the hero, just like the one in the famous novel poem LOVELESS that he obsessed about. He had spent most of his life trying to decipher it, taking its words literally, believing that one day he will discover the meaning. But at the moment he saw the three of them as the main protagonist in the story. Genesis was a little eccentric but good at heart.

"Do not defend him, Angeal." Genesis retorted back in slight lecture. "Locking himself up in these barracks all day is not good for him. It'll make him become too complacent with the Brass, or give him Cabin Fever. He needs to get out more."

"I do get out," Sephiroth said, defending himself. "There's just nothing that interests me out in these parts."

"Surely there must be some hobby that you can find as a past time. Even Angeal has gardening and cooking as hobbies."

"To be fair, don't you have Banora White apple trees that you pride yourself for growing as seedlings." Angeal pointed out, refusing to let Genesis just throw his personal habits out in the open like that.

"Ahh yes, my Banora Whites. They make a lovely apple juice." Genesis happily admitted with pride and reminiscences. "One of these days you simply must try one, Sephiroth."

"That would be nice. Perhaps you can meet my parents as well if you're stopping into Banora." Angeal suggested with a hint of excitement. "They'd be more than happy to see you and Genesis."

"Perhaps in a later time, Genesis." Sephiroth politely declined to visit Genesis and Angeal's hometown during his rare spats of off days. Time which he could be spending with someone else that he rarely gets to see in person anymore. "There is someone else I'd like to see on my off-time. But unfortunately, can't spend any time with right now due to the distance."

"Ooh, another special someone in the secluded life of the great Sephiroth?" Genesis inquired with great curiosity. "And here I thought you didn't have time to waste on others, not even those of the fairer gender."

"I don't."

"(Sigh) I don't understand you. All those lovely ladies from all around this world throwing themselves at your feet, and you don't give any of them a second. You could at least go on a date with one or two. Maybe it'll make you less stiff."

"One girl is all I need. I have no need for the others."

"!" Now that answer drew the curious attention of both Genesis and Angeal.

"Ohh, so there is a girl in the life of the detached Sephiroth. Even before his grande appearance in Soldier." Genesis commented with hinted ponder for details.

"This lady must be very special to hold such importance to you, let alone be able to hold you down like this. A powerful woman indeed." Angeal pondered aloud to himself before addressing Sephiroth. "Does this mysterious young lady have a name?"

"..." Sephiroth fought within himself whether to give them a name or not. Sephiroth had learned so much about them in the past year of their friendship, but he never really gave out anything about himself to them. Sure he told them he was an orphan, that he had no hometown, and was raised in Shinra. But that was all he told them. Anything more would put them in danger as loose ends that knew too much about Shinra. And, to his greatest fear, he worried that telling them the truth about what he was would drive them away. The things that he could do because of what he was had already drew away so many people, he couldn't bear if he had to count the two of them among the numbers. But... he felt like he should give them something, to show that their bond mattered. He could trust them. A name should be good enough. "Aeris... Her name is Aeris."

"Aeris. That's a lovely name." Angeal complimented.

"And one I've never heard the likes of before," Genesis commented. "Where did you say she was from again?"

"I didn't say. But more or less, we grew up in the same place." Sephiroth answered vaguely.

"I see... So she's a Shinra orphan as well." Angeal concluded. "But I wonder why Shinra never came out to the public about taking care of Orphan kids? They usually like to brag about morality and their good deeds for publicity."

"We were just a side project mostly..."

"Pfft, still, her being the only girl you've known; you should give other girls a try. You should live a little. At least to get a taste for what else is out there." Genesis commented with a suggestion.

"No girl can compare to her. There's no one else like Aeris out there. All I want is her."

"..." Angeal and Genesis just stared at Sephiroth in shock at his honest answer. Before finally, they both broke out in a grin. Genesis was the first to break the silence. "(Chuckle) Wow."

"?"

"She must have you wrapped up in her dainty fingers really tight. You've got it bad."

"Got what bad?" Sephiroth asked, not getting what Genesis meant but for some reason, his heart felt fuzzy inside.

"You care for her don't you?" Angeal asked, trying to put Genesis' words in an easier meaning.

"I do..."

"(Sigh) Poor girls. Never had a chance even before you were famous." Genesis sighed out in teasing.

"Hm," Sephiroth didn't know how to respond to that.

"If you're not busy Sephiroth, would you like to join us in a training match?" Angeal offered.

"Oh yes. I would love to show off my new strive to Sephiroth." Genesis added in agreement to Angeal's idea.

"Hm, not now. I have to catch up on my rest." Sephiroth declined, nodding farewell to them as he started to walk to his sleeping corridors.

"This can't be right. You never get tired, Sephiroth." Genesis retorted.

"I never push myself to exhaustion, but the body still needs rest every now and then." Sephiroth countered back. "Besides, I'm looking forward to dreaming."

"Rest well then." Angeal offered in parting.

"Until later then Angeal, Genesis."

"Alright, I'll rain check you on that training match." Genesis relented with a wave.

Sephiroth had become so battle honed that his training gave him complete control over his body. He could force himself to sleep instantly if he so willed it, but at the same time be a light enough sleeper to have full awareness of his surrounds. This at times would be annoying because a simple bird flying close to his window would wake him up. It took a little longer to learn the skill to sense when a presence's movement was hostile or not. Using such skill he fell into a dream easily. Returning to the place where his and Aeris's heart could meet together.

The place was mostly the same, but now sported a few trinkets or plants that Sephiroth had bumped into during his travels. Aeris would ask him questions about them and fell in love with his stories. She seemed to have a fondness for the plants, so Sephiroth would unconsciously add more from his traveling memories to their meeting place with each new area he visited. And he had become more expressive, wearing whatever he wanted like his famous long black coat with crossed straps that reveal a nice few of his chest and his black pants. He had even let his hair down, a silent sign that Hojo no longer had control over him. Aeris was so happy to see him open up like this.

And so there she was, waiting for him.

"Sephiroth!"

"Aeris." She became more beautiful each time he visited her. Aeris's body filled out more and more with each passing day. And now she sported a one piece dress with her growing age. It was a simple blue sundress, but it still flattered her maturing body. And the dainty brown boots were a nice change from her child-like slipper shoes. Her lovely long hair still plaited and tied up with her mother's ribbon. Seeing her always did funny things to his heart that Sephiroth did not really dislike.

"How have you been? Have you been making any new friends?"

"Heh, no, just the same handful I already have."

"Oh well, that's still nice."

"What about you? Have you been making any friends while I've been away?"

"(Giggle) You know that would be impossible here, right."

"Hm, right." Sephiroth grinned, happy to get a laugh from her.

"Although... That Turk, Tseng, seems to be watching me more often." Aeris pointed out with a finger tapping on her chin in thought.

"..." Sephiroth did not like the sound of that, and Aeris could see that on his face.

"Oh but it's not in malice!" Aeris energetically waved it off in defense to ease Sephiroth's troubles. "I can't sense any in his hearts. It's just a feeling that I can't quite put my finger on."

"..." Sephiroth still didn't like the sound of that. It left a boiling yet sour taste in his heart.

"Aww don't look so stone cold, Sephiroth. Are you jealous?" Aeris teased, tilting towards him while holding her wrist behind her back.

"I don't really know..."

"Well... let's change the topic to something else! Did you learn anything new out there?"

"Apparently I learned from others that I'm boring and need to take up a hobby."

"A hobby? What's a hobby?"

"It's a skill set or some form of activity that people take on in their free-time because they enjoy doing it."

"Doing something... because they enjoy to..."

"Right. My friends here tried to give me some ideas of a hobby to pick up. One of them was gardening, but you seem to love plants more than me, I think gardening would suit you better."

"Gardening... I don't know what that it. But I would love to try it..." Aeris sadly smiled, her eyes seemed so far away.

"Aeris?" Sephiroth called to her in concern.

"I'm sorry Sephiroth. I'm just so tired... Dr. Hojo has been picking up on the experiments on me lately. Says that 'this is a crucial time to find answers while my body is developing'."

"Are they hurting you, Aeris?" Sephiroth asked, his temper for the Shinra Science Department began to boil with a new flame again.

"No more than usual. They've just become more excessive. And, I'm worried..."

"Worried about what?"

"Dr. Hojo has come up with a new energy source for the World's kingdom. He plans to power every building in the world with Mako." Aeris said, shaking as she gripped the front of her dress and began to release silent tears. "If he succeeds, he'll drain away the lifestream and all the hearts in them. He'll leech away the World's Heart to the point it can't even scream anymore. And when that day comes, it'll die, we'll never hear it again. It's all over, unless we stop Dr. Hojo from ever bringing his abominable project to fruition, all hearts in this world will be lost."

"Aeris..." Sephiroth didn't know what to do to make Aeris's tears go away. If the humans wanted to kill themselves off, honestly he would just let them. But there were so many things in this world that he grew to care about and wanted to be saved. He couldn't allow this world to perish.

"We have to stop Hojo, Sephiroth. We just have to..." Aeris pleaded to him with tear stained eyes.

"..." But the question was how.

...

Three more years have passed, and Sephiroth and Aeris continued to grow. Sephiroth bean stocking up to 6' 1" with his broadening shoulders yet still slim muscular body. While Aeris only came up to 5' 3" with a slender build that favored a heavier bottom. With each day they had gotten stronger, one more in power the other more in Magic.

The people in the Shinra Department wanted to keep Aeris complacent, so they only allowed her to get enough exercise to keep away muscle deterioration. But Sephiroth refused to leave Aeris defenseless with those dark hearted people, so whenever he could in their dream world he would give her martial arts lessons. It was a struggle at first to get Aeris to seriously give it a try. The cage that Shinra had put her in was strong enough that it extended to within herself. She didn't believe that she could do it; it took a lot of push for Sephiroth to drive it in her head that she could do anything. After that, her natural stubbornness would kick in, making it impossible to stop her once she set her mind to it.

Sephiroth loved that side of her, just as much as the other sides, she wasn't really the best when it came to combat but she was a fast learner. She knew her weaknesses just as much as she knew her strengths. Aeris could actually deliver a heavy hit when need be, but she could not take as much as she could dish. So distance was the key for her. She knew that if she had to strike an opponent she would always have to be mindful of the distance between them. A weapon with range should do her some good, but Sephiroth tried letting her use Masamune but that was too heavy for her. Perhaps something more balanced for her would be a Spear, or a Polearm, or a Staff.

The Staff seemed more like it since it would contribute to her Magic affinity. And her Magic was growing fast, far superior to his own. Both of them could use Magic without Materia, but Aeris had more refine control over hers than Sephiroth. She had been using it for the past three years to silently halt Hojo's Mako Energy Project. From burning up his blueprints with Fire when his back was turned; from freezing his notes with Ice overnight where the ink would soak and become an unreadable stain; all the way to using Bolt to fry the data on hard drive. But this is how the both of them truly knew Hojo was insane. He would get mad at the loss of his work, sure. But then he would pick it up and start all over again from the start without making any changes as if it would produce a different result, over and over again.

Sephiroth said that just killing Hojo would make Aeris's job easier and they would be done with it. But Aeris was appalled at the suggestion. Sephiroth knew that it was her motherly nature that was holding her back from ever truly hurting someone, even someone like Hojo. She was too kind for her own good. She saw the beauty and value in every heart and would never harm them, no matter how dark they were. Perhaps her mother was the same...

Perhaps...

"..." But now wasn't the time to think about sad things. This would be the last dream visit to Aeris before he surprised her by coming back the next morning to see her so he wanted to end the visit on a good beat. As he approached the end of the room where she would be he pulled himself together. And there she was. "Aeris."

"..." She was sitting on the floor, slumping on the wall with her head down and her hands limply on her lap. She looked like her pride and spirit were in the mud.

"Aeris?"

"..." She wouldn't even look at him.

"Aeris. You have to tell me what's wrong."

"..." That got a reaction out of her. Aeris's fingers had twitched into gripping into her pink sundress. And her mouth twitched; but, sadly to form a frown. She slowly raised up her head to look at him. He could see the loss and pain and heartbreak on her face. Her eyes held so much sadness in them.. she has been crying. Sephiroth had seen this on many of the lower Soldiers before, where the heart tried to stay brave but already gave in to hopelessness. This was the face of someone who has given up.

"Aeris, tell me what's wrong!"

"I'm so sorry Sephiroth..."

"Aeris?- !?" She pushed him out of the dreamworld. "!"

Sephiroth had woken up in a shock but with more of a drive to see Aeris up front. Something was wrong and she refused to tell him if she was in trouble. But Sephiroth could feel it in his heart that she was. He saw it in her heart, passed the false bravado that she tried to hide it behind, but he knew that horrible bitter sweet taste well. It was fear.

She was afraid. And Sephiroth refused to let any harm to come to her so long as he could help it. If anything was able to make Aeris feel scared then it became his problem. And whatever it was wouldn't like it when it becomes Sephiroth's problem. Because he destroys all obstacles in his path.

After many years of hard work and service, the king had decreed today off for all Soldiers to get some rest and return home to their family's for a week. Shinra may have been their bosses, but Ansem the Wise was their king. Whatever he says goes, and there would be nothing Shinra could do or say about it without considerable backlash. But as a favor to Sephiroth, the king had allowed his request of keeping the news from the public's knowledge along with Shinra- so that the Soldiers could surprise their loved ones when they returned home. So here Sephiroth was now, packing in his room whatever he would need to head back to Shinra Corp on an early morning train ride.

"Packing to head out I see," Genesis commented, leaning against the barrack courter's door with his arms cross, admiring Sephiroth and his heavier than usual light packing. "Heading home?"

"Of sorts."

"?" Genesis was about to question Sephiroth's vague response when Angeal suddenly made his appearance.

"Genesis, ready go? The Chocobos are starting to get restless."

"I see that you two are heading home together," Sephiroth commented, glad for them that they had an actual loving hometown and families to go back to. He was content with just Aeris in his life as a semi family, but he always wanted to know what it feels like to have a hometown to root yourself down to.

"We both are from the same village. It makes the trip better company by traveling together." Angeal responded.

"Safe trip you two." Sephiroth wished to them before adding with a smirk. "I should hope that you two don't bump into any of your fan clubs along the way."

"Gugh." "Don't even mention that." Genesis and Angeal both groaned out at the same time.

"If I recall, the last time we bumped into you two's fan club was a while back for a mission, which ended up being us breaking up the fights they broke out into. Over what was it again? A quarrel over which one of you was the best."

"Tst, it was practically a Turf War," Angeal added into the subject.

"Yeah, all those fights breaking out in the middle of the street and yet no victor was decided," Genesis said, subtly disappointed about the outcome.

"My club won." Angeal shot in, oddly competitive about this and slightly finding humor at bringing that tick of annoyance on Genesis's forehead.

"Please, your Keepers of Honor were no match for my Study Group." Genesis shot back.

"I believe that they both held their own on the same level. That is if you find throwing LOVELESS novels at your enemies honorable. I'm shocked that didn't strike a nerve with you."

"It did," Sephiroth jibbed in, recalling the incident. "I remember seeing you dive to catch one of the novels that ricocheted off a club member's skull before it hit the street."

"LOVELESS is a precious gift of the goddess to be cherished, not to be used as a boomerang!" Genesis huffed as his two friends laughed at his expense. To try and get the unwanted attention off of him he tried to change the subject, noticing the long gym bag Sephiroth was carrying along with his luggage. "That's a pretty long bag you got there, Sephiroth. But I assume it's not for Masamune. You would never store your precious katana like that."

"No, these are a gift for Aeris," Sephiroth answered, looking at the gym bag hanging on his shoulder from the corner of his eyes.

"Flowers and Plushies don't usually come in that length Sephiroth," Genesis commented with a slight retort.

"That's because they are weapons. I'm trying to see what she has a feel for more."

"I don't know much about the fairer gender, but I don't recall them liking such brash gifts very much," Angeal said in small advice.

"Aeris is more of a practical girl. She can fight with powers of her own, but I want to give her something so she can stand for herself when I'm not around."

"Note how it's 'when I'm not around' and not 'without me'." Genesis pointed out, breaking down into Sephiroth's possessive nature over Aeris. "Poor Sephiroth, you're at that horrible mark where you want to help her spread her wings to soar but at the same time rip them off so that she'll never fly away from you."

"..." Sephiroth had no comment. He'll never admit to Genesis, but what he said did ring true in the darkness of his heart.

"So when are we going to get to meet the mysterious Aeris?"

"If I can help it, never."

"What, afraid we might take her away from you?" Genesis teased, but Sephiroth didn't see it as a joke.

"..." He remained silent, refusing to admit how much that was a subconscious fear of his that one day someone just might actually steal her away from him. To avoid attention, he dodged around the question. "Time for me to head for my train."

"Tst, you're lucky that transports run between Radiant Garden and Midgar. What's likely a 4 hour trip for you is going to be a fulls day trip on Chocobo for us." Genesis sighed in complaint.

"At least the scenery will be good for us." Angeal pointed out on the positive side. "It'll be great to get the chance to unwind a bit before we get home."

"(Sigh) I suppose you have a point." Genesis reluctantly agreed with Angeal's line of thought. "So long then, Sephiroth, we'll see you in a week."

"Hm, stay out of trouble you two." Sephiroth gave them a small wave in farewell as they all headed out of the barracks to part in opposite directions.

"We should be saying that to you. You're the one going back to 'Aeris'." Genesis teased at him, surprisingly Angeal joining in as well.

"Don't do anything that would jeopardize the lady's honor. You must control yourself, like the Soldier you are."

"Bye you two," Sephiroth said in annoyance as he started to storm off.

In his steam he made great time to the train station, waiting a good 20 minutes in the boarding area before his train arrived. The Conductor hole-punched his ticket but mostly left him alone, being in Soldier had made him an awe to obverse but at the same time at a respectful distance. The trip wasn't too bad, he just took the time to admire the scenery that quickly passed by in his window while he wondered in his thoughts. The plains were lovely to behold, the morning light starting to rise over the horizon made the dew on the plants glisten like crystals. All of this natural beauty unharmed by the Materia powered train. The Ice and Fire Materia worked together to make this steam power machine move on the tracks, it was not the fastest but it was still a good pace.

Most of this world was powered by Materia: Lightning Materia gave the homes and buildings power, Fire Materia kept them warm; while Ice Materia provided them with fresh water. Even Earth Materia, or Quake, helped maintain and create the structure for their buildings and roads. It was a clean source of energy that kept the balance of this world. But apparently, that wasn't enough. People always wanted more and faster power. Their greed would be the downfall of everyone, as he saw when people like Hojo tried to find alternative energy sources in hazardous areas. But people didn't care, as long as their food cooked faster and their lights shined brighter it was no concern to them. The fools, they're lucky Aeris was there to intervene or else their species and whole World would reach extinction before their designated time. But most likely with no hearts or light to protect it, this world would fall to darkness before that.

But speaking of Aeris, he was almost there to see her again. The train had pulled into the Midgar Train Station as the morning fog that always plagued this industrial city before the full rise of the sun. Midgar was certainly not the most lovely city in their world, and Sephiroth was starting to wonder if it was probably the worse. The separation of Class was drastically noticeable. While the rich lived in lovely buildings that reach up to the sky on the Surface Sectors, the poor lived in practically junk yards in their little shacks on the Sub Terrane Sectors in poverty. The gap between the rich and the poor was so vast that it was nearly impossible to make it up to the Surface levels from poverty. The lucky ones were able to get enough money to move out of Midgar to find someplace better. The poor suffered while the rich profited from them and kept getting richer, and kept getting blinder towards their fellow man's plight.

Sephiroth would not wish such a life on anyone. It would eat away at his heart a little as he could see the border line of both worlds as they met at the train station. Keeping to himself as he moved passed the people waiting for loved ones to come out of the train, he made his way to Shinra Corp. It wasn't the hardest building to find, as it was the tallest building at 70 Floors and at the center of the city. Sephiroth made his way in with no trouble and was greeted by the Receptionist at the front desk by the side of the entrance doors. The Metal Detectors went off because of his sword and bag, but no one seemed to raise alarm since it was Sephiroth.

"General Sephiroth, welcome back!" The Receptionist greeted him in flushed awe and slight flirtatiousness. Sephiroth paid it no mind and decided to try and get information on Aeris's exact location before he wasted time trying to find her. She was only allowed on two Floors, but that was time searching for her instead of actually being with her that he couldn't afford to waste.

"Can you give me the location of Aeris." Sephiroth requested from the Receptionist, cutting to the chase.

"Aeris?" The Receptionist was slightly disappointed and jealous that his attention was on another woman, but also confused since she had never heard of anyone with that name before and she ran into everyone that entered this building. "There are no employees or guest under the name Aeris in this building."

"..." Sephiroth frowned in annoyance. Of course the existence of Aeris would be kept under closed file from people that weren't Secured Clearance. What would the populace do if they found out that Shinra was holding people hostage for experimentation? So with distaste, he used Aeris's lab name. "Then give me Specimen A02B's whereabout."

"Right away, General." She said, typing away at her front desk computer. "Hmm. Oh! It says here that Specimen A02B is scheduled for Dr. Hojo's Specimen Breeding Program this morning."

"WHAT?!" Sephiroth roared, his pupils slit even further as the darkness began to boil out of him. The ground shaking and the lights flickering in its wake.

"I-It says that the specimen is scheduled for b-breeding to preserve its genetic code on F-floor 68." The Receptionists answered, quaking in her seat at Sephiroth's rage.

"When?!" Sephiroth demanded an answer, when the Receptionist wouldn't give him one fast enough he pulled out Masamune and pointed its business end at her. "WHEN?!"

"AH! It's scheduled to start in 20 minutes!" The Receptionist cried out in fright, jumping behind her purple desk chair to protect herself from the long blade.

"RahHH!" In his rage he slashed Masamune down on the desk chair next to hers, destroying it along with the tiled floor around it.

"Yaagghh!" She screamed ducking with her hands over her head.

"Who do you think you are?" Barked one of the Security Guards, running over with 3 other guards to seize and contain Sephiroth. The normal people on the floor running away in fright, including the Receptionist.

"General Sephiroth or not, we will not allow you to cause a ruckus in the building!"

"Seize him!"

"Out of my way!" Sephiroth growled through his teeth with venom in his throat, All-Slashing the four of them. It was not enough force to cut them in half, but enough for the bleeding mid sections to keep them down and out. They would have to receive medical attention, but that wasn't Sephiroth's concern now. He dashed up the lobby stairs to the second Floor where the building's main elevators were located.

"That's right. Don't let these weak fools take what is yours."

His clearance ID gave him access to all the Floors except 69 and 70. But those Floors didn't matter to him, all that mattered was that he made it to the 68th Floor in time. But his commotion on the 1st Floor had set off the alarms, the building was on high alert and Security was halting him on the elevator. He ended up having to fight the Guards as they tried to storm him on the 17th, 32nd, 42nd, and 50th Floor. When the elevator went as high as it could on the 59th Floor, he jumped off and tried his luck with the Floor's stairs.

He had to demolish the Security blocking the elevators that lead to the 60th Floors where he had to Dash passed the Guard post to make it to the stairs up to the 61st Floor. The Floor was practically isolated from the rest of the lower building as the people remained blatantly ignorant of the chaos that happened below. It was the Lounge Area where the rest of the higher up employees went to unwind and have lunch. They all seemed to be minding their own business without a care as Sephiroth made his way up the stairs to the next Floor. But as he was going up he could hear the small tail end of one of the employees' conversation.

'I thought I heard a ruckus downstairs a minute ago. Do you know what that was all about?'

'No idea. But no need to worry because everything above the 60th floor is safe.'

He Rushed passed the Records Floor of 62, up passed the Storage Floor of 63 and the Shinra Gymnasium Floor of 64. He didn't even pass the Diagram Floor of 65 or the big wigs' Meeting Floor of 66 with nothing but an eyes glance as he Rushed up to the 67th Floor. He knew she wouldn't be there, it was just muscle memory telling him to take the Laboratory Elevator up to the 68th Floor where all the experiments took place.

And there she was, sitting in the main experiment containment glass with her head down as she tried to silently hold back her tears. Her fingers gripping into her pink sundress in silent frustration as Hojo watched her from the other side of the glass as his Assistant sat in the Control Room operating the condition of the container.

"Aeris!" Sephiroth called to her, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. Hojo subconsciously flinched while the Assistant openly shivered.

"What do you want?" Hojo huffed at Sephiroth in annoyance at the interruption.

"I'm taking Aeris back."

"Outside Hindrance..." Hojo hissed.

"You should have noticed it coming early, you-"

"There's so many frivolous things in this world." Hojo groaned out as if in annoyance of Sephiroth's stupidity, not even batting an eye as Sephiroth pulled out Masamune. "Are you going to kill me? I don't think you should. The equipment here is extremely delicate. Without me, who could operate it? Hmm?"

"I don't need to operate them, I need to destroy them. Besides, if worse comes to worse I'll just use that other guy." Sephiroth countered, not phased by Hojo's underlining threat.

"!" He was baffled and frustrated by Sephiroth's lack of submission and appreciation for delicate instruments. "I recommend you think things logically before you make any rash moves!- GahH!"

Sephiroth had slashed Masamune swiftly through Hojo's left shoulder, making him grip it with his other good arm as it bled out.

"I assure you I am in full contemplation right now, and very goal orientated."

"Tst! Bring in the Specimen!" Hojo barked back to his Assistant in order. The Assistant pushed a few buttons to bring the 2nd specimen up from the lower Floor into Aeris's containment glass.

The creature was like a red and orange lion-wolf beast with a brown mane, standing at a height of 3'9" on all fours. It had a scar on its right eye, and the remaining eye was ochre. He adorned a variety of beads, earrings and feathers around his head, and golden pastern braces and tattoos on his legs. One of the brands being the number 'XIII', the others possibly being the symbol of his tribe. He had a flaming tail.

Aeris backed as far away from the creature that the glass would allow as it growled at her like a lion. Crouched down and feral, ready to pounce. Aeris started running around in the container, trying to keep away from it, scratching at the glass.

"Sephiroth, help!"

"Have you lost your mind?!" Sephiroth roared at Hojo.

"Whatever do you mean? I'm lending a helping hand to an endangered species... Both of them are on the brink of extinction..." Hojo said as if there was nothing wrong with this picture. "If I don't help, all these animals will disappear."

"Animal? Aeris is a human being!"

"Hardly. And the same goes for you."

"Grgh! Aeris, Step back!"

"Stop!" Hojo cried out but it was too late, Sephiroth had already sliced through the containment glass with Masamune. Hojo rushed to the container with grief. "Wh... What are you do- Oh! My precious specimens..."

BARK, BARK!

But the feline-canine creature had jumped through the remaining glass to pounce on Hojo, mauling him around the neck with his fangs.

"!" Sephiroth did not expect this turn of events but he won't take them for granted. Rushing into the containment, he went to check in on Aeris who was lying on the ground in the corner. "Aeris are you okay?!"

"Hm-mph..." Aeris slowly got up on her feet again, making sure that everything was okay. The beast had pounced on her, but it never really touched her. She slowly gathered herself together again before she faced Sephiroth reassuringly. "Thanks, Sephiroth."

"I'm just glad you're safe !" Sephiroth suddenly wrapped an arm around Aeris's shoulders and slowly back them out of the container.

"Sephiroth... what's wrong?"

"... The elevator is moving." He could Sense something dark coming.

"!" Hojo pushed the beast off of him and started to crawl back with his elbows. "I set my other specimens loose while you all were busy, using the control remote in my pocket. The one coming up the elevator is no ordinary specimen. This is a very ferocious specimen!"

"He's rather strong. I'll help you out."

"!" Everyone in the room had turned in surprise as the lion-wolf talked.

"You can talk?!" Aeris gasped in shock.

"I'll talk as much as you want later, Miss." The beast said back in polite snark.

"Very well. Aeris, you get to safety." Sephiroth said over to Aeris.

"No. I want to fight too. Let me help you."

"..." Sephiroth was pretty worried about her physical and mental condition after the ordeal she just went through and the trauma that could have happened if he had shown up later. But she had shown no signs that she was not fine, and she was ready to fight. Sephiroth would not hold back this growth of independence in her. So with no reluctance, he tossed the long bag that was hanging over his shoulder at her feet and turned towards his opponent's point of entrance. "Choose your weapon, quickly."

While Aeris shuffled through the bag, Sephiroth decided to strike a conversation with the beast.

"What's your name?"

"Hojo has named me, Red XIII. A name with no meaning whatsoever to me. Call me whatever you wish."

"But what do 'you' call yourself?"

"..." The beast called Red XIII stared at Sephiroth from the corner of his eyes before facing back towards the approaching specimen. "Perhaps once this is all over I will tell you."

"Hm."

"Got it, I'm ready!" Aeris announced, joining along side them with the Mythril Rod she had chosen from the other long weapons in the bag.

"..." A weapon that protects yet doesn't thoughtlessly kill, that sounded so much like her. "Ready yourselves."

The creature came up, all tentacles and teeth with attacking parasites. What godawful gene splicing Hojo had made this creature from Sephiroth did not want to know. At first, he gave the two of them the chance to put up their fight in this. Both of them wisely deciding to use Fire on the creature, Aeris using her own abilities while Red XIII seemed to have Materia in his braces. Red XIII was pretty swift as he dodged the creature's chomping teeth by well-timed jump backs. But Sephiroth decided to end the fight with one clean Slash-All when the creature started spewing out poison.

"We did it..." Aeris sighed out in happy relief.

"You Fools!" Hojo barked at them from behind. "How could you ruin my beautiful specimen?! All of my work! Do you idiots have any idea what you have done?!"

"!" They had turned back in alarm to see Hojo starting to be consumed by darkness. Darkness that was coming from his own heart. It was feeding off of his hatred like a fire to air.

"You've halted the progress of science! Man's chance to step forward further on the evolution chain!"

"There was nothing Breakthrough about what you were doing. You're just a sociopath splicing through things blindly." Sephiroth hissed at Hojo, making sure to keep Aeris close to him while blocking Hojo away from her with his arm.

"Don't mock my genius, boy!" Hojo spat back at him. "You're just holding a petty tantrum because another specimen was promised to Specimen A02B and not yo- Gwahh!"

Hojo cried out in alarm as Masamune point ended impaled in the machinery behind him nearly a hair strand away from his face.

"You're not even worth it." Sephiroth huffed back at him, pulling his blade back as if Hojo wasn't even worth his time to kill. Something about that set Hojo off even more.

"Gwaw hahaha, there you go again... looking down on me. Just like the others did! Just like Gast did!" He began to roar at them in his madness as he failed to notice the darkness starting to engulf his body further completely in flames of darkness. "Well, I'll show you! I'll show them ALL! You all are nothing compared to me! You don't get the right to look down on me, you idiotic insects! I'm above all of you! I AM A GENIOUS! GWAW, HAW, HAW!"

"!" They all watched as the darkness consumed Hojo in its flames and burned him into ashes that stained the floor with its darkness. Sephiroth and Red XIII looked on with no surprise that this would become of Hojo's fate, and were slightly ecstatic inside to see it. While Aeris could only cover her open mouth with her hand at a silent scream as her eyes widened in horror. Such a fate was a cruel thing to watch. Her gentle heart could hardly take it, even if it was someone who was as cruel as Hojo.

"Aeris, you all right?" Sephiroth asked, finally turning a little to face her.

"I'm all right... in many ways," Aeris said, looking down in embarrassment at the meaning behind her words.

"I have a right to choose, too." Red XIII added in too, looking away from the both of them. "I don't like two-legged things."

"What exactly are you?" Sephiroth honestly asked Red XIII. He was certainly not the product of something Hojo had spliced together. He had the blood of something ancient running in his heart, that Sephiroth knew was probably sacred in this world.

"An informed question. But difficult to answer. I am what you see." Red XIII responded. "... You must have many questions, but I must leave this place. I have to return to my homelands."

"Oh!" Aeris nearly jumped back in a startle as Red XIII leaped passed her to get closer to the stairways.

"I apologize for what happened back there. I was merely acting to throw Hojo off guard..." Red XIII sincerely apologized to Aeris.

"Hm... It's okay. I hope that you make it home to Cosmo Canyon."

"!" Red XIII was shocked that she knew that information. "How do you know where I live Miss?"

"Your heart told me, along with the World's Heart. You have a lot of pride in your home."

"An Ancient that can read the hearts... I thought you were all gone."

"The same could be said of your kind."

"Touché, Miss."

"Now that you're safe, there's no reason for us to stay in this building," Sephiroth said over to Aeris. Leaving behind his gym bag of weapons but keeping his luggage bag. He knew Aeris wasn't given much of anything to take with so they could travel light and quick. "So let's get out of here."

"!" Aeris looked at him in surprise and shock. "You mean leave Shinra building?"

"Yes. Now is the chance you've been waiting for. No, we've been waiting for. So let's go while everything is still chaotic."

"Wait," Aeris said, running over to the machines and the computers. To Sephiroth's surprise, she started smashing them with her staff.

"!"

"We've got to make sure that nothing survives!" Aeris said over her aggressive exertions. "Sephiroth, take all the Materia in the back!"

"We don't need that."

"Yes but I don't want THEM to have it!"

"Sweet Promise Land I missed you Aeris..." Sephiroth said in awe as her destructive nature was making her more beautiful to him. To think that she would spite Shinra with such a low blow by taking their entire Department's Materia Resources was just so deliciously vicious to Sephiroth. She probably only wanted to do this so the Materia couldn't be used for any other cruel experiments, but Sephiroth saw it as more than that. Aeris had a little bit of a mean streak in her, and he loved it.

"Your mate seems to be a powerful strategist." Red XIII commented to Sephiroth, walking over to him as they both watched Aeris's destruction. "What more could you possibly ask for in a partner. Congratulations."

"We're not mated."

"For now it seems."

"..."

"Done!" Aeris said, coming back over to them with a proud look on her face. "Let's grab the Materia and go."

"Right..." Sephiroth nodded to her before slowly approaching the Assistant who was still cowering by the Control Station.

"!" The Assistant began to nervously sweat as Sephiroth closed in on him. "No! Please don't kill me. I only did what Hojo told me to do. To prove it to you... here, this is the key card to the 68th Floor. Would I be doing this if I was the enemy?"

"..." No, you would be doing this if you were a coward who got caught in the act and is now trying to save your own skin. Sephiroth just took the key card from him and allowed him to run. As the Assistant ran for the stairway, he left behind the Department's Materia which was stored in a chest container inside the Control Station. Sephiroth took all the Materia out and put them into two bags. Placing one of them in his luggage bag, he tossed the other over to Red XIII while placing the key card inside the bag as well. "Here, this should help you get out of here."

"!" Red XIII was surprised at Sephiroth's generous gift.

"If all of us go together, we'll be noticed. We'll break out in two groups." Sephiroth explained before giving Red XIII instructions on the building's layout. "That key card will give you access to all the lower Floors. Take the stairs all the way down to the emergency side door exit, it'll lead to the quickest way out with the least amount of confrontation. We'll take the elevator through the front entrance to drive attention off of you. Once you get out of Midgar, head to the west, Cosmo Canyon will a 2 days' walking journey from here."

"I thank you for your kindness..."

"Sephiroth." He said, answering Red XIII's unasked question.

"I'm Aeris."

"Hm, Sephiroth, Aeris... My name is Nanaki." Red XIII finally said before heading for the stairway and running off. "Perhaps our paths will meet again."

"..." Aeris and Sephiroth watched as the one known as Nanaki made his way down the stairs and out of the building. They hadn't known each other for long, but the two of them had already considered him as a friend. A fellow ancient being of this World that was on the brink of dying out along with the Magic they carry.

"We should go now..." Sephiroth suggested over to Aeris, hoping that her heart was ready to make such a big step in her life.

"Hm, right..." She followed Sephiroth, holding his hand and her staff in the other as they made their way down the stairs all the way to the 66th Floor where his clearance key card would allow him to use the elevator. They were finally doing this. They were finally leaving Shinra Corp... together... Her heart was practically fluttering with excitement and fear... "Sephiroth... I just thought of something."

"Hm?" He looked over at her, still bathing in the warm feeling of actually holding her hand. Such contact was rare for them, only happening once. But now that they were leaving Shinra, they could finally be together. There would be no walls to separate them ever again.

"Hmm, it's going to get pretty ugly from here on. We should check on our equipment."

"Aeris, don't worry, everything is going to be fine." Sephiroth tried to assure her as they finally made it to the 2nd Floor to run down the 1st Floor stairs to the main entrance. Aeris could practically see the light of day shining through the glass windows. They frightened her, but at the same time, she wanted to feel their rays for the first time. But that dream was halted as armed guards blocked the exit to the building, already open firing at them into the cleared out 1st Floor. Sephiroth instantly yanked Aeris back to take cover behind the stairway. "Damn."

"What are we going to do?"

"..." They were surrounded in the front. If Sephiroth was alone it wouldn't be a thing. But with Aeris... He couldn't afford to have her hurt, he had to protect her.

"You should get out while you can," Aeris suggested with her head down in sadness that she had gotten him into this mess. "It's not you they're after... it's me. I'll only slow you down..."

"Stop that," Sephiroth commanded over to her in irk that she would even suggest that. "I said we were leaving this building together, and we are going to leave this building together. One way or another."

"But how?"

"There is another way but you're not going to like it."

"?"

"I was hoping we could leave this place in a more romantic metaphoric way. But desperate times call for desperate measures." Sephiroth said over to Aeris as he started pulling them up on their feet again. Making sure they stayed in cover while he led her further into the back of the 1st Floor where the Show Room was. President Shinra liked to dabble in other Projects, vehicles being his favorite. Sephiroth led Aeris passed the cars, trucks, and motorcycles further back until they reached a Manhole.

"What is that? A Drainage Way?"

"Of sorts. But it's the big one that all the little drainage ways lead to, it's the Sewage Way."

"That sounds... awful."

"I know. But we have no choice. This is the price for freedom, Aeris."

"... Then I'm willing to pay it." Aeris said with determination. Bracing herself as Sephiroth moved the Manhole away, grabbing Aeris as he prepared to jump down. He held on tight to her as he took the leap, using his power over darkness to use the shadows to close the Manhole behind them. It would take two normal men a long time to open it up after them, without any of the proper tools, that should put some distance between them as the both of them fell further into the darkness.

The drop down was a lot further than Sephiroth thought it would be. He still aced the landing but at the price of sore legs. The shock from the Impact's vibrating pain caused him to drop Aeris. She landed in the dirty water filled with trash but at least it wasn't sewage. Filled with instant regret, Sephiroth kneeled beside her on one knee in the water.

"You alright?" He asked, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah." Aeris shakenly said, rising to her feet again. Her dress and boots were soaked and her side hurt a little but she was all right. "Well, the worst is over..."

ROARR!

"Maybe not." Aeris sighed out as she could practically feel the threat approach them. What approached them was not what Aeris was expecting. It looked like a giant pig-goat with a humanoid body structure and a hint of Dinosaur at its tail. "What... is that thing?"

"Probably one of Hojo Splicing Product Specimens that he deemed a failure and flushed down the toilet," Sephiroth suggested, noticing the broken chains wrapped around its wrists.

"The poor thing, it's heart is in so much pain. Its body can't sustain itself." Aeris said in pity as she could practically hear its hearts agonizing screams passed the hunger.

A hunger that it hoped the two of them will fulfill.

"Then let's put it out of its misery," Sephiroth suggested, getting Masamune ready.

Aeris kept her distance at first, using Cure on the both of them to help them recover from the fall. Sephiroth tried at first burning the abomination with Fire, and that seemed to work. But it was taking too long and just prolonging the creature's suffering. So with focus, he changed tactics by just Slashing at the poor creature while Aeris used Fire. The beast was practically helping them to finish it off by using self-destructive attacks like a Sewage Tsunami. The only time its attacks didn't hurt itself was when it swung its chains at them. But eventually, it did go down after exhausting Aeris to her hands and knees.

"Are you hurt?" Sephiroth asked in concern.

"More exhausted really," Aeris said, rising up to her feet again to cast Healing Wind on them and practically the whole area.

"We should leave now before Shinra catches up with us." Hopefully, they wouldn't send the Turks. But President Shinra wouldn't risk himself by sending his best guards on a search party. The chances of the Turks coming after them was low. "Aeris, this way."

"Okay." Aeris tried to keep up with Sephiroth as he climbed up ladders, ran through the walkway, and jumped down to other sewage lines, but Aeris just couldn't match his speed... or his stamina. "Wait... Wait, I said!"

"..." Sephiroth had to stop and turn around to see that Aeris was way behind. Still trying to climb up the ladder from two times ago and struggling with her run to catch up to him. By the time she hesitantly jumped down to where he was she was exhausted. Clutching her hands onto her knees as she caught her breath.

"(Puff)... ...(Wheeze)... Slow... down... Don't leave me..."

"Funny... I thought you were cut out to match with the Ancient warriors." Sephiroth teased at her with a small smirk.

"Oh! You're terrible!" Aeris pouted but then broke out into a giggle as they both chuckled at their antics. But Aeris soon became startled and flustered as Sephiroth picked her up bridal style. "W-what are you doing?"

"You are too exhausted to continue at my pace. This way is much easier for the both of us. And besides, I can't have such a lovely lady get her dress dirty running through this sewage water."

"..." Aeris blushed but didn't resist him as he started walking again. He was so warm and his heartbeat was so soothing by her ear. As the excitement from earlier before was finally dying down, Aeris had the time to gather her thoughts together. "Sephiroth, are you listening?"

"Yes."

"Sephiroth... so you did come for me."

"Of course I would. However, it would have been a lot easier if you had told me what was wrong."

"I knew... Deep down I knew that Sephiroth would come for me." She curled up closer to his chest with content.

"Hey, I told you I'd always come back for you, right?"

"(Giggle) Right, us Ancients have to stick together."

They had traveled through the Sewage Way for a long time as they were. Aeris was content in his arms, and Sephiroth found no trouble carrying her. With Aeris there, being held safe in his arms, he had felt that this moment was the most control he had over his life. Eventually, through his navigation, they had made it to the barred opening that led to the outside of the city. With a hard kick, he broke through the rusted bars, giving Aeris a moment to appreciate the outside sky for the first time. They had been traveling through the Sewage Way for so long that the sun was already starting to set.

"(Gasp)! I-It's beautiful..." Aeris gasped in awe with tears starting to form in her eyes at its beauty. The sky was fading into lovely hues of blue, purple, pink, orange, and gold. The clouds looked like cotton candy with silver linings of gold. The sky was so vast and endless that its limitlessness frightened her, but at the same time, she was in love with it. "You know what? This is the first time I've ever left Shinra Corp..."

"Are you worried?"

"A little... no, maybe a lot. But I have you, right?"

"!" Sephiroth was shocked and heart warmed that she would say that. Touched by her words, he vowed to himself to never take them for granted and to never lose her trust. "Let's go."

"(Gasp)!" Aeris was startled as Sephiroth took the jump down to the desolate ground, holding on to him tight so that he wouldn't drop her. But Sephiroth would never let her go. No... never again.

"Kalm is not too far from here, but it'll be too dangerous for us to go into a town right now. We'll have to find a place to camp out here for the night before we find a place safe to go."

"Okay..." Aeris nodded in confirmation before wiggling in his arms a bit. "You must be tired. You can put me down. I'm sure the dirt won't do much harm to my dress."

"Just a little longer. I rather like having you here..." Sephiroth asked.

"!" All Aeris could do was nod at his sincere request. And in all honesty, she was rather happy in his arms anyway.

They walked until the desolate dirt surrounding Midgar turned into grass. But by then the sun had set, and stars started to light the sky. Sephiroth decided to have them rest by a natural barrier of uplift ground to protect them from weather and visual.

"It's cold out here. Can we light a fire?" Aeris asked as she sat on the ground rubbing her arms for warmth. Sephiroth sat beside her with one leg bent and an elbow resting on it.

"Sorry, Aeris, the smoke would draw too much attention to us. Will have to go the night without it."

"Oh, (Shiver), well I wished that this dress had sleeves. Any chance you got a blanket in that bag there?"

"Sorry. I wasn't planning on camping out tonight. However..."

"!" Aeris's eyes opened wide in surprise as Sephiroth wrapped an arm in front of her shoulders to pull her down to the ground with him behind her, spooning for warmth. His hair blanketing over her and shining with the moonlight like silver starlight. She certainly felt warmer, but her face was on fire. "W-what are you doing Seph?"

"Keeping us both warm through body heat." He simply answered, pulling her even closer to him. "This should last us until the sun comes up again."

"But what about you? Your back in exposed."

"The uplift is protecting me from the winds, I'm fine."

"But..."

"Just go to sleep. I promise we'll get to watch the sunrise together tomorrow."

"But what about Shinra? They obviously aren't just going to let us go." Aeris said, overflowing with her worries. "They'll hunt us down for the rest of our lives. We'll always have to keep running. Never having a chance to call one place our home. It'll never end. Will we ever be given the chance to truly live? Will we ever be free?"

"Aeris..."

"I'm sorry. Here we are, finally out of the clutches of Shinra, and all I can do is worry."

"No, you're right, Aeris. Shinra will be a problem for us in the future. But... we can deal with that in the morning. For now, let's just rest and just enjoy our first night of freedom."

"Hm, you're right..." Aeris started to let her exhaustion take over. Her eyes drooping as she looked at the night sky. "The sky is so pretty... Mother use to say that each light is a far off World and that our hearts connect us. Do you think someone out there is looking down at us...?"

"Maybe."

"I wonder... (Yawn) what they would think... of us..."

"..." Sephiroth waited until Aeris was in a deep sleep, rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand as she was cupped to him.

Regardless of their current circumstance, Aeris was right. Shinra would continue to hunt them down as long as it stands. They'll never be free or rid of them unless something was done. Something that Sephiroth was more than willing to do. In fact, in the deepest darkest part of his heart, he would enjoy it...

"That's it, my boy." Jenova cooed at him in approval.

Slowly so as not to stir her, Sephiroth raised, leaving behind a Shadow Copy of himself in his place to keep Aeris safe and warm. With no hesitation, he let the darkness coat his aura as black wings shot out from his back through his coat. He soared back to Midgar, straight to the front of Shinra Corp's door. He started a massacre. Yes, most of the ignorant day workers had gone home to their family leaving only the night shift behind. But the night shift was usually the worse.

He started from the 1st Floor and worked his way up, not even giving them a chance to scream. He left the bodies behind as the hearts returned to the World's Heart, their blood trail marking his path along as dripping from his Masamune. The first 50 Floors were honestly a clean kill, it was when he finally made it to the 60th Floor that things got messy. He rather liked the people on the 64th Floor and was glad that they all went home that night as they usually did. The Gym Manager whom just manned the Help Desk at night simply coward and shook under the desk and slowly crawled towards the elevator to make her way out of this bloodbath. But Sephiroth couldn't allow that, there could be no witnesses. So in as much mercy as possible he ended her life with a stab to the spine.

"(Chuckle) Yes, good boy. Make them all pay."

When he finally got to the 67th Floor that's when things really got messy. He personally saw to it that everyone on that Floor got a slow and painful death. He had even spitefully dragged the bodies around a little as if they weren't even worth the time pulling Masamune out of them. Well, at least the ones that didn't burst into dark flames. Jenova was practically giggling and clapping throughout the whole thing. When he finally got to the Specimen Containment he had vindictively broke all the locks and shattered all the glass separating the cells. It took up unnecessary time but it made him feel good, especially when he stabbed the guard that use to warden the specimens. On the 68th Floor, he was joyfully surprised that the Assistant had come back, dispatching him was like icing on the cake... along with the other lackeys.

"Ooo, did you hear him squeal. Oh! You are making Mother so proud!"

"..." Sephiroth was oddly glad that she was enjoying this as much as he was. It was nice that the two of them were on the same page once in awhile. But he also feared that he might have inherited a sadistic vindictive nature from both of his parents.

"There's still more. Finish off the Higher-ups."

'But most of the big wigs have gone home.'

"I don't care! They're insignificant! Kill the head dog and the whole place will crumble!"

'The death of an empire... Heh, I rather like that idea.'

"As you should. Now... It's time to make them pay. They owe you a great deal for standing between you and your birthright. And that cost is fatal. (Chuckle)!"

Sephiroth walked all the way up the steps to the 69th Floor with a small grin on his face. What was left of the Security tried to stop him as a last resort, taking the final act of duty as they stood between him and President Shinra. The Turks had put up more of a fight. But Sephiroth had simply kicked them away and stabbed them at their sides, at least they survived the blow. He continued walking up the stairs to the final Floor, dragging a still impaled Guard along the carpet making the royal red redder.

President Shinra didn't even see him coming. His heart was racing as he heard Sephiroth slowly walk up the stairs. He could see Sephiroth's shadow rising up, but he never saw Sephiroth. The shadow instantly disappeared with a fade, making President Shinra's eyes open wider in alarm before Sephiroth had Flash-Rushed behind the President and impaled him in the back with Masamune. His death was painful for the ten seconds he was alive before he fell over on his desk.

"I will never allow Shinra to have the Promise Land."

It was over... The head of Shinra was dead.

"What have you done...?" Tseng head of the Turks said gasping for breath as he held his wound closed. He had wobbled his way up the stairs to defend his President with every ounce of strength he had left. But it was too late...

"I brought the end of the Shinra." Well not really. The President has a son named Rufus that was close to his age, but he was going to leave him alone. There was no point ending a bloodline for the crimes of one man if he didn't have to.

"Ooh, but wiping a name off the face of a World is the fun part." Jenova pouted at his reasoning. But Sephiroth ignored her comment and continued speaking with Tseng.

"Shinra has put an affront on my Cetra people long enough. It is time that it paid before harming this World and the Promise Land."

"So then the Promise Land does exist... and you're here to save it from Shinra?"

"Hardly. The Promise Land must never be reached in the realm of life." Sephiroth huffed as if the attempt alone was humorous. "Any attempts to try is blasphemy and must be paid a price."

"AhhHH!" Scream out Palmer, one of Shinra's top wigs. He was a plump man in a brown suit, Head of the Space Department before President Shinra shut it down for budget cuts. For a round man, he runs pretty fast. He ran from the column he was hiding behind to cower behind Tseng. "You're going to get it for this Sephiroth! When Vice-President Rufus hears about this you're going to pay!"

"I don't think so," Sephiroth smirked in triumph. "I just gave him the company."

"!" "!"

"The son of Shinra has been waiting for his father to peel over to take the reign over the company. And now he has it. I'm even cleaning house so he has a fresh start."

"What do you mean?" Tseng asked in concern before Sephiroth started lighting the floor with Dark Fire. "!"

"I suggest the two of you head over to the roof helicopter pad with the rest of the Turks and leave. I'm burning this place down."

"Ooo Haahaha! You just keep making this day better and better."

"But you can't-"

"Your duty is to protect the active President. The President is at home now, Tseng. The previous President has died here along with the rest of his accursed legacy, don't be apart of it." Sephiroth honestly had nothing against the Turks and kinda grew a soft spot for them as he grew up around them, he would rather not see them die along with the rest of President Shinra's secret researches and projects. They could have a new start with President Rufus. The Shinra family was still ridiculously rich, they would just have a fresh start. Something that Rufus Shinra probably wanted anyway.

Sephiroth gave Tseng and the other remaining Turks in the building a 5 minute grace period to get to the helicopter. Palmer had already ran for it before Sephiroth even finished his sentence. But he didn't even wait to hear the helicopter fly off as he engulfed the whole Floor in Dark Fire 3. Which soon spread to the lower Floors, feeding off the darkness that accumulated over the decades in this place. Sephiroth basked in the joy of watching this place burn, walking out of the window to float in the air only when the structural sound of the building started to crumble. In less than 10 minutes Shinra was nothing but ash, and it was the early morning when the people were sound asleep. There would be no one at the scene of the crime until he and Aeris were completely gone. Burning away all evidence of them and the dark secrets Shinra Corp carried. Yes, today was a good day.

He flew off into the night sky back to Aeris. Brushing away the Shadow Copy from her like fading dust and took its place. Trying to get as much sleep as he could before the sun rises and Aeris and him would have to go.

"Wouldn't it be great if you told her what you have done to Shinra. What will she think of you now that dear little Sephiroth gave in to his dark urges? Ooo, can you imagine how she will react when you tell her every little, dark detail?"

'She doesn't need to know. And she's never going to find out.'

*** Author's Notes ***

Timeline for Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and this story... continued: This chapter is only day 118. On this day everyone in the Organization gets the day off, or a Vacation to be precise. Axel takes a nearly full-day nape; Xion decides to train; and, Roxas goes to Twilight Town for ice-cream. This is where Roxas properly meets Olette and Hayner for the first time- he already met Pence when he was looking for Xion- and is introduced and taught how to play Grandstander. And to Roxas's pleasant surprise, Axel and Xion had come on their own to their meeting place for ice cream like they always do. This is where Axel tells the two of them that he was going to be gone for a recon mission for a couple of days (Castle Oblivion).

Author Side-Notes: Sorry, this chapter was getting way too long. And I mean longer than I usually go. So I'm cutting it in half and breaking it into two chapters. Hopefully, after this flashback, I can start shortening my chapters again so it isn't much of a choking amount to read. Also for these flashbacks, I'm using the characters and partially the storyline from the original Final Fantasy VII and Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII, which is owned by Nobuo Uematsu and Square Enix. Gotta give credit where credit is due. Originally in the story-planning, they were going to make Aeris and Sephiroth lovers but added Zack instead. I'm rolling with the original game plan. Love shout out for Aeris and Sephiroth! Please don't hate. It gets a little dark, but hey, Aeris and Sephiroth's past was dark.