AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't own anything here, except maybe the plotline.
Bayonetta shifted around on her seat on the walls of the arena and continued to glare down at the winged man, who had the sense to look ashamed of himself.
"Now, what did I tell you?" She scolded. "What was the one rule I made sure to tell you?"
"…Never fight angry…" He replied meekly.
"Exactly!" She clapped her hands sarcastically. "Never fight angry! Now, what did you just do?"
He didn't answer, opting to look away in shame. She took that as an invite to continue. "Why do you always try to fuck everything up? I always have to clean up your messes, and you always seem to embarrass me in front of her."
He opted to stay silent. She jumped off the edge and approached him. Putting one hand on hand on her hip, she looked at him with disappointment. "You're honestly more trouble than you are worth sometimes."
"I can leave." Sephiroth mumbled. "I don't have to be with you, and you can rid yourself of me."
"Oh, don't be so dramatic." Bayonetta rolled her eyes. "I didn't say I was going to get rid of you yet." She pushed his chest with the butt of her gun and lifted his chin with it. "All you need to do is follow my instructions, and maybe you might become competent enough to not be an embarrassment."
He looked at her with surprise. "…but why?"
"I am nice sometimes, Darling. You just have to stay on my good side." She turned away and gestured for him to follow. "And you still are, so don't press your luck."
…
The pair found themselves outside of another ancient building, this time it was locked behind a massive iron gate. Mortals were milling about in their realm as they stood there, completely oblivious to the two or to the significance of the ruins.
"A simple gate." Bayonetta gave it a look of apathy. "They think they can stop me with a simple gate?"
Sephiroth stayed silent, as to not annoy or disturb her. He knew he was on a fine line as it was, and he particularly didn't want to make the more powerful of the two turn on him.
Summoning a fist from a portal, she punched through the gate and sent it flying into the door behind it. The mortal's fled at the seemingly supernatural event, and Sephiroth reflected that it was, to their point of view.
"Well?" She turned to him as they stepped through the archway and into a wide corridor. "Do you want to learn or what?"
At first, he was surprised that she was still willing to teach him, but he remembered that she still did owe him lessons, and he did owe to her these lessons as well. He nodded at her and gripped the katana tightly.
She rolled her eyes. "For starters, you're going to learn how to dismiss that sword. You simply can't be carrying it around all the time."
"I can dismiss this sword?" He looked at her in confusion. "Dismissing as in...?"
"Let me see you for a second." Her eyes glowed purple, then returned to their normal grey. "As I thought. You're technically bound to an Infernal."
"What?!" He started in surprise, putting his free hand onto his chest. "But how?"
"Whoever was the Umbran half of you never lost their soul; rather, it was trapped inside their body. I can sense them inside you as well, meaning you can probably channel some of their powers." Bayonetta suddenly realised the implication. "Which is bloody perfect for me."
"Some of their powers?" He asked, looking at his left hand in confusion. "Which ones?"
"Time to experiment!" She turned away for a couple of seconds, then turned back. "Now, imagine you have a giant invisible box, and then put your sword into it!"
Concentrating, he did that and simply watched as the katana disappeared into thin air. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and his eyes flickered over to hers. "Wait, what did you get me to do?"
"As part of your contract you can store items in Inferno, in the realm of the Infernal you are contracted to." She summoned one of her guns and began to spin it lazily on one finger. "To get it back, all you have to do is ask nicely."
"Right." He closed his eyes and reached out. Uhh, hey. Can I have my sword back?
To his surprise, something answered back. It's about fucking time you realised you can call upon me. I have been sitting here for fucking twenty years, and not a single peep! Of course, you can have your sword back!
Really? He was rather sceptical at how easy it was appearing. There is no catch, no gimmick?
That accursed Father trapped Rosa's soul into her own body and promised me a soul worthier of me than her. I've been waiting for five hundred years to get this soul, and since you're the only one that managed to make it to the whole converse-with-your-inner-demon thing, and I am done with being the evil demoness, you can utilise what you can scot-free! The Infernal replied, obviously in a state of relief? Happiness? Sephiroth wasn't sure what to call it.
That's reassuring. He smiled to himself. Just, who are you?
I am Madama Khepri, the Mistress and Protector of Time! The Infernal announced with pride. And you will do well to remember that!
The katana reappeared in his hand. Nodding in approval, she gestured to him.
"Who is your patron Infernal?" She queried.
"Madama Khepri." He answered, then added as an afterthought: "Are all Infernal's females?"
She laughed at his response. "Khepri is one of the nicer Infernal's out there; I'd say you lucked out." She continued to twirl her gun on her finger. "Only the strongest Infernals are female."
He nodded in understanding and redeposited the katana back into Inferno.
"Now, let's spar." She summoned her other gun and took a stance. "I have been itching for some true competition at my level."
His eyes widened, and the katana reappeared in a flash. "We aren't going to figure out what the extent of my contract is?"
She fluttered her eyelashes. "What better way than to throw you into the deep end? Come, I want you to try to satisfy me."
Sephiroth swung the blade until it was held at his front, angled down and towards her. Bayonetta immediately frowned and dropped her stance.
"You're holding a dexterous weapon like a power-based one." She stepped forward. "You look like you're about to commit to some sort of swing that puts every ounce of strength behind you, aren't you?"
"Yes...?" He admitted uneasily. He supposed that she was trained to do that, but that quickly and to that accuracy?
"You have a long, thin blade. What can you do with a long thin blade?" She asked rhetorically. "You can be as nimble as a needle, as precise as a laser and as quick as the wind." Grabbing the hilt, she guided it to his shoulder, where he held it off to the side, perpendicular to his body. Turning his body as well, she made him stand parallel to his blade, but perpendicular to her. "There. How does that feel?"
He swung the katana a few times, testing the position. "Wow…"
"I do know my stuff, darling." She smiled and jumped back. "Now, shall we dance?"
Sephiroth wasted no time and thrusted at her. A good choice from his position. she thought as she twisted around the blade. But ultimately, predictable. Elbowing the blade into the ground, she thrusted her palm out and pushed him back, sending him flying onto his behind. He landed with a grunt of pain and immediately conceded the spar, if you could call it that, to her.
"Now, how did I beat you?" She asked, extending a hand to him.
"I was too predictable?" He answered sheepishly, accepted her hand and letting her pull him up.
"Yes. You need to begin a battle the same way you can finish it. Anything else will let your opponent realise your intentions." She stood back and retook her stance. "Now, surely you can go a second round?"
He retook his stance as well and began to circle around her. Following suite, she began to think about what his first move could be. A physical attack seemed unlikely, given he had just tried that, but a magical attack seemed unlikely as well, given how long he took to cast anything.
She didn't expect a rock to slam into the back of her head. Stumbling forward from the impact, she realised that he was now swinging the katana in a deadly arc at her. Dipping under it, she tried to slam a gun into his stomach. He had anticipated the move, and his hand had left his sword to intercept hers. Hauling her off her feet, her threw her to the side.
Adjusting to her landing, she activated witch walk and began running on the wall, shooting bullets at him. Deflecting them with the katana, he suddenly swung it in an arc, a beam of energy sliding off the blade and aimed at the wall in front of her. Witchtime activated, she weaved her way through the explosion. Reverting time to normal, she noticed more beams flying at her.
"Great." She whispered to herself, pride filling her bosom. "He is learning."
Jumping from the wall, she began to advance towards him, slipping and sliding under the beams. He splayed his other fist, and a firestorm began to weave itself around it. Eyes widening, she summoned a boot from Butterfly to squash him. He cursed and leaped to the side, the spell fading. Sending more wicked weaves at him, she began to close the distance. 10 metres. 5 metres.
He caught and pushed aside a wicked punch and began to advance to meet her, swinging the katana in wide, fast arcs. Leaping back to avoid them, her eyes widened yet again.
Just how strong can he be?
She decided to end it. Slipping under his swing, she swung her legs out, tripping him over. Gracefully, she transitioned into a straddling position him and pointed the Scarborough Fair directly at his face.
"I win." She said smugly. He sighed in frustration but conceded, unsummoning the blade. She let her guns fall back into Inferno and wiped the look from her face.
"What did that teach me?" He asked, sounding hurt. Bayonetta was about to reprimand him, but realised that from his point of view, he didn't learn anything at all.
"You learnt a stance and style better suited to you." She said as she stood up from his chest. "And your power is simply astounding. Given a few months of training, you could probably give me a proper challenge in a fair duel."
His eyes squinted. "You beat me twice, both without much effort, yet I could give you a challenge? In a few months?"
"You improved from falling over yourself to being able to keep with a much higher trained individual for two minutes." She held out a hand again. "Not many people can say that."
Sephiroth stood up, accepted her hand for a second time. "I guess…"
"Cheer up Sephy." She smiled at him as he flinched from the nickname. "It's not all doom and gloom."
"It's hard to believe that I'll be able to fight the likes of you in two months, when you toyed around with me." He argued. "Don't say you didn't, because you ended the fight in one move."
"Yes, at the end I was, but I needed to correctly judge your abilities." Bayonetta said as they walked into an open courtyard, with a long bridge in front of them and a bridge above them. "You started the fight correctly, then began to use a power that you knew would force me onto the back foot. What even was that?"
"The Infernal does has a mind of its own, and it keeps feeding me new techniques." He answered as they crossed the bridge. "Like that one."
"So, you have a lot of teachers?" She smiled. "That's honestly… reassuring. Ask your patron about the extent of your contract, since it seems it might be not necessary."
What powers can I use? He mentally projected to his contracted Infernal.
Not many, I'd believe. Anything more than item storage would probably not work or invite other Infernal's at your soul. Khepri answered, much to his disappointment. Which is mine, by the way. However, you have immense potential; I do not foresee this contracted necessarily adding much to your repertoire.
"Where did you learn that meteor power you displayed back at Jormungandr's Staff?" Her voice interrupted his mental conversation. "That's a Lagunan power."
"There is also an Angel inside of me, remember that?" He tapped the side of his head. "That's also teaching me stuff, apparently in preparation for something."
"Good on it." She patted his head. "Now, it's probably not too wise to let yourself too open to those two in you, since I don't want to clean up the mess you'll inevitably leave behind."
"Got it. What about Madama Khepri?" He asked as they turned a corner. "Is she all good to go ahead and converse with?"
"Yes!" She answered a bit too fast for his liking. "For starters, she doesn't need to claim your soul, since it's already hers, and she can teach you a bit more about magic than I bloody can."
The Witch is right. Khepri added. I can teach you nearly infinite spells, and they will help you slay angels for me and you as well!
"There's too many voices." He pinched his nose in frustration. "We need to work out some sort of routine that will allow me to maximise learning."
"Routines?" She laughed. "What do you think this is? School? Fuck off with that; we learn at my pace or you don't learn at all, Darling."
The pair continued to walk in silence, until Sephiroth's head shot up.
"Is that…" Sephiroth frowned as he noticed a familiar presence in the mortal realm. Bayonetta looked at him with curiosity, then recognised it too.
"How did she get here?" She remarked, then ran in the direction it was pulling her, Sephiroth close behind. Running over a bridge they had seen earlier, they found a most peculiar sight in Purgatorio.
The small girl from Vigrid was sitting in a large, circular room. She was crying and was surrounded by Affinities and an Applaud, all standing aggressively over her, like she was their prisoner.
"Inform the Father the child has been found." The Applaud ordered the surrounding angels. Sephiroth looked at the group with confusion, whilst Bayonetta looked at him in confusion.
"You don't have a clue what this is about?" She asked, and he shook his head as he turned to face her.
"Not one." He confirmed. "What could he want with a little girl? And how did she get into Purgatorio?"
"Let's find out." Bayonetta stepped forward. "Hello boys! What are you all up to?"
The Applaud turned and growled at her. "The witch! And the experiment too. Why must you continue to meddle in the affairs of Paradiso?"
"My, my..." She walked towards the girl. "It looks like you're picking on this little one. Don't you all have something better to do?"
The angels stood in front of her, blocking her path. "You will not meddle this time, witch."
Bayonetta grinned at them. Sephiroth tensed.
"It seems you've been cheating on me." She tilted her head to the side. "I'm not one to play saviour, but if you want to pick on someone, please do with your own size." She gestured to the man standing beside her. "And he might be small, but he is that."
Sephiroth looked at her in confusion and shock. "What!?"
The Applaud pointed at the pair, running out of any goodwill it had left.
"Get them!"
Sephiroth wasted no time. Dashing passed her, he slashed through one Affinity and engaged another. Bayonetta rolled her eyes at his impatience, but joined in, noting that her lesson was sticking into his mind this time. Roundhouse kicking one Affinity to the side, she taunted the Applaud.
"You want to touch me?" She placed her hands behind her head and took a suggestive pose. "Come and get me!"
The Applaud screamed at her, falling for her bait. Slamming the ground in fury with its staff, she felt the ground beneath her heat up. Cartwheeling backwards, she saw a pillar of flame erupt from where she was standing. Smiling in a teasing fashion, she grabbed the torso of a severed Affinity and launched it at the Applaud. Sending it into the wall, she watched it die from the impact. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sephiroth fighting as a whirlwind of flame, metal and feathers, as both angels and his own flew through the sky. Appreciating that he was learning, albeit on the fly, she took a few seconds to take in the colourful scene.
She heard a cry from behind her. Turning abruptly, she saw a lone Affinity grabbing the girl. Taking a step forward, she made to engage it. However, a cry from Sephiroth warned her from behind, and she turned to see a stave hit her in the face.
…
Sephiroth watched with horror as his mentor crumpled, obviously knocked out. Turning his attention back to the Affinities, he began to cleave his way to the two other humans in the room. Pushing them aside telekinetically, he hurled the katana and impaled the Affinity carrying the girl out. Freeing herself, the child ran to the door and opened it, slipping outside and out of the unfolding battle.
Use this… The Lagunan whispered to him, as an incantation appeared in front of him. It will keep her safe…
Then use this! Madama Khepri then shunted a spell to the forefront of his mind. Destroy the angels for me!
Grunting with pain, he felt the beginnings of a headache form. Nevertheless, he whispered the spell under his breathe.
"Ne Olapireta En Zorge." He gestured towards Bayonetta, and a small barrier made from light appeared around her, stopping the Affinity from dealing the killing blow to her as it bounced harmlessly off it. Satisfied with her safety for now, he turned his attention to the second spell.
"TELOAH ERM MAELPEREJI DOALIM!" He shouted and splayed his hand open. A small green light erupted from hit, and then disappeared.
"That was it?" Sephiroth stared at the spot it had disappeared from in confusion. The Affinities did as well, perturbed by the spells incantation and the lack of anything happening. "What a waste of time…"
Then the world went green, and magical energy coursed throughout the room, burning and ripping through the Affinities, killing them all instantly. Such was the power of the spell that it burnt through the barrier he had erected around Bayonetta. Letting the spell end, he sighed in exhaustion and mentally apologised to his patron for insulting her spell.
It is fine, mortal. Khepri answered. It's not every day that spell is used, or even cast successfully. You still have my respect, for now.
A noise at the door drew his attention back to reality. The girl was pushing the door open, her eyes transfixed on the sleeping Bayonetta.
Kneeling beside her, her quickly checked for any injuries. Satisfied that she wasn't brain scrambled, he cast a light healing spell to make sure she didn't wake up with a headache. Walking back to a wall, he watched the girl walk to and kneel in front of her, content with just waiting it out.
…
"Fly me to the Moon,
Let me play among the stars.
Let me see what spring is like on
A-Jupiter and Mars.
In other words, hold my hand.
In other words, baby, kiss me.
Fill my heart with song, and let me sing for ever more.
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore.
In other words, please be true.
In other words, I love you."
Bayonetta awoke. Keeping her eyes closed, she reflected on the words that had rang through her head. She certainly didn't recognise the song, nor any of the lyrics. She did, somewhat recognise the voice that was singing it.
"Was I singing?" Bayonetta murmured to herself as she lay there.
"No." Sephiroth's voice sounded amused. "You were certainly not."
Her eyes opened to see a face of a small girl centimetres in front of her. She froze. The girl froze. They stared at each other, both scrutinizing and trying to figure out just who the other was. It seemed that she concluded first.
"Mummy?" The girl asked. Bayonetta blinked. Then sprang to her feet in shock. A large smile grew on the girl, small, pearly white teeth shining through. "Mummy!"
"Whoa! Hold up!" She held her hands up in defence as the girl looked at her in puzzlement, and Sephiroth began laughing in the background. "I am not your mother!"
"Yes you are, Mummy!" The girl objected. "Daddy said you would be here soon, and you are here!"
"Daddy?" She gave the statement more than a second of thought. "Given your age, I can certainly say you aren't mine. No man was lucky enough to get me that year."
"Where have you been, Mummy?" The girl ignored her and looked at her expectantly.
"I am not your mother!" She repeated herself, adding an edge to her tone. The girl deflated, then looked away briefly.
"But…" Her lip was trembling. "Mummy…"
"What the…" Bayonetta gave Sephiroth a death glare. "You. Shut up."
"This is too much…" Sephiroth smirked, trying to quell his laughter. "Mother."
The girl seemingly noticed that there was a third person in the room. She turned and scrutinized the winged man, then also seemingly came to another conclusion.
"Bubby!" She started, her happiness growing tenfold. "Bubby is here!"
"Bubby?" Sephiroth looked at her in confusion, then looked up at Bayonetta. "What is a Bubby?"
Bayonetta shrugged as the girl answered. "Bubby is Bubby. Daddy said you would be here with Mummy to pick me up!"
Sephiroth pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "That answered nothing."
Bayonetta walked next to him and peered down at the girl. She was wearing a patchwork dress, slippers, glasses that were too big for her face and was carrying a beaten, worn doll of a cat. "What is your name, little one?"
"Cereza." The girl answered. "Don't you remember, Mummy?"
"No, because, for the last time, I am not your mother!" Bayonetta half yelled at her. Tears began to well up in Cereza's eyes and began to fall.
"Mummy doesn't love me anymore…" She whispered as she cried. Sephiroth broke well before cracks had started to form on the witch's face and kneeled to comfort her. Instead, Bayonetta plucked the child off the ground and held her with one hand, looking at her with repulsion.
"Look here, little one." She began. "There's two things I absolutely despise in this world; cockroaches and crying babies." She looked to the side and frowned. "Although I suppose a crying baby cockroach would be truly horrifying. But besides, don't you dare cry, or you will be crying alone. Got it?"
"Yes mummy." Cereza said as she tried to contain her tears. Bayonetta sighed in frustration and let her go, Sephiroth catching her. Holding the child to himself, he frowned in disappointment at her.
"What?" Bayonetta rolled her eyes. "Come, we need to reach the airport."
"At least bubby remembers me." Cereza said petulantly as she turned to begin walking out.
"I certainly don't." Sephiroth shook his head at the witch's antics.
"She will be dropped off at the authorities there." She announced. "So don't get too attached to the little one."
He nodded at her back. "Sounds fair to me."
…
The strange trio ran into a portal, as to which neither adult could identify immediately.
"Do we have to?" Sephiroth asked, shifting Cereza around slightly. "I mean, it is a dead end, but this looks obviously like a trap for us."
"While you are correct that we don't have to, it seems this portal has been active for some time." She replied, studying the architecture intently. "Oh, joy."
"Hmmm?" He peered over her shoulder, and Cereza tried to as well.
"This is a portal to Paradiso." She turned back. "It is quite obviously a trap."
"I guess we spring it?" He looked at her in worry.
"Don't worry; whatever is on the other side is going to be a piece of cake." She smiled and turned back to the portal. "Come along now."
…
As he stepped into the realm of the divine, Sephiroth immediately felt more refreshed, both physically and mentally. The realm could not be described as anything less than breathtakingly beautiful, and he was ready to just sit down and never leave.
"Hey!" Bayonetta slapped him out of his wonder. "That's the problem with Paradiso; it's one giant fucking spiderweb, ready to entangle you. Don't give into its temptation."
Eyes widening, he shook his head vigorously, cleansing his head of the pull. Unfortunately, Cereza was openly gaping at the sight.
"Mummy, this place is so cool!" The girl said from his arms. "Why did we never visit this place before?"
Bayonetta ignored her, leading the two further into Paradiso.
"You know, you could at least pretend to be nice to her." Sephiroth said at her back.
"Nice?" She turned back to him and glared. "You want me to be nice to this… child that thinks I'm its mother?"
"Yes?" He looked back in confusion. "At worst, you're the child's mother, and at best it's a lost kid that has mistaken you for 'Mummy'."
"Don't talk to me until we lose it." She turned away. "You obviously don't understand, 'Bubby'."
"But why does it matter?" He was confused.
"Because, I don't have the time or patience to deal with children. She is nothing but an added burden, like you are now becoming." She snapped back. "I think I'm beginning to realise that bringing you along was the stupidest idea I've had yet."
That hurt him. "Fine then! I'll make my own way then." He stopped and looked around for another path. Bayonetta whirled around, fury in her eye.
"I'd certainly like to see you try." She growled. "Take the fucking child with you too. Neither of you belong here; you will both just slow me down!"
"I will!"
Cereza buried herself into his arms, trying to get out of the way of the arguing adults.
"Good!" She turned for the final time and began to storm off. "Good fucking riddance to both of you! Useless garbage!"
He felt the words hit him like a tonne of bricks. Deflating, he could only watch as Bayonetta stormed off and away from the pair.
"Bubby?" Cereza sniffled. "What's wrong with Mummy?"
"I don't know, little one." He answered, voice shaking. "Come along, we'll find Daddy and he'll be able to explain to Mummy the problem."
"OK…"
…
Bayonetta felt her fury engulf and envelope her body. How dare he. How dare he! He was merely an annoyance and a liability to her the whole time. He didn't need to be with her. Especially if he was going to be friendly with that Auditio-forsaken girl. He could go with her and die for all she cared. There had been enough interruptions on her way to Ithavoll as it was; this was the final straw.
Her anger faded as she continued, until she couldn't quite remember what she was angry about, or why she was angry. Shrugging to herself, she continued onwards until a white flash of light in the distance distracted her.
Frowning, she tried to pinpoint the light again. She found it, a small, white, gold and green female figure running to the left. Vaguely recognising the angel, she pulled her journal out and skimmed it, looking for their entry in it. She found it, and began to read. Her eyes widened at the ed of the second paragraph, her cheeks went pale, and her stomach dropped. Dropping the book back into inferno, she ran after the angel.
She had never been angry; it was influenced onto her. She had abandoned him and the little one to a fate worse than death.
…
Sephiroth had not made it far when the angels came. Waves of Affinities harassed him, and he was forced to utilise the spell he had been taught several times over, and the constant use was beginning to take a toll on him. Cereza had been terrified the whole time, and he had tried his best to keep her in high spirits.
He still didn't know why Bayonetta was so against the girl. He supposed that she was way out of her element, but to reject the girl as fast as she did, and then leave them both when he tried to show emotion to her? Something didn't quite add up, but if that was the person she was, then he didn't want to know her.
His body was also hell. The angelic side had nothing but praise and whispers of encouragement to stay in Paradiso, whereas his demonic side had told him to leave and never come back. Thus, the war for dominance had restarted, and it was beginning to become more than an annoyance. The pain was beginning to creep up on him, and he was barely able to keep himself on a straight path, let alone standing straight up.
A small clearing was up ahead, followed by a corridor to a building. Sighing with relief, he continued forward.
"Look Cereza, it's some shelter." He smiled to her, trying not to show his inner turmoil to her. "And maybe a way out."
"Can we rest soon, Bubby?" Cereza trembled in his arms. "I'm tired."
"Once we get out of this place, we can." He walked through the clearing and entered the corridor. Looking ahead, he saw a sight he didn't expect to see.
Bayonetta was ahead of them, sitting on a rock. She looked both sad and pensive, and seemed to be deep in thought. Recognising the pair, she gave them a wave of acknowledgement.
"Sephiroth." She stood up and walked towards the pair. "You look horrible."
"No thanks to you." He replied, stating the truth gruffly, his eyes glowing slightly in anger. "What do you want?"
"Look, we want to apologise." She started. "We didn't treat you fairly-"
"Damn right you didn't!" He interrupted her, his eyes shining bright gold as he did. "But I'm more worried about Cereza here, and how you've treated her!"
"The little one was a bit surprising, but we think we should be a bit easier on her." Bayonetta replied, smiling at the shy and terrified girl. "We might not be your Mummy, but we can try to be."
Sephiroth frowned, recognising that something was wrong with her statement, but couldn't figure out where. Or why.
"Come, this portal leads to the Vigrid airport, and transport to Isla Del Sol." She gestured to him, turning around. "We will take us there."
Something was wrong, and he knew it. He just didn't care enough to investigate further.
"Ooh, so you actually managed to duplicate me. Impressive, most impressive." A familiar voice from behind them said. "I do like that bit with tampering with my emotions. That was quite the trick you pulled off."
The two adults turned, one in surprise and the other in massive confusion. Standing behind them was…
Bayonetta.
"What?" Sephiroth turned and looked at the Bayonetta standing beside him, and then back at the one standing at the entrance. "What the hell?"
"Joy's." The one at the entrance stepped forward. "They are the second highest ranked Lagunan, to only the Audito. Masters of deceit and disguise, they tend to transform into their enemies to fool them, and strike undetected. The ultimate assassin. Also, very capable of tampering around with emotions."
"Only a Joy would say that." The Bayonetta to his left took Cereza out of his arms. "To try and lull their enemy into a false sense of security."
"That would be true, if you were the real me." The walking Bayonetta stopped and put a hand onto her hip. "Now, hand over the child and let my friend go, and maybe I won't send you to Inferno when I defeat you."
"Like we would hand over the little one and the experiment to you!" She growled in response. "And doom them to Paradiso!"
The other simply tapped her upper lip. Sephiroth frowned, then squinted at her and turned to the one on his left. Eyes widening, he realised his error.
The one on his left had no beauty mark. It had also repeatedly referred to itself as we, and him as the experiment.
Something Bayonetta did not do, or at least did not verbalise.
"Now, shall we dance?" The fake Bayonetta smiled daggers at the real one. "We want to settle this."
"Of course." Bayonetta winked at Cereza, who nodded back. Biting the arm of the fake, she jumped out of its arms and ran towards the portal.
"Wait for us, little one!" She called as she ran through the portal.
…
Luka was walking towards Vigrid airport, minding his own business with his thoughts focusing on how to expose Bayonetta and that monster she was with, when he saw a confusing sight.
A small girl, wearing what could be only described as a dress from a millennium ago and holding a small, beaten toy cat, was watching a circular sculpture of art with intensity that surprised even him. He had a taste for the arts, but certainly not that deep or at that age.
"Hello there!" He greeted the girl, kneeling next to her. "What are you doing out here all alone?"
"Hi!" The girl turned and smiled at him. "I'm waiting for Mummy!"
"You're waiting for your Mummy?" He asked, glancing at the art. "Where is she?"
"She's in there, with Bubby." She pointed at the sculpture. "Can't you see?"
"Uhhh." He wracked his mind. There was something fundamentally wrong with this child, he assumed. "What is your name?"
"Cereza." The name even sounded antique.
"Well, Cerezita." Luka snapped his fingers and a lollipop appeared in his hand. "I'm Luka, and I'll wait here with you for Mummy, OK?"
The child accepted the candy quickly. "Thank you, Mister Luka."
Thirty minutes, he figured. Thirty minutes of giving this child his time, then he would drop her off at the authorities.
…
"You will pay for that witch!" The fake Bayonetta hissed. "The Father needed that!"
"Another thing, oh most Joyous." Bayonetta smiled as Sephiroth stepped backwards. "I don't apologise so easily."
Shedding its disguise, the Joy revealed itself. White marble skin, a slim and curvaceous figure, long braids of hair and a strange hat that obscured its eyes struck a pose and summoned a pair of guns. Immediately it charged at her, Lagunan guns blazing. Weaving through the bullets, Bayonetta spun and sent a kick into its midsection. Standing on her head, she continued her assault through bullets from her heels, aiming them at the heart of the Lagunan. The Joy, for its credit, summoned a small barrier and deflected every bullet. Jumping back to her feet, she summoned a wicked stomp to try and crush the angel.
Nimbly jumping to the side, the Joy taunted the witch, waving its hand in front of its face. Incensed, Bayonetta began to charge forward, intent on crushing the annoying thing.
That's when Sephiroth decided to join the fray. He dashed past the angel, arm and katana stretched out, a white flash obscuring his actions. He stopped several metres to the left of the angel, staying in his pose. As he stood back up and lowered his arm, the Joy literally fell apart into chunks of flesh, a gurgling scream erupting from its vocal chords as it did. He turned, wincing at the sound, and faced her.
"Bayonetta-" He tried to start talking.
"Don't." She held a hand up. "Don't even start."
"You hurt me." He said, and she felt the impact of those words. "Intentional or not."
"I'm…" She swallowed. Boy, was she not used to this. "Look, you know that was the Joy's influence, right?"
"The feelings were there for it to stir." He rebutted, and she knew he was right. "If you want me to leave, then I will. I can learn a lot from my resident Infernals and Lagunan, and I will be out of your hair permanently."
"I'd rather you were with me, fucking me over than in some godforsaken middle of nowhere, dying due to technique." She stepped forward and grabbed his shoulder. "Yes, you are frustrating. But that is to be expected of somehow who has had to do anything to survive, not learn how to survive. You've shown promise, and you have massive untapped potential, and that is good enough for me."
"I'm sorry for being frustrating to be with." Sephiroth replied, his eyes looking into hers with determination. "But I will try to get better, I promise."
"Good. I trust you in that you really mean that." She smiled and walked to the portal. "Through here is the airport, right?"
"So it said. I trust that it didn't lie; in my experiences, Angels don't lie. Withhold the true, twist it; but never falsify it." He nodded. "Shall we?"
"Ladies first." She smirked and gestured at him. He simply rolled his eyes and walked through the portal, and out of Paradiso. The sight he saw in the mortal realm was strange. A huge storm was above the airport, and Cereza was sitting with a man he recognised all too well.
Bayonetta followed him through and frowned at the sight he saw. "You again?"
"I'm wondering how Cereza got out of Purgatorio." He replied. "We can simply lose him again."
"I guess." She turned to him. "I'm going to go and say hello, ok? Don't go and run off on me now!"
He nodded and watched as she opened a portal back into the mortal realm.
…
"Mummy!" Cereza greeted her as she stepped out of seemingly nowhere. Luka started to speak, stopped and stared at the girl in bewilderment.
"Mummy?" He turned back to her. "You're her Mum? You?"
"Look at me Cheshire." Bayonetta smiled at him. "Do you think I have any interest in children?" He frowned at her as she continued. "Now making them, that's another story."
Luka stepped back and held is hands out as he shook his head, eyes wide at her suggestion. "Woah, you've got the totally wrong idea. I don't think making children is… Well…"
She smiled wider as he tripped over his words. A small plan began to form in her mind, as she noticed that he was still looking at her with eyes not filled fully with hatred, but, replacing itself with lust. A plan to rid herself of both mortals and the various baggage they contained.
"You see, Cheshire, I've been awfully lonely ever since I awoke twenty years ago." She batted her eyelashes at him and he visibly gulped. "Surely you can help me."
"Aahhh…" Luka shook his head. "Wait a minute, what the fuck!? What are you doing?"
"Can't you help a pretty damsel in distress?" She pouted slightly, and she saw his resolve beginning to crumble.
"Mummy, where is Bubby?" Cereza asked as she walked between the pair. The question was enough for the walls to snap back up and Luka to realise what she was doing.
"What the fuck?!" He yelled. "Stop trying to mess with my head, murderer!"
Bayonetta sighed but ignored him. "Bubby is around here, but not here."
"What have you done to this girl anyway?" Luka began to pace, then stopped as a realisation came to him. "Oh gods above, no, you didn't brainwash her?!"
She frowned and turned to him. "Oh, shut up."
"You did! You've put poor Cerezita under a spell, you foul witch!"
"Enough."
Luka's eyes went wide, and his mouth dropped as Sephiroth stepped out of Purgatorio. He saw his golden eyes, his black coat, his blonde hair, and his wing, each making the man more surprised and terrified that such a person existed. Opening and closing his mouth like a fish, he stared at him.
"Bubby!" Cereza ran to the winged man, who scooped her up with one hand. "I've missed you and Mummy!"
"Cereza." He smiled briefly at her. "Did you do well by yourself?"
Cereza nodded enthusiastically. She looked at the currently dazed mana. "Mister Luka took care of me whilst you were fighting the monster."
"Did he?" He asked, looking at the other man. "It looks like he has done a good job."
"What are you?" Luka finally found his voice.
"The real question here is who you are?" Sephiroth asked in return. "Bayonetta has told me a lot of things about you."
"I am Luka Redgrave, journalist extraordinaire." He answered with a grin, regaining his senses for the moment. "And it seems Bayonetta had put a spell on you too."
"Oh, sod off." Bayonetta stepped forward, placing herself between the pair. "I haven't cast a manipulation spell ever since I needed to handle some problem ten years ago."
"Bullshit." Luka stood forward. "You tried one just then on me."
Bayonetta had no answer. He was correct, in a way.
"You killed my father. You've placed spells on a child and some human monster hybrid, and now you've tried to enslave me to your will." Luka stepped forward, closing the distance between them. "You're sick and twisted, and now you are going to kill me, because I'm resisting."
"Perhaps I should." Bayonetta murmured, to the alarm of Sephiroth. "You're a lot more trouble than you are worth."
"Go ahead." Luka spread his arms out, as if to welcome her. "Prove me right."
"Bayonetta!" Sephiroth warned. She didn't hear him, though, or pretended not to.
"You listen here, mortal." She stepped forward. "I've seen things that would break your mind, and you think that you can convey any control over me?"
"You are a murderer and a heartless freak." He countered. "You can be manipulated."
Again, he was right in a way.
"You always think yourself above everything else." She unleashed her pent-up feelings and channelled them slightly, completely ignoring the looks Sephiroth was giving her. "Well, you mortals killed my entire clan of people, from fear! Maybe I should repay the favour and take our well-deserved revenge on you pathetic mortals!"
"Your powers and abilities are much to fear!" Luka stepped forward, so they were nearly nose to nose. "One of you is bad enough, but a town of them? A race of them? The world wouldn't stand a chance if you all went rogue!"
"In your wickedness, you have broken our most sacred of vows…"
"Hell, I don't think any force would be strong enough to contain just you, let alone defeat you!"
"A child of light and dark, prophesied to bring ruin, was conceived by you…"
"It's a wonder how you haven't decided to go against the world! Who would stop you?"
"My daughter is not a weapon of destruction! Only a product of love!"