"So... You're going to talk to me, then?" Aeris began tentatively.
"I suppose," came the burdened reply.
"Good!" Aeris tugged at a strand of the curled hair that fell over her shoulder, considering this development. "I can't think of any icebreakers."
"Don't you think they're past their usefulness?"
"Then, what do you expect me to talk about?"
"Why you want to waste your time on something so trivial, to begin with?"
"Well, I have got time to waste."
"Then waste it on something more substantial," Sephiroth demanded. He was staring at her now. The two had been hesitant to keep eye contact as they spoke, but Sephiroth seemed to have no trouble withstanding a little awkwardness in order to stare her down. Aeris looked away, as she usually did, drumming her fingers against her thigh and waiting for the relief that came when he averted his eyes.
"Ah, I've thought of one," she continued, undeterred. "We could play Twenty Questions."
"Okay, I'll start," he responded, adopting an expression of exaggerated scepticism, "Question one: Why are you so desperate to speak with me?"
"That is not how the game works!"
"Question two: What is it you're so desperate to speak to me about?"
"You're breaking the rules!"
"What else is new? Give me an answer."
He gave her the same demanding look and she stared stubbornly back. For a moment he thought he'd have to relent, but she threw her hands up just as the thought crossed his mind.
"I want to know what's wrong with you, that's what."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Yeah. I mean, do you really think all people, everywhere, are horrible?"
"Well... Yes."
"Why? How can anyone truly think that?"
"I-" he started, but Aeris had obviously meant the question to be rhetorical.
"And, people - humans - beat you! Didn't you learn anything from that experience?"
"No. That's ridiculous."
"What do you mean?"
"What was I supposed to learn? To appreciate human tenacity? There was no moral lesson to learn from what happened - just a violent conflict of ideals. The only point to be found in it all was at the end of my sword."
"And Cloud's," Aeris corrected. He did not look amused. She, meanwhile, did not look comfortable.
"The point is that you're wrong," she persisted.
"Stunning argument."
"Listen, you haven't explained why you think people are so horrible."
"Haven't you ever opened a newspaper? Read a history book?"
"Yes, and I still don't see your justification."
"And you never will," he said dismissively, "Because you're not willing to consider that I might be right."
"No, because even if you were right, it's not as if you should be out smiting the wicked, or whatever it was you think you were doing."
"Why? I'm very qualified, I assure you."
"But it isn't your place."
"That's such an absurd argument. I was bred to kill. I was chosen. There's no better person on the planet for the job."
"It isn't the job of anyone on the planet. The planet itself is the arbiter of life and death, and the planet chose for humanity to live. You should trust its judgement."
"There is no justice in its judgement," he responded, beginning to sound frustrated.
"What do you mean?"
"The lifestream only recycles souls, indiscriminately. It doesn't care about any sin a person may have committed. The planet is only perpetuating a cycle of misery, indifferent to any human choice that doesn't involve sucking Mako from its core. A warmonger and a philanthropist are equal in the planet's eyes."
Aeris paused a moment to take in what he was saying. There was something sad and desperate lurking behind her green eyes, and for a moment he felt his conviction waver.
"But if what you believe is true," she spoke slowly, her eyes downcast, "then the planet is only treating them as equals because humans are all equally horrible. And, if you were to kill everyone, you'd be making no distinction either."
"I'd only be wresting the right to judge from the planet, and with that power, I could put these spirits to better use instead of sending them back out into the world to continue the cycle."
Aeris heaved a great sigh. This time, there was no trace of melancholy, only neutral impatience. He didn't understand why the sudden change in tone, and it unnerved him.
"Look around you," she instructed. He took her statement to be figurative and did not waste time taking in the emptiness of his surroundings once again.
"What am I supposed to be seeing?"
"How do you know," she asked firmly, lifting her eyes to his, "That you being here is not the planet's form of justice?"
He felt her eyes pierce him, but refused to look away.
"Is that what you meant when you said I was stuck here?" He stared at her a few moments longer before forcing his eyes to the ground. He began to pace. "Then why are you here?" he nearly growled. Aeris turned her head.
"I said I wasn't going to talk about that." Whether she was reminding him or herself was unclear. "I'm just pointing out that there's a lot you don't know, and if you're wrong about the planet, then maybe you're wrong about people, too."
"What are you trying to tell me?" Sephiroth asked. He had stopped pacing, but could barely keep the snide condescension from his voice, "That everyone is good at heart?"
"No, just..." Aeris stayed slow and measured, ignoring his tone, "That some people are good, and some people are bad."
"Most are worthless. I've known that since Wutai, and Nibelheim only reinforced it."
"But why should the good people be lumped in with the bad?"
"Because sacrifices must be made in order to take the best course of action."
"Yeah," she said quietly, "I know." The way she looked at him made him wish he had chosen different words.
"Justice is getting what you deserve, without cruelty," she continued, breaking the awkward silence. "There's no such thing as sacrificing an innocent bystander in the name of justice."
"Then perhaps I misspoke," he answered, his temper apparently eased by her response, "but humankind and the world they've built are still far greater evils than I could ever hope to be."
The two shared another moment of silence, far more comfortable than any of the moments that had preceeded it. They had reached some form of understanding about one another, even if the only thing they were in agreement about was letting the matter die quietly. Aeris stretched, but Sephiroth stood as rigid as ever.
"Alright then." Aeris' tone was cheery again, but dispassionate compared to their previous conversation. Sephiroth inclined his head towards her with polite interest and waited for her to finish her thought. She caught the gesture and grinned. "It's my turn to ask a question..."
Author's Note: I'm sorry for taking so long to update, and I can only hope I'm not declining in quality. Proofreading on this was just a quick once-over, I wanted to get it up and out of the way. Anyway, now I can bill this story as "Aeris and Sephiroth banter, argue and debate personal philosophy in the afterlife." If I add in an Obama vs. Hillary debate I'll really have all my bases covered...
I'm also really sorry about the formatting in this chapter. It just WILL NOT keep my spaces intact and I have no idea why...