OF A PURE HEART, A FALLEN KNIGHT AND THE ONE – WINGED ANGELS

----------------------------------------- Disclaimer: ------------------------------------------

To the Reader and the Lawyers:

Final Fantasy VII, and all the characters, including Aeris and Sephiroth, Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Vincent, Yuffie, Red, Cid, Cait Sith (Reeve), Ifalna, Professor Gast, Lucrecia, Professor Hojo Frankenstein, Jenova the Mad, Rufus (any anyone I may have inadvertently missed out) are property of Square Enix Co, formerly Squaresoft LLC. Tell me if my disclaimer ain't good enough. I will reward you with a few thousand Chibi - Aeriths dosed to the nines with Hypers, and they shall hug you and squeeze you and kiss you and have a lot of fun with you (you know how… challenging Chibi - Aeriths are from the humour fanfics here).

To other Fanfic Writers (This is more important!) Plagiarism Note:

There are a lot of Aeriseph fanfics around here. I've tried my best to stay as original as possible, but it's a bit hard to write this type of story without treading on someone's toes by accident along the line. Please, if you feel that I may have 'borrowed' some of your concepts or ideas by mistake, notify me immediately. Email a "cease and desist" message to me, point out where I have gone wrong, and I will act immediately to remove or modify the offending section(s).

Thank you very, very much for your understanding and tolerance.

OK, let's mosey, man!

--------------------------------------- End of Disclaimer: ---------------------------------------

SO LONG

"I do."

He was rewarded by comforting smiles from both his parents, and a hand reached out from an unexpected direction.

Gainsborough had come to shake his hand. She was wearing her ubitiquous grin, and those angel eyes, her main disguise, glittering with what could only be pleasure. She was obviously very satisfied at his decision to become her thrall, and wanted to seal this dark pact with a small handshake.

The little voice in his head urged him to think it over. She wanted (was it genuine?) to make amends, to forget what had happened between them with this handshake. But he knew in his gut that it wouldn't be so easy. Even if her motives were true (he really didn't believe so, despite what Lucrecia and Ifalna said), even if he was forced to work with her now, he would still remain her enemy. She had worked with Avalanche, and by fighting for the Planet, she had been fighting to destroy him. The Cetra female had been a serious threat to the success of his mission, and he had to destroy her to keep her from putting paid to his plans. She was still his enemy (even though she had been fighting for a better cause than his – she had been fighting against him!). If she wanted to bury the hatchet now, to put out the fire by burying it with just one small bucket of sand, (if she really wanted to, that was) she was hoping for the impossible, as the past could not be so easily forgotten. The still water of enmity ran deep, very deep indeed, and a simple handshake couldn't wish it all away. He could not forget what he had done to her, and he could not forget what she had done to him.

Her hand was smooth like her mother's, her fingers delicately tapered like her father's, and her nails were almond – shaped and glossy. She had been dealt a very good hand to play her game with, but he would not be so easily fooled by her coquettish charms.

He ignored her waiting hand. After a few tense moments, she gave up, but those tempting eyes still did not lose their confident glint.

Eager to defuse the rising tension between the two, Lucrecia stood between them.

"Ifalna, may we visit your house? I'm sure the Professor would love to see him."

The older Cetra nodded. There was much her husband could tell him, and perhaps the two of them would be able to convince him that her daughter could be trusted. But it would be hard, as Shinra had conditioned Sephiroth from young to trust no one.

Aeris and Ifalna left the ground, hovering above them. Sephiroth's eyes widened, not believing that even the half – Cetra, that one – winged angel could fly. But was she half angel or half devil? He had been able to fly once, when he had taken on the Safer form, but he wasn't sure if his spirit body could do it too.

Lucrecia turned to her son. "Sephiroth, close your eyes and concentrate. Jenova was not an Ancient, yet many of her powers are akin to that of the Cetra. You too have the power of flight."

The silver – haired general did as his mother bade him. He too wanted to be able to fly again, to best that silly girl, that the fact that what she'd done for the Planet didn't entitle her to become superior to him! She was weak, but still she was able to exert her authority on him! He couldn't stand it! He wanted to prove himself! He would be his own master!

And from his back sprouted a single wing, large enough to envelop his entire right side from which it had grown from. Unlike the flower girl's wing, however, his was sinewy and covered with huge, spidery veins. His wing had no feathers, but was leathery and stretched over several thick strong bones like that of a bat's. How grimly appropriate, he thought, as this ugly appendage fitted the sinful heart of a villain like him.

They set off, quickly entering the city in the clouds. As when Aeris first set foot in the heavenly megalopolis, many people came to see their new visitor, for a one – winged angel was a very uncommon sight indeed, and no one had ever seen someone with such a strange wing before. Sephiroth ignored their wide eyes and opened mouths, even though he grew more and more uneasy and conscious of himself. He knew that they were secretly whispering about him, that he was the monster who had almost destroyed the Planet if not for her, that he was one of the damned, a fallen angel cursed with a demon's flapper, that he was the proverbial snake in the Garden of Eden, that his presence was probably causing them great grief.

Arriving at last at the Gasts' house, Ifalna pushed the door open, and Lucrecia and Aeris stepped inside. Sephiroth hesitated, not sure on whether to enter his foster parents' home. The Professor and his wife had done their very best for him, seeing to it that he was well loved and taken care of during his early years. They had been hoping that he would have grown up to become a kind and righteous person like them, but he had forgotten their patient teachings amidst the suffering and the privations of Shinra's regime, and now… He couldn't understand why they were still so nice to him despite how he'd shamed his upbringing. He still could not believe that Gainsborough was Ifalna's daughter… she had looked so much like his stepmother… why did he not see the resemblance earlier… if only he had known… But he had let himself forget about the two people who had taken him in as an orphan, treated him like their own son… and now he had killed their only child. He remained outside, for he would only darken their door again if he were to step inside their house.

Ifalna appeared in the doorway, fixing a questioning glance on him.

"Why don't you come in?" she offered, "Everyone is waiting for you inside. Don't bother about pleasantries, make yourself comfortable."

"I'm… I'm… sorry," Sephiroth finally managed to stammer, "I… can't. Not after what I've done to all of you. I will remain outside."

Ifalna closed her eyes, shaking her head with regret. He still hadn't changed much after all those years. He was still a child at heart. She would have to take him by the hand, reassuring him all the way that it was all right, that no one would blame him for what he hadn't done.

"Nonsense," she replied firmly, "There is no need to apologise. All of us still love you!" She went behind the tall man, dragging him into the house, her beating wings giving her the strength to push him forward.

Sephiroth sighed. This was a bitter pill for him to swallow. His guardian was being too kind to him.

Ifalna did not let go of him until he had been firmly seated in one of several comfortable plush chairs arranged in a small semicircle in front of a small coffee table. The Professor was already sitting on a chair to his right, his wife settling down next to him. Opposite him was his mother, and an empty chair… His eyes darted from corner to corner, until he found Gainsborough in a corner, partially hidden by her mother. She was smart enough to sit where he couldn't attack her with a glare, and she probably wanted him to feel more confident with her out of his line of sight, in the hope that he would slip some 'secrets' for her to use against him later. That devious little thing.

He felt his large hand being gripped by two smaller ones, thankfully not Gainsborough's. They were warm, but wet with sweat. The Professor was welcoming him back, but he was not smiling. Sephiroth quickly withdrew his hand, hiding it in his pocket. Gast had looked at him like this only once before…

"Professor… why didn't you tell me the truth?"

Professor Gast lowered his head. The boy was smart, and he had hit the nail perfectly. He swallowed, turning away from Sephiroth's intense gaze.

"You were too young, Sephy… we simply didn't want you to worry about what really happened… we were just waiting for the day when you would be old enough to understand the truth…" He cursed inwardly. Sephiroth did not want a stock answer. He had to try harder, despite the pain it was causing him… and the pain that would cause his adopted son. He took a deep breath… and prayed for the strength to unburden his soul.

"Sephy… I was the one who approved of the plan to infuse Jenova cells into a human being. I did not like Hojo's suggestion that he carry the experiment out on his own son… but I was too eager to see what would happen… we would all be famous and respected if this project succeeded, if we were able to bring back the race of the Ancients, and because of this… I did not oppose him… I let him carry out his atrocities on you. If this was not bad enough… we did not want to tell you about it… because we were afraid that… others would find out, and I did not want any harm to happen to you, Ifalna… or myself. We were living so peacefully, and I hoped that we could push it all under the carpet, that you would grow up safely and as a normal child. The Jenova Project was one of Shinra's most jealously guarded secrets. The President's wrath would have been great if word of it leaked out… the arm of Shinra was very long, and we would not be able to escape it alive…" He covered his face, unwilling to see Sephiroth's reaction to the shameful truth.

"Sephy… forgive me… don't ever think highly of me again… I'm just a coward. I knew you were mature enough to understand everything even at your age, but… how could I dare to speak out? If only I had been brave enough to tell you all this earlier… everything might not have happened. You would have been able to resist Jenova. The people of Nibelheim wouldn't have died, you wouldn't have killed the unfortunate people working in Shinra. You would not have summoned Meteor, and the loss of thousands of lives might have been averted. And Aeris…" He dared not look at his daughter, but had he done so, he would have been comforted by the serious yet soft look in those tearing eyes.

"If only I hadn't discovered Jenova in the first place… I know that this mistake was unavoidable, but my sin was not stopping the Jenova infusions, not letting you know about your true parentage. I have made a terrifying error of judgement that has almost destroyed everyone's lives… perhaps all that has happened… the death of my daughter… is my punishment. Sometimes I do not know why I am here, in heaven… I don't deserve to come here too. I'm sorry, Sephy…" He sobbed, and Ifalna smoothed his hair, her face contorted with grief.

The entire room was silent for many minutes. Only the steady rhythm of falling tears from all present broke this uneasy peace.

It was then that Sephiroth looked at the Professor. By right, now that he'd told his ward his dirty little secret, and the silver – haired man had not gone mad with anger and tried to slice up everyone in this house, he should have appeared… happier, or at least a little less depressed. He felt something like a stone sink in his stomach. But there was just one last thing he wanted to know… He had this sick feeling that he should give his curiosity a rest, that he was far better off not knowing the answer to his final question…

"Then, Professor… why did you leave me?"

The Professor did not reply. He raised his head, stealing just one glance at his former stepson before covering his face again. His eyes were bloodshot and his hands were limp.

"Please, Uncle Gast. I want to know."

The scientist turned to look at Ifalna, as if requiring her to give him one last burst of strength to perform an act that required the greatest courage. His wife gazed at him for a long moment, and finally nodded.

Gast began to speak, and his voice was muffled and halting.

"I… decided to resign from Shinra one day… I was about to leave when… Hojo came… he pointed a gun at me… and demanded that I… leave you behind. He told me… that… if I didn't… he would kill me, and he'd… keep Ifalna and Aeris as… lab rats. He'd… rape my wife… and inject my daughter with Jenova cells… mate her… with his other experiments… clone her… He'd torture them… and turn them into monsters… I… didn't want that to happen… so I… gave you up to him… I didn't know that he'd go back on his word…"

His grief and his shame were made known with loud, regretful sobs. Ifalna got out of her chair, and buried herself in his arms, crying softly. Even Gainsborough was hiding her face in her jacket, and he thought that he heard some sniffling beneath it... but that sound was probably coming from his stepmother.

"So… we are all sinners."

There was no sadness or anger in Sephiroth's voice. He just stared into empty space. The void in his life had been finally filled, and he had finally received the answers he had sought for thirty long years. Never mind that they hurt his soul as much as a killing blow with the Masamune. Beggars could not afford to be choosers. He'd seen it coming even before Lucrecia had told him the truth about Jenova's origins. At least he knew now.

Even though he knew that he should be furious, that he should feel betrayed by the people whom he'd looked up to for so long, he just couldn't. So the good Professor Gast had been responsible for bringing this crisis upon him. He knew that Hojo was abusing his mother, turning her into another plaything, dehumanising her more and more with each succeeding syringe, and he had just stood by, doing nothing to stop it, just because he too, like his biological father, had given in to his own personal ambitions. But still, how could he have possibly known that he was marrying the devil with an innocent child by doing that? When he had realised his mistake, Gast had tried to make up for it, taking the young Sephiroth under his wing, becoming a father to him when Hojo had absolutely no interest in the baby except as a test subject containing his own DNA. But in the end, even the Professor had left him behind, giving him up to the ultimate evil, sending him back into the darkness. But how could he possibly blame the Gasts for making that choice? Even though they had taken him in, he was still an outsider. Blood was always thicker than water, and Gast would definitely have put his family before his ward. No one was completely unselfish. His Uncle had been faced with the classic dilemma of whether to amputate a limb to save a life or to leave it to chance. The Professor would have come out second best against a madman with a gun, and he could not run from Shinra forever if he had fallen foul of them. He had been forced to act like a doctor, and he had exercised professional judgement. He could only take cold comfort in the fact that no one here was completely innocent… but no one was completely guilty except for him.

"It does not matter now… I care little about it… all I know that I still am the one at fault, no matter what anyone did or who influenced me. I may have been a puppet or an accessory, but I was the one who wielded the killing blade. The blood is still on my hands. One way or the other, I will go back into this world… I have no choice but to go on…"

Ifalna turned to her daughter, who by now had recovered sufficiently to look straight at her.

"Aeris, can you go upstairs and prepare a room for Sephy?"

"Yes, Mom." There was a soft rustle of fabric, and a few light steps were heard as she took her leave. But the Cetra girl knew as well as her mother that everything had been prepared for him the day before.

The grim warrior sank into his chair. His hands now rested on his knees, and his shoulders drooped a little.

Gast was still overwrought, but now that he'd gone through the worst of it, he found that he could speak again. But this time, his relief was balanced by the sensitivity of the subject he was about to broach.

"Sephiroth…" he ventured, not daring any more to presume familiarity with his former stepson, "…Thank you… for accepting my explanation… trust me… it was the worst, and the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life… I… don't expect you to forgive us… but I hope that you let my daughter go with you. Even if you do not like her… please try your best to work hard with her. Take care of her. For in her, we see our hopes and our lives going on. She represents everything that could have been, had things turned out better… she will be the one who will redeem us."

Sephiroth sat up, glaring long and hard at the Professor. The scientist heard him breathe, a short, sharp sucking sound, and prepared for the worst possible response from him.

"Don't you know, Professor? Her very presence makes me fear for myself… that I may slip back into my old ways… or worse, that those whom I have wronged will return with a vengeance! I simply cannot bear to see her face. She is the ghost of my past. I am afraid of her… because I still cannot forgive myself. Even if you claim that she is merciful, and very forgiving, I cannot believe it, even though I wish with all my heart that it would be true. What I know is that forgiveness between bitter enemies doesn't come easy, and she will have to be the one who has to work hard to show me that she doesn't mind me any more! I may trust you and Auntie, but I do not know Gainsborough at all… I am still very scared that she'll do something to me… I do not trust her… yet." He bit off the last word.

Ifalna then spoke. "Then you must be calm, and listen carefully to the voice of your soul. Why did you believe Lucrecia, why did you believe us unless you knew within your heart that we were right? Don't let self – pity and anger blind you to the truth, Sephy. You know what is right, but you do not want to accept it."

"I don't know… I cannot hear myself… I just know that I won't be able to believe her until that she has done nothing to the contrary. I still… cannot let go…" There were seeds of doubt already in his heart, but still… he didn't want to trust himself, not this time.

Ifalna wished again that she had been there all the way to bring Sephiroth up, for he'd gone through far too much, and he had emerged hardened and pessimistic. He was intelligent, but he had been deceived and betrayed many times in his life, and these bad experiences had made him by nature suspicious, stiff – necked and unwilling to change. He thought with his head when he needed to think with his heart.

"But you surely can. Give yourself time."

The warrior paused, finally giving in to his former guardians.

"Very well. I have already committed myself to this quest… I will let Gainsborough go with me… but know this. I do not do this for her. Both of you have taken care of me for eight years, and for that I am eternally grateful. I will aid her… because I do not want to see you suffer for my sins."

He stood up, indicating that the conversation was over. His mother led him to the room where he would be sleeping in. He tried not to turn his head aside when he saw Gainsborough flitting past him, a pink shadowy form.

Entering the room, Lucrecia took her son by the hand.

"Sephiroth… after tonight, when you awaken… you will be back in the world. Please remember the advice your foster parents have given you… and believe in yourself. I'll be watching you from here, so don't you ever say you'll be alone again."

She took out from her coat a small polished wooden box. It was very old, but it was still sturdy and well kept.

"Please do me this favour when you return. You will meet up with Avalanche eventually… and when you do, give this to the man called Vincent Valentine – the one I failed to love. Please tell him that I am in Heaven, and that there is hope even for one who has sinned."

Sephiroth wordlessly tucked the box into his pocket.

Lucrecia was weeping again, and she embraced Sephiroth again, for this would surely be the last time she would see him in person for a long time indeed. But she felt satisfied for the first time in many years. Her son would now get the chance he never had, and even as the Gasts pinned their hopes on Aeris, she was counting on Sephiroth to help her achieve redemption.

"Goodnight, Sephiroth, my dearest son… and goodbye."

Lucrecia stepped backwards, her beauty distorted by joy and sadness. She waved once to him, and she was seen no more.

"Mother…"

The silver – haired man stretched himself out on the bed. He closed his eyes, and still he could see the fires of Nibelheim, the trail of blood in the Shinra building, the sight of the black cloaked men dying one by one, and the murder of that girl… but those distressing visions of fear and pain were soon chased away, and he could see only… his mother's face… his mother's face… her love… her happiness… her pride in him…

Peaceful oblivion came quietly…

*****

Aeris sat down on the bed, savouring her last night in the Promised Land. She would be giving up the lovely field of flowers, the friendships she had gained there, the lore she had learned, the sheer beauty and wonder of this place. She would miss paradise keenly. She would not have returned to the world, for it represented too many lost opportunities, too many pains, too many bad memories.

But she just couldn't refuse Lucrecia, and she couldn't disappoint her parents. She had overheard everything they had said. Even if they were using her (for a good cause, though!), even if they were living through her vicariously, she knew that they were counting on her, and how could she bear to make them suffer the same pain of loss she was suffering now, the same sadness that came from losing a loved one permanently?

The blond – haired man… and the dark – haired girl...

But wait, they weren't the only people she'd known, were they? What had happened to Barret, Cid, Vincent, Yuffie, Cait Sith, Red and all her other friends? What about Elmyra, who was still mourning her loss? What about Marlene, who was still patiently waiting for her return?

She chided herself for not thinking straight. Not long ago she had decided to resist the call to the Promised Land, for she'd wanted to be with her friends every step of their journey. She wanted to explore the Planet with people she knew, share her happiness with them, and make their lives a little more bearable by lending a hand, whispering a kind word here and there and breaking their morose moods with a little laugh. She still had a family back in the mortal world, people who still cared for her, people who still needed her around. And now, she had become so narrow – minded, so oblivious of everything that was new, the fresh experiences that were waiting for her… just because Tifa and Cloud got married. Her quest to save a soul (and three more, now) aside, there was no real reason why she shouldn't return to the world. She just had to get over that particular setback.

She thought about the one – winged angel, the poor man she had agreed to assist. Now that the madness was behind him, she saw that he was a delicate and self - conscious person, a man full of angst. He could not forgive himself, nor could he forget his past, and that was why he still stayed spiteful and unreasonable. She knew that she was in for a tough time, as she would have to work doubly hard to convince him of her intentions. But he too was in need of help, and he was certainly very deserving of it. He was brave enough to face her and courageous enough to go on with his life. Even that man, who was selfish enough to destroy everyone's world, to destroy the Planet for his personal glory, had put his hatred of her aside to satisfy his loved ones. There was still good in him, and she could still feel it through the clouds that were hanging over his soul. If only she could make the light shine again…

She would perform her duties to her parents, Lucrecia, and Sephiroth… and at the same time, enjoy her life the way she wanted to last time. And who knows, now that she'd been given a new book of days, another handsome prince might just show up after all…

Her life had to go on for their sake. And hers.

Her mother and father stepped in at that moment, holding each other tightly. They had come to say goodbye. She ran up to them, joining her arms with theirs, weeping in unison.

"Mother, Father," she began, "I heard everything… you don't need to be worried about me. I'll do my best to save him… and all of you."

"Aeris… I don't know why someone like me would be blessed with such a fine daughter like you… but… you have made me find happiness at last." Gast looked tenderly at her, admiring the fine features of the girl, her humble and self – sacrificing nature. He pecked her on the cheek, and she could feel the tears running down her face.

"My daughter, I know that you will be able to make Sephy come around. Once he listens to you, once he accepts you, he will become a hero once more. He will move heaven and earth, if only for his guardian angel…" Ifalna could not continue any more, the sad waters of parting muting her voice. She bade Aeris farewell by kissing her on the forehead.

It was a long time before they let go of each other, and it took far longer before any of them left the room, for this parting was necessary but sad. Their reunion, though joyful, was far too short. They would meet again, certainly, but the heartbreak one suffers by rediscovering a loved one, only to lose her again, is much, much worse, and more unbearable by far.

And as the door closed, Aeris could still hear her mother crying softly in the night…

A/N: Enough shocking revelations for today? Enough tearjerking for one day? Professor Gast has been portrayed in most, if not all, the fanfics I've read as a goody two shoes, so I decided to eat one of his loafers, and see what would happen next…

If you have played Kingdom Hearts, you will know that Cloud is the one who has the bat wing… but it fits Sephiroth just as well.

Well… hope you like my analogy of the limb and the life, I was surfing the net, during one of my more morbid moods, and I came across an online document detailing an amputation technique. At the very end, the author reminds the reader that "Amputations are carried out to save lives." In this case Gast had to let go of Sephiroth, otherwise he would risk bringing everyone down if he didn't. It was a very tough choice, and obviously one a parent or surrogate father would never want to face.

If you think the idea of cloning Aeris seems very familiar indeed, it is, for this concept was put up by Zahra in I Know What Lies Beneath the Snow Fields. It was one of the saddest, but most impressive bombshells ever thrown my way in a fanfic. It just makes you feel nothing but pity for the poor girl… and makes you hate the main villain even more. I just couldn't resist putting that in. Take it as my nod of approval for her fic. I just wish she'd update more quickly… I can't wait for Chapter 94 to come up… how long more… it's been months!

Finally… the section that you, my gentle audience have been waiting for so long…

(If you can't find your name, scroll down till you find it!)

To Starfall4790:

Patience, Starfall, patience… your wish will come true soon… I've been told that my stories are quite slow paced, but I like everything nice and easy. I hope this chapter will ease your craving for a little while more…

To Homunculus:

It's nice to see that (almost) everyone is saying that I'm getting Aeris and Sephiroth right, maybe I should go back to the script and take a closer look at it, maybe I can do better. Good that you like my writing style. But then, there is a pitfall to this kind of descriptive writing. How much should you "show" and how much should you "tell"? Some things are best left implied, and some things cannot be inferred at all unless the author describes it properly. I don't really care, I guess. I'm writing this for fun… and for the reviews =)

To Theyreallyloveme:

Yes, I am painfully aware of the difficulties involved in an Aeris / Sephiroth couple, and this has made me grow several silver hairs already. Wish me luck!

Mmmm… they never really answer the question as to what happens to those souls used up by the Mako reactors, save to say that they turn into a form unusable by the Planet. It would be pretty ironic (and damned humorous) if Aeris were to end her afterlife powering someone's PS2 to play Final Fantasy VII. Perhaps someone could write a fic on that (Save Aeris from the Shinra Electric Power Company!)

To Crow T R0bot:

………

So Vincent is Sephy's dad after all… this is really an unfortunate mistake, and I am sorry. This is my sin=).

Thanks for bringing this up to me, but now, I'm afraid that little can be done to clear this up… I cannot turn back, so I will just have to go on with my current storyline… with courage… (insert cheers and claps!)

No matter, however. Let's try to look at the bright side… it is a fanfic after all, and fanfictions are meant to be slightly AUish by nature (just as the whole Aeris resurrection concept is). Now… the established fact (at least in this fic) that Hojo is Sephykin's dad opens up quite a few possibilities (though I admit I haven't given it much thought yet), but it has the effect of making Sephiroth's quest more noble, since he's the son of a bad guy (some say the bad guy), and he's trying to go past his father's legacy and redeem himself (sounds cliched, but it's a winning formula, and it pulls at the heartstrings).

I hope everyone will forgive me for this glaring oversight, and continue to enjoy this fic. Remember what Lucrecia says, that there is hope even for a sinner?

Don't worry, I'm sure you aren't the only guy reading this fic, maybe they're too sensitive to post their views=) Thanks once again for your valuable input!

To DracOnyx:

Congratulations! You are the first person to be critical of my work! (Fanfare! Confetti burst! Fireworks!)

About the "catfight": since I'm as arrogant as our fave villain, I'll give you my official explanation for this event. And since I am trying my utmost to be forthright and forthcoming as a new fanfic author, I will reward you with an unofficial explanation too!

The official line:

Sephy hates the flower girl. He doesn't think very highly of her, and certainly he doesn't believe that she's worthy enough to "take it like a man". He wants her to suffer as degrading and ignominious a bashing as possible, and thus you see him sullying his reputation to get his revenge on her. He doesn't think she's worthy enough to take a good left hook or an uppercut. No doubt, if he had the Masamune with him at that time, he would have killed her with it… by whacking her with the scabbard!

My unofficial explanation (don't quote me on this):

I just thought it was cool at that time to put it up! I like it at any rate!

Now… the more distressing part about Sephy being out of character. He's basically a man full of angst, as you can see… and he's a man capable of deep feeling under that cold and haughty exterior of his (think of Cloud, or Squall). And in my story (see my reply to Crow T R0bot above), Sephiroth is the son of a madman, and thus he's a bit crazy too, a bit irrational at times… It's my fault I guess, if Sephy turns out a bit sappy here… that's my style of writing. I love emotional stuff (shows what a wuss I am), but never doubt it, Sephiroth is made of sterner stuff. In fact, I am asking myself whether I am taking serious liberties with Aeris' character too… hope it turns out right.

At least you still like my fic, and that is what matters the most! Thanks for your two cents worth here!

To Starling94:

So… you are a gal, hmm? Well, I'm a guy, and I can't help but feel slightly awkward that I'm writing a romance fic of all things. (Don't see many male romance writers out there) Thanks for expressing your support for this story. It is very heartening to know that even the gals are impressed by the mushy trash I write (sob!) Here's a hug! And here's a Chibi - Aerith from my personal collection! (Don't worry about her, unlike the ones given in my disclaimer, this particular Aeris plushie is totally sweet, and looks so sad and heartbroken (especially after getting clobbered by Sephy and dumped by Cloud), so just take care of her, yep?)