Authors Note: Ok here it is, the next chapter in my first fic ever! Thank you to those who reviewed. In this chapter we finally find out the choice Sephiroth makes. Would he join Sora and try to find that girl who has his attention for over two years? Or will he stay and keep his title as champion of the Coliseum?. This is going to be a long chapter so now I warn you if you do not like long chapters. Without any further or do, here is the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the characters in this story (except Jean of course) or the Locations.
Chapter 5 Sephiroths' ChoiceSephiroth was alone in darkness, Masamune in hand. He was running, seeking something that he could not see. Blood rushing out of his wounds like a small river draining his energy bit by bit as he continued to push his body to his limit. Sephiroth heard something behind him and swung Masamune and it collided with something metal followed by a pair of bright blue spheres.
"I have been waiting," said a voice "now let us finish this". The voice had the sound of more people speaking in union than just one voice alone but Sephiroth still recognised the main voice however.
"Indeed, let us finish this," said Sephiroth "Cloud Strife!!" Sephiroth broke the struggle between the two blades and swung Masamune from over his head and brought it crashing down but Cloud was quick and strong as he lifted his huge Buster Sword and blocked the attack. The two swords clashed and sparks were made showing a little light in the gathering darkness around the two fighters and Sephiroth saw Clouds face, full of anger and hatred to the once proud general.
Cloud altered the grip of his sword and parried Masamune and went in to strike Sephiroth but Sephiroth leaped high and landed behind Cloud and made a small jump away as Cloud turned and made another slash at him.
"Why are we fighting?!" yelled Sephiroth through the darkness. His body losing energy due to blood loss.
"Because you are looking for me and helping the key" came the reply and the voice was more feminine and Sephiroth turned to try and find the source of that voice and a bright light shone Sephiroth had to cover his eyes briefly before he saw her.
"Aerith?" asked Sephiroth, unsure whether to believe this or not.
"Listen to me" said Aerith "If you stay and be champion, you will live alone and keep your pride of being champion of the Coliseum or if you go with Sora, you will help him save all the worlds from the Heartless. Either way he will be looking for you."
"Who?" asked Sephiroth "who is after me?" Aerith did not say anything but knelt down and held her hands together in prayer. The light radiating from her soon shone brighter and brighter and everything was white. Sephiroth opened his eyes again only to see that both him and Aerith were on the platform in the ancient city.
'what is going on here?' Sephiroth thought to himself and soon noticed a figure descending from above and Sephiroth knew the instant he saw it what was about to happen. 'I won't let that happen!' Sephiroth thought as he gripped Masamune and leaped high to counter the figure.
The figure was wrapped in a cloak and had a strange sword. It looked more like a bat wing and was short but it also looked deadly. Sephiroth swung his long sword and the blade went right through the figure and yet nothing happened and the figure continued to descend. As Sephiroth passed the figure he saw a glimpse of silver hair and red eyes. Sephiroth seemed to be heavier than the figure for he reached the ground quicker and turned to look at Aerith. She was smiling at Sephiroth. A small but warming smile. Sephiroth went to reach out to her but it was too late and the figure had his bat wing like sword through her abdomen, blood oozing out and Aerith still had the same smile on when she died.
"Nooo!" yelled Sephiroth as he suddenly sat up on his bed with sweat beading his face and chest. 'It was just a dream' thought Sephiroth 'but it seemed so realistic when h-he' Sephiroth shook his head, he didn't want to think about that but only one thing stayed in his mind. The smile, that damn cursed smile. Sephiroth looked to the window and noted that it was dawn. He could barely see his room by the dim light. Sephiroth soon heard a door open and the footsteps of someone running towards him. Sephiroth saw Jean open his bedroom door and run to his bedside.
"Sephiroth," said Jean, voice filled with concern and emotion, "Are you alright?" Sephiroth then saw in Jeans' emerald like eyes that his suspicions of her feelings towards him were true.
"I am alright Jean," said Sephiroth "just had a bad dream"
Sephiroth soon saw Jeans' shoulders lower in relief but her eyes were still fixed on his as if trying to see into his soul.
"That's a relief," said Jean "I'll leave you be to get dressed. You have a challenger today." Sephiroths' ears perked slightly.
"Could you tell me who is making the challenge?" Sephiroth asked
"Ummm I do not know his name," said Jean in reply "all I know is he is pretty tough and he talks very little if any words at all." Jean then turned and walked out the room.
'Why do I have the feeling that I'm not going to like this match?' thought Sephiroth as he got up and went to the bathroom to have a shower and prepare for this match.
Sephiroth went to thelarge arena where he battled the boy Sora while when it was evening.
'I wonder if it is worth joining Sora to find Aerith? Would she even be still alive?' Sephiroth thought as he walked towards the arena. He was also curious as to who would challenge him. Sephiroth began to suspect the boy Sora wanting a rematch. As he walked onto the arena he saw the one person who he had avoided all these years. Cloud Strife.
"At last we finally meet" said Cloud.
"Indeed" replied Sephiroth "now let us begin" and with that Sephiroth gripped Masamune and Cloud gripped the Buster Sword. Cloud revealed a black bat wing on his left shoulderand flew towards Sephiroth and swung his sword but Sephiroth was quick and dodged the blow and vanished in a blue and white light leaving behind only a few black feathers. Sephiroth reappeared behind Cloud and swung with Masamune but Cloud ducked in time and leaped to his right and swung his sword and Sephiroth blocked the attack.
"You have learned much Strife" said Sephiroth as the two were in a power struggle of swords.
"And you have changed very little Sephiroth" replied Cloud and he parried Masamune with the Buster Sword and leaped back then aimed his sword towards Sephiroth. "Sonic Blade!!" yelled Cloud as he dashed towards Sephiroth with amazing accuracy but Sephiroth was quick and parried the blow and leaped far away from Cloud and landed on the other side of the arena from where Cloud was.
"Sin Harvest Angel!" Sephiroth yelled as he began to cast the deadly spell. Cloud was quick though and Sephiroth had to stop the spell and blocked the attack.
"Tell me Strife," said Sephiroth "why is it that we are fighting? I know you hated me with a passion but why do you still hate me now?"
"Because you nearly killed her!" came Clouds reply "you nearly killed Aerith and for that you will pay you son of a bitch!" Cloud attacked Sephiroth more frequently now with more strength powered by his hatred and Sephiroth had never seen such darkness in him before. Cloud swung the Buster Sword over his head and Sephiroth was not quick enough to block the assault and a long, deep cut had formed in Sephiroths' left shoulder. Sephiroth grinded his teeth to try and block out the pain as he leaped away from Cloud.
'I must end this!' thought Sephiroth and he raised Masamune and charged forward towards Cloud and Cloud leaped forward and swung his sword toward Sephiroth but he disappeared the same way as before and reappeared behind Cloud and struck Cloud with Masamune and blood spurted out from Clouds back and Sephiroth struck again and Cloud felt pain from behind his right knee and Cloud knelt down and was trying to get up. Sephiroth was about to cast the final blow when he heard a huge crash behind him and he turned around and saw a huge black dog with three heads heading towards him and Cloud. 'Cerberus!' Sephiroth thought and ran toward Cloud and slung him over his left Shoulder and used his black and blue wing to fly toward the furthest place in the arena away from Cerberus and placed Cloud down. Cloud looked at Sephiroth with confusion and disgust.
"You stay here" said Sephiroth and he turned to leave.
"I don't take orders from you!" yelled Cloud and Sephiroth quickly swung around and hit Clouds' head with the flat of Masamune and Cloud fell to unconsciousness.
'Always foolish and ignorant' thought Sephiroth as he ran towards Cerberus and the guardian of the underworld saw him and all three heads bellowed in challenge.
"I have beaten you once," said Sephiroth "and I can do it again". Cerberus ran towards Sephiroth and the middle head went in to bite him but Sephiroth leaped to the left and the head missed and Sephiroth leaped high and as he descended he held his sword ready to stab the beast and Sephiroth drove the sword through the hide of the beast and Cerberus yelped in pain as he fell over and Sephiroth pulled out his blade and slashed the middle head creating a deep cut along between it eyes and the head howled in agony and Sephiroth leaped off the huge animal and landed on his feet. Sephiroth soon heard a group of people running towards the arena and he turned to see Phil, Hercules, Jean and the boy Sora all staring at him then to Cerberus and back to him.
"What in the underworld happened here?!" demanded Phil
"Lets just say that what happened to Cerberus here is what would happen to anyone who would interrupt one of my matches and tried to attack me," replied Sephiroth with no emotion in his voice. "Also Cloud Strife in over there if your looking for him" and Sephiroth pointed to where he left Cloud and Hercules ran over to Cloud to check on him. "Now if you excuse me I must be going to my quarters now" Sephiroth said as he waked past the remaining group and stopped "by the way, Sora, I need to have a word with you now". The boy ran to Sephiroth and the two started to walk back to Sephiroths' quarters.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" said Sora as they were walking.
"I want to know if someone wanted to join you would you have enough room for one more person?" asked Sephiroth as a reply.
"Hmm I do not know," said Sora "that would depend on who this person is".
Sephiroth soon stopped and knelt down on one knee and Sora stopped.
"I wish to help you fight these 'Heartless'," said Sephiroth "but I also ask for your help"
"What do you want from me?" asked Sora in confusion 'the great Sephiroth wants me to help him? What could he want?'
"I am looking for someone and I need a ship to take me to other worlds, could you help me by granting me transportation and I'll help you by fighting the Heartless beings?" asked Sephiroth.
"But what of your title here?" asked Sora "What are you going to do about your title?"
"I have grown tired of being champion of the Coliseum," said Sephiroth "I'm sure someone else can take my place."
"Well I guess Donald and Goofy would have to tolerate you until you find who your looking for." said Sora
"Thank you" said Sephiroth "Let me know when you are taking off, I'll wait until you are ready to leave" and with that Sephiroth rose to his feet and started to walk to his quarters, leaving behind a bewildered Sora.
How's that chapter? I hope you like the scrap between Sephiroth and Cloud. Well it seems we now know Seph's choice now and so this will be interesting to where he would go and what would happen. Please review my story and let me know if this is a job well done so far.
