Ch 6

KiyoYume looked away as Sephiroth slit the man's throat.

"Was that necessary?"

"I didn't want him running back and reporting this to Hojo. Its safer this way," Sephiroth explained as he wiped his blade clean. He glanced over his shoulder at the angel, "I see something's gotten into you though."

"Hojo no longer holds any sway over me. I am myself again." KiyoYume said absently. She was not even looking at him. With her hands behind her back she was staring up into the blue sky, letting the sun beat down on her face. She closed her eyes and rustled her wings, enjoying the moment.

Indeed, Sephiroth thought, she certainly isn't the dismal timid thing she was. I only hope she doesn't decide to cause trouble. He looked over at the angel who was, at the moment, standing a short distance off. She had her face to the sun and her wings partly spread, soaking in the warmth. Her now beautifully white hair shimmered in the light and her hands hung loosely at her sides with her palms up.

Everywhere she could feel the life of the planet. It whispered softly to her, pleading for help. She wanted desperately to be able to answer. Now that she was restored she would give everything she had to saving the life force of the planet. At the moment she could nothing. She needed to speak to All-Father again and ask for guidance.

Sephiroth walked up the hill toward the angel.

Come.

The angel sighed and followed Sephiroth back toward Junon. His black trench coat fluttered in the breeze; a black shadow against the late morning sky.

Once back in Junon, Sephiroth checked into a hotel and deposited the two duffle bags in the room.

"I'm going out to buy things. You can stay here, or come with me."

"I'll go."

"Stay close then, don't wander."

Sephiroth walked through town at a steady pace. KiyoYume trailed behind, watching the people. She kept out of their way but observed them curiously. She could feel the myriad of emotions in the air and it dazzled her. She listened as people gossiped, bargained, argued, and made pleasant small talk.

Sephiroth purchased paper and maps at a store along the main road and then had lunch at a small café on a quiet side street. KiyoYume had a cup of herbal tea and a biscuit with honey. The waitress was nice, and so when they left Sephiroth left a small tip along with the total on the table for her.

'May we look around a while?'

Sephiroth nodded. Better to keep her satisfied. She'd be less likely to make waves that way.

He led her to one of the nicer parts of town and into a small park. It was a quiet and well kept park. There were a few older people sitting on benches reading the newspaper or walking on a white gravel trail that circled a reflecting pond. Pigeons idly pecked through the grass, looking for worms or insects.

A vender strolled by and Sephiroth gave KiyoYume a Gil to buy some seed with. The angel then sat in the grass and coaxed the pigeons into eating seed from her hand.

Sephiroth sat on a near by bench. Taking a pen out of pocket somewhere inside his coat, he scribbled notes on paper, writing down all the information he'd gathered so far. After he had finished with this, he picked up a nearby newspaper, left there earlier in the day, and began to read through it.

A little before sunset Sephiroth folded the newspaper and set it back down on the bench. He stood, walked over to where the angel was laying in the grass, both hands behind her head, gazing at the sky.

Are you satisfied?

"Hai…" she said softly, "Doumo arigato gozaimasu." 'Yes… Thank you so very much.'

We should head back now.

The angel nodded, and got to her feet, rustling her wings and dusting herself off. She followed Sephiroth through the park, where the lamps along the path were just beginning to glow. The Mako energy powering them gave a slight greenish tint to the light. They walked back through town, arriving at the hotel just after nightfall.

Sephiroth led KiyoYume up to the room and opened the door for her. He then left her alone, returning the main floor. He found one of the nicer restaurants in the place and had a glass of wine with his meal before returning to the hotel room. When he returned the angel was sitting in the middle of the floor in front of the window meditating. He left her there, went into the other room, and went to sleep.

KiyoYume's mind drifted, reaching out for the ethereal. All Father appeared before her, his presence warm and comforting. KiyoYume bowed, as was custom, sitting on her knees, her face to the ground.

"Speak Child."

KiyoYume sat up and sighed.

"I need guidance Father." She relayed all the events that had occurred since Hojo had captured her and she had been out of contact. The All Father grew solemn.

"If we had the Masamune we could strike Hojo down and end everything now. Hojo is corrupt, and like a mad dog needs to be put down, so does he. But as it stands we are powerless. The Masamune has been stolen."

"I believe the sword Sephiroth wields is the Masamune. I do not know how he is able or even how it came into his possession."

The All Father was silent. "This is a serious turn of events. This Sephiroth; what was he spawned from."

"Hojo is his father. The resemblance is faint, but its there. He's been altered in ways I cannot begin to comprehend. I know not the origins of his mother, other than she was a mortal woman with ties to the Cetra. He has no reaction to pure Mako, and his being is tainted with Jenova." KiyoYume reached into her robes and produced a black feather.

"Strange indeed; so he's a demi-god. He seems to have managed to create a balance of opposing forces within himself; both mortal and immortal, ethereal and material, Mako and Jenova, chaos and life… does he know this?"

KiyoYume shook her head 'No'.

"We need this being on our side. That much is clear."

"That is much easier said than accomplished. He's a killer with no concern for anything but himself. How can I convince a being like that to help me save the planet?"

"You should examine his soul. Then we'll see what can be done. I'll consult the other gods on the matter in the mean time."

"As you wish All Father." KiyoYume bowed low again.

"You have our blessings child."

The angel breathed deeply and opened her eyes. The room was quiet. She knew instantly that Sephiroth back in the apartment for she could feel his presence. His door was closed, the light off. She could hear nothing.

KiyoYume got to her feet, walked towards his door. She pressed her ear to the door and waited. Still nothing. The angle reached out, her fingertips touching the cool metal of the door handle. It was not locked. She placed her hand over the knob and twisted, pushing the door open slowly, but steadily.

Sephiroth lay on his side, one arm bent back under the pillow. His back was to the window and his breathing was deep and even. She waited in the door way for him to respond to her presence. He didn't move. KiyoYume licked her lips nervously, and whispered his name. No response.

KiyoYume stepped into the room, partially closing the door behind her. She made her way across the floor silently, her wings twitching apprehensively. She paused at the side of the bed, watching him. Even though this man protected her, she feared him; feared him even more than she feared Hojo. The thought of actually tasting his soul made her shiver.

The angle tentatively put her knee on the bed and gradually moved her weight. Sephiroth stirred and rolled away from her and onto his back. KiyoYume swallowed and lifted her other foot off the floor and edged across the bed.

The ancient Wutians had believed that exhaled breath was the physical manifestation of one's soul. Over the generations they had abandoned this belief, not knowing there was some truth in the statement. So, in theory, all KiyoYume had to do was wait for Sephiroth the breath out, and then catch his soul.

She leaned as close as she dared, her hair falling around her face in silvery strands, brushing Sephiroth's. His face looked unconcerned in his sleep, but she knew better. The angel took a shaky breath and steadied herself mentally. She moved close, her parted lips millimeters away from Sephiroth's. She reached out with her mind. Sephiroth exhaled. The angel took it in, inhaling softly.

Even in sleep Sephiroth felt a calming feeling seep into his mind. It was a peaceful feeling, one of quiet joy and content. The mannerisms of the angel were playing across his subconscious. Suddenly they were gone, and, like feeling a splinter being slid out from under the skin, he felt them leave, along with something of himself.

Sephiroth's eyes snapped open. KiyoYume started. His hands shot towards her throat, and he took hold. Sephiroth sat up, pushing KiyoYume backwards and pinning her. His eyes narrowed, alive with anger. The angel lay helpless, her neck held in Sephiroth's strong and inexorable hands.

In the moment of silence that followed, she lay there looking up at him, images began to present themselves to her conscious mind. Bloody and bitter, the scenes of Sephiroth's life played themselves out before her. She could not help but shudder as she watched. Sephiroth's childhood was filled with torture, abuse, neglect, and experimentation. As an older child Sephiroth had learned what it was to fight back, what it was to kill. The angel watched in horror as Sephiroth wrought death with his young hands, as he was trained by the army to do so more effectively, and as he implemented his knowledge and skill time and time again.

Sephiroth shook the angel, once, and roughly. KiyoYume blinked, her eyes refocusing. Sephiroth's grip tightened on her neck. She noticed the single black wing, shifting softly in the darkness.

"What the hell were you doing to me?"

KiyoYume remained silent.

"Answer me!"

"Truly, your soul is a tormented one."

Sephiroth clenched his teeth. "That's enough angel! I am not obliged to you in any way. You are in debt to me, you will do what I say, when I say. This evasiveness ends here and now. Understood? What were you doing?"

"Getting to know you better. The better I know you, the better I can serve you." There was a slight undertone of mockery in KiyoYume's voice. Sephiroth frowned at the answer, but let it slide, feeling she wasn't being all together dishonest. He let go of her neck and moved off the bed. He picked up a black yukatta from a nearby chair and put it on over his bare torso after willing his wing away. KiyoYume sat up, gently touching her neck. Sephiroth began to pace, the angel remained sitting on the bed, watching.

"As long as you're here and feeling cooperative, let's get some things answered shall we? What exactly are you?"

"As I said before, I'm an angel. An ascended Cetra. And pure Spirit energy."

"What do you know?"

"Many things," KiyoYume paused, picking her next words carefully, "At the moment I probably know more about yourself than you do."

Sephiroth cast a glance in her direction. "Is that so?"

"Yes."

Sephiroth gestured for her to continue. "Please, enlighten me."

"You do not know who your mother was, nor do you know what your father is. You do not understand why you posses a single black wing, or the purpose behind the experimentation you suffered at your father's hands." The angel paused, the effect of her words visible on his face. "There are many things I can answer for you."

"Then do so."

"No." KiyoYume had found her leverage.

Sephiroth crossed his arms, and cast an amused look in her direction, "Pray tell me angel, why not?"

"Not until you help me first."

"I see no reason why I should."

KiyoYume balked. "If you don't this earth will be destroyed and everything in it will cease to exist!"

Sephiroth smirked wickedly, his eyes glowing coldly in the dark room. "It's not my problem."

"Your problem or not, now is not the time for this to happen!" KiyoYume moved to her knees, speaking earnestly, the passion in her voice rising. "Don't you want to live? Don't you have anything to live for? There must be something you care about! You cannot allow millions of innocent lives to be ended simply because you feel the issue doesn't concern you! It does Sephiroth! It concerns everything living on this world, both ethereal and material! Surely you must see this! You are the only one strong enough to fight what is happening. You are obligated to act!"

"I am obligated to do nothing! We're finished for the evening. You may leave now."

KiyoYume's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious?"

"I'm very serious," Sephiroth's tone was becoming dangerous, his agitation starting to show, "now, if you'd please?" He opened the door and gestured.

"You must do something!" KiyoYume's eyes pleaded with him, "You cannot just stand by while everything around you withers and dies!"

"I can, and I will!" Sephiroth's words stung like a whip. "Now, go, for I've reached the last of my patience with you angel!"

KiyoYume dared not stay longer and further provoke his anger. She slid to the edge of the bed and stepped down. She could feel his emotions in the air. The anger and bitterness were so thick she could almost taste them. She left quietly, but inside she was seething as much as he was. It was not over yet, not as far as she was concerned. If this was the way it had to be, then so be it, but it was still far from being over.