Chapter 5

I'd like to thank SeveredWing for encouraging me. Thank you so much

After a few hours of teaching Aeris how to hold the sword properly, he gave up and insisted on trying to do something else, like materia. He let Aeris take a break while he went to get some practice material from the weapons room. He came back carrying a low leveled fire, ice, lightning, and cure.

"What are those?" Aeris asked after taking another sip of water

"This is called materia. It's a form of magic used to fight with."

"It kinda looks familiar, but I don't know where."

"Anyway, these are the common spells, fire, ice, lightning, and cure. Here, hold them." Zack placed the materia in Aeris' hands. A mysterious aura filled the orbs. Zack wondered how she managed to get them to glow so brightly, never in all his years has he ever seen such light. The orbs glow died down.

"Zack, what was that?" Aeris questioned

"I'm not sure; maybe it was just getting use to you."

"I don't think that was the case." Aeris and Zack turned to the voice, which happen to belong to the one and only Sephiroth

"What do you know about mysterious glowing orbs?" Aeris said coldly, barely above a whisper

"Can it missy, it looks like to me you haven't learned your lesson yet." Aeris' jaw dropped in the fact that he actually heard her. Good looks, brains, and now good hearing, what more could a girl want? Aeris shook the thought from her head and turned to Zack, completely ignoring the General's presence. "Touchy no?" Aeris turned her head at the comment then shrugged it off

"You need to cooperate with the General so you can get stronger. If you don't, we can be here for hours upon hours doing nothing but training, so if I were you, I'd give up and turn to his good side."

"But I-." Aeris was cut off by cough

"General, are you okay?" Zack asked worried

"It's nothing, I'll be fine. Please show me what you have been working on."

There was a silence…

Sephiroth cocked his head as if annoyed, "You have been working on technique, haven't you?"

Another silence filled the room…

"If you call holding a sword technique, then yes."

Sephiroth grabbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Zack, is that all you have been working on, how to hold a sword properly?"

"Yes sir."

"Very well, my work isn't quite as cut out as the president thought." Sephiroth picked up one of the orbs, "I suppose we could begin on materia. Aeris, focus all of your thoughts and energy on using the captive power for your use."

"Isn't that selfish."

"No, shut up. Anyway, it will take time and patience to draw out the power." Sephiroth demonstrated how to use the materia, and then he handed it to Aeris

Aeris took the orb in her hand and closed her eyes. Her mind felt as is warm waves were thrashing around. She saw nothing except the orbs energy. The power ran up though her veins and to her mind. She felt the energy die down for a split second, then a burst of energy spilled from inside her, causing the power to be released. Zack looked in awe of Aeris. He never knew such power could come from such a small girl. Sephiroth on the other hand, was intrigued.

"Did I do it?"

"You over did it actually," Sephiroth started, "that is a level one materia, you released a level of energy that was meant only for a mastered materia to release, in other words, you brought forth it's deepest energy. I'm quite impressed."

"Thanks, can we eat now?" Aeris said grabbing her stomach, "I'm really hungry."

"Go on, we'll continue later I suppose."

The three left the building and a familiar enigmatic man stepped from beneath the shadows, "Yes, she is truly something else, just like her mother." He turned on his heel and headed back to his lab, thinking of many ways to steal the girl.

--

"How did I do today?" Aeris asked with her mouth full

"I'll tell ya once you swallow." Zack added playfully

Aeris swallowed and drank some water to flush it down, "Well?"

"Considering how you can't even hold a sword properly, I'd say you did a pretty good job, as for using the materia, I was amazed. I never knew you could do that!"

"I didn't even see what I did."

"You should've seen the look on the General's face, it was a Kodak moment

"What's Kodak?"

"I take it you don't watch much TV, do you."

"Nope, I'm too busy tending to my flowers."

"That's a good one. Flowers in Midgar."

Aeris stared blankly at Zack, "No, I'm serious. I have a garden at home. It's where I spend all of my time. It really relaxes me. I leave all my stress at the gate, and then I walk to my flowers. I can hear their whispers."

"Okkayy. That's enough for me. We have three hours to kill before the General will come back."

"What do you mean 'come back'?"

"The reason he coughed was he got a very minor case of mako poisoning, every SOLDIER gets it. The General has severe ones, it's lucky for him that he is sill alive."

"The world would be a much nicer place if he would hurry up and roll over in the pine box. It's cheep and affordable, I'll sing at the reception."

"AERIS!"

"Sorry." Aeris picked up her tray and disposed of it, "Zack, let's just walk around, kay?" Zack nodded in response

--

They walked outside in the buildings garden, which was an indoor greenhouse.

"Aeris, tell me how you know Missurani?"

Aeris took a moment to gather her thoughts, but before she could begin, they heard voices. They ducked down behind a bush and saw Hojo talking to Missurani.

"Speak of the devil." Zack mumbled underneath his breath

"I know you know her, how do you know her?" Hojo roughly asked

"I'm not going to tell you, you won't hurt her, I won't let you!" Missurani balled up his fists, preparing to attack if necessary

"It won't hurt you a bit, so why not give me some personal information?" Aeris' eyes widened and she put her hand over her mouth, praying that Missurani wouldn't say anything

"Missurani." Sephiroth stepped up beside him, "You are dismissed."

"What gives you the right to do that GENERAL?"

"You are dismissed, go." Sephiroth acted like the man didn't even exist

Missurani saluted and went his way, just missing Aeris and Zack. "What do you think you are doing Sephiroth?"

"There is no reason you should be scouting around for answers, you should find other way to do it. Leave my SOLDIERS alone, do you understand?"

"I believe you forgot who you are talking to."

"Why would I ever forget a slimy weasel like you? You've messed up my life Hojo; I won't let it happen to anyone else, do you understand what I am talking about." Sephiroth glared at him before tuning around and walking away

"Mark my words Sephiroth; you will have hell to pay."

He just saved me? What's going on!

I am soo sorry about the late update, I was so busy with my dancing scheduel that i didn't have time to update. I hope this will suffice. PLEASE UPDATE! I need my readers to review and tell me what you like or don't like.

THANKS!

jazzybutclassy28