Disclaimer: I, Strange and Intoxicating -rsa-, do not own Death Note or Final Fantasy VII (or their compilations/spin-offs). This is a work based on too many hours of class work and the inability to play well with other children.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith . . . not by works."

-Ephesians 2:8-9

Light did not know how he ended up in the world of Gaia, nor in his particular... predicament.

But, if he truly contemplated it, ending up in this world after the atrocious failure that took his life, it could have been much, much worse. He could have been killed by the man with the bizarre cat-eyes, could have been tossed away without qualm, he could have been left stranded in a foreign land without his Death Note.

At least he finally lost that annoying woman who trailed after him like a puppy, and the obnoxious, apple-loving Shinigami. They had not followed him into this world, thankfully.

He could not say the same for L. Of course it would be L who followed him through to an alternate dimension (Light knew that technically, he had followed L, but it did not sound vindictive enough against L, whose luck seemed to cosmically follow Light through death.)

L.

When L died, the first time, Light had felt no remorse. His nemesis, the one person on the planet who could have potentially destroyed him, was not able to interfere with any of his plans. He could mold the world into a better, more beautiful place. There would be Justice, for Kira was Justice. Kira was God.

And Kira needed L to die.

Alas, it would not be quite as easy in this world, Light knew. The moment he found out that L Lawliet could be found consuming large quantities of sugary substances in the Shinra Headquarters, he had pulled out his pen and with perfect penmanship, wrote L's true name. He wrote down a time of death, and waited. He knew the annoying red-haired SOLDIER would know almost immediately of a Turk's death, and so when the time came, Light subjected himself to several hours of time with the man (obnoxious as he may have been, he usually served his purpose well.)

But it did not work, and as such, it left Light with a bitter taste in his mouth and the sudden realization that killing a man you killed once would need a different strategy, and definitely a different weapon.

Which is where Sephiroth tied into Light's equation.

The man would get away with murdering a Turk, as long as Light kept his part of the deal.

Death to the Wutaians, and death to L.

Sephiroth rubbed his sword clean of blood, eyes impassively searching the dead. There were none breathing- of that he could be certain. There was enough blood around him that anyone not dead from his blade would soon be from exposure and open wounds.

"Pity," Sephiroth said to one of the other SOLDIER's, a Second Class boy he knew Angeal was fond of. The boy did not respond, an Sephiroth took it as initiative to continue, "Fair, they were given the option of surrender."

"Wutaian's won't ever surrender," the boy said as he flicked his blade, blood arcing around him. The drops were absorbed by the dry soil. "They would rather die as heroes than live as cowards." Zack looked a little peaked, his skin clammy. Sephiroth knew the boy was still rather green, and with it his squeamishness of blood and death was not quite dissipated.

A few more weeks on the battlefields, however, would cure him of that ailment.

"That they would," Sephiroth agreed, and payed little mind to the body near his feet, until he noted that the boy was staring off at one, his face losing pallor rapidly. "We should return to camp—there will be no further sneak attacks tonight."

Sephiroth looked into the trees above him, and let his teeth show in a snarl to the single Wutaian who he has let survive.

A warning for others, though they never really needed to know of the fear lurking before them.

A reminder, maybe.

A statement, mostly.

Sephiroth began to walk, though he turned to gaze at the other SOLDIER when he did not move from his spot.

"Does he mind?"

Sephiroth looked at the boy, and cocked an eyebrow. "Does who mind what, Fair? I am no mind-reader, so you will have to be more specific in your mumblings."

Fair's cheeks pinked, and he quickly responded. "Light Lawliet. I know he's Wutaian, and I guess I was just wondering how he felt about... all this. I know you saved him and all, so he's got to be grateful," the boy quickly stated, waving his hands in front of him, as if it would save Light from an untimely death. "But... does he mind that, you know, his lover's killing his people?"

"Pray-tell, why do you think his opinion would matter in the first place?" Sephiroth stated, bluntly letting the words smack into the SOLDIER with little finesse. "And second, despite the things you hear thrown around by lower-ranks, I do not have sexual relations with men, let alone Wutaian men. Please do not insult yourself by believing anything you hear."

Zack knew that saying that he had heard it from Genesis Rhapsodos would only land himself and Rhapsodos into hot water, so he acquiesced to his superior officer and when judging that it would be safe to walk forward, did so while keeping a good six feet from Sephiroth.

Just in case.

Of course, Sephiroth knew where the boy had gotten his very wrong information, and would be dealing with the matter when he got back to camp.

The stares were getting beyond ridiculous, and the lies were spreading out of camp and into the hands of those he could not control; the last thing he needed was for Light to be murdered by his fanclub before Sephiroth could take care of all the loose-ends in their plot.

After, the rabid women could have Light.

It would be the end of Shinra, and the dawning of a new era.

Sephiroth could only wait.

So... two years? May I deeply apologize for never updating this story—I feel guilty beyond all imagination, and I will try to make sure that it isn't another two years before I update again. I like this story, and I want to see it get past the first two chapters, too!

And to clarify, there is no romance in this story. Sephiroth and Light are not in a relationship, nor will they be. The same can be said for the rest of the characters. Dare I say that this may be my only story that does not involve love in some form? Maybe that's why it's so much fun.

Please Review!