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For him to traverse through different lives to remove her from existence had been a very easy task. Sword through her abdomen, in cold blood. Sephiroth would watch as he took her breath away literally, and he would smile in satisfaction.
It was always what he looked forward to, call it sadism or whatnot, he enjoys seeing despair befall the Cetra and the puppet and his friends. It was an achievement he always sought to have, an indication that he had stained his blade with the last Ancient’s blood, a trophy indeed.
He would venture out timelines after timelines, and everywhere she hides, he’d find a way to seek her, then he would kill her.
And that’s what he wanted to do once again, as he lives through another life. Thinking to himself he would enjoy giving despair to others.
“Yoohoo,” a familiar woman’s voice resonated in his ears. He woke up from a slumber, wondering if the version of himself in this life was resting. But he questioned himself more on why he heard the Cetra’s voice so close to him. “How long are you going to sleep, mister?”
Now fully awake, he sat up wide eyed and looked around him. He was in the bedroom of a house. It felt too homey, foreign yet familiar at the same time. Sephiroth found out that he was not wearing his usual SOLDIER outfit, rather he wore such plain clothing consisting of a black shirt and gray pajamas. But most of all, he was seeing her smiling next to him as she stood next to the bed. She wore her usual pink dress, but did not don her red jacket. Her brown hair was loose, not like the usual braided one.
Why was she here? To defeat him while vulnerable? No, he can never be vulnerable. Has she already caught up to him and in this world she would take her revenge? How laughable, she could never best him.
“You,” He spoke already with loathe in his voice. “Have you come to seek revenge, Cetra?”
He didn’t waste any time asking her straightforwardly.
Yet he was met with a confused look then seconds later, a laugh. “Revenge? Silly man, are you dreaming again? And also, I thought I already taught you to call me by my name: it’s Aerith!”
“Enough of your games, you know I will not be fooled.” Sephiroth managed to summon Masamune on his left hand but before he could even attack her, Aerith put her hands on his cheeks and pinched him.
“Oh enough with your tough boy act either, Sephiroth! Gosh, I keep telling you not to have intense sparring matches with Cloud. See what happens? You become bloodthirsty. Put that weapon away and eat your breakfast.” Aerith told him with a pouty face, and she pulled her hands away before putting them on both sides of her hips.
That was then she left him stunned. Did everything that just happened was true? Did Sephiroth travel to an odd world? He didn’t know, but he should keep his composure and do what needed to be done.
The entire time he was there though, he found himself unable to kill her. For some weird reason he didn’t know what he would think of, that he wanted to know what kind of life he was living right now. One thing he found out was that he was with the Cetra, supposedly he was living with her in this humble abode. What their relationship was something he did not expect, apparently they were married. As if some twisted kind of fate, these fated enemies found love with one another and tied the knot. They were living in an alternate reality, things happened differently and deviated from the lives that he knew of.
That afternoon, Sephiroth looked around the house to learn more about this world. He found multiple pictures pinned on the walls from the bedroom he shared with Aerith. He grimaced at the thought as he saw a picture of him and her holding each other’s hands; Aerith smiled widely while he was with a faint one.
So in this world, we were foolish enough to seek love with one another. Hmph, such immature things. Must it really be like this? Or was it the Planet trying to protect its daughter from my hands?
Sephiroth crossed his arms as he continued to stare at the pictures on the wall.
How would that stop me? I will still find ways to take her life, as she hinders everything that I had planned for godhood. She is nothing but another blood stained in my hands and blade.
“Sephiroth? Are you in there?” Aerith spoke from outside, knocking at the door.
“I am,” He replied stoically. Maybe he’ll try to entertain this flower girl before proceeding with his mission. He’ll linger, for now.
“Oh good, I have something to tell you and show you.” He could hear her giggle and he put his guards up immediately. What was this girl planning to do?
As the door opened, he found Aerith holding a rather large and heavy box. She walked off-balanced trying to carry the weight, but immediately Sephiroth took the box from her and she thanked him.
“What is this, Aerith?” He asked before putting the box down on the wooden floor.
“I’ll show you,” Aerith excitedly took a cutter and cut the tapes from the box. She showed a bunch of items and clothes when she told him to sit down with her. Sephiroth’s eyebrows raised in a slight surprise. Those are baby clothes and items! Was she expecting?
Something inside Sephiroth stirred, this was such an odd feeling. Is this another one of the Planet’s ways of interfering with her fateful death? Would Sephiroth stop if she had a child?
“See these… and those… I picked them all out from the store and delivered them here!” Aerith spoke happily and went to sit next to him. “I know I’m not pregnant yet, but we did say that we’ll have one eventually. And… I’m really excited, you know? For us to grow our family, we’ll teach them how to do so many things. I’ll teach them how to take care of our garden, and you’ll teach them how to wield a sword!”
Sephiroth kept quiet, his thoughts suddenly jumped to thinking about having his own child. What would that child become? Surely it would be something that Hojo would look forward to, as he wanted an offspring of Sephiroth and Aerith. Though, Sephiroth wondered about what this child would look like. Would it be a mix of him and Aerith, or would it dominate one of the other's traits?
And then, would this child be stronger than him? And if this child grows up, what would it think when Sephiroth reveals that he’s it's mother’s killer? Would there be a fight between father and child?
No, in this world it’s quite different. He’d watch this child grow up as other children would, this child will have him as the father and the Cetra the mother. Would she be a good mother? And would he be the father that this child would love to play with? No, this is getting absurd.
Abandoning those weird thoughts, he noticed that Aerith embraced his left arm as if seeking for comfort. He just let her be, as he was starting to be unsure of whatever was going on with him. He needed to calm down, to remind himself that the only reason he was here was to kill this woman, and not to act as if he loved her like the version of himself does in this timeline.
“Seph, are you… Not happy?” Aerith asked with concern written in her face and voice. “I swear I didn't use your credit card, okay? I bought those things with my own money.”
For the first time in his life, Sephiroth laughed at such silly things. He looked at Aerith as he smirked, watching as she flushed and hid her face on his shoulder.
“Meanie,” Aerith said and then Sephiroth noticed her arms untangle from him. She moved away and looked at the baby clothes, staring at it in silence. “Maybe it is too soon.” She mumbled under her breath.
“Do you want to bear a child?” Sephiroth asked curiously, he observed her, seeing her nod. He had not realized this before, Aerith was just a young woman with dreams. He had seen and heard some of her ramblings through the eyes of Cloud back then, how she wanted to explore the world, to be with those she loved, friends and family. An optimist, he thinks. Or she was just a young girl who sought to make her dreams come true.
And he took that away from her, she lived a short life and he was the reason why. In every life he lived, the flower girl would always have her life cut short as he never gave her any chance to. Why should he? She was a hindrance.
But in this world, he did not kill her. Or rather he hasn't yet. Was she able to go through every place in Gaia? Is she with the ones that she loved?
Sephiroth suddenly realized what world he lived in, and he may have concluded that this was a world where Aerith’s dreams came true. He looked back at the pictures on the wall, slowly Sephiroth realized that backgrounds of the picture varied. Those were places all around the world and she was able to go there. She had her friends and family with her in some pictures as well.
And moreover, she was with him. The person that she… loves ?
That felt so wrong, that was not right. There was no way that she would love him. They hated each other, didn't they? They’re always at each other's throats, and there are no other feelings rather than hostility.
… Or does she actually love him?
No, shouldn't it be Zack or Cloud in his place? This was not right. But… Why does it feel so right then? That she ended up with him?
This flower girl that he always sought to kill became his lover in this odd and twisted world. And instead of hate, he sees love in her eyes whenever she looks at him. That made something in his chest tighten, a feeling he did not want to have.
He noticed it since breakfast, how Aerith talked to him like she would to her friends. She sat next to him as they ate, she fed him a home cooked meal that she said she “sprinkled with love”, whatever that meant. She prepared his clothes while he bathed, kissed his cheeks (which he didn't expect) as she told him to take care while he ventured outside. She was happy, smiling. She loves him in this world, she didn't loathe him.
He realized he made a mistake of not killing her the moment he woke up. Yet this felt like a mistake he should be proud of. Now, it felt more like he wanted to stay for a bit longer just to see how things would go.
“Sorry, I’ll tend the garden.” Aerith was about to stand up, but then she was pulled back down to the floor by Sephiroth. She yelped and landed on his lap. Blushing, she looked at Sephiroth who was staring at her as if he was trying to recognize her. “Seph?” She called and turned to face him.
He did not respond, instead his body moved on his own and decided to kiss her. Aerith immediately kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck. As they pulled, Sephiroth was stunned by his own actions. What was he doing? This isn’t how everything was supposed to go.
But the taste of her lips lingered in him, and without a second thought he pulled her closer to him and locked his lips with hers once again.
A surprising twist of fate.
He, of all people, made love with her, his sworn enemy.
The longer he stayed in this timeline, the longer he found himself to be changing. Sephiroth wakes up every morning with Aerith in his arms, he found it repulsive at first but then grew to like her company. After all, he even made love with her and it was a wonderful feeling. She was irresistible, he found himself worshiping her though he was supposed to be the god. He found himself wanting to stay with her, holding her close to him. It was so wrong, everything is, but it all felt right.
He complied with everything that she wanted to do, something that he never thought in his life that he would do. Picnic dates, tending gardens, hanging out with her friends, going out for a walk, taking care of children in the orphanage… he did all of that with her. He thought it was foolish of him to do whatever she wanted to do, but he couldn’t resist her, couldn’t stop her. It was as if there was something pulling him closer towards her. Towards this version of her.
And then one day, he found out that he fell in love with her.
Curses! He really should’ve killed her! But why can’t he?! Every single time he holds his sword, he keeps vowing to himself that he would kill her so he can leave this place and do what he sought to do in the first place. But he can’t. He just couldn’t.
Rather than seeing her blood in his hands, he sees her hand holding his. She was always gentle, so kind. She kept showing him care and love towards him, there was no hostility in her presence, not even an ounce of it. And Sephiroth found himself wanting more, he was completely drowning in her, and to the point where he couldn’t even dare to hurt her.
Why?
Is this just a way of fate punishing him for his crimes? Because he was ruthless to the Cetra? How laughable, and he just started to mock himself for turning into something he was not. Or was he forgiven by Aerith in this world, giving him another chance?
Deep inside him, he hoped it was the latter.
“Here, Seph.” Aerith got him out of his trance when he saw and smelled the pie that was on a plate in front of him. She giggled when she noticed his dazed look, “Thinking of another world domination again? Unfortunately, tasting my pie is a priority rather than that!”
“...You dare to make a joke out of my ambitions.” Sephiroth sighed, taking the newly baked pie and eating it. His eyes slightly widened, it was delectable.
“How is it?”
“Delicious.”
“Yay!” Aerith immediately jumped at him, embracing him tightly. Sephiroth chuckled, returning the hug and pats her back.
He cannot deny this now, he was enjoying his time with the woman he sought to kill. Sephiroth looked down, amused to see the small frame of Aerith close to his. She looked so lovely, so beautiful. She looked like a goddess, someone he should kneel down to. Maybe he could rule the Planet and she would be by his side. Overall, he learned to love the Cetra even when he knew this was just another version of her that he should’ve murdered long ago.
All of a sudden, seeing her lifeless body in his thoughts gave a sour taste in his tongue. He didn’t like it one bit. He finished the pie and with overwhelming feelings he held her closer, kissing on the crown of her head. He closed his eyes as he inhaled her scent, she smelled like flowers.
“Sephiroth?”
“Hm?” He responded to her call, not letting her go from his embrace.
“No, nothing. You just seem… Off for a while now.” Aerith told him with a smile, she tiptoed to give a chaste kiss on his lips. “Penny for your thoughts?”
“How we ever came to be,” Sephiroth replied. “Are you aware of who I am truly?”
“The great ex-general Sephiroth who once tried to rule the Planet, my supposed enemy. Yet here we are having a moment as a married couple, weird isn't it?”
“Exactly, so you do know how dangerous it is for us to be like this. We must not be—”
“And I love you.”
Sephiroth trailed off, looking back at the flower girl. His eyebrows raised, questioning what he just heard.
“I love you, you silly big man!” Aerith laughed, “I don't care how dangerous you are or how long your sword is. Or how you once threatened to destroy the world… I love you and you know that. Why else did we get married in the first place had it not been because of our feelings for each other?”
When Aerith smiled sincerely at Sephiroth, she was surprised by his sudden actions of kissing her. Though she did think that he was acting differently for a while, she did not mind it at all.
Though Sephiroth realized he did love her, he knew he still needed to continue his murder.
But the way her smile, her laugh, her love kept lingering in his mind.
He couldn’t.
That night in their bedroom, as Aerith lay down asleep next to him. Sephiroth was awake, staring at the ceiling. He kept telling himself to do it now, to get out of this world and go to another, where he could continue his plan.
He has to kill her, take her life away. No hesitations, no doubts.
But something deep inside him keeps telling him to stop, stop because this is the only person that gave and showed him love. He had never felt this much emotion before, not even when he was still younger. He had not felt this kind of love, and even if he kept telling himself he needed to take these feelings away as it hinders everything in his plan, he just couldn’t. He loves Aerith now, and he knows he shouldn’t. They were enemies, weren’t they?
He sat up and went on top of the sleeping girl, with his two hands he slowly placed on her exposed neck. Just one snap, she’ll be dead. Just one choke, she won’t breathe again. He has to do this, he has to. They were never supposed to be together, not like this. This world is nothing but a farce, this world is wrong. He’s not supposed to be here, and he should kill her.
His hands slightly trembled, his breath hitched, and his eyes narrowed. The longer he looked at the peaceful face of hers, the further his hesitation rises. This is tearing him apart, this so-called love is tearing him. He can’t do it, be he had to.
Is this how that puppet feels whenever he controls him?
Sephiroth took another deep breath, this time, he’ll be successful. He was about to push his hands down, to tighten the grip on her neck.
“Seph…?” Aerith woke up, groggily looking at him with her eyes still slightly closed. But then she realized what he was about to do, her eyes widened, but she didn’t move. She just gasped and smiled at him.
She smiled at him.
Sephiroth grits his teeth.
“It’s okay,” she said. “It’s okay. Do what you need to do. I won’t fight back.”
Why?
Why!?
Why is she okay with this?!
“Why…” Sephiroth spoke under his breath. “Why are you okay with this? I’m going to kill you.”
“Because I’ve already accepted my fate, my role in this world still stands. You’re still going to rule this planet, Cloud will stop you. That’s how it’s supposed to be.” She knows. She has the knowledge of her fate, and yet here she is not defying it. In fact she’s accepted it.
“You know..?”
“I do know… about everything, just as you do.” Aerith kept her smile before putting her own hands on his. “Don’t be afraid, Sephiroth. We’ll see each other in the next world too, won’t we? This is just another, and once this world is done. You’ll find me again, so you don’t have to be afraid. It’s our fate.”
Sephiroth panted, still trying to force himself to do so. “Are you not afraid of losing the things you had in this world?”
Aerith slightly nodded, “I am a little afraid.” She said, “But it’s okay, it’s okay… maybe in another world, I’ll wake up and our baby will be there with us.”
Finally, Sephiroth’s breath was caught in his throat. He froze in his place, his eyes widened as he looked down on Aerith. “What do you mean? Are you…”
Aerith nodded, she then touched his face as she smiled gently. “I am, Sephiroth. I am… but it’s okay, we’ll meet each other again. Maybe in another life, it’ll be born. I think you’ll be a great father, Seph. You’d be teaching them how to be strong like you, right?” She giggled, caressing his cheek. “Don’t worry, Sephiroth. It’ll be okay, just do what you have to do. You can explain everything to our friends later.”
“I…”
Tears fell from his eyes, his hands letting go from her neck and he just knelt there letting out his sobs. Aerith was surprised, because she was waiting for this to happen. It was her fate after all, and though she tried to change that, it just keeps happening. She wasn’t tired of it, but she knew that Sephiroth shouldn’t stay in a world like this. The only way for him to be free of this world was for her life to end, and that’s what she wanted to happen. But now, here he is, vulnerable and broken.
“Sephiroth?” Aerith sat up, watching as he cried out. She couldn’t help but feel the same as he did, her tears welled up her eyes before spilling. She embraced him tightly, trying to soothe him.
This world truly is something, a world where he didn’t expect things would happen. He didn’t expect to feel, to love, to experience what it is to have a normal life. All he wanted was a free life when he was younger, to be happy, and to have something he could call family. He remembered those dreams, those wishes, those ambitions that he threw away so it wouldn’t hinder him in his quest to rule the Planet. And now that he’s gotten everything he wished for, why is he now trying to take all of these away? It’s within his grasp, he can have a new life. He can feel love, he can create a family and make his children experience familial love that was stolen from him long ago. A life he can finally have, with a woman that loves him dearly, and it was Aerith of all people.
So why is he taking it away now? To be God?
And if he was able to do that, what then? What else is there?
How can you want an eternity of loneliness?
He opened his eyes and looked at Aerith, seeing her tears made him feel anger towards himself. Is this what it really felt like had he loved her before and seen her die?
No, he can’t have that happen again.
Or else he’ll be lost at this point.
“I’m sorry…” He whispered, “I’ll take care of you. I’ll take care of our child. I won’t hurt you anymore.”
Aerith just nodded, they both knew they didn’t have to speak for now. Just pure silence is what they needed as she comforted him as much as she could. Then, the moment they lay back down on the bed, Sephiroth watched as Aerith fell back to sleep. He pulled himself closer to her, taking in the flowery scent of her hair. A smell that he’d learn to love.
This time, he would linger. He would stay.
Days, weeks, and months have passed since then.
Sephiroth dedicated his time taking care of Aerith, as her belly grew larger and she had to be assisted as her pregnancy carried on. Everyday, they took turns in cooking their food. Most of the time, it was Sephiroth who did it as Aerith had decided that Sephiroth cooked better than her (much to Sephiroth’s frustration that Aerith did not believe in herself). The two would also help each other out in household chores, with Aerith doing the easier tasks while Sephiroth was the one carrying the heavy objects, like baskets of laundry.
Aerith and Sephiroth already planned to decorate one of the empty rooms in their house, adding a lot of baby items and Sephiroth built a small wooden crib. They were deciding what to color the room as they didn’t know what the child’s gender was. Aerith insisted that the baby could be a girl and Sephiroth insisted it was a boy, and that was then they thought they had to do an ultrasound.
Trying to find a doctor was nerve-wracking for Aerith and Sephiroth, as they both had bad experiences being in a room of doctors and in a laboratory. But thankfully, Tifa knew a local clinic in which they could be at ease. Aerith thanked Tifa for this, while Sephiroth just breathed in relief.
The couple’s eyes widened when they found out the results of the ultrasound. Aerith was pregnant with not just one, but triplets. She also found out that they were all boys, and she saw Sephiroth’s proud reaction. She’ll get him!
“I guess we need two more cribs, papa Seph!” Aerith teased, and Sephiroth could only laugh at her joke.
“No, I’ll make a big one.” He responded as he kissed her forehead.
But another problem arose, Aerith’s pregnancy wouldn’t be easy for her. When they heard the complications she might have, that made Sephiroth more determined to take care of her from then on. Most of the time, he would carry her when she couldn’t walk easily. He’d satisfy all of her cravings and would literally do anything that would keep her healthy.
The complications made Sephiroth feel as if something was about to happen, and he did not like his own gut feelings. It was a bad feeling.
He tried to shake off those thoughts as days went by. It wasn’t getting easier especially with Aerith slowly growing weaker. Something was eating her inside, and he feared that he figured out that it might be due to their Cetra and Jenova cells not mixing.
Sephiroth feared for the worst.
And fear he shall face.
Despair, even.
“The babies are coming!” Aerith was writhing and screaming in pain, Sephiroth was holding her hand as she was giving birth in the clinic. She screamed and cried, begging for her pain to stop. Sephiroth’s hand would’ve been broken by now if he was frail, as Aerith’s grip on his were too tight. He whispered soothing words, telling her that it’ll be alright, that she’ll be able to get through this and their babies would be born.
Sephiroth took a glance at the nurses who were also working hard before looking back at Aerith, he moved up and kissed on her forehead. An assurance that she’ll be alright.
Though his heart had already dropped to his stomach, he still hoped that whatever he was thinking of was not real, that this would all go awry. Dread overwhelmed him, he didn’t want her to suffer more. He wants this to be over so he could come home with Aerith with their newborns, so that he and Aerith can start taking care of their babies and watch them grow up. He wants to go home and show Aerith the large crib he worked so hard on, to put their babies to sleep in that crib, he’ll put it next to their bed so they could see the babies all the time.
Then, he heard the cry of a baby. Sephiroth’s eyes opened and looked to see a small baby, his heart jumped up a little, but knew it wasn’t over yet. Two more babies, and everything will be fine.
Finally…
Sephiroth realized they were all delivered safely, he was overjoyed. He embraced Aerith, and he saw how exhausted she was, but she had a weak smile on her face.
“Aerith. Oh, my Aerith! Our babies, our babies are here!” He spoke, proudly. The nurses let him carry the triplets, and put the two babies next to Aerith while he held the other one. The nurses left them to give them some time with each other.
“They’re all… small.” He continued, chuckling as he stared at them.
“They look… like you.” Aerith spoke hoarsely, she slightly moved towards the babies and kissed their foreheads. Sephiroth brought the baby in his arms to Aerith and she kissed him as well. “All of them, and they’re all… boys.”
“Yeah,” Sephiroth replied. “They are. Our kids.”
“Our boys,” Aerith giggled and then she held Sephiroth’s hand. She let it rest on her cheek. “Seph…”
“You need to rest, Aerith.” Sephiroth whispered, “You’re tired.”
Aerith nodded weakly, her eyes already fighting to close but she insisted on staying awake. Her mouth opened, taking a few breaths before speaking. “Seph…? You’ll take care of the babies, won’t you?”
“ We’ll take care of them, together.” Sephiroth replied, his eyes narrowing. “But for now, I will do it. You’ll rest, then when you wake up, we’ll go home and do what we planned to do. Though I may dislike it, I’ll even change their diapers. Gods, three boys… they’ll be troublemakers for sure.”
“Just like you,” Aerith smiled. “Just like my Sephiroth, they’ll cause chaos for sure.”
“For sure.”
All of a sudden, when Sephiroth moved his hand lower to her neck, he noticed that her heartbeat was getting weaker. His eyes widened and he immediately panicked. “Aerith? Aerith?!”
“Hmm…?” Aerith looked at him, a bit confused at first but when she realized, she just smiled at him. “I’ll be okay, Seph.”
“No, no, no.” Sephiroth’s voice faltered, “You’re not okay! Get yourself together now, Aerith. Where the hell are the nurses?!”
“Calm down, Sephiroth…” Aerith pats his hand, trying to calm him down to no avail. “I’ll just sleep, just like you said. I’m just… tired.”
Sephiroth grits his teeth and looks back at Aerith, she was frailer than ever. He shook his head, he knew what this was and he didn't want to accept that this was happening.
What the hell is going on?!
Is this really happening? Is this going to be taken from him?!
He looked at the babies, his and Aerith’s. After everything he had done, he learned to love, to find what true happiness was, is this what he gets in return?
“Aerith, are you telling me that you’re giving up? You should not, you’re stronger than this!” He exclaimed, unknowingly tears were already streaming on his cheeks. “We have our babies now, Aerith. They need you, they need their mother! I can’t do this without you, Aerith!”
“You can, Sephiroth…” Aerith replied, “You’ll be a great dad. I trust you…”
“Don't say that as if you're leaving, Aerith.” Sephiroth muttered, the babies are now crying and he feared that they could also feel their mother’s strength leaving her body. “Aerith, look… Look, they’re crying. I need- they need you, they need you badly. Aerith!”
“Seph,” Aerith whispered as her eyes felt heavy. “You know… I’ll always love you, no matter which world we're in.”
Sephiroth grits his teeth once again, he goes closer and embraces his wife and children. “Aerith…” he hissed, she was getting colder. He rested his face on her neck, smelling the lingering scent of flowers and earth. “I love you, Aerith. Don't leave me, don't leave us. I don't want to be alone again, please…”
She did not respond.
“Please…”
Sephiroth felt as if his entire world had just shattered into pieces, he couldn't feel her heartbeat anymore. She was gone in an instant.
“Aerith…? Aerith!!”
“You did well, my son.”
He heard Jenova's voice after a long while, when he opened his eyes he found himself inside a white void. Then the Whispers started to appear and surrounded him. Sephiroth's breath hitched, he realized where he was.
“My sons..!” Sephiroth looked around, trying to look for his newborns but he couldn't see them anywhere.
“Aerith!!” His wife wasn't there with him either.
“Come, my son. On to the next world you go.”
“No… no!” He was as frantic as he could be. What the hell happened? He knew this was the place he’d traverse through the moment he takes the life of the Cetra in different worlds, but this felt wrong. “I didn't even kill her… How did this happen?!”
“Oh, but you did.”
“How… how?! I was not— I didn't want to anymore, I wanted to be with her! I loved her! I wanted to stay! I wanted her to stay!” Sephiroth puts his hands to his head, gripping his silver locks. “And my children, our children! Where are they?! Gods, Aerith! I did not kill you, Aerith! I didn't! How did I kill her?! How, when I have sworn to love her as much as she did?! I wanted to protect her!”
“You know the answer already, my son.” He heard Jenova’s laughter and he visibly cringed at the sound. He did not like it at all, she was mocking him. Jenova was mocking his vulnerability. “But I have to reiterate it for you. Your blood and hers, though if mixed well you would have created a perfect offspring. But, alas, in this world it didn't. It caused her pain and danger, and just the perfect poison to end her slowly but surely.”
“No…”
“And how did that happen? When you made love with her, of course. You gave it to her, therefore you caused that to happen. You killed her, my son. Just as you originally planned.”
“NO!!” He screamed. “I didn't want to, I just wanted to love her! I wanted to be with her, to have a family with her! I didn't want to be alone again!!”
“You still have me, my son. Your Mother is here for you.”
“It’s not the same!! It’s not!! I wanted her, I wanted my Aerith!” He looked up at the bright space, as his tears still spilled from his eyes. “My Aerith… my Aerith…”
“But of course, if you love the Cetra so much… then continue your godhood, my son. That way…”
“That way…?” He whispered, trying to understand what Jenova had planned for him.
“You can create a new world, this time with her by your side as you rule the planet. You can bring her back, you’ll find her again.”
“Again…”
“But kill her, you must. As it is what you sought to do in the first place… you can always bring her back when we rule the Planet. After all…
It will be a Reunion.”
Of course… Of course! Mother was always right. Though Aerith may be gone, he can always find her anywhere. But for now, she should die in his hands over and over again, he will find a way to make the puppet obey him as well. Then, he shall let the Reunion happen.
He will be able to change fate and then he wouldn’t have to take her life anymore. He’ll defy his own destiny as well.
Then, he’ll rule Gaia. He’ll revive his Aerith, and be with her forever.
A broken laugh escaped from his lips.
“You are right, Mother. It will be a Reunion.”
He had found her again in another world, doing a silly date with his puppet. He chuckled under his breath as he saw her walking with Cloud. Mockingly, he made his presence known to her as his black feathers fell. Aerith saw it, and knew it was his threat. His very threat that her life will be taken from again, and this world will be destroyed.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding.”
“In a world that has accepted its fate.”
When Sephiroth opened his eyes again, he found himself at the Sector 5 slums. He saw the church far away from him. Sephiroth smirked before taking a deep breath, the smell of the flowers and earth once again enveloped him. It was a part of her, his Aerith. A part of her lingers in his mind, more likely, a version of her in another timeline, in another life.
He found Zack Fair sitting at the stairs leading up to the entrance of the church. Zack stood up in shock and anger as he saw Sephiroth. He wanted to fight? That wasn’t what Sephiroth came for.
“You want a piece of me?!”
“No, not you.” Sephiroth replied, pushing the black haired man into a portal with Masamune.
He didn’t need hindrances, he just ignored Zack’s yelling of his name as puts his hands on the wooden door.
Though this Aerith behind the closed doors of this church is not his , and only the enemy he sought out to kill as she was against his plans, one day she’ll be his again. Then, he’ll give her a family. Their children will be born again. They’ll be together for as long as they both live.
He yearns for her laugh, her smile, her warmth. It was making him crazy, and knowing that his Aerith will not be the one he’ll find now angers him. She’s not in this world, although that was still Aerith. Deep inside him he still fears for the death of the only woman he loved romantically, but he hardened his heart again as he was meant to do this.
Sephiroth took another deep breath, still the smell of the flowers kept lingering. He saw the vision of Aerith walking with him in the house they’ve built with lily flowers surrounding them, a picnic date that they used to do and what could have been as he saw three little children running around and calling for their mother and father as they played. His children. They haven’t even named the kids…
Nonetheless he threw such thoughts away, he can’t have that same vulnerability. He knows it’ll be his downfall if he finds her in that church with such feelings, he can’t show her that. Sephiroth knows how clever the Cetra is, it would hinder his plans again. She could turn him into the fool that loved her dearly, the one that got him wrapped around her finger. And he did not want that.
And when he opened the church's door, he found the woman he chased after. Worlds after worlds, despair after despair, love and hate, and endless fights. His face kept the intimidating and deadly expression that he always had as he walked inside the church, he watched as Aerith pushed Cloud back into his own world.
Another vision came to him as he approached Aerith, seeing the flowers surrounding her. The same vision he had earlier, a vision of that very world that he learned to love. He hated himself, and he hated her because she was the only woman that made her feel such human things that he already discarded long ago.
But that was the reason why he loved her too, wasn’t it?
If fate allows it, he would’ve just taken her in his arms and told her how much he loves her. But that shouldn’t happen. No, not now.
The next thing he saw was that Aerith just nodded at him, accepting her fate.
It was like back then again, when he had his hands on her neck.
“You accept this fate still, Cetra?” He whispered.
“It’s our destiny after all, Sephiroth.” Aerith smiled sadly before tiptoeing to kiss his lips, the same way she did in that world. Sephiroth’s brows furrowed at this yet he returned the gesture, it was already cruel enough.
“I’ll defy that destiny,” He replied. “The reunion shall come too, and I shall give everyone despair.”
Aerith didn’t answer him, instead as she let go of his hold, she just stood and waited for Sephiroth to strike. Then she saw Masamune in his left hand, as she closed her eyes before meeting her fate, she told him. “They were Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo.”
“Our… children…” Sephiroth’s jaw clenched, shaking his head before finally plunging his sword on her abdomen. He immediately pulled Aerith in his arms, slowly feeling her life fade away. “Rest now, my Aerith. I will become God, I’ll show you. You shall be mine to keep when that happens.”
“Seph… that pride of yours… is your biggest downfall.” Aerith smiled, blood pooling at her lungs and mouth. “Yet I still hope… for your salvation.”
“No, my Aerith. I do not need salvation. And… You’re already my sweetest downfall, do you know?” Sephiroth chuckled, finally seeing her limp in his arms. He kissed on her forehead then to her blood smeared lips.
Gaia, you give us cruel fate.
This is why I will recreate this world.
I shall destroy worlds and give everyone despair, just as the world has given me. Then I’ll rule over, I’ll become the new God.
He realized then when he laughed that tears started to fall from his eyes, he remembered his time with her once again and he kept laughing while still holding her body.
Sephiroth sighed before laying down Aerith’s body on the patches of lilies in her church, gently putting her hands on her chest as if she was in a coffin. Her smile still present on her face and Sephiroth wiped the blood off her lips and chin.
She looked so beautiful, too beautiful that he didn’t even think she was dead. She just looked as if she was asleep.
Sephiroth stood up and walked away, opening another portal. He took one last look at the Cetra, and a familiar feeling of his sinking heart arose once again. Why did he let himself fall for Aerith? Why did he have to be so curious about that world?
Now look at him. He should’ve been smiling and proud about this, but he only felt anger and hatred within himself. He was displeased, disappointed. He didn’t like to see or do that, but he had to because that was how everything should play out.
He took another breath before finally leaving, remembering the love he had for her and it angers him even more. It hurts him.
And though he tries to forget about that feeling, he could still hear her voice, smell her scent, see her smile. He grimaced.
He really shouldn’t have lingered in that world in the first place.