No Choice Left
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: Sephiroth’s still
not mine! (Aeris says she owns him ^_^) All right, I’m serious now: they both
belong to Squaresoft. However, the bit at the chapter’s end (gasp) DOESN’T. And
it’s not mine, either: I’m hundred percent sure you’ll recognize the author.
Author’s Notes: Thanks for all
your reviews, they were motivating and made my last Tuesday afternoon a little
happier. It feels nice to know somebody is reading this. I was surprised with
the number of your comments (expected two or something), so please, surprise me
some more…
I’m sure you’ve already
noticed everything is happening very slowly in this fic… simply because I
prefer dialogue and psychology to action. I'm creating a human relationship
here, right…? So even more talking/thinking awaits you…
Back to the point… (Who’s
paying attention to my notes, anyway?) So, Aeris’s already packed but what
about the oh-so-noble-and-caring Sephiroth? Isn’t he going to help? And wasn’t
he… uh… badly wounded? This chapter is short but quite important, mostly
because Movitriss appears here (you’ve already met her at the Council’s
meeting). She’s the alternate pairing for Sephiroth, the one you were so much
against …BUT remember that "alternate" does not mean "necessary".
For more clues see the Author's Notes of the previous chapter.
Enjoy this part!
* * *
He woke up to the same,
familiar room, the room that he slowly started to get used to. Languidly,
lazily he opened his eyes and suddenly his whole body tensed because he could
momentarily sense there was somebody else in the chamber. He sat up quickly in
his bed, instantly lucid and vigilant.
Movitriss stood by the window
that was now fully opened, letting the fresh, warm air inside along with the
sweet smell of flowers and birds’ twitter. She was leaning on the broad sill.
He couldn’t see the expression on her face for she was turning her back on him.
Sephiroth frowned. He was used
to privacy and being alone. (What is this woman doing? How long has she been
there?)
“You’re awake.” she suddenly
spoke, still not bothering to turn around “How’s your throat?”
He instinctively raised his
hand to touch the side of his neck. He couldn't feel anything under his
fingers; no scar, no bandage, nothing at all… but it still hurt. He frowned
once more.
“It’s not your concern.” he
answered, keeping his voice polite, despite the obvious antipathy in his words.
She laughed in response,
finally turning around.
“Well, it is.” she smiled. His
blue eyes remained cold and indifferent, not a slightest hint of humor visible
in them.
“Could you please leave.” that
was not a question, as far as both of them were concerned.
“Ah.” her smile did not fade,
though Sephiroth wasn’t sure whether she was mocking him or not “You’re
starting to become so predictable.”
He only stared at her icily.
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
“No.” Movitriss solemnly shook
her head “In fact, there’s a lot more than just that. Valagar sent
“Look.” Sephiroth said,
forcing himself not to sound as annoyed as he was “Perhaps you haven’t noticed
but I’m still half-naked and in my bed. As curious as I may be about what does
Valagar wants to tell me…” the irony in his voice was more than evident “…I’d
rather listen to it being fully dressed and awake. Is that fine with you?” he
said through clenched teeth.
She almost grinned in
response; amazed by the way he acted, the way he was angered and embarrassed.
“Meet me down in a garden in
half an hour, then.” she said and left the room a few seconds later.
* * *
He found her on a small,
decorative swing, placed among some old willows. She was absently playing with
an expensive, ivory fan. Wearing a light, airy white dress, with her curled,
arm-length red hair dancing around in the breeze, she resembled an ephemeral
butterfly. Her delicate, flawless face made her look very attractive.
Sephiroth didn’t notice that,
actually, or perhaps noticed but paid no attention. Perhaps he was simply
preoccupied with the fact that his neck was still sore and hurt like hell, even
though somebody had obviously cast a healing spell on it just after he fainted.
<Damn you, Kyro>
He stopped just a few steps
away from her, leaning against the willow’s crooked trunk and folding his arms
across his chest. It was warm in the garden, so warm that he had to roll up the
sleeves of his shirt.
“Well?” he asked
half-nonchalantly and half-expectantly.
Movitriss raised her gaze off
the ground and looked straight at him, yet still not answering. Her eyes were
deep and golden, resembling some sweet, sticky honey. Sephiroth pushed those
thoughts aside, strangely a little concerned for her, because she appeared sad
and troubled. He wondered whether it was just another one of her silly games.
Childish as she seems to be she’d probably burst out laughing any time now, he
decided. The sound of his name being spoken pulled him out of his train of though.
“Sephiroth…” Movitriss
started, beginning to feel quite unsure about this conversation “I’m sorry
about what happened yesterday.” she said quietly “Especially about Kyro’s
violent outburst. It was foolish of him to judge you like that. I want you to know
we don’t all think that way. And still…” she was brave enough to look him
straight in the eye “I want you to reconsider your decision.”
“I’ve already made my
decision.” he finally spoke, sitting down among the grass under the willow’s
delicate branches. It was so sultry that it made him a little bit sleepy and
tired, yet peaceful at the same time; that was an unfamiliar feeling to him,
something never known or perhaps only long forgotten.
Movitriss raised her feet of
the ground and the swing moved a little. Still toying with her fan, the woman
suppressed a heavy sigh. She looked slightly older now, nevertheless still
remaining the delicate fairy of the garden.
“I’m sorry.” all of a sudden
she looked down “You have to help us. I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.”
“And why is that?” he
instantly narrowed his eyes, the peaceful, dreamy feeling disappearing from his
face.
“Valagar told me he wouldn’t
force you unless he really had to. I think he actually expected you to agree of
your own free will.” she paused for a second “So did I.”
Sephiroth only shrugged. She
was turning out to be such a difficult person to deal with… much more than
Kyro, who was just an irritating fool to forget about. Well, Movitriss… She
actually made him feel a little… guilty?
(Guilty of what? It’s not my
concern…)
“What do you mean?” he asked
her coldly “Is that a… threat?” she didn’t shake her head ‘no’ and that was
just enough for him. However, as usual, he simply decided to wait.
“They can send you to a place
that very much resembles the human idea of hell." she spoke, trying hard
to keep her voice calm "…The place where a mortal body dies but a soul
lives forever. The place where all nightmares come true. It’s a deadly trap, no
one who was ever banished there has managed to escape." Movitriss paused
"That or Sandalya." she sighed "So you see… there's really no
choice left."
Sephiroth waited for Movitriss
to finish, keeping his eyes on her, although she was looking at the ground. “…I
still have an option, you know…”
“No, you don’t.” she
interrupted him, as if reading his thoughts “Kill yourself and you’ll end up
there as well.” the silence that followed was very, very long.
“I see.” he stood up slowly,
still a little stiff from his recent wounds. It took a lot of his self-control
not to shout at Movitriss “So that’s how the noble Cetra Council works.“ he
sneered at her instead.
<Do I deserve any
better?>
Anger flashed in his eyes.
(No, not again, not anymore. I won’t be a pawn in yet another game.)
“I don’t have a choice,
right?” he hissed “Not a fair one, anyway.”
(I would decide on any fate to
escape being a puppet once again. Science. ShinRa. Or Jenova. Not anymore.)
<Would I…?>
(Now what did Movitriss say
about this particular choice?)
“You know I’m serious,
Sephiroth.” Movitriss spoke, still avoiding his gaze “As much as I hate to
admit it and as much as he means you no harm, Valagar’s threat is true. Please,
be reasonable…” she also stood up and raised her hand, as if reaching out to
him. Sephiroth only stared at her coldly, his eyes were distant and hostile,
and a barely visible green glow could be seen in them.
“I do not like being forced
into anything.”
“I know and I’m sorry, so is
Valagar, but you have to understand… We need your help and… protecting Sandalya
and the Promised Land is a good thing to do…” she took a step forward, looking
quite desperate at that moment “Look, why shouldn’t you help those people? What
have they done to you? Why should you refuse? If that place is saved, you’d win
their trust and…”
“Shouldn’t you say
"our" trust?”
“The Council trusts you
already…”
He laughed in response.
<Yeah, right. You can’t lie
that well, Movitriss…>
“Yes, indeed. Especially
Kyro.” he said sarcastically.
“Well, I do!” her lips
shivered with barely controlled anger. She flung her fan to the ground. “And
forget about Kyro! He’s a hot-tempered bastard but he doesn’t rule the
Council!”
They were silent for a long
moment, both angered, glaring at one other and thinking at the same time. Their
conversation had came to a standstill. Oblivious of that, somewhere in the
distance the birds were singing. Finally, Movitriss spoke in a calm and quiet
voice, almost whispering one but meaningful word:
“Please.”
He was angry with all of them
for making him feel that way…
<I swore to myself, never
again…>
(A marionette.)
She’s right, he thought. (If I
don’t cooperate they’ll just get rid of me and figure out another way to save
the damned planet and the Promised Land. To them it doesn’t matter that much.
And to me…)
He raised a glowed hand to his
pale forehead, briefly closing his eyes.
<I wish I could just die.
And finally forget>
He’s too proud, Movitriss
thought. He’s going to refuse even this time, she suddenly realized and a
feeling of dread overwhelmed her, though strangely enough she was not concerned
for the Promised Land but for Sephiroth solely. (He doesn’t really care…)
“Fine.” Sephiroth said,
raising his head and glaring at her mockingly, as she sighed with relief “I’ll
join your little quest.”
And with that he left her,
standing in a shade of the willow. Squinting in the blinding sun he felt far
from peace and satisfaction…
<What a coward I am. What a
coward…>
…And he was asking himself the
everlasting question of the humankind.
* * *
…Whether 'tis nobler in the
mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea
of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To
die, - to sleep, -
No more; and by a sleep to say
we end,
The heart-ache, and the
thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a
consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die;
- to sleep; -
To sleep! perchance to dream!
ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death
what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this
mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's
the respect
That makes calamity of so long
life;
For (…) who would fardels
bear,
To grunt and sweat under a
weary life,
But that the dread of
something after death,
The undiscover'd country from
whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles
the will,
And makes us rather bear those
ills we have
Than fly to others that we
know not of?
Thus conscience does make
cowards of us all.
End of Chapter 3
* * *
Author’s Notes: If you’ve
skipped the famous Shakespeare’s piece for some reason (thinking it’s long,
boring or that you already know it by heart) go back up there and read it!
Now!!! And if you’ve already done it, then do it again, please! It’s a
beautiful explanation of Sephiroth’s final decision and I want his behavior in
my story to be at least slightly believable. I've always imagined him to help
Sandalya out of fear or selfishness; and not because he started to love
everybody all of a sudden. Was that much OOC for him…?
To tell you the truth, I
wasn’t actually inspired with Shakespeare to write this part. Just after I’d
typed ‘End of Chapter 3’, I spotted ‘The tragedy of Hamlet…’ (one of the very
few English books I own) on my bookshelf and remembered this fragment at once,
deciding it would fit here perfectly. It was a mere coincidence… but I like the
final effect.
One last thing: sorry, Aeris
fans! She will certainly appear in the next chapter, of course only if there
would be another chapter. To write more, or not to write more; that is the
question. You decide. Reviews, I need your reviews! Please, I really want to
improve and I’m not afraid to hear there’s something wrong with this story… but
I just hope you like it. And next time Aeris definitely IS going to meet
Sephiroth…