To Love A One Winged Angel

Chapter 17: Arrival in Midgar

The doors to the Shin-Ra building swooshed open. Aeris and Sephiroth stood outside, rain pounding down on their heads as they peered into the brightly lit edifice. From the querulous expressions on their faces, one would think that they expected a dragon to run out and eat them whole, but no such thing happened. They just stood there silently, hands clasped.

"Sephiroth…" Aeris said finally. "You remember the promise, don’t you?"

The silver-haired man nodded and squeezed Aeris’ hand. "Whatever you do, don’t object to anything Hojo says. It’ll only make things worse."

"What does he want with us?"

"I already told you," Sephiroth said shortly. "He plans to mate us."

"What?!" Aeris exclaimed in horror. "But he can’t! That’s… that’s…"

"Do you have a problem with it?" Sephiroth asked coolly, turning to face her. "I thought you said you loved me. If that’s true, then why do you sound so disgusted?"

Aeris mouthed soundlessly for a few moments. Sephiroth rolled his eyes and started to lead her into the building. All was quiet inside; the lobby was empty, and the receptionist did not look up from her work as they passed.

She found her voice again when Sephiroth pressed the "up" button on the elevator. He stood there, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the elevator to retrieve them. Aeris took his hand and laced her fingers with his, smiling up at him innocently.

"I’m just not ready for that," she said gently. "I do love you, Sephiroth, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to hop in the sack with you. These things take time."

"I don’t understand what you mean," Sephiroth said coldly.

"Yes, you do. You’re just acting dumb on purpose."

Sephiroth’s eyes shot open. He turned to glare at her, mouth ajar. "Dumb? What exactly do you mean by that?"

"See, you’re doing it again!" Aeris giggled. "All I’m saying is that for a girl, the first time is a big thing. Men are lascivious beasts – they’re willing to fornicate with anything on legs, because they don’t have to suffer the consequences."

"Consequences?"

Aeris sighed in exasperation. "Yes, like pregnancy. If I got pregnant now, I’d most definitely be stuck here with Hojo for the rest of my life." The elevator dinged to a stop and they both got on. "But if I don’t, you’ll come and save me, right?"

"Right," Sephiroth nodded.

"I’m glad you understand," said Aeris. "At least now I know you won’t let Hojo harm me in awful ways. You promised, remember?"

Sephiroth took her hand. "Yes, I remember. I won’t let Hojo hurt you."

The elevator came to a stop on the sixty-eighth floor. They were confronted by a number of Shin-Ra soldiers when they stepped out of the lift. One grabbed Aeris and started to drag her down the hall, despite Sephiroth’s objections. She started to kick and scream.

"Aeris, don’t resist!" he ordered. "Whatever you do, don’t resist."

Another soldier tapped him on the shoulder.

"Professor Hojo wants to see you," he said gruffly. "In his office. Now."

Sephiroth nodded and followed him down a number of hallways, in the direction opposite Aeris had been taken. He hoped she was alright, and that the soldiers weren’t causing her too much harm. If they were, they would suffer the consequences. Oh yes, they would.

They stopped outside a small metal door. The soldier knocked on it; a moment later, it whooshed open and Hojo appeared. His face lit with a smile when he saw Sephiroth, and beckoned for the silver-haired man to come into the room.

"Sephiroth!"

He looked to the corner of the room. Conrad was standing inside a large iron cage, his silvery feathers ruffled with surprise.

"Boy, am I glad you’re here!" he exclaimed. "You’re going to get me out of this prison, aren’t you? Where’s Aeris? Is she alright? Are you alright? Do you have any carob nuts? They’ve been starving me up here."

"Shut up, beast," Hojo snarled. "Sit down and don’t make another sound."

Sephiroth glared at him.

"I’m glad you finally returned," said the scientist, sitting down behind his desk. "Please, take a seat. I have a number of things to discuss with you. Namely my plans for the Cetra girl. About this mating thing…"

"I refuse to do anything to her which she is against," Sephiroth growled. "You can take your experiment and shove it."

"And what of the Masamune?"

"I don’t care about it anymore," Sephiroth said, closing his eyes. "Aeris is more important to me than a piece of metal. I love her. So you can just let us go, or I’ll kill you."

Hojo laughed. "Ah, love is such a puerile waste of time. Power is what really matters in this world, and you, boy, have the ability to wield it. It is in your grasp! With the Masamune, you can rule the world. You don’t need a pathetic, whimpering woman by your side."

"What do you know of power?" Sephiroth spat. "What have you done but sit on your ass, pretending to experiment for the good of Midgar? For the good of Shin-Ra Incorporated? All of your experiments have failed. I have you backed up against a wall. I’ll kill you with my bare hands."

He started to move forward, but stopped when a shadow moved on the wall behind Hojo. The scientist started to laugh again.

"Say hello to my assistant, Sephiroth," he said tauntingly. "Perhaps you’ve met before. I believe her name was…"

"Ifalna," Sephiroth breathed. "You’re Aeris’ mother! What are you doing, siding with this filth?!"

"Aeris…" Ifalna said in her dead voice. "I have never heard that name before. And I have never seen you before. Do not pretend that you know me."

"One wrong move, and she’ll kill the chocobo," said Hojo. Conrad squealed and scurried into the far corner of his cage. "You had better do as I say. You will go to Aeris tonight and impregnate her. Do you understand?"

Sephiroth clenched his fist, wishing he could plant it in his father’s rotten face. He glanced at Conrad and, upon seeing the green, fear-filled eyes, realized that Aeris would rather be Hojo’s lab rat than have her chocobo killed. His shoulders sagged. He was trapped.

He turned back to Hojo and dropped his weapons on the desk. Hojo looked at him questioningly.

"I don’t need these anymore," Sephiroth said softly. "When I’m through with Aeris, I…"

"You’ll kill yourself?" Hojo finished.

Sephiroth squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the edge of the desk to hold himself upright. He ignored Hojo’s gleeful laughs, feeling utterly defeated. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest; in a matter of hours, it would pulsate no more. There would be no possible way to rectify his relationship with Aeris after tonight.

"I was planning to kill you anyway," Hojo murmured. "When you leave, I’ll set Ifalna after you…"

"Release the chocobo," Sephiroth ordered.

Hojo regarded his son with a scrutinous eye. "As you wish."

He crossed the room and unlocked the cage. When the door had opened, Conrad charged out and started to claw his feet worriedly.

"What do you mean, kill yourself?" he demanded. "Aeris would hate you if she knew what you were planning! You mean you’re not going to stay to comfort her? I thought you loved her!"

"I do love her," Sephiroth whispered. "But she’ll hate me no matter what I do…"

"But…"

"I have no choice, Conrad," Sephiroth murmured, squatting next to the chocobo. "Please understand. I set you free, so you must leave. Thank you for all of your help."

He could have sworn the chocobo sighed when he hugged him. He held on to the silvery bird for only a few moments before standing up again. Hojo was watching them both warily. Ifalna stood in the corner, clad in her heavy armor.

"Set Ifalna on me when I leave," Sephiroth said. "You’re both going to die with me. I won’t let you get away with this."

Hojo smiled, his eyes gleaming with the red light of Hell, as he replied:

"We’ll just see about that. Oh, the Cetra is in Cell 2, by the way."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and left the room. His heart was heavy as he made his way down to the cell block – where Aeris was waiting.

Author’s Notes: O.O;;;; That’s all I have to say.

Chapter 17: Arrival in Midgar

The doors to the Shin-Ra building swooshed open. Aeris and Sephiroth stood outside, rain pounding down on their heads as they peered into the brightly lit edifice. From the querulous expressions on their faces, one would think that they expected a dragon to run out and eat them whole, but no such thing happened. They just stood there silently, hands clasped.

"Sephiroth…" Aeris said finally. "You remember the promise, don’t you?"

The silver-haired man nodded and squeezed Aeris’ hand. "Whatever you do, don’t object to anything Hojo says. It’ll only make things worse."

"What does he want with us?"

"I already told you," Sephiroth said shortly. "He plans to mate us."

"What?!" Aeris exclaimed in horror. "But he can’t! That’s… that’s…"

"Do you have a problem with it?" Sephiroth asked coolly, turning to face her. "I thought you said you loved me. If that’s true, then why do you sound so disgusted?"

Aeris mouthed soundlessly for a few moments. Sephiroth rolled his eyes and started to lead her into the building. All was quiet inside; the lobby was empty, and the receptionist did not look up from her work as they passed.

She found her voice again when Sephiroth pressed the "up" button on the elevator. He stood there, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the elevator to retrieve them. Aeris took his hand and laced her fingers with his, smiling up at him innocently.

"I’m just not ready for that," she said gently. "I do love you, Sephiroth, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to hop in the sack with you. These things take time."

"I don’t understand what you mean," Sephiroth said coldly.

"Yes, you do. You’re just acting dumb on purpose."

Sephiroth’s eyes shot open. He turned to glare at her, mouth ajar. "Dumb? What exactly do you mean by that?"

"See, you’re doing it again!" Aeris giggled. "All I’m saying is that for a girl, the first time is a big thing. Men are lascivious beasts – they’re willing to fornicate with anything on legs, because they don’t have to suffer the consequences."

"Consequences?"

Aeris sighed in exasperation. "Yes, like pregnancy. If I got pregnant now, I’d most definitely be stuck here with Hojo for the rest of my life." The elevator dinged to a stop and they both got on. "But if I don’t, you’ll come and save me, right?"

"Right," Sephiroth nodded.

"I’m glad you understand," said Aeris. "At least now I know you won’t let Hojo harm me in awful ways. You promised, remember?"

Sephiroth took her hand. "Yes, I remember. I won’t let Hojo hurt you."

The elevator came to a stop on the sixty-eighth floor. They were confronted by a number of Shin-Ra soldiers when they stepped out of the lift. One grabbed Aeris and started to drag her down the hall, despite Sephiroth’s objections. She started to kick and scream.

"Aeris, don’t resist!" he ordered. "Whatever you do, don’t resist."

Another soldier tapped him on the shoulder.

"Professor Hojo wants to see you," he said gruffly. "In his office. Now."

Sephiroth nodded and followed him down a number of hallways, in the direction opposite Aeris had been taken. He hoped she was alright, and that the soldiers weren’t causing her too much harm. If they were, they would suffer the consequences. Oh yes, they would.

They stopped outside a small metal door. The soldier knocked on it; a moment later, it whooshed open and Hojo appeared. His face lit with a smile when he saw Sephiroth, and beckoned for the silver-haired man to come into the room.

"Sephiroth!"

He looked to the corner of the room. Conrad was standing inside a large iron cage, his silvery feathers ruffled with surprise.

"Boy, am I glad you’re here!" he exclaimed. "You’re going to get me out of this prison, aren’t you? Where’s Aeris? Is she alright? Are you alright? Do you have any carob nuts? They’ve been starving me up here."

"Shut up, beast," Hojo snarled. "Sit down and don’t make another sound."

Sephiroth glared at him.

"I’m glad you finally returned," said the scientist, sitting down behind his desk. "Please, take a seat. I have a number of things to discuss with you. Namely my plans for the Cetra girl. About this mating thing…"

"I refuse to do anything to her which she is against," Sephiroth growled. "You can take your experiment and shove it."

"And what of the Masamune?"

"I don’t care about it anymore," Sephiroth said, closing his eyes. "Aeris is more important to me than a piece of metal. I love her. So you can just let us go, or I’ll kill you."

Hojo laughed. "Ah, love is such a puerile waste of time. Power is what really matters in this world, and you, boy, have the ability to wield it. It is in your grasp! With the Masamune, you can rule the world. You don’t need a pathetic, whimpering woman by your side."

"What do you know of power?" Sephiroth spat. "What have you done but sit on your ass, pretending to experiment for the good of Midgar? For the good of Shin-Ra Incorporated? All of your experiments have failed. I have you backed up against a wall. I’ll kill you with my bare hands."

He started to move forward, but stopped when a shadow moved on the wall behind Hojo. The scientist started to laugh again.

"Say hello to my assistant, Sephiroth," he said tauntingly. "Perhaps you’ve met before. I believe her name was…"

"Ifalna," Sephiroth breathed. "You’re Aeris’ mother! What are you doing, siding with this filth?!"

"Aeris…" Ifalna said in her dead voice. "I have never heard that name before. And I have never seen you before. Do not pretend that you know me."

"One wrong move, and she’ll kill the chocobo," said Hojo. Conrad squealed and scurried into the far corner of his cage. "You had better do as I say. You will go to Aeris tonight and impregnate her. Do you understand?"

Sephiroth clenched his fist, wishing he could plant it in his father’s rotten face. He glanced at Conrad and, upon seeing the green, fear-filled eyes, realized that Aeris would rather be Hojo’s lab rat than have her chocobo killed. His shoulders sagged. He was trapped.

He turned back to Hojo and dropped his weapons on the desk. Hojo looked at him questioningly.

"I don’t need these anymore," Sephiroth said softly. "When I’m through with Aeris, I…"

"You’ll kill yourself?" Hojo finished.

Sephiroth squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the edge of the desk to hold himself upright. He ignored Hojo’s gleeful laughs, feeling utterly defeated. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest; in a matter of hours, it would pulsate no more. There would be no possible way to rectify his relationship with Aeris after tonight.

"I was planning to kill you anyway," Hojo murmured. "When you leave, I’ll set Ifalna after you…"

"Release the chocobo," Sephiroth ordered.

Hojo regarded his son with a scrutinous eye. "As you wish."

He crossed the room and unlocked the cage. When the door had opened, Conrad charged out and started to claw his feet worriedly.

"What do you mean, kill yourself?" he demanded. "Aeris would hate you if she knew what you were planning! You mean you’re not going to stay to comfort her? I thought you loved her!"

"I do love her," Sephiroth whispered. "But she’ll hate me no matter what I do…"

"But…"

"I have no choice, Conrad," Sephiroth murmured, squatting next to the chocobo. "Please understand. I set you free, so you must leave. Thank you for all of your help."

He could have sworn the chocobo sighed when he hugged him. He held on to the silvery bird for only a few moments before standing up again. Hojo was watching them both warily. Ifalna stood in the corner, clad in her heavy armor.

"Set Ifalna on me when I leave," Sephiroth said. "You’re both going to die with me. I won’t let you get away with this."

Hojo smiled, his eyes gleaming with the red light of Hell, as he replied:

"We’ll just see about that. Oh, the Cetra is in Cell 2, by the way."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and left the room. His heart was heavy as he made his way down to the cell block – where Aeris was waiting.

Author’s Notes: O.O;;;; That’s all I have to say.

Chapter 17: Arrival in Midgar

The doors to the Shin-Ra building swooshed open. Aeris and Sephiroth stood outside, rain pounding down on their heads as they peered into the brightly lit edifice. From the querulous expressions on their faces, one would think that they expected a dragon to run out and eat them whole, but no such thing happened. They just stood there silently, hands clasped.

"Sephiroth…" Aeris said finally. "You remember the promise, don’t you?"

The silver-haired man nodded and squeezed Aeris’ hand. "Whatever you do, don’t object to anything Hojo says. It’ll only make things worse."

"What does he want with us?"

"I already told you," Sephiroth said shortly. "He plans to mate us."

"What?!" Aeris exclaimed in horror. "But he can’t! That’s… that’s…"

"Do you have a problem with it?" Sephiroth asked coolly, turning to face her. "I thought you said you loved me. If that’s true, then why do you sound so disgusted?"

Aeris mouthed soundlessly for a few moments. Sephiroth rolled his eyes and started to lead her into the building. All was quiet inside; the lobby was empty, and the receptionist did not look up from her work as they passed.

She found her voice again when Sephiroth pressed the "up" button on the elevator. He stood there, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the elevator to retrieve them. Aeris took his hand and laced her fingers with his, smiling up at him innocently.

"I’m just not ready for that," she said gently. "I do love you, Sephiroth, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to hop in the sack with you. These things take time."

"I don’t understand what you mean," Sephiroth said coldly.

"Yes, you do. You’re just acting dumb on purpose."

Sephiroth’s eyes shot open. He turned to glare at her, mouth ajar. "Dumb? What exactly do you mean by that?"

"See, you’re doing it again!" Aeris giggled. "All I’m saying is that for a girl, the first time is a big thing. Men are lascivious beasts – they’re willing to fornicate with anything on legs, because they don’t have to suffer the consequences."

"Consequences?"

Aeris sighed in exasperation. "Yes, like pregnancy. If I got pregnant now, I’d most definitely be stuck here with Hojo for the rest of my life." The elevator dinged to a stop and they both got on. "But if I don’t, you’ll come and save me, right?"

"Right," Sephiroth nodded.

"I’m glad you understand," said Aeris. "At least now I know you won’t let Hojo harm me in awful ways. You promised, remember?"

Sephiroth took her hand. "Yes, I remember. I won’t let Hojo hurt you."

The elevator came to a stop on the sixty-eighth floor. They were confronted by a number of Shin-Ra soldiers when they stepped out of the lift. One grabbed Aeris and started to drag her down the hall, despite Sephiroth’s objections. She started to kick and scream.

"Aeris, don’t resist!" he ordered. "Whatever you do, don’t resist."

Another soldier tapped him on the shoulder.

"Professor Hojo wants to see you," he said gruffly. "In his office. Now."

Sephiroth nodded and followed him down a number of hallways, in the direction opposite Aeris had been taken. He hoped she was alright, and that the soldiers weren’t causing her too much harm. If they were, they would suffer the consequences. Oh yes, they would.

They stopped outside a small metal door. The soldier knocked on it; a moment later, it whooshed open and Hojo appeared. His face lit with a smile when he saw Sephiroth, and beckoned for the silver-haired man to come into the room.

"Sephiroth!"

He looked to the corner of the room. Conrad was standing inside a large iron cage, his silvery feathers ruffled with surprise.

"Boy, am I glad you’re here!" he exclaimed. "You’re going to get me out of this prison, aren’t you? Where’s Aeris? Is she alright? Are you alright? Do you have any carob nuts? They’ve been starving me up here."

"Shut up, beast," Hojo snarled. "Sit down and don’t make another sound."

Sephiroth glared at him.

"I’m glad you finally returned," said the scientist, sitting down behind his desk. "Please, take a seat. I have a number of things to discuss with you. Namely my plans for the Cetra girl. About this mating thing…"

"I refuse to do anything to her which she is against," Sephiroth growled. "You can take your experiment and shove it."

"And what of the Masamune?"

"I don’t care about it anymore," Sephiroth said, closing his eyes. "Aeris is more important to me than a piece of metal. I love her. So you can just let us go, or I’ll kill you."

Hojo laughed. "Ah, love is such a puerile waste of time. Power is what really matters in this world, and you, boy, have the ability to wield it. It is in your grasp! With the Masamune, you can rule the world. You don’t need a pathetic, whimpering woman by your side."

"What do you know of power?" Sephiroth spat. "What have you done but sit on your ass, pretending to experiment for the good of Midgar? For the good of Shin-Ra Incorporated? All of your experiments have failed. I have you backed up against a wall. I’ll kill you with my bare hands."

He started to move forward, but stopped when a shadow moved on the wall behind Hojo. The scientist started to laugh again.

"Say hello to my assistant, Sephiroth," he said tauntingly. "Perhaps you’ve met before. I believe her name was…"

"Ifalna," Sephiroth breathed. "You’re Aeris’ mother! What are you doing, siding with this filth?!"

"Aeris…" Ifalna said in her dead voice. "I have never heard that name before. And I have never seen you before. Do not pretend that you know me."

"One wrong move, and she’ll kill the chocobo," said Hojo. Conrad squealed and scurried into the far corner of his cage. "You had better do as I say. You will go to Aeris tonight and impregnate her. Do you understand?"

Sephiroth clenched his fist, wishing he could plant it in his father’s rotten face. He glanced at Conrad and, upon seeing the green, fear-filled eyes, realized that Aeris would rather be Hojo’s lab rat than have her chocobo killed. His shoulders sagged. He was trapped.

He turned back to Hojo and dropped his weapons on the desk. Hojo looked at him questioningly.

"I don’t need these anymore," Sephiroth said softly. "When I’m through with Aeris, I…"

"You’ll kill yourself?" Hojo finished.

Sephiroth squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the edge of the desk to hold himself upright. He ignored Hojo’s gleeful laughs, feeling utterly defeated. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest; in a matter of hours, it would pulsate no more. There would be no possible way to rectify his relationship with Aeris after tonight.

"I was planning to kill you anyway," Hojo murmured. "When you leave, I’ll set Ifalna after you…"

"Release the chocobo," Sephiroth ordered.

Hojo regarded his son with a scrutinous eye. "As you wish."

He crossed the room and unlocked the cage. When the door had opened, Conrad charged out and started to claw his feet worriedly.

"What do you mean, kill yourself?" he demanded. "Aeris would hate you if she knew what you were planning! You mean you’re not going to stay to comfort her? I thought you loved her!"

"I do love her," Sephiroth whispered. "But she’ll hate me no matter what I do…"

"But…"

"I have no choice, Conrad," Sephiroth murmured, squatting next to the chocobo. "Please understand. I set you free, so you must leave. Thank you for all of your help."

He could have sworn the chocobo sighed when he hugged him. He held on to the silvery bird for only a few moments before standing up again. Hojo was watching them both warily. Ifalna stood in the corner, clad in her heavy armor.

"Set Ifalna on me when I leave," Sephiroth said. "You’re both going to die with me. I won’t let you get away with this."

Hojo smiled, his eyes gleaming with the red light of Hell, as he replied:

"We’ll just see about that. Oh, the Cetra is in Cell 2, by the way."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and left the room. His heart was heavy as he made his way down to the cell block – where Aeris was waiting.

Author’s Notes: O.O;;;; That’s all I have to say.

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