Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / Twilight Of Dark Master Fan Fiction / X/1999 Fan Fiction / Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction / Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Tournament ❯ First Round: Sephiroth vs. Vincent ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Category: Yaoi, game/anime crossover, TWT
Characters: Sephiroth and Vincent from FF7; Kenshin and Sano from Rurouni Kenshin; Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei and Zechs from Gundam Wing; Kamui from X; Tsunami from Twilight of the Dark Master; Van from Escaflowne; Shin, Trunks and Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z; Cleff, Eagle and Lantis from Magic Knights Rayearth; Irvinne and Squall from FF8; Kuja from FF9; Glenn and Serge from Chrono Cross; Albert and Lloyd from Legend of Dragoon.
Main Pairings: Pairings will change for each part, but the main pairings are: 1+2, 3+4, 6+5, Sephiroth+Vincent, Lantis+Eagle, SanoxKenshin
Pairing: SephirothxVincent
Warnings: slight violence, lemon, minor angst
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com
Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina

Dark Tournament

Part 2

First Round: Sephiroth vs. Vincent

Shin looked at the group, raising his voice when a few continued to stare at the floor. "The next battle will take place immediately. The combatants; Sephiroth and Vincent Valentine."

There were some quickly cast glances around since they still didn't know names, but it was evident who had been called. The two named men disappeared almost immediately, transported to the area shown on the wide screen. Joining them, Shin stood still for a moment, his eyes moving between the two men. Sephiroth was easy to read, the slight smirk on his lips as he stared at Vincent made it evident that he had no problem with the battle. But there was history the white-haired man was unaware of, he had no idea how confused Vincent was in regards to him. Shin could see through each, and he wondered again whether it was a good idea including them. As far as he could tell, Sephiroth was in a different caliber from the other fighters. And Vincent Valentine was a ticking time bomb.

Minutes would have passed before either looked at him had Shin not stepped to where two weapons lay. Eyes flicked to him, and Sephiroth's smirk widened as he looked over the long sword. It was nearly two feet taller than Shin, but the weight was slight, the blade slim and deadly. Or rather, it would have been had it been used in any other battle. "Your Masamune," he said slowly, offering the hilt to Sephiroth. A thought ran through the man's mind, and Shin nodded. "I know more about you and your world than even you do."

"I see. I would ask how long you watched us," Sephiroth murmured, his eyes sliding to Vincent again, "but there are pressing matters to tend at the moment." It was almost perverse, how much pleasure he took from riling the pale man, but it was so easy. There was so much animosity there it was odd, considering he'd never seen him before, outside the final battle. He could have told the man that his actions had been due to Jenova's cells being inside him, that he'd been manipulated. Actually, he hadn't even been the one to kill Aeris, and that as far as he could tell was what made the man hate him so much. He'd been frozen inside the crater, his clone had been the one murdering people. He could have told him, but there was no point. And it was more fun to irritate him, anyway. He was practically flirting with the man, and it was very entertaining.

Death Penalty was a long-barreled shotgun, and it weighed more than the sword despite being three feet shorter. Shin handed it to Vincent silently, not looking into the man's bright red eyes for very long. He knew all about the mako poisoning the two men had been subjected too, but their glowing eyes were still unnerving. Vincent's hand closed over it, and he could almost see the man's confidence return as he was no longer unarmed. "There was a question of materia distribution," Shin said, moving back a step. There was a rush of adrenalin coming from both of the men, and he knew the fight would be quick. But he had to explain first since he knew magic would be the deciding factor in the battle. "Both of you can use the same magic, so you will each have the same materia. Each of you was taken without the maximum amount of materia you can use, what we've done is make certain you both have access to the same. It is then a matter of inherent strength and how you equip the materia."

The gun felt right in his hands, despite the memories that were attached to it, and Vincent dropped his eyes. The clawed glove was back on his left arm and he could feel the press of thick metal claws against leather when he made a fist. As the man said, his materia was back, and there were even a few pieces that only Cloud usually had access to. But he would not junction them with those cold blue eyes following his every move. If Sephiroth had been given the same materia as he, then the man probably wasn't going to use the power of Jenova to transform. This meant he would no longer be unbeatable. Though, it also meant he had Knights of the Round. Sephiroth lifted his sword and smirked before turning his back. Giving a sharp nod to Shin, Vincent turned as well.

Watching the two men as he stood between them, Shin knew the battle would not be an easy one. Sephiroth was obviously confident that he could end it within a matter of minutes, but the man didn't know about Vincent's limit break. Actually, Shin hadn't seen it himself. When they had done their research on the participants, it had mainly been an overview of battles and a brief survey of history. As far as Vincent was concerned, Shin had seen his first three limit breaks, each similar to the others in a blatant pattern. From this, he knew the man was the only one fighting with an ability to heal that couldn't be suppressed. If the black haired man received enough injury, he would access his limit break and be completely healed of all injuries. They had discussed it, but even Kuja had reluctantly admitted that there was nothing he could do. Others had healing spells that were a part of their attacks, but these could be countered. A limit break was different.

Shin had never seen Vincent's final limit break, but he knew how the man had attained it, and he knew that it was stronger than his other three forms. And, as far as he could tell, it wasn't elemental based. That was always better since some armor protected against elements such as fire. He knew when they were finished, and Shin raised his head as the two men turned to face him, and each other. Absolutely certain they would attack the second he moved, Shin gave a look to each. "Begin."

* * *

The moment his feet touched the dim white floor, Shin looked back to where he had stood between the two fighters. As he'd known, they waited for nothing.
Vincent was the first to move, and his arms lifted, the gun held above his shoulder as a circle of pale green light shone up from around him. There were circles of light in the air, yellow, white and red with an odd symbol etched in each. His arms curved out, open wide as if he were inviting an embrace, then the circles of light sank down and he raised his arms until they were gone. There were a number of gasps when Vincent dropped his arms, his black hair flying out with his red cape before he disappeared suddenly.

The ground under Sephiroth moved, a circle curving beneath him as a wall of pale blue mist rose from the edges of the indention. The view on the screen shifted till it showed within the thin rising wall of mist and it was obvious that Sephiroth had been immobilized as he stood rigid. The ground beneath him seemed to be receding, and the circle of mist grew larger until it was no longer seen on the screen as Sephiroth sank into blackness. He seemed to be floating in an empty black space, and dim rays of red light spread up from beneath him suddenly. It made a wall behind him, rising in strips as the blackness was still visible in places.

They could see the side of the man from where he floated amid the red curtain, then what looked like white sparks were visible to the left of him. They grew closer, one getting larger than the others and arcing around as a large, silver-blue blade was vaguely visible, the tip glaring white. Continuing around the white-haired man, the figure paused with its back to the screen, and a long golden tail fell down over his back, blazing against his black armor as it curved out of his helmet. The sword was seen better as he lifted it, not wide at all. It was actually a slender blade, but an aura of white light followed its movements making it seem larger. The man jerked the blade back, turning slightly, and his armor was revealed, a long black cloak having covered him before. He held the blade with two hands and pulled it back over one shoulder, his face hidden as he looked at Sephiroth. For a brief second he seemed to wait, then a blaze of blinding white light made people jerk and look away as he struck a diagonal slash. The light receded quickly, and Sephiroth was surrounded by a small cloud of white smoke that didn't hide the way he jerked at the blow. Then the man moved out of sight, rising and flying to the left.

Sephiroth seemed to turn, evidence of the fact that he was being moved by something. Another white shape formed quickly, moving fast as it came into focus. This time it moved out facing the screen, but it didn't come close enough for anyone to be able to tell what it was. Before it could, the other figure reappeared, flying down at Sephiroth and barely missing the man as it disappeared in a flash, passing him by. The figure that had approached was suddenly seen as another man in armor. This one twirled something above his head, the circle of light radiating from the spinning blade. He seemed to fly right through Sephiroth and a flash again blinded people as he struck, his body outlined by the haze of light so the red armor on his shoulders were the only thing seen well. This man seemed to fly right through the screen, his double bladed staff the last thing visible as he continued to spin it above his head. His red cape billowed briefly then he was gone and Sephiroth remained, a dim red light fading around him as blue waves flowed in behind him.

The white-haired man had turned again, and another figure flew in at his back, a staff held in his left hand as he came from the right. Like the first, he circled between Sephiroth and the screen, and his red robe was clearly seen, an olive green cloak lifted behind him. He turned quickly till his back was to them and he jerked the staff, a ball of fire flying from the end of it to explode around Sephiroth. The small fire blazed into a larger sphere, enveloping the man within it as smaller explosions lit the blue to either side of him. The figure paused briefly as the fire erupted in larger spheres of orange light, and its face was illuminated for a few seconds. It either wore an odd helmet, or its face was dark gray, black indentions in the place of eyes and a high fan of metal rising from the center of its forehead. Then he flew to the left, disappearing even as another figure sank down in its place.

A dark blue cloak was the only thing visible as he blocked view of Sephiroth, his golden boots moved aside to give a glimpse of something held before him. Then he was moving in on the man frozen before him, a large glowing blade held over his right shoulder as Sephiroth was turned to face him. The blue mist seemed sucked down as he swung the blade and light arced, following the path as he pulled the weapon back. But he didn't stop there, continuing in his turn as he brought it through the white-haired man again from beneath then paused with it held over his head. Again he brought it down, the blue flowing in around him as if sucked into the moving blade as blackness was again seen behind them. White light erupted as the blow was struck, jagged streaks of pale, pale blue lightning striking out in all directions. When the light cleared those streaks remained, moving inward as if Sephiroth and the figure were the center of some flow. As the figure moved up toward the screen, his gold and black armor was visible, a helmet covering his head, but few looked at him closely as yet another figure had flown into sight from below and to Sephiroth's right.

His cloak seemed to bleed from red to dark blue, and the sketching of blue threads behind them grew hectic as if they were within a vacuum. What had first looked like a cloak was suddenly seen as a tail hanging down from his helmet as he drew a blade and bent at the waste, facing Sephiroth who had again turned in his direction. The figure drew back a long golden staff as it flew at Sephiroth, but it turned before it reached the man, the glowing staff arcing down. The explosion was a ball of white light, not quite as blinding as the others, and the figure turned even as it was growing behind him. Then he flew upwards and out of sight. Those thick trails of blue seemed to converge behind Sephiroth as the white haired man was still motionless in the center of the screen. White stars sparked above him and pale blue streaks flew past as if it were raining blue fire. Then yet another figure flew into view.

A sharp weapon, resembling a huge pickaxe was held in his left hand, his tan cloak the only thing visible of him as he faced Sephiroth. His body curved when he struck, circles of tan light blazing around his target as his red-trimmed cloak outline dark gray armor before everything grew dark. The blue threads were nearly black now, though the pale blue rain continued, and Sephiroth seemed to be floating in space. Distant stars were visible behind him as the figure disappeared over his shoulder. The rain of light was drawn into that place were the threads had converged until only the stars remained against the blackness. They seemed to take on a pale green aura as a figure burst from the center of the darkness, his body glowing white as he grew close rapidly.

A dark and eerie green light flowed from where he had come as he floated for a moment. A glow seemed to surround his right palm and he drew the arm back to his waist as the green sucked up the stars, flowing out to nearly block them from view. Some sort of weapon appeared in his hand, the tip a dark bluish black, then he flung his arm at Sephiroth and a flash of white hit the man. For a second, Sephiroth was revealed as a black circle was behind him, then shards of pale blue ice shot out from where he'd been, crystals sparking against the green as the figure flew toward the screen. The ice grew rapidly, nearly overtaking the figure as they filled the small view screen on the wall. Then the crystals shattered suddenly and the figure disappeared to the left. As if he were in the center of a green flower of light sparked with stars, Sephiroth was outlined briefly against the small black circle behind him. Then a red figure flew from within the black, something white held in his left hand.

Golden sparks shot out behind him, intermingling with the dark green and he twirled his staff as he flew at Sephiroth. Semicircles of light followed the arcing weapon and the gold gave way to orange interspersed with yellow and green. Three times he struck as he practically flew through the man, and the last one again resulted in blinding white light. When the light had faded, the green was gone and a dark ruddy orange remained, bright enough to make it hard to see the white-haired man who was held at the center of the inward-seeking streaks of light. The figure flew directly at the screen and his weapon was revealed as a trident, which he continued to twirl until he was gone. The light was changing again as bright yellow erupted from the center, flowing out to separate the orange. It almost looked as if Sephiroth was floating in the middle of some exploding star. Then the man was turned as the light spun in a circle behind him and another armored figure made its way up from beneath him.

This one wore dark blue and held a weapon that consisted of a staff with some odd circular symbol attached to one end. He paused for a moment, cutting off all view of Sephiroth, then he swung the staff back in his left hand before bringing it down sharply. The lights that had paused in their spinning were suddenly cut off, a huge brown rock brought into existence before the figure. It churned as it moved down and the figure disappeared. What had been a large meteor broke into multiple ones and centered on Sephiroth as a pink haze was emblazoned over the orange flaming light. Then they exploded on impact in small clouds of white. A fig ure rose behind the man, two long tails of white hair hanging down to the waist of his black coat.

Flying up, the man moved the long staff he held in his left hand, his hair flying out behind him in thick waves as that pink haze seemed to be flowing from him. When he moved the staff, a crooked blade was visible on one end before he spun it in one hand and flew at Sephiroth. A painfully bright ball of white shot out as he struck, then he flew past the man and disappeared in the distant haze of lights. Before he was completely out of sight, a huge figure flew up, thick and heavy armor marked in blue and gold.

Holding a double-bladed axe, the figure was facing the screen. But it had a pointed helmet on that hid everything except a slit for the eyes which were black in its face. Sephiroth's back was to the screen, and the figure paused before him, the axe held in both hands. Then it lifted the weapon over its right shoulder before swinging it down and striking the man who was unable to so much as flinch. During the quick blow, the lights behind them seemed to go crazy, spinning out of control until something was visible. It looked like a pink sphere spotted with stars that filled the screen behind them. At the moment of impact, golden light ripped out of the blade, shooting out of sight above and below the two figures. Then only Sephiroth was left as the pink thing behind him turned off to the right, revealing dark blue. The yellow light remained, but it was behind him now, and the next figure moved out of that star.

This one moved fast so it was hard to see him, but he obviously held a blade of some sort as an arc of white followed him. Flying behind Sephiroth, whose back was to them, the figure hunched suddenly, the only thing discernable being his black cloak and the long tail that ran from his helmet, white with red tipped spikes. He dove down past the man, then up again, hitting him as he rose and disappeared. The yellow light continued to spin, but blackness had seeped in behind it and random shards of pale blue rain came again, flowing out of the center this time. Then Sephiroth seemed to move down, growing smaller until the yellow was gone and only unending black remained.

For a second, nothing moved, then a white figure rose, Sephiroth facing it as it grew larger. Armed in pale silver, the figure's red cape was wrapped around it, hiding its arms and body as it rose above the man. It's face was seen suddenly, a pale gray helmet set with glowing yellow eyes that sparked outward as it moved back. Its left arm was visible over its cloak, curved the wrist and covered in pale gray metal. Then its head tilted downward and a fin was revealed spreading out from the back of its head. The cloak flew back, showing wide shoulders, and its left hand lifted, sharp clawed metal fingers curved even with its forehead. Its right arm was across its chest, gripping a wide sword that was held with the blade down. Then it lifted the blade, both hands gripping the hilt as it drew the sword back over its head. A flame of light emblazoned the blade as it came down, bright against the wide red cloak. The light spread where Sephiroth was struck then only blackness remained, the man was gone. Cracks appeared in the darkness and it shattered suddenly.

The brown landscape was revealed again, and Vincent appeared slowly, his arms hanging down at his sides. His red eyes glared beneath the red ribbon that was wrapped about his forehead and he seemed to take a step back before he was completely visible. Holding his gun angled toward the ground, he paused, his gloved arm back so his right side was leaning forward. Sephiroth fell to one knee.

* * *

If they had been fighting a normal battle, one hit by Knights of the Round would have killed him. As it was, Vincent hadn't forgotten that no one would die during the tournament. It was still unnerving to see the white-haired man kneeling across from him, relatively uninjured. Oh, he was on one knee, his head bowed, but that was nothing compared to the damage he should have sustained. Vincent was as strong as he could ever be, and he still had enough magic points to summon the Knights two more times. But if it didn't kill the man, or even knock him unconscious, there was no point in it. He'd have to try something else, obviously. He was thinking this when the man's head jerked back and pale blue eyes pierced him, glaring from behind long bangs. Then the man came.

The summon was the best move the man could have made, and Sephiroth was certain he had it paired with a pre-emptive attack materia. That was the only explanation for his having gotten the first blow in the battle. As for himself, he had junctioned lightly, focusing on speed and two attacks. The first he used now, ignoring the fact that he felt as if he had no strength left in his body. Even if he had been knocked to zero hit points, he could use his command materia so long as he was alive. His offensive strength had not diminished, and his speed was increased enough so that the black-haired man didn't have time to react before he reached him. Four consecutive hits, that was what the mastered Double Cut materia allowed him, and he planned the blows quickly. He'd paid attention to the last battle, and he was aware that it would do no good to try and stab or cut his opponent. Instead, he focused on hitting him in unprotected areas.

The first strike fell on Vincent's side, and Sephiroth knew he wouldn't connect there a second time as the man's clawed glove moved to cover the spot. He couldn't actually defend against the command attack, but he was not immobilized completely. The second blow was aimed at the man's neck, hitting hard against the junction of shoulder and neck and Vincent jerked forward and to the side, but he didn't fall. With his speed in mind, Sephiroth used the last two hits to knock the man forward onto his knees. Then he grasped the blade of his sword with his right hand and leaned over the man. The blade dug into the red cloth at Vincent's throat and he pulled backwards with enough force that the man's neck should have been cut clean through.

A sudden thought ran through Vincent's mind as he gripped the blade with his clawed hand. The battles were fixed so no one would die, but did that include suffocation? His oxygen hadn't just been cut off, it felt as if his throat were being crushed, and his vision was blotted with black clouds. He couldn't see or breathe, but his mind seemed to be functioning perfectly and he could think of two things to do. Pulling against the sword was doing no good at all, Sephiroth had merely tightened his grip increasing the pressure. He could tilt back, overbalance the man and then try to get free, or he could ignore the blade and go for his materia. The second was a better idea and his right hand moved in that direction. Then the blade was gone and he felt himself moving, his vision swimming for a moment before he realized what was happening.

Sephiroth reappeared first, and he could tell that the Knights of the Round had taken a harsh toll on the man as Vincent swayed on his feet, his eyes closed. But he didn't stop there, and a green magic rose around him as he completed his summoning. Vincent's move to use the Knights as a pre-emptive strike had been good, but he was calling them with a W-Summon materia and he knew from his own injuries that the man would no longer be able to stand once the second round hit him. Red glowing eyes snapped open an instant before his second summon was complete, then Sephiroth disappeared again.

He had never been on the receiving end of the summon, and Vincent knew why it had the power to kill even the strongest boss in one round. By the time the second summon was completed, he felt dead despite the movement of his lungs. His feet had barely returned to the ground before he fell, unable to support himself. The rock was hard against his arm when he landed on his right side, but he didn't have the strength to push himself over. It took most of his reserves to keep breathing and he wondered if his bones were broken. The twelve knights who were called during the summon normally would have cut through their victim, but their blows had made contact without going into him. No body could withstand the impact of those heavy blows without crumbling beneath them. His mind was stunned, as dazed as his body, and Vincent could have given up then and there had he not felt himself being turned onto his back. Too much effort was necessary to open his eyes, but he did it and he was reminded as to why he couldn't lose the battle.

Cloudy red eyes looked at him for a second as Sephiroth crouched over the fallen man, then they sparked suddenly. He wasn't really that worried about the man's limit break, though he knew from the way those eyes continued to flash that he could have used it if he'd been able to reach his gun. But the limit breaks were only called if he tried to attack, and he couldn't do that without his weapon. The gun was near Vincent's feet, and the man would never get to it. Instead, Sephiroth moved quickly, jerking the small sack of items away from Vincent and tossing it aside. He had planned carefully for the battle, and he'd paired his summon with a MP Absorb materia. From the way his own magic points had been completely recharged with each summon, he knew Vincent had been knocked to zero. He wouldn't be able to cast any magic unless he had a turbo ether on him. Without his items, he couldn't do that either. The battle was over for all intents and purposes, it was just a matter of holding the man until the winner had been announced. Vincent's shoulder moved slightly, and Sephiroth lifted his sword, pressing it down against the man's neck.

There was a violent and angry clamoring inside his head, but Vincent knew he had no hope of reaching his gun in order to use his limit break. Nor had he failed to notice that his items had been taken away. The man had planned more carefully than he, it was that simple. The battle was over, but it wasn't in him to give up. The winner had not yet been named, and he struggled against the weight pressing down on him. Sephiroth was nearly sitting on his chest, one knee on his right arm holding it immobile. For a few seconds he tried to use his clawed hand to force the blade back, but he had no leverage, and absolutely no strength left. His airways were blocked again, and it was a matter of seconds before he'd lose consciousness. Left hand curling slightly, he swiped at the blurry face leaning close to him.

Sephiroth jerked back as the metal claws scraped against him, nearly taking out his eyes, and he hissed at the sharp pain. He was certain those nails would have killed him normally, and his face burned in stripes, one too close to his left eye for anything but fury to result. His instinct was hit the man in retaliation, but those flashing eyes had closed and he caught the gloved arm, holding it in his right hand. Using his left, he increased the downward force until there was no way in hell the man could breath. After what seemed an eternity, the man went limp and a voice called out his own name as the winner.

* * *

"Sephiroth is the winner."

Silence reigned at the announcement, then held breaths were released and the sound of movements filled the dim area as people blinked. Dumbfounded stares were rampant. Sanosuke was the first to speak.

"So that's magic...?" Sano said slowly, looking at Kenshin warily. He didn't feel as if he'd just seen the battle, it didn't feel real. Whatever he'd imagined when he'd learned that the others used magic, it hadn't been anything like what he'd just witnessed. As far as he could tell, the two men had called others to do the fighting for them. And he couldn't imagine even Kenshin winning against something like that, not when the person on the receiving end of it was unable to so much as move.

Kenshin's eyes were very narrow, and he looked up at the dark-haired man with a cold expression. "So it seems."

"Well, it isn't much different from All Saints," Serge said softly, his lips twitching as he tried to hide the fact that he, too, had been taken back by the battle. "Though that looks much worse."

"I don't get it," Duo muttered, glaring at his fellow pilots who looked as stunned and confused as he did. His eyes turned to Tsunami, who was watching all of them, and he raised his chin. "Maybe I'm just dense, but I don't know what happened. Were those men in armor a part of their magic?"

"Knights of the Round," Tsunami nodded. "It is a summon, a magic if you will." He looked to Squall and Irvine who had blinked at the word 'summon,' and he nodded again. "Like your summons, your Guardian Forces."

"Eden," Squall said softly, "the strongest GF. Then they were fighting with their strongest summon?"

"They can't have something stronger," Irvine said sharply, his brown eyes wide as he looked from Squall to Tsunami. "Unless the attack power isn't that much?"

"That is their strongest summon," Tsunami answered.

"They both have the same summon? How can there be more than one summon if they're like GF's?"

"Not quite the same," Shin said, stepping up next to Tsunami. "It's true that their summons are similar to your Guardian Forces, but they are contained in their materia." Irvine was blinking at him in evident confusion, and he raised a hand. "Small orbs of concentrated magic. As they fight, the orbs increase in strength, and when they are mastered they multiply. So, they might have as many of a type of magic or summon as they master."

"Magic...summon." He'd been leaning against the wall throughout the battle, but Kamui moved away now, his eyes on the lavender-skinned man. "The difference being that magic is a spell and these summons...they call someone else to fight for them?"

"Or something," Shin agreed.

"And they can call these summons as many times as they choose?"

"So long as they have the magic to do so," Tsunami countered. "For both magic and summons, they must have enough magic points to use them. When they run out of magic, they can no longer use them, unless they use an item to replenish the magic points."

"The sack," Eagle said suddenly, glancing up at Lantis before looking back to the tall white-haired man. "That brown sack he threw, he was taking his items away so he couldn't get more magic, is that it?"

"Yes."

"But I don't get it," Duo said. "I mean, I'm lost anyway, but I'm assuming they both had the same...magic points. Right or wrong?"

"Right."

"Okay, then why would Sephiroth have to take...Vincent's items away. If he still had magic points, didn't they both still have them? He used that summon more times, anyway."

"Sephiroth paired a MP Absorb with the summon, when he attacked, he absorbed Vincent's magic points. Both times." Shin turned a bit, seeking Albert out of the crowd. "You also have magic points, and if you were in battle with either Vincent or Sephiroth, you would be at risk of your magic points being taken from you. The equivalent is different since your maximum is less, but you should remember the MP Absorb for future reference." The man nodded, and he looked around at the others.

"Why are you telling us so much about their attacks," Trunks asked, frowning at both Shin and Tsunami. "Doesn't that put them at a disadvantage?"

"The way we have done this tournament, the first round of battles are between combatants who know each other's fighting styles. There are a few exceptions," Shin paused, looking at Van and then Kamui, "but the plan is to have everyone aware of how each person fights. We wish to avoid blind battles, you should be able to judge your adversary and plan your battle strategy."

"We are at a complete disadvantage." Trowa blinked when Duo and Quatre stared at him in surprise, and he raised an eyebrow at them. "You disagree?"

"No," Duo said quickly, "I was just surprised you talked. I...forgot you were there." Quatre gave a small, relieved smile and they both sighed as their own tension was broken.

"Oh. Well, we *are* at a disadvantage," Trowa said again, looking at Tsunami. "How are we expected to fight adversaries such as them?"

"Figure it out on your own." Shin glared at him, but Kuja just grinned. He didn't really see the point in explaining everything to them. It took the surprises out of the battles, and he'd enjoyed the stricken expressions that had been so prominent during the fight. The tall boy was staring at him with a blank expression, and he waved toward Kenshin and Sanosuke. "How do you think *they* feel? They don't even have suits to hide in."

"Hide?"

Turning a bit, Kuja's grin widened at Wufei's expression, the fury there at odds with his cold, calm voice. The boy's left eyelid was twitching something fierce. "Whatever you want to call it."

Zechs gasped when Wufei abruptly lunged forward, and he grabbed the boy's arm, struggling to hold him back. "Wufei..."

"Kuja, that will be quite enough." Clef moved forward, having been hidden from sight behind Lantis and some of the other taller men. Kuja blinked for a second then frowned at him. His own expression was condemning. "There is no excuse for that."

The small mage's eyes were narrow, and Kuja looked away sharply, rolling his eyes. "Fine. Don't get riled. I was just pointing out that they shouldn't complain about the odds being unfair when there are others at a worse disadvantage. That's all. He shouldn't be so touchy." The black-eyed boy was still glaring at him, and he smirked suddenly. "No hard feelings, neh?"

Teeth grinding together, Wufei snorted and turned his back on the teen.

"I have a question," Glenn said suddenly, raising his voice slightly. "No one can die, or be seriously injured. So how is damage done? What are the consequences of that summon, or theirs?" He nodded to Squall and Irvine.

"There are no hit points," Clef said slowly, stepping away from Kuja. "No life points, not here." There were too many confused expressions for him to bother with explanations about *that*, and he continued. "Rather, the attacks take away the strength of the person hit. There is pain, and weakness depending on the strength of the attack. After so much damage is done, the person can no longer retaliate."

"Depends on the ability to withstand attacks?" Sano murmured. He gave a glance to Kuja, not forgetting the man's derogatory words about him and Kenshin. "That's good to know."

"Yes," Clef nodded. "It depends on that, and the person's inherent strength. Those are deciding factors."

"This is going well," Tsunami said softly, smirking at Shin.

The short man shook his head slowly and sighed. Kuja's taunting had gone a bit too far, but he had to admit things were not going too badly. Not yet.

* * *

There was no flash of magic, nothing to signal that they'd been healed, but Sephiroth could feel the difference seconds after the announcement was made. Lifting his sword, he stood slowly, moving to the side as Vincent stirred as well. His black-gloved hand touched his face, and he smirked, knowing all of his injuries were gone. The black-haired man had sat up, but his head was bowed so he couldn't see his expression. His lips twitched, and he tossed the Masamune aside, noting that Vincent's head jerked lightly at the sound but didn't rise. The man had bent his legs, and Sephiroth crouched in front of him, leaning forward and down so he could see the man's face. He couldn't read any emotion from the man's eyes, but they were averted and he raised an eyebrow. "Stand up, Vincent."

Red eyes snapped to him, and Sephiroth smiled at the glare, waiting to see if he would do it. Sure enough, the man looked away for a second, then stood. Still in front of him, Sephiroth reached down to grasp the clawed glove, glaring at it as he lifted the heavy hand. He remembered the thing vaguely from their previous battles, but the man had never used it. It was ugly, the fingers sharp metal points, metal outlining the leather interior as it stretched up the man's arm to where his black shirt ended near his elbow. Vincent offered no resistance, but he didn't offer any assistance either, and Sephiroth had to turn it a bit before he could figure out how to take the thing off. The pale arm dropped limply when he removed the glove, and he looked at it for a moment before tossing it near his sword.

Ironic was not a strong enough word to describe the situation in Vincent's mind, and he wondered what Fate was thinking. Suddenly, he felt his age, including the many years he'd spent sleeping, locked away with only his nightmares for company. The man in front of him was so young in comparison, and he had no idea who he was about to have sex with. Sephiroth. The name didn't really mean much to him, though he'd known it before he had ever met the man. This was the son of a woman he'd loved, and a man he'd hated with his entire soul. And Sephiroth had no idea. The man touched his left wrist, and Vincent kept himself from flinching as his arm was lifted. He wanted to look up at him, but somewhere inside he wondered if he would see Lucrecia in the man's face, or worse, Hojo. Smooth leather touched his arm and he dropped his eyes, watching as black-gloved fingers brushed the red marks left by his own glove. These hadn't healed; they had never healed and never would; another reason he always left the glove on.

Vincent was looking at his hand, and Sephiroth let go of him, noting that the man closed his eyes again. It was strange, the attraction he had to the man, and he'd never seen his face. Pulling off his black gloves, he looked at those dark lashes, black hair falling in the man's face despite the red ribbon that was wrapped multiple times around his forehead. Vincent's red cloak hid his shoulders and closed about the bottom half of his face. That was the first thing that had to go. The man's eyes flickered when he touched the top clasp, but they stayed closed as he undid it. Two more, then he let the cloak fall off the man's shoulders as he looked at him. He had a small chin, coming to a slight, rounded point, and he could tell the man was clenching his teeth. The ribbon came down to cover Vincent's eyebrows and Sephiroth pulled on it, not sure where it was tied behind the long mass of hair that hung down the man's back.

Vincent opened his eyes as the ribbon was tugged from his hair, and he could see Sephiroth looking at his forehead. No doubt, the man was staring at the pale scar that traced his hairline. Their eyes met, and Vincent was struck by a surprising resemblance as a small smile curved Sephiroth's lips. He almost looked like Aeris. It was no wonder the man thought Professor Gast had been his father. He couldn't have failed to notice how much he looked like the man's daughter, the girl who had been killed by his clone. The resemblance was there, but it was unqualified. Sephiroth had no blood ties with Aeris, or Gast. Hojo was his father, without a doubt. Whether the man ever learned that or not, Vincent knew it was true. Gast had been the head of the Jenova experiment, but Hojo had fathered the child Lucrecia gave birth to. At least he didn't look like his father, Vincent was thankful for that much. But he had Lucrecia's eyes.

The man flinched away from his gaze, and Sephiroth glared. Irritated, he wondered what was going on in his mind, whether he was still tied by their past as enemies. Not that it mattered. Vincent looked so different with his jet-black hair falling into his face, and he gave into his need to touch it, rubbing thick strands between his fingers. He looked ageless, effeminate even. It didn't matter if the man was stuck on the past, Sephiroth wasn't, and his attraction only increased. Vincent was as beautiful as his eyes had been dangerous.

Fingers dug into his hair, and Vincent's eyes snapped open when his head was pulled back. He was not about to be immobilized by Shin's magic, but it was difficult to hold still as the man moved close to him, those pale blue eyes centered on his mouth. The kiss wasn't tentative but forceful, and he opened his mouth, not offering any resistance. Sephiroth's tongue pushed against his, demanding a response and he closed his eyes firmly. Then he kissed the man back as he hadn't in over twenty years. He'd never kissed a man by choice, but he could almost forget who it was as his hands twitched to pull Sephiroth to him. Contact was something he'd been without for far too long.

He hadn't expected it, the passion that was coming from the man in front of him. Not that he minded, but Sephiroth wasn't sure what to make of it. His hands were buried in Vincent's thick hair, their mouths touching, and he could feel the man's chest pressing closer to him of his own accord. This no longer seemed to be the same person, he was nothing like the cold man who'd rebuked his every glance. He wondered if Vincent had managed to forget who he was. If the truth were told, Sephiroth didn't care. The man was returning his kiss, and satisfied warmth swept through him as he tightened his hold, one arm slipping down to circle the man's waist.

Vincent was in heaven, or at least his body was, and he could have succumbed to the feelings easily. There was no point fighting, no reason to deny that he liked the way Sephiroth's tongue moved against his, the slight pain of the strong hand in his hair pulling his head back despite the fact that Sephiroth was not that much taller than him. Then the kiss ended, and he found himself dropping his eyes again as the man stepped back. Hands entered his line of vision, and he felt his cheeks heat with an unexpected rush of blood as the man undid his silver belt. There was no reason for him to be embarrassed, but he was. And he thought it wouldn't have mattered *who* was undressing him. No one had seen him without his layers of clothing since before his downfall. He shivered at the reminder, but he lifted his arms when Sephiroth tugged his shirt loose and pulled it up over his head. He didn't have to look to know that the man was staring at his chest, and he wondered if he would ask, ask about the scars. Somehow, he didn't think so.

Sephiroth's head was bent as he looked down, and he traced one of the long scars that marred the pale man's abdomen. It was long, but also smooth and faded with age. That scar looked older than Vincent did, but he already knew the man had to be older than he looked. Still, it was a long scar that stretched nearly six inches in length and he wondered at it. There were others, small faded lines that were nothing more than battle wounds. And then there was the small X over the man's heart that spoke of something more than an accident. Someone had cut him, no doubt the same person who was responsible for the glow in the man's red eyes. Looking up, Sephiroth wasn't surprised to find that Vincent was looking away from him. He was almost used to it by now.

The white-haired man stepped back, and Vincent waited a moment before looking to him. Sephiroth was shrugging off his coat, and Vincent's eyes followed it as it fell to the ground. He wasn't wearing a hilt for his sword, or if he was, it had been discarded with the coat. His shoulders didn't look quite so wide without the metal armor, and he was surprised to see that Sephiroth was actually more sparsely muscled than he'd thought. For all his strength, the man didn't look to be that much bigger than himself. But he *was* stronger. There was no denying that. Sephiroth's hands were touching his own belt, and Vincent dropped his eyes.

There was no reason to hesitate, and it wasn't as if he hadn't seen the two previous fighters in the same situation as he was now in, but Vincent suddenly understood how they must have felt. He knew from having been in the room, that few would watch them. That didn't matter, though, as he knew at least three people who *would* be watching. Even one set of curious eyes would have been enough. Still, Sephiroth was undressing completely, and he did *not* want the man to have to undress him. It was bad enough that he'd already done so for the most part. With this in mind, he knelt to remove his boots.

It seemed to take the slender man forever to get those boots off, but Sephiroth wasn't going to rush him. There was absolutely no need to hurry at all, and although he was eager to begin, this was an excellent opportunity to simply look at the man. As he'd noticed before, Vincent looked much better without the red cloak hiding his face. There were a few long scars on the man's back, but they did nothing to take away from the man's allure. It wouldn't have been wrong to say he looked delicious, and Sephiroth smirked at the thought. Finally, the man seemed to take a breath, then the boots were off and his hands went to his pants.

Sephiroth was watching him with hungry eyes. Vincent had noticed, and he wasn't sure if he should be feeling as flattered as he did. After all, he didn't *want* to man to be attracted to him. He hid his scars for the simple reason that they bothered him. They were a reminder of his past and of the fact that he was no longer completely human. But he hid his face for a different reason, and he could tell by the way those pale blue eyes glowed that he had been right to do so. He'd never had that problem before Hojo had changed him, and as far as he could tell, he looked the same. Though his hair had grown much longer during his sleep. The only thing different was the glow in his eyes. Once only had he shown his face to a person since being awakened by Cloud. The blatant arousal the boy had shown him had been enough proof, and he had been careful not to have a repeat performance. Not that anything would have come from it since Cloud had been as mortified as he was at the time. Thinking of that made him wonder again why Cloud hadn't been chosen instead of him, then a weight dropped onto his shoulder and he realized that he had finished undressing. A glance showed that Sephiroth had as well.

Vincent still made no move to return his embrace when Sephiroth wrapped his arms around the man, but he did lean into it with something akin to eagerness. There was barely an inch difference in their heights, but Sephiroth's hand tightened on the shorter man's waist, bending him back, just a bit. His other arm slid upward until his hand was bracing the back of Vincent's neck, tilting it as he licked the man's lips. They opened before him and he pressed inside, his arms tightening until he could feel limp fingers brushing his thighs. The man was so complacent. While that wasn't what he wanted, he was more than willing to take advantage for the moment. He was confident the passivity wouldn't last.

His hand brushed over Vincent's shoulder, then down the man's arm till he could circle one slender wrist. Pulling the man's right arm up, he set it over his shoulder and he made a low sound when the hand moved, fingers curling in his long hair. Vincent's mouth pulled away, and he watched, a smirk curving his lips as the man gasped quietly. Those eyes were closed, but the man's cheeks were tinted, flushed against the longs strands of black hair that fell forward. He leaned close to the man, his lips touching one soft cheek as he ran his tongue down along Vincent's jaw. A shiver moved through the slender frame he held when he flicked his tongue against the man's ear, and his eyes closed. "Vincent..."

Vincent tensed at the soft whisper, his eyes snapping open to stare at the fine, silver-white hair falling forward over Sephiroth's shoulder. He didn't know what he expected, but he held his breath, waiting for the man to move. Something warm and wet brushed his neck and he relaxed, his eyes closing slowly. Then sharp teeth nipped at his skin and he drew in a quick breath, almost jerking away in surprise. But it didn't really hurt and it was almost erotic. Sephiroth's thumb brushed the underside of his ear before the hand in his hair curled and pulled his head back. The man wasn't being nearly as rough as he'd expected, but he *was* held firm, redness from the sun visible behind his closed eyes as his face was tilted back. Those lips ran over his arched neck and his resulting shiver made him doubt his balance. He didn't think Sephiroth would let him fall, but his free hand moved anyway, clutching the man's arm.

While Vincent hadn't been unresponsive, he much preferred the tight hold on his arm. Sephiroth lifted his head slowly, holding the slender body flush against him as he leaned over the black-haired man. His tongue brushed Vincent's lips and they parted quickly, the hand tightening in his long hair. Whatever impression Vincent tried to give with his silence, the constant detachment, it was wrong; the man was not the least bit cold. Without breaking the kiss, Sephiroth pulled back until Vincent was no longer bent but leaning against his chest. His hand slid down from the man's slender waist, trailing briefly before curving around between them. Vincent's eyes snapped open and he stared into them, not loosening his hold. Squeezing slightly, he swallowed the low sound the man made. Those glowing red eyes seemed to flash before being hidden by long, black lashes.

Breaking the kiss, Sephiroth watched the man gasp as he continued his tantalizing squeezes. Then he let go, his hands moving up until he gripped Vincent's shoulders, pressing down. The man dropped so quickly he smirked for a second, knowing he was responsible for the man's weak limbs. He crouched and laid a hand on Vincent's chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat. "Vincent." Red eyes flicked open and his lips curved as he lowered his mouth, tongue lapping at a nipple. A soft sigh brushed his hair and his eyes closed to slits. "Forget it."

Vincent's blinked, staring in confusion as Sephiroth rose and leaned forward till lips brushed his ear. "What?" His voice sounded too soft, but he had to admit he was having trouble catching his breath.

"Whatever is holding you back," Sephiroth murmured, his voice a bare breath. "I don't believe you're always this passive."

"I am." The man pulled back and Vincent averted his eyes away from pale blue ones. He hadn't meant to say that, but it was true. As well as he could remember, he'd never been an aggressor.

"I see," Sephiroth said slowly, looking over Vincent's closed expression. "Fine. But I expect to see more passion from you next time." The man's eyes flew back to him, and he smirked at the frown curving those delicious lips. He wasn't going to waste time explaining, there were more interesting and enjoyable things to do. Not moving back, he dropped his eyes, looking down the man's chest till he sighted his target. His hand slid across Vincent's thigh, pausing briefly to admire the muscles from where the man was kneeling. Then his fingers wrapped around Vincent's erection and he let out a throaty laugh at the man's gasp.

There was nothing shy about the way Vincent's hips rose into his touch, one strong hand clamping onto his shoulder. Tilting his head, Sephiroth pressed his lips to soft parted ones, his tongue gaining instant entrance. Vincent's right arm wrapped around his neck, a hold tugging his hair and he stroked the man slowly. As he'd said, the man pressing closer to him was not passive, the thoughtless thrust of his hips an open invitation. Drawing the man closer to his limit, Sephiroth broke the kiss, his eyes wandering over Vincent's flushed face. Silky black hair was tumbling forward and a few damp strands gave quite a contrast to the pale man's skin. Vincent was holding his shoulders and he stroked him faster, his free hand plucking some of that lovely hair away from the man's face. Then he felt that slender body tense against him and he stopped suddenly, catching Vincent's chin in his hand and waiting. Dazed, yet intriguing red eyes blinked at him and he had to stop his own gaze from falling to the man's mouth. Vincent's breaths were so heavy and quick, it was both satisfying and attractive.

He would never beg, but Vincent suddenly found himself wanting to. He could still feel the hand curled about him and he would have shoved forward had he not come to his senses. His body was strumming, he couldn't catch his breath, but he met Sephiroth's blue eyes without being confused. He'd told the man he was passive, then why did he want to grab him and make him finish what he'd started. The thought was brushed aside slowly and he realized his kneeling position gave him a height advantage over the white-haired man. Sephiroth was sitting on his heels. Those pale lips curved into a familiar smirk, then hands pressed against his thighs. A blush heated his face and he closed his eyes, gasping when the man fondled him a moment before moving on. His hands tightened on Sephiroth's shoulders when fingers prodded and pressed into him. He would have ducked his head, but the man caught his mouth and he wasn't willing to resist. Of course, he enjoyed the kiss as much as he had the last one; his tolerance was too high for such a slight pain to distract him.

His eyes opened when Sephiroth pulled away and he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. The white-haired man shifted, leaning back on one arm. Vincent blinked when a hand curved on his waist, then he flushed, pulled forward until he straddled Sephiroth's hips. He hadn't expected this, not from the way the man had taken charge completely. The pale man was lying on his back and he blinked away from those pale blue eyes, one hand pressing on his hips. He gave a soft groan as he moved down, gripping Sephiroth's arms as the man held his waist. It wasn't until he was seated that he was able to relax, adjusting slowly to the large intrusion.

Sephiroth turned his hands, his fingers stroking the silky underside of Vincent's arms as he drew the man forward. Long black hair brushed his chest and he twisted a handful of the fall, watching it as he waited. Nearly a full minute passed and he finally turned his eyes back to Vincent, smirking at the man's frown. Those dark red eyes were watching him play with the hair, but they flashed to him when he shifted his hips. "What are you waiting for?" he murmured, smirking when Vincent's flush darkened. The man was leaning on his shoulders, bent forward. Lifting his head, he lapped at Vincent's lips as his hands touched that slender waist, urging him into motion. A low growl tickled his throat when the man finally rose and he pushed upward, sliding into that tight warmth. It was tantalizing, not nearly as fast and rough as he would have preferred, but Vincent's small gasps were worthy of his patience. Luscious lips open, the man seemed to be calling for him and he wasn't about to deny the urge, raising so he could press his tongue into Vincent's mouth.

The slow movements of Vincent's hips slowed more when he was distracted by the kiss and Sephiroth allowed him a moment of relief, tasting him thoroughly. Then he released the man's hips, rising with one arm curved behind Vincent's back. Red eyes widened, but he didn't hesitate, pressing the slender man down without separating at all. His mouth captured Vincent's again, kissing him mercilessly until the man pulled away with a rough gasp. He smirked, licking his lips as he enjoyed the dazed expression, pumping his hips suddenly. A moan broke their relative silence and he answered it with a low sound of his own. Then he hooked an arm under one of Vincent's legs, lifting it to his shoulder as he quickened the pace. Pressing his face in the man's soft hair, he closed his teeth on one muscled shoulder, not actually biting but teasing the skin with his tongue. Rough pants were breathed close to his ear and he turned, meeting Vincent's gaze. He was suddenly aware of a strong hand digging into his hair and he didn't resist when his mouth was taken in a passionate kiss.

Vincent couldn't think, it was happening too fast for him, the sensations sending violent shards of pleasure through his body. Part of this was diverted when he kissed Sephiroth, and he poured himself into it, mimicking the rough thrusts with his tongue. Obviously, the man hadn't been expecting that, freezing for a second before returning the gesture. He was barely aware of the fingers trailing down his chest but his eyes snapped open when his erection was gripped suddenly. Sephiroth pulled away, pale blue eyes boring into his.

"We'll do this again," Sephiroth whispered, squeezing the hard length at the same time as he gave a hard push with his hips. Vincent let out a sharp cry and he leaned closer to him. "Yes?"

The hand stroked him and Vincent bucked his hips, gasping. "Yes!" As if he'd struck a match, Sephiroth's eyes flashed. Then his mouth was taken in yet another of those furious kisses and he moaned into a hot cavern, closing his eyes. He barely felt himself rocked against the scratchy ground and he came without warning, every muscle in his body seeming to clench at once. Whether or not Sephiroth had joined him in the mind-blowing orgasm, he didn't know or care. A heady warmth filled aching muscles and his hands fell limp to the ground.

There was nothing so satisfying as that senseless expression on Vincent's previously cold face. Not that his own satisfaction had been lacking. With a tired smirk, Sephiroth leaned down so his lips pressed the man's ear. "I won't forget this," he murmured, his smirk widening when the only response was a vague grunt. His muscles were sore but he rose, brushing a hand over Vincent's arm before gripping it. "Up, Vincent. You won't be tired for long."

"Ah..."

The slender man groaned when he pulled him up and Sephiroth snorted, turning to his clothing. There was no point in dressing completely, but he did pull on his pants, tossing Vincent's to the immobile man. A moment passed during which he wondered if he'd have to assist his pale lover, but those long-fingered hands finally moved. "I didn't know I was *that* good," Sephiroth taunted, smirking when he received a cold, red-eyed glare that rivaled Vincent's previous looks. His words obviously struck a nerve because the man dressed quickly and was soon standing beside him. As he'd expected, they were taken back to the white room without any hesitation at all. Vincent's cloak was back and he couldn't pretend to be surprised when the man immediately walked away from him, his eyes cold. But he did notice that the black-haired fighter's cheeks were tinted and he smiled before letting his eyes touch the others.

Squall was staring at him with wide eyes and Sephiroth smirked, raising an eyebrow. The teenager didn't flinch, but he did drop his gaze quickly, as if he hadn't meant to be noticed. A hot glare reached him and he glanced to the right, already walking to where Vincent had stopped near the wall. Dark brown eyes met him and it took a few seconds before he understood the angry look Sanosuke was giving him. He'd won the match, meaning he would face the red-haired swordsman in the second round. Not bothering with the tall youth, his eyes swept down, traveling the slight redhead's length before flicking back to Sano. He smirked, then stepped to Vincent, leaning against the wall beside the man who continued to ignore him as if nothing had taken place.

Shin frowned at Kuja's wide smile but didn't comment. Turning, he met Tsunami's calm expression, grateful that the man was so completely in control of his emotions. The tall man nodded and he lifted his chin, facing the fighters. "The next battle will take place immediately. The combatants; Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy."

* * *
TBC