Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Cetra Muyo OAV ❯ Hojo Attacks & Stuff ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Episode 5: "Hojo Attacks & Stuff!" Just when the guys are relaxing in Aeris's personal 'Bishounen Springs', stupid Hojo attacks and ruins the moment. Bickering, murderous intents, cookies, discoveries, marriage arrangements... and NAKED guys! =^-^=

Episode Five: Hojo Attacks and Stuff
It was one of those cool, autumn days once again in the Kalm area, and soon winter would be upon it. In the meantime, Aeris was out in the garden, working in the vegetable fields since she had to turn half of her flower fields into edible food with the many mouths she had to feed at the house. She didn't mind at all, but she wished they would stop fighting over every little thing. And with their recent guest, Reno managed to piss off Rufus more than Sephiroth ever did, but then again there was always tension in the air whenever those three were in the same room.

She sighed, plopping down on the grass for a break, and was really glad that despite those three and her grandmother, Cloud and Red-Ohki still kept her sane. Speaking of him, Red-Ohki walked up to her and laid down next to her. "Hi, Red-Ohki!" she smiled, stroking his back. "How are you today?"

"Considering that I'm an intelligent, talking creature, who can become a giant spaceship," he said, "just peachy."

Aeris giggled, "'Peachy'?! That really doesn't sound like you!"

"No, not after being in a house where the mouths of Rufus and Reno dominate, I have come to appreciate the 'gay' (as in 'happy') terms of life." He lifted his head up, scanning his EYE across the fields of sprouting vegetables. "I feel responsible for ruining such beauties, knowing well you loved the flowers very much."

"It's okay. You guys can't eat flowers, so I don't mind growing veggies instead--it's good to have change. Besides you and the others are more important than flowers."

"If only THEY felt the same way about you," Red-Ohki mumbled, thinking how everyone else had been taking advantage of the girl's kindness, as he dropped his head back on his paws wearily. Aeris raised a curious eyebrow at him, having not understood, but she didn't ask when he had already closed his eye to rest, so she didn't bother him and returned to work.


Meanwhile Sephiroth was relaxing in the hot springs that happened to be at the site of his imprisonment. To make the story short on how the springs came to be, let's just say an unnamed ex-Space SOLDIER purposely took the seat of another unnamed eldest prince that lead to throwing huge fireballs around the backyard. To add to the fire, another no name red-head took this opportunity to find out what bra size the young hostess wore, and well that didn't turn out to wonderful for him when the others found out.

Sephiroth and Rufus had Red-Ohki change into the spaceship and execute the TURKS officer on the spot, but Aeris intervened, and the blast took out most of Sephiroth's cave. After that, Cloud had the idea of turning it into their personal hot spa, which was much relief for Reno when the subject was on something else instead of his umm, naughty stuff. But then as punishment, Reno was forced to labor on Rufus's designs on the hot springs for a month while Sephiroth supervised with whip in hand (in what could possibly be considered a VERY tamed verion of a yaoi S&M). [SD-K-chan sweatdropped.]

When Aeris found out about it, she unknowingly made the others feel guilty, and they willingly helped out in the work. At times, sneaky Sephiroth would disappear to spend some time with Aeris, but after a few times, Rufus caught on and chained Cloud to Sephiroth so that he had a chaperon. Neither of the Space SOLDIERS were happy about that, but those were the times in the construction of hot springs.

Leaning against the poolside, Sephiroth reached out towards the tray of drinks and grabbed a small cup of warm sake. He gulped it down, enjoying the peaceful moment, but it would be even better if he had Aeris next to him. He smiled at the thought with his gazing up through the glass windows, but it soon disappeared when Rufus with a towel around his waist walked into the spa area. "S**t, of all the people," the blonde mumbled, turning around to leave.

"What's the hurry?" Sephiroth smirked, "There's enough room for the two of us... Unless you fear me."

Having struck a nerve to his pride, Rufus quickly proved him wrong by stepping into the waters. He grabbed the bottle of sake and chugged it down like it was plain water. He was unsober after that with his speech slurring immediately as he poked Sephiroth in the arm, "Stu~pe~d Si~phruth, dunna thinka~... jes becuz yo~u... met Ledi~ Aeri~sss... first... do~zn't mi~an iny~thi~n'..."

Sephiroth ignored the drunk, closing his eyes, and began to reminisced on his first encounter with the girl. During his seven hundred years of confinement, he could still have contact with the outside world by traveling outside the cave through his astral body. It was that one day that when he was watching the world through the astral body that he spotted a young girl with a beautiful woman.

He watched them closely and soon caught the girl's emerald eyes staring at his own. It shocked him that the girl could see his astral body sitting on the rocks looking right at her when no else could, but he didn't show any emotions at that time nor throughout the years he continued to watch the girl when she visited the cave by herself.

Every time he saw her, she would usually speak aloud about the weather or talk of her experience that day as if she was carrying on a conversation with him. "Wow," she spoke to him one day, staring at him in awe, "you have such pretty, shiny hair, lady!" She smiled while his expression was neutral, but if anyone looked closely, a few beads of sweat had formed on his head at the comment.

She tugged on her only braided hair, saying, "I'll grow my hair long and make it shiny just like yours!" The one-sided conversation ended there when her mother called her for dinner. He had no choice but to watch the happy girl skip away, leaving him alone once more. Because of her, he longed to be free of his imprisonment just to be with her, his dear Aeris. But she probably saw him as nothing more than a monster.

"Yer too~ cold-ha~ted..." Rufus continued, doing a terrible job of pouring the sake into the tiny cup, "Ledi~ E~ri~sssssss... iz too~ pu~rfect... Jes like me~!!" He chuckled while Sephiroth glared at him, getting that urge to stab him with the Masamune.

"CANNONBALL!!" a naked Reno shouted, running into the pool area, and jumped into the waters with a huge splash washing over Sephiroth and Rufus. Reno surfaced only to get his head whacked with the drink tray by a wet, sober Rufus. "Hey, can't a guy just have some fun?!! You guys are just f**kin' boring!!"

"Watch your language!" Rufus ordered, "You're in the presence of royalty!"

Sephiroth and Reno rolled their eyes. The red-head grabbed another bottle of sake and gulped the rest of it down, but he was still sober since it took gallons of alcohol to get him drunk. "Aaah man, this is THE life!" he chuckled. "Forget my lousy, I'm damn happy to be stranded on this planet. A place to stay, no work, a gorgeous chick around 24/7!! Yep, I'm in heaven...

"Damn, just thinkin' 'bout Aeris makes me wanna--OUWE!!" Reno glared at Rufus, who had smacked his head, and apparently he had overlooked Sephiroth's murderous, green eyes. "What the f**k's wrong with you?!!" he sneered, "Don't tell me you haven't thought about her like that?! Beautiful, emerald eyes; delicous-lookin', pink lips; fine, slender legs; that sexy body of curves... and her nice, REAL nice brea--GAAAAH!"

Sephiroth and Rufus began dunking Reno into the pool, not wanting to hear anything about their Aeris from the mouth of a sleezy pervert. It was then that a fully clothed Cloud walked in on the scene, and he would've quickly turned around and left if it wasn't for the fact that he was there to inform them of lunch. "It's time to eat," he said and sniffed the air at the heavy smell of sake, "Aaawe s**t, you guys drank all the sake without me?!!"

"Reno's fault," the prince and the ex-Space SOLDIER replied, still trying to drown poor Reno. An angry Cloud jumped into the pool and helped them, but no later did the glass ceiling break, and a strange, glowing sphere descended from above.

Everyone dropped their murderous intent, leaving a lucky Reno gasping for air, and prepared themselves against the visitor. The Masamune appeared in Sephiroth's hand as Cloud threw him a towel, ordering, "Cover up." The silver-haired one shrugged and wrapped it around his waist while Rufus had to settle with the tray since he would have to run back to the house for his weapon. Cloud always carried his Ultima Weapon strapped to his back, so he had his ready.

The light faded away to reveal the cloaked figure from Cloud's nightmare, but Sephiroth recognized the man and immediately charged at him with a frown. The stranger shot out an energy ball at Sephiroth, who knocked it away with the Masamune, but the unexpected second blast smashed into him. The man teleported over to Sephiroth, who swung the blade, missing his target.

Cloud launched his attack from the other side, bu the man shot out several mini blasts at the blonde, allowing Sephiroth to strike at him, but the ex-Space SOLDIER bounced back from the barrier that protected the man. A blast wounded Cloud, sending him back onto the floor. "Cloud!" Rufus hurried to his brother's side, "Are you all right?"

He nodded, getting up with Rufus's help. They turned back to Sephiroth and the stranger, but neither were in sight. "We're in deep s**t," Reno said, climbing out of the bath, when the SHINRA-sei guardian duo floated into the bathing area.

"Woohoo, Reno's NEK-KID!!" Yuffie sung, making her way over to the princes. Reno turned red but was grateful when Tifa handed him a towel after headbutting Yuffie to silence.

"CLOUD-SAMA!!" Tifa then hurried to the young blonde's side. "Oooh, tell me who hurt you!!! I'll hurt them TEN times more!!"

"What are you two doing here?" Rufus questioned, dumping his brother into Tifa's care since she seemed so insistent on it. Cloud gave him a look that was like 'thanks for being such a GREAT older brother'.

"Miss Aeris told us to come in here to check on everyone," Yuffie said, "after that loud blast we heard. What's goin' on?"

At the mention of the girl's name, she slowly walked into the area with her eyes tightly shut, using the Royal Guard as a walking stick. "Umm guys, is everything okay?" she asked worriedly, "And you ARE decently dressed, right?"

"Pretty much," Cloud answered, and Aeris opened her eyes and sighed in relief.

"Where's Sephy?" she asked with great concern, looking up at the broken ceiling. "Oh dear, I hope it's not another visitor."

Reno, holding the towel around his waist, stood next to Aeris and smirked, "Don't worry, babe, you've got Reno here. I'll protect you at all costs from that f**kin' criminal Hojo." He was about to put his free arm around Aeris's shoulder, but a flying try knocked him to the ground.

Somewhat oblivious to that, Aeris started running for the exit, shouting, "We have to find Sephy! He might need help!!" Cloud immediately ran after her with Yuffie and Tifa following close behind. Rufus sulked a bit, not wanting to help his rival, but Aeris was putting herself in danger, so he had to be there to protect her. On his way out, he grabbed Reno's ponytail and dragged the dazed TURKS officer towards the dressing room before heading after the others.


Aeris and the others searched all over the place for Hojo and Sephiroth but ended back in front of the 'cavern turned hot springs' (which will be called the 'Bishouen Springs') place with the girl looking dejected and Rufus wearing an overjoyed smile. "Where could they be?!" she cried frantically, pacing back and forth. No one noticed the dark, mysterious forest just to the side of the Bishounen Springs until Red-Ohki strolled up to them from the house.

"Why is everyone standing out here?" he asked. Noticing the troubled look on Aeris's face and Sephiroth was nowhere in sight, he put one and one together (making two 'cause he was SO smart) and glanced over at the eerie forests. "Despite the fact that I can sniff out Sephiroth's scent, have you checked that mysterious forest that just appeared from nowhere?"

They blinked at Red-Ohki's keen observation, and then Reno charged ahead, becoming the new leader of their pack. It was VERY unfortunate to have Reno lead because they were soon lost in the forest maze for what seemed like hours, but Red-Ohki quickly picked up Sephiroth's scent and rushed towards the light at the end of the forest tunnel.

"When this is over," Rufus began, glaring over his shoulder at Reno, "I'm reporting your ass to TURKS headquarters. You won't be patrolling this isolated region anymore, but a blackhole instead!!"

"WAAAAH!!" Yuffie cried when she saw Hojo hovering over what appeared to be a giant, glowing tree. The tree wasn't what caused her to yell out, but it was the old geezer, "IT'S A FREAK!!"

After glancing over at a frightened Aeris, Reno smiled, thinking he could apprehend Hojo right there to show off his courageous spirit to her and to get a promotion from headquarters. He whipped out his nightstick and stepped in front of the group, confronting the criminal, "Hey, Hojo! You're under arrest for bein' a f**kin' pain and lookin' like ol', perverted s**t!!"

Rufus made a disgusted face, leaning over to his brother, and whispered, "Uugh, isn't he talkin' 'bout himself?!"

Cloud wasn't listening because he was staring at the familiar tree that Rufus didn't seem to recognize right away. "That tree," he started, "Isn't that the Ancient Tree?"

"Oh s**t!" the older prince exclaimed, "The tree part of Yggdrasil!! Analfi's airship!! I knew she's still alive!!"

Hojo chuckled, taking a careful look at the group before him. "Kukuku, it's nice to have an audience, but we are missing someone."

"Sephy!!" Aeris shouted, "Where is he?!!"

"'Sephy'?" he repeated, looking very amused at the nickname. "Kuku, he's right here." He waved his hand, and a battered-looking Sephiroth appeared in the air and fell to the ground in a heap. Aeris was about to run to the fallen ex-Space SOLDIER, but Cloud and Red-Ohki blocked her way, saying it was too dangerous. Hojo descended to the ground and slowly advanced towards the group, "Having the princes of SHINRA-sei here is very convenient."

"Stop, Hojo! Or I'll fire, dammit!" Reno warned, aiming his weapon at the man, "I don't give a f**k for the royal asses, but lay one f**kin' finger on Aeris the babe, then I'll fry your s**tty self till no one'll recognized the pile of s**t that's of the f**ked up you!" Hojo just chuckled quietly--because he couldn't go right out and laugh like crazy or else he would have another coughing fit--and proceeded forward, ignoring the vulgar threat.

Pissed, Reno blasted a wave of flames from the nightstick at Hojo, but the attack deflected (like before) because the old man was being protected by a force field. That wasn't the end of it when the flames bounced back out of control, causing everyone (except Hojo and Sephiroth) to duck from the crazy blaze. Aeris and the others threw themselves on the ground while Yuffie and Tifa in a panick rammed into each other, knocking one another into a daze like the USEFUL guardians they were.

Hojo was looming over Rufus and Cloud flattened on the ground and grinned evilly until his head snapped back at Aeris's stern, angelic voice, "Stop it, Mr. Hojo! If you hurt my friends, I won't hesitate to fight you!" He narrowed his eyes at her, glancing from top to bottom and bottom to top...

But a few shots from Rufus's weapon stopped his roaming eyes. "You f**kin' pervert!!" the prince growled. Unfortunately, the bullets ricocheted off the invisible field, just missing Reno's relieved head and Red-Ohki's tail and barely nicking Cloud's precious, chocobo-style hair! [SD-K-chan's snickering.]

"UUWAAAAAAAH!! MY HAIR!!" Cloud screamed (almost a bit too girly) as Reno snickered at the prince's misfortune. At his cries, Tifa immediately got out of her dazed stated and rushed to the blonde's side, consoling him at the tiny loss.

Hojo ignored them and focused his attention on Aeris, who had the Royal Guard in her defensive stance. He eyed the staff, noting the three materia, and smiled brightly. "Kuku, that staff... so much power!!! BWAAHAHAHA--KACK!!" He had forgotten about his poor health in his brief, blissful state. "Hand it over, little girl!"

Aeris fell back a few steps, not liking that menacing look on the man's face. Hojo charged at her, intent on killing her and taking the staff and the materia as his own, but he didn't anticipate on Sephiroth waking up and landing a fist into his jaw. After landing abruptly against the trunk of a tree, Hojo's eyes flared at Sephiroth, who was standing protectively in front of Aeris. Then he smiled because he was and would forever be Sephiroth's... MASTER!!

Using whatever mind control he had (like JENOVA 'cept stronger), Hojo turned Sephiroth against Aeris by making his mind into a blank slate taking orders from only his master. [SD-K-chan's glaring at Hojo: HOW EVIL!] Sephiroth had the girl pinned beneath his body on the ground as she stared shockingly at his expressionless face. She kept a strong grip on the Royal Guard, but her saddened eyes were locked on his face, hoping that he would snap out of it.

Sephiroth leaned closer and closer to her delicate face, holding back her hurtful tears of his betrayal, while everyone watched with great intensity. Rufus and Reno were cursing wildly, practically brandishing their weapons at Sephiroth to knock him from Aeris's lips. Hojo watched closely as his puppet's lips descended upon a wide-eyed Aeris, who didn't do a thing to struggle away.

"OH, HOW ROMANTIC!!" Yuffie whimpered.

"It would be if he wasn't bein' controlled!" Tifa grumbled and then blinked at what she had just said, "Or is he?" Everyone then glared at Hojo, blaming him for what Sephiroth was doing.

"HEY, I didn't tell him to KISS her!!" he tried to defend himself, waving his hands in front of him. He rushed over to Sephiroth and Aeris and yelled at the silver-haired one, who ended the kiss. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN'?!! I ordered you to KILL her!!" Hojo groaned and put a hand to his head as if he had a migraine, "Uugh, it doesn't matter. At least I'll have the staff."

Hojo had some difficulty in prying Aeris's unwilling fingers from the staff, but with Sephiroth's second kiss, the Royal Guard was in the madman's hand... for just a few seconds before flying off into its original owner, who happened to be Ifalna emerging from the forests' shadows. Instead of looking pissed, Hojo was actually happy, "Kuku, finally the first crown Cetran princess arrives!"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!" Rufus shouted loudly over everyone else (except for Ifalna and Sephiroth). The prince could only gape in shock at the old woman standing there.

"Okay, Sephiroth," Hojo called, "Kill everyone, but capture the Cetra." Everyone glared at him, and he looked at him, trying to be innocent as can be (but it ain't workin'), "What? I hate getting my hands dirty." He patted Sephiroth's head, "Now be a good boy, and listen to 'papa'. If you do, I'll let you play with this girl."

As IF he was NOT under Hojo's control, Sephiroth released Aeris's wrists and stood up, unsheathing the Masamune from his (contracted) subspace storage. He and Ifalna engaged in an intricate battle that had everyone's eyes flying all over the forest ground and air (and would be too hard to describe and the writer's too lazy).

While the battle went on, Cloud, Red-Ohki, Rufus, Reno and the guardian logs decided to ambush Hojo, but the sneaky bastard pulled out a giant laser-cannon thingie from HIS subspace and aimed it directly at them. "KUKUKU~, let's see you go up against this li'l baby," he chuckled, holding the remote with a big, red button on it in his hand. His finger lingered in the air over the dangerous button as if toying with their minds.

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" Aeris said, getting all eyes (except for Sephiroth and Ifalna) on her, as she concentrated all her energy on that laser-cannon weapon still aimed at her friends. And in the next blink of an eye, a loud sound crackled over their heads, and a bright flash broke through the skies, zapping the huge weapon out of comission. Right after Aeris's sudden magical powers, everyone (except you know who) flung themselves to the ground as far away from Hojo and the haywired weapon as they could get, and then a loud explosion echoed through the forest.

After the smoke cleared, a not so happy Hojo was covered in soot and whatnot while the guys crumpled over in laughter. With that situation settled, the aerial battle was just ending too with Sephiroth thrown through the air and onto the ground, not because Ifalna was a better fight but the power of the Royal Guard and the materias were too great for the unbeatable, Masamune-wielding ex-Space SOLDIER!

"Grandmother!" Aeris cried, "please don't hurt Sephy!!"

The woman looked at the girl with an amused smile and then became the plotting grandmother she was, having discovered her granddaughter's true feelings, "Oho~hoho~, so you DO have interest in 'Sephy'!!" Aeris dropped her head wearily in her hands while Rufus and Reno glared at the laughing woman.

While everyone was distracted, a vengeful Hojo picked up Sephiroth's semi-conscious form. Aeris gasped, silently scolding herself for her carelessness, "SEPHY!!"

"Kuku, if you want little Sephy back," Hojo began but was quickly interrupted by Rufus and Reno.

"HELL NO!" the pair said, "YOU CAN F**KIN' TAKE 'IM!!"

Cloud sighed, shaking his head, while Aeris and Red-Ohki glared at him. Sweatdropping, Hojo recomposed himself so he could finish the deal, "Well whoever wants him back will have to come to me, on board the Highwind. Kukuku~!" He disappeared, leaving his hideous cackling behind.

With Hojo's words spiraling around in his head, Rufus hurried over to Ifalna and stared at the woman hard, wanting a straight answer, "Analfi, is that really you?" She nodded. "What happened?! You're a full-blooded Cetran! You shouldn't have aged so quickly... And the last time I saw you..." His voice trailed away sadly that moved Yuffie and Tifa so that the pair leaned on each other for support, pouring their tears and wailing in everyone's ears.

"WHY?!! WHY??!!! YOU CAN'T BE AN OLD WOMAN!!" the crowned prince shouted, collapsing onto his knees in frustration. "I'M NOT MARRYIN' AN OLD WOMAN!!!" Cloud glared at his inconsiderate brother when the said woman was standing right there.

"That's such a shame," Ifalna pouted, snapping her fingers, "I could've bagged myself a rich, young husband!"

"Grandmother!" Aeris scolded.

Cloud, the sensible prince, asked the woman, "But why didn't you return to SHINRA-sei after you defeated Sephiroth?"

"Oho~hoho~!!" she laughed, waving a white folding fan with SHINRA-sei's logo on it in front of her face, "Why do you think I left in the first place?!" The others blinked cluelessly at her, awaiting her dreadful answer. She covered her lower face with the fan, looking at them slyly. "After I laid eyes on Sephiroth, I knew of no other man for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! And I chased him dooooooooooooooooown... till he said 'yeeeeeeeeeeees'!!" she sang.

Of course, they facefaulted. "Just kidding!" she chirped. She pulled Rufus back on his feet, looking for once very serious, "But you and Aeris are about the same age, you two could start a new life together... and I'll be happy, old woman..." Her eyes became more menacing, narrowing into slits at a nervous Rufus, "But promise me one thing." He nodded, swallowing hard. "Bear me lots of great-grandchildreeeeeeeeeeeeen!!" she sang again, and they facefaulted.

A blushing Aeris was the first to recover, focusing on more important matters. "I'm going after Hojo," she announced to the dismay of Rufus and Reno. "I can't let Sephy stay under his control. Who knows what a madman will force him to do!!"

"Oh I can think of a few things," Yuffie snickered, "Heh heh."

"YUF!!" Tifa screamed at her blockheard partner, "GET YOUR MIND OUTTA THE GUTTER!!"

"What?!" she asked innocently, "I would just have him bake me some oatmeal raisin cookies, wearing a pink dress just like Miss Aeris!"

"YUUUCK!" Reno said, "I HATE those oatmeal raisin s**t!"

"I prefer chocolate-chips myself," Red-Ohki added.

"I have to agree with Red-Ohki," Cloud said.

"Oh no, brownies are my favorite!" Ifalna insisted. "And my little Aeris makes THE best! Don't you, sweetie?" She patted the girl's head.

"Umm, after I get Sephy back, I'll make some for everyone," she compromised, taking the Royal Guard from her grandmother's hand. Cloud and Red-Ohki quickly volunteer to protect her, leaving only Reno and Rufus to answer with silence.

Just looking into Aeris's big, green eyes, Reno couldn't help but give in, "OH F**K IT!! I'd do anything for the babe! I'm in." Aeris gave him a small hug, and Cloud immediately intervened before Reno's hands began to wander where they shouldn't be wandering.

"I'm going too," Rufus finally announced. "But I'm not doing it for bleach-head. I'm going because I made a promise to forever protect my Cetran princess," he said, locking his eyes onto Aeris. [SD-K-chan with hearts in her eyes: How sweet!!]

Before the scene got any sweeter, melting them all into liquid mush, Cloud ordered Tifa and Yuffie to protect Ifalna while the others questioned how to get into space. That was when they remembered Red-Ohki was a ship too. Cloud saw the red creature by the Yggdrasil tree and called out to him, "Red, you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he answered.

Ifalna walked up to them, "There's still energy in Yggdrasil. If Red-Ohki merges with it, you'll be able to match against the Highwind." Red-Ohki nodded, having similar thoughts on that. Glowing a bright, red aura, Red-Ohki leapt into the air and went through an undescribable process of changing into that big, red spaceship and at the same time, the white glow from Yggdrasil intensified until it disappeared, merging its energy (which was in the form of the tree) with the red spaceship, and became a weird-looking ship with a tree sprouting out at the top. [SD-K-chan sweatdrops: I feel sorrie for Red-Ohki...]

Before Red-Ohki beamed the group on board the ship, Ifalna spoked to Aeris once more about the staff, "Aeris, please take care... now that the Royal Guard has accepted you as its rightful owner." She nodded and went off to join her friends in the mission to rescue Sephiroth!


Out in space, the Highwind had slowly drifted farther away from the Planet's orbit while Hojo was in hurry to gulp down his medication for villains that promised to improve the evilness and insanity for a good day's work to annoy the good guys. After that errand was done, he teleported back into that cathedral-looking room with the huge pipe organ just in time to see Red-Ohki approaching on the screen.

Sephiroth was now wide awake with his usual, impassive self, but he was securely wrapped in heavy chains that didn't even allow him much movement if he wanted to, and being imprisoned inside a chocobo cage didn't make him any happier (if he was happy to begin with). But strangely, he did twitch slightly when Hojo began cackling in that annoying sound, "Kuku~, they're fools, coming for their deaths!! I'm their GRIM REAPER!! KAKAAKA~!"

"Hmm, a change of tune," Sephiroth mused at the new laughter.

"But why are they risking their lives to save someone like you?!!" Hojo turned around and looked at his prisoner for a moment as if searching for an answer by just staring. "They're certainly not your fanclub--yours would be larger!! Curse your handsome, silent, cold self!! Why don't I, the greatest scientific mind in the universe, have a shrine dedicated to me??!!" he whined. Sephiroth couldn't care less.

As quickly as that came, it left his system as he concentrated on his new target, "Oh well, let's see how Red-Ohki puts up against this!" He played an out of tune chord that caused the Highwind airship to start firing at Red-Ohki.


"That f**ked up Highwind is gonna attack!!" Rufus commanded, standing on the bridge of Red-Ohki while Reno and Cloud fumble around with the unfamiliar controls.

"Dammit, you've got the f**kin' easy job, standin' their and yellin' s**t at us!" Reno complained, having found something that was close to the navigations control, and became the unsaid pilot of the ship.

"JUST ATTACK, DAMMIT!!" Cloud yelled, "BEFORE IT GETS US!!"

"S**T, I DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING 'BOUT SEPH'S F**KIN' SHIP!!"

"Excuse me," came Red-Ohki's voice.

"Uuh, no offense, Red, but this is ME," Reno said, stressing his foul-mouth habit.

"Point taken."

Reno was doing his best to evade the onslaught of energy beams, but the way most of the beams were hitting all of Red-Ohki's moves, it was as if Hojo knew all the evasive manuevers before hand. "WE'RE GETTIN' CREAMED LIKE S**T HERE!!" he yelled, "HOW THE HELL..."

To answer his incomplete question, Red-Ohki's voice boomed over him again, "Did I mention that Hojo experimented on me?"

"A f**kin' thanks, Red. At least I know I'm not s**tty pilot."

"That's YOUR opinion against the rest of the universe," the ship snorted.

"Oh no, what should we do?!" Aeris asked practically to herself since the others were preoccuppied with evading the blasts. "Rufus," she called, getting an idea, "What if we attack from Yggdrasil? Is it possible?"

"It's possible, but Yggdrasil is only a supporting unit to Red-Ohki. It's still risky."

"We don't have another alternative."

"But Aeris! Only a Cetran can activate it!!"

She nodded, "I know, and since I have the blood of the Cetras, I'm the only candidate." Everyone wanted to object, but they knew that the girl would have it no other way.


And soon, Aeris teleported over to the bridge of the Ancient Yggdrasil that was at the bow of the combined spaceship, directly in view of the enemy airship. She placed the Royal Guard upright on the ground before her and prepared to follow Rufus's instructions in engaging the 'Ancient Fairy Wings', the Cetran's most powerful weapon that drew on the powers of the white and black materia, combining the two opposing forces. [SD-K-chan's speechless.]

It was only natural that Aeris, being a quarter Cetran, activated the Ancient Fairy Wings, which shielded Red-Ohki from Hojo's insane barrage. But the devious Hojo had planned on this all along and charged up his weapons for the mother of all huge blasts by playing another series of chord on the organ that was painfully out of tune and deafening. [K-chan: I don't know how Sephy can stand it!]


"Be careful, Lady Aeris!" Rufus warned, "The Ancient Fairy Wings are best at defense, but if used offensively, then they'll be extremely vulnerable!" He silently wished there was some way he could help her, but because he wasn't a Cetran--not even half-blooded--he couldn't do a thing but only instruct Aeris in its usage.


Aeris had no choice but go for the offensive method to protect her friends, who had willingly come with her even though half of them didn't want to. She prayed to her ancestors to protect them all and then gathered up all her energy for attack.

Both ships fired at once, but Aeris wasn't able to channel enough energy into the attack, so the blast from the Highwind ripped through the Ancient Fairy Wings' offensive firepower, destroying the bridge of the Yggsdrasil.


"AERIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISS!!" Rufus and the others cried while all were desparately trying to find any signs of the pink-dressed girl from the wreckage. Finding nothing but debris floating in space, hatred burned in them instead of grief, and anyone who sided with Hojo should be pitied when three of the most dangerous people in the universe were about to board the Highwind and hunt down that damned madman.


After seeing that horrible explosion, Sephiroth went beserk, busting through the chains like they were silly string, and teleported from his pathetic confinements to the wreckage around Yggdrasil in search of his precious Aeris. His eyes frantically searched with worriment showing in his every moment and facial muscle. When he found a part of her pink dress stained with blood, he let out a blood-curling yell that actually reached Ifalna and the guardians on the Planet.

"That doesn't sound good," Yuffie remarked.


Back in space, Sephiroth turned to face the Highwind with deadly, glowing, green eyes, vowing that Hojo was going to pay for taking Aeris away from him, "Hojo, you're a DEAD man."


TO BE CONTINUED... Episode 6: Where Are You, Aeris?! (It's a working title.)