Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ White Devil's Kiss ❯ Sephiroth Returns ( Chapter 6 )

Hello once again and I still don't know if anyone reads this story. Advent Children has FINALLY arrived! And now…*pause for dramatic effect* I own it! Yes! The greatest movie in the world and I own it! But it will not influence this story because I would have to change the whole flippin' thing! BLECH! Anywho, here is chapter 6 and I do hope anyone who reads White Devil's Kiss enjoys it. Thank you.

 

6

The cloaked figure held Ariah in his arms and stepped into the room. His face was hidden behind the black hood, but Vincent had already guessed who it was. “Sephiroth.” He hissed out as he raised his gun to fire.

 

The now revealed man laughed slightly and set his daughter down on the floor.

 

“Yes. I am Sephiroth.” He said, removing his hood. “But not as you know me.” His face, his voice, the aura of power around him, nothing had changed at all. Except that he wasn't trying to attack them. He stood, wide open, and yet did nothing!

 

Ariah smiled and took her father's hand.

 

“See? Daddy good. He wouldn't hurt anybody.” Vincent did not lower his gun, however. Just as Cid did not lower his harpoon.

 

“How did you survive? We defeated you. Cloud watched you die!” The warrior nodded solemnly.

 

“Yes, a part of me did die that day. A part that needed to die. Cloud freed me from the madness. And now here I stand, a changed man.”

 

“I don't believe ya, ya bastard.” Cid said, getting ready for an attack.

 

Ariah gasped and covered her ears as Sephiroth pulled her against him.

 

“Please refrain from using such language around my daughter. I may be used to it, but she is still young. She does not need to hear it.”

“Oh really? And just what are you gonna @^@!$!^& do about it?” Sephiroth merely sighed and shook his head.

 

“I suppose I can do nothing if you will not refrain when I ask politely.”

 

Ariah then began to tug on her father's cloak and pulled him toward the cave.

 

“Come on, daddy! I want you to see my home. You need to see where I live.” He smiled down at his daughter.

“If these nice men let me pass, then I will.” Vincent could not believe what he was hearing! Sephiroth, one of the most evil and hated men on the planet, was talking to this child in a tone that suggested innocence! Not to mention the fact that he was there, alive and breathing, at all. It defied all logic!

 

The little demon girl held her father's hand tightly and marched up to Vincent.

 

“You let my daddy through or I won't like you any more.” For some strange reason, this affected the vampire. He didn't want her to not like him. Even though it had never bothered him before when people had said that.

 

He reluctantly stepped back and allowed the two to pass. As they walked down the hallway, into Eden, Cid scolded his friend for his supposed stupidity.

 

“You let him pass! What did you @#^$@&@# do that for? It's not like it's the end of the whole damn world if she hates you. It's just a girl for cryin' out loud! Ah hell, by tomorrow she'd have forgotten and would be up on your shoulder again.”

 

Vincent just ignored him and followed Ariah and Sephiroth out.

 

`But,' he said in his mind, `Why did I let them pass? She is just a young girl after all. But…it really did feel like it would be the end of the world. Why? I've never felt like that before. No.' Vincent scolded himself. `I have felt that before. But she was my age.'

 

When Sephiroth got outside into Eden, he began to praise it like it was the greatest thing he had ever seen. This made Ariah smile bigger than ever. It was clear that she loved her father no matter what. But, the biggest problem was that he had changed. He wasn't attacking. He wasn't trying to kill them, just enjoying the fact that he was here with his daughter.

 

 

They followed him over the fields, not bothering to call chocobos until they finally reached the camp. Adam and Eve were waiting for them with worried expressions. They had heard of Sephiroth's betrayal even when they had been locked away in this so called Eden. But, when they saw Ariah's face and the light that came from her smile, they were no longer worried.

 

Eve bowed to the warrior and held out her arms in a welcome gesture.

 

“Welcome, Sephiroth. Welcome to our humble home.” This brought a smile to his worn features.

 

“Hello Eve. And you, Adam. I thought you two would have surely been taken off the project years ago.”

 

Adam laughed.

 

“I thought so as well. But, apparently, we were valuable enough to keep.”

 

Sephiroth looked around for a minute while Ariah jumped down and began to search for hidden pockets.

 

“Where is our friend, Raphael? Surely he would have come out of the woodwork at the mention of my name.” The mention of this name caused Adam and Eve to lower their heads in despair.

 

“He was killed…nine years ago. Hojo set Ariaus on him.” A shocked expression crossed Sephiroth's features for a moment but then disappeared as quickly as it had come.

 

“I suppose that is to be expected. He dug to deeply then?” Both scientists nodded. Silence reigned until a happy squeal emanated from somewhere underneath the large cloak around Sephiroth's body. Then, Ariah appeared with a package clutched tightly in her arms. “Hey!” Her father shouted as he tried to catch her. “Where do you think you're going with that?”

 

The young girl just ran to hide behind Vincent's legs. She laughed in delight as she opened the gift. She squealed happily again when she had torn all the paper off. The vampire turned to see what was going on and found her hugging a rather large box of chocolates.

 

He looked at Sephiroth in confusion.

 

“What is that?” The younger man laughed slightly, scratching his head in embarrassment.

 

“I brought her favorite treat. I used to bring them all the time when she was in Midgar. I didn't want to come to her empty handed.” Sephiroth knelt down and held open his arms so Ariah could come back and climb in his lap. And come she did. She ran at full speed and tackled her father to the ground. They were both laughing.

 

As the defeated father tried to sit up, he found a hand offering him help. He looked up and saw Vincent standing there, waiting. He took the hand gratefully and stood, still holding Ariah and the chocolates.

 

“This doesn't mean I trust you.” He nodded.

 

“I understand.” Vincent then left, walking into the tent where he slept. Cid and Nanaki also went to their respective tents to rest. Adam then approached Sephiroth.

 

“We are happy to see you alive, my friend. But now that you are here, may we speak of something very important?”

 

“Yes.” He answered, setting his daughter down. “We can.” Eve crouched down and patted Ariah on the head.

 

“Why don't you go and play, honey? Your daddy needs to talk about grownup things with us.”

 

“Do I have to?” She asked looking up at her father.

 

“Yes, Ariah, you do. You aren't old enough to talk about these things yet.” The child went off grouching about adults and Adam led everyone into the lab. “What is it you want to talk to me about?” Eve went off to check on some reports while Adam stayed behind.

 

“I need to talk to you about completing Ariah.” This confused Sephiroth.

 

“I thought you already had a sample to do that.”

 

“We did.” Adam said sadly. “But it was destroyed when Midgar was. Also, now that Hojo is gone, she is in your complete custody. You have the right to tell us not to complete her and leave her the way she is…innocent and ignorant to the ways of the world.”

 

Sephiroth thought carefully before he gave his answer. It was true he liked his daughter just the way she was. But she also needed to be able to grow up and live a normal life.

 

“Complete her. She needs a chance to grow up and be normal.”

 

“You do realize that she can never be the way she is now again.”

 

“I do. Compete the experiment and allow her to grow up.” Adam bowed.

 

“As you wish.”

 

 

Meanwhile, while they spoke, Ariah had grumped off to Vincent's tent and poked her head inside. The vampire was stretched out on his cot staring at the ceiling.

 

“Can I come in?”

 

“Fine.” He didn't look over at her as she came over to the cot. He didn't even react when she climbed up to sit on his stomach.

 

“Do you wanna share my chocolate? I can't eat the whole big box by myself.” Vincent just grunted. This frustrated the young demon. She opened the box and selected one of the most delicious treats and held it to the vampire's lips. “Go ahead! It's really good.”

 

It took a minute, but Vincent finally opened his mouth and took a bite of the rich morsel. He chewed, swallowed and looked up at his little friend. She just smiled and held the rest out for him.

 

“Shouldn't you be sharing with your father?” He asked as he took the rest into his mouth.

 

“No.” She said as she picked one out for herself. “Daddy's busy talking to Adam and mommy. I'm not allowed to talk about grownup stuff. Not until I'm old enough.”

 

“Oh.” They sat there for a good half hour, sharing the chocolate and even laughing at silly little jokes that, surprisingly, Vincent started. He had almost forgotten how good it felt to laugh. Then their fun was ruined when Eve came to the tent.

 

“Vincent, may I speak with you?” Ariah reluctantly packed up her chocolates and got off of Vincent so he could sit up.

 

“Yes, come in.” The woman entered and smiled when she saw Ariah.

 

“Oh, good. There you are. Your father wants to talk to you, Ariah. Would you go to him?” The little girl nodded.

 

“Okay. Where is he?”

 

“He's in the lab.”

 

“Okay. Bye Vincent. I'll come back as soon as I'm done, `kay?” A small smile appeared on the vampire's lips.

 

“All right. I'll see you then.” She ran out and Eve watched her sadly.

 

“She really is sweet, isn't she?”

 

“Yes, she is. What is it that you need to speak with me about?”

 

“We now have the resources to complete these two. But…without your permission, we cannot complete Ariaus. If you agree, he will have a chance for a normal life. He will be able to grow up and put his mind to proper use. Maybe…he will even be able to get along with Ariah.”

 

Vincent stared at the wall in thought. They could complete them? His son would be able to grow up. Maybe even go home with him. `Then,' Vincent thought, `I wouldn't be alone anymore.'

 

“Do it. Complete him.” Eve bowed out and Vincent lay back down on his cot. He hoped to everything that was holy that this was the right choice. If not, then he had just made the worst mistake of his life.