Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Twisted Compulsion ❯ 9 ( Chapter 12 )

Twisted Compulsion

Ch. 9

Aerith smiled happily from under her wedding veil. She stood at the beginning of the red carpet leading to the altar. Everything was beautiful; the whole wedding was taking place in a bleach white room. There were white chairs set up at either side of the red carpet, but they were all empty. But that didn't seem to bother Aerith. A trestle of pink flowers stood at the beginning of the carpet and at the end behind the priest who stood waiting, with the groom. Aerith looked at her groom but she could tell who it was, it was as if she was looking at him threw a smudged glass. Everything else in the room was crystal clear but not his face. I also seemed to shift around, like a bad TV connection. In spite of the ceiling somehow beautiful pink cherry blossoms fell from the ceiling, blanketing the empty white chairs.

Suddenly Vincent appeared next to her, dressed in a tuxedo and holding his arm out to her. Aerith smiled and took his arm. The two walked down the aisle toward her groom. Aerith felt hazy, everything seemed to slow down; the petals suddenly stopped their fall and hung in mid air as the two stood before the altar. Vincent let go of Aerith and handed her off to her groom, the two held hands before the priest. She could tell that her groom was smiling but she still couldn't make out his face. The priest's voice was slow and seemed miles away. Aerith closed her eyes, her head spinning from the slowness of everything.

Incoherent whispers seemed to sound right in her ear and she lazily opened her eyes, to her surprise her vision was becoming wavy, and the whole room had changed. It was no longer white, it was black. The petals that had fallen had turned into black feathers. Aerith looked toward were Vincent was standing but instead she saw a horrible demon. The demon's wings were folded behind his back and his hands were clasped in front of him. He wore a hideous smile, showing off his sharp teeth. Aerith felt fear rising in her so she looked toward her groom. He was still blurring but she could now tell who he was, Sephiroth stood in his black leather with his black wing sticking from his jacket. He too wore a smile but it was an un-nerving one. It was a smile that chilled Aerith to her core. The priest was still droning one; his voice sound like some one had slowed it to a crawl. Aerith felt herself falling and looked down. The floor was breaking beneath her, the sound of glass breaking finally sounded, like it was delayed. Aerith looked toward Sephiroth for help. He smiled and released her hand. The whispering grew louder as Aerith fell. She suddenly felt herself drowning, her air cutting off. Aerith finally felt her back hit the bottom and she lay there. All she could hear were the whispers, whispers she knew. Green wisps began to float in front of her face.

"Child of the earth… why do you test me so?"

Aerith remained silent; her eyes staring up into space were she could see light playing on the water's surface.

"Child of the earth… why do you save the son of the Calamity from the Skies?"

The wisps became more abundant. She vision began to darken around its edges. She wanted to speak, she wanted to scream but she couldn't.

"Child of the earth… you are needed again…."

Aerith knew what the whispers were. She felt her lungs collapsing, her mind closing in. She screamed in her mind, she screamed and screamed…

"Aerith!"

Aerith snapped up, gasping for breath. Sephiroth knelt at her side grasping her by the shoulders and Vincent stood over her. She was gasping so hard her breath was catching her in throat. Aerith began to cry, her shoulder narrowing. She covered her face with her hands and leaned into Sephiroth.

He held Aerith to his chest, his own heart breathing almost as fast as hers. The scream she had let out scared him half to death. It sounded like she was dying.

Vincent let out a sigh of relief. He was half expected to find Aerith dead and blood everywhere. He hated to admit it but he also thought her scream was caused by Sephiroth, but now that he saw Aerith seeking comfort in him he felt ashamed of his assumptions. "You scared half to death…" Vincent said. He glanced at the clock, 7:45. Vincent figured there was no use in going back to bed so he walked over to the kitchen area to make some food for the three of them, leaving Aerith alone with Sephiroth on the couch.

Sephiroth felt a bit awkward holding Aerith, He had no idea what to say or do so he just held her, but that seemed to be just what she needed. The coldness that Aerith felt from her dream was wearing away as Sephiroth held her. She brought her hands from her eyes and wrapped her arms around Sephiroth. `How could that dream be true when I feel so, so safe in his arms?' Aerith thought to herself. `Planet, what are you trying to tell me? After you abandoned me, what is it that you want now?" Aerith felt incredibly bitter when these thoughts crossed her mind. Sephiroth adjust himself and Aerith so that they lay side by side, instead of kneeling. Aerith sniffled and pressed the side of her face against Sephiroth's chest. "I was dreaming… "She said quietly.

Sephiroth laid his head on Aerith's, "About what?"

Aerith felt herself blush, she really didn't want to tell him she had a dream about them getting married. "It was… the planet… it was trying to tell me something." Which was true. Aerith decided to just leave it at that since she didn't want to tell him what the planet told her.

"After it abandoned you? That seems very hypocritical…" Sephiroth commented. The sound of the sizzle of a frying pan could be heard over Aerith's sniffles.

Aerith wiped her eyes and laughed a bit, "Yes, yes it is." She nuzzled against him. "Thanks, that made me feel better." The sent of eggs and pancakes hit her nose and she laughed again and speaking up so that Vincent could hear she said, "If it weren't the nice smelling food I'd just stay in bed."

"Oh, by all means stay in bed, more for me." Vincent responded. Aerith laughed again and Sephiroth smiled. She sat up and after wiping the remains of her tears away she got up and walked over to Vincent. Sephiroth too got up. He walked around the couch and sat on it's back.

Aerith clasped her hands behind her back and leaned down to Vincent. "Freshly cooked food! I can't remember that last time I had it."

"I guess not," Vincent said. "There's dishes and such in the cupboards if you want to get everything set up." Aerith nodded and did so while Vincent finished up. He piled the food on some plates and put in on the table. Aerith and Vincent sat down and Sephiroth came over and did the same.

"So you come over when all the work is done, huh?" Aerith teased.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize it took two people to set a table…" Sephiroth responded with a slight smile. Aerith narrowed her eyes at Sephiroth. The three continued to eat. Vincent stared at Aerith and Sephiroth as the two piled their plates and their mouths.

"I'm guessing you two are hungry, huh?"

Sephiroth felt a little embarrassed because he didn't know Vincent but Aerith just smiled, "Just a bit, is this all you've got for food?"

Vincent nodded, "pretty much yes. Well and ramen noodles."

Aerith looked at Vincent, "So you've been living on noodles, pancakes, and eggs for few months now?" Aerith and Sephiroth stopped eating and looked at him for an answer.

"If I want something else I'll just make it my self, what's the big deal with you?" Vincent asked.

"Where are the veggies and fresh fruits? I can't live in a house without greens." Aerith said.

"Well then I guess you'd better go buy some if you want them so badly, or try to grow them yourself," Vincent said with a hint of a smile.

Aerith made a face at Vincent and stood up, "Fine, give me some money and I'll do just that!" She walked over to her pack that she had dumped by the couch. She pulled out her pink dress, which she didn't have the heart to leave at the other cabin. "I've been wearing the same thing for over three days, where can I change?"

Vincent pointed to the middle door, a bathroom, and Aerith entered it. He stood up and took his and Aerith's plates to the sink. He looked back at Sephiroth, "I made the food and Aerith set the table so get the honor of wash the dishes."

Sephiroth grumbled in response. When he was training to be a solider he had to spend time in a barrack were all the trainees had to do all the hard labor, like floor washing and serving food. The one thing Sephiroth hated above all other chores was dishwashing. Vincent sat back down at the table and Sephiroth gathered the remaining dishes and went to the sink.

Aerith soon emerged from the bathroom in her dress. She went into her pack got some new sock, put them on, and slipped on her boots. She put on her coat and flipped up the hood then went to Vincent holding out her hand. "Pay up." Vincent slowly got up and went to the desk where he retrieved some gil. He handed to Aerith who smiled warmly at him and went to the door. Before she left she turned around and said, "Now you boys behave while I get us all some nice healthy veggies!" She gave the two a big grin and headed out the door.

Vincent smiled absent-mindedly in Aerith's wake. Sephiroth watched the closed door; a little mad that Aerith would leave him alone with a man he didn't know and had tried to kill. He turned his attention back to the sink and the dishes. The two sat in silence for the minute before Vincent spoke up, "I'm trying to figure out how to talk to you without sounded like a father giving a talk to his daughter's new boyfriend. Anyway I go about this I think it will come out sounding horrible and corny so I'm just going to flat out say it. What the hell are you doing?"

Sephiroth stopped washing and turned to face Vincent who was currently staring off in space. He sighed and leaned against the sink, staring at the hardwood floor. "Because of her, I was given a second chance. A chance of life with out a puppet master… I had nothing and I have nothing still… but she offered to help me start over. As far back as I can remember she's that only one who has ever shown me kindness without expecting something in return, and I killed her…" Vincent turned to look at Sephiroth. "Now that I look back I can't even remember why I hated her so… I can't remember what Jenova would tell me, everything lies I assume… For the first time in years I can think without be bombarded with her lies…" Sephiroth looked up from the floor and turned his head to Vincent. "On our second night in the cabin… I had a dream… It was Jenova. Her body may be dead but she still survives in the deeps of my mind. It seems she's resorted to plaguing my dreams…"

"Just one dream?"

Sephiroth shook his head, "No, I've had two so far… Jenova is trying to turn me against Aerith… I know she is… Aerith said that she thought that you could help me. "

"Yes, I can help you. I can't help you fight of Jenova in your mind that is just something you will have to learn to live with, like I learned to life with the demons sharing my body. I can help you in that I understand what it's like to be a puppet, to feel someone else take over your body and all that you can do is look out through eyes you no longer control… I can help you with that…. And I can help you start a new life. No one knows what you look like up here; they just know your name. Starting over here would be easy enough."

The two sat in silence again, "I'm sorry…" Sephiroth said. Vincent looked at him. "I'm sorry for being born…"

"No, I'm sorry I couldn't save you…."

Sephiroth's head snapped up and he looked Vincent in the eyes. Vincent continued, "If I had been able to get you away from Hojo none of this would've happened. I failed you and I failed your mother…but I can make up for that I suppose if I can help you now. You and Aerith can stay here as long as you like. I won't let anyone get a hold of you."

Sephiroth smiled and turned back to his dishes. From that day on things had changed between the two men. Sephiroth was over joyed; he had a woman who stuck at his side and a man who was acting like his father. `Things in this life will be different…'

2-28-04

A/N - Hm... Yes, Ok I've still got to figure out what I'm going to have Vincent do, like is he going to own a weapon shop or what? If you've got any suggestions feel free to send them my way.