[Night 12] Chapel (Main Room)

[clinically_nuts]

[From here]Sephiroth's silence continued as he walked into the quiet main room of the Chapel. It was just like every other night, devoid of all life other than themselves and the flicker of candles against the wall. He automatically scanned the area searching for any danger, and after currently finding none, Sephiroth began to move off to the side

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[wiltedr0ses]

Aerith waited patiently as Cloud turned the large cross on the altar, and she wasn't startled when the hidden compartment opened this time. She watched as the blonde reached into the darkened area before coming back with an even larger sword in his hand then last time.

The Cetra blinked a few times as Cloud mentioned the name of the sword (which meant nothing to her) and gestured for her to take it. With a strange look on her face, she closed the distance between them with a few steps before wrapping her hand around the hilt of the sword.

She knew immediately that this wasn't going to work. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she tried to imagine even carrying this thing around, before she quickly came to a conclusion. There was someone far better equipped to handle this weapon.

"Um, do you think it might be better if he used it?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder at the very quiet silver-haired man. It wasn't a thin sword, like Masamune, so she didn't think it would bother her too much. Looking back to Cloud, she asked, "Maybe he'd trade me." After all, Sephiroth had a dagger - something much better suited for her small hands. Now she just had to hope that he wouldn't be stubborn.

[some0nes_hero]

His choice to give the blade to Aerith was now becoming a sore point with Sephiroth, even if it was subtle. He didn't regret his decision, since the entire point of them coming here in the first place was to acquire her a weapon. He would have liked to have found her a battle staff or something similar, but this would work in a pinch.

Of course, the sight of her trying to even lift a sword of that size almost had him chuckling, but he held it in. Even if he gave up the bastard sword to her, it wouldn't work with her small build; she wasn't SOLDIER either.

He question caused him to raise an eyebrow before glancing to Sephiroth. "It would be better, but it's your weapon," he murmured. He released his hold on the blade and stepped away from it. As if to make a point, he gave her a look. "If you want to trade with what he has, you have to ask, right?"

[clinically_nuts]

Sephiroth huffed subtly at the exchange before he began to move away from the pair. They could do whatever they desired, but that didn't mean that he had to loiter around either. Besides there was hardly anything in here that was threatening.

Moving his way back down towards the entrance, Sephiroth turned to his left to bypass the main doors. There had been the temptation to simply go through them and leave the pair to their own devices, but he wouldn't leave Cloud behind. Heading over towards the confessionals, the ex-General's silence continued as he went in.

[Wordlessly heading into here]

[wiltedr0ses]

Aerith couldn't help but frown at Cloud's pretty obvious suggestion. It was true that that would be the right thing to do, under normal circumstances. Still, she was a bit perturbed, since this was Sephiroth they were talking about. He wouldn't speak a word to her, let alone likely listen to a request.

Still, she had promised both Cloud and Yuuri that she would try harder to get along with him, and she supposed this was as good an opportunity as any. Aerith was about to turn around to do just that when she noticed that the man had seemingly disappeared.

"Where did he go?" she asked, confused. Sephiroth was too good at being quiet for her liking. The Cetra didn't like all his sneaking around.

[some0nes_hero]

Cloud noted Sephiroth slip off, and he almost thought that the ex-General would leave the Chapel. He wouldn't have been surprised, given that he had offered a weapon that Sephiroth could use very well to Aerith, who seemed to have very little capacity to wield the blade. No fault of hers, but he wouldn't take back his offer either.

His eyes flicked back to regard her at her question, and he gestured with his chin towards the confessionals. "He's probably checking to see if there is anything in the other hiding place here. He should be back shortly." There was no exit from there, and unless Sephiroth blocked him again, he could sense their distance change.

[wiltedr0ses]

Following Cloud's gaze towards the confessionals had her recalling last night's events. They had checked there too, though they'd already been looted by someone else. It made sense that Sephiroth would check them, and she felt a little silly.

"Okay," she said quietly, her grip tightening on the hilt of the very large sword. Aerith had to admit she was more than a little nervous about having to ask the man himself. He was more likely to get angry with her than accept her gift. She wasn't even going to ask for anything in return - she would leave that up to him. "Hopefully he finds something good too," she said, more to fill the silence than anything else. Aerith hated the unnatural quiet even more than the prospect of being attacked, strangely enough. Then at least she would know what to do.

[some0nes_hero]

Crossing his arms over his chest, Cloud kept his gaze on Aerith but his other senses focused on checking the distance between himself and Sephiroth. It wasn't increasing or decreasing right now by his measurements, but it was always such a rough estimate.

"We haven't found the best items to help along the way in there, but it's another place to look." He would never want to give up the chance to find something new and possibly helpful. If it was useless, they could always put it back for someone else to make use out of. "Maybe he'll find another bottle of wine."

He kept his eyes on the way she held the hilt of the blade, and he wondered if she had the strength to pull it from the floor. It was pretty heavy. "Don't be nervous about asking him. I'll back you up."

[clinically_nuts]

[Coming back from in here]

The chain still hung from the fingers of his left hand as Sephiroth wordlessly re-emerged from the confessionals. He didn't bother glancing over to the other two while he made his way towards the entrance.

Stopping just before the main doors, Sephiroth's icy gaze slowly rose up to finally regard the pair. The stare didn't last for long before he grunted dismissively and dropped the chain down to the floor. He hardly saw any use in the item.

[wiltedr0ses]

Cloud's words were reassuring at least. She found it unlikely that he would let Sephiroth push her around, or do anything else unpleasant - at least while he was around. Aerith turned her head as the silver-haired man returned from the confessionals, dropping what looked like a chain on the ground after giving them a rather dirty look.

Looking back to Cloud for a quick moment of bravery, Aerith nodded and wrapped both hands around the hilt of the claymore for extra strength. Then, looking rather foolish, she was sure, she half-dragged, half-carried the sword over towards the intimidatingly tall General.

"Um, here," she said, feeling rather stupid while afraid to meet a gaze that she was sure was nothing but hateful. "I want you to have this."

[some0nes_hero]

Cloud watched Sephiroth return but hung back a bit when Aerith moved to the ex-General. He didn't want to influence their meeting too much, but he was really hoping that something that could be a vague sense of being civil to each other would come out of a gift. He didn't need to have to entertain them both at the same time that he had to look out for them both.

Slowly, he followed up the main aisle even as Aerith offered the sword to Sephiroth. He said nothing and forced his emotions to stay in check to watch what would happen in this exchange. It wasn't his place to interfere unless things took a turn for the worst.

[clinically_nuts]

He didn't need to look in that direction to know that the damn Cetra was approaching, and the thought caused the muscles along his frame to tense. Eyes narrowing dangerously, the mere sound of her voice directed at him only seemed to further drop his mood.

Slowly his lips began to curve up into a vicious smile, and as he sighted the fact that she simply refused to even look at him, Sephiroth's voice held a dangerous purr in it, "I desire nothing from you."

There had been something else he'd much rather have said, but the ex-General kept himself in check as he pulled away. He had promised Cloud that he'd remain as pleasant as possible, after all. Besides, Cloud had gifted that weapon to her, and he simply desired nothing to do with it.

Pulling away, Sephiroth didn't bother giving her or Cloud another glance as he made his way out of the Chapel.

[Moving out to here]

[wiltedr0ses]

Aerith knew things were about to go sour the moment he turned to look at her. His gaze grew dangerous, and the way he was smiling at her was beyond creepy. He was the greatest villian Gaea had known since Jenova, and he was standing right in front of her, leering down at her. It was quite possibly even more uncomfortable than her death had been, if that was possible. At least she hadn't had to see the look on his face. She'd seen Cloud then instead.

The Cetra flinched back at his cruel words, and she felt tears start to sting her eyes. She blinked them away, absolutely refusing to give him that. He'd taken enough from her in her lifetime, and she wasn't going to let him see her cry.

Sephiroth walked away moments later, and in his wake, Aerith felt her temper flare up after the fear he'd created went away. Looking over her shoulder for a moment at Cloud before looking back at the door, Aerith puffed out her cheeks in anger before her own eyes narrowed. Picking the sword back up as much as she was able, she moved with purpose towards the door. She wouldn't let Sephiroth make a fool out of her.

[Following the jerk here.]