(no subject)
Title: "A Prisoner in Paradise" and "A New Challenge"
Fandom/Pairing: Sailor Moon/Final Fantasy VII; Hotaru/Sephiroth
Rating: G
Content: Sephiroth has been caught for "burninating" the city of Crystal Tokyo. Sailor Saturn intervenes on his behalf to keep him from being banished. Later the two spar with another for the first time since their big initial showdown and start noticing some funny feelings...
Disclaimer: FFVII and Sephiroth belong to Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura. Sailor Moon and Sailor Hotaru and characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko.
Dedication: This crazy chick on LJ named usagivindaloo
AN: God, could I be anymore of a fanfic whore? Three in one week, with a fourth added that had been sitting on my computer for a while. I blame my PFG usagivindaloo for coming up with this fabulous pairing. Two more days of spring break left, so I have to make the most of them right? I've had both these scenes in my head for a long while. The first takes place after Sephiroth's been captured by the senshi. He's brought before Neo-Queen Serenity for punishment and he's pretty bitter. It's mainly character introspection which in turn serves to show why Hotaru asks Serenity to let him stay. The second piece was written a long time ago but lacked a few things. Also, I wanted it to be a connecting piece. I did some minor tweaking to it, and I think it turned out nicely. A little more character introspection here, but most importantly it starts the Sephiroth/Hotaru relationship ball rolling.
“We accept anyone from any world willingly in Crystal Tokyo. However, you, Sephiroth, have violated the laws that protect the people of this world and upset the peace that we have fought so long and hard to obtain. For your crime, I have no choice but to implement punishment of the severest degree. I hereby banish you to the asteroid colony of Bamberga; there, I hope you can reflect upon and find redemption for not only your actions but yourself.” Neo-Queen Serenity stood tall in front of her throne as she pronounced Sephiroth’s sentence.
Sephiroth kneeled at her feet, not out of respect, but because he was forced too. Sailor Venus’s Love-Me Chain gripped him tightly paralyzing him. When he originally refused to kneel, Sailor Uranus harshly shoved him down to his knees and put her Space Sword to his throat. He kept his head bowed, so that he would not be forced to look upon the woman whose mercy he was at; the entire situation was humiliating; he was defeated by a woman, made captive to a group of them, and now it was a woman lecturing him on the value of peace and doling out some meek punishment for the attempted destruction of her supposed “utopia” known as Crystal Tokyo. None of it mattered though; his sense of purpose was gone; now all was left was a void which he filled with anger.
Out of the corner his eye, he noticed a flash of purple move forward. He looked up. He recognized the soldier called Saturn. She had shattered his world, his sense of self; she defeated him first in battle, told him Jenova and all he knew no longer existed, and made him question everything he ever believed in.
She kneeled, then stood to address the queen. “Neo-Queen Serenity may I suggest an alternative situation?”
Perhaps she was going to recommend a sterner sentence. Maybe she would insist upon having him permanently imprisoned upon reaching the colony or even executed, it was possible she might want to do the latter herself-she had the strength and the weapon to do so. It’s what he would do in her situation. He could respect her for that.
“Could he be permitted to stay and start a new life here? Under house arrest until he can be proven trustworthy, of course. If he proves beyond redemption, then send him away.”
What kind of idiot was she? He was the most powerful and deadly general the world had ever known. He’d tried to destroy her home and kill her. Yet here she was asking on his behalf, that he be allowed to stay and redeem himself. Judging from the looks of her fellow soldiers, they held sentiments similar to his.
“Your reason Sailor Saturn?”
Hotaru remained silent to gather her thoughts. How could she say that she was moved by his plight? She recognized a part of herself within him. His situation reminded her of one from her past; in her body had inhabited two dangerous beings-Mistress 9 and Sailor Saturn. Most all the senshi were bent on destroying her, but Chibi-Usa and Usagi had intervened on her behalf. They defended her at risk to themselves because they believed a pure heart could always be found even in the darkest of souls.
She’d been used as a tool for destruction, and this man clearly had been too. Now his world and the people he knew were gone; he’d lost his sense of self. He was broken now. She sensed some thing change within him; she’d been able to shake his beliefs to the core-nothing could be gained from destruction, she told him, not even power. If he was beyond redemption her statement would not have disturbed him so.
“My queen, one of your great strengths is that you have the power to heal people and bring them out of darkness and into light. This man is broken. He has been ill used and manipulated. He deserves a chance to find and live for himself. Crystal Tokyo is the culmination of light and goodness; therefore it stands to reason that this man could benefit the most by remaining here,” she said firmly.
“Your reasoning is excellent. I accept your suggestion. However, I am holding you responsible for him. In the case, he should choose to forsake his second chance and return to his initial campaign of destruction, I have the utmost faith that your strength, in conjunction with the other senshi’s, will be more than enough to subdue and extradite him.” Turning to Sephiroth she said, “Sephiroth, I do not expect you, nor will I require you to swear fealty to me. I do expect and require that you vow to adhere to the laws of Crystal Tokyo, namely to refrain from disturbing the peace. Now tell me, will you accept these terms or would you prefer to spend out the remainder of your life, isolated in a cold and foreign asteroid?”
Sephiroth gritted his teeth. He would have to sacrifice his pride in return for his life, or rather the remains. From what he’d seen of it, Crystal Tokyo hardly seemed a paradise, however it was a much more preferable prison than a distant asteroid. Besides, his jailer would be Sailor Saturn; she intrigued him with her power and her odd beliefs; it didn’t hurt that she was also highly attractive. Biting down on his pride, he said, “I accept these terms, and I swear to abide by the laws of Crystal Tokyo.”
Serenity nodded. “Release him and return his weapon,” she ordered. “I trust you will not abuse not only my good faith, but that of Sailor Saturn’s as well.”
---
“What are you seeking? You wish to destroy this planet, but to what purpose? This Jenova you speak of is most clearly dead and has been for centuries, as her existence has long been forgotten. Is it her goal or yours that you are trying to achieve by destroying everything? You were a tool to be used, and then tossed into the depths of somewhere until needed again. You are no god, for true power lies in creation not destruction. You are a man, mortal as any. Now again, I ask you, ‘What is it you seek?’”
The strength of the Soldier of Saturn was enough to rival his own; he had thought that the source of her power had been the Silence Glaive and that she would crumble without it. However, it seemed her true strength came from within her very being-the purity of her heart; her words held more power than either the Masamune or Silence Glaive for they brought him to his knees when he heard them. He could not answer her, and suddenly felt his resolve weaken; he was vulnerable-a child lost without his mother.
Sephiroth could not forget her words; hearing them caused him to question his purpose and loyalty to Jenova. They were the reason he now wandered through this purgatory that to everyone else seemed a paradise. Strangely, it was the sound of her voice that woke him from his melancholy daydream.
“Chibi-Usa pay attention!” snapped Hotaru as she watched her friend bowl over from the blast of energy she sent. The young Sailor Moon picked herself up despite the fact that the attack had left her winded and aching. Hotaru was usually a gentle friend, however, as Sailor Saturn; she was a serious task-master.
“Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!” she shouted back at Saturn, pointing her wand.
“Silence Wall!” cried Saturn, throwing up a shield of energy. Sailor Moon leaped up and succeeded in dodging the reflected attack. Sailor Saturn nodded her head curtly. “Better,” she said. Sailor Moon and the Asteroid Senshi had been distracted all during practice. As a result, several potentially dangerous mishaps had occurred. The fact frustrated her. Granted it was a beautiful day, and the girls had been practicing diligently all week. She supposed she could give them a little leeway for today.
“Practice is over now,” she announced, not surprised by the looks of relief and glee shared by all five girls.
“Wait, is there a catch to this? You never end practice earlier than three minutes, and even then you spend more than those three minutes giving us notes.” The other girls were in mid-step, but immediately turned around to face their trainer and stopped their chatter. Hotaru was amused by their expressions which plead for her to not only to let them go early, but to do so without any consequences. Suddenly, she felt like letting go and being silly herself; the beauty of the day was intoxicating, and Hotaru thought of a million things she wanted to do than practice with a bunch of giggling girls much less giggling girls whose powers needed to be focused.
“No, you’re all free to go,” she said with a smile.
“Oh, thank you, Hotaru!” exclaimed Sailor Moon. She launched herself at Saturn and gave her friend a fierce hug. Hotaru returned the hug affectionately. Sailor Moon then re-joined the other girls, and they all picked back up their chatter as they ran towards the palace. Hotaru smiled affectionately after them; they weren’t a bunch of nitwits, just sixteen-year-old girls. Despite the fact she was only twenty, Hotaru still occasionally felt old when around them.
Sephiroth, who had stood close-by watching the scene quietly, was puzzled. “Why did you let them go?” he asked.
Sailor Saturn whirled around to find the silver-haired warrior standing before her. “Because they deserved a day off,” she said a little sharply. She was startled by his intrusion on her thoughts.
“No they didn’t. They needed more work all of them. Their attacks were sloppy-wastes of energy-and their defenses were practically non-existent! If they were in my army…”
Saturn cut him off. “If they were in your army, you certainly could have forced them to work more-until or even beyond the brink of exhaustion. Perhaps the results would’ve been better; then again they could’ve gotten sloppier. Keep in mind though that you have only seen them exercise a small fraction of their powers. They also have a great loyalty to one another and that combined with their powers makes them a force to be reckoned with.”
Sephiroth and Saturn both stood in silence for a moment. “So what will you do now that your trainees have left and gone on to more recreational activities?” he asked.
Anything that doesn’t involve talking to you, thought Hotaru. Though she had spoken up for him and prevented Serenity from banishing Sephiroth to some foreign, frozen asteroid, she wasn’t fully comfortable being around him. Then again, she usually wasn’t comfortable around men in general, King Endymion being one of the few exceptions. However, in this case, gender had nothing to do with it; she was unnerved by the strong, inexorable connection she felt to him.
She answered him diplomatically. “With all this time, I’m sure I’ll find something to do. “I hope you find something to do other than wandering about moodily and pointing out people’s flaws.” She stepped to move past him.
Sephiroth realized he didn’t want her to leave. It was as if some gravitational force drew him to her. He said the first thing that jumped into his mind.
“Perhaps, you might be kind enough to expose my flaws. That is, if there are any to be found, and you’re up to the challenge,” he said. He found himself excited by the rising heat of the argument. It’d been a long time since he had such a formidable, not to mention attractive opponent.
“I’ve spent most my life facing down challenges more difficult than that,” she replied, haughtily, tossing her head.
“Shall we duel then?” he asked, “Purely physical, steel against steel.”
“As I currently don’t have any other plans, I’d be delighted,” Hotaru answered.
“Excellent. Let’s begin,” Sephiroth said drawing out his Masamune and thrusting it towards Sailor Saturn.
Sailor Saturn easily parried it, and thus the two began a complicated and dangerous dance. Their booted feet moved quickly, and every attack was swift but calculated. The sun glinted off their blades and the satisfying clash of steel occurred when one attacked and the other blocked the blow. Impressive leaps and flips were executed to perfection. The two warriors matched in skill, made a beautiful pair.
Sailor Saturn leaped up from behind Sephiroth into the air, using his shoulder as a launch pad to propel her up further. She landed gracefully on the roof of the training building. A light breeze fluttered the ruffles of her skirt and blew through her hair, causing a few strands to whip about her face. From his position on the ground below, Sephiroth thought she was the most alluring woman he’d ever seen.
“Care to catch me?” she taunted him from above.
“Gladly,” he replied, leaping up to join her.
The Silence Glaive and Masamune met once more. This time Sailor Saturn managed to capture Sephiroth’s blade in the curve of her own. In a single, swift motion, she disarmed him. The Masamune fell several feet to the ground. Bringing the tip of her blade to his throat, she smiled triumphantly and said, “I win.”
Sephiroth’s first reaction was to feel outraged and cheated. However, seeing Sailor Saturn smile made him feel less indignant about losing. He found himself smiling back at her. “Well done,” he said.
Saturn was taken aback when she saw Sephiroth smile. She expected him to explode in a fit of rage. The wind from earlier was now causing his long, silver hair to flow making it look like a silver banner. Hotaru couldn’t help but think the sight combined with his smile made him look incredibly handsome. She quickly broke herself free of the spell and replied, “Thank you” as she lowered her blade.
The two stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then without a word, Sailor Saturn leaped down and quickly took off for the palace. Sephiroth followed her. Impulsively, he grabbed her wrist as she walked away and pulled her back. Seeing the moment of fright in her eyes, he let go.
“Sorry,” he said. “I just…wanted to ask if…”
Hotaru looked at him, unsure of what to expect. He wanted to ask if he could partake in whatever her plans were for the rest of the night no matter if it was something ridiculous or dull. Yet, his tongue failed him, and he stood dumbly in front of her.
“If…we can do this again?” she offered tentatively.
“Yes,” he said, jumping at her offer. “Tomorrow, after you finish with the young senshi.”
“Okay, tomorrow after practice then,” she answered with a nod before turning to leave.
Sephiroth made no attempt to stop her this time. He simply watched her figure grow smaller until it disappeared. Afterward, he proceeded to begin practicing with the Masamune, hoping to forget about the sight of her skirt fluttering upward and the deep, purple color of her eyes. He was determined to be the victor next time they met.
Fandom/Pairing: Sailor Moon/Final Fantasy VII; Hotaru/Sephiroth
Rating: G
Content: Sephiroth has been caught for "burninating" the city of Crystal Tokyo. Sailor Saturn intervenes on his behalf to keep him from being banished. Later the two spar with another for the first time since their big initial showdown and start noticing some funny feelings...
Disclaimer: FFVII and Sephiroth belong to Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura. Sailor Moon and Sailor Hotaru and characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko.
Dedication: This crazy chick on LJ named usagivindaloo
AN: God, could I be anymore of a fanfic whore? Three in one week, with a fourth added that had been sitting on my computer for a while. I blame my PFG usagivindaloo for coming up with this fabulous pairing. Two more days of spring break left, so I have to make the most of them right? I've had both these scenes in my head for a long while. The first takes place after Sephiroth's been captured by the senshi. He's brought before Neo-Queen Serenity for punishment and he's pretty bitter. It's mainly character introspection which in turn serves to show why Hotaru asks Serenity to let him stay. The second piece was written a long time ago but lacked a few things. Also, I wanted it to be a connecting piece. I did some minor tweaking to it, and I think it turned out nicely. A little more character introspection here, but most importantly it starts the Sephiroth/Hotaru relationship ball rolling.
“We accept anyone from any world willingly in Crystal Tokyo. However, you, Sephiroth, have violated the laws that protect the people of this world and upset the peace that we have fought so long and hard to obtain. For your crime, I have no choice but to implement punishment of the severest degree. I hereby banish you to the asteroid colony of Bamberga; there, I hope you can reflect upon and find redemption for not only your actions but yourself.” Neo-Queen Serenity stood tall in front of her throne as she pronounced Sephiroth’s sentence.
Sephiroth kneeled at her feet, not out of respect, but because he was forced too. Sailor Venus’s Love-Me Chain gripped him tightly paralyzing him. When he originally refused to kneel, Sailor Uranus harshly shoved him down to his knees and put her Space Sword to his throat. He kept his head bowed, so that he would not be forced to look upon the woman whose mercy he was at; the entire situation was humiliating; he was defeated by a woman, made captive to a group of them, and now it was a woman lecturing him on the value of peace and doling out some meek punishment for the attempted destruction of her supposed “utopia” known as Crystal Tokyo. None of it mattered though; his sense of purpose was gone; now all was left was a void which he filled with anger.
Out of the corner his eye, he noticed a flash of purple move forward. He looked up. He recognized the soldier called Saturn. She had shattered his world, his sense of self; she defeated him first in battle, told him Jenova and all he knew no longer existed, and made him question everything he ever believed in.
She kneeled, then stood to address the queen. “Neo-Queen Serenity may I suggest an alternative situation?”
Perhaps she was going to recommend a sterner sentence. Maybe she would insist upon having him permanently imprisoned upon reaching the colony or even executed, it was possible she might want to do the latter herself-she had the strength and the weapon to do so. It’s what he would do in her situation. He could respect her for that.
“Could he be permitted to stay and start a new life here? Under house arrest until he can be proven trustworthy, of course. If he proves beyond redemption, then send him away.”
What kind of idiot was she? He was the most powerful and deadly general the world had ever known. He’d tried to destroy her home and kill her. Yet here she was asking on his behalf, that he be allowed to stay and redeem himself. Judging from the looks of her fellow soldiers, they held sentiments similar to his.
“Your reason Sailor Saturn?”
Hotaru remained silent to gather her thoughts. How could she say that she was moved by his plight? She recognized a part of herself within him. His situation reminded her of one from her past; in her body had inhabited two dangerous beings-Mistress 9 and Sailor Saturn. Most all the senshi were bent on destroying her, but Chibi-Usa and Usagi had intervened on her behalf. They defended her at risk to themselves because they believed a pure heart could always be found even in the darkest of souls.
She’d been used as a tool for destruction, and this man clearly had been too. Now his world and the people he knew were gone; he’d lost his sense of self. He was broken now. She sensed some thing change within him; she’d been able to shake his beliefs to the core-nothing could be gained from destruction, she told him, not even power. If he was beyond redemption her statement would not have disturbed him so.
“My queen, one of your great strengths is that you have the power to heal people and bring them out of darkness and into light. This man is broken. He has been ill used and manipulated. He deserves a chance to find and live for himself. Crystal Tokyo is the culmination of light and goodness; therefore it stands to reason that this man could benefit the most by remaining here,” she said firmly.
“Your reasoning is excellent. I accept your suggestion. However, I am holding you responsible for him. In the case, he should choose to forsake his second chance and return to his initial campaign of destruction, I have the utmost faith that your strength, in conjunction with the other senshi’s, will be more than enough to subdue and extradite him.” Turning to Sephiroth she said, “Sephiroth, I do not expect you, nor will I require you to swear fealty to me. I do expect and require that you vow to adhere to the laws of Crystal Tokyo, namely to refrain from disturbing the peace. Now tell me, will you accept these terms or would you prefer to spend out the remainder of your life, isolated in a cold and foreign asteroid?”
Sephiroth gritted his teeth. He would have to sacrifice his pride in return for his life, or rather the remains. From what he’d seen of it, Crystal Tokyo hardly seemed a paradise, however it was a much more preferable prison than a distant asteroid. Besides, his jailer would be Sailor Saturn; she intrigued him with her power and her odd beliefs; it didn’t hurt that she was also highly attractive. Biting down on his pride, he said, “I accept these terms, and I swear to abide by the laws of Crystal Tokyo.”
Serenity nodded. “Release him and return his weapon,” she ordered. “I trust you will not abuse not only my good faith, but that of Sailor Saturn’s as well.”
---
“What are you seeking? You wish to destroy this planet, but to what purpose? This Jenova you speak of is most clearly dead and has been for centuries, as her existence has long been forgotten. Is it her goal or yours that you are trying to achieve by destroying everything? You were a tool to be used, and then tossed into the depths of somewhere until needed again. You are no god, for true power lies in creation not destruction. You are a man, mortal as any. Now again, I ask you, ‘What is it you seek?’”
The strength of the Soldier of Saturn was enough to rival his own; he had thought that the source of her power had been the Silence Glaive and that she would crumble without it. However, it seemed her true strength came from within her very being-the purity of her heart; her words held more power than either the Masamune or Silence Glaive for they brought him to his knees when he heard them. He could not answer her, and suddenly felt his resolve weaken; he was vulnerable-a child lost without his mother.
Sephiroth could not forget her words; hearing them caused him to question his purpose and loyalty to Jenova. They were the reason he now wandered through this purgatory that to everyone else seemed a paradise. Strangely, it was the sound of her voice that woke him from his melancholy daydream.
“Chibi-Usa pay attention!” snapped Hotaru as she watched her friend bowl over from the blast of energy she sent. The young Sailor Moon picked herself up despite the fact that the attack had left her winded and aching. Hotaru was usually a gentle friend, however, as Sailor Saturn; she was a serious task-master.
“Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!” she shouted back at Saturn, pointing her wand.
“Silence Wall!” cried Saturn, throwing up a shield of energy. Sailor Moon leaped up and succeeded in dodging the reflected attack. Sailor Saturn nodded her head curtly. “Better,” she said. Sailor Moon and the Asteroid Senshi had been distracted all during practice. As a result, several potentially dangerous mishaps had occurred. The fact frustrated her. Granted it was a beautiful day, and the girls had been practicing diligently all week. She supposed she could give them a little leeway for today.
“Practice is over now,” she announced, not surprised by the looks of relief and glee shared by all five girls.
“Wait, is there a catch to this? You never end practice earlier than three minutes, and even then you spend more than those three minutes giving us notes.” The other girls were in mid-step, but immediately turned around to face their trainer and stopped their chatter. Hotaru was amused by their expressions which plead for her to not only to let them go early, but to do so without any consequences. Suddenly, she felt like letting go and being silly herself; the beauty of the day was intoxicating, and Hotaru thought of a million things she wanted to do than practice with a bunch of giggling girls much less giggling girls whose powers needed to be focused.
“No, you’re all free to go,” she said with a smile.
“Oh, thank you, Hotaru!” exclaimed Sailor Moon. She launched herself at Saturn and gave her friend a fierce hug. Hotaru returned the hug affectionately. Sailor Moon then re-joined the other girls, and they all picked back up their chatter as they ran towards the palace. Hotaru smiled affectionately after them; they weren’t a bunch of nitwits, just sixteen-year-old girls. Despite the fact she was only twenty, Hotaru still occasionally felt old when around them.
Sephiroth, who had stood close-by watching the scene quietly, was puzzled. “Why did you let them go?” he asked.
Sailor Saturn whirled around to find the silver-haired warrior standing before her. “Because they deserved a day off,” she said a little sharply. She was startled by his intrusion on her thoughts.
“No they didn’t. They needed more work all of them. Their attacks were sloppy-wastes of energy-and their defenses were practically non-existent! If they were in my army…”
Saturn cut him off. “If they were in your army, you certainly could have forced them to work more-until or even beyond the brink of exhaustion. Perhaps the results would’ve been better; then again they could’ve gotten sloppier. Keep in mind though that you have only seen them exercise a small fraction of their powers. They also have a great loyalty to one another and that combined with their powers makes them a force to be reckoned with.”
Sephiroth and Saturn both stood in silence for a moment. “So what will you do now that your trainees have left and gone on to more recreational activities?” he asked.
Anything that doesn’t involve talking to you, thought Hotaru. Though she had spoken up for him and prevented Serenity from banishing Sephiroth to some foreign, frozen asteroid, she wasn’t fully comfortable being around him. Then again, she usually wasn’t comfortable around men in general, King Endymion being one of the few exceptions. However, in this case, gender had nothing to do with it; she was unnerved by the strong, inexorable connection she felt to him.
She answered him diplomatically. “With all this time, I’m sure I’ll find something to do. “I hope you find something to do other than wandering about moodily and pointing out people’s flaws.” She stepped to move past him.
Sephiroth realized he didn’t want her to leave. It was as if some gravitational force drew him to her. He said the first thing that jumped into his mind.
“Perhaps, you might be kind enough to expose my flaws. That is, if there are any to be found, and you’re up to the challenge,” he said. He found himself excited by the rising heat of the argument. It’d been a long time since he had such a formidable, not to mention attractive opponent.
“I’ve spent most my life facing down challenges more difficult than that,” she replied, haughtily, tossing her head.
“Shall we duel then?” he asked, “Purely physical, steel against steel.”
“As I currently don’t have any other plans, I’d be delighted,” Hotaru answered.
“Excellent. Let’s begin,” Sephiroth said drawing out his Masamune and thrusting it towards Sailor Saturn.
Sailor Saturn easily parried it, and thus the two began a complicated and dangerous dance. Their booted feet moved quickly, and every attack was swift but calculated. The sun glinted off their blades and the satisfying clash of steel occurred when one attacked and the other blocked the blow. Impressive leaps and flips were executed to perfection. The two warriors matched in skill, made a beautiful pair.
Sailor Saturn leaped up from behind Sephiroth into the air, using his shoulder as a launch pad to propel her up further. She landed gracefully on the roof of the training building. A light breeze fluttered the ruffles of her skirt and blew through her hair, causing a few strands to whip about her face. From his position on the ground below, Sephiroth thought she was the most alluring woman he’d ever seen.
“Care to catch me?” she taunted him from above.
“Gladly,” he replied, leaping up to join her.
The Silence Glaive and Masamune met once more. This time Sailor Saturn managed to capture Sephiroth’s blade in the curve of her own. In a single, swift motion, she disarmed him. The Masamune fell several feet to the ground. Bringing the tip of her blade to his throat, she smiled triumphantly and said, “I win.”
Sephiroth’s first reaction was to feel outraged and cheated. However, seeing Sailor Saturn smile made him feel less indignant about losing. He found himself smiling back at her. “Well done,” he said.
Saturn was taken aback when she saw Sephiroth smile. She expected him to explode in a fit of rage. The wind from earlier was now causing his long, silver hair to flow making it look like a silver banner. Hotaru couldn’t help but think the sight combined with his smile made him look incredibly handsome. She quickly broke herself free of the spell and replied, “Thank you” as she lowered her blade.
The two stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then without a word, Sailor Saturn leaped down and quickly took off for the palace. Sephiroth followed her. Impulsively, he grabbed her wrist as she walked away and pulled her back. Seeing the moment of fright in her eyes, he let go.
“Sorry,” he said. “I just…wanted to ask if…”
Hotaru looked at him, unsure of what to expect. He wanted to ask if he could partake in whatever her plans were for the rest of the night no matter if it was something ridiculous or dull. Yet, his tongue failed him, and he stood dumbly in front of her.
“If…we can do this again?” she offered tentatively.
“Yes,” he said, jumping at her offer. “Tomorrow, after you finish with the young senshi.”
“Okay, tomorrow after practice then,” she answered with a nod before turning to leave.
Sephiroth made no attempt to stop her this time. He simply watched her figure grow smaller until it disappeared. Afterward, he proceeded to begin practicing with the Masamune, hoping to forget about the sight of her skirt fluttering upward and the deep, purple color of her eyes. He was determined to be the victor next time they met.