Bishonen & Bishojo: DotM

"So this is what it feels like to be without a driving purpose..." Two figures walked side by side, one taller with sweeping moonlit waterfall hair, the other with a cascade of curls pinned up in a tail. It could be described as aimless wandering considering their path across hill and dale without direct expectation of destination.

"Mother?" A silver brow lifted gently above lambent green.

"It is only that prior to arriving in these lands and territories, there was always some purpose driving me forward. Whether it was schooling, or learning from the Family..."

A sigh internalized, but her son picked up the quiet hesitancy.

"Mother lacks purpose? Ambition?"

"That could be a way to describe it, Seph."

"Would Mother care to rule? It would provide ample purpose. From what you have deigned to show me thus far, your character would be ideal to direct others as you would come to care for them eventually."

"Take the guardian of your adopted daughter, I can feel your reluctance of caring for him, but you do."

"Sephiroth, I do not believe my caring, reluctant or otherwise, makes me a good candidate for ruling over anyone or anything!"

Considering green alit on the dark curls bouncing along below his shoulder height, walking next to him. Silly Mother. What did she think she was doing with him? Anyone would be a fool if they couldn't perceive that it would be preferable to be ruled by her, for by her caring, was he not content? Did he not now know the warmth of a mother's affection?

"Mother I will abide your wishes, but I respectfully disagree." And that was all he said on the matter. For now.

The odd figures of 'mother' and 'son' continued their parallel journey.

A feminine head tilted to take in the profile of her filial charge. "We are going to need to figure something out though. It has been three days since Janaelle and Daemon departed, and we are almost a week into my two week beginners status."

Sephiroth took a moment's pause, to gather thoughts, Aela believed, but rather to pin a suddenly icy gaze on a hidden ninja bishie that had crept closer to his mother than he was comfortable with, before continuing his conversation.

"You imply diminishing resources; food, clothing, the like?"

"Aa, we need to have a solid method of income that does not involve battling other trainers until I do some more research about the reputation of your species. I know you, but others might freak and cause trouble later."

Sephiroth rumbled a sound in the back of his throat in thought. If anything, Aela thought he pulled a 'Hn' moment and shook her head. Didn't know Sephiroths could 'Hn'.

As they strode along the mild countryside, leagues away from the cliffs that apparently changed the course of one young san's life for the better, a quivering ninja hidden in the trees almost a mile distant finally came unstuck from her paralysis. And almost fell out of the tree.

'Oh Kami-sama, oh Naruto-sama, oh Rikudo-sama! A Sephiroth! Here! This is so not good.'

A chuunin san stage Hyuuga Hinata scrambled away to go warn her Bishie Village hidden in the Leaves, composing her report mentally as she raced along.

'Original report has an unknown high potential bishie traversing the southern tip of Elemental Country Territories accompanied by potential trainer. Approach to targets for confirmation included minimal chakra for observation purposes. High potential target spotted, able to ascertain presence and S-level spike of Warning Intent bordering Killing Intent prevented further investigation. Visual confirmation of silver tresses, Masamune, black leather and pauldrons via Byakugan. Visual confirmation of mako-eyes via mutual contact. Assessment: san to sama stage Sephiroth outside of Final Fantasy Territories in rare lucid moment. Trainer probably unoriented newbie and unaware of Sephiroth Final Fantasy history... Or trainer is insane. Unable to conclude if trainer is aware of her hostage situation.'

Elsewhere, a door opened without prompting by a human hand. It emitted an ominous creak as well as a Daemon that had a harried tic to a brow, but also sported a sinister triumphant smirk. Well, sinister to those who only know of his reputation. For the chibi-Janaelle craft-stuck sitting on the uncomfortable wooden stool in the outer room, the smirk was positively evil, and showed the cunning genius behind the normally frosty eyes he presented to the world.

Or, she tilted her head to the side and considered the appropriate level of mayhem conveyed in that smirk in her own terms with her own chibi compatriots. He looked like a chibi-Daemon who just found his specific Janaelle and the only way to show affection is to shower her in craft-frogs or yank on her tresses for attention.

"Poor Aela...," she whispered.

But even though whispered, it contained the appellation of the unfortunate one who caught a full on Warlord Prince's attention and thus brought Janaelle front and center, and the tic resumed its sedate periodic movement across his brow.

"Poor Janaelle," he purred in his own honeyed tones. "Your mother and Witch will see you now," he motioned, and she became unstuck from the stool to rapidly clamber down and march the death walk toward him and the door.

Just before she passed, she looked up to him.

A pause.

"You know, Sephiroth-onii-chan will not like you going after his mother like that." Her own positively mischievous smile spread. "I can't wait to see you try to bypass him!" and kicked his shin for the trouble of bringing her back to her mother and darted past while he hopped on one leg, snarling in the Hallyian tongue both for the pain as well as the seemingly insurmountable obstacle before him.

A few minutes earlier when the door closed behind Daemon and had yet to allow entrance to her offspring, Janaelle-sama turned to Witch and inquired, "Have you seen something in your Tangled Webs? She seemed very similar to other trainers."

Witch turned an inward smile that sang with sepulcher resonance. "While rare that a Daemon will attune to a trainer and not await his own Janaelle, it does happen periodically. If not, then we would be overrun with a slight abundance of Daemons. We have enough Lucivars as it is, and they already have a propensity of choosing their own trainers. What would you foresee, Witch-that-was, if this did not crop up every so often?

Janaelle-sama thought back to the titanic pissing matches that the snarly males could eagerly engender if there was not enough diverting activities or proper Queens to reign them in and redirect their attention to productive matters.

Sensing agreement from her predecessor, Witch went on, "Of the tangled webs woven these past few days, not much will change in the scheme of things, but if I were a betting Witch, I would place my interests that she will make a great difference to a select few. By allowing chibi-Janaelle and Daemon to act on their wishes, I am ensuring they will be part of these select few, with a few stipulations."

Witch-that-was caressed her Twilight Jewel that hummed agreement in its multi-faceted core. A turn of her lips reminiscent of an elder allowing the machinations of the young crossed her face. She too, knew the substance of this trainer, even if met only in passing.

After all, did she not release her chibi despite all reasons to the contrary? Yes, this trainer had her approval, especially with the understanding that the young Daemon would not leave either filial or chosen responsibility alone.

"Poor Aela, indeed."

"Cold, Mother?" Being inherently attuned to the maternal figure in his life, Sephiroth was instantly able to note any minute signals she cared to show. By courting such attention thusly, a good son would be able to divine her wishes and be prepared to cater to each before he forced her to spend the energy to voice them.

"Not exactly. Just felt like someone walked over my grave... Twice."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at the thought of his mother having a grave while under his protection, let alone having it desecrated by having someone trod over it in blatant disrespect.

Not to be outdone when considering her wayward 'son', Aela was also in tune with some of the postures he exhibited, and was fairly sure that gripping the handle of the impressive Masamune with shoulders turned protectively toward her with liquid elegance were a pretty big indicator that he did not understand the metaphor.

"I just feel an odd premonition that something weird is going to happen in the future. The thing with the grave is just an expression from where I come from."

At least the explanation caused a release of the nodachi. Aela did not think she had it in her to be constantly alert that her vicious wolf-puppy bodyguard would snap and cause mayhem and terror to anything that looked at her funny. She still despaired in her attempt to sway him against his chosen calling to advance her forceful nomination as the ruler of the town/territory/land/bishie world.

Looking at his slightly perturbed expression, Aela went on to soothe this metaphorically ruffled feathers, "I have full confidence in your ability to fight, Seph, but I still need to go into a town before my two week time limit is up. I need to get some more concrete info, and I need to figure out what we are going to do long term."

"Mother, I am fully capable of providing for your care. You need not go into any such towns if that is your prerogative." With a slightly prideful swish and flick of his moonlight hair, he went on. "None shall refuse you services or goods. I shall give you all!"

A pat to his leather covered bicep brought his attention back down to earth, but it was her raised brow and O.o expression that truly brought it home that Mother was not like the poisonous voices from before. Incredibly, Mother did not long for chaos disaster and conquest of all. What warmed his long unused heart was that Mother was able to bring her point across and reign him in with only a touch and a look.

"That's nice Seph, but its a mom's duty to provide, not the other way around."

Now it was his turn for the baffled O.o look. But, if Mother said so, then, "As you wish." His mother linked their arms and began towing him onward along the road. Her other hand pulled the map out of a pocket and lined up their progress. "We're about a day or two away from the town Why Not? since we skipped Why? a few days ago. I think we need a plan. I don't want a panic if we waltz in, and I refuse to keep you in a bishieball for the duration."

Sephiroth, attuned as he was to his mother's thoughts interrupted. "I will not leave you unprotected going into town." While he noted his Mother frown as she processed the refusal of him just staying outside the town. While it would be within the distance and time limits from the orientation class, and he was certain he could keep a protective watch on her from any distance, he did not want to leave her without a visible presence. Anyone watchful enough would be able to note the missing bishieballs which could encourage an encounter he did not want Mother to endure.

"Impasse... Again... and I'm not really sure the previous solution would be the answer for this time around." Aela ruminated as she walked, absently still towing her towering son behind.

"What was the previous solution Mother?" While paying attention to her words, part of him was happily focused on the arm linked with his own. A part of him always did a happy dance when Mother cared to touch him, and he was even more subconsciously thrilled since it was the direct opposite of his own experiences with the scientists and professors who had clinical, cold, or just plain painful touches.

"Getting a bishie of course," was stated before thoughts caught up to words. The arm she was towing became steel and her forward momentum halted. She could practically see his mental gears whirring.

"That... That could be the solution again, Mother. Provided the escort caught would be sufficient to ward off the unsavory sorts while in town."

Aela had a sheepish smirk to this. "Seph, I've only got one bishieball left, remember? I have to be careful, and while it was truly remarkable that I got you for my anchor, I had certain criteria originally." And when her 'son' just stared at her patiently with lambent eyes blinking occasionally, she elaborated. "I was kinda hoping for a female fighter. I know my limits regarding fighting, and I originally wanted a protector, but also someone I can be friends with."

Sephiroth looked thoughtful. Oh, he wasn't offended! No one could expect him, and he knew he wasn't cut out to be anything so dissociative like a 'friend'. He was quite happy with his familial role, but wanted to fulfill Mother's wishes and his own requirement for what amounted to a visual escort to ward off undesirables from potentially harassing her. Still thinking, he relaxed his impression of immovable object that held them both stopped and resumed his forward progress, this time he was leading and absently stroking Mother's hand in subtle tactile reassurance. Female, protective, fighter, impressive enough appearance to divert threats... Mako eyes narrowed and his gaze lasered across kilometers of land and focused on a group who thought they were hidden enough. A small smirk crossed pale lips as Aela internally squee-ed to hear her new favorite sound, a Sephiroth 'Hn'.

Far enough in the distance so as to not pose a threat, hidden watchers were puzzled. They were so far away that not a single thing could be heard, nor even those with the keenest eye could divulge the movement of lips for reading. They could only go off body movements and exaggerated gestures. At first, their hurried assumption was that both watched targets were neutral to each other, as they were moving in the same direction, side by side and no onus presented. If it were a hostage situation, the trainer's body language would be more hesitant, and would try to trail behind to stay out of sight.

Then, the confirmed san-staged Sephiroth, as he did not have his wing which would indicate sama-stage, gripped his sword and elegantly gestured around. The watchers tensed, sure they would soon spy a trainers murder and subsequent bloodbath.

But - the trainer actually touched him! And the Sephiroth allowed it!

Invisible sweatdrops adorned the watchers as the grip on the fabled sword released, arms were linked and the trainer pulled the great, fearsome entity that had whole territories up in arms around like her personal string tug toy.

Tension ratcheted up again, sure that the killing perfection had had enough when he smoothly halted and the trainer was tugged backward by the lack of forward movement. That the silver devil only caught the curly haired trainer was examined in great detail. Apparently a discussion was underway. If only they could HEAR it would help make sense! How were they supposed to gather info if they were restricted to such a distance? The sama's of their adjoining territories would need any information the watchers could find to come up with a disaster plan. It was already a disaster! A Sephiroth hadn't rampaged in the last several decades, let alone one seen in a lucid episode.

Well, he may not be rampaging, but now he took on the aggressive role, keeping a hold of the trainer's arm, and evilly stroking it like a Bond villain's fluffy cat. What was worse was that his head snapped to the side and pinned the group with an evil glow they could perceive even at their distance, disguised by foliage, henge, and chi techniques. A simultaneous gulp and shiver down their spines as they could swear they heard a 'Hn'...