This is going to be a bit of a change from 'Reflect the Sky'. It's a bit darker and more serious, and will focus more on Sephiroth, and what might've been going on in that chaotic little mind of his. ^_^ Enjoy~~~

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all related characters, names, and places are copyright to Squaresoft.

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

--Robert Frost, "Fire and Ice"

Fire and Ice

Sephiroth could still remember the first time he saw her. The moment was forever engraved in his mind; even if he had wanted to forget it, which he didn't, he was incapable of losing that memory. For some reason, it always burned brightly in the jumble of his thoughts. Nothing, not even Jenova, could erase it.

He reflected about that, after his death, and concluded that it was probably to antagonize him. Seeing her pure, sweet visage at every turn was one of the best forms of torture his tormentors could have come up with. Because even after all this time, Sephiroth remained confused about her.

She was so beautiful, with emerald eyes much clearer than his, and long wavy tresses of golden brown hair. She was slender and rather small for someone around 22 years old. She had always been smiling, the smile that radiated warmth and kindness and a love for all beings. Her every action was selfless, right until the end. Aeris, the last Cetra, was perfection. As much as someone like him could, Sephiroth loved her.

And yet…he hated her. 

How dare she escape from Shinra and lead a happy life, while he suffered under them as nothing more than an experiment. How dare she remain pure and uncorrupted despite everything she had been through, while he lose his mind and became the epitome of evil. How dare she smile! Aeris…sweet, lovely, torturous Aeris, was an enigma. He couldn't understand her, and that made his anger towards her even greater, even though somewhere inside him he knew he was being irrational.

She was everything he could not be, beauty and gentleness and innocence. He yearned for that and was repulsed at the same time. Aeris was the flame that entranced when observed, but burned when touched. 

How dare she make him feel this way.

The old flickers of hatred and desire warred within his mind as he remembered the day of their first meeting…