((Another night again))

((Another journey without friends))

((Another fight to wish away the loneliness I live))

Footsteps...

Steady, measured, and with purpose, they echoed on the concrete and created a unique melody combined with the drops of falling rain that fell to the earth uncaring about where they landed or who they brought discomfort to, they afflicted those around them indiscriminately.

The stranger pulled his cloak about him tightly and pulled his hood low over his face, it wouldn't do for him to get wet and dirty after all, it wasn't every day that a man got to come home, and after all the time he'd spent away from home he knew that after such a long absence first impressions were terribly important.

One foot in front of the other his direction a straight and unwavering line that carried him right to the lobby doors of the Shinra building, he paused to look up at the grand structure from a distance, it looked ominous silhouetted by black clouds and illuminated by sudden flashes of lightening, thunder rumbled in the sky sounding like the angry growl of some beast too terrible to be seen.

((Another circus show))

((Another face that I don't know))

((Another night of people asking what I have to give))

"Spare some Gil sir?"

The beggar was dirty, his face stained with mud and refuse no doubt from scrounging food from dumpsters and garbage cans, maybe a scuffle with a local gang looking for some sport, his clothing tattered and torn he seemed to have given up on life, not even motivated to find cover from the rain, the stranger stopped turning to look down at him.

"I have no Gil..."

Something about the strangers voice sent a chill down the beggars spine, a chill that had nothing to do with the rain, but still he pressed on.

"Surely you have something for me?"

The stranger regarded the beggar for several moments, silence between them dragged from single moments and stretched out into an uncomfortable period of time, Finally the stranger lifted his head and met the beggars gaze.

"Seek shelter...there's a storm coming"

With that the stranger turned and left leaving the beggar to digest the words he'd heard, another stranger leaving him empty handed, he should have been angry, in the past in the face of such responses he had been angry, indignant even, those tightwad Shinra assholes never could spare a single Gil! But there had been something about the strangers words...

The beggar rose from his spot suddenly wanting to be miles away from this place.

He didn't look back.

((I thought that I would drown))

((But it's okay right now))

The stranger paused only a moment in the doorway of the Shinra building, clutched in his hand was a strangely long wrapped object, a homecoming present of sorts, it wasn't polite to come home without bringing a gift of sorts. With a deep breath the stranger pushed open the doors and made his way inside out of the rain.

As the doors swung shut behind him thunder rumbled and a flicker of lightening caused the lights to flicker, the stranger smiled under his hood, it couldn't have been a more fitting entrance, he set his sights on the elevator and began to walk towards it, his footsteps slow and measured.

With purpose.

"Sir?"

"Sir?"

"Excuse me sir!"

The security guard was persistent but woefully ineffective, they didn't keep their brightest bulbs on the bottom floor, they saved those with skill for t he top levels, the top levels where the stranger was headed, he made his way into the empty elevator and turned gazing into the young mans eyes, any words he might have further spoken died on his lips, silenced by that stare.

Silenced by those eyes

As the elevator doors shut the young guard rushed back to his desk, picking up the phone he dialed the number for the upper floors, it rang once and was promptly picked up by a man with a businesslike tone of voice.

"S-Sir..." The young man stuttered into the phone "I think we've got trouble!"

((And all the miles away I feel a part of me I have to fight))

((Buried somewhere deep beneath my skin))

((The emptiness in me is faded))

((And I can see my life is waiting))

((Now I know I'm living for who I am ))

The elevator door opened and the stranger was greeted by a seasoned security guard

"Sir I'm afraid I'm going to have to see some ID before you go any further"

The stranger raised the long wrapped object, with a twist of his wrist and quick movement of his fingers the wrap fell away revealing a long sheathed sword...an impossibly long sword, the Guards face paled as he went for his gun.

"Jesus Christ he's got a sword, it's..."

The sword flashed from it's sheath with an impossible speed and sliced once and then once more, the security guard was left staring dumbly at his hand he'd been reaching for his gun with, now void of four fingers, his mouth fell open and he stared in wonder, the blade was so sharp that he hadn't even felt the cut! He stared at the stumps wondering why he wasn't feeling pain.

A wetness on his chest caused him to look down, he was greeted by the sight of his own blood soaking the front of his uniform, he gasped but was rewarded with a blinding pain in his throat, he'd been so focused on his missing fingers that he hadn't realized the strangers second slice and slit his throat open, he gave a gurgling cry and his eyes rolled into the back of his head before he fell to the floor.

The stranger stepped calmly over his body wiping the flat of his blade on the mans uniform.

There was work to be done.

((And everything seems great and everyone is fake))

((No one really knows you))

((Look into their eyes))

((Rip off your disguise))

((Let them see the real you))

The stranger threw his hood off, long beautiful strands of silver hair cascaded down his back, those around him stared in horror, several shrill screams assaulted his ears, the stranger gazed back through calm eyes, slowly his lips curled into an awful smile.

Sephiroth The Prodigal son had returned home.

AN: It's funny how sometimes two things can inspire you to write something when previously you'd had no desire to, This brief story was inspired by reading "Down In a Hole" by s'C'urvy'K'at, while I absolutely loved the story it put me in somewhat of a morbid mood, around the same time I'd finished reading with the story fresh in my mind "Who I Am" by Smile Empty Soul queued up on my cd player, the combination of the two resulted in this story, I'm pleased with the results and I hope you the reader are as well.