Paper Tiger Burning

I respectfully credit all Original Creators, namely Squaresoft, which became SquareEnix,for these characters. In this way, I pay homage to my Fandom's Original Creator, and illustrate my Community's belief that Fan Fiction is "fair use". I do not claim to own these characters. I do not make money or gil from using these protected characters, nor do I wish to make money or gil from them. In other words, I am borrowing these characters to entertain the adult fanfiction community, but I am doing so with the highest degree of respect to the engineers, game designers, music makers, and voice actors.



Next chapter is the sex. ;-)


My father gave an almighty shudder; I saw it easily in my peripheral. His hand tightened upon Aerith’s, his eyes half-lidding. He leaned down to hear something Aerith whispered. For a moment his face remained utterly blank, but then he began to smile. Despite having a new relationship with him, a better relationship, I felt disturbed by that smile. I’d seen it before. Many times, actually.

Hojo’s eyes flicked to the astounded, horrified, mute Lucas Havars. “As it pleases the court and the assembly, I accept responsibility for Havars,” he said, his voice slightly raspy. “Will the court please appoint an outside, non-employee of Shin-Ra to document and clarify my duties?”

Laelin nodded in satisfaction at my father’s formal, polite discourse. “Of course, Professor Hojo,” he agreed, smiling. “Miss Leijanna, will you accept this duty?”

Miss Leijanna stepped up from the lower platform, where she’d taken a position with the upper government of Midgar. “I would be honored to assist Professor Hojo in this,” she answered, her grey eyes seeking my father’s. “With his permission I will attach a Lhendburg restraint to the prisoner now.”

Hojo nodded.

My father’s new partner in justice clamped a silver band around Havars neck. It shrank to fit exactly against the skin. She then opened a panel, keyed in a code and waited. I heard a soft beeping sound. Hojo walked to meet Miss Leijanna, his hand out. She pricked his finger, captured his blood on a slide and swiped it across the panel of Havars’ collar.

The whole thing seemed scientifically mysterious to me, but the effect remained impressive. My father crooked his finger at Havars and the man followed him back to the edge of the dais. Apparently Havars now had to submit to anything Hojo came up with.

I almost pitied him.

“Screw that, that isn’t extraordinary at all,” a male voice at my elbow declared lowly.

I looked down to see Reno, who had sidled in close to my right. “You don’t think that’s remarkable?” I asked. “Havars is totally under Hojo’s control.”

Reno’s lips pulled into a wry smile. “Big deal,” he said. “What I want to know is how Hojo attracts all the cute chicks, yo?” He pointed halfheartedly in Miss Leijanna’s direction. “He works, gets your pretty mom. He goes to the beach and women flock around him. He goes to testify and gets hot little Sakura.” Reno frowned, scratching his head just past the goggles strapped there. “How does he do it? He’s like, what, a hundred years old? He’s irritable, nasty and unsociable.” Reno threw his hands up. “And, yo, he’s not a troll or anything, but he’s hardly as good looking as me!”

Aerith, having heard Reno’s rant, bent over with a fit of giggles. I shrugged at the disgruntled Turk.

“Power, Reno,” I said.

“Playing the game,” Cloud added helpfully.

“You’re both right,” Aerith said, “but you’re both missing the mark.” She wiped her face of tears and stood straighter, pretending to watch Hojo order Havars back and forth. “Reno, smart is sexy,” she told the Turk, not moving her eyes. “And everybody’s smart about something. Find a strength and play it up.”

Reno grinned. His eyes slid to Valentine, who didn’t appear to notice.

**************************************************************************************

I badly wanted to just fly home with my flower girl, but we had to attend a short conference in two hour’s time. Cloud suggested we go somewhere for lunch. It didn’t sound like a bad idea. I would need plenty of fuel to work my flower girl into a frenzy.

As if hearing my inner musings, Aerith approached me. I pulled her to one side so we would not bottleneck the exit. “What did you say to my father?” I asked, curiosity temporarily taking over my libido.

Aerith looked around us. Noting that we stood mostly alone and out of earshot to anyone, she hopped up to sit on the handrail. Now she could talk to me without either one of us breaking our necks. “You noticed his reaction to Havars’ little speech, I suppose?” she asked lightly, watching Turks and children file past us for the great outdoors of the city.

“Yes, a bit,” I confessed. “But I wasn’t paying any attention to his thoughts.”

“Hm,” Aerith said, her eyes tracking Valentine a moment, who seemed to shrink away from the direct rays of the sun. “Life is a balance, Sephiroth,” she went on, her tone a gentle lecture. “Your father has a great deal of negative karma to work out in his soul.”

I looked at her, sensing a deeper lesson that even what she implied. “I imagine that must be so,” I allowed. “You have said as much to me many times. I have to be a balance and I also have negative karma to work through.”

“Not like your father does,” Aerith replied, shaking her head slightly. “And it isn’t the same yet the process will be similar.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.” I faced her, blocking her eyes from the flow of foot traffic. “If the problem isn’t the same, how can the solution be similar?”

Aerith’s lips twitched. “You and Cloud had to beat the stuffing out of each other in order to prompt your mind,” she said. “You had to remember knocking him around before, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Hojo finds similarities in himself to Havars. He consciously and unconsciously associates Havars with his own crimes, his own habits, and his own scientific drives.” Aerith smiled. “He becomes more of a balance murdering himself over and over.” Aerith hopped down. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Havars receives merciful treatment after his initial breaking-in. In the meantime, Hojo can indulge in his negativity and help Havars work through some of his debt.” She dusted her hands off and reached for my palm. “Do you feel like eating? I’m starved.”

I took the moment to just look at her and marvel. She had so much compassion, yet she could be so no-nonsense as to be nearly bloodless. No wonder she and my father understood each other so well. She’d taught him the compassion but he’d always had the matter-of-fact efficiency to an art.

“Let’s go have a steak,” I said, looping her arm through mine.

“You? A steak?” Aerith’s eyes widened. “No more vegetarian fare?”

“I’ve got my teeth back,” I answered.

We held back a moment as Hojo walked past, Havars in tow. He shot Aerith a smile, nodded at me and made a beeline for Cloud. Cloud got as close as he could to my father without infringing on his personal space, seeming to speak to him urgently.

Hojo’s brows knitted together thoughtfully. He reached up and pried one of Cloud’s eyelids farther apart, peering with interest at his sclera. I saw the words ‘blood’ and ‘mako’ form on his lips. They broke apart and Cloud leaned on railing, shaking his head.

“We’ve decided to get a pizza,” Reno said, appearing beside me. “You coming?”

I sighed. I hated pizza. “Very well,” I capitulated.

“Cheer up,” Aerith said, taking her place at my side once more. “They probably have hamburgers too.”