Marked

He stared down at his arm quietly, emerald green flickering as he frowned, glad for the gloves that covered That mark. He could still recall when he had believed he could get rid of it...1

Only a child, he scowled at his arm, the mark seeming to laugh at him soundlessly, an irritating reminder of what he was... a specimen, a science experiment, not normal. The words flew around in his head until he released a bitter cry of frustration. Irremovable was it? He would see about that! He rummaged through the drawers until he found what he wanted. Perfect. The glimmer of comforting silver fitted into his hand as though he had been made to hold it... but then, he Had, had he not? He shook his head, no time to think on such things, no point.2

He braced himself for the pain that would shoot through him and... nothing...3

"Are you a coward Sephiroth?! Don't be so Weak!"4

He hissed the words out loud, scolding himself for not doing it already. Still his hand shook, his mind torn between wanting to destroy the mark and dreading the pain he knew would be caused by trying...5

Again he took a deep breath releasing it in a cry of pain, and triumph! He was doing it! He was cutting away the mark, he Could be normal, just like Vinny, he was Not Just another freak Or a monster, he was... he was... he was healing! The blood flow ceased even as he watched with a sense of sick anticipation. The skin melding together as if it had never been torn asunder. To his horror and a dull sense of recognition, with the skin healing, so too did the number. The black 1 making itself known to the world once more. 6

With a howl of rage, no longer feeling the pain, he slashed again and again at the mark, effectively mutilating the skin until a glimmer of white bone could be seen. Half faint from blood loss and the sense of pain flooding back, he watched with a smug grin as the skin and muscles began once more their torturous method of healing, leaving pale skin, and, almost as if it were sticking it's tongue out at him, the black number. It even seemed, if it were possible, to be bigger than before. No! That was... impossible, right? Not even the professor could create something that would do that... right? His body shuddered both from exhaustion and pain. Suddenly sleep seemed like his idea of heaven... maybe he would wake up and it would all have been a dream... He closed his eyes, slipping into blessed darkness.7

Of course, it had Not been a dream, Sephiroth mused to himself, he still bore The mark and even now when he caught a glimpse of it, it seemed to be sniggering, he could almost hear it speaking...8

"You'll Never be rid of me... we are together forever!"9

He thought of another who used those words... Zack... thin lips curved lightly, perhaps... it was not So bad after all.10