...The morning after the Enies Lobby incident.
Water 7-
Inside Shining's room in the Shining Studio building.
Early that morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the blinds, casting a row of bright stripes across the floor.
Sephiroth lay on the bed, having returned to his original appearance.
Perona nestled beside him, her long pink hair spread out in a loose, fluffy tangle.
Her dark purple, lace-trimmed nightdress hung loosely from her shoulders, revealing her collarbones and a sliver of fair skin. She looked like a cat curled up in its nest.
Perona's eyelashes fluttered.
Her eyelids opened, revealing those round eyes, still a little grumpy from waking up.
"Horo~"
Perona turned her little head, and their eyes met.
"...Morning, little princess."
Sephiroth lowered his head to greet her, with a distinctly jelly-like feel.
"...Mmph-"
Perona never finished what she was saying.
After their greeting, she huffed and buried her face.
They had been together long enough for her to be quite experienced. Yet all of Perona's reactions were still so girlish.
She was already twenty-three, but she gave the impression of being ten years younger.
"...So cute... How are you this cute?"
Sephiroth reached out and rubbed the top of Perona's head, threading his fingers through her pink hair.
Perona gave a pleased, catlike purr and snuggled deeper into his arms.
"Time to get up."
Sephiroth glanced at the clock.
"No."
Perona didn't want to move.
"Kalifa's already up, you know."
Sephiroth swept his Mantra over Kalifa to check on her.
"Five... Five hours..."
Perona indicated that, while her stamina was holding up, she was a little mentally exhausted.
After all, ever since she had developed the ability to make "physical contact" in her "out-of-body" state, just like her other ghosts...
Her size-changing "true spirit form" had gained access