"So you live in Midgar?"
Fair was sitting on a stone near the edge of a high cliff. Their unit camped close by. Sephiroth stood in front of his tent, studying maps in the sharp day light. He remembered this boy somehow more than the others. It was the hyperactive type, telling soldiers jokes or funny stories, always laughing with them.
"How is that your business?" Sephiroth said, not happy to be interrupted.
"Nohow... I just asked, sir."
"I believe you should find yourself a more useful thing to do, Fair, than asking me stupid questions."
"I just wanted to know if you're from Midgar. I'll be living there after the war. Maybe you could tell me something about the city... Sir."
"There are many things in Midgar you will find entertaining," Sephiroth said, aware of no one.
"Now let me work."
Fair gave him a bit disappointed look but Sephiroth didn't care. He really wasn't curious about another delluded idealistic young boy glued to his heels. They always asked questions like that and Sephiroth dismissed them almost instantly.
"I didn't know you're such a bore..." Fair muttered and Sephiroth blinked with surprise. Did he just insult him?
But he didn't have time to think of it. That distant wheezing... The worst thing to hear. He looked up at the sky, his fears coming true when noticing a little black dot against it.
"Bomb!"
Funny, how many things went through Sephiroth's head during those five secons. He realized it was a guided rocket, sent from a remote base. He knew the blow would have terrible intensity and would wipe their camp like an ocean wave tearing down a sandy castle. There was nothing to do to prevent it.
Sephiroth ran about ten metres and the explosion burst out behind him. He fell on the ground somewhere in forest with painful ringing in his ears. He rolled on his back, getting up. There was no camp any more, only fire. From its ruins he could hear the soldiers moan and scream with pain and fear.
Sephiroth looked around. He didn't see Fair anywhere. Perhaps the explosion cast him further. Soon the rest of the camp was in crossfire and Sephiroth hid behind a burned car, weighing up the situation.
"General!"
Sergeant Razaq was approaching him.
"What happened?"
"A guided rocket," Sephiroth said. "How's the transmitter?"
"Dead."
"There was another one in my tent, in a fireproof case. Try to connect with colonel Elliot, his unit is the nearest. Warn him the enemy forces are posibbly moving in his direction. Inform the authorities. We must withdraw immediately."
"Yes, sir."
"Razaq," Sephiroth stopped him. "Have you seen Fair?"
"No, sir," Razaq said, quickly leaving him. Sephiroth returned where he saw Fair before the explosion. His body wasn't laying there. So it must have thrown him away. Where was that damn boy? Most likely dead.
Sephiroth hesitated. He was a general. A general shouldn't risk his life for the life of a mere soldier. He almost reached the edge of the cliff. Firing came from behind and Sephiroth paused, aware he should go back and stop endangering himself and his soldiers. But yet he looked over the edge.
Fair was a few metres on the left, with a hundred-feet deep chasm beneath. His hold broke loose. Sephiroth quickly bowed and caught his wrist.
"Fucking shit!" Fair shouted with dread, looking up and widening his eyes. Sephiroth pulled him up, leaving him lay on the ground.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah..." Fair said in a weak voice.
"Good," Sephiroth said. "Now help me find those who survived."
The other day in the evening those who survived were safe in a neighbour camp. Elliot sent a whole regiment and the enemy was crushed. Sephiroth was filling his report in the weak light of his lamp.
"Sergeant Razaq, sir."
"Come in."
Sephiroth straightened from his table, looking at Razaq saluting.
"At ease."
"Did you want to speak to me, sir?"
"Yes. How is Griffith?"
"He died an hour ago, sir."
So that made a total count of fifty two dead and seventeen injured, nineteen survived.
"Did you see someone manipulating the infra-red jammer?"
"No, sir," Razaq said. "Do you think someone from this camp would..."
"Who's the last to work with it?" Sephiroth asked.
"Green, sir. But he's dead."
"Is this his knife?
Sephiroth took a knife out of his desk, showing it to Razaq.
"Yes, sir. But that doesn't mean..."
"Someone cut the throats of the watch with this knife."
Razaq widened his eyes.
"But Green... I would never suspect him... He was just eighteen years old..."
"He could have an accomplice. Somebody who knew about it."
Razaq thought for a while.
"I think I have a tip. I'll bring him."
"Sergeant," Sephiroth stopped him. Razaq looked at him over his shoulder.
"Why didn't you go and check if someone from the watch survived?"
Razaq blinked.
"I remember," Sephiroth continued, "I told you to go around the camp to check if someone wasn't tossed further. You knew where they were and you somehow missed that out. But yet when you came you said they were dead. How could you know that?"
"But I was there..."
"You're lying," Sephiroth said, holding his anger down. "I kept watching you the whole time. You didn't go there."
"I think I just forgot... With the chaos around..."
"Or you had already knew they were dead," Sephiroth said, his words followed with silence. Razaq was shaking his head, opening his mouth to justify himself but something in Sephiroth's face made him stop. A cold smile spread over his lips.
"You've god a point," he said then, quietly.
"You are not from Midgar," Sephiroth said. "You were born here, in Wutai."
Razaq nodded slowly. Sephiroth watched his arm sliding inside of his vest.
"You were the main target."
"I thought so."
"I couldn't let you continue. I couldn't watch you murdering my people."
Razaq withdrew a gun out of his vest, aiming at Sephiroth. He yelped with pain at the same moment as a leg kicked him down. The same leg pushed his gun away and stepped on Razaq's back to keep him on the ground.
"You should have planned it better," Fair said, standing on him. Sephiroth called for two soldiers that took Razaq to be processed. Fair stayed in his tent.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"He had a small scar on his hand from a tattoo removal."
"Resistance?" Fair said and Sephiroth nodded. He knew some members of resistance liked to mark themselves but it had certain disadvantages for working undercover. He saw the scar on his hand when he went to check if he called Elliot. Suspicious, he rather gave him another task to do and sent Fair to keep an eye on him.
"So... you notice such things like a miniature scar on someone's hand? Gee... That's mad. But I bet you don't know if I have a scar on my left or right ankle, sir."
"You have no scars on your ankles. And I don't remember I allowed you talk to me like that. By the way, Fair, did you call me a bore previously?"
Fair's face changed immediately, his grin disappearing, his eyes filling with fear.
"No... I...meant someone... else, sir..."
Sephiroth almost smirked. He himself wondered why it didn't offend him more like amused him. Fair was the first person stupid or brave enough to dare to call him like that.
"You're dismissed, Fair. Go and have a shower."
Fair relaxed, obviously puzzled for not being punished, before comprehending what Sephiroth said.
"I stink so bad?" he asked and smelled his armpits. Sephiroth took back the report he'd been working on.
"I honestly wonder why Razaq didn't feel you."
When Zack left, Sephiroth shook his head and returned to his work. But he wasn't able to concentrate. Fifty two. Fifty two dead and he didn't even know their faces. All that was left of them were their names to write on the death certificates. And he was the target.
Sephiroth learned not to think of it like that. He used to and soon realized it would ruin him. So he forbade himself to do it ever again. Yet it wasn't so simple. He kept thinking if his life really were more valuable. And how many people had already died because of him?
Somebody coughed behind him and Sephiroth turned. Fair was standing there.
"Yes?"
"I guess I forgot to thank you for saving my life. You didn't have to go back for me. So... thanks..."
Fair hesitatingly walked backwards, making a little bow, then turning and leaving. He was right. Sephiroth didn't have to go back for him. And he shouldn't have. But looking at him strutting and whistling, he was glad he did.
Hope you like and thanks for the reviews, especially to The Azu Soul Lilly. Happy you liked the new title, the old one was just provisional:)) Also I'm a Czech so sorry for my mistakes, hope I don't make many but feel free to notice me.
Next: Dealing with responsibility at war is not the easiest thing to do.