Zack hesitated. He was so confident after talking to Cloud for the last time. So sure he could just waltz up to the past incarnation of Sephiroth and convince him not to go to Nibelheim. Save the world with one conversation. After all, he was a hero, right? He'd been a SOLDIER, First Class. He'd fought Sephiroth himself in the Nibelheim reactor, been through Hojo's experiments, and survived (albeit barely) long enough to grab Cloud and haul ass out of there. He'd gotten Cloud all the way back to Midgar, in spite of everything, and Cloud had gone on to save the planet with his friends more times than he'd bothered to count. Sephiroth, Jenova, Shin-Ra...Cloud had stopped them all, over and over again. Kid always came through.
...Okay, maybe he was a hero by proxy.
Now, though, it was his turn. The Planet couldn't very well uproot the chocobo-headed golden child when she needed Cloud in their original timeline. Zack, though….He looked down as his hand, testing its movements for the hundredth time since he woke up. His tendons stretched and contracted without issue, just as they did so many years ago. He'd been dead for ages. He had nowhere to go apart from dissolving into the Lifestream.
His fingers clenched into a fist.
Minerva knew he could be useful. That he could help. That maybe, just maybe, he could create a timeline where Jenova never gained any ground. Where the Planet was always one step ahead of the Calamity. And now, here he was. In the past. Poised and ready to begin his mission, starting with one silver-haired SOLDIER.
...Hesitating.
Just looking at Sephiroth's office door immersed him in memories. Most of which involved him being in an enormous amount of trouble. With the number of pranks he used to pull, it was a wonder Sephiroth hadn't tried to kill him before burning down a village. Back then, an angry First Class commanding officer was waiting to punish him for reckless behavior. That wasn't the case for this visit. He wasn't in any trouble. Sephiroth wasn't even aware he was standing outside. Unless, of course, Zack's nervous shuffling and fidgeting had clued the other in that someone was there.
What am I so afraid of? He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, trying hard to organize his thoughts. He wasn't facing the man that he had to fight in the reactor so many years ago. The one who taunted him in the Lifestream. The Sephiroth behind this door was the old hero of the war with Wutai. The one who would train Zack when Angeal was busy on a mission.
The man Zack had respected.
Zack opened his eyes, raising his fist to knock on the door.
"You'll fail."
The words echoed in his brain, dripping with Sephiroth's psychosis. Why had he thought talking to him before coming to the past would be a good idea? All he'd gotten from the man was taunts and threats - reminders of his failure to stop Sephiroth from going on to wreck the Planet with Jenova in tow. The man in the office wasn't the same, but he would be eventually.
"Alright, Zack," he whispered, trying to psych himself up. Keeping Sephiroth from losing his mind and destroying the world was the whole reason he was in the past to begin with. His literal raison d'etre this time around. "You can do this. You got this. All you have to do is knock on the door, then you open it and Sephiroth will say–"
"Why are you ranting to yourself in front of my office, Zack?"
Zack yelped in surprise and stepped back a few feet. Those cyan eyes he had been so terrified to see were suddenly staring right at him, narrowed slightly in confusion. The man looked exactly the same. Same old black uniform, same impossibly long silver hair, just like how he looked while mocking Zack and holding a bloody Jenova head to his side. Except for the length of his bangs, he might as well be in the Lifestream still.
"S-Sephiroth," Zack managed. He could have kicked himself for the stutter. This early on and I'm already this rattled?
Sephiroth merely raised an eyebrow. "You realize this door is not much of a sound barrier to a First. Did you have something to tell me?"
So he could hear me shuffling around out here. Damn. Zack opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. His eyes dropped to Sephiroth's gloved hands. They were easier to look at than the man's piercing mako gaze. What the hell do I do now?! He swallowed quickly, noticing Sephiroth's hands travel upward and across his chest as he crossed his arms. The way he did when he was getting impatient. That was a bad sign. "I, uh, I just wanted to…" Zack tried in vain to come up with the right words, and Sephiroth stood there, watching. He risked a glance at Sephiroth's face again, expecting a malicious sneer at his verbal flailing.
Instead, Sephiroth's expression seemed to have softened.
Zack stared openly now. It was a patient look on the man's face, almost as if he expected Zack to make a fool of himself before getting to the point. Granted, the man had known him since he was sixteen. There had been plenty moments where Zack acted like a fool in front of him. Now, though. Now it was different. Standing straighter, Zack regained some of his composure. "Y-Yeah." He cleared his throat. "I need to talk to you."
"I gathered." A faint smirk played on Sephiroth's lips.
Zack tried to ignore the smug attitude. Too similar to - No. Focus. "It's about our next mission. To Nibelheim."
At that, Sephiroth nodded. He stepped partially inside his office before addressing the other. "Come in, then. I have some time."
Zack let the other walk in a few paces before following. As he entered, he glanced around for any traps. Anything off, or out of place, like they would be in the illusions he'd seen used against Cloud. Anything that Sephiroth could use to trick Zack into a sense of safety before he stabbed him with the Masamune. He started when Sephiroth sat down, harmlessly, in the chair behind his desk. Zack frowned. This is not the Sephiroth I'm used to. This is the sane one. As Sephiroth checked something on his computer, Zack's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. Looking around again, he realized he shouldn't have worried - everything in the room was exactly as he recalled. The bookshelf filled to the brim with dull texts about war and strategy. The inbox filled to the brim with documents placed neatly next to the similarly full outbox. Even the plant that looked just a bit out of place - something Angeal had probably brought in one day, in an effort to liven the place up. All of it was exactly how he remembered it. Even Sephiroth, sitting regally at his desk with his eyes boring straight into Zack's seemed like some long lost memory come back to life.
"What did you wish to discuss?" Sephiroth interrupted Zack's musings, leaning back in his chair.
"...This next mission." Zack tried and failed to remember all the points of his argument. He grimaced. "...I don't like it."
Sephiroth stared at him. "Should I be concerned?"
"Well, to be honest, it's really…" He stopped. He'd prepared a whole mental list of questions to convince Sephiroth to refuse the mission to Nibelheim. He'd had an essay's worth of topics to cover. Why did he have to be drawing a blank now?
"Really what, Zack?" Sephiroth asked. Zack remembered the man mentioning he had 'some' time. He was probably wasting it now with all his verbal flailing.
"Really…The mission…It's just sketchy!" he finally blurted out. As the other First stared at him, Zack inwardly groaned. Sketchy. I am so eloquent. Before his diction could be questioned, he continued. "I mean, just hear me out, okay?"
Sephiroth said nothing, but his small nod gave Zack all the hope he needed to keep talking.
"Alright, so we're going to this town out in the middle of nowhere. In fact, I know it's in the middle of nowhere because," I've been there before. "...I have a friend who's from Nibelheim. He'd agree." Sephiroth's eyes narrowed again, but he remained silent. Zack took the gesture to mean he could keep going. "So you and me, SOLDIER Firsts, are going to this dinky little town because there's a problem with the reactor. Shouldn't the maintenance people be coming with us? They're the ones that actually know how to fix it."
"That depends on what is wrong with the reactor," Sephiroth replied. "A simple problem could be fixed by SOLDIER. If the problem proves too difficult for us, we are to contact Shin-Ra to send the mechanics." Zack crossed his arms at that point's defeat, biting his bottom lip in a fit of frustration.
Think. Think. What else was there…?
Sephiroth continued, "There are also reports from the townspeople of strange monsters, possibly mutated from mako exposure."
He could work with that. "Okay…Well, the monsters shouldn't be that hard to beat, even if the reactor's enhancing them somehow, right? Why do they need two SOLDIER Firsts to go?" He hoped Sephiroth would at least see the logic there. The man knew he was the strongest SOLDIER Shin-Ra ever had, so he must realize that two Firsts would be overkill.
"The Turks have been unable to estimate how strong the monsters have become," Sephiroth countered. "And, as I told you before, the previous operatives we sent have gone missing." He rested his chin casually on one hand. "Besides, all SOLDIER operatives are required to have backup unless given special assignment."
Zack narrowed his eyes. That couldn't be right, could it? "Since when? What about all those missions I took by myself?"
"You were being monitored by someone, Zack. Either via your PHS or a headset. That information is located in the SOLDIER Operative Manual." Zack was pretty sure the expression on Sephiroth's face now was sheer boredom. Hard to tell with that mask of indifference. That was something he had never been great at in the past – reading Sephiroth's emotions.
He mentally filed that under 'things to improve this time around.'
"Well…I…" Zack stumbled over his words. Sephiroth surprising him at the door had knocked all of his arguments out of his head. He struggled to remember them now, but to no avail. Two measly arguments had been all he could recall. There has to be something else! Ugh, is bad memory some stupid symptom of coming back to life in the wrong timeline?
He wasn't going to convince him at this rate.
"…Sephiroth," Zack met the man's gaze, trying hard not to flinch under it. He'd been used to seeing those cat-pupils once. He would have to get used to them all over again. "You've gotta believe me. Something's just off about this mission, and I really don't think we should go."
Sephiroth sighed and broke eye contact, to Zack's relief. He sat there quietly for a moment, thinking. Zack clung to the desperate hope that his pleading had the slightest effect. When the man looked up again, Zack found himself almost praying that he would refuse the mission right then and there. Sephiroth trusted him in this timeline still.
...Right?
"Zack-"
"Yeah?" Zack asked eagerly. Sephiroth's irritated stare was enough to shut him up.
"Zack, if you're that concerned about the mission, then I would recommend bringing your issues to President Shin-Ra."
Zack's stomach felt keenly like someone had blasted it with a Blizzard spell. "The President?" he asked in disbelief. That was much higher up than he ever expected to go. With the SOLDIER Director missing, it should have just been Sephiroth at the top. Sephiroth should have final say in missions, unless… "Is this mission that important?!"
"One of the board directors requested for this mission to be added to the lineup," Sephiroth explained. "They received approval from the President himself. He has the authority in this case." He pulled a small stack of papers from his inbox onto the desk and grabbed a pen. Zack began to panic. He knew that behavior. This conversation was done.
"But, Sephiroth–!"
"I am able to listen to your concerns about the mission Zack, but I can't cancel it." He looked up from his paperwork briefly to be sure his message came across. "Talk to Shin-Ra if you really believe it's a problem. You are dismissed."
Zack clenched his fists, but seeing Sephiroth with his attention so clearly on the papers, he couldn't help but be reminded of the man's focus on the lab reports in the mansion. Reading, reading, reading. Did he do anything besides reading? Before the mansion he'd locked himself up in Shin-Ra's Data Room to do research. As Zack watched, Sephiroth grimaced at the paper in his hand. A grimace Zack had seen directed all too often at the books in the mansion's library. He couldn't convince Sephiroth to do anything otherwise then, and the man had made it clear he couldn't do anything now.
Zack stormed out of the office.
Down the hall, the wall suffered the brunt of Zack's frustration. He nearly put his fist through it, thinking sourly that he sure didn't hesitate knocking on anything that wasn't Sephiroth's office door. Glaring at the newly-formed cracks in the wall, a part of him berated himself for making more work for the building's staff to repair. Then again, he remembered, this is still Shin-Ra. He trudged into the elevator and jammed his thumb into the 'Door Close' button. The doors slid gracefully into place."Well," he huffed at the unassuming machinery. "That sure went well." He ran a hand through his tousled spikes. He'd messed up. That much was certain. "Geez… 'Talk to Shin-Ra,' huh?" Even if he did eventually remember the points he had meant to tell Sephiroth, the man may not listen to him now. Not with a higher authority calling the shots. If he was lucky, the President might just grant him an audience. He could try to make his case there. But without knowing what he was even going to say, there wasn't much point, was there?
He could wing it, like he used to.
Zack immediately scoffed at himself. "Now there's idea. Just walk on up there and say, 'Hi Mr. President, you don't really know me, but I think your mission's crap and it'd be stupid to send Sephiroth because he might flip his lid and kill everyone!' Yeah," he groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Real convincing."
It had been so easy in his head. He'd argue his points to Sephiroth, Sephiroth would question the validity of the mission, cancel it, and there'd be no more Nibelheim. No incident. No Jenova, no Meteor, no Reunion, nothing. Zack leaned on the side of the elevator sullenly, and dragged his hands down his cheeks. He'd come back to change things, not flounder like an idiot in Sephiroth's office and get kicked out without accomplishing anything. He'd promised he would fix things. Zack hunched over, aggravated. I won't screw up this chance.
I can't.
The elevator jerked into motion, startling the soldier. Slowly, almost lazily, it descended floors. Zack sighed, standing straight again. "Guess I should've picked a floor sooner…" At level 49, the elevator came to a halt. The doors opened, revealing a SOLDIER Second Class in full uniform. Even with the regulation helmet on, however, Zack couldn't help but grin at the sight.
"Kunsel!"
"Hey, Zack," Kunsel moved to let him exit onto the floor. Zack practically bounced out to give the shorter man a bearhug. Kunsel let out a strained laugh, "You're... kinda crushing my lungs…" Zack gave him one more tight squeeze before letting go. Kunsel took a loud, dramatic breath after being released, and then grinned at the First. "Y'know I've always been impressed you can recognize me in uniform. I generally just get passed over as one of the regular drones. But not with you."
"Hey, there's no mistaking you, buddy," Zack patted the other man on the back amiably. "I'd recognize you anywhere. Except maybe with your helmet off for once. How are you, man? It's been forever!" He couldn't believe how long it had been since he'd seen the Second. Years. Painful years.
A sting of a memory of emails from Kunsel, begging him to be safe.
Emails he'd never replied to.
I have to admit, he thought, mirroring his friend's grin, Getting to see old friends again is a nice plus…
"Oh, ha ha." Kunsel stated, sarcasm readily apparent in his voice. "I'm fine. Just getting ready for a new mission. So what trouble are you up to today?"
"Just…" Zack's mood deflated considerably, recalling his blunders earlier. "Just, y'know…talking to Sephiroth."
"Since when is talking to Sephiroth so depressing for you?" Kunsel placed a sympathetic hand on Zack's shoulder. "Weren't you trying to talk to him for weeks? You kept trying to catch him when he wasn't cooped up in the Data Room."
"...It didn't go quite as well as I'd hoped."
"Oh," Kunsel lightly patted Zack's shoulder. He looked up as the elevator door closed, as though he meant to catch it. He ignored it, focusing on Zack. "So what did you two talk about?"
"Just our next mission," Zack sighed, crossing his arms again in frustration. "I was trying to convince him that we shouldn't go."
"Ahh, a cancellation request." Kunsel smirked. "Why? Hoping to weasel more time off to spend with your girlfriend?"
"Not exactly." Zack debated telling Kunsel about some of his concerns. Sephiroth leaving Shin-Ra was a key threat from the mission, but there wasn't any proof that the man would desert yet. Just his word, which Zack would never repeat inside Shin-Ra. Kunsel might be able to word his other worries about the mission better once he remembered them, but the guy did have a way of knowing too much. It was almost...eerie. Kunsel knew things he shouldn't, all the time. Even when he'd been on the run with Cloud in tow, the emails kept pouring in, clearly aware that Zack was alive somewhere… The First squinted at his friend suspiciously. Kunsel smiled innocently back.
Probably better to keep his mouth shut on this one.
"So what did Sephiroth say?"
Zack grimaced. "He told me to go talk to the President."
"Wow. High priority mission," Kunsel commented.
"I don't see why – it's just a town out in the middle of nowhere. I mean Sephiroth said a board director requested it, but..." Zack looked up suddenly. A board director. Someone on the board had requested specifically that they go to Nibelheim. Why hadn't he questioned that earlier? Who would send us to Nibelheim? Wait, that's it! Sephiroth was sure to still be annoyed at him for now, but he did tell him to go talk to the President. At the very least, he had a starting point on their conversation. He grinned suddenly, grabbing Kunsel by the shoulders. "I think I know what I'm gonna to talk to Shin-Ra about! Thanks buddy!" He clapped the Second on the back and pressed the button for the elevator.
"Wait…what? What do you mean?"
As the elevator door opened, Zack hopped in and pressed the button for the President's floor, swiping his SOLDIER ID when the system requested for authorization. "You've been a lot of help, thanks man!" The door shut and Kunsel stood there, mouth slightly ajar.
"…What just happened?"
Zack rolled back and forth on his heels as he waited for the elevator to reach the top floor. He was intensely curious now. The thought of who requested the mission never crossed his mind before. Who would want us in Nibelheim? Scarlet? Heidegger? Neither Director seemed likely. Too focused on their newest weapon, or whatever it was the Turks were up to these days. Although, Rocket Town was just across the mountains. Maybe the Space Program? A faulty reactor and mutated monsters could probably interfere with their work on the rocket.
A happy 'ping!' noise sounded as the elevator reached the President's floor. Zack stepped into the hallway and looked around the corner. There. Two staircases leading up to President Shin-Ra's office. He hadn't actually been here himself before, but he'd watched Cloud and company trek up them. He knew the President's office lay at the very top of those steps. Zack started toward them.
"Do you have an appointment?" A young secretary was watching him from a desk close by, which he'd nearly completely bypassed. She sat with one hand on her computer's mouse, with the other supporting her head. She looked thoroughly unamused.
"Uh," Zack had stopped in his tracks, one foot still in the air. A sheepish, and what he hoped was charming, smile spread across his face. "Nnnnooo?"
The secretary rolled her eyes, and then turned them back to her computer. "You can't go up then. The President is meeting with the head of Turks."
"Oh." Zack put his foot down.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, looking him up and down. "...You can wait here if you like. He has to finish within the hour." She returned her gaze to her screen, clicking idly.
"Oh!" Zack cheered up instantly. "Thanks a lot," he glanced at her name tag, "Janet." She looked up at him disdainfully. He grinned in return.
Janet sighed in irritation. Zack stuck his hands in his pockets and began to pace, looking up the staircases. At least I don't have to wait too long. Getting past that unexpected first barrier was nice. He should have known there was a secretary. Why didn't he remember…? Oh, he realized, casting a nervous glance at Janet. She took no notice, smirking at something displayed on her monitor. Right. When Cloud went through here, the place was deserted… There hadn't been anyone here.
Sephiroth had seen to that.
Zack shook his head, focusing on seeing the just the purple carpet along the staircases, not the memory of bloodstains crawling their way up. He turned his head higher again. The meeting with the Turk leader should be ending soon. Head of Turks, huh. Isn't that…? There were two leaders of the Turks Zack knew of, but they had different titles. Zack turned to Janet again, questioning, "So by 'head of Turks,' did you mean the head Turk or the Director?"
"Head Turk," she provided. In fact…" She nodded to the staircases again. Zack turned sharply, spotting a familiar black suit and slicked back ponytail that were a welcome blast from the past.
"Zack?" Tseng stopped halfway down the staircase.
"Heya!" Zack waved. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he grinned. Tseng nodded, but otherwise his expression remained neutral. Zack stifled a snicker. Just the same as he ever was. "I need to talk to Shin-Ra. You done?"
"Yes. Although," Tseng watched Zack as the First practically jogged up the stairs. "I have to ask. Why do you need to talk to the President?"
Should have expected a Turk to start questioning him. "It's about the mission Sephiroth and I are assigned to. I have some, uh, issues with it." When Tseng eyed him curiously, the First frowned. Ah, wait, he berated himself. This probably looks weird. Visits to the President were not a part of his regular agenda. Of course he looked suspicious, suddenly demanding an audience. He probably should have thought this through.
"Issues…I see. Have you spoken with Sephiroth?" Tseng peered straight into Zack's eyes. The soldier knew it had to be some sort of intimidation technique that the Turks were taught. It was working. Even though he knew he was only a few steps below Tseng on the staircase, it felt more like the man was towering over him. Looming, even.
"Yeah…I did. Sephiroth told me to talk to Shin-Ra."
Tseng held his gaze steady, expression unwavering. Zack had to wonder how he managed. How Sephiroth managed. Did they both get taught how keep their faces blank like robots? It was creepy.
"You may need an introduction," Tseng finally said.
Zack paused, processing. "Introduction?"
"The President hasn't met you. Isn't that right?" At Zack's sheepish nod, the Turk gestured up the stairs. "In that case, I'll introduce you."
"Why do you need to?" Zack asked. He hadn't been aware there was a protocol for speaking to the president. Although, with how many useless protocols the Company had about things, like how long your hair could be before you joined SOLDIER, he couldn't be too surprised.
"He won't take you seriously if you just stroll into his office."
Yeah, I definitely should have planned this better. Zack simpered. "Guess I'm lucky you're here, then, huh?"
Tseng chuckled, giving the soldier a once-over. "Indeed."
The action caused Zack to stare for a moment. The help wasn't unwelcome, but it was…odd. Turks weren't really people you could expect to offer help without strings attached. Getting introduced by the head of the Turks seemed like it should be a pretty big deal. But, for the new life of him, Zack couldn't think of what Tseng could be getting out of this. The man hadn't exactly been forthcoming when he'd known him in the past, and his actions against Cloud and the others...He had to be up to something.
"Not that I don't appreciate it, but, uh," Zack raised an eyebrow as he followed the other. "Why are you so eager to help me, Tseng?"
"Well, to be honest…" Tseng's lips quirked up. "I heard you were trying to get the mission cancelled."
"Uh. Yeah." Zack would have appreciated it more if Tseng could stop knowing everything he was up to. The Turk was almost as bad as Kunsel.
"If it is cancelled, it would mean less work for me." Tseng waved a hand dismissively.
"Why's that?" the soldier questioned. Tseng is in charge of SOLDIER missions…? Since when were the Turks messing with SOLDIER business?
"Following the disappearance of Director Lazard, Sephiroth and I have each been assigned half of his old workload. That includes mission assignments and briefings. The cancellation of your next mission would mean less for me to do." He didn't spare Zack a second glance as he headed up the last of the stairs.
Oh. So it's personal gain. Zack sighed, taking the last of the steps two at a time. Well, that much sounded likely. Still, as he looked at the back of the sleek Turk uniform, he frowned. I should probably more wary of him this time. He found himself in a new hallway, with plush purple carpet under his feet. Tseng stood in front of a large polished door, waiting.
"Be aware," he gave the soldier a pointed look. "The President is not interested in frivolities. Best to get straight to the point." At the First's solemn nod, he opened the door and stepped inside.
Zack took a deep breath and entered. He remembered the place from watching Cloud's adventures while he was in the Lifestream. In comparison, there was a distinct lack of blood and dead body. Everything was polished and clean. The full length windows behind the president's desk provided a stunning look over the vast domain of Midgar. The marble pillars, the long elegant desk…Everything spoke of power and wealth. Of a man on top of the world. Zack could see why Sephiroth was the favorite SOLDIER operative now. A human weapon encased in good leather and shimmering silver armor was just one more elegant sample of Shin-Ra's glory. In comparison, Zack might as well be one of the standard robo-guards. He had to wonder if the President even knew his name.
The man in question looked up from a report as Zack and Tseng approached the desk. Staring at Zack, he asked, "Who is this?"
Well that answers that question, Zack thought sourly. He had hoped being a First would have meant something to Shin-Ra. Apparently not.
Zack saluted. "SOLDIER, First Class, Zack-"
"Do you have an appointment?" the President raised an eyebrow.
"I brought him, sir," Tseng offered. Shin-Ra shot him a dubious look, to which Tseng responded with a short nod. Zack glanced between the two. …Did I miss something?
Tseng continued, standing stiff as a board. "He wished to discuss his concerns over his next mission with you."
"And that mission would be important because…?" Shin-Ra reached lazily for a cigar from his desk.
"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Zack asked, still holding his salute. It may have been a long while since he had been in the presence of his bosses, but he still remembered some protocol. Though, he had forgotten in front of Sephiroth. He mentally kicked himself for blundering so much in so little time. In front of Shin-Ra was a different story, however. Not gonna screw up here.
Shin-Ra narrowed his eyes confusedly for a moment before the situation dawned on him. "Ah, yes, yes." He lit his cigar and puffed it a few times. "At ease, Mister…" he shuffled some files around on his desk, squinting at one that looked to Zack like a list of names. "Zack. Zack Donovan? Or Darklighter?" His squint moved from the paper to Zack himself. "No, no, wait. You're...Knightblade, right?"
Not even close. Zack dropped his hand and tried very hard not to let his irritation show on his face. He wasn't as good as Tseng and Sephiroth, but he felt he succeeded at least a little. "It's Zack Fair, sir."
"Oh, Fair. Right. Now, which mission was it that you wanted to talk about? I'm sorry, but I can't be expected to remember every SOLDIER's schedule. Well," he chuckled to himself, one hand on his large stomach, "Unless you're the next Sephiroth."
Zack frowned, but let the comment slide. "Well, sir, my next mission is with Sephiroth. We're going to Nibelheim."
"Oh, yes, that's right! I knew the name Fair sounded familiar," Shin-Ra nodded sagely. He took a long drag from his cigar, momentarily reminding Zack of puffer fish in a red suit. "Is something the matter with the mission? Sephiroth didn't refuse it like the others, did he? I swear, if he keeps rejecting important missions..."
Zack shook his head. "He hasn't." I wish he'd dump this one on me like the others…
"So, what's the problem?"
The uninterested stare from the man before him irked the soldier. "I'd like to know who requested it, sir."
Shin-Ra leaned back in his chair, removing the cigar from his mouth and stroking his blond mustache. "Is that relevant?"
"I think so," At Shin-Ra's curious stare, he explained himself. "There's a lot about this mission that seems strange to me. I don't understand why it's so important for Sephiroth and me to go. I was kinda hoping that knowing who requested the mission might make it clear." ...And that I could argue that said board member is an idiot, and we shouldn't go.
"I see," Shin-Ra's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Well, I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I have been assured that this mission is of great importance and that it is absolutely necessary for, well," he chuckled. "Necessary for Sephiroth to go, at least. In fact," he nodded to Tseng, who managed to stand stiffer somehow, "Tseng was just informing me that the deserter we've been hunting for so long has been spotted nearby."
Zack paled. He could only recall one major deserter still living now. The ex-First who would go on to wield a gleaming red rapier against Zack deep beneath the town of Banora. "You mean Genesis?" He turned to Tseng incredulously. Had that been the real reason for the mission? Why hadn't Sephiroth mentioned that earlier? Sure, he recalled seeing Genesis briefly at the reactor, but Sephiroth had already started to lose it at that point. There were more important things at hand then.
Were we supposed to go after Genesis? No, Sephiroth would have reacted accordingly when he saw the man. Instead of arresting or attacking him, Sephiroth had merely exchanged words. Vicious words, but just words.
"There's nothing definite," Tseng clarified. "There have been sightings of Genesis, or his copies, in Rocket Town and Mt. Nibel. Nothing within Nibelheim itself yet, but it wouldn't hurt to be on the lookout."
"In that case, shouldn't this be a Turk mission?" Zack turned back to the president. "It doesn't seem like we have enough information to go on. We sent guys ahead of us, right? They didn't make it back. The Turks should be figuring out why. Isn't that their job?" Tseng coughed behind him. Zack glanced back at him, but the Turk seemed as unruffled as ever.
"I have adequate information; you and Sephiroth are just on a need-to-know basis," Shin-Ra huffed.
"Is the name of the person who requested this mission on a need-to-know basis, too?" Zack countered. He was still too suspicious of the origins of the mission to give up now. Sephiroth was necessary and the mission was requested. Now he was on a need-to-know basis as a First Class. I was actually right when I told Sephiroth this mission was sketchy...
"Well, no, however-"
"Sir," the intercom buzzed. "Professor Hojo is here for your 5 o' clock."
Shin-Ra hastily pressed the intercom to his secretary. "Yes, thank you, send him in." Looking at Zack again, he smiled. "Well, Mr. Fair, perhaps you can ask the requester yourself."
Zack blanched. Hojo. He always forgot the man's real title was Director of the Science Department and not simply Creepy Bastard. The last time he saw the Professor was when he was getting poked and prodded with needles during the scientist's crazy experiments. Flashes of a twisted grin and blood-flecked glasses crossed his vision, and for a moment, Zack struggled to breathe.
Of course, he thought. Of course Hojo would be twisted enough to send us to Nibelheim. It was Hojo who experimented there in the first place. The man who put Jenova in that reactor.
The man that helped write the very books that drove Sephiroth insane.
Does he want Sephiroth to go nuts?!
He heard the door open, and suddenly he felt as though a thousand needles were pricking his skin.
"Professor Hojo!" Shin-Ra leaned back in his chair again. "We were just talking about you. This SOLDIER was just inquiring as to who requested the Nibelheim mission. Perhaps you could explain a few things to him?"
Zack went completely stiff as Hojo walked slowly by, his greasy hair tied in a ponytail and planet-knows-what stains all over his lab coat. The scientist scowled at him, peering at Zack through his circular glasses. Zack took half a step back. He couldn't run, not here. Not now. This is the past, he reminded himself, staving off the memories of poked full of holes with needles. Being dumped in mako. Specimen C. Specimen Z. Jenova cells in a syringe, waiting to pump through his veins. Glasses reflecting a bright green as he pounded against glass he was too weak to break.
A triumphant smile as his hand fell to float in mako, as he realized it was all useless…
NO. Zack bit down on his tongue, the pain lodging him firmly back in reality. He hasn't done anything to me. This is before Nibelheim. He doesn't even know me. He hasn't done any experiments on me.
He locked eyes with the Director, who looked him up and down, appraising him.
...yet.
"I only requested Sephiroth's presence on that mission," Hojo sneered.
"Yes, but we have policies to adhere to," Shin-Ra explained. "If the mission is as high class as you claim, Sephiroth could probably use an extra set of hands." Zack looked gratefully at the President. For the first time he realized that the Shin-Ra might actually prove to be a helpful ally, despite all the seedy Company business. At the very least he might be able to make Zack's personal mission easier. He turned back to Hojo with a smirk. The mirth died instantly upon hearing the scientist cackle - a sound that sent a chill up and down his spine. Zack turned away, focusing as hard as he could on the President's desk instead of the horrific memories laughing and clawing their way to the forefront of his thoughts.
"Ah, of course," Hojo's cackle calmed to a snicker. "Policies."
"The...SOLDIER Operative Manual dictates that all SOLDIER operatives are required to have backup unless they're given special assignment," Zack repeated Sephiroth's words, hoping his appearance of knowledge on the subject might make him seem more credible. Hojo nodded, still smiling.
"Indeed it does. However, is it not also true that SOLDIER currently has a shortage of operatives?" Zack felt his stomach sink. He'd forgotten how much SOLDIER had been hurting for more people at the time. "It seems to me that it would be a waste of manpower for this man to accompany Sephiroth to Nibelheim." Hojo waved at Zack dismissively. "Sephiroth is perfectly capable of handling this mission on his own. Besides, wouldn't it be better if our supposed 'strongest military force on the planet' were to learn how to operate without the benefit of a safety net?"
"I see…Hmm, yes, you do have a point." Shin-Ra had gone back to stroking his mustache contemplatively.
"But sir!" Zack protested. "What about the policies? It's a breach of protocol!" He didn't want Sephiroth to go to Nibelheim in the first place. Let alone without help. There would be no one to talk him down in the mansion if he didn't go. No one who knew what lengths he'd go to. Just a small town full of unsuspecting civilians, destined to become casualties.
No one could stop him!
"Outdated protocols, certainly," Hojo droned, clearly enjoying Zack's panic. "It would be much wiser to adapt to the situation at hand…sir."
Shin-Ra tapped his cigar on the ashtray before taking another puff. He looked between Zack and Hojo, weighing the options. Finally he sighed. "Well, I suppose I'll have to think it over. Tseng, you and Mr. Fair are dismissed. I have matters to discuss with Professor Hojo."
Zack took a step forward, desperate. "Sir, the mission-"
"I will think over your request, SOLDIER. For now, you are dismissed."
Tseng walked over to Zack and placed a hand on his shoulder. Zack begrudgingly saluted once more before being led to the exit by the Turk, being sure to give Hojo a not-so-subtle death glare as he went. Hojo smiled like a fox in return.
Hojo turned back to the President, lacing his fingers behind his back. He hunched slightly, a bad habit from leaning over his equipment. "Sir, regarding my specimen…"
"Yes, right, what was it you needed, Professor?"
"I had hoped that after Sephiroth completes his mission that my specimen could be relocated to my labs here in Midgar." Hojo approached the large desk, his mouth twitched into a smile. "It is currently part of a simple test I am performing. The test will be complete when Sephiroth has seen it, after which it would be put to better use here," Hojo failed to suppress a short giggle.
"This won't have any adverse effects on Sephiroth, will it?" Shin-Ra asked, concerned. "He is our most valuable operative, especially now."
"Oh, Mr. President, you shouldn't worry about that." Hojo grinned.