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Angeal Hewley yawned; his body hadn't quite made the adjustment back to Midgar Standard Time. His airship had just arrived in the city for his meeting with Sephiroth, ordinarily if the General had something to discuss he would do it over electronic communications. But Angeal wasn't one to question his friend and commander; Sephiroth must have had a decent reason to call him halfway around the world. He stepped into the elevator. He watched the trees whipped around by the now permanent frozen wind as elevator went up into the upper levels of the Shin-Ra building. The doors opened up onto floor forty-nine of the building. He stepped out and walked down the familiar hallways to Sephiroth's office. Upon his arrival, he knocked several times.
"Come in," addressed the person inside.
Angeal opened the door smiling at his friend, "Hello."
"Ah Angeal, welcome back, how was your flight?" Sephiroth asked. His gloved hand removed a pen from his mouth, the tip pock marked by bites.
"Long and turbulent," he sighed. He hastily took up his familiar chair across from Sephiroth, "how have things been here?"
"Well up until a week ago quiet. But then a few minutes before you walked in this report came in," he pushed forward a manila folder.
The SOLDIER picked it up reaching inside for the contents. He noticed several headline clippings from the paper, accompanied by reactor reports, "so? You got sent a report that should have gone to Reeve. Just head to his office and give it to him."
Sephiroth shook his head, "no that report is for SOLDIER. I take it you've heard about the blackouts that have been happening over the last month?"
"Yes, the media started criticizing Shin-Ra that it was all a gimmick to get more money in taxes."
"Of course the media would want to think that, it comforts the people. The truth is, that Shin-Ra has no idea what's causing this at all. Then there's this," Sephiroth handed Angeal a seismic chart. "This was yesterday's recording in Icicle Inn of seismic activity."
Angeal's eyes widened, "what's going on?"
"Come Angeal, I vote we go get some coffee, and we'll take the stairs," Sephiroth stood up.
Half an hour later the found themselves in a small coffee shop near Shin-Ra. Angeal had a cup of Earl Grey tea, while Sephiroth sat with a mocha. "Now then Seph, what's going on here?"
"About a month ago the geologists working on the Northern Continent noticed tremors accompanied by an unusual change of temperature," Sephiroth commented. It was the height of summer yet it felt like fall. "Shortly after that a permanent wind started up. It's getting colder."
Angeal nodded drinking his tea, "but that doesn't explain the reactor charts."
"At the same time, every reactor on the planet started losing power. The blackouts have become almost daily, and the tremors on the Northern Continent have grown in intensity. This morning a large power spike was reported near the Northern Crater. They want to send an investigative unit up there and figure out what exactly is going on."
Angeal closed his eyes, listening to the news; "I suppose you'll want me on the scout team then."
Sephiroth finished his mocha and then nodded. "Yes, I want you, Fair, Weiss, Nero, and Lancet to report down to bay thirty two in three hours."
Angeal stood up and saluted. They left the café and returned to Shin-Ra in silence. He returned to his quarters, they had a special wing in the SOLDIER dormitories for visiting SOLDIERs stationed elsewhere on Gaia. These typically belonged to the First Class who operated the bases so they could leave the ones in the main segments free. Angeal walked over to the large Buster Sword and stared at his reflection for a moment. He thought for a moment, if the Planet was falling into crisis then naturally the WEAPONs would know something. He turned from the sword and pulled out his PHS. It gave a dial tone for a moment before the line picked up.
"Hello, hello!" An eccentric sounding voice declared.
"Elder Bugenhagen?" Angeal asked the person on the other end.
"Ah Angeal m'boy! How are things on the other side of the world?" Elder Bugenhagen of the Cosmo Canyon smiled.
"Please forgive me for calling so late, Elder. Would it be possible to speak to Nanaki?"
"Ah yes I'll get him."
Angeal waited a moment, "hello?" Nanaki's voice asked.
"Hello there, Nanaki. I know this is rather short notice… But I was wondering, have you seen Ariella anywhere?"
"She left about a month ago heading towards Nibelheim. She left her brother in charge of the clan. I'm rather surprised she didn't tell you."
"Nibelheim?"
"Correct. Her brother said something about her heading, 'to the place where it all began'. I think they may mean the Forgotten City."
"What's that?"
"It was the capitol of the Ancients and the home of the Nine. Be careful though, the area around it is rather dangerous. Few travelers have ever found it and lived to tell the tale."
"Don't worry Nanaki, I'll be careful. Call me back if you hear anything else about her." He hung up.
--
Nanaki's brows furrowed, "I don't see how he expects me to call back. I have no opposable thumbs…"
"There, there," Bugenhagen stroked the Cosmo Canyon guardian behind the ears. "I think you better assemble the Council. Something tells me we're in for a very wild ride."
Nanaki stood up and ran out of the observatory into the snow.
--
Angeal picked up one of the pictures he often carried around with him; it was from Ariella's thirteenth birthday. The day she decided to return back to the life she'd grown up in. He grabbed his duffle bag and Buster Sword before he stepped out. The door locked and he made the long trek to Docking Bay #32. He arrived and set his bag down for a minute while he waited on the rest of the team.
"Angeal!" In an instant Angeal found himself pinned to the ground under a happy-go-lucky grin.
"Zack, didn't we discuss attacking me from behind like this?"
"Oh yeah, sorry," Zack laughed standing up.
"Zack… good grief man… you're eighteen, can't you try acting your age?" Weiss sighed helping Angeal up.
"Sorry, man," Zack smiled embarrassed.
Nero walked past them to his brother, "brother, you shouldn't waste time scolding him."
"I know Nero," Weiss replied. "But try and bare with it, we're on a mission now."
Angeal glanced past Zack as Sephiroth entered, the group sprang to a salute, "at ease, now this is a recon mission, in a harsh environment, we'll be landing on the Northern Continent. So winter survival is paramount, conditions up there are like they would be during winter. Be careful."
They saluted again before loading up on the airship, Angeal walked over to Sephiroth, "where are we landing specifically?"
"Icicle Inn, we can stock up on winter supplies there," Sephiroth replied.
"Where's the Forgotten City in relation to that?"
"Angeal, the Forgotten City is just that, forgotten, it's only a fairytale. It's only a story told to little kids in an oral tradition of the stories of the Goddess."
Angeal stepped in front of Sephiroth meeting his eyes, "how can you honestly say that when you've met Chaos and Adarna?"
"Easy, it's my job," Sephiroth closed his eyes. He started into the twisted maze of halls, Angeal sighed and followed him. Angeal followed his friend to a cabin. "Angeal… I need to tell you something."
"What?" Angeal asked as he watched Sephiroth sit down on the bed.
"I'm scared," the SOLDIER General admitted.
Angeal stepped over to the bed and sat down next to his friend. One of his arms reached up around Sephiroth's shoulders, "Seph…" He'd never seen Sephiroth this upset since their early days on the front line. Back then Sephiroth had almost had a breakdown a day, and all Angeal knew he could do was support his friend.
Sephiroth lowered his head placing his forehead against Angeal's shoulder, "I honestly don't know what to do…"
Angeal ran one hand through Sephiroth's hair by his temple, "it's okay…" His other hand snaked from his friend's shoulders, under the sheet of silver and started to rub his back.
Sephiroth shuddered for a moment, "but what if this is the end of the world? I don't want to lose you or Genesis…" His arms snaked around Angeal's back and clung to his back tightly. His nose nuzzled Angeal's neck and his fingers dug into Angeal's shoulders.
"Shh, get some rest, we'll figure this out, I promise," Angeal whispered. He continued to hold his friend for a moment before he laid him down in bed.
Sephiroth nodded as he leaned against the mattress. Angeal started to stand up but Sephiroth grabbed his arm, "stay with me, Angeal."
Angeal smiled and lay down next to Sephiroth, "as you wish." Angeal waited until Sephiroth fell asleep before his own eyes closed off and left him to dream.
"Huh? What's going on?" I asked staring around wide-eyed.
"Angeal sweetheart I have something important to tell you."
"Mother!?"
"Who else sweetie? But I don't have much time, all I can tell you is beware of the dark."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"Beware of the dark my little angel. Beware of the dark… Beware…"
"Mother!"
