AN: Sorry about taking so long to update, but I got really stuck on finishing this chapter. But all is well now and chapter three is complete and four almost complete. Hope you guys like it!
Oh yeah, my lovely reviewers!
Hollowed Shame: Thank you! I really enjoyed Reflections of the Past. By the third chapter, the whole premise of this story will be revealed. I won't hold out ages for chapter three though to make up for my tardy second chapter.
Kadaj: Once again, thanks for taking an interest! Three brothers and a general – lol. I was highly amused! I do my best when it comes to making my writing flow. Can't in a history essay, but by God I can in fiction!
Asmodean: Hey bro. Thanks for the support. Much appreciated.
Chapter Two: Gang Speech
The two of us walked the night streets as if we owned them, acting casual and unconcerned. The trick was to behave like you could handle yourself. If you can do that, people don't want to cause trouble with you, obviously. I had on my dangerous expression, the one that makes my eyes look intense. Beliqua had her expression that looks more disdainful than dangerous, but had an air of 'don't mess with me' within it. It didn't matter really because if trouble came our way, I was pretty sure I could see it off. The bladed items within my pocket were our insurance of safety.
We strutted down the streets, a familiar path through a couple of the new Midgar's 'districts' rather than sectors. The districts weren't laid out like the old sectors. It had a far more… natural feeling about it, though nothing of Midgar is natural. Nothing I have ever seen. And like I have previously thought; Midgar may not be able to climb up out of the ruins of the old, its soul unchangeable.
Beliqua stayed close by despite having the air that she didn't need anybody. We turned a few corners past the more night-friendly district where several clusters of bars, nightclubs and more lowlife entertainment brought many of the younger city dwellers. I personally wasn't a fan of it, but Beliqua sometimes hung out there on a weekend. It tended to be the place to be, but not my place. It wasn't in the centre of the city, but skewered off to the side and sat on the border where sectors two and three were. I think it would have insinuated itself into the centre, except the Meteor memorial is there; a massive circle that is usually milling with various people for various reasons. Some come from other towns or countries to see the monument that was built to remind us of what happened, others from the city itself come to remember the people lost two years ago. Meteor is still a very fresh memory in most people's minds, though the massive amount of work put into rebuilding the city has helped diminish it and the pain. But the centre is a nice place and is so open compared to the surrounding area packed with all kinds of buildings and construction. I rarely visit it due to too many people occupying the space during the day. At night, usually some kind of entertainment gets held there, like a concert. It's often free at the liberty of President Reeve determined to bring people together, though I must admit, it does create a sense of… unity.
Another few streets covered and we were in the newest district, still in the process of being built. Much of it was still wreckage and it suited the gangs that hovered about and squabbled over the trashed land just fine. Why they want to command the district is a mystery to me when all it's filled with is crumbling, hollow shells of buildings and demolition crew. It will be worthless until it's rebuilt by the government. I really don't understand gangs sometimes.
Beliqua tapped my arm, pulling me out of my reverie, and she pointed to one particular hollowed out building. It was tall and eroded, and gave the impression it was leaning slightly to one side. It was the building where the gang speeches were held because it was in the centre of this district. Some called this district simply Gangland and kept well away. I wouldn't quite call it Gangland yet with all the bustling construction that took place during the day, leaving the gangs to hide out. But soon if more people turned to them, I dread to think what this place could become.
I followed Beliqua, who had pulled slightly ahead as I had stopped to stare at the building for a moment and heard a few jeers from some men sitting on their motorbikes. They leered and I gave them the dirtiest look I could before moving on.
We slipped into the gang speech's shabby building along with a few other people. From what I could tell, we were bordering on late. No matter; to arrive early meant a poorer chance of escape should a fight break out. I had no desire to be mired behind a crowd of fighting people, unable to reach the exit.
"Neriah, wanna get in the side?" Beliqua asked me in a hushed so we didn't attract attention. I nodded and the two of us began to make our way so were next to the gathering crowd. To the side gave you a decent view, but also gave you enough space to escape if needed. There was no point coming if you couldn't see. More people jostled in, irritating me, but I did nothing but glare. Any action taken could result in a fight that spread like wildfire in a crowd like this. Slowly, I pulled away so the two of us stood against a cold concrete wall to the side of the proceedings.
The building finally seemed to be full and no-one else was entering, so gang speech wasn't far off now; I could feel it. The space left at the front was just rubble really; a gaping hole was where the back wall should be. That was where the people giving the speech would enter – out of the black void.
And sure enough three men with silver hair, strange blue-green eyes and similar black leather outfits came into the dim light, the sound of crunching debris under their feet. Their eyes were odd, but how so I could not say the distance being a little too far for my eyes. People at the front all began to shift uncomfortably and I wondered if it was linked to their general appearance or something more specific.
One was young – too young to be involved in scenes like this – and wore his silver hair just below his jaw. A teenager of about seventeen, no more than eighteen surely, and he looked troubled, even angry. Perhaps he did belong here; many angry youths had stormed this building in the past demanding war. None ever achieved it, but their vainly tried. But this youth had a quiet, steely determination I hadn't ever witnessed here. All three possessed this determination to some degree.
The second eldest was male from what I could tell, just very feminine looking and sinuous. He had a graceful step and long silver hair that fell to his shoulder blades. He had a faraway look in his eyes that slowly hardened and bore that same mark of determination the teenager did. I thought it was odd, but it seemed the teenager was the leader when the other two were clearly in their twenties. The whole team together made my skin shiver and crawl. These people meant serious business, where the previous groups of ragtag anarchists who had less than a clue. I noticed beside me Beliqua was looking wary, even a little worried. We exchanged concerned glances before turning our eyes back to the trio.
The third man. Perhaps not a tall as the willowy man, but with far more muscle. He was stocky, with his hair shorter that the rest. It swept back in an odd manner and I found myself wondering if we should leave before even hearing them talk. Something was wrong.
The third man's eyes had been determinedly roving through the crowd and, to my horror, I saw them rest on me. I never liked it when I was noticed by anyone, but especially gang members. For a heart stopping moment I thought he had recognised me from somewhere and was going to point me out or talk to me. If that happened, I could become linked to this trio who were fronting themselves as a gang and make a lot of enemies I've never even heard of. Our eyes locked and the need to leave rose, but I pushed it down. Slowly they slid away from me and I glared at nothing in particular. I can't believe I let my tough exterior I used as a cover here slip because of some unchecked fear. To bring open fear here was to be weak.
The leader of their gang stepped to the forefront and opened his mouth to talk, quieting the murmuring crowd. Beliqua watched the teenager with a clearly unimpressed look while I found myself watching the burly man who had stared at me. He was strange like the other two seemed, but somehow he had a down to earth quality about him I couldn't exactly place. I mean, the only indication he had given to being even remotely down to earth was the casual way he leaned against a wall before straightening and looking menacing when his leader prepared to talk. But something told me he was laid back guy. I shouldn't be thinking like that. Gang members get you killed. They're too tangled in their need to rule, or petty gang squabbles that break out every day.
The silver haired teenager paused and shut his mouth, and instead came into clearer light and I finally realised what was wrong with his eyes – his pupils were slits and a colour reminiscent of a cat, though with quite a bit more contempt in them. How he thought he was going to win the listeners favour looking derisive like that was beyond me. His eyes surveyed us in one shrewd glance before he readied himself again to speak.
"My name is Kadaj," the leader said, his eyes glimmering like a knife blade, "this is Yazoo and Loz." He motioned first to the thin man and then the burly one. Loz had been the one staring at me with those odd eyes. They were still partly shadowed and I couldn't quite see what was wrong, despite having quite sharp eyesight. You needed good eyesight if you wanted to accurately hit people with small razor-sharp objects.
"We are the ones who will bring Midgar to heel. We seek justice over those who have failed the world." His words were elusive and didn't exactly make sense. How did this apply to us? All it sounded like to me was a charter for vengeance against whoever these three had a grudge against. Why should that concern us?
I glanced around the crowd to see the unease creep onto their faces. They weren't sure what to make of these guys either. I swept my eyes back to the trio again and my gaze was caught up with the burly man called Loz's. He kept looking at me and it made me incredibly uncomfortable. I could feel his eyes on me all night.
"We want to try and solve grave problems that have plagued us since Meteor. Geostigma to begin with," he continued and I felt a little more at home with this subject. The Star Scar Syndrome, or Geostigma as its known, was a topic everyone talked about. The disease that came after Meteor was disbanded. Quite a few people have come down with it and I heard it could be very painful. The theories that these people would not necessarily die, but simply lose touch with the world disturbed me. Apparently, they suffer hallucinations and developed a glazed look until eventually, they just stop responding. I never want to go down like that. These guys weren't doctors, so what they thought they could do about it both worried me and stirred my curiosity.
"We wish to gather the children and cure them. The power to do so relies on Materia that lies far to the northwest of here on the northern continent. There lies a forgotten city that within possesses the means to heal these children. The Planet savers knew of this location and the properties it bore, but did not divulge the information," he growled viciously at the end and everyone seemed to change and contain a wary tension that made everyone twice as uneasy.
By Planet savers, I'm pretty sure that was a reference to the group who set out and defeated Shinra's greatest general, Sephiroth. He devastated the Shinra headquarters and murdered President Shinra, so in a way he did us a favour. He was greedy and treated the lower plate's population as if it was dirt. And maybe it was, but only because he made it that way. He caused the suffering of so many… but now Reeve does an okay job of it. At least he's trying to make things better.
But this idea of strangers taking children to some location in the middle of nowhere to use some unproven crackpot method of curing them was beyond ridiculous. The trio didn't seriously think people would allow something like that? If they did they were either incredibly naïve, arrogant or complete fools. I think Kadaj picked up on our change in demeanour. The whole crowd were staring as if they had gone insane rather than riveted. I glanced at Beliqua, whose eyes bore traces of worry within them. If the crowd turned, we'd have to be out of here quick sharp. It looked like this gang speech was going to be severely cut short.
"Questions?" Kadaj asked, his eyes narrowed as he surveyed the crowd.
There was a wary shuffling of feet. No-one said a thing. This was highly unusual as all kinds of debate came up at the end of a gang speech. The silence was eerie. Slowly the crowd dispersed into the now inky black night. The construction site rarely had any lights on this late. Beliqua lightly gripped my arm and guided us outside with the rest of the people and after an exchange of confused glances, we headed home. We had no idea what to make of it, but I decided then to try and firmly put it out of my mind.
So I gave no further thought of the gang meeting that had taken place that night and it turned out to be the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. Some things seem so insignificant until you possess the power of hindsight. But I got on with my life and busied myself working and saving up cash and a week passed with nothing particularly spectacular happening. That was until my first night off during the week in almost a month. Night's off mean gathering extra cash.