The Lost Wing
By La Fata Aurora


DISCLAIMER: All standard disclaimers apply. Familiar conversation between Sephiroth and Zack is from Crisis Core. I do not own it either.


Chapter Three: The North Crater

It's been three days, and surprisingly, she was still around, doing her best catching up to his level.

Although he would never admit this, he was grateful that she was around, because he was bored out of his wits from walking, kicking monsters and setting up their campfire, only to repeat it the next day, or if he gets really bored, he'd do the cycle several times a day. The girl knew how to push his buttons though, just like, for example, yesterday, when she volunteered to set up the campfire to what she claimed as her shot at being 'spontaneous'. He secretly thought that it was a good idea for his entertainment so he let her be, knowing in the back of his mind that she'd end up failing miserably because honestly, he was sure that a girly-girl who looked like her would have no idea how to strike a fire. Plus, he immensely enjoyed seeing her figure out where the ends of the sticks were, and how frustrated and red she became when Mother Nature seemed to have deserted all her efforts.

Now to the annoying part: So hours later and they were sitting in the cold. No fire cracking obviously. Sephiroth could almost swear that her anger was so apparent, he was surprised the earth around her didn't burst into flames, when she suddenly stood up, tossing the sticks away. Sephiroth found himself smirking inwardly at this, congratulating himself for foreseeing such failure, only to find her tossing the rest of their firewood on the same pile, before summoning a fire spell, which sent the heat cracking not a second later.

She's such a killjoy sometimes.

"That's cheating." He told her, and noticed that something dropped out of her sleeve. A green colored Materia rolled over to him.

"I don't care." Kaena pouted glumly, before mumbling at the Materia beside his foot, "Mastered it."

Sephiroth snorted, "You get that much experience points from rubbing two sticks together? Unbelievable."

"Now you decide to talk! How come sarcasm is the only thing spouting out of your mouth?"

Sephiroth shrugged, "I give credit where credit is due."

"I swear, I'm going to burn your precious hair while you're sleeping."

"I'll worry about it the day you manage to do it."

Hmmm. Seems like pushing buttons go both ways.

So now they've traversed the mountains without accident, that Sephiroth finally saw an enormous landmass further northward which he thought could only be the notorious Crater. Kaena beckoned him and he followed, walking in step with her as she explained its history.

"You might want to know this, but the Crater is evidence of an incident thousands of years ago, when a meteor fell out of the sky and damaged the Planet with this scar. Much like a cure to a wound, the Lifestream continuously repairs it, but the damage was so huge that up until now, it is still trying its best…"

Sephiroth saw her frown, a very rare occurrence in their few days together.

"Sephiroth?" She called his attention quietly.

They walked in silence. He knew that she would continue talking whether or not he responds to her anyway.

"I know that you've been recovering things about your past now. By any chance, have you remembered why you ended up there any way?"

He thought about it carefully, before replying, "No."

Kaena sighed disappointedly, "Oh well. It's just that we would actually know how to limit the possibilities of what to expect up there once you do. We would also know what to look for..."

She paused, and they felt a draft pass them.

"Do you want to hear this theory that I have?"

Of course, Sephiroth doesn't say anything in return.

Used to his silences by now, Kaena told him anyway, "You know how they say that our brains are very protective of us? Some people say that it is so protective that it shields us from traumatic events that might disrupt the optimal effectiveness of our consciousness. I can't help but think that maybe, the reason why you couldn't remember it specifically, is because it left a very traumatic imprint in your mind, that your brain flagged it as a threat."

Sephiroth looked at her marginally.

"I also think, that once you're ready to face it, it'll come to you naturally." Kaena hesitated a bit, "So I guess what I'm saying is…take your time."

Sephiroth stopped in his tracks, "You make a valid point."

Kaena's eyes widened, her lips blooming into a smile, "That's the nicest thing that you've said in days!"

Sephiroth shrugged, "I told you, I give credit where credit is due."

Kaena laughed at the mildly incredulous tilt in his baritone voice, "I bet it takes a million years before anybody can manage to make you smile."

"I just don't find humor in everything."

Unlike somebody I know.

"Unlike somebody I know!" She exclaimed, reading his mind. Sephiroth furrowed his forehead at her.

Kaena was laughing again, "Oooh, now I get it."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm starting to see who you are."

Sephiroth grunted.

"No really! Wanna hear? Wanna hear my theory?"

Sephiroth decided to not say anything just like how he always did.

And Kaena surprised him by not fully bursting into a slew of theories like she's been doing for days, "Ok. I won't say it then."

Hmm.

"Why don't we play a game then?" She added instead.

We've been playing this game of 'Journey Towards the Center of Gaia' for days now, how bad could this one be?

Kaena giggled.

"You figure me out, and I promise not to utter a single word on our way back."

"Wow." Sephiroth muttered dryly.

Kaena nodded happily, "So are you in, now that I've decked out such a tantalizing prize?"

"Huh."

Kaena was satisfied, "Alright, hit me!"

It didn't even cross his mind that she didn't expect him to lose.


My, oh my…

Sephiroth paused mid-step, digging his hand to the wall to create some friction, effectively stopping his slide down the slope of volcanic ash that lead to another step below. He looked up, and he saw the darkened skies. He was sure that he heard himself speak, but he was also equally sure that he hasn't moved his mouth for almost an hour now.

You're back, General.

Sephiroth unfolded himself up to his full length, angling his legs such that he wouldn't slide down awkwardly below. He gave Kaena's direction a quick check, and when he was sure that she wasn't eavesdropping, he narrowed his eyes up to the general direction of the voice.

What do you know about me?

The voice laughed.

You, who are still a child…A foolish child controlled by these worthless creatures. Tell me General, have you ever wondered why you're so different from them?

Sephiroth shook his head. What do you want from me?

Oh no. I think you got this all wrong. You see General, you are the one who needs something from me. Isn't that why you're here?

Sephiroth gritted his teeth. He vaguely heard Kaena calling out to him from below.

I know everything about you, General. And when I say everything, I mean everything. I even know where you're going next, very much so that I'll even tell you now.

What are you? Why are you doing this?

Hmm…I guess I'm just feeling helpful right now.

I don't need any help from you!

Ooh, touchy. You truly are the General that I know. But you know what you truly are? You are a weakling. A sad, sad SOLDIER hiding behind the grandiosity of a worthless rank. First Class SOLDIER? Hero of Wutai War? Give me a break. What do they even mean?

Something tugged on his wrist. Sephiroth blinked, looking down.

He saw big, blue eyes staring back at him worriedly.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." He spat, retracting his hand that anchored him to the wall. He slid down, simmering as the voice in his head began laughing at him once more.

Poor, poor General. If you change your mind, go visit Nibelheim. There you'd understand just how foolish you are.

Don't count on it.

Suit yourself.

"Sephiroth?" Kaena pulled on his wrist again.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" He hissed, snatching his arm away, his green eyes blazing, "I don't need you! I don't need anything! How many times do I have to tell you this? What makes you think—"

He froze, suddenly realizing that he'd push her roughly to the wall. Kaena winced at the impact.

"Owww…"

Her voice came out small, like she had trouble squeeze it out of her throat, and she looked up. Her eyes…her eyes stared at him questioningly. Just questioningly, never blaming, like she's always looking for an excuse, an excuse for whatever slip up he managed to do this time.

Sephiroth's blood boiled. He disliked that about her. No. He hated that about her. He hated the fact that she thought herself so highly to even assume that she could understand him at all.

"Stop it!" He bit out, leaning menacingly towards her.

"Seph—"

"STOP LOOKING AT ME!" He yelled.

She was now fearfully pressed against the wall, her lip quivering. But she remembered that she was Kaena, and what made her Kaena was the fact that she was just too stubborn for her own good.

"No..." She mumbled, before she found the courage to yell back, "NO!"

Her eyes flickered. Blue. Deep Blue. The color of loyalty…and she was suddenly bursting with adrenaline.

She stomped her foot.

"I'm not going to leave! I'm not going to let you do this alone!" She found her bearings, pushing his chest as forcefully as she could, "I know how it feels! How lonely it is, because you're different! Everybody thinks that its easy, saying that you can do anything you want, but that's not the end of it right? It never is! Because at the end of the day, you feel empty, because for every joy, every triumph, you have to have somebody to share it with! You just have to, or else…"

She exhaled sharply, panting, "Or else…it feels like it's all for naught…"

Kaena looked at Sephiroth, and she saw him step back.

"You don't know me. How can you act as if you do!" He bit out.

"I don't know you. I never said that I did. But I have feelings, feelings that make me human, feelings that make me know how another feels. I feel, Sephiroth, and I so happen to feel you. I feel your frustration, your pain."

Sephiroth shook his head, "I have enough of this."

He made a sharp turn back, jumping up the top step to get himself as far away from here as fast as possible. As far away from her. Kaena screamed at him.

"YOU HEAR THE VOICES TOO, DON'T YOU?!"

Sephiroth slipped mid-step, his hand automatically banging on the wall that slowed his fall, "What did you say?"

"The voices." Kaena stared up to him. Blue eyes hit green; it was a test to see who looks away first, a battle of wills if you will.

"You hear them too, don't you?"


The motors of the Sierra reverberated behind Vincent Valentine's back, leaning on one of the supports as he attentively listened to Tifa recounting the information that the Turks had given them back in Edge. With crossed arms, he surveyed the rest of the group with vigilant eyes: Barret was pacing, Red XIII was on the floor with Cait Sith sitting cross legged on his back. Behind the wheel was Cid, biting on his cheroot, cursing every now and then while Yuffie was on a chair amused at his actions.

"Cloud."

The Ex-SOLDIER leaning on another wall looked up from his daze, indicating that he had his attention, "Yeah?"

Vincent murmured, "What do you think?"

"Tseng sent word yesterday. They have one of them in custody."

Yuffie's eyes went wide, "One of them? So there's more?"

Cloud nodded, "It appears to be so. This one calls himself 'Brother'."

"Brother?" Cid cackled, "I guess weird sounding names don't cut it any longer, huh?"

"They hid him in the Old Village of Junon. As far as the latest communication that Elena sent to us, this Remnant refuses to tell them anything." The group saw Cloud narrow his eyes, "And he refuses to speak to anybody, well except…"

"Except…?" Yuffie echoed.

"Except for three other people." Cloud ended his thoughts. Noticing the difficulty that he was having, Tifa decided to expound into this.

"This 'Brother'," the brunette sighed, "only wanted to speak to either Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley, or Zack Fair."


Junon…

Green eyes blinked, observing the sun sink into the back of the city, without the familiar sight of the Sister Ray that formerly indicated Junon's proximity to any traveler. Sitting on a wooden stool, he patiently waited, quietly recounted, that in the end, he inevitably came to one sad conclusion.

Everybody's gone, huh.

Focusing on the sunset once more, it triggered a memory from not too long ago…

'Mission failed. This goes on your permanent record.'

'Sephiroth! Long time no see!'

'Let the Turks take care of the rest. I was on my way to Modeoheim, but I heard you were in the area.'

'Lucky me."

'The situation has not resolved. Genesis copies have been sighted around the world.'

'That can't be! We wiped out those Genesis copies.'

'Did Genesis really die? They've been sighted in Midgar as well. The slums too.'

He looks at him, and he knows.

'Permission to return granted.'

'Ummm, yeah.'

'Take care.'

'You too.'

'Hey, what's going on in Modeoheim?'

'The device Hollander was using has been stolen.'

'Genesis?'

'Probably…'

He hesitates.

'We'll meet again soon.' He tells him.

He points back at him, 'I'll hold you to that.'

I'll hold you to that.

"I'm sorry, Kid."

He closes his green eyes, the trance vanishing.

They never meet again, because he knows he sent him to his death after that.


A/N: To FushiaFlame, I hope this answers your question! :) Thank you for your support! -LFA-