Author's Note (Warning): Sephiroth chapter will be the most different out of everyone's thus far. Extreme mood change from the first part to the second part.

Prologue-like substance part 5 of 6.

Chapter X – (Reality of Sephiroth)
Regression of Epiphany

-

When all you have is time to think, that's what you do. You think.

Eventually, after much reflection, you'll begin to see the little problems and errors that you never would have caught without taking time. In some cases you may grow a conscience if you previously had none; or maybe you could discover that the society that you once found infallible was full of flaws that could not be ignored.

Such moments were called "epiphanies", a realization or sudden gain of understanding and awareness. Some time ago, four years ago actually, I was unexpectedly graced with a true sense of right and wrong.

The morals I acquired back then were now at a constant clash whenever it came to the Shin-Ra Corporation; especially with the way things were currently, the company president growing more and more paranoid with each passing day.

He had called me so suddenly in the middle of the night, summoning me to a meeting. When I had arrived, he was pacing around in the space behind his desk, never standing still for even a second. He was wearing his favorite crimson suit, hair swept back neatly as always, the only thing missing was his trademark cigar, which was lying lit in the ashtray on his desk. The starless night sky was visible through the wall of glass he called a 'mid-sized window', as was the bustling city below. Midgar never missed a beat, a city that never slept.

Even as I took my place in front of his desk, where I usually lingered when his briefings, he continued to scurry around. About once every six months Shinra would call me to his office and give me a mission, one that was meant to be kept a secret. He seldom gave me a task worth my time, at least in my point of view. It was either an escort mission or an assassination that he didn't feel the Turks could handle alone.

Nevertheless, when he wanted something done right the first time and without anyone knowing, he called for the Turks. When he wanted a task completed with brute force and no witnesses or survivors, he called me.

"I'll need you to travel to an island in the Wutai area and, well, just look there. On my desk," he informed hurriedly, stopping mid-stride to point to the black folder. "That's your mission. I trust you'll complete it."

I didn't hesitate to take the folder and briefly skimmed over the contents inside. A map of the area dotted with the locations I was to search, a list of potential recruits to bring and clearance enlist aid from whatever faction of Shin-Ra that I desired—anything was at my disposal, so long as it served to complete my objective.

"If you run into one of those hostile locals while on your way to the destination, you have my permission to use violent measures to settle the…disagreement." I hadn't gotten to the mission objective details before he began speaking, so at that moment I had no idea what he had been talking about. Nonetheless, I assumed it was of the trivial kind of assignment as always. "No witnesses. Letting just one escape could jeopardize everything."

"Very well." I closed the file and turned for the door, not giving his order a second thought. Another good thing about living in the city: you could attend to anything at any time of the day. At the least, I could return tomorrow evening if I tended to the demand immediately. "I'll handle that now."

"Excellent." Ease flooded his tone and he continued to address me even as I was about to leave the room. So I paused in the open doorway, waiting for him to finish. "When you return I need you to entertain another faithful patron, if you don't mind. After that, you can have as much time off as you need."

I nodded and left.

However determined I was to complete my job at that moment made no difference, since my transportation to Wutai had been delayed until later that morning due to the usual technical difficulties. So I returned to my residence, tossing the folder onto the coffee table in front of my couch and went about my business around the apartment. There was scarcely anything for me to do. In the end I called around to put a team together, packed my equipment, checked it over frequently and set it near the doorway for when I was summoned to leave.

I didn't want to stop moving or else I knew my mind would wander. With classified orders from Shinra himself came a sudden relent in paperwork. It was his way of making sure I was able to focus solely on his objective for me.

Just before sunrise, I received a knock on my door. I stepped out of my room, interrupting my routine and before I could answer, Genesis burst in without a warning and making a beeline for my couch, not bothering to fill me in as he starting rapidly blurting out things. With Genesis, it didn't matter what time of day it was; if he had something to say, he had something to say.

I crossed the room to close my front door as the intruder made himself comfortable on my couch, since he neglected to do so.

"And now Zack is gone," he said in disbelief somewhere in his rant. That caught my attention. "Intel says he left Midgar and went in the direction of Junon two days ago after leaving your office with…something. What's going on there?"

Leave it to him to figure something out faster than anyone else, though it surprised me from time to time that I was still the only one between us that knew about Angeal. I thought that by now Genesis would have discovered what was going on, but I suppose not. I understood what Angeal was doing and why he had taken Cloud, so I left that matter up to him. If anything, I supported him wholeheartedly.

Then again, if Genesis could keep tabs on the semi-secretive Cloud, then he was talented in that area. The cadet would never let on about his plans, but somehow a certain someone was always one step ahead no matter what. Although he probably didn't notice, my fellow auburn haired friend would be valuable to a reconnaissance operation. He took the subtle hints from the people he spoke to and pieced them together until he got the exact information he needed—a gift in itself.

"That's confidential." It was a valid answer.

I heard him groan, knowing that my reply was a possibility. It was forbidden to reveal details concerning a top-secret mission, after all. "Alright, then. What did the President call you out for then?"

Again with him using his eerily quick connections? I had long since taken a seat on the papasan chair next to the couch, not wanting to sit next to Genesis who was ranting and raving while waving his arms. In such a mood, he tended to forget he was near other people. On more than one occasion he had struck me accidentally while making one of his melodramatic hand gestures.

"Nothing of interest to you, believe me."

He was visibly beginning to grow annoyed with my cryptic responses, changing the subject a moment later. He glanced around the room, a disgusted look on his face. "Why don't you put something up that's yours instead of taking whatever Shinra gives you? I mean, the sleek, black style on white carpet is nice and your place is very spacious, but you're missing things that actually say someone actually lives here. If anything, I would say this is just a prop apartment for an advertisement."

Shinra always said that if you followed the company you would be successful. With that in mind, he made me the ideal figure to base such a claim on, showering me with things I would never deem as useful or needed. I was given a bigger living space a little ways from the barracks along with the other special cases such as Angeal, Geneisis and a few legendary members of the Shin-Ra Corporation.

I was graced with having a six-bedroom residence and I don't even know what to do with half of it. The first time I walked into the apartment I wasn't surprised to find that it was fully furnished in a futuristic theme with Shinra saying that it fit the company's motto to better the future.

Having decided to go ahead and make sure I had all I needed from the get-go, I didn't bring anything from my previous home. I've never kept or held onto memorabilia. And really that was all I needed—food and a place to stay.

I also didn't want to hold onto anything linked with Shin-Ra, not with the way things were heading.

Naturally, I took the master bedroom, which left five other spaces empty. I made one of the rooms simply a storage center for whatever confidential I couldn't leave in my office; another become a library that had strangely acquired five copies of Loveless over the years. Two other spaces became guest rooms even though I've never had company stay the night, at least not in the guest rooms; the two areas sporting the ultramodern trend. The last area was, more or less, another office.

I could see my trespasser eyeing the folder on my coffee table, casually inching towards it until he gave into temptation.

Not even I knew the full details of my mission. Ever since I'd returned, I had avoided reading the file, while Genesis didn't have a problem with flipping through the pages within the folder without my consent. Still, I let him go through it. For some reason, I didn't care about the exclusivity of it.

"Are you going to do this mission? And with these people? You know who they are right?" He continued to skim over the papers, never looking up at me. Genesis seemed wary—even disappointed in what he saw, keeping an aloof appearance all the while. Whatever was written in the documents had even him shaken up.

"Why wouldn't I accept?"

"Have you read the mission details?"

"Not yet. I was saving it for the flight to Wutai."

"I think you should take a look. It seems uncharacteristically heartless, even for you." He held it out, waiting. I found his unanticipated guardedness to be strange, but complied.

When I read over the file, I finally understood what Genesis had meant and I understood the true meaning of the assigned undertaking.

Not only that, but I recognized he island where I was supposed to go; it was the home of someone I used to know. The last thing I wanted to do was to dishonor their memory by destroying everything.

I tossed the folder onto the president's desk not even ten minutes later, blocking the view of whatever he was previously working on. Shinra simply laid down his pen, leaned back in his executive chair and gazed at me with slight annoyance.

"Is there something wrong, Sephiroth?" He asked nonchalantly.

"You would have me stage a massacre," I declared in a low voice, my expression beyond sinister.

"It's meaningless destruction, that's what this is."

"And through that destruction would come a favorable outcome—not only for the company and I, but for those who rely on our energy to improve their lives." In the middle of his self-righteous speech, Shinra had stood from his desk and moved to the window, putting a hand on the glass as if to reference the metropolis outside. "It's just one step towards the outcome of aiding the world."

"How would death aid anyone?" No matter what he said in response to my question, there would be no correct answer. Murder was murder and it had taken me years to see the error of my ways.

As far as Shinra was concerned, there was no error when one had wealth.

"Those people in Wutai don't agree with our ideals and viewpoints, wanting to stop all the progress the Shin-Ra Company has brought to the world. In attempt to force their hand they do these dreadful acts of terrorism, even you have seen it. AVALANCHE is just the beginning. Civilization itself has advanced and can only improve as time goes on. I want a better world, same as you, and to do that we must eliminate those who won't conform. Think of it as…putting them out of their misery before the big change."

"Forgive me, sir, but I don't see your reasoning."

He removed his hand from the glass, turning to face me while continually attempting to mask his contempt by putting on an accepting smile. "You know something? You've changed and I've noticed it. I've ignored your new nature and kept to myself, but this is ridiculous. Since when have you been against anything that would benefit Shin-Ra and the in habitants of Midgar?"

"I've never been against innovation. However, advancement through…roundabout means is another circumstance entirely."

"Roundabout? Is that what you call it?" He laughed heartily, or at least pretended to. I was already tense due to anger and hadn't moved from beside his desk since I'd arrived. His mock amusement only sought to upset me more, but I held it in. "If this is roundabout then I'd like to see your version of a direct method. Now…" He cleared his throat loudly, suddenly gaining a lighthearted mood as he continued. "Reports show that many within the settlement enlisted and became Wutain soldiers in the past. Supposedly, there may be a second draft from that same area and that previously neutral village will also be joining the fray in support of the war."

"If there are people still residing in the village who are neutral does that not mean that they have no intention of fighting—"

"At the moment," he stated, finishing my sentence. There was an air of uneasiness about him. Ever so slightly, signs of him losing his patience with me were beginning to surface. "One or two boys running off to join their army is nothing… But when those boys grow up, having honed their skills through training, they will be soldiers. They'll bomb buildings, kill our citizens—they may even kill you—or me. Isn't it better to stop that now before such tragedies happen? You know how the saying goes: 'nip it in the bud' or something along those lines."

"You want me to annihilate an entire village of people that may or may not anything to do with the future of the war? There are women…and children who've done nothing to provoke this violent act."

"Listen closely and try to understand where I'm coming from." Shinra paused, nearing his desk once more as he grabbed towards the ashtray. He sucked on his newly lit cigar then blew out a strained, smoky sigh. "Women have children; the children grow up learning to hate us and our way of life. In a sense, women create men, so it's best to eliminate that factor while we're at it. Think of it as setting up a full-proof precaution for the future."

"There will be no future if you're going this route."

"And what's wrong with that? They're a bunch of savages anyway." He tapped his cigar against the tip of the ashtray before leaving it to rest there, circling around the desk out of my sight. I was glad for that; I didn't want to see the face of that monster.

"You once told me that I'd never be subjected to a mission like this."

The room went silent. He was most likely at his wits end with me, but I didn't care. Shinra was once a respectable man, at least he seemed that way to me. Perhaps it was because I was just like him in the past that I never used to pick up on his true persona.

Back then I lived and existed, but I wasn't truly a part of the world. I didn't have the sense of understanding as I did now. In the past I was reserved, distant, cold, and as far as I was concerned, happy to be that way. If I wanted anything, it was only a phone call the away. I didn't have to work for it; so material object had no genuine meaning.

But the world had changed since then, and I with it.

"Why are you questioning me?" Shinra's was holding back his irritation now, speaking through clenched teeth. "You didn't used to do this. I don't understand at all how this change came about but I need you to put aside this sudden sense of compassion and do what I tell you to do." I could feel he was behind me. One of his hands moved to grip my shoulder, despite my superior height. His voice was now in a gentle tone, though tense with frustration. "You grew up in my care—the company's care. Was I not kind and fair to you? I treated you as my own and we were close once, so close I could tell you everything. When did we grow apart?"

I couldn't answer him. There was nothing I could say, so he continued while I remained silent declaring, "If you're hiding something from me, then you already are aware of the fact that I don't take kindly to secrets. If I can tell you everything, what is so important that you can't do the same with me? Now…" He removed his hand from my shoulder and sauntered to the window once more, not looking back. "If this bothers you so much, take a few days to think and reaccept the mission. Maybe you'll see that there is nothing wrong with what I'm doing. I'm expecting great news from you. You're dismissed, soldier."

I stood motionlessly, keeping my focus on the black folder, the contents scattered across Shinra's desk. There was still one thing I had to ask. "Sir…why are you still fighting Wutai? They have no desire to convert to our lifestyle."

"What are you, a humanitarian? I told you I'd noticed when you started being this way. And I'd known since then…" He glanced over his shoulder at me, a wicked glint in his eyes. "That you were hiding something."

I felt my blood run cold. Did he know…?

"You send a rather lump sum of funds to specific locations worldwide. Were it a secret lover I would accept that, so you have no reason to hide. Well, from me. You do have to keep up the appearance of being 'single, free and accessible' for the lady patrons of the company. After all, they do send bigger donations and work harder when you're not tied down." He laughed to himself, finding the whole situation to be funny. Personally, I disliked it. Who would find enjoyment? I was a marketing tool. "All the same, if you don't want me to pry further, I suggest you take the time I've given you and reconnect with your past self."

So he didn't know, but he was still aware. If anything, I did know one thing: this was no longer a war.

This was an extermination.

-

My heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor as I hastily stomped through.

I was livid.

This entire trial was ridiculous.

No more. I didn't want nor need another distraction or mission dealing with pointless butchery. I'd had enough of all the drama and secrets that were scattered around Shin-Ra. Was there no one left with decency or even humanity in the corporation?

So what if I had no right to talk—and Shinra was right, I had my own secret, but none so great that would disrupt many lives.

The people that lined the hallway would see me coming and stumble out of the way, possibly sensing my mood. The few that did have the courage to address me got a curt nod or a few words as a reply, but not without slight respect from my end.

Eventually, I reached my sanctuary of an office and slid inside, nearly slamming the door behind myself. Crossing the room, I decided to relax on the couch against the far wall—though I don't know who put that colossal chair there. That tacky navy-blue couch had always been here for as long as I could remember. Every time I tried to get rid of it, Zack protested, saying it was the founder of the room and deserved to stay. It was true, because the couch was first; the many same-colored furnishings to follow were added to compliment it.

It may have been a bit conceited, but I considered myself to be just like that couch. I had been the first to join Shin-Ra. Though I never admitted it, I'd felt alienated in the beginning, just like the oddball couch that stuck out in my office. There was no one in the world like me, an elite among the super-human individuals in SOLDIER. Then, there was Angeal and Genesis. After that, I wasn't so lonely anymore. Neither of them were exactly like me, but they were similar enough. Eventually I gained more comrades who decorated and complimented the empty space I once owned, helping me blend in and assimilate into the background along with all the others. Before I knew it, I'd experienced a sense of belonging for the first time.

I still stuck out from time to time, but not as much.

I leaned back into the couch, closing my eyes and attempting to disregard everything I'd heard up until now. My days were filled with stress and Shinra had only pushed that notion over the edge. I didn't know how long I could keep this all up. Even I had a breaking point.

With the vicious aura I radiated in the hallway, I doubt I'd be getting any visitors any time soon. Good. I wanted some time to myself. Genesis was probably distancing himself from me out of courtesy.

I don't know how much time had passed when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. At first, I started to ignore it due to my own selfishness. The last thing I wanted was to speak to another callous human being. I couldn't guarantee I would be as polite as I usually was. By the seventh vibration I was hastily digging in my pocket for my cell phone, since they had hung on this long they were possibly desperate. I jerked it out of its resting place.

My resentment faded away as I glanced at the number that showed up, the aggravated glower of an expression disappearing with the rage.

So it was that time already? She told me earlier he would call and I still forgot about him. Today was a special day for the person who was calling me, even if I didn't think it was too profound of an occasion. The last thing I wanted was to disappoint him, so I sighed, letting out any reserved negative emotions that I might have contained at that moment. This was not the time for that.

I hesitated before hitting the button to answer, eventually putting the cell phone to my ear.

"Hello…" To my surprise, I didn't have to try so hard to get out a lighthearted tone.

"Hi, daddy!" A child's voice squealed over the line.

I couldn't help it—I was smiling, albeit awkwardly, but smiling. In spite of everything that was going on, he was always delighted to talk to me. The feeling was mutual.

"You sound happy. Did something special happen today?" Just play dumb and let him tell his story.

"Um…" He trailed off, not answering right away and most likely trying to recall exactly what happened. Knowing this, I remained silent and held onto my patience. The quiet clatter changed over the phone, all the tedious drones I could pick up on the other end became louder. I heard rustling noises on the other end, he was moving around; then the sound of a door shutting made me a little wary. Before I could speak, I received a reply.

"Sorry, we're back. You're good to go," a woman's voice said over the line. So his mother put me on 'Speakerphone'? I didn't even know she could use technology outside of driving.

"Mommy and me went—"

"Mommy and I," I corrected mid-way, only to curse the fact that I had. It was not my intention to butt in so rudely. I heard his mother growl on the other end, equally dissatisfied with my actions.

I was fairly proficient when it came to conversing with children…if I kept my sentences exceedingly short and to the point.

"Oh, um…" The child sounded guarded now, not wanting to upset me doubtlessly. "Mommy and I went to a Chocobo Ranch!" Though my interruption didn't seem to rain on his parade in the slightest. "And we…" He trailed off again like he did whenever he was submerged in his thoughts. This was an extremely forgetful child. When you're young you don't have a care in the world, so you don't think to remember events exactly. At least that was what normal childhoods were like from what I heard.

"Remember what we did at the Ranch," the female voice spoke encouragingly in the background. "What did we do there?"

"I rode a Chocobo!" Such energy…

"Oh, you did?" I added a hint of surprise to my voice.

"Yeah. It was kinda scary… Chocobos are really big…" He paused, and I wondered if he was doing something. "—and yellow!" That information must have been important for him to add on details. Then again, I found him to be a comical individual, even if his intentions were serious. "Daddy?"

"Yes?" So he had a question for me…

"How big are you?"

I continually disregard the fact that we've never met in person; he knew we couldn't meet each other and I was aware that a child's curiosity did have to be sated at times.

I thought of an answer that wouldn't dissatisfy him but still give him some idea. "Taller than your mother." At least I assume so. For all I knew, she could have been seven feet tall.

"So you're bigger than mommy…"

Though his inquisitive little boy was my son, through complicated matters, I'd never met him and he doesn't even know a thing about me. I'm just the voice on the other side of the phone that called from time-to-time. He didn't even know my name. It was better that way.

I know what Shin-Ra does to the children of those within SOLDIER.

SOLDIERS were made to fight and nothing more. Expressing your sexuality was acceptable, having multiple 'companions' was acceptable, relations of any kind are acceptable, but anything beyond that was, and is, prohibited. So, in a sense, Shin-Ra supported intimacy, but not true intimacy. One of SOLDIER could be a part of a family, but not have one. Usual offspring, as a side effect of mako testing within the father, were either born with mental disabilities, physical disabilities or a sickness that was not easily dealt with. Considering all SOLDIERs were naturally born as normal humans and only gained strength through mako infusion, it was safe to say that their bodies mutated to utilize full potential.

On the off chance that a child is born without such hindrances, they would most likely be subjected to a future none would desire.

It just so happened, with that in that off chance, my son was born without difficulties such as those. It was accidental, as were most impregnations when it came to SOLDIER. I gave in to my curiosity and in turn helped bring about a new life. I didn't think too much of the whole prospect with him initially and had planned to report it so that Shin-Ra could deal with the clean up—but that was then, and this is now. I learned what happened to those children whose fathers were in SOLDIER, they all 'mysteriously vanished without a trace'.

That was a lie. They were taken. Though where they go, I have no idea. Maybe they are put to death, or used in experiments—I don't doubt Hojo would miss a chance for that. Now, at least lately, Hojo has secretly been supporting newer SOLDIERs to go out and mess around with the local women as much as they want. This was a ploy most likely. He just needed more test subjects. I understood how those being used for Hojo's betterment felt; some desires need to be indulged, but some must be ignored for the greater good.

It wasn't until this little boy was born that I began to see all the malice the Shin-Ra Corporation stood for. But, like a good soldier, I pretended to over look it. I didn't used to question superiors, nor have a conscience. I was raised inside of Shin-Ra Company, raised to ignore the crimes they committed. Now I knew President Shinra and all his lackeys were the epitome of sin.

My place is to end wars and protect the peace—within the company, by destroying whatever stands against them by any means necessary, but any means really meant obliteration. Prisoners or dissenters unlucky enough to be executed on the spot become Hojo's playthings.

The depths of the Shin-Ra Company's immorality go deeper than anyone thinks.

I don't plan to find out how far down that hole filled with wickedness goes unless I absolutely have to, and if I ever have descend into the lowest pits of this corrupted corporation, I'll make sure that during my fall everyone responsible goes with me.

I understood it was unpleasant for the child to be left in the dark, but for his own protection, I had to keep his existence a secret. None of us used our names over the phone, in case someone was listening in elsewhere.

The woman he called 'Mother' wasn't really his mother, whom was of Wutain descent, although I was glad she was the one taking care of him. My standing with her was slightly different; she knew exactly who I was, but I was only given a nickname that she goes by: Ginger. All Ginger had told me in the beginning was that she was a friend of the boy's real mother, whom had passed during childbirth. Other than that, she was a mystery. I didn't mind; she was trustworthy from the conversations we did have.

Ginger and the boy only called a few times a month, mainly to check-in or reveal clues to their current and next locations. Sometimes, like today, it was just for enjoyment. They moved around often, never staying in one place for long lest they run into someone who saw the prominent physical similarities between the boy and those within SOLDIER; mainly the glowing eyes from her description.

In knowing all this, why am I still sided with Shin-Ra? I'm not. It's as simple as that.

I only remain here so that I'll have a heads up if they ever locate my son.

"You know what yesterday was, daddy? It was a big day!"

"What was yesterday?" That was a genuine question. I had no idea what he was talking about now.

"I'm not tellin'. You gotta guess!"

"Hmmm…" Well that caught me off guard because I had expected some sort of tip-off. All she had told me was that they were going to see the famed Chocobo Ranch and had promised that they wouldn't come too close to Midgar. Now that he mentioned it, something was yesterday.

I'll be damned if I forget what it was.

"You don't know, do you?" It was Ginger, whom was now huddled around the phone with him. She used a smug but still embittered tone.

Don't tell me…

"Forgive me… So how old are you this year?" I began with lightness in my voice. "You can't be older than me."

"Oh? You remembered?" Mock amazement. I knew it was. She remembered mine, but I could never commit birthday to memory. In the beginning I honestly didn't care. It was only after I considered everything thoroughly that I came a conclusion: she was doing me a giant favor—Ginger didn't necessarily have to take care of him, not with the way things were for her presently. The situation wouldn't have gone this smoothly had it been anyone else. I guess…I did admire her for that. I owed a lot to Ginger. "You've only missed it for the past five years."

"Not true. I just happen address the point after the fact, but I am—"

"Daddy didn't remember," the boy's voice broke in cheerfully, utterly destroying the fairly tense mood, "so… you gotta sing Happy Birthday to mommy!"

Sing? Frankly, I don't recollect ever doing such, maybe humming a tune here and there without knowing it—but never singing.

That action generally involves not being tone-deaf.

I could hear her laughing hysterically in the background, at least in my opinion.

"No, no, it's okay. Really," she'd tried to tell me through tittering, though I was convinced she didn't mean it.

Still, I deserved it—and so did she, for that matter. What harm could a small thing like that bring? I'm sure they would find it rather humorous.

"Very well."

The other end went silent. Then suddenly, I could hear the surprise oozing through the phone as she commented that I would sound terrible and he defending me as best he could.

"Seriously?" She said in disbelief.

"No, but I will do something else?"

"What?"

"I could send you a present." That was considerably easier task than 'singing'. It was really the only way I knew how to deal with someone, through gifting. It was how Shinra rewarded me after a trying mission. Undoubtedly, if I underwent his objective, I would have returned home to an expensive and priceless award as I had multiple times in the past.

"That's okay, I'm not interested in material—"

"No, no. Ask for anything, and price doesn't matter."

Why not buy something nice not only as a birthday gift, but as a 'thank you' for putting up with me and my problems for so long. And if Shinra happened to find out I sent something again, then so be it.

However…

There would be no surprise witnesses to the negotiation.

I jumped up from my chair and proceeded to lock the door to my office, moving the blinds to make sure no one could peek in at what was going on. Reluctantly, I trudged back to my desk and leaned against it.

I sighed heavily. "Alright. What would you like?"

At the end of the day, this was—more or less—my family. And while chattering away with them, I knew then what I had to do.

"Ginger? This may be asking a lot of you, and it will be hard for you to do, but please endure and do me this one favor…"

Continuation Green Light (Author's Note): I thought I'd like to give Sephiroth a softer side but if you totally think this is too out of character for him or don't like what I've done let me know—cause it don't take much to get rid of somebody in a story. They won't have a main character role in the story, they're just plot devices and personal reasons for the characters motives and drive. Like I said, I can totally get rid of it before chapter 12 rolls around so that you'll never have to hear from that again—at least not so much.

So… do you like this turn, or should I get rid of the whole 'family' aspect? Sephiroth isn't in love with her or anything; it's a friendship thing though he's never met her. You could compare their relationship to that of 'Pen Pals'. You know, someone who's a distant pal in another country and all.

Which brings me to tonight's next question: What am I lacking? 'Cause I can totally make this an angst fest, or a love story, or even some sort of growing together as friends thing like I had before. What should I do, 'cause I'm not writing this only for myself but for you guys too. There a theme you want or something I should include? Have I missed anything?

If you still need more to go on before you can make a decision concerning Sephiroth's thing, you can read part of the next chapter, which addresses that.

Now on what you might be wondering about. The whole 'no babies if you've become a SOLDIER' thing kinda came to me out of nowhere. I mean, it kinda makes sense with the guys. They were fully human and then were experimented on and augmented to the point where their human traits were still prominent, but disappearing. If you were shot full of nuclear crap and the genes of some alien, you might be a little less human too. Shin-Ra SOLDIER's pretty much mutated into a slightly less humanoid form in my opinion.

Though it isn't the same with the three god-generals of Shin-Ra, since they were born that way. You would think that the whole thing would be more major with them but… "This is my story! It'll go the way I want—or I'll end it here!" _ Aaaaand if you know where that quote I just used is from, I love you.

And you also win the 'One Question Quiz'.

And because you win the quiz you get EXP.

I don't know if you leveled up though…

- Vincentre