Quick note: I recommend listening to this before reading the line "Silence, human!" (it isn't until towards the end). It'll really enhance that scene, and it's how I've imagined Jenova's voice to be. Here's the link: www dot youtube dot com /watch?v=coCyQHuEzDY
8 June 1979
Sephiroth made his way towards Nibelheim with Yazoo. Sephiroth had climbed to the roof in the early morning and stayed there (he didn't want Cloud to find out that he was going to leave), later deciding to go down to Nibelheim and invited Yazoo to come along. The two had agreed to let Kadaj and Loz stay behind. The mayhem caused today needed stealth, since dusk offered little camouflage. Mayor Lockheart had been left alone too long.
Sephiroth and Yazoo stood near the mayor's house. Yazoo climbed up and took his place by the chimney. He scanned the area and confirmed to Sephiroth that nobody was around. They needed to act quickly in case anybody decided to come out.
Yazoo lit a few firecrackers and shoved them down the chimney. Sephiroth chucked a rock through an upstairs window. Yells sounded from inside. Sephiroth hid by the side of the large house once the mayor quickly showed up, the front door still open, with his rifle.
That summer night was a warm one, no breezes running through the air. Mayor Lockheart held the rifle so it pointed in front of him, stepping out into the dirt-covered area. The innkeeper's wife opened the door curiously after hearing the racket. The other townspeople took peeks out of their windows.
"Git back inside," the mayor said in that horrible accent of his. "Troublemakers are out loose." The innkeeper's wife shut herself inside. The mayor signaled the others to go about their business. Rumors would no doubt spread.
Mayor Lockheart pointed the rifle to the left and right. He took a few steps forward.
Yazoo lit one last firecracker and threw it in front of the mayor as a distraction. Mayor Lockheart reacted just like he had almost two years ago, shooting into the ground. Sephiroth saw his chance and took off towards Mt. Nibel. Yazoo jumped off the right side of the roof and followed suit.
Mayor Lockheart reached into his pocket to pull out more ammunition – Damned trigger-happy hick, Sephiroth thought – and reloaded.
"Reckon yuh won' be in one piece this time, demon!" the mayor yelled before pulling the trigger.
Sephiroth nearly had his right leg blasted off. He ran full speed for home, Yazoo nearly a few meters behind him.
Mrs. Strife sat with Cloud in the rocking chair, letting Cloud practice the few reading skills he learned. Cloud was enthusiastic when it came to words, often asking what something said after seeing it written. Mrs. Strife read most of the words in the children's book, but Cloud excitedly called out the few that he recognized. Mrs. Strife felt proud.
Cloud had spent most of the day looking for Sephiroth. Mrs. Strife assumed that Sephiroth had gone out. At least he didn't leave while Cloud was around. Better for Cloud to think that Sephiroth was hiding than for him to break down over Sephiroth's disappearance. Mrs. Strife still couldn't get over how attached Cloud was to Sephiroth; it was like Cloud had an obsession towards the man. Cloud had refused to leave Sephiroth's side. The only other person Cloud would spend time with (besides herself) was Jenova, much to Mrs. Strife's worry. She always kept a close eye on Cloud when he was around her.
Mrs. Strife tucked Cloud into bed. Cloud tried to fight his sleepiness.
"But where's Sephiroh?" Cloud asked for the umpteenth time.
"I don't know. I'll find him," Mrs. Strife promised. "You need to sleep right now."
"Nuh-uh," Cloud denied. "I'm not tired." He nodded off, nearly falling asleep. Mrs. Strife chuckled.
"I'll find him," Mrs. Strife repeated, "and I'll let you play with him in the morning if you go to sleep."
Cloud seemed to agree. He closed his eyes. Mrs. Strife waited until his breathing evened out before going downstairs.
Jenova was at the table with Kadaj and Loz. They were in the middle of a card game. Jenova had two cards in her hand, Kadaj had five, and Loz seemed to be the unlucky one, having too many to count.
Jenova put a card down. "Whale," she said.
"Mother, of all the times you've played this, why don't you ever say the right word?" Kadaj asked, sounding annoyed.
"What issue do you have against whales? They sound very nice."
"You're not supposed to say, 'whale' for the second to last card. You're supposed to say, 'mau'."
"You are not a cat, so why are you making noises like one?"
"Ugh! Never mind!" Kadaj said in frustration. He threw down his cards. Jenova snickered.
"Are you still playing?" Loz asked.
"No."
Sephiroth and Yazoo busted through the door, breathing heavily, before Loz could make his move.
"I almost got shot," Sephiroth declared. "Lockheart was bold tonight."
Mrs. Strife nearly gasped. She was shocked.
"Why would you ever do such a thing, provoking that man?! You could have been seriously hurt, or worse: killed!" Mrs. Strife screeched. "It's not funny!" she said to a laughing Kadaj.
"You've got to give me the details," Kadaj said, ignoring Mrs. Strife.
"No! This isn't some achievement to be proud of! Don't you see how horrible this is?!"
Out of everybody's reactions, Jenova's horrified Mrs. Strife the most. She barely even reacted, no facial expressions or any scolding words coming from her.
"Whatever. Maybe we can get him to shoot someone's house next time," Sephiroth said nonchalantly.
"There won't be a next time! I forbid it!" Mrs. Strife couldn't comprehend how everything was being dismissed as a prank gone wrong. It was a serious matter being treated like some joke!
"Leave him be," Jenova said, referring to the mayor. "He'll have his marksmanship improved and isn't worth the trouble."
"May I have a word with you?" Mrs. Strife asked. She was going to give Jenova a piece of her mind.
"May you?"
"Would you let me?"
"Possibly."
Mrs. Strife's frustration grew. Jenova's sons left, giving them privacy.
"Sephiroth," Mrs. Strife began, enunciating each syllable slowly, "was very nearly injured and could have been killed." Maybe saying things more slowly would make the severity of the situation click in Jenova's head.
"Yes, he was and could have." Mrs. Strife's eyes widened with that nonchalant answer.
"Don't you care that your eldest son was in danger?! Though even after staying here so long and still not knowing much about you, never would I have thought that you would be like this! I'm starting to think that you are as cruel as they say! I don't think you're capable of caring for anyone! Are you even capable of love?" Mrs. Strife questioned, panting.
"Of course I am capable of love. I love myself very, very much." Jenova had obviously said that to set Mrs. Strife off some more. It worked.
"You cruel, selfish, heartless monster! You really are nothing but a demon!"
"Silence, human!" Mrs. Strife heard a wolf-like snarl. The ancient sound in Jenova's voice returned. Mrs. Strife hadn't heard it since the very same day she had made The Deal.
Pitch black darkness engulfed everything. Mrs. Strife was only able to see Jenova, who was now standing.
Jenova looked Mrs. Strife right in the eyes with that piercing gaze. Mrs. Strife fought the urge to look away.
"If I am as cruel as you say, would you be here instead of your home, decaying? Would I have restrained myself instead of giving into urges and killing you? Would you even be here, alive and well at the moment? I could have refused you, let you freeze to death, let a dragon eat you. I could have easily cut you into pieces that no one would ever be able to guess were parts of a human instead of backing away and leaving. Even now, I am searching for a reason to let you live."
Mrs. Strife hadn't thought of that. She felt terrible.
"Sephiroth was and is my first son. I would do anything for him and his brothers. However, he is no longer a child; none of my sons are. If any of them decided to do something stupid and return with an injury, it is not something I will scold them for. That injury would teach them the hard way that what they had done was not something to be taken lightly. If any of them had died, there would be one less disgusting human in that town, possibly even none. If that is not caring, then enlighten me: what is?"
Tears ran down Mrs. Strife's face. Negative feelings crawled inside her: ignorance, guilt, and a touch of self-hate. Jenova stepped closer.
"I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" Mrs. Strife blurted without thinking.
"That's too bad. It only means that I should use actual effort."
Mrs. Strife let out a sob. She didn't need to be nearly killed; it was making her feel even worse.
"Do not make any more accusations without thinking. I may not have any mercy if it happens again."
Jenova slowly grew transparent, fading before Mrs. Strife's eyes. The darkness receded, revealing the downstairs rooms as they were before, only empty.
Notes:
Started: 2013年2月23日 （土）
Finished: That same day
Another quick one! Whoo! Don't have much to say for this one, except that Cloud seems to be really lucky. He gets to sleep through the pretty scary moments.
They were originally going to play Uno, but I thought it would've been weird. The Uno you see around today didn't come until 1992, anyways, if Wikipedia's right. Mau Mau is pretty much identical.
Next chapter will be Cloud's third birthday.