Chapter 10 – Souba

The battle with Sephiroth in the church had Kadaj thinking heavily over the next few hours, once he was back at home. Obviously the assassin was intent on his purpose, otherwise he would have given up as soon as Kadaj proved he was not just going to lie down and submit.

Although Kadaj had no experience with that sort of mentality, he tried to imagine any reason at all why Sephiroth was targeting him specifically and could come up with nothing. He had never seen the assassin before; could think of no wrong he had done to him at any point, even accidentally. After trying to come up with any reason, even the most obscure or ridiculous, all Kadaj had was a headache. However, he did recognise that the problem was not going to go away unless he did something about it; he was sick of Sephiroth surprising him at every turn. He began to think in earnest of ways to avoid putting himself or his friends in the church situation again; if there was just some way to get a warning, some way to defend himself or the others if Sephiroth attacked out of nowhere…

Suddenly a glimmer of an idea flickered at the back of Kadaj's mind. Some way to defend himself… he was a relatively good fighter and was old enough now to own a proper weapon… but… would Yazoo go for it? The eldest had never condoned the use of weaponry, keeping a pistol in the house only for absolute emergencies. (Since it began its rebuilding, Midgar hadn't exactly been the safest place to live, as the police force was just as torn up as the rest of the city.) So it would be getting the idea through to Yazoo that would be the hard part. Still, Kadaj knew his brother trusted him, so he decided to broach the subject as soon as possible.

'I'm thinking of getting a blade,' Kadaj said casually over dinner that evening. 'If Sephiroth makes another appearance I want to be able to defend myself.'

Loz raised his head, intrigued. 'Wow… like a dagger or a sword or something?'

'A sword.'

Yazoo sent a shrewd look at his younger brother. 'Are you certain?'

'Yes.'

'Then I will come with you. I've been meaning to get some sort of defence for the bar anyway. Not to actually harm people, but it helps a bluff… the cops are so bad in that district.'

Kadaj grinned. He was a little surprised at how readily Yazoo had agreed, but then again, he understood the severity of the situation. 'Thanks brother.'

Yazoo sighed. 'I wish we could have gone under different circumstances… this will be your first weapon, ototousan. But you're welcome.'

True to his word, Yazoo took Kadaj downtown the next morning. Loz had left early for the gym, so it was just the two of them, something that did not happen often. The day was quite clear and the air sweet as they walked through the shopping district. Kadaj had never been told where Cloud and Yazoo got their weapons from, so he was surprised when they came to an unmarked door in a squat, oddly shaped building next to the strip mall.

'Yazoo, what…?'

His brother hushed him. 'This place is special… it has recently come under new management and the guy hasn't gotten his license yet. In the effort of keeping him in business, we have to be a bit careful,' he murmured, barely audible.

'Oh… okay…'

Glancing around, Yazoo opened the door and slipped inside, motioning his brother after him.

It was much darker indoors than out, and Kadaj had to take a minute to let his eyes adjust. Once they had, he noticed a spiral set of stairs leading straight up ahead of them. 'Come on,' Yazoo said normally and they mounted the stairs easily.

Kadaj couldn't stop himself from whistling under his breath as they entered the second floor. Glass cases stood along every wall and there was a very large one in the middle of the room. Weapons of all shapes and sizes, except military issue, were displayed glitteringly in these cases. Having read a lot of medieval fantasy novels as a child, Kadaj instantly moved toward the sword case, gazing up at the massive broadsword within. 'Kami… this place is awesome…'

'Thanks.'

Both brothers jumped. The owner had appeared from seemingly nowhere; a man in probably his late twenties, with reddish-gold hair and amber eyes behind sleek lenses. He was absently cleaning a small dagger. 'Feel free to browse, gentlemen, and tell me if you need anything, ne?'

'Okay, thanks.'

Kadaj moved silently along the cases on the right, examining each sword carefully. There were many more broadswords; rapiers and scimitars lined the walls, framing each massive blade. At the back there was a crate full of short daggers, as well as cleaning supplies and sheaths. Kadaj made sure to look all of them over before moving toward the center container.

This one was full of blades as well, but of a much more interesting variety. A pair of sais, rare weapons in these parts, glittered up at him, their sapphire-and-silver handles sparkling under the show lights. A wickedly curved kusurigama and chain, also rare, rested on the velvet on the left. Kadaj tilted his head at it, curious as to how it worked… it looked like a throwing weapon…

'Like it?'

Kadaj jumped a little; he hadn't even heard the shopkeeper come up behind him. 'You throw it and try to hook it into your opponent. A very deadly weapon; only the most skilled warriors used these.'

The silver-haired youth gulped a little. 'I see…' He shifted along the display case, eyeing the sais again, when suddenly his gaze fell on a slightly curved blade that seemed different from the others. Changing his angle, he ducked his head a little to look again and was pleasantly surprised to find it was a double blade, much like the one he had used in the church. But, while that one had been very old and creaky, this blade was gleaming with health, its black sheath buffed to perfection so that Kadaj could see his own reflection in it even through the glass. As he looked at it, a strange sensation overcame him. He felt drawn forward, as though the blade were calling him, urging him to choose it…

'…may I see this one, please?'

'…of course.' The owner's amber eyes studied him carefully for a moment before he whipped a set of keys from his pocket and swiftly unlocked the case. Picking up the sword, he sheathed it and handed it hilt-first to Kadaj, still watching him.

The moment he touched the hilt, Kadaj knew. This blade was to be his. It was almost as if it had chosen him, rather than the other way around. So that's what Vincent was talking about… A broad smile crossed his face as he held it up, examining it as he had the others. 'Wow…'

'Souba.'

Kadaj blinked. 'Pardon?'

The vendor was now looking at him with a more friendly air. 'Its name is Souba,' he repeated.

Kadaj nodded. 'Ah… Souba, eh…? Nice name…'

Meanwhile, Yazoo had gone still over by the firearms case. 'Kadaj, come look at this…' he breathed.

'What?' Kadaj went and peered over his brother's shoulder. 'Oh, sweet.'

'That's Velvet Nightmare,' said the man. 'She's got gorgeous aim and light as a feather too. You like her?'

Yazoo nodded. 'Suitable price as well.' To Kadaj he added, 'We should get one for Loz.'

'If you like that style, I have another one here called Shadow,' the proprietor interjected again. 'Slightly different, but it's in the same price range.'

'Could I see them both please?'

After the owner had removed the guns from the case, he said, 'Tell you what. Give me a second to close up shop and you can come into the back room. Call me Neil, by the way.' The brothers glanced at each other in confusion, but nodded.

Fifteen seconds later, they were following Neil through a little hallway that opened onto a wider room with mats on the floor and mirrors on the walls. 'Hey, it's like a mini dojo!' Kadaj exclaimed gleefully, taking in his surroundings.

'Go ahead and try Souba out while I set up the firing range,' said Neil. Kadaj raised an eyebrow. 'We haven't even paid for it yet!'

Neil grinned. 'Did you think I'd expect you to buy without testing first? Go ahead, just be careful.'

Thus reassured, Kadaj shrugged out of his coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves. Picking up Souba, he tested its weight and grip before pulling it fully out of its sheath. The twin blades shone silver in the sunlight streaming through the window. The handle was wrapped with sky-coloured cloth; the elliptical hilt was of ebony and two tassels hung from the base. Kadaj admired it for a moment before tossing the sheath onto his jacket and walking into the center of the room.

'That's a very handsome blade. It suits you, brother,' Yazoo commented. Kadaj nodded absently, twirling it. He moved slowly into a fighting stance, Souba held freely yet firmly in his grip. Performing three quick successive upward sweeps, he twisted the sword over his head, turned a half-circle and brought it down in a sharp arc. The blade was light yet powerful and Kadaj could practically feel its energies travelling through him.

Neil came back over looking impressed. 'You sure know how to handle a blade, sir.'

'I've never actually touched one before in my life,' Kadaj replied sheepishly. Except for in the church, he added to himself.

Neil looked startled, then a slightly odd look came over his face.

'Heh… well, I'll be…'

'I beg your pardon?'

Neil glanced shrewdly at Kadaj before replying.

'Souba's been with me since I got my first shipment. People prefer the big broadsword-type blade; nobody would buy it because it's different, not what they're used to. You, however… Souba feels comfortable to you, doesn't it?'

Kadaj nodded. 'It feels almost natural.'

Neil sighed and smiled. 'Finally… Souba was meant for you. I'll ask half price in this case; Souba's been waiting for a long time.'

Both the brothers gawked at him.

'T-that's very generous, sir. Are you sure?' Yazoo stammered.

Neil nodded. 'Come on, I'll show you how to load Velvet and Shadow.'

Once Yazoo had had his 'lesson', Neil outfitted them both with the necessary accessories and rang the entire load up. The amount was far less than what they would have originally paid; Yazoo suspected that Neil had cut the price considerably more than normal. They thanked him profusely, but the owner waved it off, instead saying, 'Take care of him.'

For the life of him, Kadaj couldn't figure out whether Neil was talking to him or the sword.

As he and Yazoo headed back to their bikes, Kadaj suddenly felt a wave of power wash over him. I'm ready for you now, Sephiroth, he thought, standing a little straighter and feeling Souba's comforting weight against his hip.

'Hey!'

The shout caused both Kadaj and Yazoo to turn as Alphonse Elric came running up to them. 'Hi!' he greeted them, slightly out of breath. 'How are you both?'

Kadaj grinned and reached to shake hands. 'We're alright. You?'

Al smiled jovially. 'I'm on my way to lunch, actually. Care to join me?'

Kadaj shared a glance with Yazoo and nodded. 'Sure, thanks.'

Al directed their attention to a small café across the street. Once they were comfortably ensconced in a booth, menus unfolded before them, Al glanced at the brothers and grinned. 'You know, this is going to sound weird but I just have to say it… I've never seen hair that silver before…'

The two exchanged amused glances with each other before Kadaj replied, 'Thank you, it's natural. How goes business?'

Al smiled apologetically. 'Gomen ne, but it's a company policy not to discuss business outside of work. But I can tell you that I'm very excited about your new single, Kadaj-san.'

Kadaj blanched and then blushed a little. He still wasn't quite used to hearing those words in reference to his music. 'Um… thanks, I'm excited too… but why are you so keyed up? There isn't even a full CD yet.'

Al beamed at him; the guy seemingly never frowned. 'Oh, right, they haven't told you yet. I've put in a request to be your publicist. I was going to ask you at the next meeting. There's no rush to answer but I'm a rather impatient person when it comes to stuff like this,'' he finished sheepishly.

Yazoo muffled laughter at the blatantly shocked expression on Kadaj's face. 'Looks like you have a fan already, 'Daj,' he muttered teasingly, earning a flushed glare from his younger sibling.

Fortunately, Kadaj was saved from further embarrassment by the arrival of the waitress, who promptly took their orders. The three spent a pleasant hour getting to know one another before Al had to get back to work. Each threw in their share for the meal and were soon back out on the street.

'Well, thanks for that, guys. I usually end up eating alone unless my brother has the day off. I'll see you at the next meeting, Kadaj-san,' Al said after another round of handshaking. With a jovial wave he started off down the street.

'Friendly guy,' Yazoo commented thoughtfully. Kadaj chuckled and they headed off in the opposite direction.

They had barely gone twenty paces, however, before an odd tingling feeling began to creep up Kadaj's spine, raising the hairs at the nape of his neck. He shivered a little and glanced behind him, but the street was empty.

…wait a minute…

'Yazoo, something's wrong.'

The tone in his brother's voice caused the eldest to freeze instantly.

'What?'

'…the ShinRa building is a ways down this street… shouldn't we still be able to see Al?'

'…'

Without another word Kadaj bolted in the direction Al had gone, desperation giving him speed. It can't be… He could hear his brother's feet pounding behind him before a strangled cry attracted his attention. Backtracking a little, he plunged into the alleyway at the same time as Yazoo… and both stopped dead in their tracks.

Al was struggling to rise, blood streaming from a gash in his arm as Sephiroth advanced on him. 'Hello dove…' the assassin murmured, eyes glinting maniacally at the youth. Enraged, Kadaj reached over and yanked Velvet Nightmare from the holster on Yazoo's belt. Ignoring his brother's protests, he pointed it at Sephiroth. Unfortunately, he was a second too late. Masamune seemed to curve, wickedly sensual, against Al's throat as the assassin pressed it threateningly, but not enough to harm him… yet. Kadaj released a growl of frustration; they were at stalemate.

'Well, little dove… shall I kill him?' Sephiroth asked, his voice sickeningly sweet as Al's hazel eyes widened in horror. Kadaj snarled, his finger instinctively tightening. No! He'll kill Alphonse! Don't… react….

'Let him go,' he commanded, keeping his voice surprisingly steady.

'I don't know… he's rather delectable, isn't he? I can smell the fear coming off him… the same as those girls in the church… you have pretty friends, dove. But I'd watch yourself… I'll kill every last one of them if you go to the police. Release yourself to me and they will be spared.'

'…'

'Kadaj, don't…' Yazoo whispered behind him, almost without thinking. Anguish flickered in Kadaj's eyes, though, as they met Al's petrified ones.

What choice do I have…?

Alphonse made the choice for him.

With a shout he dropped flat out of Masamune's reach and twisted, his legs and torso rising, aiming a kick at Sephiroth's sword hand. He missed, but the assassin had jerked instinctively, not expecting retaliation from this prey, and that was all Al needed. With Masamune aside, he hauled himself to his feet and directed a kick to Sephiroth's solar plexus, connecting with a solid crunch. It was obvious that he had had some martial arts training from the way he used the rebound to dive to the side.

'Now!'

Kadaj snapped to his senses and fired repeatedly. Gasping, Sephiroth managed to deflect one bullet and dodge another, retreating towards a ladder behind him. The third bullet grazed his cheek when he whirled; in a flash of silver he was gone up the ladder and over the rooftops. The youth on the ground lowered his arm, listening carefully for any sign of return, before thrusting the weapon back at Yazoo and racing over to Al.

'My gods, Al, I'm sorry…'

'What was THAT all about?!' Al gasped, wincing at the pain in his arm as they carefully pulled him up. 'That bastard just came out of nowhere and heaved me in here… what the heck was he going on about?'

A little surprised at Al's reaction, Kadaj tore off his own coat and ripped a bit of his sleeve away. 'Did he get you anywhere else?'

The young man sighed. 'Nah, just my arm. No big deal.' At their expressions he chuckled weakly. 'Don't look so worried… my brother and I used to travel a lot. We've been in worse scrapes than this, trust me.'

Impressed by how resilient the blonde had turned out to be, Kadaj finished applying the makeshift bandage and said, 'Fair enough, but we're still taking you to the hospital, just to be sure.'

Al shook his head. 'No. They'll ask what happened and you heard what that crackpot said. If you're that worried, take me home. My brother's girlfriend is a trained nurse, I'll be fine.'

Finally the two relented in the effort of getting Al some medical help as soon as possible. Kadaj helped him back to the ShinRa building to get his car, while Yazoo followed on his motorbike. With Al directing, it took fifteen minutes to get him home, during which time he turned chalk white when the car jarred his arm and nearly gave Kadaj a heart attack. After a seemingly endless drive, they pulled into the driveway of a modest little duplex. Kadaj honked the horn once before leaping out to help Al up, nearly tripping over something in the grass in his haste. On closer inspection it turned out to be a wrench.

'Heh… I told Winry not to leave that out… sorry…' Al murmured faintly, collapsing into Kadaj's arms as a young woman, also blonde, came dashing down the steps.

'Al!' she gasped in horror at the sight of him. 'Ed! Come quick!'

A man Kadaj assumed to be Al's brother came running out, took one look at Al and said grimly, 'Let's get him inside.'

Once Al was comfortable and properly bandaged, the man turned to Kadaj and held out his hand guardedly. 'I'm Edward Elric, Al's older brother. Thank you for bringing him home. Care to explain what happened?'

The silver-haired males hurried to introduce themselves and gave a quick run-down of the events that had taken place. When they were finished, however, Edward looked no less perturbed. 'I see…'

A flicker of remorse passed through Kadaj; having a younger brother himself, he was sure he knew exactly how Ed must be feeling.

'Sir…' he piped up suddenly, 'I can't begin to express how sorry I am that Alphonse was dragged into this… I don't yet know myself why I'm being targeted, but if it makes you feel any better, I will not contact your family again until this thing is over. I don't want anyone else hurt.'

Ed looked halfway to agreeing, but Al sat up abruptly. 'Don't be foolish, Kadaj,' he admonished, wincing. 'I'm trying to be your publicist, remember?'

Winry gently pushed him back down. 'I dunno about that, but you're not doing ANY work until your arm is completely healed.'

'Yes Nurse,' Al sighed, rolling his eyes fondly and causing Ed to crack a grin.

The elder Elric sighed and turned back to Kadaj and Yazoo. 'You're a musician? Well, that explains a few things. The music industry isn't exactly safe, though it probably should be. Look… sorry for being rude… it was just my initial reaction. It's certainly not your fault if someone is after you for no apparent reason and I know my brother can handle himself. We're forewarned now… Al will be careful from now on and you two are welcome here anytime.' He extended his hand again sheepishly, running the other one through his long bangs. 'Thank you so much for going back for him… you're brothers, you must know how this feels…'

Kadaj and Yazoo shook hands warmly with Ed in turn, both a little surprised at how solid his hand felt beneath his glove, all three somewhat relieved. 'Think nothing of it. Let us know how he's doing, alright?'

'Will do. You be careful too, ne?'

Nodding, Yazoo turned to depart. Kadaj, however, slipped past Ed for a moment and leaned close to Al.

'Sorry for this, mate…' he apologised again, wincing at the sight of the already stained bandage.

Al scoffed, forcing a smile though he was still quite pale. 'Pfft… it's really not as bad as it looks. I'll be fine, thanks to you.'

'Alright…' Kadaj turned to go, but Al caught his wrist.

'Hey… don't go getting yourself killed, ne? I want to still have somebody to publicise when this is all over.' He winked cheekily, trying to ease some of the tension in his new friend.

It worked. Kadaj chuckled. 'Yeah, yeah… just get healed up. We'll be in touch.'

The brothers returned to Kadaj's bike and from there, home. Loz was waiting, having finished early at the gym and was both delighted with Shadow and agog to hear that they'd had another run-in with Sephiroth. He ranted for a good fifteen minutes, cursing the assassin, but Kadaj for the most part wasn't listening. He sat in the windowseat in the living room after supper, staring out late into the night, Souba clutched tightly in his grasp while the shadows mocked him with every flicker of their darkness.

I love this chapter so damn much.

Review! PLEASE!