Chapter 10: Crimes and Conspiracies
Sephiroth returned to the SOLDIER building, landing gracefully atop the gusty roof; his slender wing retracting into the confines of his body. With a devilish smirk, he entered the building, heading towards the board room where Angeal and Genesis were sure to be residing. It took him mere minutes with his powerful stride to finally push open the double doors that contained his fellow Generals.
Angeal, who had been forced to cut himself free from the belly of the last WEAPON, was none too happy when the Silver General entered with his pleased expression. "Have some fun did we?"
Sephiroth chose to ignore this jib, merely taking a seat at the head of the table. Leaning back in his chair, he placed both of his boots on the table top and gazed off into the distance. The Crimson General, who had been watching his comrade's entrance from the reflection in the glass, grew agitated with the smug and dismissive attitude the man was displaying. In fury he raised a fist and punched the glass before him, causing a sickening crack in both the silence and thick glass.
"Something troubling you, Genesis?" Sephiroth asked dismissively, the actions of his friend doing nothing to break his tranquil state of mind.
The red head turned on his friend, choosing to grip the back of a chair to keep his anger from lashing out any more than it already had. If allowed to, he could easily destroy the entire building. "Where the hell did you go?"
"That's none of your concern." Was the noncommittal reply.
"Since when has it been characteristic of you to leave a battlefield before the fight was over?" Angeal questioned seriously, arms folded across his chest.
"I saw no reason to stay after that pathetic display by Gaia. Her strength is dwindling, it is only a matter of time before her barrier shatters and we are given free reign over humanity once more."
Angeal's eyebrows knit together at his friend's boastful comment. "You've said that more than once before. And look where that has gotten you." His comment seemed to have upset the Silver General for it sparked no rebuttal. "Had one of us been, missing when first Chaos woke, none of us would still be here."
Seeing as the conversation was going nowhere Genesis released his hold upon the chair, straightening himself as he moved across the room. "Well if we're done here." Genesis said, slowly circling the table, making his way around the Silver General. "I think it's time to pay my precious doll a visit." Sephiroth made no move to respond, merely shrugging in his chair.
"If you're lucky you may be able to catch the last glimpses of her dwindling life."
At this, Genesis thought back to a previous conversation atop the roof. "Where is your remnant?" He said slowly, taking in the posture of the silver haired man.
"His location is of no concern to you."
"Was she at least everything you'd hoped?" Genesis seethed, clenching his hands at his sides.
"Perhaps." Sephiroth mocked, lazily transferring his gaze to the red head now seething beside him. The slight tension of muscle in the General's shoulder was the only thing that gave the man's next reply away. Red brows furrowed in anger and a red leather gloved hand came down hard on the wooden table, which somehow withstood the assault.
"Her life was mine." He seethed.
Sephiroth smirked and closed his eyes. "Not anymore." He replied. A ball of flame enveloped the Crimson General's fist in anger at the man before him. Before his fist could so much as be raised, Angeal stepped up behind him and restrained his arms.
"Genesis!" He yelled, struggling against the other man's strength. Sephiroth's amusement grew as the redhead fought to free himself. "What's done is done! Let it go." Genesis struggled one last time, before pulling out of the brunette's hold. The silver haired man merely chuckled, making Genesis, fume even more, but Angeal stepped in front of him to prevent another attempted attack. Knowing he'd be outnumbered if a fight ensued, Genesis scowled and left the chamber with quickening strides.
The redhead's tantrum caused another bemused chuckle to escape the Silver General and caused Angeal to glare. "You two speak of human life as if it were unwanted trash to throw away."
Sephiroth scoffed at his statement and rounded on him. "Human life does notexist here. Only the products of Jenova. Those from the outside who do not convert to meet our ends are but bugs that need to be exterminated, much like the life of this planet."
"So unwillingly beating women to an inch of death is your idea of converting followers?" Angeal ground his teeth as he faced off against Sephiroth. The philosophies that he spoke of we're not his own; of this he was certain. This thousand year imprisonment had warped his mind beyond repair, Genesis not far behind.
"If that's what it takes." He walked over to the abused window, taking in the sight of a sleeping Ajito. Outside the glass, all was dark except for the stars that dotted the sky. No light shined tonight, as it never had for the thousand years, on this day that marked the birth of the cursed city.
"Tell me, Sephiroth. If you extinguish all life on this planet, and it falls to ruin what will you do then? You destroy it and it will destroy you that is how the cycle works. There is no alternative outcome to a future of which you speak."
"Do you think I care about the life of this dismal planet and its children?" He yelled. "That which has trapped us here for over a thousand years! Preventing us from aging and dying?" Sephiroth raised his arm, slamming it into the crack in the window left by Genesis. Unable to hold together any longer the glass shattered, letting in the howling gales from the outside. The violent winds ripped through the chamber, sending anything that was not heavy enough or bolted down to sway and thrash about.
"Gaia made her first mistake by taking away our source of life and power in this world. Her second was not destroying Jenova when she had a chance. Now she insists on trying to extinguish that which is her rightful rulers! The chosen few who are far superior to any creation from her precious womb." He walked up to Angeal with venom dripping from every pore in his body. "I will watch this planet and its people burn for the crimes brought down upon us, long before my time is done here." A cruel smile graced his lips. "So what if I have a little fun along the way?" He passed Angeal, roughly brushing shoulders. "Whatever is left after the ashes have settled will be used to create the superior race."
As he walked the halls of the SOLDIER Headquarters Genesis made his foul mood known to all he passed; sporadic spells of flame blackening the walls, waves of energy denting the stone walls or blasting holes through them. The mountainside seemed to quake with his rage as he traveled deeper into the mountain, the lights which had the front of the building well lit were now sparse, casting it into dark shadows. Unperturbed by this the redhead continued his chosen path, his blue eyes glowing in the dark, illuminating the way. Eventually the dark led out to a tall cavern with all the necessary tools for scientific research and experimentation. Tubes as large as a man lined the walls, some filled with bodies, whole and in pieces, suspended in a green liquid. Amid the metal work tables stood a hunched figure, whose slicked back hair gave him an unappealing appearance.
The sounds of Genesis's footsteps didn't seem to bother the scientist who stood working over something strapped to the table before him. The Crimson General stopped a few feet away from the scientist, taking in the horrors of the man's laboratory. "Hojo," He spat, looking around him in disgust.
The hunched figure, Hojo, didn't respond to him, but rather continued with his work and began muttering to himself. Already agitated as he was Genesis conjured a fire spell, sending it straight into an empty glass tube causing it to shatter. The scientist looked up at the disruption as if he had just been physically slapped, before rounding on the younger man. "What do you want Rhapsodos? I'm busy, come back another time." He waved a dismissive arm and continued with his work.
"Since when do you give me orders?" The redhead asked, eyes narrowing.
The scientist gave the General a sideways glance and pushed up his glasses which had slipped down his nose in the sudden excitement; he chose to ignore the younger's snide comment and instead sneered before returning to fiddle with his work. "What is it you want?" His voice was high and shrill like nails scratching through broken glass.
"Valentine."
Hojo stopped his work, peering at the young man over his spectacles. "He's unconscious and will be for the next two centuries if I have anything to do with it."
"Then wake him up!" Genesis snarled, shattering another glass tube. The scientist flinched and dropped what he was working on to move across the room to a metal bulkhead. After turning the locking mechanism, it issued a pressurizing hiss and wisps of vapor. The Crimson General followed the man into the chamber to behold a solitary tube raised and connected to a plethora of machinery. Inside floated a man, clad in only black pants, his left arm a golden claw prosthetic. He was unconscious, just as Hojo had stated, long black hair floated gently about a pale face.
Genesis heard the frantic typing and hushed curses of the scientist as he fiddled with the settings on the unconscious man's prison. If Sephiroth wanted to play games with his toys, then what harm was there in playing with some of his? After all what were brothers for? His lip upturned at the corner of his mouth as he saw the unconscious figure flinch in the green liquid. Eyelids fought to open against the concentrated mako solution enveloping him, but soon glowing red orbs gazed back at the Crimson General. Noticing the specimen had regained consciousness Hojo muttered something intelligible and left the room.
Genesis slowly walked about the room, taking in the man's form. He wasn't large or foreboding rather toned and lean. How could someone so unsuspecting be the host for Gaia's ultimate Guardian, Chaos? "Chaos." Genesis said to the man in the tube. At the name the body convulsed, red eyes fading in and out of crimson and into amber. "I see he isn't too happy with your current accommodations." The prosthetic arm reached up to the tube and scraped along the glass prison, creating four shallow marks. "You know why you're here, Vincent Valentine." The man's eyes stopped their transformation, one eye staying a bright crimson, the other a vibrant yellow; their focus fully upon the only other being in the room.
"What is it you want, human." A voice spoke in his mind, raspy, dark and foreboding.
The General smirked as Chaos's voice echoed through his mind. "It must be quite lonely down here. With no one but Hojo to keep you company." The crimson eye shifted into that of its partner, the pupils trying in vain to focus against the mako filled chamber. "It's a shame Sephiroth doesn't walk his pets more often. Even mutts need exercise once in a while." With a swift hand the red head pressed a few buttons on the control panel Hojo had only moments ago manipulated. Instantly the mako solution bubbled furiously, agitating the man. The golden prosthetic once more scraped along the glass tube before the owner's movements ceased completely. Slowly Chaos's furious cries faded from Genesis's mind as both entities fell unconscious. "Of course, I don't want to be around when you finally decide to take that walk."
A swirl of darkness. A void. Limitless. Blackness. Floating. Adrift. Lost. Pain. Bruises. Scrapes. Gashes. Bullet wounds. Exhaustion. Swords. Choking. Death. Unconsciousness.
'Where am I?'
A wisp of silver. Glowing emerald orbs. Flashes of yellow. Somber sapphire. Searing light. Can't breathe. Sharp stinging pain. Unable to focus. Voices. Concerned. Angry. Sad.
'Am I dead?'
A presence. Calm. Soothing. Welcoming. Another voice. Clear as a bell. Hands. Gentle. Caressing. Light. Warmth. Arms holding tightly.
'Who's there?'
A dull thumping woke Tifa from her sleep. Eyes heavy and tired fought against the brightness of the light drifting in from the window. Her hands curled into the soft sheets beneath her. Pulling the blanket above her head, Tifa tried to bury herself deeper into the sanctity of the bed. She felt as if she had gone out for a night on the town with the Turks. Gaia only knew how hard they partied on their days off. The thumping continued, hammering out a rhythm in her head.
Unable to take it any more she sat up, covering her eyes with one hand, while reaching out blindly for her cell phone on the bedside. Her mindless groping was met with few objects, none of which were her cell. Coming to terms with the fact that she would need to bear the brunt of whatever gods forsaken hangover she received from the night before, she slowly removed her hand. The light seemed to burn, as if she were looking directly at the sun itself, but after blinking several times, they adjusted and became bearable.
'Note to self, kick Reno's ass for not being able to remember last night.'
Now properly adjusted, Tifa took in her surroundings. The room she was in wasn't her apartment, but rather a humbly furnished bedroom, made up of pink sheets. She rubbed her temples. 'At least I didn't wake up in a man's room.' Thanking whatever gods were watching over her the night before, she slipped out of bed and looked out the door. The hall was empty save for a side table with a vase of flowers.
'Odd. Those flowers don't bloom around Midgar.' Dismissing such a trivial fact, Tifa quietly exited the room and located the bathroom two doors down. Ignoring the mirror, which was propped up above the sink, she quickly turned on the faucet and grabbed a bar of soap, proceeding to wash her most likely gruesome looking face.
As Tifa washed, she couldn't help but notice how clean the water seemed to smell. Crisp and fresh. With her eyes shut, she stumbled around the bathroom trying to locate a towel. When her hands found what they sought, she then proceeded to dab at the wet skin. Satisfied with her work, Tifa braved herself for what she might find in the mirror. When she did look, a blood curdling scream escaped her lips. In her reflection, glowing crimson eyes stared back with horror etched upon a pale face. One too pristine and perfect to be her own.
The sound of heavy footfalls and muffled shouts were all that Tifa heard as her back hit the wall, staring with disgust and shock at what she saw in the mirror. Moments later, Zack burst through the door with worried eyes as he took in the frightened woman. "Tifa?"
Tifa's head snapped to the side and took in the broad shouldered male. He seemed familiar, but a name wouldn't match up. Seconds later Cloud and Aeris appeared behind him, both with looks of confusion and worry etched upon their faces. "Who are you people?" Tifa squealed, backing up further into the small confines of the bathroom.
"Aeris?" Zack asked. "What's the matter with her?"
Aeris, pushed pass the two men. "She's in shock. Give her some room." The two SOLDIERs obliged, backing out of the bathroom's doorway, just in enough reach should Aeris need to be pulled back or Tifa restrained.
The chocolate haired beauty turned her focus to the woman now walking towards her with small, cautious steps. "Tifa?" She said in a gentle tone. "Tifa, it's me. Aeris. Don't you remember?"
Tifa shook her head furiously, pulling her hands up to her ears. She fell against the far wall and slid to the floor. With her eyes tightly shut she began to rock, trying to console herself. Aeris knelt before the young woman and placed her hand upon the other's forehead. Her eyes slowly closed as a white light shined from her palm.
In Tifa's mind, her memories were a blur, like a black and white film on fast forward. Images of a bright summer's day. Elena and Reno arguing with one another. A glint of gold. The forest rushing past her. A city tucked away at the bottom of a valley. The city draped in festive décor. Music. Dancing. A man with bright red hair. Charming. A fight with a blonde man, his eyes solemn every time he looked at her. The forest again, this time dark and cold. Bursts of light. Fire raining down in sparks through the sky. Shadows chasing her. Fear gripping her. Shouts. Gunshots. And eyes. Emerald eyes with wisps of silver. Then the pain.
Tifa screamed as everything from the night before crashed upon her like a wave. She fell forward into the arms of Aeris, who gently enveloped her in an embrace; quietly hushing the sobs that seemed to flow like rain.
A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! Thought I'd give everyone a New Year's Chapter. It's only half of what I usually write but I thought I owe it to all of you who reviewed, alerted, and fav'd. Thanks for reading! Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated. Party responsibly! :D