Good evening my dears! Or morning or afternoon, depending on which part of the planet you reside on. The next chapter is done! And I had fun writing it, and the following one xD And the one after that. I'll stop teasing now lol.

Aside from my usual thanks to my regular readers and beloved reviewers *you know who you are :)* I'd like to say another thank you to Stoccarda for taking the time to read the whoooole thing from start to finish and leaving me a lovely review at the end ^^ And to answer your question (and anyone else who may be wondering)...all will become clear ;D

There is also a small interview with Meia up in my DA journal, as well as general fanart of the fic. The link is in my profile, BUT! I have discovered it won't work if you just click on it D:! So copy and paste into your address bar and it should all be good :)

All original Final fantasy vii Content is property of Square Enix and this is a work of fandom, not for profit. All I own is Meia and the odd OC here and there.

Chapter 23

Rain, heavy and unrelenting, hammered down on the roof of the military truck heading for the town of Nibelheim. It hadn't stopped since they left the desert area and thanks to the absence of a smoggy umbrella, as well as the climbing altitude, the temperature out on the western continent was now bone chillingly cold. Meia pulled the vast hood of her floor length jacket close about her throat and continued to study the personal pad she had nestled in her lap. Before they left, she had all the records she was allowed access too on Nibelheim downloaded onto it for reference. Try as she might, there was no getting rid of the feeling of unease eating away at her.

Sephiroth observed her from his seat opposite, his eyes twitching to look at the sudden sight of lightening outside. Meia had been reading that pad ever since they left Midgar two days ago; she hardly looked up from it. He crossed his legs and folded his hands in his lap,

"Something is bothering you, what is it?" He said finally. She didn't look up, whatever she was reading it had her undivided attention. Sighing, Sephiroth rose and shut the hatch behind the driver, cutting him off, before settling next to her carefully. She was looking at plans of the reactor in the town they were heading for. He found it strange that rather than researching their destination, she was instead obsessed with the small mountain town. He leant back against the wall of the truck and unzipped his jacket slightly. He was getting quite warm, despite the cold region they were traveling through,

"Did you want something, Sir?" Meia said quietly, still looking over blueprints and not bothering to look up.

"The hatch is closed, Meia, and the rain is loud. You can dispense with the formalities" Sephiroth sighed. Meia sat up and nodded, stretching her back which released in a series of satisfying crunches.

"I find it odd your researching Nibelheim, Meia, were only paying the town a visit" Sephiroth questioned her, his head tilted. She folded her dark hood down and observed him, a look of plain worry on her features,

"I'm sorry, it's just…" She paused, looking away, "There is something about the place. I have an uneasy feeling about it"

Sephiroth continued to observe her. Meia's feelings were usually cemented in fact. She had an uncanny ability to read a situation or a person. Like empathy, or an over honed sixth sense. If she was feeling uneasy, there was probably a good reason for it.

"What do the records say about the town?" He asked, sitting back again and crossing a leg over his knee. Meia explained that it was simply a small settlement with a reactor in the mountains. The only other remotely interesting thing about it was a large mansion that apparently had been a Shinra facility at some point. Other than that, everything was plain and normal. Sephiroth looked at the reactor blueprints Meia had on the screen currently and frowned. It looked like any other reactor core. A standard model usually found outside of Midgar.

"Something about the reactor bothering you?" He stated, noting her long sigh. She nodded,

"I don't know why but…something tells me these are wrong. The layout, the design, it doesn't make sense for a reactor built on a mountain. These aren't the right blueprints…" She muttered to herself. Sephiroth frowned,

"They were in the Nibelheim file, were they not? They have to be right"

Meia looked at him, "Do they? Just because someone or something says so doesn't make it true…" She challenged, noting the flicker of confusion pass over Sephiroth's face,

"You think they have been replaced with false records?" He said quietly, earning him a hesitant nod from Meia,

"But why would they?" He continued,

"Think about it. There is no denying that things with Shinra…aren't always what they seem. We know that for a fact"

"But the ramblings of rebels and official records are two different things; you of all people should know that, Meia" He said with a frown,

"Perhaps…but where am I getting these feelings from?"

Sephiroth shook his head and chose not to pursue the matter, watching the scenery pass by instead. Meia suspected Shinra of falsifying records? Most subordinates would be reported for such disloyalty to the company. Had it been anyone else he would have filed a report himself. Had it been anyone else…He exhaled through his nose gently.

"Are you that loyal to a company that uses you, Sephiroth?" Meia said suddenly. His eyes narrowed and turned to face her. She looked at him with genuine concern in her eyes which dispelled any anger he may have felt for a moment,

"What do you mean…" He asked her slowly. Meia blinked and shook her head,

"Sorry, that was out of line. it was something Genesis said to me that's all"

Sephiroth snorted, "Genesis…put that thing away Meia. You'll give yourself a headache" He scolded her gently. He would not have her worry over something Genesis said to her. He narrowed his eyes once again. Meia was his to protect, his to care for and he simply would not allow other people to get at her. Even if it was his own friend,

"I've told you not to worry about him, Meia" He added, in a softer tone this time.

"Oh I'm not worried about Genesis. Just…curious. I want to know what's going on, I want to know what's fuelling my bizarre instincts" She said, rubbing her cold cheeks with a gloved hand. Sephiroth looked down his nose at her, before responding to a gentle rapping coming from the driver. Apparently, they were almost at Nibelheim.

Grey. That was the only word Sephiroth could think of to describe the scenery that lay before him. Had the weather not been so dire, the place probably had a beautiful charm to it. All he could think of at the moment, however, was that he hoped his boots were still waterproof. The downpour was almost savage, the ground beneath his feet was flooded and verging on boggy. A vapour clouded sigh escaped his lips and he looked behind him for Meia, who was currently absorbed in her own disgust at the conditions. Eventually she sloshed to his side, the ground making ominous sucking noises as she did,

"This wasn't in the brochure…" She quipped under her breath. Sephiroth gave a small grunt of a laugh and forged ahead through the curtain of rain, heading for the village gate. Meia was aware of her coat dragging on the floor slightly, soggy hems all round then. All of the coats were too long for her and only mediums were left, meaning things were too wide and far too long. But in this weather, everything would be soggy eventually…

Sephiroth slowed as he approached Nibelheims gates, his gaze following the flow of the town and the mountains beyond. Now he too was having feelings of familiarity. The landscape, the smell, the atmosphere, all were triggering feelings and memories inside him. Infuriating, scattered and fragmented memories that as usual, he couldn't place or make sense of. They carried on into the main town square and headed for the Inn, where their informant was apparently staying. Meia felt a surge of guilt as the stepped inside, the rain water running off their coats and forming puddles where they stood in the doorway. Sephiroth flipped his hood down and looked around. An elderly man looked up from his paper, a look of recognition forming on his features,

"Ah, from Shinra I presume?" He enquired and looked at a sheet of paper in front of him, "Mr Sephiroth and Miss..." He paused, his mouth twisting into a look of concerntration, "My-ah?"

Meia's mouth twitched into a smile, "May-Ah, Sir" She corrected, accompanied with a kind look, "And yes, that's us"

"Ah! Of course. Please come in, take those soaked coats off and sit by the fire" He said warmly.

"Thank you, but we are only staying for a short time. We're looking for a man who recently took refuge here from Clydia" Sephiroth stated simply. The elderly Inn owner removed his glasses and rubbed the red marks on the bridge of his nose,

"Ah yes. Bill. He said something about taking a walk this morning, the children say he headed off for the mountain. Hasn't come back yet"

The muscle in Sephiroth's jaw twitched. They were on time but this Bill character was taking liberties. Meia frowned,

"Does he usually do this?" She asked the man, removing her hood also. The inn keeper shook his head and replaced his glasses, "I'm afraid not. There's no telling how long he's going to be" He finished apologetically. Sephiroth turned to Meia and asked her to inform their driver. Nodding, she did as she was told and replaced her hood, before stepping out into the downpour once more.

Once the driver was told of the situation, she wandered back to the town centre. Her eyes were drawn upwards to the mountains for some reason. The rain splashed on her cold lips as she observed the gloomy jagged outline. The reactor was up there, along with whatever was causing her feelings of unease. Then her eyes lowered and fixed on the roof of a large building she could just make out beyond the main settlement of the town. The mansion. Again, a strange feeling swam in her stomach. She didn't like this place…She hoped this Bill person would come back soon. Meia had no desire to spend the night here…

Back at the Inn, Sephiroth sipped his piping hot green tea while poring over the mission report on his own personal pad. He had reluctantly accepted the inn keeper's invitation to stay and wait for the informant. He had to accept the fact they might also be forced to stay the night, which would set the mission back and unsettle Meia. He looked up as she entered the Inn once again, freshly drenched, where she was attended too by the elderly man. He watched her smile and interact with him, a slight smile twisting his lips also. She made her way to him and assumed a seat at the table, removing her soaked gloves and turning to the fire behind them to dry her hands.

"Depending on when this man shows up, we may have to spend the night here, Meia" He spoke to her quietly. There were only a few more people in the Inn with them and the conversation wasn't loud enough to provide enough of a cover. Meia sighed,

"I was afraid of that" She muttered.

"Still feel uneasy?"

She nodded, "Yes. This town" She hesitated and dropped her voice further, "…it gives me the creeps"

Sephiroth acknowledged her before offering his tea, which she accepted and poured her own cup full. A full hour passed and still there was no sign of the man. Meia was reading a book on local information and Sephiroth was sat back in his chair, arms folded over his chest and his eyes closed. It was early evening now, the rain was still unrelenting and steadily the light outside was fading. Meia's eyes watched the rise and fall of Sephiroth's chest, crossed with the usual leather straps but covered up this mission with a black cotton roll neck to ward off the rain and chills. She wondered if their informant was going to be alright and whether he'd make it off the mountain by nightfall. Would they have to go looking for him? She sincerely hoped not. Going up those mountains at night in this weather was something straight out of a horror movie to her. Especially considering the way she felt about the place.

But shortly after the first lights came on in the town square, their informant arrived, soaked through and looking like he'd seen better days,

"Bill! Where have you been? I was beginning to worry…" The elderly Innkeeper stated with relief. The gruff looking, wet, bearded man known as Bill grunted and removed his coat, declining the Inn keepers insistence to stay and warm himself by the fire,

"Can't, need to rest up for Shinra. Coming tomorrow, aye?" He slurred. Meia arched an eyebrow; he displayed all the signs of lunacy or intoxication. Or maybe both…

"Bill, Shinra are already here. You were meant to meet them today…" The Inn keeper shook his head. Bill lurched forwards a few steps and ogled the man with confusion shot eyes, partly concealed beneath wild knotted eyebrows,

"You 'avin me on eh? It's Tuesday today innit?"

Sephiroth stood up and looked at the man with all the patience he could summon, "No Sir, today is Wednesday. We had an agreement to meet at three in the afternoon" He stated, suppressing the irritation he felt.

Bill scratched his head and grumbled to himself, "Sorry 'bout that, young'un. Give me a few to smarten up, eh?" And with that, he lumbered off up the stairs. Sephiroth sat down again with a heavy sigh. After a moment's pause, Meia rose,

"Shall I make arrangements to stay, Sir?" She asked her superior. Sephiroth nodded, noting as predicted she was visibly uncomfortable. But he had a feeling this would take longer than he'd hoped and they couldn't travel through the night in the weather. He rubbed his eyebrows and sat up upon hearing the stairs creak once more.

Meia lie awake, listening to the sound of the rain outside. She couldn't sleep, not in this place. For once she couldn't blame the coffee; Sephiroth hadn't allowed her to consume any. Not that it made any difference. Restless, she slid out of her bed and into a robe provided by the Inn keeper. It was just her and Sephiroth in the room, their driver had opted to stay with the truck for security reasons. Or maybe the town creeped him out as well. She turned a desk lamp on and pulled a book from one of the shelves at her bedside. Sephiroth was sound asleep across the room, as usual. He once said to her that he never slept properly and that he always slept light. But whenever she'd seen him, he was always sleeping a deep, restful sleep. She looked over at his unconscious form, bundled under sheets, quilts and blankets, utterly at peace.

She smiled, for he was completely different when he slept. Although his eyebrows grew on a natural slant which gave him a perpetual seriousness, relaxed as his face was now there was no hint of it. His lips were parted slightly and he made utterly no sound, save the occasional gentle sigh when he shifted his position unconsciously. It was almost hard to believe Sephiroth was Shinra's most powerful SOLDIER when he appeared almost delicate at rest…She shook her head and began to read.

Sephiroth…

Meia's blood ran cold and she froze. The voice, that abhorrent voice which chilled her to the core. But it was so loud this time, almost as if it were in the room with her…

Sephiroth…come to me…

She stood up slowly and looked around. Usually, she wasn't spooked easily. Usually her rational and logical brain came to a conclusion before doubt and worry could work its way into her system. But this was different. This was what she was afraid off. This town, something was defiantly wrong. Everything said by her tormenter was crystal clear…

…ake. Leave her, leave them, and come to me…I will make you so powerful… people everywhere would fear us…worship us…

Meia simply stood in the lamplight and listened. She couldn't block it out, this time it was clear and she heard every word. The voice was cold and raspy but at the same time seductive, mysterious…Meia glanced at Sephiroth but he was still fast asleep, he hadn't even moved…

You….YOU…I see you now, woman…yeeesss…I see you…

Meia said nothing, but she knew it was talking to her…

Leave him. Leave…my child, come to me…come to me Meia and I can make you strong. I can make him love you, Just come to me…

Meia closed her eyes and took a deep breath,what are you…

You know what I am. I'm a part of you, a part of him…you know…

You are mistaken

Don't you yearn for his love? Yearn to hear his heart sing only for you? Come to me and I can make it possible…

Meia's heart quickened as she felt seduced by those words, tempted by their promise. She did yearn…she did…But she quickly recomposed; I will not

You will…one day, you will…all returns to me; all becomes one again…one day…

Meia shut her eyes and steadied herself. She could feel a part of her wanting to obey. Needing, lusting to succumb to the creatures sweet promises. Part of her was pulled and she didn't like it. The urge to scale the mountain was festering in the back of her mind no matter how hard she tried to push it away…

"Meia…" Sephiroth's soft utterance made her almost jump out of her skin, but when her heart settled back in her chest she found she could no longer hear the voice…

"Meia…why are you lurking about in the shadows?" He asked her through a yawn, propping himself up on an elbow and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Meia was startled, and slightly panicked, to discover she had taken several steps towards the door of their room without even knowing it,

"I couldn't sleep. Sorry If I woke you" She stammered, backing up again. Finally, she smiled faintly at him, though her blood was running cold. What had just happened? Sephiroth observed her through half closed eyes, his pupils were fully dilated in the dim light yet the thin rings of his iris still glowed bright in the gloom. He sighed and patted the bed by his knees, inviting her to sit with him. She hesitated before accepting, being careful not to sit on any part of his body,

"Why? What's wrong this time?" He asked her, noting how tired she looked, the glow from the lamp etching deep shadows under her eyes. Meia watched the water running down the window panes,

"The voice. It's back…and it's clearer than it's ever been…" She answered quietly. Sephiroth sat up; ensuring the sheets still preserved his modesty, before pursing his lips,

"It's strange you say that. I haven't heard it at all in the past few days. And the last three nights I've slept soundly, uninterrupted" He trailed off, listening to the steady drum of water. It was too much of a coincidence. The last three nights they had been on the road, staying in Inn's and always together in the same room. Always when Meia was around could he sleep like a baby, like he used to sleep before he was enrolled as a SOLDIER.

"It's asking for you again…" Meia started quietly, "It's after you, and when it can't reach you…It comes for me" She looked at him with her pale eyes, "I'll be glad to leave this place in the morning" She muttered, rubbing her forehead.

Mercifully the rain stopped shortly after daybreak and they were on the road once more, heading west to Clydia. The ground was still utterly sodden, however, and the going was slow. Meia was woken yet again by another uncomfortable jerk to her head, the back of it colliding painfully with the side of the truck. She groaned and leant forwards, cradling her sore head in her hands. She was unsuccessful in her bid to sleep after her 'voice' episode last night but was easily dropping off in the truck. Until she was woken by her skull being rammed into metal, which happened more often than not…

"Meia, take some please, I need you alert for this mission, not passing out on my shoulder whenever you have the chance…" Sephiroth tried for the fourth time already that morning to convince her to take a few energy tablets. She sat up again and drew in a deep breath,

"Alright then. You have a point, as always" She sighed, accepting the tube from him. She popped a few in the half full bottle of water she had and watched them fizz away before sinking the concoction down. Sephiroth closed his eyes and sighed. He'd fallen asleep again without any problem, despite being worried about Meia. She was already dressed in her uniform and ready to leave when he got up in the morning. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty…

They arrived at Clydia a short while after noon. The two SOLDIER's stepped out of the truck and observed the landscape. It wasn't much different from Nibelheim but here, Meia didn't feel an awful sense of foreboding. Ironic, considering the photo's she'd seen with her brief. The town was bigger than Nibelheim, the mine attracting a fair amount of employment opportunities for people skilled in the trade. They approached on foot, noting that the town was indeed a ghost town. Tools and vehicles had been abandoned where they were last used and an eerie silence met their ears,

"From one creepy place to the next…" Meia uttered under her breath. Sephiroth ignored her and marched onwards, keen to get the mission over with. According to their informant, one by one the miners would disappear. At first people assumed they had simply got lost, search parties were even sent out to look for them but when the groups didn't come back, people began to get scared. Then one by one, bodies would turn up. Mutilated, torn, disfigured beyond any recognition. Fearing for their lives, most of the people had run save a few. That much they already knew from the reports.

What Bill had so kindly divulged was plans he'd managed to find left in the mine one day. Only they weren't left by the miners, they were Wutain plans. Bill didn't have a clue what they said, but he'd snagged them anyway. That's what Shinra had to pay him for. Once they were out of his hands, Sephiroth had ascertained they detailed a base in the mine, being able to read, write and speak Wutain. But why were villagers going missing and turning up as mutilated corpses? The plans didn't explain that. The most expensive piece of paper Sephiroth had ever carried was currently folded in a breast pocket of his long coat.

As they walked up to the main gate of the village, a stray dog observed them warily before darting off. That was the first sign of life they had seen since arriving. Meia noted the shovels and various other farming tools lying on the floor. Some of the houses doors were ajar and she checked one out but found it utterly deserted. Left as if in a heartbeat. Most of the houses they searched were the same and only a few were left to explore.

They could hear noises coming from inside a two story affair, a conversation of some kind. Sephiroth knocked on the door but there was no answer, only the sound of voices. Meia noticed one of the windows was smashed, the thin net curtain being blown outside by a breeze. Sephiroth tested the door only to find it locked, so he drew his leg up and with a swift firm kick, forced it open. The smell of putrefaction met their noses immediately; Meia recoiled and swallowed, taking a moment to adjust to the smell. The house was like the rest, empty, silent, save the continuous voices coming from a room further up the hallway.

Sephiroth stood in the doorway, reaching the room first and Meia could see from his profile that he'd found the source of both the smell and the noise,

"Killed in their own home" He mused quietly, "What's happening here…" She could almost see his mind working. He turned again and began searching the rest of the house. Meia looked into the room he'd just left. The television was on, explaining the conversation they could hear. It was streaming some soap opera to its deceased audience. A couple, buy the looks of things, what she presumed was the male once held a shotgun in his hand, its form now discarded on the floor beside him. They had been dead for a while now, signs of decay were apparent. She moved closer, steeling her senses against the offensive onslaught before her. Their throats were slashed so deeply it was near decapitation but she was curious to know why the sofa they sat on wasn't soaked red by their blood. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. Had it been drained? Or something more sinister…

"Meia, come here" Sephiroth called her from upstairs. She obeyed with a last glance at the victims before her, and hurried to her commander. She found him in a room, staring out at the village below. The road to the mine in the base of the mountain was clearly visible, along with something else,

"A trail of blood…" She thought out loud. They could see from their vantage point that it was made up of many trails, all originating from houses and points in the village…

"Killed and then dragged, still bleeding…some perhaps still alive, into the mine…" Sephiroth stated, he too thinking out loud, "Except the bodies downstairs…why?"

Meia swallowed, she found it odd also. She explained the likely cause of death, along with the absence of most of their blood. Sephiroth said nothing. He was deep in thought. Finally he suggested checking the remaining houses, of which one more contained a murdered family that hadn't been taken into the mine.

Meia now stood outside, arms crossed and observing the entrance in the mountain side. It was inevitable; they would have to check it out. Sephiroth joined her shortly after and they stood, the wind stirring their long coats and hair. Sounds could be heard coming from deep within the mountain. Machinery, so even the mine was left as was, working in full motion. A feral howl, almost a moan, was carried to their ears by a strong gust of wind, and Meia looked at Sephiroth,

"What do you think?" She asked quietly,

He looked down at her, his expression grim, "I think you may be right about Shinra, Meia"

She was taken aback, "What do you mean?"

He looked away again, at the last house he'd checked, "Did you know there is a reactor in that mountain as well?"

"No…it's…"

"…not in any records" He finished solemnly. "A team of engineers lived in the last house, Meia, posing as a family unit. I found documents outlining reactor diagnostic reports"

She looked back at the house in question, "I assume the reactor wasn't just sucking the lifestream out of the planet either" She stated quietly. Sephiroth shook his head,

"Let's go, Meia. Stay alert…who know what we'll find down there…" He said grimly and together, they marched off towards the mine.

Uwaaaa! D: Creepy creepies all round! Hopefully The pronounciation of Meia's name is no longer a mystery :)

Next chapter - Sephiroth and Meia journey deeper into the mine, into perpetual gloom and rank decay. What will be waiting for them? And what will happen when a chain of events is set off which promise to have dire consiquences for both SOLDIER's...

As uuusual, I would love you to leave a reveiw if you have the time :) They mean alot to me x