Author's Note: Wow, took a long break from Invictus and worked on my art as well as wrote more chapters on my other story 'Jade'. I actually intended to upload this chapter earlier today but my family wanted to see Iron Man 3 in the last minute. XD
Well, where to start? I guess I should first begin by expressing my complete gratitude to my supporters. I confess, I do suffer from bouts of depression from time to time. Last month I was dealing with all sorts of problems/stresses. The amount of unfollows were kinda like the last straw for me. :P I honestly was ready to quit but told myself to give it a month to chill out. However, I didn't anticipate the amount of PMs and messages here during my time off. I feel I owe it to all my supporters to play this to the end. There will be ups-and-downs. And I can't please everybody. Sooner or later, this story will rub someone the wrong way. It's got tons of controversial themes and a cobweb of interwined subplots that it's not for everyone. I just gotta brush it off my shoulders and trek onward though. I'm grateful there are people still willing to continue on this journey. Seriously, you guys are incredible. :)
On this chapter: Tons of valuable insight on the legion of lights and Cruel King! Sephiroth wonders what to do with his first ever sex tape. :B Sephiroth also discovers an interesting tidbit about Cloud from Zack. And Zack recruits a 'few good men' for a mission of EPIIIIIC PORPORTIONS. OAO
CHAPTER 26: Catalyst
It wasn't often Sephiroth broke the sacred rules. Granted, in his younger days he was an overly ambitious boy who allowed his curiosity or desires to get the best of him. But he was the General of SOLDIER today. The time for children games had long since passed. As acting General, he had to lead his men by example and behave accordingly. From the way he dressed to the way he spoke, every aspect of his life was under public scrutiny. He expected as much and, thus, kept in line. Besides, life was less complicated this way. Sephiroth preferred not to deviate from the established norms and become yet another fool who overindulged himself in reckless behavior. Of course, his orderly lifestyle did often make him the topic of many unflattering conversations among his colleagues. A pretty boy with a large sword up his ass, he caught one Second ranked SOLDIER colorfully remark in the lavatory. Sephiroth was not bothered by it. Nor did he care if many felt he took himself too seriously. That was their opinion. So long as he lived a self-disciplined and sufficient existence, he was content. He did not need to add any unnecessary excitement to his life. That he had to be on his toes with his associates, enemies, and fanatics was more than enough for him.
Unfortunately, life wasn't so simple these days. Sitting behind his office desk with his usual stack of files and cup of hot tea, the silver-haired swordsman stared at the computer screen in front of him. Every item on his desk was spaced evenly and put to its proper place. The walls of the office were empty, save for the clock, while the only plant present in the room was the one given to him by Angeal. It sat alone by itself on the window sill. Nothing was amiss. Somewhere inside Sephiroth's rational head, he reminded himself of the materia inventory list he needed to approve as well as the mandatory company review he had to present to the Director later this evening. There were also the performance evaluation forms that required to be signed off by him. Sephiroth was on a tight schedule. He couldn't waste time dilly-dallying.
Nonetheless, there he sat on his office seat; frozen in place. His finger rested on the delete button of his keyboard while his eyes lingered to the recording that currently played on his monitor. This was… a very delicate and unforeseeable situation he found himself in. Sure, Sephiroth knew he wasn't the first man to retrieve scandalous footage from the archives with the intent of removing it to save his own skin. God only knows, President Shinra had his Turks remove any evidence of his infidelities all the time. However, Sephiroth never imagined himself committing the same sin. The fact he observed his own delinquency onscreen left a bitter taste in his mouth. Fraternizing with a young man of lower rank? That was not the conduct of a sound superior officer, even if the event did prove sinfully delicious. Sephiroth inwardly wished Private Cloud Strife had never enrolled in the program.
The footage between them in the Training Room hours ago was already deleted from the online temporary cache. Granted, Sephiroth was under the disguise of Raven at the time, but he needed to take the extra precautions to grant himself some peace of mind. The ever-so rational General wanted to cover all the angles and remedy this issue as if it were a battle plan. His esteemed position and reputation was on the line if the higher-ups ever discovered his unruly behavior today. Now all that was left of the incident was the physical disc he, himself, removed from Floor 45's archive room.
The disc currently loaded in his computer, Sephiroth watched the entire scene of today's sword session unfold for a third viewing. His finger remained on the delete button but it never budged. Initially, he was positive that once he observed the footage from an outside perspective he'd be disgusted with his own lack of professionalism. This was the first time in his entire life he'd crossed the line. There'd been previous times he acted insubordinate, but it was never to this extent. He expected that type of behavior from Genesis and Angeal's puppy; never himself. And yet, as Sephiroth observed the young cadet expose himself onscreen, he found himself reliving that precious moment again. It was not disgust or repulsion that filled him… it was satisfaction.
Sephiroth slightly shifted in his seat while the clock on the wall ticked-tocked quietly. He'd grown hard from watching the video many times in one sitting. As self-disciplined as he was, he acknowledged the fact he was still made of flesh and bones. The cadet's lovely expressions of suffering mixed with pleasure made it difficult to ignore the gratification he quickly gained from it. Onscreen, Cloud made a pleasant sound during his choke-hold. Sephiroth felt the warmth take over his skin when he did. In the comforting solitude of his office, he replayed the scene one more time and set the volume in his computer higher. It took every ounce of Sephiroth's being not to pull out his arousal and relieve himself right here and right now.
Outside, the sky had darkened and given way to clouds. Drops of water fell. They lightly tapped against the glass windows.
Up until now, Sephiroth never considered himself to be a lustful man. Sex was too physically demanding of an activity with only a temporary payoff to give it much mind. It was why Genesis often had to be the one to initiate and inspire him. Even when Sephiroth was a young adolescent being, sex felt awkward, clinical, and contrived. His pursuit for sex was more out of curiosity than personal fulfillment. It served merely as a means to an end. Perhaps it was his own disorderly conduct today that made this particular sexual experience all the more exciting for him. He had been careless. He had been rebellious. He had forsaken his honor. He had given in to his lust toward a young man many years younger than his senior. And it actually felt… good.
It helped that the seemingly simple country boy he'd taken a fascination to was very sensitive and responsive to his touches and commands. Cloud possessed a creative mind consumed by very raw, hungry, and bizarre sexual appetites. He had the body of a saint but the mentality of a whore. The boy's quirks only fueled Sephiroth's own desires. While he wanted to conduct himself as a man of reason, Sephiroth admittedly found captivation in the absurd as well. When he had wrapped his hand around Cloud's neck and felt his life's pulse against the palm of his hand, it was the most erotic sensation he'd ever experienced. He'd been granted a power he hadn't encountered before. Every ounce of Sephiroth wanted to squeeze the life out of that fragile and beautiful young man, to make him wither and scream his name, to make him spill his essence all over him. It was such a violent, primal thought. And Sephiroth absolutely loved it.
A beep sound from the interphone nearby prompted the General to pause from his rapid thoughts. Alerted to his personal assistant, Sephiroth stopped the risqué video onscreen and pressed a button to take the call.
"Yes?"
"General, Ambassador Adara is here to speak with you, sir," his female assistant promptly replied.
Sephiroth took a deep breath upon hearing the news. Formalities aside, he was not looking forward to seeing Ezabel. Granted, he did enjoy her pleasant company. She never tested his patience and no talk was ever trivial. In fact, she exchanged some rather remarkable stories of her culture with him. Ezabel also made a surprisingly wonderful lover. However, the streak of arranged public outings, including tomorrow's opera event with the President's son, had left the General with a strong desire for privacy.
"General?" his assistant addressed him again. "Should I send her in or arrange a different time?"
"Send her in," he finally decided and released the interphone's button.
Sephiroth sighed and stared at his computer screen one last time. The current frame stopped at Cloud's climatic moment. With his head tossed back and mouth partly opened, the boy's tussled hair framed the soft curves of his blushed face nicely. His piercing blue eyes stared downward in the most alluring gaze Sephiroth had ever witnessed. My god, Cloud was beautiful.
Sephiroth's hand strayed back to the keyboard, ready to remove all evidence of his discretions before the Ambassador arrived. The finger slid to the delete button. He had only a few seconds to commit the required action. His hand abruptly shifted direction, however. Sephiroth pushed the ejection button instead.
Almost immediately, the logical part of Sephiroth retorted and reminded him it was a clear violation of the established rules and an abuse of Shinra resources. He needed to destroy the evidence. His integrity and position would remain threatened by its existence. Sex was meaningless. Sex was a distraction. Sex corrupted the trained mind. There was no sensible gain in preserving such crude material in his neat and tidy office. This did not belong here. A devilish smile shortly formed on Sephiroth's lips. Despite his voice of reason spitting out all sorts of objections, he tucked the disc inside a drawer for future viewings. The rebellious act, alone, felt liberating. This was worth keeping. His physical interaction with Cloud today would stay with him for however long he wanted it to. At the very least, the production of this recording was Shinra technology at its finest.
The door to his office slid aside right as Sephiroth calmly shut down his computer with a satisfied smirk on his face. Ambassador Adara entered his office space. With her thick and long hair pulled into a high ponytail, she donned an ecru beaded garb that accented her dark and slender arms. She looked both humble and stunning today. As always, the Ambassador was escorted by two fully cloaked bodyguards. They never left her side. Sephiroth rose from his seat to greet the woman. All the same, though, he stayed behind his desk to conceal his current condition.
"Ezabel," he formally greeted her and bowed his head.
"Sephiroth," the Ambassador replied with a smile. "I hope I was not interrupting an important matter."
"Far from it…" Sephiroth murmured to her and took a seat again.
The Ambassador settled on the chair at the other side of his desk. Her two guards, meanwhile, stood by the door. Sephiroth gave pause to the tall guard stationed at the left of the exit. Cloaked in the same robe as the other, he somehow recognized this particular sentry anyway. The guard had arrived along with the rest of Ambassador Adara's convoy on the night they returned from Condor. The silhouette suggested female. Her presence felt extremely familiar to him though. Of note was the strong flow of power Sephiroth detected on her person. It was not mako, but some other mystifying energy that caused the tiny hairs at the back of his neck to rise.
As if sensing his area of interest, the tall and cloaked guard stared up at him. Underneath the hood of the robe, a pair of gleaming red eyes met his green set. Those eyes… Yes. He'd seen this person before. But… what was she doing here?
"I am sorry for coming in such short and unexpected notice," Ambassador Adara spoke at last, oblivious to this silent exchange. "I was not sure if you were busy with other matters, Sephiroth."
"Make no apologies, Ezabel." He sat against his seat and crossed his legs. "You may come at your convenience. Now, what is it that you require from me?"
"I was wondering how your progress was coming along with Fuhito," she answered back. She sounded a bit on edge and had trouble making eye contact. "The train incident yesterday was the work of Avalanche, yes? That is what the reports claim."
Sephiroth nodded.
"Then Fuhito's men are here in the city?"
"Avalanche's main base for operations is in Midgar," the General confirmed. "Our undercover operatives suspect they reside somewhere in the Sector 7 division, but we are still undergoing the investigation to pinpoint their exact location."
Ambassador Adara grew quiet. The rain outside dropped louder and faster.
Sephiroth cocked his head to the side and spoke again. His voice was soft. "Are you concerned for your general welfare, Ezabel?"
Adara remained silent in her seat.
The General offered her a reassuring smile. "We may be at the belly of the beast, but no harm will come to you during your time here. I won't allow it. You are under my personal protection."
At this, Ambassador Adara's face relaxed. Her hazel eyes drifted to the beaded bracelet around her wrist; the same one that matched the General's. She smiled. "There is no need to concern yourself with me, Sephiroth. Even without my guards, I can look after my own well-being. Or have you forgotten?"
Sephiroth quietly laughed. "Ah, yes… I do recall."
Like so many prominent members within the Condor clan, Ambassador Adara was brought up as a warrior, ranked among the best. Ezabel was a protector of her people in both diplomatic and combat affairs. Extremely skilled with a scythe, Sephiroth had accepted Ezabel's challenge on the first day she settled in Midgar. It was out of curiosity and respect. They battled in the Training Room in front of an audience. He was thoroughly surprised by her valor and talents. Ezabel's speed and accuracy were deadly and equal to a First-Class SOLDIER. While she had no mako injections, her warriors had mastered the secret art of materia to enhance their combat abilities. He ultimately won the match, but Sephiroth did suspect Ezabel held back on him. He had done the same for her. As it was, neither of them knew the other's true strengths.
"You are a noble man, Sephiroth," Ambassador Adara commented later. "You've been very respectable to me and your people. I admit, prior to our meeting in Condor I had my personal reservations. I'd heard horrible rumors concerning your reputation. They call you the Silver-Haired Demon among my circles."
The smile on Sephiroth's face widened a bit. "Yes, among other names."
The Ambassador frowned and looked at him. "And you are fine with this?"
"Actually, yes."
"But… why?"
Sephiroth stared at her. The smile disappeared when he revealed seriously, "Because words can be as powerful and efficient as the sharpest blade. I've managed to avoid many conflicts and spare my men's lives on account of my name and reputation."
"You value your soldiers, yes?"
"Of course."
"They are your family," Ambassador Adara remarked.
Sephiroth's mouth closed. He hadn't thought of it that way before. Admittedly, he considered his ability to save as many of his soldiers' lives more as a personal success. Their survival reflected on the quality of his leadership skills. The sentiment Ezabel expressed right now, though… it felt accurate for him too. These soldiers were… his brethren.
"I feel the same way for my people," Ezabel confessed shortly. "I will commit any act necessary to ensure their survival. It is why I am here in Midgar. May I ask you a personal query, Sephiroth?"
"You may."
"What brought you to serve under President Shinra's leadership?"
Sephiroth paused. He wasn't sure how to answer her question. It wasn't like he really had a choice. Born and raised in Shinra, this was the only life he knew. He'd grown to become a SOLDIER. That was his purpose.
Ambassador Adara's eyes kept locked on Sephiroth when she added, "Forgive me for my boldness, but President Shinra has made many enemies throughout the duration of his company's expansion. From the times I've interacted with him, it is clear he does not waver much from his position. His success in occupying lands is largely due to you and your men. I am curious how an honorable man can remain under his direction."
Again, Sephiroth hesitated. He reflected those same thoughts himself many times. That Ambassador Adara openly voiced them out loud made him feel awkward. On the one hand, he entirely agreed with her and wanted to be honest about his position with President Shinra. On the other hand, Ezabel was still the Ambassador of Condor. He could not disgrace President Shinra in front of a key political figure, even if they were currently courting each other.
His hesitation to answer her question brought Ambassador Adara to apologize and divert her eyes elsewhere. "Forgive me for asking such a controversial inquiry, Sephiroth. I understand it is not decent for a soldier to question their allegiance to their organization."
"That is all right," Sephiroth finally replied. "Unfortunately, the answer to your question is rather complicated. In short: I was raised to be in SOLDIER."
"Raised?"
He nodded.
Ambassador Adara's eyes found him again. There was a sympathetic expression on her face. "So you are a child born for war…"
"Yes."
"So am I…" Ambassador Adara whispered back. She stared at Sephiroth for a moment. "My father was the former chief of the clan before he passed onto the Lifestream. As I was born a daughter than a son, I was not given his title. My life was already decided before I was brought into this world. I was raised to be a guardian of my people, even if I could not be their leader."
"Being an Ambassador does have it benefits, however," Sephiroth noted.
"Indeed. In previous times, all a leader need do was combat the threat and keep the wolves away. But times are different today. The world has changed. Today's world requires the use of clever words and well-calculated actions. Gone are the simple ways of the warrior."
Sephiroth rested his chin on the palm of his hand and pressed his own personal query. "Do you regret your position then, Ezabel?"
The dark-skinned woman took a moment to reflect on his question. When she at last had an answer, her voice was close to a whisper. "If you had asked me that question ten years ago, then absolutely yes. Growing up, I did not care much for the responsibilities passed onto me, Sephiroth."
"And now?"
"And now…" Ezabel looked at him. Her voice returned to full force when she openly asserted, "I've accepted my role. But more than that, I have gained a passion. President Shinra's occupancy of my land has forced me to open my eyes. Because I am in a position to make a difference, I use my power to protect my people."
"Even if it means negotiating with the enemy?"
Ezabel silently nodded. She paused and closely studied the General's face. "I wonder, Sephiroth… do you share similar convictions toward your own role? Is your faith in Shinra so strong that you'd choose the life of SOLDIER if given a choice again?"
Sephiroth wearily smiled at her. "I am a General, Ezabel. I cannot indulge myself with fantasies. This is the reality I've been dealt with. That is all I need to know."
"Fair enough." Her eyes drifted away again. "Perhaps in time you will reconsider my question and provide me a true answer."
Leaning back against his seat again, Sephiroth asked, "Was there anything else you needed to discuss with me?"
Recognizing his desire to move on, Ambassador Adara replied, "Actually, yes."
He patiently waited for her to continue.
"A serious matter was raised to my attentions prior to my departure in Condor," Ezabel started. "I didn't think much of it at the time, until I heard about the attack on the train last night." Ezabel leaned forward in her seat. She looked him dead in the eye. "Sephiroth… I believe Fuhito is here in the city as we speak."
His brows pulling together, Sephiroth appeared unconvinced. "Based on his profile, Fuhito is not a careless man. He would not risk returning to Midgar, especially when my men are actively on the hunt for him. His best chances of evasion would be to remain in Condor. What makes you believe he's here? Why would he return to Midgar?"
"Indeed, I have my own doubts. However…" Ezabel crossed her arms and softly expressed, "…I suspect Fuhito is here to locate the catalyst."
"The catalyst?"
A flash of lightening streaked through the sky. The Ambassador kept her lips pursed for a few seconds and observed the raindrops streak down the office windows.
"Forgive me, Sephiroth, but I must be honest with you," Ambassador Adara finally spoke again. "I did not accompany you to Midgar solely to unite our lands and have words with President Shinra. I came here for the same reason Fuhito may have returned to Midgar."
Confused, Sephiroth didn't move in his seat.
"Prior to the mako reactor's riot," she explained, "A priest dressed in white with strange purple eyes requested my audience. He revealed many unusual details about the legion to me. Among the important revelations, the Priest mentioned a catalyst. While he never explained to me the nature of this catalyst, he maintained it was the only entity that could control the will of the legion."
Surprised by this news, Sephiroth grew rigid in his seat.
"Fuhito desires to command this invincible army of spirits for himself," continued the woman, "With the aid of the legion, he would have the power to take down Shinra. However, he must first acquire the Catalyst to achieve his goal."
"So it is as I suspected…" Sephiroth murmured and stared at an empty space on his desk. "The legion is the weapon Fuhito intends to unleash on us next month."
"Yes."
His mind recalled the terrifying earthquakes and brilliant lights he witnessed when he was a boy. Sephiroth shook his head. "I thought Fuhito already had control of this army. They attacked us on the night of the festival, yes?"
"The legion attacked because your men invaded their territory," Ezabel clarified. "These restless spirits actually keep to themselves. Fuhito depended on your intrusion to provoke them that night."
"You should've told me this sooner, Ezabel," Sephiroth stated bitterly and returned his gaze on her, "Before I sent my Commander and his men to that island."
"Forgive me, Sephiroth. I did not know your people would be as powerless and ineffective against this army as we were." Ezabel turned away and quietly added, "I thought you had a chance at defeating them."
The General sat silent. He couldn't blame her. Even if he knew what he did now, it was likely he'd have sent Genesis and his men to the island anyway. He needed to gauge the enemy's weakness and strengths.
"Fuhito has no control over the legion of lights," the Ambassador continued, "No one does; not even the goddess herself. They are damned spirits who answer only to their forsaken master. If stories about the Catalyst prove accurate, though, Fuhito would be able to establish himself as their new leader. He'd have the legion execute his orders without prejudice. The world would... split apart as it nearly did sixteen years ago."
Sephiroth's jaw tightened a bit. It was difficult believing the validity of this story. The Ambassador was under the impression Fuhito was here in search of the Catalyst. That the source of her information came from a priest only made Sephiroth all the more skeptical. Of course, he'd witnessed stranger events in his life. If the Catalyst really could control the army of spirits then it did warrant some investigation. After all, the Catalyst provided a potential means to stop the legion. As a man who evaluated all his options, Sephiroth felt it was at least worth looking into.
"This Catalyst, Ezabel…" Sephiroth began, "Do you know more about it?"
The Ambassador went silent for a moment. She eventually said, "According to the Priest, the Catalyst is somewhere here in this city. A wolf among the flock of sheep, one bound to the Silver-Haired demon in a place where pillars of steel threaten the heavens… That was what he revealed to me. And that is why I think Fuhito is here in Midgar."
Sephiroth stayed quiet while he contemplated over these words. As a man fond of deciphering information, he already understood most of the Priest's words. Silver-Haired demon… him. Pillars of steel that threaten the heavens… skyscrapers. Only Midgar had skyscrapers. Sephiroth understood now why Ezabel chose to accompany him. She wanted to locate the Catalyst before Fuhito did. But… who was the Catalyst? Who was the wolf among the flock of sheep? The Priest mentioned the wolf was bound to the Silver-Haired demon. That insinuated the Catalyst was either among his ranks or within Shinra personnel. If so, the Catalyst was not only in Midgar but also here in this exact location.
The Ambassador must've reached the same conclusion as him because she promptly asked, "Does anyone in particular come to mind, Sephiroth? Do you know who the wolf among your flock of sheep may be?"
"No. I will need to collect more information if I am to narrow the possibilities. Someone bound to me?" Sephiroth scoffed. "I am bound to everyone in this company, Ezabel. It could be anyone. Did the Priest reveal anything more to you?"
"Unfortunately, the Priest dressed in white disappeared on the day of the mako reactor's riot. I suspect he perished in it but we've never recovered his body."
Sephiroth frowned, admittedly disappointed by this news. Curious, he asked Ezabel, "How is it that Fuhito knows about the Catalyst?"
"Fuhito conducted much research on this legion, which was why he arrived in Condor in the first place. I can only assume he learned of the Catalyst from his personal studies." Clasping her hands together, she added, "The Priest did mention one more disturbing detail to me."
"Yes?"
Ezabel withdrew a breath and revealed, "If the Catalyst was brought to Therion Island the world would be cleansed of its impurities and the lights of the forsaken shine upon the desolate lands."
Sephiroth's expression turned grave. Those final words did not sit well with him.
"I believe if Fuhito acquires the Catalyst he will take him or her to that island," Ezabel expressed shortly.
"We must locate the Catalyst quickly before he does, then."
"Indeed. You will aid me in locating the Catalyst then?"
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Sephiroth smirked. Right as he was set to say something else, his cellphone abruptly rang. "Excuse me while I take this, Ezabel."
Ambassador Adara bobbed her head only once.
Sephiroth flipped opened his cellphone and took the call. "Yes?"
"Sephiroth," Angeal replied on the other line.
"Angeal," Sephiroth realized out loud; a bit surprise. He briefly smiled. "You sound better. Are you well now?"
"I remain extremely sensitive, but I will live."
"Excellent." The General paused. "Did you call for anything particular?"
"Genesis and I are having a study session together in the library with regards to that mysterious legion in Condor. Genesis is making some progress in translating the book he obtained from Trinity. Would you like to join us?"
Sephiroth paused. "I have a few reports to write up."
On the other line, Angeal laughed softly. "You can write your reports here too, Sephiroth. We won't mind."
Considering what Ambassador Adara just revealed him, it actually was a good idea to have a chit-chat with everyone right now. He could share information with Genesis and Angeal and pull their sources together to find the identity of this Catalyst.
"Well, Sephiroth?" asked Angeal.
"Agreed, I will see you in fifteen," Sephiroth decided at last. He hung up shortly and turned to Ambassador Adara.
"You have other engagements, yes?" she accurately guessed.
Nodding his head, he disclosed, "I will discuss what we just talked about to my associates, Ezabel. If the Catalyst is among my group then it is vital we find him or her before Fuhito does. I will ensure security is heightened from here on out."
"Yes. We must act quickly and carefully. It is likely Fuhito will send undercover operatives here to attain the Catalyst. Since Fuhito and the Exiles intend to attack by next month, time is not on our side."
"Perhaps," responded Sephiroth with his head titled slightly. "Then again, so long as they don't retrieve the Catalyst then their threat is nothing but idle words."
"Even so," Ambassador Adara said cautiously, "Fuhito is the type of man who preplans everything and leaves little room for error. Each decision he makes has its own purpose and contributes to a bigger scheme. The random attacks in your city, including the train incident last night, may be more intentional than incidental."
"So noted," Sephiroth noted grimly, "That actually reminds me…"
"Yes?"
With a frown, he said, "Something about the timing of next month's attack vexes me. If Fuhito truly is the mastermind behind the riot and threats, why does he wait toward the end of next month for his main assault? Is there anything relevant about the timing?"
The Ambassador paused for a moment, lost in thought. Then she shook her head. "I wouldn't know, Sephiroth. Next month is September. About the only detail worth noting about the end of September is the planet's realignment phase. It is the second time of the year the equinox occurs. Winter begins. My people annually celebrate the new change of season with a festival."
Sephiroth crossed his arms. The planet's realignment…
Ambassador Adara stood from his seat. "I believe I will take my leave now. Thank you for your time, General."
His body relaxed again, Sephiroth felt comfortable enough to get up from his seat to escort her out. He was glad the traditions of their courtship did not require mandatory kisses. Even so, he did bend down to kiss Ezabel. He wanted to express his personal gratitude toward her. She had given him much to chew on. Perhaps in time there would develop feelings between them beyond mere mutual respect. It was the practical man in Sephiroth that desired to fulfill his obligations and establish himself as a normal man with a normal wife and a normal existence. Of course, it was also likely nothing would change and they'd remain as they were now. In that case, he did not mind. Ezabel would still have a place in his thoughts.
"I will see you tomorrow evening, Sephiroth," the Ambassador conveyed to him and affectively held the side of his face with her warm palm.
He gently took the hand and kissed the back of it. Then he politely bowed his head to her. Ezabel smiled before she finally exited his office. Both her guards followed suit. The tall one paused at the door, however. The sentry turned back and gazed at the windows that continued to tap loudly while the rain outside fell. Thunder clapped.
"The rain…" the cloaked guard spoke; her voice rich with an unrecognizable accent. "This planet weeps continuously for her children."
Silent, Sephiroth curiously observed the robed figure.
"Once her sacred tears cease to fall and the land turns to ice," resumed the strange woman, "there will be nothing to protect us from them. An omen, this is."
"Omen?"
The cloaked guard swiftly turned around and passed the door without another word. On her way out, Sephiroth noticed her tall and extremely sharp heels. She had… peculiarly-shaped feet.
The conversation with Ezabel still played in Sephiroth's head when he arrived at the library fifteen minutes later. He'd taken his laptop to work on the company review report along with his other priorities. Upon entry, the library was mostly empty, save for a few scientists conducting their research. He ignored the nervous glances from their faces and ascended the stairs to reach the second floor. Whenever they congregated at the library Genesis reserved the largest private room upstairs to avoid any hassles or distractions from the other attendees. The last room alongside the wall, Sephiroth could hear the familiar sounds of his colleagues emitting from it. They were already there. Through a long glass panel, he found Angeal and Genesis sitting across each other. The redheaded Commander sat with his legs on top of their table while the other was seated in the customary position. Both men looked up at Sephiroth when he activated the door and entered their private section.
"The goddess descends from the sky…" Genesis softly quoted. He snickered and added, "Sephiroth. Good of you to finally join us."
Looking at him, Sephiroth sensed a bit of tension in Genesis' tone. The man didn't maintain eye-contact for long either. Instead, Genesis quickly returned his attentions to the worn-out book in his hands and didn't speak another word.
Sephiroth spared an extra glance at his Commander as he took a seat next to Angeal on the other side of the table. He suspected Genesis' odd behavior had something to do with last night's unfortunate events. Neither of them had conducted themselves sensibly. They had both arrived at Shinra's Headquarters in the wee morning hours half-drunk with alcohol and sweltering emotions. Unlike their usual get-togethers, Sephiroth chose to return to his quarters alone. He didn't accompany Genesis to the bathhouse. The General simply wasn't in the mood for sex, especially after he'd caught sight of Cloud in town central. The boy appeared distraught by their coupling. Some part of Sephiroth regretted it as well, even if he always felt sex was just sex.
Neither Genesis nor Sephiroth had spoken a word all day to each other since they returned from their night in the town. Again, it baffled the General. Genesis had made it clear to him many times that their relationship was strictly for mutual benefit. Why was his Commander acting this way?
"I sent Zack to get us some food," Angeal mentioned a bit quietly, as if he sensed the strain in the air and wanted to debilitate it. "He should be back any minute now."
Sephiroth was tempted to address the library's no-food policy. However, he kept his mouth shut and fired up his laptop. Waiting for it to start, he observed the stacks of books Angeal and Genesis had pulled out from the library. Sephiroth absently ran a finger across the spine of one book. He frowned when his finger came up with dust. With a sigh, Sephiroth made a mental note to bring this issue to the janitors.
"Any progress on your research?" he shortly asked.
"Some," replied Angeal and nodded at the book in Genesis' hand. "Like I mentioned to you over the phone, Genesis has translated a few pages from the book he received from Trinity yesterday."
"Oh?" Sephiroth turned to his second Commander. He hoped the man would set aside his pride long enough to part any valuable information with him.
Without taking his eyes off the page he was currently reading, Genesis remarked, "It's a diary. Apparently, it was written by someone who had witnessed this legion firsthand."
"Do we know the identity of the author?"
"No. By the looks of it, this book was written ages ago. The words, themselves, are of an archaic language. It's taken me some time to decipher the material. However, translations are coming along, General."
Dismissively, Genesis closed the book and held out his hand without looking at the General. Sephiroth leaned forward from across the table and accepted the diary. Carefully, he flipped through the pages.
As Genesis warned, most of the words had been faded with time and several sheets were torn loose from its bind. Still, he managed to make out interesting tidbits. Sephiroth was especially fascinated by the illustrations in the diary. The author of it was quite the artist. One sketch in particular caught his interest. The drawing portrayed a vast city in the sky. Extraordinary Summons of all shapes, patterns, and sizes, flew around it. One massively-sized airborne Summon was attached to the sky city by a series of long ropes and cables. It appeared to be domesticated and pull the sky city forward. A hint of a smile formed on Sephiroth's lips when his mind conjured up a memory from his youth.
I cannot see it myself. Only special eyes, eyes like yours, son, can see this magical kingdom in the heavens. Someday, I'd like to take you there; to that special place. I want to know what you see, boy. I want to know if it's as beautiful as I envision it in my head.
Dr. Gast. He had mentioned this great city in the sky many times to Sephiroth as a child. It was among the scientist's dreams to set foot there. However, Dr. Gast claimed only those with special eyes, those infused with mako, could witness it. Taking a deep breath, Sephiroth pondered over the merits of this author's accountant. Should a kingdom in the sky actually exist he wanted to visit it; he wanted to fulfill Dr. Gast's wishes.
Sephiroth's face softened as he returned the book to Genesis. In no later time did he ask, "What have you translated so far?"
Genesis surveyed the sheet of paper in front of him. Many paragraphs he'd successfully deciphered were on it. "So far, I was able to translate the second entry of this diary and am currently working on the third. Unfortunately, the first pages are faded beyond recognition. No doubt, the author's identity is revealed there. This sounds extreme, but I may submit those pages to the forensic experts down in the Science and Research Department. They'd have the proper tools to recover the written material."
"Very well. May you share the contents of the second entry then?"
Genesis nodded. He began to read the aloud second entry: "November 27th. Since I was a child, I was told to beware of the violent winds followed by the sound of a loud horn. It signals the arrival of the Cruel King and his legion. I hear the sound of the horn can make the strongest men turn white with fear. I've never seen the Cruel King myself nor know what he looks like. No one has lived long enough to describe this terrifying man's details. However, the old mystics in our town claim he is not of our living world. He is from the other side, the product of our chaotic thoughts and nightmares. I've no idea what that means. I only know the Cruel King and his army has conquered much of the northern regions and lay waste upon any land that sees the burning Mark in the sky. This legion is a ruthless plague. They can absorb the light within each of us. The light… It is the source of their power and immortality. Feared by all, even the Summons won't touch them. Each time we conjure them up in battle they flee or become sealed by the Cruel King's Mark. This man… what is he?
"A strange group had arrived at our town earlier this afternoon. What a curious bunch they were. Aside from the three well-built men carrying sharp and impressive weapons, there is a Moogle and a woman with long rabbit-like ears and red eyes. They requested shelter but the town was weary of them. Their leader claimed they are on a long journey to fight against the Cruel King. This upset many people, including my parents. The village sent the strangers away, afraid they'd bring war to our land.
"Truth be told, I was just as fearful as everyone else was. I don't want to be imprinted with the Cruel King's Mark. I don't want my light to be absorbed. I am seventeen-years-old. I've yet to see the entire world and its splendors. All the same, I was moved by the departing words of the group's leader. He demanded we stand and fight. Life in constant fear is no life at all, he said. The time of inaction has come and passed. The Cruel King's reign of terror must be brought to an end.
"I wonder… were we cowards for making them leave?"
Once Genesis stopped, the entire room filled with silence. Both Angeal and Sephiroth exchanged a long look. For the General, the entry provided a fascinating account of an ancient civilization that had been reduced to a mere fable today. This book was supposedly written hundreds of years ago. That the legion had existed that long ago and conquered much of the virgin lands excited Sephiroth. They were a terrifying army, yes, but they were also a remarkable group that exhibited impressive strength and technology. No wonder Dr. Gast was so fascinated by their tale. But… what had caused the Cruel King and his legion to mysteriously vanish in one night? Something propelled them back sixteen years ago. And now they had returned in Therion Island. Bitter, Sephiroth hoped the later entries of the diary provided clues. He wondered if the Catalyst the Ambassador recently spoke of was somehow tied to the legion's resurrection.
"There is supposedly a nursery rhyme written in honor of the Cruel King," Genesis revealed and broke the silence at last. "From what I hear, it contains an important revelation regarding this mythical man. I am hoping this diary mentions it."
"The author wrote about a mark in the sky…" Angeal immediately noted after him. His eyes stared intensely at the diary in Genesis' hands. "Strange. Didn't we see a symbol in the sky sixteen years ago, Genesis?"
The second Commander paused. "It's… been a long time."
"Yes, but try to remember. I think before the lights appeared we saw the sky briefly light up with some strange symbol. Don't you remember now?"
Genesis' eyes widened once memory set in. "You're right, Angeal. I do remember. And the heavy winds… They came before the quakes. It closely follows the account of this author."
Sephiroth frowned. "Odd. I never saw a symbol that night. Then again, I was in Midgar. You two were in Banora when the event happened, correct?"
Both Commanders nodded.
A tender smile crossed Genesis' face when he elaborated, "Yes, Angeal and I were outside playing in my father's fields that evening, having one of our infamous duels. I, of course, played the champion while Angeal assumed the role of the villain."
Angeal laughed. "Oh, yes. I recall the wooden swords we used. Your mother constantly warned us not to use them. She was afraid we'd poke our eyes out. We never did figure out which one bested the other, did we?"
"Clearly I did," declared Genesis and crossed his arms.
"Your memory must be fuzzier than mine because I can actually remember sending you to the mud and hearing an earful from you afterward, Genesis. Something about messing up your hair? Ring a bell?"
The redheaded Commander quickly glared at his friend. He removed his legs from the table and leaned forward from his seat. Instantly, he challenged, "Perhaps it is time we settle that duel once and for all then."
Angeal blinked. "Are you kidding me? That duel was sixteen years ago, Genesis! Do you honestly hold grudges for that long?"
The two Commanders bickered back and forth. Observing this fine display of maturity, Sephiroth remained silent in his seat. He inwardly struggled to suppress a laugh. It was nice to be in the presence of these two men. As foolish as they acted sometimes, he couldn't find better company. Since Angeal and Genesis arrived in Midgar, this place had become more bearable for him. Granted, he was no believer of religion or fate, but Sephiroth often found himself thinking they had come for the sole purpose of relinquishing his loneliness. Sephiroth smiled. Perhaps once their day was done they could attend the Training Room and play their usual games. So far, he was ten for ten on the sword toss.
Sephiroth cleared his throat to interrupt the Commanders' nonstop chatter. As much as he wanted to enjoy this moment a bit longer, they still needed to get back to business. "So I had an interesting conversation with the Ambassador not long ago."
"Oh?" Angeal replied and pushed Genesis off of him. "What kind of conversation?"
"She mentioned about a Catalyst."
"Catalyst?" Genesis repeated and promptly straightened his uniform. He returned to his seat. "A catalyst to what exactly?"
"Unknown. However, this catalyst can supposedly control the will of the legion."
Both Commanders grew quiet.
"The Ambassador is convinced Fuhito intends to attain the Catalyst to control the spirit army we had encountered in Condor. Even more revealing… this Catalyst seems to reside here. In Midgar. Among us."
Genesis slowly shook his head. "That… sounds too bizarre to believe."
"My thoughts exactly. However, if a Catalyst were to exist then it could provide a means to stop this legion. We can only assume this army is the power of mass destruction warned to us in the initial mission brief. If so, we have until next month before Avalanche and the Exiles make good on their threats. If Fuhito truly intends to use the Catalyst, then we must locate it first before he does."
"But do we even know where to start?" Angeal questioned carefully.
"Not really. All that is known is the Catalyst is bound to me. Either it is a soldier under my command or an employee here."
"This is still too inconceivable," said Genesis; unconvinced. "Where did the Ambassador acquire this information?"
"A priest had visited her land before the mako reactor's riot and disclosed the details to her."
"And where is this priest?" inquired Angeal next.
"It is assumed he died during the riot since he disappeared that day."
"Why am I not surprised?" Genesis spat sarcastically and rolled his eyes.
Sephiroth sighed and decided to move the topic elsewhere. "How is our assembly team coming along? Any potentials?"
"I've spoken with a few Second and Third SOLDIERs that are good to go," answered Angeal. "Zack is also keeping tabs on some potential cadet squadrons."
"Good."
"There also might be someone who can help us uncover more information about the legion," Angeal later added. "Zack mentioned it to me this morning. Apparently, the bookshop owner knows a good source."
"Trinity knows someone?" Genesis repeated. He cocked a brow and crossed his arms. "Zack did not mention this to me yesterday. I was the one who sent the puppy on the book errand in the first place. He should've told me this."
Angeal chuckled. "Sorry, but I guess the puppy simply likes me more than you."
"It's because you spoil the puppy all the time."
"It's because I don't act like a self-entitled jerk around him."
"Are you implying something?"
The door to their private room suddenly slid aside. All three men glanced up at the new arrival. There at the entrance of the room was the man currently the hot topic of the conversation. Juggling a few drinks and carry-out bags with both hands and arms, Zack steadily made his way to them with the skills of a veteran circus juggler.
"I hope you boys are in the mood for Wutai food!" Zack announced to everyone and dumped the food on their table. He glanced at Sephiroth. "I ordered for you too, General, since Angeal told me you might come."
Hesitating, Sephiroth sniffed the food. He was very particular about the kinds of foods he consumed, even if he ate ten meals a day to keep up with his extraordinarily fast metabolism rate. Sephiroth took pride in his physique and didn't want to ruin it with non-beneficial calories. The General gave Zack the benefit of the doubt anyway, though. He sniffed the food again and actually concluded the aroma was pleasing. Grabbing one of the bags, Sephiroth carefully pulled out its contents to next determine if it appeared edible. Both of his brows rose in surprise. The hot noodles and fresh vegetables looked absolutely delicious. Perhaps he overestimated Zack's good judgment after all. Pulling out a pair of wooden sticks, Sephiroth got to work on the final examination: taste. The moment the bite-sized, tender-soft, sweetly marinated beef made contact with the taste buds of his tongue, he realized all of his prayers were answered. For now on, Zack would be the one to make all the food decisions.
Soon the entire private room was filled with the scents of Wutai food. Once everyone was situated, Genesis resumed where he left off.
"Zack, you did not mention anything to me about Trinity having a source," he blatantly remarked and stabbed a vegetable with his stick.
Slurping up a noodle, Zackary glanced up at him innocently; obviously caught off guard. His face flushed with color when he responded with a grin, "Yeah, well, there's a reason why I didn't want to mention about that old pervert's source, sir."
Sephiroth cocked a brow.
"Old pervert?" repeated Angeal with a similar reaction on his face. "You didn't say anything about this bookshop owner being a pervert, Zack."
Both Angeal and Sephiroth stared at Zack and waited for him to elaborate on this.
"Let me guess…" Genesis began quietly to the Second ranked SOLDIER, "He had conditions before telling you his source?"
The young brunette man confirmed it with a head bob. "Yep."
Sephiroth noticed the color on Genesis' face drain. To Zack, the General curiously asked, "And what were the conditions? Perhaps we can compensate him for the information?"
"A hot blonde."
"Come again?"
"The old geezer wants to score with a hot virgin blonde with blue eyes, sir," Zack explained with an annoyed look on his face.
All three First-Class SOLDIERs went silent.
"I had to give the old fart a pass to Honey Bee Inn just so he could give me the diary Genesis had reserved, sir," Zack later said.
Angeal shook his head. "I understand now why you chose to leave out the details, Zack." He turned to Genesis. "And how exactly do you know this man? I certainly hope you did not…"
"Oh, please, I am not that hard-up, Angeal." Genesis rolled his eyes, insulted by his friend's assumptions. He slurped up a noodle loudly. "I only know him because his shop is the only one in the city with valuable antiquities and books."
"Well, if it is a hot blonde he desires," Sephiroth calmly stated and expertly twirled the bowl of noodles with his wooden sticks, "I will send him as many as he wants. If his source can provide us information about the legion then it may be worth the time and effort. Zack, would you mind escorting a few women to the Slums?"
Zack blinked. Then he quickly yelled. "Hell, yeah, sir!"
Despite being enclosed in a private room, the sound of his overly enthusiastic voice boomed and echoed across the entire library. Once Zack realized that, he instantly flushed with color and covered his mouth with both hands. All three First-Class members simply stared at him.
"Excited, are we?" Angeal noted later with a scoff.
"Uh, n-no. I'm not, sir. It's just… well, I want to help out. You know, sir?"
"Riiiiight."
No one in the table was convinced by Zack's answer. Sephiroth softly chuckled. Contemplating on the situation himself for the moment, he knew locating blond-haired women wouldn't be difficult. Sephiroth already had more than his handful of females to choose from. Eager to please him, the women would happily sleep with an old, perverted man upon his request. Of course, the challenge would be to find ones who were still virgins. It was likely they'd have to round up the ladies and ask them their sexual status.
"I suggest you take a few infantrymen with you, Zack," Genesis suggested. "The Slums is simply no place for a pack of beautiful women. You could use the extra hands anyway. No pun attended."
Zack snickered. "Gotcha, sir."
"Tell the grunts they can have dibs on whoever does not get picked by Trinity. That should be an incentive since this is a voluntary mission that's off the record."
Angeal nearby frowned. "I don't know about this, Genesis. There's a chance the Slum residents will react negatively to our IMs. Let's not forget about Avalanche. It's open season for our men and they'd happily take them out just to send Shinra a message."
Genesis nodded his head. "A very good observation, my friend. I also doubt Trinity would welcome unwanted attention to his shop."
"Should I escort Trinity here instead?" Zack wanted to know next.
"Trinity vowed to never set foot on the Plate again. There are too many bitter memories for him here. He's also a very stubborn and evasive man. He'll never give us his source, even if we force him to." Genesis thought a moment. Then a smile appeared on his face. "I believe in order for this to work the IMs will have to escort the women in disguise."
Zack looked at him questionably. "As civilians?"
"Yes. However…"
"What, sir?"
Shifting a bit in his seat, Genesis made a face. "The residents of the Slums aside, I am also admittedly worried about Trinity. He will likely send our men out of his shop while he makes his choice of woman. We need to make sure he does not try anything funny on the women we send his way. Trinity can be a bit… extreme."
"Some acquaintance you have, Genesis…" muttered Angeal.
Genesis shot him a glare.
Overhearing these details himself, Sephiroth shared Angeal's exact sentiments. This was the first time he heard about Trinity. Already, the old man sounded like a handful. If the bookshop owner was as perverted as Zack claimed he was then they needed to make sure each woman remained under their protection the whole time.
"Okay, so what should we do?" Zack piped up again.
Genesis paused again. A sly smirk eventually formed on his lips.
"Oh boy," started Angeal, "I know that look on your face, Genesis."
"What?" Zack asked; confused.
That same devious smile stayed on Genesis' face for a moment longer until he spoke again. "Some of our men will have to… disguise themselves as women."
Both Angeal and Zack gapped at each other in silence while Sephiroth nearly choked on his Wutai noodles.
"Think about it," explained the redheaded Commander, serious now, "They'll be in the constant presence of the ladies. And it's not like Trinity will choose one of our men since I highly doubt any of them will pass themselves off as an attractive woman."
"But…" started Angeal, "What if he does discover they are men dressed in drag?"
Genesis' grin widened. "Trinity wanted a blond-haired, blue-eyed virgin. He never clarified if that included men in drag or not. Should he become insulted by our ladies, then we will simply claim it was as an error on our part, yes?"
"The way your creative mind works…" commented Sephiroth quietly, "You astound and trouble even me, Genesis."
"Thank you." Genesis bashfully bowed his head and accepted his words. Afterward, he said, "At least with the IMs disguised among the group, they can keep a close eye on him as well as any other misguided fool."
"But who would be willing to go along with this?" Angeal asked next. "I can't imagine any squadron willing to dress in drag."
"Hey, I know a few cadets who could possibly volunteer," Zack replied back optimistically, "They're headed to Honey Bee Inn this Sunday anyway."
"Cadets?" Ever the paternal figure, Angeal frowned. "In that rough area? I swear, we really need to create a policy that forbids first-years access to the Slums. Those boys should not be there."
Zack shrugged his shoulders. "Reality check, Angeal: many cadets go to the Slums every weekend. It's nothing new. Boys will be boys. Besides, the cadets I'm talking about are there to celebrate a birthday. You remember the kid we investigated?"
"Cadet Strife?"
"Yeah. His squad is taking him to Honey Bee Inn to pop his cherry."
Upon hearing the news and name, Sephiroth instantly glanced up from his food. Pop his cheery? Granted, he was unfamiliar with much of today's popular lingo and colorful metaphors. But he understood what that line entailed. But wait. If Zack's words were accurate, then did that mean Cloud was actually a…?
"A virgin?" Genesis snickered loudly, as if reading Sephiroth's mind. "Oh Goddess, will wonders ever cease. I'd have expected that wild country boy to have already lost it to a cockatrice by now."
"I don't know, Zack…" Angeal said shortly, "It'd be best to advise those boys to have their fun elsewhere."
"They'll be fine. They made it this far into the program. Don't forget, I've been overlooking the progress of these boys and know what they're capable of. Doing escort service will be a cinch. Not to mention, it'll give them some actual experience." Zack turned to Sephiroth. "What do you think, General?"
Still surprised by the news, Sephiroth didn't say anything for awhile. He absently stared at his bowl of noodles and tried to piece together a logical response. Intangible words scattered across his mind while the lips refused to move and form sounds. He was flabbergasted. Not only did Strife's sexual status completely catch Sephiroth off guard, but the realization he was going to some low-grade, sleazy place for sex brought forth a mixture of unfamiliar emotions in the pit of his belly.
For whatever reason, Sephiroth thought of the time Genesis had seized his sword, Masamune. It was a playful gesture and Genesis had only touched the blade for a few seconds. Nonetheless, Sephiroth wasted no time and quickly snatched it back. He'd slit the Commander's hand as punishment. Since then, Genesis never dared to touch it again. Masamune was one of the very few possessions Sephiroth deeply valued in this world. It was a part of him. It was his property. No one but him was allowed to touch it.
Take what is rightfully yours…
That irritable, uncomfortable sensation Sephiroth experienced in the past was the same sensation he felt at this moment. No one was allowed to touch Cloud. No one. The cadet was… his.
"Well?" Zack pressed again.
Sephiroth pushed his thoughts aside and weighed his options. At last, he replied, "Angeal is correct: it is dangerous to have these cadets conduct escort service at the Slums, especially at their low experience level."
Zack rolled his eyes, a bit disappointed by his reply.
"However," Sephiroth added soon afterward, "You are also right, Zack. It would be beneficial to grant these cadets actual field experience."
"These cadets have yet to train on actual steel, Sephiroth." Angeal pointed out.
"These cadets have been trained with clubs. That will suffice."
"It's still far too risky. We don't know if they can handle the muggers and gangs down there. And as for Avalanche? They would jump at the chance at capturing our young cadets."
"Indeed," Sephiroth agreed. Then he smiled. "That is why, aside from Zack, I propose we also send a drill instructor along to supervise the operation."
"A drill instructor?" Angeal paused and eyed Sephiroth carefully. He considered the option. Then the Commander eventually nodded. "Yes, I can agree with that."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Zack said, content as well.
"A wise decision," added Genesis shortly.
Satisfied, Sephiroth focused on his noodles again and concurred, "Very good. Then we are all in agreement. This Sunday the cadets will escort the women to Trinity to acquire his source. Zack, please speak with the men after our meal."
"No problemo, sir."
With that issue out of the way, the four men continued feasting on their noodles. Inwardly, though, Sephiroth was relieved. Not only did he manage to satisfy both Angeal's and Zack's concerns, but he also gave himself an opening. After all, who better to supervise this little operation than Raven, correct? At least now he'd get the chance to see Cadet Strife again. Perhaps they could continue where they last left off. Sephiroth was rather curious if Cloud learned anything from today's private lesson.
Once the First-Class trio was done with their late lunch, Zackary Fair left Angeal and Genesis alone in the library to conduct their research on the mysterious army of spirits. Sephiroth, meanwhile, had returned to his office to complete his paper work. The General already had a drill instructor in mind for their trip down to the Slums on Sunday; some instructor named Raven. All they required now was a few good men to accompany the lovely ladies to Trinity. Because it was an underground kind of operation, he wasn't allowed to give out much of the details. However, Zack was pretty positive the boys he needed to talk to would react strongly to their mandatory disguises. A few of them would have the unfortunate luck of donning… dresses.
Zack chuckled to himself. He downright pitied the cadets. As for himself, news of his return to the Slums actually excited him. There was a chance he'd see that charming Flower Girl from yesterday. He hadn't told anyone about her yet, including Angeal and Kunsel. Somehow, he wanted to keep their magical encounter private; sacred. Zack made sure to put the lovely flower she'd given him in a glass vase. He placed it on his window sill so it could receive lots of sun. In some ways, it was sad. As beautiful and lively as the flower appeared right now, within a few days or so it would be gone; withered and lifeless. Zack wished he could postpone its death by drying it. However, he remembered how the Flower Girl had insisted against it. All living beings were fated to die someday, some quicker than others. That was the way of the world.
The Second-Class SOLDIER placed the depressing thought aside and continued on his journey through the training camp district. He crossed an opened grass field. The air a bit humid, the ground was wet and extremely soft from the unexpected showers that hit them half an hour ago. Already, Zack knew Cadet Strife belonged to the 442nd Squadron as well as his designated barrack. According to his group's schedule, they were out in the field, riding the Chocobos.
Zack made a face when he accidentally stepped on a mound of wet, soiled dirt. As he pulled his foot up, he wrinkled his nose and quickly realized it was not mud. It was Chocobo manure. Gross. From a close distance, he heard the large annoying birds squawk. Their ruckus was followed by the voices of cadets. He spotted a few riders race down the open planes. Zack smirked. For mere rookies, some of them weren't too bad at all. He quickly flinched, however, when he saw one pint-sized man frantically wail his hands up in the air.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh sheeeeeeeit!" the tiny cadet screamed up ahead. He held onto dear life while his Chocobo sprinted forward.
"Yo, man, hold on!" yelled another recruit and raced after him with his own bird. "Yo, don't let go!"
"G-g-good Gaia!" a third cadet cursed and trailed the two from behind,"Midget ain't g-g-g-gonna m-m-make it!"
Reactively, Zack winced when he saw Midget's Chocobo continue down its frantic path at full speed. Concerned, the SOLDIER followed suit. His mako-enhanced body allowed him to run the distant without breaking a sweat. This wouldn't be the first time some poor bastard was at the mercy of a Chocobo and required assistance. The creatures were sometimes unpredictable, even in battle. Zack was relieved when the Chocobo finally came to a halt. It abruptly stopped in front of a lively orange bird. The momentum was strong enough to lurch the little cadet on its back forward. Midget nearly fell off but managed to hold tightly onto the rope just in the nick of time.
"Daaaaaaaamn…" muttered Zack to himself and shook his head.
His reaction was echoed across the 442nd Squadron. Zack covered his mouth with the back of his hand to fight the urge to laugh while he went over to help. Midget's own team members jumped off their birds to assist the vertically-challenged cadet.
For a moment, Midget sighed in relief and tried to get off the Chocobo on his own. Unfortunately, his bird was currently in heat. Lustful, the overly ambitious animal straddled the orange one from behind and began to hump with Midget still straddled on top. The cadet wailed loudly. Unable to know what to do, he held onto the rope as his tiny body continuously bobbed up and down, faster and faster. At that point, his teammates lost it and broke into a hysterical fit.
"Stupid pecker!" spat Midget and screamed.
Zack was in tears but managed to run to Midget's side. "Jump! I'll catch you!"
Yelling out a slur of curse words, Midget noticed Zack there. He leapt down and Zack caught him in his arms. The Second-Class member suppressed his laugh again by biting on his lower lip. He always imagined himself catching a beautiful damsel-in-distress in his arms. Never, however, did he dream of catching a disgruntled midget-sized cadet instead. As Zack let him down, Midget dusted off his pants. He looked up at his savior and was about to express his gratitude. Then he noticed Zack's dark purple SOLDIER uniform. Quickly, Midget and the other cadets nearby stood at attention and saluted the Second-Class officer.
"At ease, boys," Zack said with a large grin on his face.
The cadets relaxed.
"Thanks so much for your assistance, sir," a tall and black cadet said when he approached Zack from his left. On his badge was the name, Macs. According to his uniform's insignia, he was the Corporal and their squadron leader.
"No problem," replied Zack, "These birds can be a handful sometimes."
The shameless pair of Chocobos squawked loudly from behind and continued to mate with each other.
"Sir, what can we do for you?" Macs asked politely and softly chuckled. "If it's our drill instructor, Crazy Ghoul, you want to speak with he's currently with Team B at the other side of the field."
"That's okay. Actually, I was looking for…" Zack stopped and surveyed Team A.
They had all assembled in front of him and appeared enthralled by his presence. Not many of these cadets had seen a SOLDIER this close. Admittedly, that fed Zack's ego and he boldly stood taller. He dashed a brilliant smile while he searched for the party headed to the Slums this weekend. A few of them were present, including the small guy he saved. No doubt, they remembered him too from the other day. However, Cadet Strife wasn't among their lot. It was likely the birthday boy had been assigned to Team B.
"I wanted to talk to the guys heading off to the Slums on Sunday," he finally clarified to the Corporal.
At this, several cadets among the group stood still. They looked anxious.
"Sir," spoke Corporal Macs quietly, "we're leaving to celebrate one of our men's birthday. I assure you: we will conduct ourselves accordingly and return to camp on our scheduled curfew time. However, if you don't approve of us going…"
"Oh, so you're going too?" Zack interrupted, a bit pleased by this news.
Corporal Macs hesitated. "Er, yes, sir."
"That's actually great. The more the merrier!"
Corporal Macs stood confused.
"I got a bit of an assignment to give you guys," explained Zack. "It's voluntarily and a bit on the low-key, though. May I speak with the party attendees in private?"
The Corporal looked at him. Then he nodded and promptly dismissed the rest of Team A. Aside from Corporal Macs and Midget, only three other cadets remained. On their badges were the names: Toraz, Beasley, and Mace.
"What's this a-a-a-a-about, sir?" stuttered Private Beasley.
Zack chuckled when he at last revealed to them, "Like I said, I got a job for you boys. I need you all to help me escort a few pretty ladies down to Wall Market."
The group of cadets stared at each other. It wasn't everyday first-year grunts were asked to escort pretty ladies. Technically speaking, Zack should've taken this request up to the infantry boys. Cadets were not allowed to participate in any missions whatsoever due to their lack of level and qualifications. But rules were made to be broken, Zack concluded to himself. Sephiroth, himself, agreed these cadets needed actual experience. And what the hell, assigning them to guard a few pretty ladies wasn't such a bad job.
"Pardon my saying this, sir," Private Mace began skeptically, "but is this… a joke? Because I'll be very disappointed if it is, I-tell-you-what, sir."
"Nope. While I'm not allowed to talk about the details of this mission, I need extra men to assist me in escorting a group of fiiiine women to a guy in the Slums. I figured I'd ask you boys first since you're headed that direction anyway."
Again, the pack of recruits was unresponsive to his words. The mention of a guy in the Slums probably made them think this was a shady mission… which it was.
"I know you guys got the weekend off and are there for the birthday kid," Zack continued, "And you're only cadets. Still, I figured your group could use an actual exercise to kick things up a notch in your education. Plus, my higher-ups informed me these women will be available once the mission is complete. If you get what I mean."
Many eyes widened. Even the Corporal flushed a bit and cleared his throat. They definitely understood what he meant.
"Yo, this is actually for real, right, sir?" Private Toraz asked; his voice-pitch high.
"Yep."
Zack stared at the group one more time. He didn't know whether to call the medics or not. Some of them looked ready to pass out or explode in their pants. Thankfully, the small pack of men managed to pull themselves together. Corporal Macs stepped forward from the group.
"Of course, sir," said Corporal Macs with a salute, "We'd be delighted to help."
Zack paused before mentioning another important part of this mission. "I'm glad you're willing to help me out, Corporal. However… there is one teensy, miniscule detail worth mentioning; something you all need to consider before you accept this job."
"And what's that, sir?" the Corporal asked. The other men slightly leaned forward.
"The job requires you all to be… in disguise."
"Oh?"
"The situation at the Slums remains sensitive for Shinra personnel," Zack carefully explained, "Plus, the guy we're sending the ladies to may be… unpredictable."
Corporal Macs cocked a brow upon hearing this.
"So yeah…" Zack continued and tried not to fumble with his words, "A few of you will have to dress in civilian clothes in order to escort the women and keep a low profile in the Slums."
The Corporal briefly checked with his men. Having no issues with this whatsoever, they all shrugged their shoulders and bobbed their heads. The squadron leader quickly returned his attentions back to Zack and smiled. "Sure, sir. That's no problem. We can do that, sir."
Zack chewed on his lower lip. "Well, um… you see…"
"Yes, sir?"
"While a few of your party members will be disguised as civilians, the others have to ensure the man does not attempt any harm on the women during his private time with them. In order to accomplish that mission, though…" Feeling his cheeks grow warm, Zack reluctantly added, "…some of you will have to disguise yourself as… girls."
For whatever reason, that last word vibrated in Zack's head. God, he hated being the messenger of uncomfortable news. It would've been easier if Angeal talked to these cadets. Of course, he was the one who vouched for them. It was on Zack to carry out his plan. Looking at the group, he couldn't help but notice the pale looks on their faces.
"Yo, e-excuse me, sir?" Private Toraz started and broke the devastating silence. "I thought I misheard you for a sec. Did you… Did you just say you wanted us to dress up as girls, sir? B-because that's what it sounded like, yo."
Zack slowly nodded his head.
The group of men nervously glanced at each other. Like lost sheep in the woods, neither them knew which way was up and down. Zack chewed on his lower lip and tried not to break a sweat. He was positive they'd reject the mission now. No way would a group of men agree to something this extreme and over-the-top. Zack wondered if he made a good decision in not taking this up with the regular IMs after all. The Second-Class SOLDIER grew relieved, however, when the cadets eventually convened with each another. That looked… promising. At least they didn't downright refuse him, right?
Huddled together in a small group, the cadets whispered amongst themselves. They debated back and forth and made funny expressions. From where he stood, Zack could hear some of them reject the role of damsel, especially the little guy. Several times the Corporal had to shush them and give them a hard look. A few minutes passed until the tall black man finally stepped away from the pack to address Zack. The Corporal donned a solemn look on his face.
"For the honor of SOLDIER, we will… undergo this mission, sir," he said at last.
Zack blinked. Then he sighed in relief. "Thanks."
The Corporal nervously looked away.
"Just remember to keep this mission to yourselves, cadets," Zack urged.
"You have our word, sir."
Zack knew he was taking a huge gamble with this bunch. While the underground operation was given the a-okay from General Sephiroth, if word of this ever reached Director Lazard or President Shinra then they'd get their asses chewed on. Of course, the chances of anyone actually believing these cadets' stories were slim to none. Sephiroth had also written out a request for silence, which was to be issued directly to the squad's drill instructor as soon as Zack was done talking with these cadets. Because the General commanded the loyalties of instructors themselves, Zack didn't have to worry about Crazy Ghoul's silence on the matter. So far, all the angles were covered. Hopefully, he didn't have to cut these boys loose if they accidentally blabbered too loud about their assignment.
"We leave for the Slums at 1800 hours Sunday," Zack informed, "I'll message your group the location of where we'll meet."
"Yo, we won't let you down, sir," Private Toraz expressed quickly and brusquely nodded his head.
"I'll talk to your drill instructor now to give him a heads-up about this. Oh, and speaking of which, Raven has been assigned to our company as an advisor. You'll have him and I watch your backs." Zack frowned when the group of men suddenly stood silent. "Is there a problem?"
There was a pause.
"No, sir," Corporal Macs answered on behalf of his team. "There's no problem."
"Yeah," muttered Private Mace from behind him, "I'm sure Strife will have no problem with Raven crashing his birthday party, I-tell-you-what, sir."
Zack wasn't sure what to make of his tone. Did the men have something against this Raven instructor? He hadn't met the man before. Then again, he hadn't met a lot of the other masked instructors here in camp. By their reaction, there seemed to be some tension between Raven and Cadet Strife. The drill instructor had been recommended by Sephiroth, though. There wasn't much Zack could do about it.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow then," Zack told the group.
After a quick salute, Zack headed off to the other side of the grass planes to talk to Crazy Ghoul and give him Sephiroth's unofficial request letter. Just as the drill instructor spotted him and walked toward his direction, Zack finally discovered Cadet Strife a few meters ahead. He chuckled at the sight of him.
Covered with a few Chocobo feathers, the young man was bruised up pretty badly and currently sat on the wet grass with his legs bent up. His hands resting on his knees, Strife's head was bowed. He looked deflated. A group of three chocobos surrounded him meanwhile. They lovingly cooed and pecked at his wild blond hair. Irritated, Cadet Strife kept shooing them away with a hand but they didn't budge. He was a regular Chocobo-chick magnet.
Zack could already tell the young man and his teammates weren't looking forward to sweeping the grass field and picking up all the Chocobo crap after their exercise. Indeed, maintaining the large birds was a twenty-four seven job. Even the animal caretakers hated the beasts. President Shinra kept them around anyway. The creatures, as ridiculous as they acted sometimes, were extremely intelligent and valuable allies in the battlefield. But more importantly, they were highly sensitive to mako energy. Like canines, they could track it in the air. Half of the natural materia Shinra's scientists located and extracted from the planet were thanks to these big, fat, fluffy birds.
Zack found it strange watching the Chocobos gravitate toward Cloud like that. Normally, the birds gave the cadets hell, especially at this early stage of their training. It wasn't so much as the lack of riding experience as it was the lack of mako in their bodies. Chocobos were partial toward anyone infused with the mysterious energy. None of the cadets so far had been administered mako. This explained the Chocobo's ongoing rowdy behavior today. It was odd, then, that many of the birds eagerly embraced Cadet Strife.
Zack was a bit tempted to walk over to the cadet and engage in a friendly chit-chat. Despite investigating him earlier on, they hadn't been properly introduced. He still did not know Cadet Strife's first name either, except that it started with the letter C. By the look of him, the rookie was the shy, enclosed type. Zack smirked to himself. It was like staring at a mirror. He'd been the same way when he first arrived in Midgar. Having run away from home, Zack was just a bundle of nerves. Still, he made it out okay. Zack got the sense the young man would too. He seemed like an okay guy; the type of friendly individual he could share Wutai noodles with during the weekends.
"Second Class Fair," the squad's drill instructor announced nearby. "How may I help you, sir?"
Interrupted by the instructor known as Crazy Ghoul, Zack looked away from Cadet Strife. Perhaps some other time he'd learn the man's first name. Maybe they could get acquainted or something. In the meantime, he had business to attend to.