Please read the note at the end of this chapter before you go!

Marken: Writing lovey junk between Angeal and Genesis always puts a silly happy smile on my face. I'm going to end up writing a lot of fluff stuff after this story is over for sure... so much fluff... Anyway! As you will probably see at the end of the chapter, I've had to make a change to the future upload schedule for this story but I swear I will not leave you without a satisfying conclusion to the story. I just have to take a short break to take care of a few things that are way overdue. Won't be for several more weeks, but I will give you plenty of warning as soon as I know when/how long that break will be. I'll be sure to give a date of when the first post-break chapter will go up. :)

Beta Readers: Pixie, Kiza, and Discord.

I do not own FF7 or any of its characters. Talin, Unit 28, and some other side characters are mine.

Enjoy and please R&R.

Chapter 47

The muffled sound of his footsteps in the carpeted hall of the 51st floor had never sounded so loud. It wasn't a long walk, a short jog really, but it felt like it took him twice as long to reach the familiar door that he'd not opened for almost two weeks. It hadn't been by choice or even an unconscious decision on his part, he'd simply been trained elsewhere in that time.

Zack and Genesis had always taken him outside or to the VR room and Angeal would train him in his own smaller training space that was additionally Materia proofed for their magic practice. It was only as the door slid aside that the Cadet became aware of how carefully he'd been kept from returning to training room 51-C.

The scarred floor beneath his feet, carefully filled and smoothed with a clear material to preserve the marks, drew his eyes like a magnet and Talin felt a twinge in his chest as he stepped onto the path they made. Dragging his gaze from them, he glanced around, looking for his Mentor, but saw only the man's partner. Masamune was embedded into the steel floor at the end of the line of cuts, deep enough to be standing freely, and with something tied to its hilt.

The teen's senses went on high alert. This felt like a trap, but there was nowhere in the echoingly empty space for the 1st to hide. Reaching behind him to the door panel, he tapped in the code to lock it. The General could still get in if he wanted to but he'd be slowed down and Talin would have a second's warning. He couldn't help the mischievous smile that curled his lip at the thought of the great SOLDIER being locked out of his own training room by a Cadet, but the smirk faded as he refocused on the sword.

With a confidence completely at odds with his internal unease, Talin stepped closer to the masterless weapon and saw that there was a small, folded piece of paper tied to it with a slim strip of leather. A note? Confused and disconcerted at the mounting oddities, the teen was tempted to leave back the way he'd come... but now he was curious...

The prickling of the skin at the back of his neck had Talin rapidly scanning the room once more. The door panel was still red, the lock still engaged, the room was still empty, and the note still taunted him from where it was tied, but he felt like he was being watched. He'd drawn his blades the moment he'd felt threatened and now instinct warred with the proof of his eyes that he was alone.

Irritated, he rolled the butterfly blades over and around his hands, focusing on the repeating pattern of movements as he got his heart back down into his chest where it belonged. Concurring his nerves, Talin turned back to Masamune and, after sheathing his blades, reached out a cautious hand to the woven hilt. Something in his gut twisted at the thought of touching the master craft sword but he'd also secretly longed for the chance.

Aware that some SOLDIERs set protective traps on their weapons, to prevent them from being taken or used against them, the Cadet let only the tip of one finger graze the handle, before pulling back. No electricity jumped to him, no explosion, or flurry of blinding snow. Still cautious, Talin untied the cord, pulling the note free and stashing the soft length of leather in his pocket. As his hands came away, he trailed a finger down the expertly wound cording. He'd meant the action to be a small indulgence, enough to satisfy himself that he'd touched the great blade, but it only made him want more.

He'd watched the General rewind this grip himself about two months ago and the teen could still remember the man's face as he'd worked. Hair tied back, cat green eyes focused entirely on his project, and his hands moving with skill and precision to redo the traditional binding. Lost for a moment in the memory, Talin's hand returned to the hilt and ran his fingers down the length of it. I wonder if I could even lift it?

It was tempting, would only take a slight shift of his wrist, but the Cadet couldn't bring himself to do more than he already had. A shiver ran down his spine, and he finally pulled back from the imposing weapon. For good measure, he took a few steps away, putting the blade out of reach before lifting the little note the teen had almost forgotten entirely. The writing on it was short but in a script that was undoubtedly the General's.

Tag. You're it.

-S

The words had only just registered in Talin's brain when he felt the unmistakable press of an Aura against his own. He barely stopped the violent whip of his mind in response to that push, unwilling to punish something that was akin to a polite knock, but the shock of it still threw him. Eyes wide in both startlement for the unexpected contact, and the burst of playfulness across the connection, the teen spun to face the door, unwilling to be at a disadvantage later, before he dove into the Void.

The SOLDIER had sped away after that light shove, putting a good amount of distance between himself and his Cadet, and then letting his form explode into the same mist the teen had used earlier. It didn't take long for Talin to catch up, the Void becoming less complicated to navigate when you had a guide, and their link was just that.

Talin's excitement for the chase sent him bolting after the General, shadowed hand skimming over the illuminated strand that led him after his target. He found himself stuck between annoyance at the strange start to their training session and exhilarated at the return to something like their old normal. Before he could decide which dominated his mood, he came to a sudden halt, the guiding strand having sheared off abruptly in front of him.

What? Why did it- A wave of goosebumps rose across his body as the space surrounding him became heavy with the dark black mist of another mind. Frantically, he looked around, above, below, every direction was full of the smothering haze.

~You really must watch where you're going, Cadet... ~ The General's voice came from everywhere and Talin could hear the thread of humor in it, but the teen was far from laughing. Pulse pounding, the hunter was suddenly the prey in their game, and now he was stuck in a snare. ~Sometimes, the simplest traps are the most effective to catch the unwary, ~ The man's teasing tone did little to calm the redhead as the inky vapor swirled around him, slowly closing in on his shadow.

~What will you do now? It's quite the predicament you find yourself in, truly, but there is a way out... Let's see if you can find it. ~ Adrenaline and panic had flooded Talin's system and he struggled to think past his need to escape. Sephiroth watched as the thoughts flowed across the expressive face, the brightening and dimming of the jade eyes that searched for the answer. Wanting to add that little bit of pressure, the 1st inched closer, letting the teen know he was on a time limit.

Seeing the encroaching shroud, Talin's first thought was to shrink, but as soon as he started to minimize his figure, he stopped. The fog had surged forward, refusing to give him more space, and he was forced to reevaluate the rapidly dwindling list of options. Can't shrink, can't move, surrounded on all sides... The fog is too dense to get through no matter what form I'm in but- A thought struck him. Form...

The General saw the Cadet's eyes flare brightly and then the young fighter's shadow vanished, becoming the same as the vapor surrounding him. Sephiroth remained still as the teen scattered his dissipated figure and then shivered as the moats of their respective clouds slid past one another. For one moment, the two were completely enmeshed, one mind indiscernible from the other, till Talin pulled himself out into the freedom of open air.

The sensation of being so engulfed, fully intertwined with another mind, had felt like a full-body hug and he found it not entirely unpleasant. That it had been with the silver 1st didn't change that, but it did make Talin a little more aware of the fact that, while aura training especially, he would undoubtedly end up in similar situations again.

The speed at which the teen reassembled his cloud into his shadow was impressive. Unlike some that Seph had observed, Talin appeared to be faster in his cloud form than any other. Another unique trait to add to the list of his Cadet's interesting quirks. Giving a small chuckle that he let be heard in the Void, the General pulled the fog of his mind back together, approving of the teen's intense focus on him as he did so.

~Very good. I knew you could figure it out. ~ The warmth of pride colored his mental voice and Sephiroth didn't stop the smile that curled his lip. While Talin had been 'trapped' he'd spread a wide defensive grid around their training ground and primed each sensor with just enough power to pack a punch. He wouldn't allow anyone to intrude on this session, not even his lovers.

~There are actually several ways you could escape such a snare. From what I've seen, only three of those options were available to you with your current knowledge. ~ Talin's heart had finally calmed back to a normal rhythm after the unexpected lesson and he found himself less on edge than he'd expected as the SOLDIER continued. ~Escaping as fog is a good plan, so long as your opponent hasn't solidified a shell around you both, but it can also leave you open to attack. ~

The 1st held up his hand and the Cadet flinched when sparks of electricity danced between the spread fingers before subsiding. ~Another would be to raise your shields and lock them, before the other mind can close in too tightly, and then force your way out. Someday, I'll teach you how to electrify your shields for both defensive and offensive tactics. ~ Talin's obvious interest in the different technics made Sephiroth's smile widen. He should have known that his Cadet would take to this with the same enthusiasm he did everything else.

~Now, you tell me what other option you had for escape. ~ The 1st folded his arms across his chest and waited as the redhead blinked with confusion.

~Uhh... ~ His mind fumbled for some kind of answer, pulling on all the things he'd been trained in, and came up blank. ~I... I don't know. The fog was the only thing I could think of and I wasn't even sure it'd work. ~ His admission was met with a teasing smirk.

~You do know, Cadet. Think harder. ~ He let the teen struggle a moment longer before giving his last hint. ~What are you here to learn about today? ~ Understanding flashed across the young fighter's features and the General almost expected him to facepalm as Zack had a tendency to do.

~The link. ~ He groaned, ~I could have struck out at you to escape, but... is it really as simple as that? ~ The redhead's frustration was as apparent, but instead of being directed at his mentor for the lesson, it was for his own forgetfulness. A small part of Seph had been worried that his style of teaching would frighten the redhead away again, but the Cadet's response gave him reassurance.

Behind the irritation and fluster at being trapped, was a burning curiosity that he knew would always draw Talin back to him. This firry little Pheonix craved knowledge and Sephiroth wanted to be the one to satisfy that desire.

~It is, ~ Still watching for any sign of retreat, he moved towards his trainee. ~Any strike you use against me in the Void will be amplified tenfold by the link. It's up to you how much power you use but, if you want it to be effective, you'll need to hit hard. ~ It was as much warning as instruction and Talin once more felt his gut twist at the idea of the General brought to his knees. In some ways, it felt like justice, but in others, it was just wrong...

The mental image was distracting enough that he lost focus on the other shadow, not realizing how close they now were, till a hand under his chin made him look up. A shiver tore down Talin's spine when his eyes met the bright crystal green gaze and heard the man's voice purring through his mind, the volume and clarity amplified by the direct contact.

~Does the idea of hurting me still trouble you? ~ Talin only had an instant to catch the puzzlement on the General's face before the 1st's confusion melted into surprise. In a blink, the teen was once more several feet away and, although he couldn't actually hear the pounding, he could very well imagine the rapid thudding of the Cadet's heart at the small scare.

Lowering his hand, Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and again folded his arms as he waited for his trainee to regain composure after the impressively fast transfer. The SOLDIER had seen the shift from shadow, to fog, and back quite clearly having been so close, but the speed of it was what intrigued him most. The redhead's earlier display of agility was nothing compared to what he'd just seen, and Seph took the moment to consider how such talent could be honed. That kind of lightning-quick transition wasn't something that could be trained.

Talin's heart had stuttered in his chest as he'd zipped away from his mentor but irritation quickly killed his anxiety. ~Yes, it bothers me! I shouldn't be able to hurt you like that... ~ The General didn't move forward again but regarded him with an understanding but pitiless gaze and the Cadet could all but feel the pulse of frustration that flared in response to his own.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Seph tried once more to convince his trainee. ~I've given you my consent, asked you to use it as a tool, ~ Talin's eyes flared as he started to reply but was cut off when the other continued. You agreed to the link and I promised to teach you to use it. That was our arrangement. To train a skill, it must be used, therefore, I cannot keep my promise if you don't allow me to do so. ~ His words were quiet but still felt forceful, commanding, designed to replace worry with reassurance and unease with confidence. The General had hoped to see the teen relax but instead saw him bristle.

~Fine, then where are you so we can actually train? You're not where you said you'd be. Your sword is, but, as amazing as it is, I doubt Masamune can fight without you. ~ Talin had hoped his taunt would at least ruffle the SOLDIER a little, but instead, he heard a low laugh echo around him and it wasn't just in the Void...

The second it took the teen to shift awareness back to his physical body was more than enough for Sephiroth to fully materialize behind him and hook one arm around his neck. He wasn't pulled backward or hauled off his feet, but simply held in place by that leather-clad arm against his throat. When he tried to step back, thinking to drop under the arm, he gained only an inch before connecting with the General's chest and the arm followed.

Talin's hands flew up, taking a firm hold of the forearm and wrist, but then halted. His captor hadn't moved beyond the initial contact and, as unnerving as it still was to have Sephiroth at his back, he hadn't done anything to warrant an attack.

"It took quite some time to figure out how to warp to my sword instead of calling it to me, but it was well worth the effort, don't you think?" Talin had no time to respond before the brush of an aura against his own had the Cadet splitting his focus between the two forms of his mentor. The one behind him didn't budge but, when he looked into the Void, he saw the swirl of the General's shadow right before it crashed down over him like a wave in the ocean.

Unable to defend against the dense fog that engulfed him, Talin tried to escape as he had before. In a rush, he melted his shadow and shoved outward, seeking the safety of the Void where he could raise his shields, but he shouldn't have expected the same trick to work twice. The collision with a hard shell stole the breath from his lungs, and the tingle of electricity within the cloud had him rapidly collecting himself into one place to limit the number of static-like zaps that jumped to him. A clear space opened for him in the center of the sphere but the redhead was too rattled to be thankful.

Unaware of anything but the mental struggle, Talin's hands had wrenched and pulled at the arm around his throat, but it remained firmly in place. Feeling Talin's panic rising, Seph relaxed his arm a touch and drew his mind slightly further away from the teen's, giving him a bit more space but not releasing him. "Easy, Cadet," Keeping his voice soft and removing any hint of teasing, the 1st remained still as stone behind his trainee as he spoke. "This is your next exercise, not a punishment or retaliation. You have my word that I won't harm you."

To his relief, the panic started to recede, growing less and less apparent with each shaky breath. Talin's heart was still racing, Sephiroth could feel the rapid staccato pulse against his arm, and as the teen calmed, he sifted the emotions coming off the Cadet's trapped mind. Unease, uncertainty, and stress, yes, but there wasn't the smallest tendril of fear.

When Talin returned his attention to the physical, his hands loosened their bruising grip and shifted to hooked between arm and throat to give one firm tug. It was the kind of action that said 'that's enough, now let me go' before they loosened and lowered to his sides.

"I've promised that I won't hurt you, but I also won't be letting go until you make me..." It took the Cadet a few tries to get his mind or mouth to form words and the General waited silently for him to piece together what he wanted to say.

"I don't... I don't want to. It's not something I want to use just to prove I can." His frustration was still evident in his tone and Seph was glad the shock hadn't doused those embers. "I get the idea of it and how it works, can't that be enough?" Much as the 1st wanted to let it be, to give in to the request and continue with a regular training session, there was also a part of him that insisted that they finish this step.

In his planning, he reasoned that Talin would need to see the effect of using the link to knock him down, but below that was lingering guilt that wouldn't be satisfied till his Cadet had sought some kind of payback. Sephiroth wasn't fond of pain and certainly didn't long for it, but he'd accept punishment for what he'd done from no one but Talin.

"Afraid not," The General raised his arm, forcing the teen to tilt his head up and look at his mentor. "I could make it an order?" The offer was half teasing but, when Seph heard the Cadet's breath catch and saw the ring of jade green shrink as Talin's pupils expanded, he didn't hesitate. Within a heartbeat, he was Shin-Ra's General, their Silver Devil, unyielding, unconquered, and, to any other cadet, undoubtedly terrifying.

The pulse that had calmed to a steady tempo skipped when the arm pressed harder against the teen's throat, firmly pinning him in place. Talin found his shadow immobilized as the fog within the shell filled the space and solidified like sand. A shiver raced down his tense spine, goosebumps rose across his skin, and his hands that had fallen to his sides caught ahold of the long leather coat as the SOLDIER's eyes bore into his. Yet he couldn't bring himself to feel terror.

"Cadet Graft," The words were cold and, if not for the spark of fire in the man's gaze, Talin would have believed him to have been back behind his emotionless mask. That mask, however, was too broken, threaded with too many widening cracks, to be of any use against the redhead now.

"Sir?"

"You have one last assignment today, after that, you're free to leave, but I expect to see you on time for your training session tomorrow in the VR room. Understood?" Talin's mouth went dry, the discomfort of his trapped mind in the Void became irrelevant, and the increased pressure at his throat hardly registered under the weight of the man's intense focus.

"Yes, Sir." It was hardly a whisper but the only person who needed to hear was too close to miss it.

"Then do as your General ordered, Cadet, and don't hold back or I'll make you do this over and over till you get it right," The frost in the clipped command made the hairs on the back of Talin's neck rise in warning, but the fire that burned in the glowing eyes was too hot for him to fear that brutal chill.

The redhead kept his eyes locked with his mentor's as he formed the whip of wild, Mako green energy and, for a moment, held the coil perfectly still as it hissed like a live serpent in the darkness of the Void. He'd been told not to hold back, but his currently confined location within another mind would only make the strike more damaging and, order or not, he hesitated. His hope that the 1st would change his command died when he heard the deep voice in his mind once more. ~Last chance, Cadet... ~

"Yes, Sir."

Unwilling to have the mask be the last impression Talin had from this meeting, Sephiroth broke the frosty façade with a small, pleased smile, and then the General's world went white.

CHANGES FOR FUTURE UPDATES!

I didn't want to have to do this, but I will have to put this story on a brief hiatus. There are still a few chapters between now and that point so keep tuned to these post story notes for updates. When the time comes, I will even include a date when the first post-break chapter will be uploaded so you won't be left guessing.

I am not abandoning this story.

I just have to take a short break for several personal matters that I've been neglecting for far too long and then I will be back to give you more chapters and the climactic ending to this story. Till then, please read and review, favorite/follow the story to keep updated, and keep an eye on these messages for further details.