The Future Imperfect
AN – thank you for the reception for the last chapter! I am so glad you enjoyed it – and particularly the questions I received about Hojo's untimely demise. I hope it will play out! There aren't actually too many chapters left in this story, though there is a sequel already underway. I just wanted to give myself a bit of a break with a gap between stories (and trying to stop each story getting too big).
Chapter Eighteen
It was concerning that instead of taking them up to the roof, the elevator brought them back down to floor sixty-six – the more public part of the laboratory. Although as they still had to find and extract Genesis and Sephiroth from whatever trouble they had managed to get into it was oddly convenient. Angeal followed Cloud warily down the hallway, keeping his sword out and eyes alert for whatever Hojo had planned for them next. He didn't trust that this wasn't a trap, with turks or SOLDIERs waiting around the next corner ready to subdue them. Or at least, to try to.
A sliding door ahead had them all tensing, drawing weapons if they hadn't already. An infantry trooper sauntered casually into the hallway ahead of them. Immediately Angeal relaxed, recognising Genesis anywhere. He had a particularly nonchalant way of walking when he wanted to convince you he wasn't up to anything, when usually the opposite was true. It did make Angeal wonder what he had been doing this time. Following his lead, the others lowered the weapons. Even Cloud, after the blond spotted the long, red rapier the trooper was carrying.
"How did you get in here?" Cloud asked, frowning down the hallway.
"Hojo requested some support from Heidegger. Something about intruders, apparently." Genesis smirked, the grin visible beneath his helmet. "I don't suppose you know anything about that?"
Cloud rolled his eyes and didn't deign to reply. Angeal frowned at the arc of blood and gore decorating the front of Genesis's uniform. "What happened to you?"
Genesis looked down and sighed. "Our dear Sephiroth got a bit slash happy." As he spoke, a tall figure dressed in an elite trooper outfit exited the room as well. Sephiroth's uniform was clean, but his long Masamune was still covered in bright red blood despite an obvious attempt to clean it. The SOLDIER's gaze seemed to scan over them all briefly, before focussing in on Cloud at the front.
Tifa took a stumbling step backwards, knocking into Angeal's shoulder. He wasn't sure he blamed her, not after the vision of a crazed Sephiroth they had seen earlier. He steadied her carefully, before asking Sephiroth blandly. "And who was the unlucky victim?"
Sephiroth did eventually drag his gaze away from Cloud to answer. "Hojo," was the curt reply. Angeal drew in a sharp breath, hearing a gasp from Aerith too. Cloud said nothing, but seemed to waver slightly where he stood. With strides almost too quick for the unenhanced to see, Sephiroth had a hand on Cloud's elbow and was holding him carefully.
Something passed between the two men, but Angeal couldn't even begin to spare the brain power to fathom what it was. He was too busy reeling from the fact that Sephiroth had finally taken a stand against Hojo in the most definitive way possible. The scientist had been part father, part creator, part master, entirely his personal tormentor. But never before had Sephiroth risen against him, never before had he acted against the only family he had ever known.
What was different now?
He made a mental note to quiz Genesis later, but they really did need to get out of this accursed building first.
Red was looking at Sephiroth curiously, nose twitching. He eventually sat on his haunches and licked at his muzzle with a long, pink tongue.
"It seems that I owe you my gratitude."
To the credit of both SOLDIERs, neither had a visible reaction to Red talking although both turned to stare at the quadruped. Angeal privately suspected that was because the helmets hid their eyes, a distinct advantage when wanting to appear calm and unruffled. Eventually, Sephiroth inclined his head towards Red in acknowledgement.
"Red, this is Genesis and Sephiroth." Tifa introduced quickly. Red perked up his ears and stared intently at the latter. "Um… kinda the same as the Sephiroth we saw earlier, but also not. It's very complicated, but like Angeal they have come from the past."
"Fascinating." Red stated, a pink tongue curling around his upper lip again. "I thought the scent was similar."
Genesis turned sharply to Tifa. "You saw a version of Sephiroth?"
Tifa nodded slowly. "It was…" she shuddered, her words trailing off. Their Sephiroth took a step back, releasing Cloud at last. Aerith gently placed her hand on Tifa's back, smiling kindly at Sephiroth.
"It's ok, we know it wasn't you."
"Creepy shit, whatever it was." Barret added, shuffling uncomfortably. A short silence fell, Genesis watching Sephiroth carefully who in turn continued scrutinising Cloud. Cloud was the first to break the gaze, looking at the floor in front of him.
"There is an Avalanche chopper doing an extraction from the roof." Cloud said eventually into the silence. "We need to find a way up there."
Genesis looked down at the blood covering himself and frowned again. "We should clean up, but then we can take the elevator. I've turned off the remote operation now."
Clean was a relative term, as blood splatter from a severed artery was particularly difficult to get out of any uniform. Still, Genesis did the best job he could in a cramped bathroom while Sephiroth tended to his blade.
Angeal tried to stifle his grin as Genesis stomped over to him, pulling at the wet patch on the navy-blue uniform he was wearing. The colour was dark enough that it wasn't too obviously, but the cold fabric must have been uncomfortable. Fastidious as the redhead usually was about his appearance, Angeal wasn't surprised at his annoyance.
Cloud was striding back down the corridor towards the elevator, assuming the leadership position he seemed to take to so naturally. Without any discussion, Sephiroth followed him closely. Angeal hadn't thought he would see the day where Sephiroth was happy to follow anybody's lead, but then the way that Sephiroth and Cloud interacted was something Angeal had yet to fully understand. In some ways, it was as though they shared a level of understanding that he didn't think he had seen Sephiroth have with anyone before. Something had happened, over the last couple of days, for his friend to be so comfortable with the blond. Angeal was sure he'd find out in time.
The girls followed next, whispering to each other. Even now, Angeal could see Tifa subtly putting distance between herself and Sephiroth, making sure she was positioned on Cloud's other side. Aerith had no such worries, calmly following the tall SOLDIER. Red followed Aerith and Barret, Tifa. Barret was still talking away to Red, who seemed to humour him with nothing worse than an irritated swish of his tail.
"Shall we?" Angeal gestured towards the retreating group. Genesis inclined his head and they took up positions at the rear. "Other than getting rid of Hojo, what were you and Sephiroth up to?" Angeal asked curiously. Genesis stilled slightly, his expression tightening.
"Heidegger took us down to Lazard's old office, now his own. He wanted additional protection due to rumours that Sephiroth had been seen in the building." Genesis paused, pursing his lips. "Obviously not just rumours after all."
"Hmm." Angeal nodded slightly. Genesis gave him half a glance and gestured with his hand to encourage Angeal to elaborate. Angeal sighed deeply. "I think it was him but… it also wasn't. It felt as though a different person was looking out of his eyes, wearing his skin. But that can't be true. Very little is making sense to me anymore. What happened with Heidegger after that?"
"Not a lot, he dismissed us once we reached his office. Then we hacked into the supply database and caused some disruption before the Goddess blessed us with a keycard to Hojo's office. Hojo was so excited to see Sephiroth that he lost his head and you know the rest."
"There's a lot you aren't telling me." Angeal slowed, placing a hand on Genesis's left arm to keep him back from the others. "Why Hojo, why now?"
Genesis gently sidestepped around Angeal's outstretched hand and turned to face him, wincing slightly as he rolled his shoulder. "I know, old friend. I don't understand myself, truly. Hojo was just blathering on about a failed experiment he wanted to run further tests on when Sephiroth… well, you've heard about what happened next. On top of that, before we disrupted Heidegger's supplies we did some investigating into the events of the last few years, but even I don't know what to make of the results. However, I am not sure this is the place to discuss theories."
"Cloud knows more than he has told us." Angeal spoke very quietly, so that only Genesis would be able to hear him.
"I do believe you are right about that. We'll need to have a long conversation with Sephiroth's new pet once we get out of here." There was a familiar bitterness in his voice that Angeal had heard too many times before.
"Do you have to?" Angeal sighed. He was feeling wound up enough anyway after dealing with the not-Sephiroth earlier, he really didn't want to have to cope with Genesis and whatever jealous fit he was about to pitch right now.
"You can't deny that Sephiroth is acting strange," Genesis hissed, the sound not entirely unlike that a defensive cat would make. "He has never shown any interest in anyone before and now he is all over Cloud! Who isn't even doing anything in particular to attract his attention!"
"You're jealous because he is showing more kinship with Cloud than he has ever shown to you? It's not a bad thing he is making friends outside of the two of us."
"It took years to wear him down into accepting our friendship, and he still doesn't let us close."
"He lets us in a lot closer than anyone else. What else do you expect, given his history and upbringing?"
Genesis scoffed. "And yet blondie is suddenly his new bff? No, there is something else going on there and I have a pretty clear idea what it is. The only reason you haven't seen it yourself is because you're a monk and wouldn't know sexual desire if it hit you in the face."
Okay, that one stung a little. Just because Angeal had chosen not to act on his impulses, unlike Genesis who was known for taking women home from the elaborate Shinra parties he was expected to attend, didn't mean he didn't have them. He just wanted to focus on his career first and foremost, not giving too much time to the things that wouldn't allow him to follow his dreams. He thought he had time for all that in the future, when the Wutai war was over and he spent more time at home.
Except… apparently he didn't after all if Aerith was right about the date of his death. One more thing to worry about another time.
A twist of chestnut hair and a flash of green eyes drew his attention to the rest of their party. They had entered the elevator, all except for Aerith who was waiting in the corridor, a smile on her face and her hands clasped behind her back. "Hey," she called, leaning towards them and bouncing slightly on her toes. "We don't have time to stand around and gossip you know!" Her grin took any sting out of the words, Angeal found himself smiling ruefully as he walked up to her.
"We wouldn't want to keep you waiting."
"Better not," she replied with a gentle punch to his arm, skipping into the elevator. Angeal took in her smiling visage and relaxed posture.
"We aren't home free yet," he cautioned. Genesis snorted from where he had squeezed on behind them.
"No but… just knowing that Hojo isn't going to be able to get hold of me again… makes me feel lighter." She turned to Angeal with a worried expression. "Does that make me a bad person? I know you shouldn't want harm to come to anyone but I'm not sorry that he's dead."
Angeal looked into those earnest green eyes and shook his head gently. "I think if anyone has the right to be relieved at Hojo's death it is you." He looked around at the party crammed into the small elevator and reconsidered. "Well, you and most of the other people here."
Red licked his muzzle. "I am only disappointed I was not able to deliver the final blow myself. That does not diminish my gratitude, however." He inclined his head towards Sephiroth, who nodded in acceptance. "Besides, if even half of what he would speak in the stillness of the laboratory was true, then you had a far greater claim to his life than I."
"Oh, it was probably all true." Genesis muttered darkly. "The man was a sadist."
The elevator doors opened to reveal that they were back at the top of The Drum. A moment of déjà vu, Angeal reflected with a sigh. Although, as they stepped out of the elevator it was clear it wasn't exactly the same as it had been earlier.
Where before there had been a large tank with a headless figure, now there was the jagged edge of broken glass and drops of spilt mako.
"What the hell's goin' on?" Barret summed up what most of them were thinking. Angeal felt Genesis shifting curiously next to him, but the redhead remained silent for now. "Where's that thing gone?"
They all stared at the gaping hole, purple fluid oozing around the opening. There was no sign left of the strange, headless monstrsity that had been in here before. Instead, a trail of strangely glowing purple liquid led around the gantry.
"But who would…?" Tifa stared, bemused at the sight. Angeal raised a brow at her, surely there could only be one culprit?
"We may find out soon," Red indicated the trail. It led away from the central chamber and towards an elevator on the far side – the elevator they needed to get up to the next floor.
Sephiroth suddenly gasped, one hand flying to his temple while the other clutched at the safety rail on the edge of the gantry.
"Hey, you ok?" Barret asked, the closest to Sephiroth. The SOLDIER straightened after a moment and shook his head, dropping his hand back down.
"Apologies, a sudden headache."
Cloud wasn't looking at Sephiroth, but rather the rail he had been holding. Angeal followed his gaze to see that Sephiroth had squeezed the rail so hard the metal had bent beneath the force, clear indents visible where his fingers had grasped it.
"Did it feel like bad static in your head?" Cloud asked quietly. Sephiroth's gaze snapped to him.
"I… yes, it did. And a voice. A female voice I think. It was hard to tell. I couldn't make out any words."
"Hmmm." Cloud frowned, lost in thought. "That is new, as far as I remember I just get static."
"Cloud, what are you talking about?" Tifa asked in concern. Cloud shook his head helplessly.
"Hearing voices that nobody else can is never a good sign." Genesis's tone was sharper than normal, but Sephiroth didn't react to it.
"A likely side effect of Hojo's past meddling." He stated eventually, his tone not encouraging further questions.
"I don't understand." Tifa looked worriedly at Cloud, who shook his head again.
"Not now." Tifa looked like she would argue, but Cloud turned his blue eyes to her. "Please, Tifa. I'll explain later. I promise."
She hesitated, before nodding once. "Soon, then." Angeal had a feeling Tifa would hold him to that. They exchanged a glance before Cloud gestured to the elevator.
"Let's go."
They got as far as the sixty-ninth floor, the elevator doors opening to reveal a rich red carpet and dark, sleek walls. "The Executives Suites." Genesis murmured, stepping out. His eyes followed the glowing purple trail that led up into a large, open plan space. "This is the floor where the President and his family live."
"Why was that thing brought here?" Tifa murmured. Angeal agreed with her, they had no reason to come this way, unless…
"It's being taken to the roof."
"And what exactly is it?" Genesis asked, crouching and reaching out to the purple slime.
"No!" Aerith grasped his hand and pulled it back, eliciting a wince from the red-head. "I'm sorry," she said ruefully. "But it's very dangerous." Genesis arched an eyebrow at her as she stood and looked at the trail disappearing up the stairs.
"Is that what you were warning us about, before?" Angeal asked her, connecting dots in his head.
"I think so," was all she would say. Given the behaviour of the whispers previously, he didn't blame her reluctance to elaborate now.
"For now, our paths align." Red stated, walking forwards whilst carefully avoiding the purple patches. "Let us see what is at the end." Cloud followed him, the rest trailing after.
He led the way up to the lobby of the suites, then up the next set of stairs towards the President's office. The black doors with gold inlay opened smoothly as they approached, revealing a glossy office space. Angeal nearly collided with Cloud as he stopped stock still in the entrance.
The sight ahead of him riveted him to the spot, even as Aerith rushed past with a cry.
The President's office had been redecorated since Angeal had last stepped foot in it. The large windows at the back that looked out on the roof were familiar, but the large sculpture that served as a backdrop to the President's desk was new. It was jagged and rose up like the skyscrapers of the city below. The two central panels held the Shinra logo, directly over the seat. The desk was edged in gold, reflecting the lights that littered the avenue of pillars leading from the door to the desk like silent sentinels. Between the two the purple trail continued, leading them straight to the desk itself.
Straight to the desk, and to the sight that had caused Angeal's brain to momentarily freeze, watching in momentary shock as Aerith gently reached out towards the slumped figure on the desk and shook her head ruefully while Tifa clamped a hand over her mouth in horror.
The slumped figure of President Shinra, pinned to his desk by a very familiar six-foot-long katana that was wedged in the centre of his back.
AN – yes, I know I've followed Remake so far but I really enjoyed the way they find President Shinra in the OG… plus with all the faffing to find Sephiroth and Genesis they have turned up later than they might have done. Or at least, I'm using that as my excuse!