Katai heard the wind whisper. Like a sound of a million bushes being rustled by it. She could feel the wind forming words, but like trying to catch a sea wave, the meaning slipped away.
"Thought about our chat, otouto?"
Katai did hear Sether answer the wind. She was becoming very confused and frightened.
"No. Give me my staff back."
"What staff?" a sheepish smile, clasping his hands behind his back and whistling with feign innocence.
Sether glanced at Katai,
"Don't worry. He's harmless… More or less…"
A worried glance at Katai.
"She can almost here me, you know?"
"How can that be?"
"Mako. Her father spent a lot of time around materias and reactors and stuff. I think she will be able to even almost see me, too- but she can't understand what I'm saying. That's why I can't ask this of any mere mortal, otouto."
Sether stood before Katai protectively,
"Why is she freaked out, then?"
"Because she sees a pair of glowing eyes and senses a transdimensional entity with the will power to destroy the world. Enough, d'youthink?"
Sephiroth then pointed up, closing his eyes,
"The time is now." He added.
That prior night in the forest:
Sether had a hand raised and his lower lip trembling in utter terror, still on the ground.
Sephiroth smiled contently down at him. He cleared his throat once and said,
"…If you built it, he will come…" His voice was deep and mysterious.
Sether blinked a couple of times at this.
"…Wah… What?"
"I donno," Sephiroth looked away, a frown on his face, "I heard it somewhere, I'm looking for a good, You know," He waved his free hand vaguely, " 'Ghostly' line here."
"…What?"
"You're not very bright are you? Anyway-" Sephiroth scratched his chin thoughtfully, looking up, "Damn, I wanted to say something impressive, you know, make a big entrance… What about- 'I'm the ghost of Christmas pass'? …Na… Not 'ghostly' enough…"
Only here did he notice that Sether was still on the ground, looking utterly spooked.
"What's the matter with you? You look like you've seen a ghost- get it? Get it?"
Sether was still staring at him, a blank, stupid look on his face,
"…You… You are…"
"Sephiroth; Your big ol' brother! What about a hug?" The super villain, demi-god spread his arms in welcome.
Sether, surprisingly enough, did not make any attempt to move from the ground.
"You're dead." Sether gulped.
"Well, no shit, Sherlock!"
"I… This got to be a dream."
With a big smile on his face, Sephiroth hit Sether on top of the head with the staff.
"Nope!"
After a moment of vigorous head rubbing, Sether shakily got up.
Standing face to face, it was quite amazing to see the two men. There was absolutely no doubt that they were brothers.
Sether was slightly shorter, and his face was more masculine than his older brother's.
"Konichiwa, Otouto!" Sephiroth waved his hand like a little boy, smiling and closing his eyes happily.
Sether closed his eyes and inhaled deeply,
"You are dead. You cannot be here. My Dad killed you. You are six feet under. You are not standing here."
He opened his eyes to see the planet's worst enemy still smiling at him.
His knees felt week. The fact that a decease person was standing in front of him angered the logic in him.
"What are you doing here?! You are most defiantly dead! What do you want from me?!" He demanded, holding his finger in front of Sephiroth's face as he earlier did to Katai.
Sephiroth went cross-eyed looking at the finger. He shook his head to get his sight straight and smiled again at Sether.
"Can't a brother materialize to say 'hi' without being accused?" He then examined the staff in his hands.
"It's of good quality, but you wield it like a wuss." He spoke suddenly in a relatively serious tone.
Sether was silent. Sephiroth's quick change of attitude (and mere presence,) baffling him.
"Why don't you use your true weapon?"
Sether took a step back,
"Never…" He gulped hard, "…Never again." He then asked with a petty tone,
"Why don't you wear something?"
Sephiroth looked surprised and examined his mostly opaque body, remembering that he, indeed, was naked.
"What, we in a Disney film or something? I'm dead, for Holy's sake, I don't need to be decent!"
Sether looked at him with a tired expression, every logical cell in his head took the rest of the day off,
"Just don't show up in front of Katai like that. She will have a heart attack." He gave up trying to convince the man in front of him that he was NOT supposed to exist.
His mother once told him that it's okey to talk to odd things (furniture, himself, trees…) as long as they don't answer you. She requested Sether to notify her if one of them did.
"Katai… Katai… Oh! Right! That blond chic with you, right? Nice girlfriend, otouto! Hot stuff!" Before Sether could say anything, Sephiroth threw his hand around Sether's shoulders and started walking with him, using Sether's staff as a walking aid.
"Don't worry, only people with Jenova cells can see me. If you have a good dose of Mako in you, you might hear me, but you have to have Jenova in you to see me."
"I don't have Jenova cells." Sether commented flatly. Sephiroth's hand around his shoulders freaking him out; it felt like ice- the touch was cold and stinging.
"Are you listening to what I'm saying, otouto? You got Jenova cells in you, don't worry about that- you got other things."
"What do you mean?"
Sephiroth stopped and sighed heavily, looking more somber now. He went and sat on a large rock. After a moment he patted the place behind him. Sether silently sat there.
"Things… Are going to be a bit hectic for you soon…" Sephiroth said quietly, looking to the stars.
"What are you saying?" Sether leaned his elbows on his thighs, looking at the ground by his feet.
The moonlight illuminated them both. Two pale figures, sitting back to back, one looking to the sky, the other to the ground.
Sephiroth chuckled to himself, looking down.
"I'm not here to warn you- I can't see the future. I'm here to ask a favor."
Sether waited.
"I want to ask you to help me."
This was Sether's turn to chuckle, a bitterness in his laugh,
"…Dealing with the devil? I am not going to destroy the world no matter what you do to me, you know."
Sephiroth glanced back,
"Believe me when I insist that there are worse people than me around, nowadays." He sighed again, "I'm all over the whole 'taking over the world- me become god' thing."
Sether turned around with anger,
" 'Taking over the world- THING'?"
Sephiroth seemed embarrassed,
"Ahh… Anyway-"
Sether abruptly got up, his back rigidly turned to his older, dead brother.
"No- No 'anyway'. You are not supposed to be here. I do not want to hear any lies… Just… Just… Leave me alone."
Sephiroth got up as well.
"I guess I did come out as a bit of a surprise for you… But I need your help."
"NO!" Sether turned around, "I am afraid of you, okey?? I do not understand anything that's happening to me! First thing I know, I'm starting to get real strong, then, when I try to reach Gongaga, my materias become little 'super-novas', and to make things worse- I heal faster than Wolverine!!" He waved his hands in front of him. He started backing again, "Just leave me alone, okey? I do not know how to deal with you!!!" Again, a branch located itself under Sether's foot and he fell again, this time on his side.
He did not even attempt to get up as Sephiroth slowly approached him, his expression sad and compassionate.
No one who knew Sephiroth while he was alive could ever dream of him wearing that expression.
He stood beside Sether a moment and then extended his arm,
"Sether…"
Sether looked up from the ground, meeting Sephiroth's emerald eyes. His own were tired and confused. He stared blankly at the pale hand Sephiroth was holding out.
"Take my hand." Sephiroth smiled. He looked so innocent, and something in his eyes was…
Sether couldn't say exactly what it was, but it defiantly wasn't evil.
Sether reached out and grabbed the wrist.
As Sephiroth pulled Sether up he said,
"As I said before, I need your help, otouto."
"Do not call me that." Sether requested icily.
Sephiroth looked genuinely shocked. He was looking at Sether with huge, puppy eyes filled with half opaque tears.
Sether sighed,
"Call me whatever you want." He corrected with the same tone, giving up.
Sephiroth was happy again.
It occurred to Sether that Sephiroth was exactly like his mother.
"And remember-" Sephiroth suddenly said,
"What?"
"The time is now!"
Sether gave him a tired stare.
Sephiroth laughed and scratched the back of his head,
"I donno what it means… But I really like saying that!"
Sether fell back to the ground in a very 'Anime' like style.
However, here Sether heard Katai's hysterical scream and ran back without another word.
Katai, in a feminist demonstration of power, fainted, her eyes rolling over and falling with a 'thud' to the grass.
"……" Was Sether's reaction. He gave her a confused look for a moment and then returned to Sephiroth before him, an air of 'anyway' about him.
"My staff." He raised his hand in wait.
Sephiroth scratched the back of his head and smiled,
"Aahh… Well… Ya'see… There was this really nice sorceress… and she really like it…"
Sather glared at him,
"SoIgaveittoher!" Sephiroth smiled sheepishly, not knowing what to do, "I got this in return, though!"
He produced from behind his back what seemed to be a revolver with a blade instead of a barrel.
Sether didn't even want to think where he kept it all this time,
"What is it?"
"An umbrella?" Sephiroth held it as one would an umbrella.
Sether inhaled deeply, rubbing his temples.
"You're not going to leave until I agree to help you, huh?" He pointed his finger at Sephiroth and exclaimed, "Well, you can wait 'till time ends, I will not help you!"
Sephiroth looked truly heart broken,
"Why??" He asked, his eyes becoming unnaturally big and watery, "D'you hate me?" He sniffed his nose a couple of times.
"I don't hate you." Sether answered, shaking his head, "I'm freaking afraid of you."
He turned around to pick up Katai and leave. Then he uttered,
"Ugh."
"That's all you can say?" Sephiroth's tone wasn't begging, or sad, or pathetic- it was determined, even a bit annoyed.
"Ugh… Ugh! Damn…" Sether slowly lifted his hand to the sword tip protruding from his right shoulder. The other end of the sword was in Sephiroth's hand.
"I'm sorry, otouto." Sephiroth said, genuine pain in his voice, "But you must listen to me. You may refuse only after you will hear what I have to say."
He withdrew the sword and Sether almost lost balance, clutching his shoulder to slow the bleeding.
"…I lose more shirts this way…" He muttered painfully. Almost fainting from the pain.
Sephiroth came by Sether,
"I'm sorry I had to do that, but you're my single, only hope."
Sether fell to his knees, his head light with pain.
"What-do-you-want?" he asked dejectedly, "I will listen to you, but if you are going to ask me to destroy the world or something, you will have to kill me before I'll do that."
Sephiroth sat on the grass by Sether, placing the Masamune with the bloody tip by his side and crossing his legs. He chose his words before starting;
"As you know, I'm dead."
Sether lifted his head.
"You sure do not look alive, so do not worry."
Sephiroth coughed once and continued, "Being the totally cool and awesome person that I am, I'm stuck." He spread his palm and placed it on the grass, closing his eyes. He looked awfully miserable in Sether's eyes.
"I killed a lot of people in my time, and absorbed their life energy. I became something that the planet didn't know what to do with."
He locked stares with Sether, "My spirit can never truly disappear from the world, but this-" He lifted both hands and gave them a self loathing glance, "…This pathetic existence is a bug, so to speak."
Sether said nothing, listening to his brother intently. Sephiroth looked to the sky,
"It's because people can't forget me. They hate me- each and every one of them- they loathe my guts and everything I represent." He smiled at Sether, "You know that part, don't you?"
Sether looked away and said nothing, the hand clutching his shoulder twitching once.
"I'm kainda cursed, ya'see. I can't truly die or truly live. And if something was to happen to you, my only connection to this world will die with it."
Sether inhaled painfully. He never felt this side of the Masamune before,
"Isn't there anyone else who you can talk to? There are a lot of SOLDIER survivors and people with Jenova cells…"
Sephiroth chuckled bitterly,
"Sure, I'll just pop in front of them with a wink and a smile and say 'Hey there, buddy! Remember me? Sephiroth, the crazy guy? With the big sword? Odd fashion sense? Ya, the guy that killed your family, destroyed your hometown, almost the whole planet- listen- I need a favor-Thetimeisnow.' That'll work!"
Sether thought about this a moment,
"Why me, then, didn't you think I will shun you?"
Sephiroth shrugged,
"I've been watching you since the day you were born, I know that you're not like other people. I know that you're my only hope."
"Ya, I know you've been with me." Sether whispered, unsure how, but he knew all his life that Sephiroth was there, watching him and over him,
"If you are trying to trick me…"
Sephiroth went puppy eyed again,
"Would I do that?"
Sether gave him a cold look and indicated his stabbed shoulder.
Sephiroth seemed a little embarrassed,
"I said I was sorry, didn't I??"
Sether didn't know what to do. On one hand, he was afraid. The name 'Sephiroth' haunting him all his life as something to be dreaded, as something to be avoided. But on the other hand… He wanted to help. Something wanted to believe Sephiroth and end his misery. Sether couldn't tell, to save his life, whether he believed Sephiroth truly, or was it just his over developed sense of justice…? Maybe Sephiroth was manipulating him? Or maybe his blood relation with the demigod was clouding his judgment?
A glance at the referred to summoner of meteor, revealed that he was chasing a grasshopper through the grass while squeaking with glee. However, he tripped and fell flat on his face.
Sether shakily got up and bent by Sephiroth's side. Even though he knew the later was dead, he couldn't help but ask,
"Are you okey?"
Sephiroth turned his head and looked upwards at Sether, a look of a baby about to cry on his face. Quickly his expression changed to that happy, smiley one Sether learned to like.
"Daijobu. Arigatou, otouto." It's all right. Thank you, little brother.
Sether smiled as well. He got up and extended his injured arm, the other smeared with blood.
"Take my hand… oniichan big brother … I will help you."
Sephiroth grabbed that hand and got up.
"Really?? Ya'will? Ya'mean'it? Ya'will? Really?" he started hopping up and down happily, or should we say, gaily. He hugged Sether tight, sending a chill down the later's spin with his icy touch. However, it really warmed Sether's heart, Sephiroth's childish reactions.
Sephiroth started bouncing around Sether while singing,
"He's gonna help me! He's gonna help me! The time is now! He's gonna help!!!"
Sether chuckled,
"You are insane."
Sephiroth pretended to pout,
"Don't say 'insane', say 'with a different, unique approach to reality'."
"You are insane, Seph." Sether shook his head.
"I like that, 'Seph'…" Sephiroth smiled more calmly now, he seemed greatly relieved and happy, "Look, I have some connections here in the after life and the Tran dimensional entities, I'll see what I can do about Dad."
Sether's expression changed swiftly,
"You can do that?"
"What are big brothers for?" He patted his chest proudly, then he glanced aside and said, "I think a wolf's nibbelin' on your girlfriend, otouto."
Sether yelped and raced to the unconscious Katai's side. The wolf previously mentioned was just licking her face to check if she was tasty or not.
"Forget it, furball, you'll have indigestion."
The wolf seemed to agree with Sether and ran away.
Sether looked at where Sephiroth was moments ago to discover that he was gone. That didn't mean that Sether didn't a feeling that he'll be back soon enough to mess up his life a little more. Sether's glance rested a moment on the Masamune, which rested on the grass.
The blood on the tip.
This is the first blood the sword saw since Then, Sether presumed. His expression flashed emotion for but a second.
…It was an accident…
He deliberately left it there and proceeded to lift Katai over one shoulder, he continued to walk towards South Corel.
With each step Sether took away from the Masamune, it became more transparent. When Sether was out of sight, so was the sword.
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Not from this little author!
More coming, want it or not!
