Chapter XI: The Golden Birds And The Glittering Man.
Seph X stood beside Reeve near the window. They had come to an understanding long ago. As long as no one started singing "Iron Man" in his presence, then no one would get killed. His followers stood behind him in silence, halfway glad at not having to massacre more people, the other half being mad because there had been no plundering. Seph X ignored the mutters of disapproval from them. Jared, however, remained completely silent, standing on the other side of his new master. Reeve took a quick glance at the riders.
"What are you going to do about them?" He Whispered.
Seph X waited a moment, then answered.
"Nothing."
"Err. That's a new approach."
Seph X continued to stare out into the horizon. He turned suddenly to address the others.
"Follow me or leave. Now." He said monotone.
Reeves stared in confusion at the metal apparition before him. He was telling them to come with him or bugger off, something that was nearly unheard of. But what was surprising him the most was that it was coming out of something that looked so much like Sephiroth. It was hard to imagine him doing anything more than hacking the riders into pieces. But here Seph X was offering an option that he wouldn't give without hard thinking for several hours. Maybe he really wasn't Sephiroth like he kept saying.
The riders stared at Seph X with equal confusion. No one had asked them what they wanted before. It was a whole new prospect. four turned and left, but the others where fascinated by their leader.
"Good." He turned to Reeve. "I would like for you to allow those four to leave peacefully."
"The thought of stopping them never crossed my mind." Reeve said, turning to look out the window again.
Seph X looked at his remaining followers.
"What are all your abilities?" He asked the riders.
Jared spoke for them all.
"Master, we are all veterans from SOLDIER. A few of us are assassins left over from the war. We are all enhanced by Mako exposure. Mech-Head and Gerald used our abilities to level half of the slums. We are deeply sorry."
Thoughts ran through Seph X's head. Soldiers and Assassins. Hmm... For some reason, the words Viva la résistance came to mind.
Reeve watched as the Highwind rose from its position in the sky. It turned dramatically and zoomed forward, cutting through the wind. Seph X turned to look at the spectacle. He watched curiously. He had never seen such a thing.
"What is that?"
"Oh, that?" Reeve said, indicating the Highwind. "That's the Highwind, the worlds only airship." He said nonchalantly.
Silence.
More silence.
Jared coughed.
Even more (Yawn) silence.
The stark silence that this person created merely by being present reminded Reeve of someone. He looked down at the City outskirts to see three golden Chocobos riding through the city gates. He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket. He dialled in Elena's number. With his keen, metallic hearing, the conversation unfolded before Seph X.
"'ello?"
"Hey." Reeve answered.
"Hate ta sound rude but, what do you want?"
"Cloud and some others have arrived in Midgar. Could you escort them here please?"
"Ah, shit! Do I have to?"
"What do you have against them?"
"Tifa hits me every time she sees me. In the exact same spot. It hurts like hell."
"I'm sorry, but I'm gonna need a better reason."
"Err. uhmmm. Oh alright! I'll go get 'em." She answered finally.
Reeve folded up his phone and dropped it into his pocket.
Silence again.
More (Oh god when does it all end!) silence.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
One thought coursed through Reeve. Why was Mech-Head interested in Midgar? As far as Reeve could see, Midgar could only offer bad memories to the Metallic demon. The other possibility was he was attacking for morale of the riders, but Reeve dismissed this idea. People, or evil, metal, demon things, like Mech-Head didn't really care much what people under their control thought. It all pointed to something, and Seph X was bound to know, because he was still there, instead of hunting down Mech-Head. But the thing was, Seph X wasn't likely to tell him. Things would get ugly if someone didn't start coughing up answers, and as far as he could tell, he was the only one with questions.
He could faintly hear the words "shit whore" being screamed below him. Reeve frowned. Barret had been hanging out with Cid way too long.
Reeve hazarded to ask before Cloud saw Seph X. Big swords tend to fly when Cloud even thought of Sephiroth. This might be too much for him.
"Err. Do you mind telling me what Mech-Head was doing here."
Seph X didn't even move. Slowly, he turned his head to look at Reeve. Instantly regretting his decision, Reeve took a few steps backwards and hoped that Seph X would stand by his words of peace.
"I have no idea why he is hell bent on coming here. Something to do with something called "Techno Soldier." I guess. It was the last recorded project with Hojo under the ShinRa regime. Other than that I don't know. But if what you tell me is true, then I doubt it will be pleasant for any of us. The least I know is that he found something here long ago, and he intends to use it against us all."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Cloud walked beside Elena up the stairs, who took special care to stay out of the hitting range of Tifa. It had been the third time Cloud had been in the ShinRa building, without being chased by guards. He looked around, unnerved by the lack of people.
"What happened?" Cloud asked.
Elena glared at Barret, who was walking in front of the others. She snapped out of her hateful trance.
"Huh, what?"
"What happened?"
"Err... Well, lets just say a familiar face came around." Elena said hesitantly.
Cloud wondered what kind of internal havoc Reeve had managed to wreck this time.
"Nearly there." Elena commented.
"God dammit, Elena. We know that. We raided this place. Remember?" Barret muttered.
They arrived at a long door.
"Feel free." She said, indicating the door.
Cloud pushed the door open.
And froze. Sephiroth?!
He pulled the ultima sword from his back, and ran towards the metal figure that was standing beside Reeve. It turned at the sound of his feet slamming against the floor. Cloud leapt over Reeve's desk and slammed the sword into Its head. The expected slice did not come. The sword could not cut through the metal. The figure hadn't even flinched. It slanted its eyes. It pushed the sword away effortlessly and grabbed Cloud by the throat. Cloud hacked at the apparition for all he worth, but it remained impervious to the hail of blows it was receiving. It glared at him as if it was trying to remember something. Then a wave recognition passed through his face.
"Cloud?!" He said happily, dropping Cloud to the ground.
Seph X stood beside Reeve near the window. They had come to an understanding long ago. As long as no one started singing "Iron Man" in his presence, then no one would get killed. His followers stood behind him in silence, halfway glad at not having to massacre more people, the other half being mad because there had been no plundering. Seph X ignored the mutters of disapproval from them. Jared, however, remained completely silent, standing on the other side of his new master. Reeve took a quick glance at the riders.
"What are you going to do about them?" He Whispered.
Seph X waited a moment, then answered.
"Nothing."
"Err. That's a new approach."
Seph X continued to stare out into the horizon. He turned suddenly to address the others.
"Follow me or leave. Now." He said monotone.
Reeves stared in confusion at the metal apparition before him. He was telling them to come with him or bugger off, something that was nearly unheard of. But what was surprising him the most was that it was coming out of something that looked so much like Sephiroth. It was hard to imagine him doing anything more than hacking the riders into pieces. But here Seph X was offering an option that he wouldn't give without hard thinking for several hours. Maybe he really wasn't Sephiroth like he kept saying.
The riders stared at Seph X with equal confusion. No one had asked them what they wanted before. It was a whole new prospect. four turned and left, but the others where fascinated by their leader.
"Good." He turned to Reeve. "I would like for you to allow those four to leave peacefully."
"The thought of stopping them never crossed my mind." Reeve said, turning to look out the window again.
Seph X looked at his remaining followers.
"What are all your abilities?" He asked the riders.
Jared spoke for them all.
"Master, we are all veterans from SOLDIER. A few of us are assassins left over from the war. We are all enhanced by Mako exposure. Mech-Head and Gerald used our abilities to level half of the slums. We are deeply sorry."
Thoughts ran through Seph X's head. Soldiers and Assassins. Hmm... For some reason, the words Viva la résistance came to mind.
Reeve watched as the Highwind rose from its position in the sky. It turned dramatically and zoomed forward, cutting through the wind. Seph X turned to look at the spectacle. He watched curiously. He had never seen such a thing.
"What is that?"
"Oh, that?" Reeve said, indicating the Highwind. "That's the Highwind, the worlds only airship." He said nonchalantly.
Silence.
More silence.
Jared coughed.
Even more (Yawn) silence.
The stark silence that this person created merely by being present reminded Reeve of someone. He looked down at the City outskirts to see three golden Chocobos riding through the city gates. He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket. He dialled in Elena's number. With his keen, metallic hearing, the conversation unfolded before Seph X.
"'ello?"
"Hey." Reeve answered.
"Hate ta sound rude but, what do you want?"
"Cloud and some others have arrived in Midgar. Could you escort them here please?"
"Ah, shit! Do I have to?"
"What do you have against them?"
"Tifa hits me every time she sees me. In the exact same spot. It hurts like hell."
"I'm sorry, but I'm gonna need a better reason."
"Err. uhmmm. Oh alright! I'll go get 'em." She answered finally.
Reeve folded up his phone and dropped it into his pocket.
Silence again.
More (Oh god when does it all end!) silence.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
One thought coursed through Reeve. Why was Mech-Head interested in Midgar? As far as Reeve could see, Midgar could only offer bad memories to the Metallic demon. The other possibility was he was attacking for morale of the riders, but Reeve dismissed this idea. People, or evil, metal, demon things, like Mech-Head didn't really care much what people under their control thought. It all pointed to something, and Seph X was bound to know, because he was still there, instead of hunting down Mech-Head. But the thing was, Seph X wasn't likely to tell him. Things would get ugly if someone didn't start coughing up answers, and as far as he could tell, he was the only one with questions.
He could faintly hear the words "shit whore" being screamed below him. Reeve frowned. Barret had been hanging out with Cid way too long.
Reeve hazarded to ask before Cloud saw Seph X. Big swords tend to fly when Cloud even thought of Sephiroth. This might be too much for him.
"Err. Do you mind telling me what Mech-Head was doing here."
Seph X didn't even move. Slowly, he turned his head to look at Reeve. Instantly regretting his decision, Reeve took a few steps backwards and hoped that Seph X would stand by his words of peace.
"I have no idea why he is hell bent on coming here. Something to do with something called "Techno Soldier." I guess. It was the last recorded project with Hojo under the ShinRa regime. Other than that I don't know. But if what you tell me is true, then I doubt it will be pleasant for any of us. The least I know is that he found something here long ago, and he intends to use it against us all."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Cloud walked beside Elena up the stairs, who took special care to stay out of the hitting range of Tifa. It had been the third time Cloud had been in the ShinRa building, without being chased by guards. He looked around, unnerved by the lack of people.
"What happened?" Cloud asked.
Elena glared at Barret, who was walking in front of the others. She snapped out of her hateful trance.
"Huh, what?"
"What happened?"
"Err... Well, lets just say a familiar face came around." Elena said hesitantly.
Cloud wondered what kind of internal havoc Reeve had managed to wreck this time.
"Nearly there." Elena commented.
"God dammit, Elena. We know that. We raided this place. Remember?" Barret muttered.
They arrived at a long door.
"Feel free." She said, indicating the door.
Cloud pushed the door open.
And froze. Sephiroth?!
He pulled the ultima sword from his back, and ran towards the metal figure that was standing beside Reeve. It turned at the sound of his feet slamming against the floor. Cloud leapt over Reeve's desk and slammed the sword into Its head. The expected slice did not come. The sword could not cut through the metal. The figure hadn't even flinched. It slanted its eyes. It pushed the sword away effortlessly and grabbed Cloud by the throat. Cloud hacked at the apparition for all he worth, but it remained impervious to the hail of blows it was receiving. It glared at him as if it was trying to remember something. Then a wave recognition passed through his face.
"Cloud?!" He said happily, dropping Cloud to the ground.