Sephiroth's eyes shot open and he sat up. What...? It took him a moment to remember where he was and what had happened. He looked around the sterile room and nodded shakily to himself. It was only a dream of course. It was too strange to have been real... I am here, in the lab, and she would never have done such a thing...
It was the Cetra who told her to.
He blinked, then frowned. I thought I told you to leave me alone.
You thought that would last? You have to learn the truth before Aeris bends you to her will so she can fulfill her own agenda.
What...? What are you talking about?
She wants to destroy you and Minerva and Cloud and anyone else who carries Jenova's cells. She believes that Jenova is evil, that Jenova is the Crisis from the Sky.
But she is.
Oh, no, you have been mistaken as well. It is the Cetra who are the parasites of this Planet. It is they who have deceived the human race. The deception has worked so well that it has become common belief. Of course because the Cetra are naturally more charming and quite capable at making themselves seem more vulnerable. Of course the humans would believe them instead of the silent, stoic children of Jenova.
No. The Cetra speak to the Planet, they use their magic to heal, they help to protect this Planet. If what you are saying is really true, then why did I summon Meteor? Why would I attempt to destroy the Planet, if I am not the virus?
For the greater good of the universe. All the inhabitants of the Planet are descended from the Cetra. The Planet therefore must be destroyed to be rid of it. This must be done so that the Cetra do not infect other worlds with their deception.
Stop lying to me and tell me the truth, if you know it.
I am telling the truth. But you would prefer to believe the sweet little Cetra, wouldn't you? She's always been so kind to you...
But she has...
Ha! She lies to you, pretends to care so that you will sacrifice yourself for her and so that she can be rid of yet another of our kind. And you, poor misguided boy, believed her. You've fallen in love with the endearing little girl.
What!?
Perhaps not in that way, but you were willing to give yourself to Hojo so that she could remain free. I know how much you hate and fear Hojo...
A knock on the door interrupted the mental argument before Sephiroth could answer this voice in his head. He looked up as Talya opened the door. She did not enter the room, and there was no smile on her face.
Hmm, the voice commented indifferently, looks like you'll be seeing him soon.
Shut up. Just shut up.
Sephiroth stood without the former Turk having to say a word and followed her down the hall to Hojo's main laboratory.
Minerva blinked to clear her vision. Did I really...? No... she couldn't have fallen asleep. Never in her life had she been tired or slept for even an instant. Not even when Hojo... She shook her head. Best not to think about such things. But... she couldn't have been hallucinating. Daydreaming perhaps? But what kind of daydream was that? They were supposed to be pleasant, weren't they? Sighing, she stood and paced back and forth.
Perhaps I'm just going insane...
That would be a pity.
I am certain you would quite enjoy taking advantage of me if I did. You probably showed me that just to try and push me to that end. I am stronger than Sephiroth, though.
I know. That's why you're my favorite.
Shut up.
It was not your fault though.
What? You saw that? Ugh... I don't get any privacy, even within my own head.
It was the Cetra girl. It was always the Cetra. You do realize that she is the reason for all this madness? For our suffering.
She is not. And I refuse to be associated with you. Perhaps you occupy a part of my mind and my body, but you are separate from me. You cannot have me as you did him.
This strength is what I like about you. You are not so easily bent. Of course... had you been put through what he was... I'm not so certain you would be as strong as you are now. Still, you have received even less affection than he, and still no part of you yearns for it.
How would you know?
Hmm. I know more than you think I do, my daughter.
Do not call me that! I am not your daughter.
If you so choose to believe. I trust you will bring the Cetra to Hojo so he can further my wishes for her. She deserves the punishment he can give her.
I refuse to do it. I could reverse the lock on the door so that...
You can't. You should know that by now. If you tamper with the locks, he'll...
Then I will make my own.
He'd just rip it apart.
I will put up a barrier.
He's good with barriers. You can only destroy things. It won't work.
Eh... But I need to do something.
There is nothing you can do. You were not made to defy him, or me. You were created for destruction, certainly. The power of your black magic proves that.
I was not created to destroy. My purpose is to guard Sephiroth and that Cetra... Aeris.
And to kill anyone who gets in your way, in Hojo's way. Destroy anything in his path. Betray them if you must.
No. I have no wish to do so.
But that is your purpose. If you refuse to accept it, he will only have to break you.
I do not want to capture Aeris. There is something about her that I... I am uncertain, but it feels... she should not be caged.
Why not?
She is... she has something that...
You can't put your finger on it, can you? It's only a defense mechanism to incur your compassion.
No, you are wrong. Have you not been near her, or do you simply lack the soul required to comprehend that kind of feeling?
You are the one at fault. It is that very soul that she appeals to. She wants you to feel compassion for her so that she will remain free while those with Jenova in them suffer.
She did not mean for us to suffer.
She spoke to Sephiroth and coaxed him to care for her. When you caught her then, he wanted to trade in his life for hers. She was the cause of his pain, you see. That compassion worked to her advantage.
You are lying to me, just as you deceive Sephiroth. Aeris does not mean for these things to happen. She even argued against them, trying to stop him. She cares for Sephiroth. That much is obvious, although I am not certain why.
She only pretends to care. She is much more intelligent and much less naïve than she seems. The Cetra works out ways to seduce others so that they will work for her. It is in this method that she builds her power.
Lies, all of it. Shut up and leave me be.
Or what? There is nothing you can do.
If you insist on attempting to deceive me, which, I might add, you have been unsuccessful at for seventeen years, then I will tell Sephiroth who you are. That would ruin your plans, would it not?
...you will capture the Cetra, whether you want to or not.
I know. I am simply asking you to leave me be. It is bad enough that I must do so without you persisting at this idiot game you can never win.
The voice in her head fell silent and Minerva sighed. It spoke more and more often now, almost as though it was running out of time. Minerva was uncertain of its motives, although she believed she would know soon enough. She moved her chair to the wall that separated her room from his. "...Sephiroth?" she ventured. She wasn't sure why she wanted to speak with him. Maybe a part of her wanted to protect him from the voice in his head. Or perhaps she just welcomed the company. It would be, of course, the first time she had really talked to anyone besides Talya. And Hojo... well, he was an idiot.
"Sephiroth," she repeated, louder this time. No answer came. Minerva sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed. Alone as always. She closed her eyes and hummed softly to herself, finding little comfort in the empty sound.
Reno remembered the airship from his days with Shinra, but Cid had apparently remodeled it since then. His companions from Avalanche commented on what a good job the pilot had done in rebuilding it, however, so he guessed that it had sustained some damage... or something like that. A rope ladder led the way up to the deck and Cid was the first to ascend, a wide grin on his face as he heard the praise of his friends.
The redhead tried to climb up after Tifa, but Rude put a restrictive hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Reno snapped his fingers and waited his turn. It seemed as though Rude still had that insane crush on Tifa... I mean, sure she was hot, but she was way out of his league! ...that, and she was married. He wondered briefly how such a strange love triangle had come into existence. Actually, he mused, it was more of a love hexagon.
He ended up being the last one on, which kind of disappointed him, but then he told himself that the strongest guy always brought up the rear and that made him feel better. He halfway to the door, grinning over at Elena as she caught his eye. She had decided to stay out there, and an anxious-looking Yuffie stood next to her, tightly grasping the railing and looking down as the airship lifted off.
"Are you sure it's better down here?" Yuffie asked, looking a bit green already.
"Yeah, I'm sure. I have ridden the Highwind before, you know," Elena answered, much more relaxed as she leaned on the railing and looked out at the view. Reno knew she suffered from a slight case of motion sickness, and suspected that Yuffie did as well... only to a greater extent. He continued on into the hull of the airship and up to the bridge, where the rest of their odd party had assembled.
Cid was at the wheel, of course, since his former crew was not present. Reno wondered if he had sent them all home or what. But he decided he didn't really care and looked around for a place to sit, or, as he noted that there were still no chairs, stand around. Cloud and Tifa were side-by-side at the front of the bridge, looking out the huge window there, Reeve was leaning against the wall near a set of controls, and Rude was near him. It took Reno a few minutes to locate Vincent, who had taken up his position in a lowered control platform, against the far wall.
Finally, Reno decided to join the silent man, if only to ask him a few questions as to the mental stability of the guy they were trying to rescue... Sephiroth. Well... that, and he wanted to know if he'd seen that silver-haired girl or if Aeris had any love interests at the moment, besides Cloud, who was now thankfully out of the picture anyway. He told himself he really didn't have a crush on her, but she was a nice girl, and really cute, so he might as well try. Hey, they were already friends, and that was always the best place to start, wasn't it? He could be sure she wouldn't just brush him off. Part of him, though, felt that it was some sort of violation to try and gain her affections.
Vincent did not so much as glance at him as he descended the short, metal staircase to stand near him. Reno watched him for a minute, and wondered if the guy was a vampire or something, with the way he looked. In any case, those red eyes were kinda cool, and Reno tried to imagine himself with eyes like that-they'd match his hair startlingly well.
"Soo...." he began amiably. "I get the impression that you're one o' the few people here who's actually doing this for Sephiroth an' not Aeris. I was kinda wondering why, exactly."
Vincent raised an eyebrow at him. "I am doing this for many reasons."
"Like what?" Reno prompted when he did not continue. Vincent only shrugged. The redhead waited for a moment, then tried a different line of questioning. "So, is he really sane again? Sephiroth, I mean."
The other man nodded. "He is... And he seems to care more about people than he ever did before."
"Ah... um... any idea why?"
"...he does not remember much, and I assume the lack of memory stripped him down to instinct." Vincent eyed him, a look that would probably have unnerved most people, but Reno was used to worse looks. "Why do you ask?"
He shrugged. "Just wonderin'." Vincent waited, not convinced. "Oh, fine, I really don't care."
"Then why are you speaking to me?"
"Um... 'cause I want to know if Aeris is, you know... free. You've been around her for a while, right?" After a few moments, he felt the need to elaborate. "Does she like anyone, other than Cloud?"
Vincent sighed quietly then shook his head. "Not that I know of."
Reno ran a hand through his hair, knowing that he was truly not wanted now that the conversation had turned to simple crushes and girls. "Just so I know... what does that Lucrecia chick have to do with all this? Wasn't there a scientist named Lucrecia...?"
"She worked with Hojo, yes," Vincent replied, his tone even more steeled than before. "She is Sephiroth's mother."
"Who's his dad?"
"...Hojo."
"Damn! That is one screwed up family," Reno commented. Vincent frowned at him and he scratched his head. Okay, so maybe he wasn't used to worse looks than the ones Vincent could give. "Uh... sorry. You like her, don't you?" The slight nod affirmed his assumption, and he grinned, albeit a bit nervously. "I'll shut up now." A second nod showed Vincent's appreciation of the silence, and Reno walked back up the steps, having learned something at least.
He joined Rude by the wall and followed his tall friend's gaze towards the front of the ship, where Tifa was standing. "Aw... jeez, Rude, you still pining after her?" he asked, keeping his voice low. Reeve glanced at them, but neither of the other Turks cared. Rude made a noise that might have passed for a snort and closed his eyes. Reno shook his head. "You gotta get over it. She's hot and all, but... hell, she's married now!"
"I know," Rude acknowledged quietly.
Reno shrugged and folded his arms over his chest, taking a moment to admire Tifa for himself. Unfortunately, she had taken up wearing pants, but at least they were kinda tight. She still wore a tank top, and he guessed there wasn't really anyway to cover those kind of curves up anyway. A grin played across his face, but he shook his head.
Why did pretty girls always go for the shy, quiet types? Both Aeris and Tifa had gone for Cloud. Elena was pretty, he admitted, even if he would never dream of going out with someone like her, and she liked Tseng. Tseng, who barely said anything. Tifa had married Cloud, and Aeris still liked him... Well, Cloud could go screw himself. Reno didn't want to think about him screwing Tifa, because that was just unfair.
Pushing off from the wall, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and wandered out to the deck, leaning back against the railing and looking over at the two women there. They made an interesting pair, as far as looks went-the short, skinny Yuffie, who had distinctly Wutain features, dark hair, and nearly black eyes clinging to the railing while the slightly taller Elena with soft brown eyes and long blond hair stood casually near her. Elena glanced at Reno as he came out, and frowned slightly in annoyance, but he grinned widely in return, only causing her frown to deepen.
Yuffie noticed that something had caught Elena's attention and she turned to look at Reno. She looked pretty miserable, but she still managed to grin slightly and even let go of the railing for a moment to wave. "Hi, Reno...!"
She gestured for him to join them, and he did, a bit surprised at the young ninja's openness. After all, the last time he had seen her, they were enemies. But she had still been a teenager, and that was five years ago anyway, so the few fights must not have made much of an impression on her. Or maybe it was that time in Wutai when he had saved her and Elena from Don Corneo. Elena was still spiteful over that... but maybe in Yuffie's mind, it balanced out the things he did while on-duty.
"How you doin'?" he asked, ignoring Elena entirely.
Yuffie shrugged as she gripped the railing again. "Well, I haven't thrown up yet... urk..." She swallowed and managed a sheepish grin. "How 'bout you?"
"Well, I still don't have a girl, but other than that I'm fine." Elena rolled her eyes at him, and he stuck out his tongue.
Yuffie laughed, then stopped abruptly and swallowed again. "Eh... any crushes on anyone?"
"Not really," Reno answered.
The ninja grinned, slyly this time. "Katrina said you were flirting with Aeris." Elena smirked at this, her eyes demanding that Reno work his way out of that one.
He only shrugged, not about to let that kind of comment ruin his cool. "So what if I was? We've been friends for a while."
"All the more reason you'd like her," Elena put in. "With you, when you're friends with a girl for this long, that means you really like her, and it's not just, like... a one-night deal."
"I've stuck around with you, and I definitely don't have a crush on you," Reno replied.
She frowned. "Since when were we friends?"
"I dunno. Seems like we should be, since we do live together and all."
Yuffie's eyes lit up. "You two live together?" she asked.
Both Turks looked to her in alarm. "No," Elena said. "I mean..."
"Yeah," Reno interrupted. "But um... Rude lives there, too." Elena nodded in agreement, as if this was supposed to make everything clear to the mischievous Yuffie.
"So what if he lives there?" the ninja asked, her grin broadening. "I'll bet you two share a bedroom!"
"Ah! We don't!" Elena exclaimed defensively.
"Only because Rude can't stand her snoring!" Reno blurted at the same time.
She glared at him. "I do NOT snore!"
"Like hell you do!" he answered.
Yuffie was cracking up, her airsickness forgotten. "Listen to you two!" she managed through her laughs. "You... you could be-brother and sister!"
Reno and Elena glared at her. "What!?"
"What's all this commotion about?"
All three turned to look at Reeve as he closed the door behind him, stepping out onto the deck. They looked at each other.
"Um..." Elena said eloquently.
"Yuffie was..." Reno began.
"Sibling rivalry!" Yuffie exclaimed, still grinning.
Reeve shook his head. "Figures. Those two never got along very well..." He joined the group at the railing, looking out at the view. "There's Gold Saucer," he commented.
Yuffie immediately turned to look. "I wish we could stop there," she said, smiling only slightly now and a hint of green returning to her face. "It was fun there... pretty, too."
"Yeah," Reeve agreed. "I went there once."
The ninja raised an eyebrow at him. "Weren't you... I mean... when you were Cait Sith?"
"That's different," he answered. "It wasn't actually like being there." He shrugged as he watched the tree-like structure pass by. "Maybe we'll go there to celebrate when this is finally over."
Reno smirked. "Tired already, Reeve?"
His more serious companion shook his head. "No... I mean, it isn't like this just started. You guys probably weren't even born yet when the whole thing began. Come to think of it, none of us were."
"Um," Elena said. "Exactly where is the beginning, and exactly what is it?"
"I was thinking when Shinra discovered Jenova, but no, it would've been back when Jenova landed here. That was when the Planet was wounded, that is when her presence started screwing things up... And then Hojo had to come along and make everything worse."
"You put it that way, and it seems like a hell of a long time," Reno agreed. "It's about time it ended, huh?"
Reeve nodded. The rest of the voyage was fairly eventless until near the end, when the two girls had managed to bring the topic back around to Aeris. "So, Reno..." Yuffie was saying, "I never really got it on whether or not you like Aeris..."
"Hmm?" he said. "Oh... I thought I told you I didn't."
"No," Elena put in. "You just changed the subject."
"I thought it was Tseng who liked Aeris," Reeve said in confusion.
Reno had found his way out. "What about you? You're the one who made a deal to go out with her if you read her fortune."
"I... uh... that was only..." He looked around, then pointed suddenly. "Look. We're almost there..." Everyone turned to look at Midgar, falling silent immediately, even if the silence wouldn't last. About half of the debris had been cleared off, mostly from the outer parts of the city, although more progress had been made in the southern section, and the northernmost sections had barely been touched. Newer buildings built from the scrap metal had sprung up where the slums had once been, although there weren't that many of them. Not nearly as many people lived there as there had been. Most had fled to Junon, some to Nibelheim, Bone Village, Cosmo Canyon, Costa del Sol, and even a few to faraway Wutai.
And while the southern sections even showed a hint of green amidst the dull buildings, the northern section looked even worse than it had the night Meteor had come. Jagged pieces of metal stuck up in random, almost impossible angles. Huge wires that once snaked their way to the Shinra building lay scattered about in shredded threads. Concrete walls lay smashed in huge chunks and the well-used train system was nowhere to be seen, buried beneath the rubble. In short, it looked as though someone had stuffed Midgar into a blender and dumped it back out again. To be really short, it looked terrible.
But even though it shut them up for a while, the four staring at the ravaged city, Yuffie somehow found a way to restart the conversation. Maybe she just needed desperately to lighten the mood after seeing such a thing. "So... what is it, all your friends have crushes on Aeris?" she murmured to Elena.
"I heard that," Reno said indignantly. "And for the last time, I do not have a crush on Aeris." He wondered briefly if this was true. Of course it was! But then... why was he even considering trying to hook up with her? I'm an idiot, he thought. "Reeve does, though."
Reeve shot him a look as Elena turned to him. "That's right. You set up a date with her, didn't you?"
He scratched his head. "That was back then. Maybe I had a crush on her then, I don't know. It was kind of spur of the moment, just for fun." He grinned at Reno, returning the favor. "Reno's the one who always used to chase after her."
"Hey!" he protested. "That was my job!"
"Off-duty, too," Reeve added. Yuffie snickered and Elena smirked, but the airship began to descend before either could comment, causing Yuffie to yelp and clutch the railing even more tightly, even though they weren't going down that quickly. Soon enough, though, the Highwind was hovering just above the ground and Reno took the liberty of tossing the rope ladder over the side. Cloud and Tifa were the first to come out onto the deck, followed by Rude, then Cid, and finally Vincent, trailing quietly behind.
Reno gestured to the ladder, grinning at Elena and Yuffie. "Ladies first." Yuffie practically bolted for the ladder, eager to get off the airship and stand on solid ground again... no matter how ugly the ground actually was. Reno let most of the others climb down before him, even Vincent, but Cid didn't seem particularly eager to let a Turk be the last one on his ship. Reno understood the sentiment and climbed down ahead of him, jumping once he got close enough to the ground.
The redhead looked around at the motley group... well, maybe it wasn't as odd as it had been when Nanaki, Cait Sith, and Barret were in it, but they didn't look like they belonged together.
Cloud automatically assumed his position as leader, and no matter how much Reno resented it, he was probably right to do so... "We should split up. It wouldn't be good to have nine people strolling through the wreckage... monsters love large groups." His eyes scanned over the group, analyzing them for strengths and weaknesses and how well they would work with each other, as any good leader would.
"Tifa, Reno, you're with me," Cloud decided after the short pause. "Vincent, you've got Yuffie and Elena, and Cid, you take Reeve and Rude..." He nodded to himself, as if satisfied with the grouping, although Cid cursed under his breath, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. Reno smirked to himself-he had been sure the pilot could never give up that habit. But what was he complaining about? Getting stuck with Rude? Reeve, he had worked with before... It only took Reno a moment to notice that each team had one of the Turks new to the group, and he frowned.
"Splitting us up, huh?" he asked Cloud. "I guess I can't blame you for not trusting me." He eyed Tifa then and shrugged, glancing at Rude with a teasing smirk. "At least I got to be in the group with Tifa." The brunette shot him a glare, but Reno only grinned back at her.
He looked around to see how the others were reacting. Yuffie was shifting from foot to foot and glanced at Vincent nervously. That's right... she was a bit afraid of him. He couldn't blame her. Elena didn't seem to care one way or another-she was kind of used to Vincent by now, and she got along pretty well with Yuffie. Vincent didn't care either, which was normal for him, and Reno was sure that was why Cloud had put him in charge of those two-he was the only one who could tolerate the both of them.
Rude was as silent as always, but Reno figured he was probably grateful for being on the same team as at least one other person he knew, and therefore, one person who wouldn't bother him. Reeve's attention was directed towards the foreboding pile of rubble that had been the wall to Sector 6.
"Where're we headed?" Cid asked, leaning on his spear as he took a drag from his cigarette.
"You take your group to check out the Number 6 Reactor. Vincent, you head for Sector 7's, and we'll check out the one in Sector 8. If anyone finds anything, check in with me and we'll go from there."
The group leaders nodded, and everyone paused to check their weapons and materia before they split up. Reno followed Cloud and Tifa, trailing behind with his nightstick in hand. He knew he was not wanted, but that didn't bother him. There were very few people who liked Turks, even this long after Shinra's fall. Aeris was one of them. He couldn't think of anyone else at the moment.
After walking a while in silence, Cloud glanced at him over his shoulder, a frown on his face. "I have to ask-why are you even helping us?"
Reno shrugged casually. "Hey, I hate Hojo just as much as the next person. Besides, Aeris was the one who got us all together, wasn't she?"
Cloud raised an eyebrow. "What does Aeris matter to you?"
"So I'm not deeply in love with her like you are. She's still my friend."
"Friend?" their leader scoffed, and Tifa glanced at him with a deep frown. "Hojo had you chasing after her so she could be one of his lab specimens."
"Correction," Reno said, his voice still casual. "Shinra had me chasing after her. I didn't know anything about Hojo wanting her. I just followed orders. But only when on duty."
"And?" Tifa prompted, sensing there was more and wanting to know.
"And when I wasn't, I went and talked to her. Is there something wrong with that? She's a nice girl."
Cloud and Tifa exchanged looks, not entirely sure what to make of him. "So... you were friends with her, but you still followed orders and tried to capture her?"
"Albeit half-heartedly," he admitted. "But yeah... it was pretty weird." He shrugged it off and looked to Cloud. "So why're you doing this, anyway? Same reasons as me, I'll bet, 'cause I can't imagine that you'd do it out of wanting to help Sephiroth." Cloud grunted, but made no other reply. Reno didn't expect any, but he nodded to himself as if that was all the response he needed. All conversation ceased as they reached the pile of rubble that had been a wall and started picking their way carefully over it.
Yuffie wasn't entirely pleased with her group, but at least Elena seemed kind of nice. The ninja felt a little bad for teasing her and Reno so much, but there wasn't anything she could do to take it back now. She wished Red had come with them. Despite the fact that she had picked on him all the time, she had really admired his strength, his intelligence, his honesty, and his sense of duty... He was so mature for his age, which also tended to make her feel younger than she had been, and a bit resentful of it.
She had been sixteen then, but everyone thought of her as a brat, a child, a little kid in need of a spanking. One of her reasons for coming this time, even though she didn't tell anyone, was to make it up to everyone and prove herself. She didn't want them to think of her as a kid anymore. And what a great start I've made, she thought miserably. I got excited and I slipped up... and then I teased Reno to take my mind off of being airsick...
Yuffie lifted her head slightly, glad for the moment that she was at the back of the group so they couldn't see the expressions playing across her face. She'd have to pay more attention from now on and try not to act so immaturely. She was, after all, twenty-one now, and she ought to act like it.
She wondered how Vincent felt, faced with the opposite problem-he acted older than he looked. By a lot. But then, he really was a lot older than he looked, right? He didn't look half as scary from behind, she thought, studying his back. In fact, he looked kind of cool with that cape flowing behind him like that. It was his freaky red eyes and sickly pale skin that bothered her.
But it was that same frightening visage which fascinated her at the same time. Because, of course, those red eyes had a subtle slant to them, and his straight black hair had that same shine as her own. She had always wondered if he was from Wutai. Maybe, had he seen the country before the war, before its downfall? Yuffie hated the way it was now, with everyone so docile and inactive. She had been trying to get her father to change things and rebuild their culture and their home into the great empire it had been, but he was just as lazy as ever...
At least, she thought with some reluctance at making such acceptions, at least she had managed to start a little harbor town with the help of some of the stronger Wutains, the ones who also thought something should be done about the country's current state. It wasn't far from the city and merchant ships had slowly taken up the trade opportunity, perhaps a bit hesitant to do business with such a rundown little country. The trade had started flowing though... Still, only a handful lived in the tiny village, and most of those were just merchants, moved there from the city because they could get better trade with foreigners.
Sighing, the ninja decided that it would probably take many more years before Wutai finally and truly woke up and was as lively and cheerful as it once had been, according to her mother's stories before she died. Feeling as though there was something wrong, she glanced behind her in time to dodge a monster's attack. She let out a startled cry, noted that there were five more of them, and slashed at the first with her shuriken.
Vincent and Elena turned around to aid her, unholstering their guns, though Vincent was much quicker at it and got off the first shot, killing one of the others. Yuffie cast Bolt2 on a cluster of them, while Elena got in a gunshot of her own and Vincent got the last one. The ninja scanned the area to make sure there were no more, then clipped her Conformer to her back again, turning to her companions.
"...I guess the monsters in Midgar aren't really that strong, huh?"
Elena shook her head. "They never were... I don't really know why." She glanced at Vincent to see if he had an explanation.
The former Turk shrugged, but actually spoke, surprising the two women. "Considering they mutated from peaceful creatures that use to roam here before the Mako reactors were constructed, it is not surprising."
Yuffie raised both eyebrows. "You were around before there were reactors?"
Vincent shook his head. "Of course not. I only learned this during my time as a Turk."
The other two nodded and the group pushed on, now climbing up the wall of debris that would lead them up to the Sector 7 reactor. Yuffie did her best to avoid the sharp edges of metal that stuck out every which way, but by the time they reached the top of the wall, her arms and legs were streaked with slashes of red, and she took a moment to cast Cure on herself, glancing at the others to see how they were faring. Elena was muttering under her breath and inspecting several tears in her clothing. She, too, cast a Cure spell on herself. Vincent stood waiting for them, looking completely unharmed.
Yuffie turned to look out at the remains of Sector 7, which the Shinra said Avalanche destroyed by blowing up the pillar. She knew it wasn't true-nothing from Shinra was ever true-but she had never heard what really happened. She glanced at Elena and Vincent, hoping one of them would know. "So... who really destroyed the pillar?"
Elena blinked and looked at her. "You mean you didn't know?" Yuffie shook her head. Vincent paid them no attention, his gaze now focused on Midgar. "Oh... Reno did, actually."
The ninja blinked in surprise. "Reno? Why?"
"Because President Shinra told him to." Elena gestured vaguely towards the ruined sector. "Avalanche's base was somewhere in there."
"Shinra destroyed an entire sector just to get rid of a few terrorists?"
The Turk shrugged. "I don't even think Reno liked the idea, but... well, it was our job to do the nasty things. Someone had to do them... as far as the President was concerned, anyway."
Vincent turned and moved on, and the other two followed. Yuffie, though, still had a few questions. "How can you accept that kind of job? Having to do all those things..."
Elena's gaze was on the debris beneath her feet as they headed towards the reactor. "It paid well..."
"And all you cared about was the money!?" the ninja demanded, suddenly disgusted with her two companions.
"You should not be one to talk, Yuffie," Vincent said quietly from his place at the lead.
She flushed in embarrassment, but shook her head. "That's different! I never killed anyone!"
"You try not to think about what you're doing, and then it doesn't feel so wrong," Elena said. "I wasn't a Turk for very long, but Reno and Rude and Reeve have talked about it with me. Reno says that's one of the reasons he started drinking."
Yuffie blinked. "But... that still doesn't make it right. I still don't see how you could do such things."
"It is not so hard, if you do not know the people you hurt." Vincent did not look back when he spoke and he was far enough ahead of her that it seemed a little disorienting.
"You don't have any compassion for your victims?"
"No," he answered simply. "That is why I was a Turk." Elena chose not to comment and Yuffie sighed, her uneasiness about being near Vincent only intensifying. No one spoke after that and Vincent quickened his pace, forcing the two following to speed up as well. Yuffie stared at the back of Elena's head for a while, but the woman refused to turn around and look at her. The ninja didn't want to leave off on that disconcerting thought, but it seemed her companions didn't feel like talking about anything after that.
Being a Turk, she concluded, screwed up a lot of people. Vincent was obviously the worst of them-never showing any emotions, although Yuffie couldn't begin to believe that he didn't have them. Thinking that would just make him completely inhuman, and she knew he wasn't. After all, he had loved someone before, right? He still did, and she was alive now, because of Aeris. The thought of Vincent having a girlfriend made her grin and fight a bout of giggling. It just didn't fit him at all.
Then there was Reeve, who she was pretty sure had been a Turk before he got promoted, and apparently still did some of their jobs. Cait Sith had been a Shinra spy to begin with. He certainly seemed to have enough problems, even though she didn't get him at all. But hey, the guy turned good at the end, and now he was definitely on their side.
Rude she had no clue about whatsoever. Was his case like Vincent's at all? Did he just hide his emotions because he was afraid of being hurt, or what? Had he hidden them so that he could pretend he didn't care about the people he killed? He looked older than the others, which meant he'd probably been a Turk longer, even though leadership was given over to Reno after Tseng died. (A decision Yuffie didn't quite understand-wouldn't the serious and more sober Rude be a better choice?)
For Tseng, being a Turk had left him with a lot of regrets, or so she'd heard about his fall at Sephiroth's hands. Tifa had told her a little about it. Tseng had lost his life for being a Turk and following orders, and those under him had suffered the grief from it. Elena had regrets about it, even though she had only been a Turk for a month or so before the company's fall. Maybe it was because of Tseng, whom Yuffie remembered her liking a lot, but whom she always ended up embarrassing herself in front of. The ninja felt a twinge of guilt for having found these moment hilarious, even though they were.
Reno may have been the least obvious case. He acted cool and laid back by turns, and went after anything female. But he had a major drinking problem that Elena ascribed to remorse over his actions. Yuffie wondered if he still regretted it now, even though he didn't show it one bit. And she wondered why, after all the girls he'd met, he never stayed with a single one. There were bound to be a few who liked him-he seemed like a pretty nice guy, once you got past the Turk part and the kidding around.
Shaking her head, Yuffie decided that analyzing the Turks was something she should leave for another day. They were approaching the reactor, and if it was in fact where Hojo was hiding out, she would need all her attention focused on fighting, not on the deep mysteries of the soul. She grinned a bit at the thought, but catching sight of the reactor quickly wiped the grin from her face.
In any other surroundings, it would be described as a pile of scrap metal and junk, but here it stood stronger than any other crumpled structure or collapsed apartment building. The reactor was bent out of shape, but the Shinra logo still showed up, faded, yet bold in comparison to everything else. The metal was rusted, and sheets of it that had once covered the sides were missing, tossed elsewhere. Underground pipes and wires that had once directed Mako and electricity to various parts of the city had been uprooted from what had been a metal walkway beneath them and lay bare and naked and broken along it and off to the side.
Vincent led them around to the front of the reactor where the entrance stood as a gaping black hole in the already-wounded building, the door completely torn off. The former Turk walked inside without any hesitation, but Elena hung back uncertainly. Gathering her wits, Yuffie glanced at the blond, then followed him inside.
Cid nearly breathed a sigh of relief when he finally reached the Sector 6 Mako reactor. His two followers hadn't said a word the entire time, and while he wasn't a big conversationalist, this kind of silence bothered him. He expected Rude to keep his mouth shut because, frankly, he had only ever heard the guy say three or four words.
Reeve, on the other hand, he had expected to make at least some attempt at conversation. If Cait Sith was any example of his personality, then he liked being around people, talking to them, and making them laugh. So far, he hadn't spoken to anyone but Aeris, and she could make anyone feel at ease. Maybe the guy was just shy... But why the hell would he be timid around Cid? He could understand being shy around women, but he knew most everyone in this group. And they didn't even have any in their threesome. What, was he afraid of getting cussed out?
The pilot had to grin at this, even as they reached the entrance to the reactor and found it blocked by fallen pipelines and sheets of metal. "Hey, Reeve, could you gimme a hand with this?" he asked. "Rude, you, too." The three men proceeded to pull and tug on the debris in front of the entrance, Cid occasionally using his spear to cut through the stubborn pieces.
Finally they had made an opening that was wide enough for even the tall Rude to fit through. Cid led the way into the dark reactor, realizing in an instant that there was no light source inside. Everyone was using lamps nowadays, as Mako energy was out of the question, until some other power source was found. Feeling smart, Cid took out his lighter and flipped it open, rewarded with a limited circle of vision. The inside of the structure seemed largely unharmed, he noted as he led his group along the dark walkways, turning right to cross the bridge which led further into the reactor.
After crossing the immediate room, Cid found their way blocked by one of the metal security doors that had served as the second line of defense. "Damn," he muttered, holding his lighter closer in hopes of seeing some way to open it.
Reeve stepped forward. "The doors are battery-powered, and the controls should still work."
"Huh? Why not just tie them into the rest of the system?"
The man shrugged as he took Cid's lighter and held it up to the number pad by the door. "If the power supply to certain areas was cut or something, employees wouldn't have been able to get out. It was a standard the first president put in place after a terrorist attack in which that very thing happened and dozens of workers were killed." He frowned at the keypad a moment longer. "Aha! Now I remember." He punched in a series of numbers, and the door slid open.
Cid just nodded thoughtfully as he followed Reeve on through the next couple doors, glancing behind him to make sure Rude was still there. Like any good Turk, the tall man made very little noise. Cid let Reeve lead them through the reactor, as he'd only been inside on once, and then, it was only for a few moments near the entrance. He had worked for Shinra, yes, but he had been a pilot for them and that was it.
After traveling through too many rooms and down too many stairs and elevators and ladders, they reached the Mako depository. The place still stank of Mako, causing Cid to wrinkle up his nose, but he was fairly sure there was nothing in the deep pit. He leaned over the railing to look down into the black abyss and nodded to himself. Of course-if there was Mako there, they'd be able to see it because of the bright blue-green glow.
He turned away and followed Reeve down the walkway to the innermost chamber of the reactor where the controls were and where they would check to make sure that no part of it was running. Cid already knew, though, that whoever they were looking for wasn't here. He hoped whichever of the other groups chanced upon them were well-prepared.
Aeris awoke from a dreamless sleep and sat up, immediately looking towards the opposite bed where Lucrecia still slept, Katrina keeping watch. The girl looked up at her and answered the unasked question. "She woke up once for a few minutes, and I told her everyone had gone to rescue Seph." She grinned a bit and added, "She thought my nickname for him was cute."
The Cetra smiled. "It is... How long have I been sleeping?"
Katrina shrugged. "Not sure... But I'm starting to get hungry, so I'm guessing it's early afternoon now." Aeris nodded, stood, and stretched. "Did you sleep well? Better than before, I mean?"
"Yes," she answered, smiling again. "Thankfully dreamless... although I suppose some dreams might provide warning."
"What do you mean? They tell you the future?"
Aeris shook her head. "Not exactly... Messages from the dead or the subconscious thoughts of the living-but they get distorted, blurred, so I can't understand them very well."
Katrina leaned forward, intrigued. "Do your parents talk to you at all? I'm assuming they were Cetras, too."
"My mother was..."
"But your dad wasn't? Does that make you a half-Cetra?"
Aeris sat back down on the edge of her bed and studied her hands, frowning in thought. "I suppose..."
"Did you like your parents?" Katrina asked.
"I did not know my father. My mother died when I was seven, but I still hear her sometimes... well... actually, she hasn't spoken to me since Sephiroth revived me." Aeris turned to look at the girl. "Do you like your parents, Katrina? How old are you anyway?"
"Eighteen. And... well... I never really got along too well with my mom and dad. I'm sure they mean well and all, but we just don't think alike at all. They were wanting to send me to live with my grandpa in Junon, who I despise, which is why I ran away..." She looked up at Aeris, almost as though seeking approval.
"How long has it been since you left?"
"I dunno... a week maybe? I haven't been keeping track. I don't even know what day it is."
"September 9th?" Aeris offered. "I'm not sure either. In any case, your parents must be worried... You should get word to them that you're all right."
Katrina looked surprised. "You don't think I should go back?"
"Why should you? You're old enough to be on your own. And they were going to send you off anyway. You seem to be doing fine here."
The girl smiled sheepishly. "I haven't been here that long... I've yet to find a job or anything."
Aeris shrugged. "I'm sure no one would mind taking you in for a while, until you find your feet."
"I guess..."
"Why did you want to come here anyway?"
Katrina shrugged. "I dunno. But I don't like cities, and Cosmo Canyon seems like the most interesting of any other place. I mean, they get a lot of different people here, they've got the best libraries you'll find anywhere, the shops are cute, and the people are friendly..."
Aeris smiled and nodded. "...you said you were hungry. Do you want to go get something to eat?"
"Yeah, sure." Katrina started to get up, then looked back at Lucrecia. "What about her?"
"I'll stay here. I'm not hungry." She grinned. "These irregular sleeping patterns have really thrown me off."
The girl giggled then shook her head. "I'll bring you something if you want."
"No, that's all right. I need to speak to my mom. She may know more of what's going on than any of us here. And there are some things I need to ask her..."
"Oh," Katrina said, her expression becoming more serious. "So you want me to leave you alone for a while?"
Aeris nodded. "If you don't mind, of course."
"Nope," the girl answered. "See you later then." She waved, Aeris waved back, and Katrina exited, closing the door behind her. Aeris's eyes wandered to Lucrecia's sleeping form and she sighed before closing them and focusing inward. "...Mom?" she called softly.
Aeris, came the fond reply.
"Mom, I need to talk to you... I... well, have you been watching at all?"
All the time. I've been so worried about you. All of us have.
"How are they doing?"
There was laughter in her mother's tone. Aeris, they haven't even reached Midgar yet.
"I know... it's just that... I wish I could go with them. I want to help them so badly."
And you want to be near him.
"Well... yes," Aeris admitted sheepishly. "Isn't there anything I can do? I feel so useless here..."
I know. But it isn't safe for you to join them. I know you were all right in the past, but now Hojo will send Talya and Minerva to look for you specifically. I don't want you to get hurt, and your friends don't either. It's in your best interest.
"But am I really any safer here?"
Nanaki and his friend will protect you, I'm sure...
"You don't sound sure."
It's hard to keep anything from you, is it? No... what you say worries me. But... hopefully Cloud's attack on them will prevent them from attempting to capture you again.
"Hopefully. There's still a chance. So I would be safer with the rest of the group."
Aeris...
"You can't stop me, Mother. And anyway, I'm not going right away..."
Oh?
"...I have a question, though. About Sephiroth."
Go on...
"Well... several questions actually." Aeris paused, frowning in thought. "I... it wasn't you who taught me to heal people, was it?"
I always thought you learned on your own. One day you couldn't, and the next you were trying to perfect that skill...
"He taught me... at least, I think he did. I can't really remember that well..."
You were only four or five at the time.
"I know. But... Mom, I learned how to ressurect Lucrecia from watching him. How can we do things the same way if we're so different?"
Aeris, just because you draw your power from different sources doesn't mean that the way you cast a spell changes.
"Is that all? And are you sure?"
I don't know this, no. But that's what I believe is the reason. Why do you have doubts about this?
"I don't know... I just do." She sighed. "I want to learn how to cast other spells... so that I can help Cloud. Even if I'm not the best fighter, I'm so worried that he'll... that he'll get hurt if I'm not there to watch his back."
There's no stopping you from going, is there?
Aeris smiled. "Nope... not a chance. You know me." The smile faded. "I wanted to ask you something else, because I don't quite remember... did Sephiroth help us get out?"
You mean... from the lab?
"Yes."
...he did. I was surprised, actually. He just showed up one day and said that we needed to escape. He didn't say why, but he seemed... anxious about something. Reluctant as I was to trust him, it took him some time to convince me.
"Why didn't he come with us? Why did he stay?"
I don't know. You'll have to ask him when you see him next.
Aeris nodded. "...if he remembers."
Of course.
"Is he all right?"
...he's all right. As much as can be expected, anyway.
Aeris nodded sadly. "Well... I have a lot of things to figure out."
Good luck. I'm sorry I cannot teach you anything...
"It's all right." There was no reply, and Aeris did not expect one. She moved to sit beside the sleeping Lucrecia, and retreated to a different part of herself, searching for something that would let her use the powers that lay within her, that she hadn't even wondered about until now. Healing was just something she did-she hadn't even stopped to think there might be something more...
"What was that song...?"
Minerva blinked and turned her attention towards the wall where the voice had originated. She mentally chided herself for not having heard the door opening and closing that would have marked Sephiroth's return. Or maybe he had been there all along and just hadn't paid her any attention before. In any case, he had heard her singing, and that, at least, was not something she liked. No one was supposed to hear her... The songs she sang were her own, having heard no others, and she doubted they were any good.
She hesitated before answering. "It was nothing..."
"...I liked it." The reply was so soft she almost did not hear it.
Minerva could not help but feel a little hopeful. "Really?"
"Yes. Where did you hear it? I wouldn't think you would have access to music here..."
"I don't," she answered. "I... thought it up myself." There was no reply to this, and Minerva shifted uncertainly, deciding to change the subject. "...how are you doing? Has the Professor... called for you yet?"
"Yes, he has. Things have changed a bit since I was a child. Or has he always been harsher when we were old enough?"
Minerva blinked. "You don't remember?"
"Not everything... It comes back to me when I sleep."
Another surprise. "You sleep?"
"Yes... is that so strange? I suppose you always knew you did not have to..."
"I never got tired," she answered with a shrug.
"You should try it even if you do not get tired..." Sephiroth said. "Sleep often brings dreams..."
"Nightmares as well, I expect."
Something made him pause. "Yes. Nightmares, too."
Minerva shifted, looking around uncertainly as though some demon would leap out of the walls to torture her. Then she laid her hand against the wall before her and it turned transparent beneath her fingers. Sephiroth was sitting in his own chair near her, and he blinked, slightly startled. Minerva's expression did not change. "...this is better."
Sephiroth nodded in agreement. "I was wondering... how old are you?"
"Seventeen," she answered. "You wouldn't remember, so why are you asking?"
"Remember what?"
"You left Hojo about a month and a half after I was born. You would not have seen Talya for quite some time before then. I expect you would have been suspicious... but why would you even care how old I am if you did not have suspicions about when I was born? Without a hypothesis to confirm?"
Sephiroth shrugged. "...I was merely curious. Do you have access to Hojo's files?"
"I... look through them from time to time."
"Then do you know who your father is?"
"No. His name is not mentioned in any file I can find."
"Not even the slightest suspicion?"
"No." There is no point in telling him who I believe my father is.
Why not? There is little else that can be done to break his spirit. The Cetra has already crushed it.
What? She did not. I was always weak.
Minerva blinked and looked sharply at Sephiroth. "Did you hear...?"
Oh, so you've both discovered that you do not require voices to speak to one another. I was wondering when you would.
Shut up. Both Minerva and Sephiroth were surprised to find themselves thinking in unison.
Fine. I'll be quiet, but don't expect me not to watch this little family reunion.
Family? Sephiroth demanded.
Yes. My dear, sweet children, finally able to see each other.
He stiffened. You are...
So you remember me! I would not wish to be forgotten. Even by a failure.
Leave us! Minerva commanded. I will kill you if I ever lay eyes upon you!
Foolish child. You lack the powers to destroy me. Both of you do. All you can do is play along with what I have planned for you. In any case, it is not me you should wish to destroy. For the good of the Planet, you should kill the Cetra.
For the good of the Planet, we will kill you, Sephiroth said, frowning.
Aeris has done nothing, the Cetra did nothing, Minerva put in. She tried to persuade Sephiroth not to trade his life for hers, so do not use that as your argument. You cannot convince us. Sephiroth looked a bit startled, and she wondered if Jenova had used that when talking to him as well.
Hmph. It was the Cetra whom I befriended so long ago, and it was they who beat me into submission and froze me and buried me. They are an unforgiving, intolerant race. They hated and feared me because I was not of this planet. I will never forgive them for that.
Lies, Sephiroth spat, and Minerva looked at him questioning. She had heard Jenova's story before, and though she knew it was a lie or at least a twisted half-truth, she had never heard the true story. You were the one to strike first. You gave them the virus that wiped out almost all of them. The ones that were left had the right to do what they did. They should have killed you then so we would not have to deal with you now.
That is the story the Cetra passed down through their generations, and on to some of the humans. It is not the full truth. They lied. I gave them the virus to defend myself! And they made me suffer for two thousand years because of it, alone and unable to move! But think I could... oh, how long I plotted my revenge, only to have that stupid Cetra girl steal it from me when she summoned Holy and the Lifestream to stop Meteor. And now she has you both defending her! My children, on her side!
Minerva had not heard this before. Jenova was not speaking persuasively as she often did, but with an anger uncommon to her. And to hear it as her own thoughts was disconcerting. Jenova always spoke to her in her own voice, and she wondered if Sephiroth heard it as his own as well.
Leave us, Jenova, Minerva said firmly. We do not wish to be part of your plan. Perhaps you hate the Cetra, but we do not. If you wish to kill her, that is up to you, but we will have no part in aiding you. We will protect her if we can, because we believe she is right.
Foolish children! She will destroy you in the end. She wants you dead, do you understand?
You are wrong, Sephiroth told her, his thoughts quite calm. She wants us to be free and to live as humans do. She understands me, and she tried to help me sort out my own feelings. She cares nothing for herself, only for others. It is a compassion that I do not deserve, but she gave it to me none-the-less. Now shut up, for I will say nothing more to one of your filth.
You will not feel so confident of these things later on. She has sent her friends to kill you and your father.
He is not my father! Sephiroth snapped angrily. And she would never ask them to kill me!
See for yourself when the time comes. Perhaps she will kill you herself. Or make a pretend rescue attempt of her own, just as you are dying, so you will still remember her fondly...
Shut up! Minerva commanded, seeing that Sephiroth's eyes were glowing a dangerous green. You will get nowhere with him this way. Even you must know that.
There was a perceived scoffing sound, but nothing more from Jenova. Minerva did not relax, but looked to Sephiroth questioningly. "...are you all right?" she asked aloud, tired of speaking without voices. There was something more satisfying about saying things out loud, about hearing her voice, and more importantly, hearing Sephiroth's.
He frowned, but nodded slightly. His eyes had returned to their neutral blue-green. "I am fine."
"She can be... quite aggravating at times."
Sephiroth snorted. "Aggravating is hardly the word."
There was an awkward silence between them. "Do you think her friends are really coming...?"
"To kill Hojo perhaps. Maybe they'll try to kill me, too, even if she asked them not to."
"They hate you that much?"
"Who wouldn't, after what I did?"
"Aeris doesn't seem to."
The swordsman lowered his gaze. "Aeris is not like the others..."
"Does she truly understand you?"
He nodded, but did not look up. "Ever since we were children..."
Minerva blinked in surprise and studied him carefully. "But... you are older than she. By eight years. She would have been too young, wouldn't she? And the Professor would not have let you two see each other..."
"I... I could get out of my room if I wished to. And I talked to her sometimes. But then Hojo caught us, and he forbade it, and... he started calling for her then. And then I cannot remember."
Minerva frowned at her lap, her thoughts wandering back to Aeris's friends. "...when they come, I will have to fight them. I don't think... I don't think they can beat me."
Sephiroth looked up. "You could help them instead. Would that be so hard?"
"Yes... it... if I disobey the Professor, it... I cannot."
He appeared confused. "Why not? How could he find a way to control you?"
"I... do not really know... All I know is that I have tried before, and the pain was unbearable, even for me. I cannot..."
Sephiroth frowned, and neither spoke for several minutes. "...could you sing that song you were singing before?" he asked abruptly.
"W-what?" Minerva stammered.
"It was pretty."
She shook her head slowly. "I... I am sorry, but I cannot. No one was supposed to hear that..." She lifted her head and looked towards her own door, hearing footsteps coming closer. "I believe I am wanted now."
"I shall speak with you later, then," Sephiroth said quietly. She nodded and let the wall go opaque. Talya opened her door a moment later.
"...you know the drill," she said, smiling apologetically for some reason.
Minerva nodded and got up, walking to the door.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry for-"
"You were following orders," Minerva said harshly, cutting her off. "There is no need to apologize." Talya hesitated, then nodded as she closed the door.
Author's Notes: I didn't get quite as far in the plot as I wanted with this, but you know, when you find a good stopping place, you take it. (If I didn't, I'd likely spend another month on it and have it be twice as long.) In any case, I'm sorry if any of the characters aren't quite what you expect them to be, but I'm not used to writing all of them.