Valentine's Day, Chapter 9: Time Stands Still (Sephiroth)
There once was a man named Sephiroth in Midgar, a man who had immense power. But his power was more in his mind than any spell or other such thing. He was a legend, more so for his efforts with the materia than any battle. He had an astonishing reputation for being part bloodhound. Of course, when people heard that, they assumed he was a monster. All that meant was he could find anyone or anything without any visible trail being left behind. His attitude left something to be desired, but that was to be expected. Everyone assumed Cloud had killed him. And to see him walking around Midgar holding his seven foot Masamune in battle stance was nothing short of astounding. It glowed darkly, revealing the presence of the rare Black Materia. It was this materia that killed a rogue Demon claiming a position in the Circle of Masters. He could part a crowd from a mile away. Somebody saw him stumble and fall to his knees, but did nothing to help him. If anything, the crowd that gathered around him seemed eager to revile and belittle the fallen hero. Epithets and insults flung at him seemed to further his wounds... Blood seeped from cracked lips, skin sloughed off his body from every possible place, his hair turned dark and his eyes dimmed and turned a milky white. One voice raised above them all to silence the crowd.
"ENOUGH! Can't you see what you've done?"
"Who are you?"
"Someone who knows that man's reputation is well-earned. And in case you haven't noticed, that man there is Sephiroth!"
"No it's not. Sephiroth is dead. Cloud killed him."
"If he killed me, then this is some kind of Hell..."
The original speaker went over to Sephiroth and offered him a hand up by placing it on his shoulder, then lifting it. Sephiroth, once one of Midgar's greatest heroes, lifted a bloody, skinless hand toward his would-be savior. The speaker took firm hold of the hand, not caring that it had no skin. With amazing ease, Sephiroth was lifted to his feet and the handle of his Masamune held out toward him. The rush of air told the blinded man where his weapon was. With a slow gesture, he took his weapon in both hands. The minute his hands made contact with the Masamune, everything was undone. Within moments, Sephiroth stood tall and proud once more. The assembled crowd gasped softly. Then one man stepped forth.
"You truly are Sephiroth. For those who vocalized what I would not, I apologize. Their manners were deplorable."
Seph's gaze turned to the speaker, eyes dancing with something. The man recognized that something and moved aside with no further comment. He stood beside the man who had helped Sephiroth to his feet, a very expertly concealed Arbiter of Justice. Within the hero of Midgar's body, the Chaos Demon raged and begged to be given control. Justice recognized the tremor of Seph's fingers and moved his companion back a good distance, then shouted.
"You who reviled him, now suffer the consequences of your actions! Face the CHAOS!"
The Chaos Demon rose up and consumed the hero of Midgar, turning his eyes into red slits hidden within a black fog. Ebony wings sprouted from his back and folded around the fog. Those who had heard of Vincent's earlier misdeeds stumbled backward and tried to get away. But of those in the crowd, only one got away alive besides the man who refused to speak. It was a ten year old child. And there was something about that child that appealed to both parts of this hideously frightening personality. Aside from the fact that this child was a girl, there was something about her. So she didn't share the mob's fate. After the lone mute had taken the child home, Justice turned to Sephiroth and frowned heavily.
"What happened between you and Farin?"
"I don't know. I got to that point in my journey and couldn't go any farther."
"Chaos, diagnose."
"Three broken ribs, damage to his left lung and a shattered right wrist."
"Can you undo it?"
"No. These wounds were inflicted by the crowd. He has to have the faith of a child in order to be fully healed."
"Very well. We rest until he shows some sign of improvement."
Chaos, still in control of Sephiroth's body, sat down on a bench and let the hero's eyes drift shut. Justice did the same, if only for the sake of appearances. Not long after that, the child who'd been spared came back to them and put her hand on Seph's shoulder. Her voice was soft, yet had a strangely mature intonation.
"Sephiroth, I would speak with you."
"What would you of me, Nemesis?"
Nemesis laughed and assumed her usual form, that of a woman with golden skin and blue eyes. Justice remained motionless, giving the impression of a man asleep. Seph and Chaos, sharing a body, looked at her through the same pair of eyes. But where Seph saw an Angel, Chaos saw a kindred spirit. She reached out to him and he took her hand, a ghostly apparition attached to a flesh and bone framework. Three hands touched, but anybody who looked that way only saw two. Seph was jolted from within by a blast of electricity. He rocked back and forth with a low groan as the energy surged through his body. When he stopped moving, his eyes rolled back in his head and he slid bonelessly off the bench. Only Justice's hand kept him off the ground.
"I had to test him. There are things in motion that he may not be able to stop or alter."
"Understood. But there are things he can do to stop certain aspects of this..."
"And those aspects may well be the key to unraveling this whole thing!"
"Precisely."
Justice lay Seph on the bench and walked into the shadows, using them as a gateway. Nemesis, however, stayed to watch over the fallen hero. When Justice returned, he wasn't alone. He'd brought Tseng and Locke back with him. Tseng knelt beside Seph on the bench while Locke prowled around the perimeter of the area to make sure there were no surprises waiting for them. When he came back, he was nodding to himself. Tseng touched Seph's forehead and frowned. Despite the gloomy chill in the air, he felt very warm.
"Did anyone check for anything in his blood?"
"You mean a virus or other such contaminant?"
"I didn't. Justice?"
"No."
Justice cursed soundly at his lapse, then alerted Chaos to the possibility. Chaos ran a tendril through Seph's blood and found what they were afraid of... His mental alert set Justice off on a rampage of epithets and profanities the likes of which none of them had ever heard.
"What is it?"
"Tseng was right... There's something in his blood!"
"Chaos? Can you manifest yourself and tell us about it?"
Chaos reluctantly pulled himself from Seph's body and appeared in the shadows near Justice and Nemesis. But he kept himself anchored to his mortal host with a slender tether. They were waiting for him to start talking...
"I'm not sure what it is. All I know is it's making him burn up from the inside. And it wasn't from Farin. It seems to have originated within his bloodstream."
Locke closed his eyes and whispered a prayer before letting out a round of profanity. Tseng had never heard Locke swear. So he was startled by what his companion said. Chaos, Nemesis and Justice looked at Locke curiously.
"That's no ordinary infection. It's a bacterial phage, and if left unchecked, it will kill him."
Locke's statement held all the impact of a bomb hitting the ground with a nuclear warhead. That is to say, devastasting. They couldn't believe it! Sephiroth, one of the greatest heroes Midgar had ever seen, struck down by a bacterial phage?
"Not on MY watch!"
And with that, Chaos disappeared with Seph in his arms, his silver hair glinting in the glow of Midgar's gas lamps. He appeared at the doors to a private medical clinic, walking through the doors. One of the nurses saw who he was holding and dropped an empty tray. The metal clanged on the floor, alerting another nurse. When she saw Sephiroth, her first thought was that he was dead. But then he groaned and his arm moved.
"He's alive! Get a Goddamn stretcher out here, STAT!"
"Who's it for?"
"Sephiroth!"
"SHIT!"
The stretcher rolled out with a full medical team behind it. Chaos set him on the stretcher, then simply vanished. Nobody said anything about it, because they knew there were Demons loose in Midgar. But if they knew Vincent's clone and Lucrecia were still loose, there would be a panic. One of the nurses went to put Seph's Masamune off to one side when she saw the note. She read it aloud.
"Leave the Masamune within arm's reach. He's been infected with a bacterial phage. I can't heal him, so I brought him to you. Please take good care of him... Chaos."
"The Chaos Demon admitting he can't heal? That's odd."
"No it's not. Seph and Chaos haven't fully merged. If they had, Chaos could have healed Seph in a heartbeat."
"Oh, okay, I see."
They worked tirelessly, an IV dripping fluid into his veins so he wouldn't get dehydrated. Then one of the doctors accidentally contaminated the blood sample with some cortazine. What he saw through the microscope gave him an idea and a starting place for a cure.
"Cortazine retards bacterial development!"
"That's a starting point!"
Time passed very slowly for Sephiroth and Chaos... They started him on a cortazine drip to retard the development of the phage. And while they worked, they noticed something strange. Obtaining a pure blood sample was impossible until they'd found a way to remove the phage from his blood, but there was something about his Masamune that made the blood clear up.
"I wish we had someone who'd seen him use it."
"I saw him use it... When he killed a rogue Demon."
"Was there anything special about it?"
"Not really... Just the presence of the Black Materia."
"That's IT!"
"What's it?"
"Sephiroth has to come into contact with the power of the Black Materia!"
"But how do we activate it?"
Chaos had a ready answer... He took the Masamune in Seph's clammy hand and placed the blade along his neck. The Black Materia came to life with an audible hiss, engulfing Seph within its charcoal depths. When it was gone, Seph's skin had lost its crimson flush and his breathing sounded clearer. The blood sample they drew showed no trace of the phage. They shook their heads, then left him to rest.
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Good grief... Feels like I was hit with a ton of bricks! And that's hard to do in Midgar... Seeing as how we don't have bricks. Boy oh boy, do I feel sore! I can feel Chaos in the room with me, which means he had to manifest for some reason. I can't move, let alone talk, so I can't ask him what happened.
"You were infected with a bacterial phage. We nearly didn't find a cure."
"What... *hack hack wheeze* the hell is a phage?"
"An infection in the blood. You nearly died from it."
"Oh."
I would've said more, except I have to stop and cough. I cough so much, I start bringing up blood. That's not good... Chaos makes a sound of some kind and a nurse comes in.
"He's coughing up blood."
"Oh, damn! DOCTOR!"
The doc comes in and I know right away he ain't the one who's been taking care of me! I don't even have to look at Chaos to know that. But he's a real nice guy who has answers for all the questions we have. When he finds out I've been coughing up blood, he says something to do with what a guy does to a woman when she wants it, then gives me a needle full of some kind of drug. At first it doesn't do anything, then it makes me feel all disoriented and shit. I recognize the stuff before Chaos has a chance to ask him what the hell that was for.
"You bastard... Bentramide?"
Bentramide is a drug good old Hojo came up with to keep unwilling test subjects in line while he cut their hands off. Poor Meris got her whole damn arm cut off. Nothing can stop the bentramide until it's worn off... And it usually takes hours, or in some cases, whole days. Took Meris a week to shake it off. But he never thought to tell Security to remove my Masamune. For that I will always be grateful. It responds to a conscious thought willing it to move, so it slides over to me without a sound. The hilt brushes my fingers before the blade itself rests under them. I can feel the cold tang of the metal under my fingers... Then I'm swallowed whole by the Black Materia. It's more consuming than Chaos, and a lot more potent. When it retreats to my Masamune blade, not only has it countered the Bentramide, but it's also given me the strength to sit up. Doc's looking like I came back from the dead... I did, at some point. But that's neither here nor there.
"You have some explaining to do here, Doc... So start singing before I make ya squawk!"
That's no idle threat either! Doc gives me a funny look before turning and walking out. The nurse shakes her head and makes to follow him, then turns back to me. Chaos decides it'd be fun to fade out, so he does it. This nurse chick stands near my head for a while, then does something I never thought any woman would do... She bends over and kisses me! I find myself kissing her back, liking this dame's moxie. She lifts her head but doesn't straighten up right away, giving me a good look at her goodies. She's got herself a nice rack there... So I put one hand there just to see what she'll do. Mmm, they're the real deal. She's smiling at me in a way I never thought I'd see. Maybe we could hook up for a drink once I get outta here. Oops! Another doc pokes his head in. When he sees her leaning over my bed, he laughs and walks away, whistling merrily. I wait for her to leave, but she sits on the edge of my bed. This is an interesting development...
"So what's a classy dame like you doing sitting on my bed?"
"I like you, Sephiroth."
"Oh? And why is that, may I ask?"
"Do I have to have a reason?"
"Hell, no. I was just checking."
"Very clever."
"Thanks. When I get outta here, you wanna go for dinner somewhere?"
"I'd like that. A lot."
"That makes two of us. So what's your name?"
"Rita."
"Unusual name for Midgar."
"Yours ain't so common either, sailor!"
"Hey, I like your moxie, Rita. Maybe we can be more than friends."
"That can be arranged. Listen, I have to go on rounds, but I'll be back after my shift. Sound good?"
"Damn right it does. See you then, Rita."
She walks away with a wink and a wiggle of her gorgeous butt. I gotta tell ya... This is beginning to look like a good day! Uh-oh. Chaos doesn't look too happy about something...
"What's on your mind, Demon man?"
"Justice just gave me an alert. The clone's been spotted in the West End. He's begun torturing young girls, looking for some sort of code word."
"Oh, NO! That assclown's found out about my secret weapon!"
"Who did you give the code word to?"
"That's just it... I can't remember. I told a teenager with two older sisters, one of whom was one of Hojo's victims. But I will be damned if I can remember any names!"
Whoopsy... That seems to have triggered some sort of cloud! But what comes out ain't any sort of Ifrit or Djinn. It's... Oh, HELL!
"That's HER!"
"My name is Erian, Sephiroth. And I am an Angel, thanks to my sister Trudi."
"Oh, fu... fudge. This isn't good. The clone's looking for you to get my code word."
"He won't get it."
"What makes you say that, Erian?"
"It isn't an actual word he needs. He thinks it is, but that's just a dummy to hide the real code."
Chaos is giving me one of those "Start talking!" looks... So I settle in and tell him the whole story. When I'm done, his face clears, then he turns to some kind of mist. I can feel him inside my body, and it's disconcerting to say the least. Erian's giving me a funny look, so I tell her what's going on.
"He had a feeling somebody here isn't what they seem. Course, that isn't how he worded it, but I cleaned it up. A LOT."
"Thank you for that, Sephiroth. But we have a bigger problem than you swearing."
"I know. Chaos told me what's going down over where we left Vincent and Meris."
"How soon can you get over there?"
"As soon as I get out of here."
"Which will be right now. The doctor said you're not safe here."
Erian takes off and Rita comes in with my clothes in hand. She hands em to me a piece at a time and I get dressed slowly. Slowly because I need time to think. If the clone figures out Erian herself is the code, the world is doomed. Erian's a lot stronger now cause she's an Angel. When I programmed her with the code, I had no idea what was going to happen. Rita hands me my Masamune, handle first, blade across her hands. This dame knows how to handle a weapon! I take it from her with a weak smile, then go to leave. Shit bricks, I can't stand! So Rita slides an arm under mine and helps me walk. We get outside the clinic and walk through a Gate. On the other side is everyone I need to talk to. And then some. Hoo boy... They ain't gonna like me after I'm done!
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Tseng saw Sephiroth come out with a nurse and knew where Chaos had taken him. His shout brought everyone over and they gathered 'round for a story. When Sephiroth was settled into place, the purple-haired nurse beside him to keep an eye on him, they all sat.
"This isn't something I'm proud of. It happened before everything."
"We won't pass judgment on you, Sephiroth. We're your friends."
Tseng smiled at Meris for saying that. She always had a kind word for everyone. She was even nice to Vincent when she found out he wasn't personally responsible for what happened. Sephiroth looked truly uncomfortable... Until the nurse beside him took his hand and held it gently. Sephiroth smiled at her, then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"It started about a year ago. When Hojo was still a mad scientist. I'd just developed a weapon that was powered by the various materia that existed. I'd found all of them except two when I realized I had to hide the code. So I found Erian, except I didn't know her name back then, and programmed her with the code for the weapon. I'd had a feeling something was going to happen."
"Excuse me for interrupting, Sephiroth, but what's this code?"
"Good question, Locke. Don't blame you for asking. It's a blood code."
"You mean her blood would make this weapon turn on?"
"Not quite. What that means is her blood contained the data to re-assemble the firing code."
"And since she's an Angel, she has no blood. So you're the only one who knows the code."
"Right. So the clone's doing all this for information only I have."
"We didn't mean to side-track you. Please, go on."
"Okay. There ain't much left to tell... Except that I still haven't found the last kind of materia. The black one's the strongest by far, but there's one more. Once I find that, the weapon will be at full capacity."
"Where's the Black Materia anyway?"
"In my Masamune blade."
"I get it now... Good lord, Seph, you're quite devious."
"Thanks, kid. I have an idea where the last materia is, but I'll need to locate it on my own."
"Wait just a minute here! Seph, you're not going after the Rainbow Materia!"
"I have to, Meris. It's the only one left!"
"Calm down, folks. Seph here isn't strong enough to look for anything right now."
"Who are you?"
"Name's Rita. I'm his private nurse. That's what the doctor said, anyway."
"He just wanted her out of the clinic before the shit hit the fan."
"Probable. But she's right, Seph... Even the Black Materia can't give you strength to go looking for the Rainbow."
"Now did I say I was going today?"
His face was cross, his voice even more so. Of all the assembled beings there, not one of them had thought to ask when he'd go looking for the Rainbow Materia. They all fell silent, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, Sephiroth. When would you go to look?"
"In a few days... Four, maybe five at the most."
"Good idea. But I suggest extreme caution. You never know what those two are up to."
"True, that. So when I go, I'm taking Vincent and Meris with me."
They turned to look at the aforementioned duo. Vincent and Meris were tired of not knowing what to do when it came to the clone and Lucrecia... So, as one, they nodded. They were going. Ragnarok made Meris's blood thrum with power. Apparently Destruction was doing the same with Vincent, because they had identical looks on their faces. Chaos set up a matching cacophony within Sephiroth and made his skin turn a soft shade of red. Tseng, Locke, Hojo and Rita sat back on their heels and watched them carefully. Rita had a thing for Sephiroth and wanted to make sure he didn't get hurt. But Sephiroth hadn't said he wanted her to go, so it looked like she was staying with the others. She'd heard of them all... One doesn't live in Midgar and NOT know about all the personalities! At that particular moment, Seph looked at her, eyes an eerie shade of amber. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Their fingers touched, then they held hands. From within, she could feel a gulf opening up inside. But it didn't last long... She was engulfed by a wave of something powerful that knocked her backward. Her eyes closed and she lay back, not saying anything. Then she could hear voices.
"What happened?"
"I don't know!"
"Rita! Rita, can you hear me?"
That last voice belonged to Sephiroth... And it had an edge of panic. That same something flared up again and consumed her, leaving her with the impression that she needed to say something. So she opened her mouth, not knowing what to say. What came out was...
"I am Panic. Who has summoned me to the mortal Plane?"
"Panic, do you know me?"
"Aye, I know ye. You are the Demon Chaos."
"Know ye why you were summoned here?"
"Nay."
"I summoned ye because Vincent's clone knows of Sephiroth's Materia Weapon."
"That is a danger indeed. But why was I brought into this host?"
"Meris is Bonded with Ragnarok."
"This host has her own unique talents, so mayhap things are, perchance, brighter than they seem."
Rita kept her thoughts to herself, having heard of the Panic Demoness. She didn't want anyone to know who she really was... If anybody found out she was really Celes, they'd hang her out to dry. For all intents and purposes, Celes was, indeed, dead. But her spirit lived on, in a body granted to her by Nemesis. She'd given herself the name Rita and Nemesis had given her a job at the medical clinic. Panic had already gleaned the truth, but wisely kept it to herself. Celes had been the mistress of the magical arrow...
"Rita?"
"Yes?"
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah. I was just bowled over by the experience."
They all laughed. She'd wanted them to relax... And they did. Sephiroth, of the silver hair and sober mien, crouched beside her and helped her stand up. They moved off a ways, leaving the others to talk amongst themselves. Once they were far enough away, Seph turned to her with a serious expression.
"Who are you?"
"If I told you, you'd be tracked like a dog."
"Tell me, please. I'd like to know who I..."
"Who you what?"
"Who I have strong feelings for."
"Sephiroth, my name is Celes."
His eyes widened at her name. But he quickly recovered and took her hands in his. She looked at him in something akin to shock. She hadn't expected this! He tugged gently, bringing her closer to him. She stumbled, landing hard against his chest. His arms came around her to steady her. She could hear his heart beating... And he could feel hers. She looked up and he brought his head down towards her. Softly, his lips brushed hers, awakening something inside that made her whimper softly when he lifted his head. He heard that soft whimper and brought his lips back down to hers. There was nothing gentle about this kiss... It seemed as though he wanted to punish her for something. But instead of pain blossoming in her veins, it was pleasure. Her arms wound around his neck, deepening the kiss. The passion he'd unwittingly unleashed threatened to overwhelm them both. With great reluctance on both sides, they ended the kiss.
"Wow..."
"That's one way to put it..."
They didn't realize someone had followed them, remaining a good distance back so they could only see, not hear. That someone was Locke... He saw them kissing and held in his laughter until he'd gotten back to Tseng and the others.
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Name's Locke. I traveled all over looking for things to do and monsters to kill. But I ain't never seen anything like this! Seph and a nurse calling herself Rita??? That don't make any kind of sense! Here they come... Tseng and Hojo, that is. I left Sephy-boy and Rita in that clearing. They were doing some heavy-duty tongue wrestling... For lack of a better term.
"Where'd they go?"
I have to stifle my laughter. Even this far away, they could hear it. It's a quiet day in the woods today...
"They're fine. She wanted to give him a checkup."
Tseng gets my joke and chuckles softly. Then he explains it to Hojo, who grins and shakes his head. I'm not as good a tracker as old Seph is, but I get the job done. I can tell someone's been here besides everyone I've seen. The tracks literally radiate evil! So I crouch nearby and hold one hand over them to find out how fresh they are, and who made them. The feedback I get is so dark it makes me fall on my can. Tseng and Hojo help me stand up, eyes full of worry.
"What was that?"
"These tracks. I don't know who made em, but they ain't a Goody Two-Shoes! I need Seph."
Speak of the Devil and you get his cabana boy... In other words, here he comes. He sees the tracks and sends Rita over our way. She goes without a word. She's got a Demoness inside her, but we don't know it. He does what I did, but he doesn't get bowled over. I can see the red gleam in his eyes and it hits me.
"Shit... We got another rogue Demon."
"Worse than that, I'm afraid. This is one of their Dark Sorcerers."
"How much worse is a Dark Sorcerer?"
"A Dark Sorcerer is the epitome of evil in the Netherworld. To have one here without being seen is a testament to their controller's power."
I look at Rita and blink. Her voice... God help me, but for a moment there she sounded like Celes! Then what she said hits us all like a freight train. That is to say, HARD. I sit on a tree stump and hang my head to regain my strength.
"What kind of power does a Dark Sorcerer have and can we counter it?"
"A Dark Sorcerer can call on the Darkness itself for his power. How strong his control is depends on how long he's been calling it. There is but one way to counter a Dark Sorcerer."
"And what way would that be?"
"We have to find the Light Wizard."
The Light Wizard is a legend in its own right. Legend has it that the Light Wizard is the one who created the Dark Sorcerers, only to have the Devil steal them for his own use. But nobody knows if the Light Wizard is real or a myth. The look in Seph's eyes tells me there's more than a grain of truth to this story.
"This Light Wizard is real."
"Yes."
"How do we find them?"
"That is an unknown at this point. But I have a pretty good idea..."
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Seph could tell Locke had his doubts. It was in his eyes, but nowhere else. If nothing else, Locke was good at masking his body language. Tseng and Hojo, on the other hand... They believed. Rita moved over to Seph and put her hand on his arm. He could tell she had something on her mind.
*This is all so new to her, Chaos. Mayhaps a mind-link would help?*
*That's a good idea, Panic. She's already made contact.*
Seph felt her stiffen and a new set of memories came to him. Then he realized what was going on... The Demons had initiated a mind-link! She truly was Celes... He put his hand over hers to reassure her. That was all it took. She calmed down and let things progress naturally. When they ended the mind-link, Rita would have dropped if it weren't for Seph. His arms wound around her waist and held her up. She leaned against him, glad he was there. Locke saw a flash of red cross her skin and he knew.
"Dang!"
"What?"
"I don't know which one is there, but she's not alone."
"Oh, no."
"I am the one they call the Panic Demoness. Fear not, for I come to help Midgar."
"Thank you for telling us."
Rita stayed where she was, content to hear Seph's heartbeat. Seph, for his part, was truly startled by the depths of his feelings for her. She looked up at him, silently asking what they were to do now. He dipped his head and kissed her, softly and briefly. Tseng and Hojo could barely contain their laughter. Locke elbowed Tseng and harrumph'ed. They stopped, embarrassed at being caught. Rita and Seph actually looked good together...
"What a cute couple."
"You got that right, Meris."
Seph just smiled, unwilling to get involved in that discussion. Rita kept her mouth shut too. Ever since Panic took up residence, she'd felt her cover slipping, threatening to reveal her identity to the most influential people in Midgar. Yuffie, Cloud, Aeris and Tifa were long gone... As were Sabin, Gau and Terra... So many brave heroes lost in the name of freedom. Locke and Celes were all that remained of the first group. After defeating Kefka, Gau went back to the wild and was never heard from again. Sabin and Terra got into a relationship that ended in a double murder. Someone broke in to his cabin and slaughtered them in a manner most brutal. Nobody investigated it, having assumed Gau had snapped and sent animals to do them in. One of those names slipped out...
"Oh, poor Sabin..."
Vincent was sent spiraling back to the night he stumbled on an occupied cabin. He hadn't been aware of his actions at the time, being consumed by Chaos at the time. There'd been two people in the cabin... He hadn't wanted to hurt them. But Chaos had overwhelmed his sense of control and when he'd come out of it, they were dead. He remembered now that one of them had had green hair...
"God, no... It was me."
Sephiroth knew he hadn't meant to do it. His hand on Vincent's shoulder made the younger man look up and offer a wan smile.
"If it makes you feel any better, he feels bad about it too."
"Not much, but it does."
Rita knew her time had come. So she closed her eyes and let Panic undo her disguise. When the light died down, she looked the same, but she had blonde hair and was taller than before. There was something about her that made Meris wonder.
"Who the devil are you?"
"I'm Celes."
Vincent staggered back like he'd been punched in the stomach. And, in a way, he had.
"So you finally found me."
"Yes. It took me a long time, but I did. Things have changed, Vincent."
Vincent nodded a bit, then he and Meris walked away. They were holding hands as they left, telling Celes he'd found her at long last. Her smile was eerily reminiscent of his, but nobody commented on it. Not yet, anyway. There was something about her that made them want to be careful. Seph turned Celes to look at him, holding her loosely in the circle of his arms. She looked up at him, then he voiced the question on everyone's minds.
"What's the deal with you and Vincent?"
"I was hoping nobody would ask me that... He's my brother."
"But you two don't look anything alike!"
"That was dear old Dad's idea. He spelled me so I would look like Mom and nobody else. It nearly drove us crazy when we were children."
"Because nobody believed you when you said you were siblings?"
"Right. I need the Light Wizard to undo it."
"Any ideas on who it is?"
"None."
He didn't sigh or show frustration. He just nodded a bit, then smooched her forehead and rested his chin on top of her head. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. If they only knew who the Light Wizard was... When they found out, Midgar would never be the same again. Only he who possessed all the Materia in Midgar would have his fate revealed to him. Sephiroth was so close to that goal... He remembered something and cursed.
"What is it?"
"I need to put the Black Materia in the weapon!"
"Do you remember where it is?"
"That's the easy part. The hard part is getting there."
"Explain."
"There's a monster guarding the machine."
"That's no problem... Remember who we have with us."
"I plum forgot. But I also forgot what kind of monster it was..."
"Uh-oh."
The glum look on his face told her it was a particularly nasty monster too... She was almost afraid to ask! But she had to.
"What kind of monster is it?"
"The Dadaluma."
"WHAT?"
Seph looked so miserable, she had to reconsider her reaction. The Dadaluma was one of the enemies she'd faced a long time ago in the city of Zoso. And a nasty thing it was too... Perhaps that was why Seph had chosen it to guard his Materia Weapon. But wait...
"Did you choose it? Or did it volunteer?"
"It chose me. I couldn't refuse after I'd seen how powerful it was."
"Okay. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did."
"That's okay. Come on, we'd better get going. The sooner I get the Black Materia in there, the sooner I can start looking for the Rainbow Materia."
They set off together, Seph using his Masamune to clear the plants out of her way. It took three days of hard travel to get to the cave he'd hidden the Weapon in. Upon arrival, the first thing Seph noticed was that an animal had taken up residence. The second thing he noticed was that the Weapon was there, but the Dadaluma wasn't.
"Dadaluma!"
"He's gone, Sephiroth. The Dadaluma fled when Cloud assaulted you. He thought you dead, his geas undone."
"Who are you?"
An eerie spectral presence shimmered and faded into view. At first it had no shape and was a white blob. But then it shaped itself into the semblance of a man, complete with rapier and blaster pistol. His face was lined and old, but that soon cleared. The face that was revealed made Sephiroth flinch.
"No... Not you!"
"Who is that, Seph?"
"That is a man I thought I'd never see again as long as I lived. That is my father!"
The venom in his words made Celes blink. Then she got a good look at the ghost in front of them. He looked exactly like Seph... But that brought up another question.
"If he's your father, why isn't he carrying a Masamune?"
"Because I passed it on to him before I left. I never made it home... At least, not alive. I came back in a box about two years after I left."
"Mom never told me you were dead... She said you ran out on us. I knew I should've gone looking for you!"
"You'd have died too, son. I encountered a Wind Pixie. She didn't like my face and cut it off for me. She also took my heart out of my chest..."
Seph winced and hung his head. His father floated over and put a ghostly hand on his shoulder. Seph looked up and saw something that made his eyes fill with tears. In his father's eyes was a compassion that nobody had ever shown him...
"I'm sorry, Dad."
"For what? Your mother was the one who lied."
"She died just before I went out on my own... Somebody broke in and killed her for a fortune in gold that she never had."
"I know. I was watching over you to make sure you grew up right. But I couldn't stop him."
"And I wasn't even home... She sent me off to town for some fool errand."
"I think she knew someone was coming to the house. She didn't want you there."
Celes had found the Materia Weapon and was studying it closely, hands behind her back. Seph and his father watched her, twin smiles on their faces. When she'd finished her examination, she turned around. The scowl on her face made Seph's senses go on alert.
"What is it?"
"Someone's been here since the Dadaluma left. They managed to tamper with the firing mechanism. They've also locked out most of the Materias from powering the weapon."
"WHAT?"
Seph ran over to the Weapon and cursed violently. He punched buttons and typed codes in a frantic haste. He had to open those locks... If he tried to add the Black Materia now, it would explode and they'd get scattered everywhere. It took him a while, but he got everything fixed.
"There. Now to add the Black Materia."
"You got it?"
"Yes. He's got it in the blade of his Masamune."
"That's an excellent place for it..."
Seph drew the Masamune and slid it into the slot on the side of the barrel. The Weapon's internal computers recognized the Materia's power signature and carefully extracted it from the Masamune. When it had been removed and stored, a button lit up.
"Extraction and storage complete."
Seph removed the Masamune and put it back on his hip. Then he went to work on the firing mechanism. After a while, however, he sat back on his heels and sighed.
"It's a total loss. I have to replace it."
"How long will that take?"
"Too long. I have to find another place to store the Materias."
"No you don't. I have a way."
"Dad?"
"Allow me."
Seph stood up and backed away, giving his father's ghost clear access to the Weapon. The ghost floated up to it and one hand sank into the metal. Beeps, clicks and whirs made Seph blink. His father had somehow activated the repair protocols!
"Damn! I forgot all about those!"
"What?"
"The repair protocols I put in! I forgot I'd done it. But he managed to find and activate them!"
When his father floated backward, every system light was green. Seph ran a quick check, then nodded once. He turned to his father with one hand still on the Materia Storage barrel.
"I wish there was some way I could bring you back..."
There was a brilliant flash of light that blinded Seph and Celes. When the light died down, Seph's father stood there, solid and whole. Seph made a sound that wasn't a cry, but wasn't quite a sob. His father opened his arms and Seph ran into them. Celes turned so she wasn't looking at them, giving them a moment alone. Seph stood in his father's arms, tears flowing freely down his face. After he let go, he turned to Celes, wiping the tears away.
"Come on... Come meet my dad."
She walked over to them, marveling at how much they looked like each other. When she got close enough, Seph grabbed her in a hug and held her tightly.
"Dad, this is Celes. Celes, this is my father Sindar."
"Sindar the Great?"
"That was one of my titles, yes."
"I'm still wondering how..."
"You forgot to take your hand off the Materia Storage unit."
"That'd do it."
Sindar laughed and ruffled Seph's hair, drawing a protest from his son. Celes laughed too, a soft sound that reminded them of silver bells ringing in the moonlight. Then Seph turned to face the entrance to the cave.
"What is it, Seph?"
"We've got company."
Locke walked into the cave and held out one hand to Seph. He took it and they shook. Then Locke saw Sindar and his eyes widened. Celes bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Sindar the Great... I thought you dead."
"Seph brought me back with a wish."
"Ah. Will you join us to save Midgar?"
"My boy, it would be a pleasure to have one last adventure before I settled in and retired."
"Retire? You? You'd be begging for an adventure before long and you know it!"
"You know me so well, Seph..."
"Why not? I'm just like you, Dad."
Locke laughed and shook his head. Then Celes, after carefully finding a place to lean on, spotted something in the corner of the cave. Her eyes narrowed as she prowled toward it.
"What'd you find, Celes?"
"Looks like a computer chip of some kind."
She held it out to Locke, who examined it carefully before handing it off to Seph. Father and son examined it together, then Seph put the chip in the side of the Materia Storage barrel.
"What is that?"
"Celes, my dear, you found the chip I needed to control the width of the beam."
"Oh. But who would do that?"
"I have a pretty good idea..."
The four of them stepped out of the cave and it was concealed from view by an elaborate illusion, making it appear to be part of the wilderness. Seph nodded and they moved out. Celes, Locke and Sindar soon fell behind, watching him follow the silent call of the Materia Hunter. For that was what he was... He stopped by a boulder with a slit in it. Drawing his Masamune, he slipped it into the hole in the boulder. A pathway opened, wide enough for four. He waved them forward with his free hand, holding the path until someone stepped on it. Celes put her feet firmly on the path, keeping it open for them all. Locke and Sindar joined her, then Seph, holding his Masamune. The path wound around obstacles, providing easy footing for them. Seph saw a glitter in the path and knelt by it. After he determined the glitter's reason for being there, he stood and walked on. The path soon narrowed, forcing them to walk two abreast. Then it narrowed even further, making them go single-file.
"I don't like this."
"I don't either. Why did the path narrow?"
"I can answer that. We're on the right track."
"I get it. The closer we get, the harder the path."
"Exactly."
They stepped off the path into a wide clearing. None of them trusted it, so they stayed close together. A black dragon lifted its head and revealed the rest of their path. It stood and they thanked it as they passed. It understood the call of the Materia Hunter... It had seen several over its centuries of existence. But Seph was the first it had seen with his Masamune drawn and three companions. As Celes passed, it gave her several scales off its tail. She put them in her pocket with a quiet thank you. The path ended in front of a petrified tree.
"Is this it?"
"I doubt it."
Locke's comment opened the rest of the path. Celes went first, leaving a dragon scale on the tree, where it became embedded in the wood. A Wood Dragon would rise if called upon... She made sure to keep four scales, one for each of them. She also concealed three more in case they needed the dragon's help. The rest were put on objects and sank in. Stone dragons aplenty, with a few bush dragons and another Wood Dragon. Sindar brought up the rear of their little party, keeping an eye out for danger. They encountered little to no resistance on the path as they traveled, making Seph's hackles raise.
"I don't like this. There should be plenty to stop us."
"Maybe they're farther along."
"Or maybe it's a wild goose chase."
"I don't think so... There was moss growing on the rock at the very beginning of the path."
The cave opened in front of their very eyes... It was huge! Locke's eyes were wider than anything they'd ever seen as they walked in. There were piles of treasure as far as the eye could see. But they were focused on one thing, and one thing alone.
"The Rainbow Materia!"
"There it is!"
A rainbow pillar hovered above a marble altar, shining and shimmering brightly in the darkness. They stood there in awe, unable to move or say anything. Sindar nudged Seph's Masamune, reminding his son why they were here. Seph drew the Masamune, but made no other move. The Materia spoke with a multi-toned voice.
"Welcome, Materia Hunter. I am the last of what you seek."
"Yes. The Black was harder to find than you. I have to admit, I didn't think it would be this easy."
"That is because I allowed you to find me."
"Why?"
"You are the only one who has found all the Materia without losing any of them."
Celes nudged the Masamune, lifting the blade. Shimmers of the Black still glistened on the blade, ebony slivers contrasting against the silver metal. The Rainbow Materia was drawn to the presence of another rare Materia, allowing itself to be trapped in the blade. Seph blinked at the power radiating from his Masamune, then he saw the rainbow shimmer.
"Amazing."
"Let's get out of here before the cave collapses."
There once was a man named Sephiroth in Midgar, a man who had immense power. But his power was more in his mind than any spell or other such thing. He was a legend, more so for his efforts with the materia than any battle. He had an astonishing reputation for being part bloodhound. Of course, when people heard that, they assumed he was a monster. All that meant was he could find anyone or anything without any visible trail being left behind. His attitude left something to be desired, but that was to be expected. Everyone assumed Cloud had killed him. And to see him walking around Midgar holding his seven foot Masamune in battle stance was nothing short of astounding. It glowed darkly, revealing the presence of the rare Black Materia. It was this materia that killed a rogue Demon claiming a position in the Circle of Masters. He could part a crowd from a mile away. Somebody saw him stumble and fall to his knees, but did nothing to help him. If anything, the crowd that gathered around him seemed eager to revile and belittle the fallen hero. Epithets and insults flung at him seemed to further his wounds... Blood seeped from cracked lips, skin sloughed off his body from every possible place, his hair turned dark and his eyes dimmed and turned a milky white. One voice raised above them all to silence the crowd.
"ENOUGH! Can't you see what you've done?"
"Who are you?"
"Someone who knows that man's reputation is well-earned. And in case you haven't noticed, that man there is Sephiroth!"
"No it's not. Sephiroth is dead. Cloud killed him."
"If he killed me, then this is some kind of Hell..."
The original speaker went over to Sephiroth and offered him a hand up by placing it on his shoulder, then lifting it. Sephiroth, once one of Midgar's greatest heroes, lifted a bloody, skinless hand toward his would-be savior. The speaker took firm hold of the hand, not caring that it had no skin. With amazing ease, Sephiroth was lifted to his feet and the handle of his Masamune held out toward him. The rush of air told the blinded man where his weapon was. With a slow gesture, he took his weapon in both hands. The minute his hands made contact with the Masamune, everything was undone. Within moments, Sephiroth stood tall and proud once more. The assembled crowd gasped softly. Then one man stepped forth.
"You truly are Sephiroth. For those who vocalized what I would not, I apologize. Their manners were deplorable."
Seph's gaze turned to the speaker, eyes dancing with something. The man recognized that something and moved aside with no further comment. He stood beside the man who had helped Sephiroth to his feet, a very expertly concealed Arbiter of Justice. Within the hero of Midgar's body, the Chaos Demon raged and begged to be given control. Justice recognized the tremor of Seph's fingers and moved his companion back a good distance, then shouted.
"You who reviled him, now suffer the consequences of your actions! Face the CHAOS!"
The Chaos Demon rose up and consumed the hero of Midgar, turning his eyes into red slits hidden within a black fog. Ebony wings sprouted from his back and folded around the fog. Those who had heard of Vincent's earlier misdeeds stumbled backward and tried to get away. But of those in the crowd, only one got away alive besides the man who refused to speak. It was a ten year old child. And there was something about that child that appealed to both parts of this hideously frightening personality. Aside from the fact that this child was a girl, there was something about her. So she didn't share the mob's fate. After the lone mute had taken the child home, Justice turned to Sephiroth and frowned heavily.
"What happened between you and Farin?"
"I don't know. I got to that point in my journey and couldn't go any farther."
"Chaos, diagnose."
"Three broken ribs, damage to his left lung and a shattered right wrist."
"Can you undo it?"
"No. These wounds were inflicted by the crowd. He has to have the faith of a child in order to be fully healed."
"Very well. We rest until he shows some sign of improvement."
Chaos, still in control of Sephiroth's body, sat down on a bench and let the hero's eyes drift shut. Justice did the same, if only for the sake of appearances. Not long after that, the child who'd been spared came back to them and put her hand on Seph's shoulder. Her voice was soft, yet had a strangely mature intonation.
"Sephiroth, I would speak with you."
"What would you of me, Nemesis?"
Nemesis laughed and assumed her usual form, that of a woman with golden skin and blue eyes. Justice remained motionless, giving the impression of a man asleep. Seph and Chaos, sharing a body, looked at her through the same pair of eyes. But where Seph saw an Angel, Chaos saw a kindred spirit. She reached out to him and he took her hand, a ghostly apparition attached to a flesh and bone framework. Three hands touched, but anybody who looked that way only saw two. Seph was jolted from within by a blast of electricity. He rocked back and forth with a low groan as the energy surged through his body. When he stopped moving, his eyes rolled back in his head and he slid bonelessly off the bench. Only Justice's hand kept him off the ground.
"I had to test him. There are things in motion that he may not be able to stop or alter."
"Understood. But there are things he can do to stop certain aspects of this..."
"And those aspects may well be the key to unraveling this whole thing!"
"Precisely."
Justice lay Seph on the bench and walked into the shadows, using them as a gateway. Nemesis, however, stayed to watch over the fallen hero. When Justice returned, he wasn't alone. He'd brought Tseng and Locke back with him. Tseng knelt beside Seph on the bench while Locke prowled around the perimeter of the area to make sure there were no surprises waiting for them. When he came back, he was nodding to himself. Tseng touched Seph's forehead and frowned. Despite the gloomy chill in the air, he felt very warm.
"Did anyone check for anything in his blood?"
"You mean a virus or other such contaminant?"
"I didn't. Justice?"
"No."
Justice cursed soundly at his lapse, then alerted Chaos to the possibility. Chaos ran a tendril through Seph's blood and found what they were afraid of... His mental alert set Justice off on a rampage of epithets and profanities the likes of which none of them had ever heard.
"What is it?"
"Tseng was right... There's something in his blood!"
"Chaos? Can you manifest yourself and tell us about it?"
Chaos reluctantly pulled himself from Seph's body and appeared in the shadows near Justice and Nemesis. But he kept himself anchored to his mortal host with a slender tether. They were waiting for him to start talking...
"I'm not sure what it is. All I know is it's making him burn up from the inside. And it wasn't from Farin. It seems to have originated within his bloodstream."
Locke closed his eyes and whispered a prayer before letting out a round of profanity. Tseng had never heard Locke swear. So he was startled by what his companion said. Chaos, Nemesis and Justice looked at Locke curiously.
"That's no ordinary infection. It's a bacterial phage, and if left unchecked, it will kill him."
Locke's statement held all the impact of a bomb hitting the ground with a nuclear warhead. That is to say, devastasting. They couldn't believe it! Sephiroth, one of the greatest heroes Midgar had ever seen, struck down by a bacterial phage?
"Not on MY watch!"
And with that, Chaos disappeared with Seph in his arms, his silver hair glinting in the glow of Midgar's gas lamps. He appeared at the doors to a private medical clinic, walking through the doors. One of the nurses saw who he was holding and dropped an empty tray. The metal clanged on the floor, alerting another nurse. When she saw Sephiroth, her first thought was that he was dead. But then he groaned and his arm moved.
"He's alive! Get a Goddamn stretcher out here, STAT!"
"Who's it for?"
"Sephiroth!"
"SHIT!"
The stretcher rolled out with a full medical team behind it. Chaos set him on the stretcher, then simply vanished. Nobody said anything about it, because they knew there were Demons loose in Midgar. But if they knew Vincent's clone and Lucrecia were still loose, there would be a panic. One of the nurses went to put Seph's Masamune off to one side when she saw the note. She read it aloud.
"Leave the Masamune within arm's reach. He's been infected with a bacterial phage. I can't heal him, so I brought him to you. Please take good care of him... Chaos."
"The Chaos Demon admitting he can't heal? That's odd."
"No it's not. Seph and Chaos haven't fully merged. If they had, Chaos could have healed Seph in a heartbeat."
"Oh, okay, I see."
They worked tirelessly, an IV dripping fluid into his veins so he wouldn't get dehydrated. Then one of the doctors accidentally contaminated the blood sample with some cortazine. What he saw through the microscope gave him an idea and a starting place for a cure.
"Cortazine retards bacterial development!"
"That's a starting point!"
Time passed very slowly for Sephiroth and Chaos... They started him on a cortazine drip to retard the development of the phage. And while they worked, they noticed something strange. Obtaining a pure blood sample was impossible until they'd found a way to remove the phage from his blood, but there was something about his Masamune that made the blood clear up.
"I wish we had someone who'd seen him use it."
"I saw him use it... When he killed a rogue Demon."
"Was there anything special about it?"
"Not really... Just the presence of the Black Materia."
"That's IT!"
"What's it?"
"Sephiroth has to come into contact with the power of the Black Materia!"
"But how do we activate it?"
Chaos had a ready answer... He took the Masamune in Seph's clammy hand and placed the blade along his neck. The Black Materia came to life with an audible hiss, engulfing Seph within its charcoal depths. When it was gone, Seph's skin had lost its crimson flush and his breathing sounded clearer. The blood sample they drew showed no trace of the phage. They shook their heads, then left him to rest.
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Good grief... Feels like I was hit with a ton of bricks! And that's hard to do in Midgar... Seeing as how we don't have bricks. Boy oh boy, do I feel sore! I can feel Chaos in the room with me, which means he had to manifest for some reason. I can't move, let alone talk, so I can't ask him what happened.
"You were infected with a bacterial phage. We nearly didn't find a cure."
"What... *hack hack wheeze* the hell is a phage?"
"An infection in the blood. You nearly died from it."
"Oh."
I would've said more, except I have to stop and cough. I cough so much, I start bringing up blood. That's not good... Chaos makes a sound of some kind and a nurse comes in.
"He's coughing up blood."
"Oh, damn! DOCTOR!"
The doc comes in and I know right away he ain't the one who's been taking care of me! I don't even have to look at Chaos to know that. But he's a real nice guy who has answers for all the questions we have. When he finds out I've been coughing up blood, he says something to do with what a guy does to a woman when she wants it, then gives me a needle full of some kind of drug. At first it doesn't do anything, then it makes me feel all disoriented and shit. I recognize the stuff before Chaos has a chance to ask him what the hell that was for.
"You bastard... Bentramide?"
Bentramide is a drug good old Hojo came up with to keep unwilling test subjects in line while he cut their hands off. Poor Meris got her whole damn arm cut off. Nothing can stop the bentramide until it's worn off... And it usually takes hours, or in some cases, whole days. Took Meris a week to shake it off. But he never thought to tell Security to remove my Masamune. For that I will always be grateful. It responds to a conscious thought willing it to move, so it slides over to me without a sound. The hilt brushes my fingers before the blade itself rests under them. I can feel the cold tang of the metal under my fingers... Then I'm swallowed whole by the Black Materia. It's more consuming than Chaos, and a lot more potent. When it retreats to my Masamune blade, not only has it countered the Bentramide, but it's also given me the strength to sit up. Doc's looking like I came back from the dead... I did, at some point. But that's neither here nor there.
"You have some explaining to do here, Doc... So start singing before I make ya squawk!"
That's no idle threat either! Doc gives me a funny look before turning and walking out. The nurse shakes her head and makes to follow him, then turns back to me. Chaos decides it'd be fun to fade out, so he does it. This nurse chick stands near my head for a while, then does something I never thought any woman would do... She bends over and kisses me! I find myself kissing her back, liking this dame's moxie. She lifts her head but doesn't straighten up right away, giving me a good look at her goodies. She's got herself a nice rack there... So I put one hand there just to see what she'll do. Mmm, they're the real deal. She's smiling at me in a way I never thought I'd see. Maybe we could hook up for a drink once I get outta here. Oops! Another doc pokes his head in. When he sees her leaning over my bed, he laughs and walks away, whistling merrily. I wait for her to leave, but she sits on the edge of my bed. This is an interesting development...
"So what's a classy dame like you doing sitting on my bed?"
"I like you, Sephiroth."
"Oh? And why is that, may I ask?"
"Do I have to have a reason?"
"Hell, no. I was just checking."
"Very clever."
"Thanks. When I get outta here, you wanna go for dinner somewhere?"
"I'd like that. A lot."
"That makes two of us. So what's your name?"
"Rita."
"Unusual name for Midgar."
"Yours ain't so common either, sailor!"
"Hey, I like your moxie, Rita. Maybe we can be more than friends."
"That can be arranged. Listen, I have to go on rounds, but I'll be back after my shift. Sound good?"
"Damn right it does. See you then, Rita."
She walks away with a wink and a wiggle of her gorgeous butt. I gotta tell ya... This is beginning to look like a good day! Uh-oh. Chaos doesn't look too happy about something...
"What's on your mind, Demon man?"
"Justice just gave me an alert. The clone's been spotted in the West End. He's begun torturing young girls, looking for some sort of code word."
"Oh, NO! That assclown's found out about my secret weapon!"
"Who did you give the code word to?"
"That's just it... I can't remember. I told a teenager with two older sisters, one of whom was one of Hojo's victims. But I will be damned if I can remember any names!"
Whoopsy... That seems to have triggered some sort of cloud! But what comes out ain't any sort of Ifrit or Djinn. It's... Oh, HELL!
"That's HER!"
"My name is Erian, Sephiroth. And I am an Angel, thanks to my sister Trudi."
"Oh, fu... fudge. This isn't good. The clone's looking for you to get my code word."
"He won't get it."
"What makes you say that, Erian?"
"It isn't an actual word he needs. He thinks it is, but that's just a dummy to hide the real code."
Chaos is giving me one of those "Start talking!" looks... So I settle in and tell him the whole story. When I'm done, his face clears, then he turns to some kind of mist. I can feel him inside my body, and it's disconcerting to say the least. Erian's giving me a funny look, so I tell her what's going on.
"He had a feeling somebody here isn't what they seem. Course, that isn't how he worded it, but I cleaned it up. A LOT."
"Thank you for that, Sephiroth. But we have a bigger problem than you swearing."
"I know. Chaos told me what's going down over where we left Vincent and Meris."
"How soon can you get over there?"
"As soon as I get out of here."
"Which will be right now. The doctor said you're not safe here."
Erian takes off and Rita comes in with my clothes in hand. She hands em to me a piece at a time and I get dressed slowly. Slowly because I need time to think. If the clone figures out Erian herself is the code, the world is doomed. Erian's a lot stronger now cause she's an Angel. When I programmed her with the code, I had no idea what was going to happen. Rita hands me my Masamune, handle first, blade across her hands. This dame knows how to handle a weapon! I take it from her with a weak smile, then go to leave. Shit bricks, I can't stand! So Rita slides an arm under mine and helps me walk. We get outside the clinic and walk through a Gate. On the other side is everyone I need to talk to. And then some. Hoo boy... They ain't gonna like me after I'm done!
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Tseng saw Sephiroth come out with a nurse and knew where Chaos had taken him. His shout brought everyone over and they gathered 'round for a story. When Sephiroth was settled into place, the purple-haired nurse beside him to keep an eye on him, they all sat.
"This isn't something I'm proud of. It happened before everything."
"We won't pass judgment on you, Sephiroth. We're your friends."
Tseng smiled at Meris for saying that. She always had a kind word for everyone. She was even nice to Vincent when she found out he wasn't personally responsible for what happened. Sephiroth looked truly uncomfortable... Until the nurse beside him took his hand and held it gently. Sephiroth smiled at her, then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"It started about a year ago. When Hojo was still a mad scientist. I'd just developed a weapon that was powered by the various materia that existed. I'd found all of them except two when I realized I had to hide the code. So I found Erian, except I didn't know her name back then, and programmed her with the code for the weapon. I'd had a feeling something was going to happen."
"Excuse me for interrupting, Sephiroth, but what's this code?"
"Good question, Locke. Don't blame you for asking. It's a blood code."
"You mean her blood would make this weapon turn on?"
"Not quite. What that means is her blood contained the data to re-assemble the firing code."
"And since she's an Angel, she has no blood. So you're the only one who knows the code."
"Right. So the clone's doing all this for information only I have."
"We didn't mean to side-track you. Please, go on."
"Okay. There ain't much left to tell... Except that I still haven't found the last kind of materia. The black one's the strongest by far, but there's one more. Once I find that, the weapon will be at full capacity."
"Where's the Black Materia anyway?"
"In my Masamune blade."
"I get it now... Good lord, Seph, you're quite devious."
"Thanks, kid. I have an idea where the last materia is, but I'll need to locate it on my own."
"Wait just a minute here! Seph, you're not going after the Rainbow Materia!"
"I have to, Meris. It's the only one left!"
"Calm down, folks. Seph here isn't strong enough to look for anything right now."
"Who are you?"
"Name's Rita. I'm his private nurse. That's what the doctor said, anyway."
"He just wanted her out of the clinic before the shit hit the fan."
"Probable. But she's right, Seph... Even the Black Materia can't give you strength to go looking for the Rainbow."
"Now did I say I was going today?"
His face was cross, his voice even more so. Of all the assembled beings there, not one of them had thought to ask when he'd go looking for the Rainbow Materia. They all fell silent, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, Sephiroth. When would you go to look?"
"In a few days... Four, maybe five at the most."
"Good idea. But I suggest extreme caution. You never know what those two are up to."
"True, that. So when I go, I'm taking Vincent and Meris with me."
They turned to look at the aforementioned duo. Vincent and Meris were tired of not knowing what to do when it came to the clone and Lucrecia... So, as one, they nodded. They were going. Ragnarok made Meris's blood thrum with power. Apparently Destruction was doing the same with Vincent, because they had identical looks on their faces. Chaos set up a matching cacophony within Sephiroth and made his skin turn a soft shade of red. Tseng, Locke, Hojo and Rita sat back on their heels and watched them carefully. Rita had a thing for Sephiroth and wanted to make sure he didn't get hurt. But Sephiroth hadn't said he wanted her to go, so it looked like she was staying with the others. She'd heard of them all... One doesn't live in Midgar and NOT know about all the personalities! At that particular moment, Seph looked at her, eyes an eerie shade of amber. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Their fingers touched, then they held hands. From within, she could feel a gulf opening up inside. But it didn't last long... She was engulfed by a wave of something powerful that knocked her backward. Her eyes closed and she lay back, not saying anything. Then she could hear voices.
"What happened?"
"I don't know!"
"Rita! Rita, can you hear me?"
That last voice belonged to Sephiroth... And it had an edge of panic. That same something flared up again and consumed her, leaving her with the impression that she needed to say something. So she opened her mouth, not knowing what to say. What came out was...
"I am Panic. Who has summoned me to the mortal Plane?"
"Panic, do you know me?"
"Aye, I know ye. You are the Demon Chaos."
"Know ye why you were summoned here?"
"Nay."
"I summoned ye because Vincent's clone knows of Sephiroth's Materia Weapon."
"That is a danger indeed. But why was I brought into this host?"
"Meris is Bonded with Ragnarok."
"This host has her own unique talents, so mayhap things are, perchance, brighter than they seem."
Rita kept her thoughts to herself, having heard of the Panic Demoness. She didn't want anyone to know who she really was... If anybody found out she was really Celes, they'd hang her out to dry. For all intents and purposes, Celes was, indeed, dead. But her spirit lived on, in a body granted to her by Nemesis. She'd given herself the name Rita and Nemesis had given her a job at the medical clinic. Panic had already gleaned the truth, but wisely kept it to herself. Celes had been the mistress of the magical arrow...
"Rita?"
"Yes?"
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah. I was just bowled over by the experience."
They all laughed. She'd wanted them to relax... And they did. Sephiroth, of the silver hair and sober mien, crouched beside her and helped her stand up. They moved off a ways, leaving the others to talk amongst themselves. Once they were far enough away, Seph turned to her with a serious expression.
"Who are you?"
"If I told you, you'd be tracked like a dog."
"Tell me, please. I'd like to know who I..."
"Who you what?"
"Who I have strong feelings for."
"Sephiroth, my name is Celes."
His eyes widened at her name. But he quickly recovered and took her hands in his. She looked at him in something akin to shock. She hadn't expected this! He tugged gently, bringing her closer to him. She stumbled, landing hard against his chest. His arms came around her to steady her. She could hear his heart beating... And he could feel hers. She looked up and he brought his head down towards her. Softly, his lips brushed hers, awakening something inside that made her whimper softly when he lifted his head. He heard that soft whimper and brought his lips back down to hers. There was nothing gentle about this kiss... It seemed as though he wanted to punish her for something. But instead of pain blossoming in her veins, it was pleasure. Her arms wound around his neck, deepening the kiss. The passion he'd unwittingly unleashed threatened to overwhelm them both. With great reluctance on both sides, they ended the kiss.
"Wow..."
"That's one way to put it..."
They didn't realize someone had followed them, remaining a good distance back so they could only see, not hear. That someone was Locke... He saw them kissing and held in his laughter until he'd gotten back to Tseng and the others.
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Name's Locke. I traveled all over looking for things to do and monsters to kill. But I ain't never seen anything like this! Seph and a nurse calling herself Rita??? That don't make any kind of sense! Here they come... Tseng and Hojo, that is. I left Sephy-boy and Rita in that clearing. They were doing some heavy-duty tongue wrestling... For lack of a better term.
"Where'd they go?"
I have to stifle my laughter. Even this far away, they could hear it. It's a quiet day in the woods today...
"They're fine. She wanted to give him a checkup."
Tseng gets my joke and chuckles softly. Then he explains it to Hojo, who grins and shakes his head. I'm not as good a tracker as old Seph is, but I get the job done. I can tell someone's been here besides everyone I've seen. The tracks literally radiate evil! So I crouch nearby and hold one hand over them to find out how fresh they are, and who made them. The feedback I get is so dark it makes me fall on my can. Tseng and Hojo help me stand up, eyes full of worry.
"What was that?"
"These tracks. I don't know who made em, but they ain't a Goody Two-Shoes! I need Seph."
Speak of the Devil and you get his cabana boy... In other words, here he comes. He sees the tracks and sends Rita over our way. She goes without a word. She's got a Demoness inside her, but we don't know it. He does what I did, but he doesn't get bowled over. I can see the red gleam in his eyes and it hits me.
"Shit... We got another rogue Demon."
"Worse than that, I'm afraid. This is one of their Dark Sorcerers."
"How much worse is a Dark Sorcerer?"
"A Dark Sorcerer is the epitome of evil in the Netherworld. To have one here without being seen is a testament to their controller's power."
I look at Rita and blink. Her voice... God help me, but for a moment there she sounded like Celes! Then what she said hits us all like a freight train. That is to say, HARD. I sit on a tree stump and hang my head to regain my strength.
"What kind of power does a Dark Sorcerer have and can we counter it?"
"A Dark Sorcerer can call on the Darkness itself for his power. How strong his control is depends on how long he's been calling it. There is but one way to counter a Dark Sorcerer."
"And what way would that be?"
"We have to find the Light Wizard."
The Light Wizard is a legend in its own right. Legend has it that the Light Wizard is the one who created the Dark Sorcerers, only to have the Devil steal them for his own use. But nobody knows if the Light Wizard is real or a myth. The look in Seph's eyes tells me there's more than a grain of truth to this story.
"This Light Wizard is real."
"Yes."
"How do we find them?"
"That is an unknown at this point. But I have a pretty good idea..."
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Seph could tell Locke had his doubts. It was in his eyes, but nowhere else. If nothing else, Locke was good at masking his body language. Tseng and Hojo, on the other hand... They believed. Rita moved over to Seph and put her hand on his arm. He could tell she had something on her mind.
*This is all so new to her, Chaos. Mayhaps a mind-link would help?*
*That's a good idea, Panic. She's already made contact.*
Seph felt her stiffen and a new set of memories came to him. Then he realized what was going on... The Demons had initiated a mind-link! She truly was Celes... He put his hand over hers to reassure her. That was all it took. She calmed down and let things progress naturally. When they ended the mind-link, Rita would have dropped if it weren't for Seph. His arms wound around her waist and held her up. She leaned against him, glad he was there. Locke saw a flash of red cross her skin and he knew.
"Dang!"
"What?"
"I don't know which one is there, but she's not alone."
"Oh, no."
"I am the one they call the Panic Demoness. Fear not, for I come to help Midgar."
"Thank you for telling us."
Rita stayed where she was, content to hear Seph's heartbeat. Seph, for his part, was truly startled by the depths of his feelings for her. She looked up at him, silently asking what they were to do now. He dipped his head and kissed her, softly and briefly. Tseng and Hojo could barely contain their laughter. Locke elbowed Tseng and harrumph'ed. They stopped, embarrassed at being caught. Rita and Seph actually looked good together...
"What a cute couple."
"You got that right, Meris."
Seph just smiled, unwilling to get involved in that discussion. Rita kept her mouth shut too. Ever since Panic took up residence, she'd felt her cover slipping, threatening to reveal her identity to the most influential people in Midgar. Yuffie, Cloud, Aeris and Tifa were long gone... As were Sabin, Gau and Terra... So many brave heroes lost in the name of freedom. Locke and Celes were all that remained of the first group. After defeating Kefka, Gau went back to the wild and was never heard from again. Sabin and Terra got into a relationship that ended in a double murder. Someone broke in to his cabin and slaughtered them in a manner most brutal. Nobody investigated it, having assumed Gau had snapped and sent animals to do them in. One of those names slipped out...
"Oh, poor Sabin..."
Vincent was sent spiraling back to the night he stumbled on an occupied cabin. He hadn't been aware of his actions at the time, being consumed by Chaos at the time. There'd been two people in the cabin... He hadn't wanted to hurt them. But Chaos had overwhelmed his sense of control and when he'd come out of it, they were dead. He remembered now that one of them had had green hair...
"God, no... It was me."
Sephiroth knew he hadn't meant to do it. His hand on Vincent's shoulder made the younger man look up and offer a wan smile.
"If it makes you feel any better, he feels bad about it too."
"Not much, but it does."
Rita knew her time had come. So she closed her eyes and let Panic undo her disguise. When the light died down, she looked the same, but she had blonde hair and was taller than before. There was something about her that made Meris wonder.
"Who the devil are you?"
"I'm Celes."
Vincent staggered back like he'd been punched in the stomach. And, in a way, he had.
"So you finally found me."
"Yes. It took me a long time, but I did. Things have changed, Vincent."
Vincent nodded a bit, then he and Meris walked away. They were holding hands as they left, telling Celes he'd found her at long last. Her smile was eerily reminiscent of his, but nobody commented on it. Not yet, anyway. There was something about her that made them want to be careful. Seph turned Celes to look at him, holding her loosely in the circle of his arms. She looked up at him, then he voiced the question on everyone's minds.
"What's the deal with you and Vincent?"
"I was hoping nobody would ask me that... He's my brother."
"But you two don't look anything alike!"
"That was dear old Dad's idea. He spelled me so I would look like Mom and nobody else. It nearly drove us crazy when we were children."
"Because nobody believed you when you said you were siblings?"
"Right. I need the Light Wizard to undo it."
"Any ideas on who it is?"
"None."
He didn't sigh or show frustration. He just nodded a bit, then smooched her forehead and rested his chin on top of her head. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. If they only knew who the Light Wizard was... When they found out, Midgar would never be the same again. Only he who possessed all the Materia in Midgar would have his fate revealed to him. Sephiroth was so close to that goal... He remembered something and cursed.
"What is it?"
"I need to put the Black Materia in the weapon!"
"Do you remember where it is?"
"That's the easy part. The hard part is getting there."
"Explain."
"There's a monster guarding the machine."
"That's no problem... Remember who we have with us."
"I plum forgot. But I also forgot what kind of monster it was..."
"Uh-oh."
The glum look on his face told her it was a particularly nasty monster too... She was almost afraid to ask! But she had to.
"What kind of monster is it?"
"The Dadaluma."
"WHAT?"
Seph looked so miserable, she had to reconsider her reaction. The Dadaluma was one of the enemies she'd faced a long time ago in the city of Zoso. And a nasty thing it was too... Perhaps that was why Seph had chosen it to guard his Materia Weapon. But wait...
"Did you choose it? Or did it volunteer?"
"It chose me. I couldn't refuse after I'd seen how powerful it was."
"Okay. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did."
"That's okay. Come on, we'd better get going. The sooner I get the Black Materia in there, the sooner I can start looking for the Rainbow Materia."
They set off together, Seph using his Masamune to clear the plants out of her way. It took three days of hard travel to get to the cave he'd hidden the Weapon in. Upon arrival, the first thing Seph noticed was that an animal had taken up residence. The second thing he noticed was that the Weapon was there, but the Dadaluma wasn't.
"Dadaluma!"
"He's gone, Sephiroth. The Dadaluma fled when Cloud assaulted you. He thought you dead, his geas undone."
"Who are you?"
An eerie spectral presence shimmered and faded into view. At first it had no shape and was a white blob. But then it shaped itself into the semblance of a man, complete with rapier and blaster pistol. His face was lined and old, but that soon cleared. The face that was revealed made Sephiroth flinch.
"No... Not you!"
"Who is that, Seph?"
"That is a man I thought I'd never see again as long as I lived. That is my father!"
The venom in his words made Celes blink. Then she got a good look at the ghost in front of them. He looked exactly like Seph... But that brought up another question.
"If he's your father, why isn't he carrying a Masamune?"
"Because I passed it on to him before I left. I never made it home... At least, not alive. I came back in a box about two years after I left."
"Mom never told me you were dead... She said you ran out on us. I knew I should've gone looking for you!"
"You'd have died too, son. I encountered a Wind Pixie. She didn't like my face and cut it off for me. She also took my heart out of my chest..."
Seph winced and hung his head. His father floated over and put a ghostly hand on his shoulder. Seph looked up and saw something that made his eyes fill with tears. In his father's eyes was a compassion that nobody had ever shown him...
"I'm sorry, Dad."
"For what? Your mother was the one who lied."
"She died just before I went out on my own... Somebody broke in and killed her for a fortune in gold that she never had."
"I know. I was watching over you to make sure you grew up right. But I couldn't stop him."
"And I wasn't even home... She sent me off to town for some fool errand."
"I think she knew someone was coming to the house. She didn't want you there."
Celes had found the Materia Weapon and was studying it closely, hands behind her back. Seph and his father watched her, twin smiles on their faces. When she'd finished her examination, she turned around. The scowl on her face made Seph's senses go on alert.
"What is it?"
"Someone's been here since the Dadaluma left. They managed to tamper with the firing mechanism. They've also locked out most of the Materias from powering the weapon."
"WHAT?"
Seph ran over to the Weapon and cursed violently. He punched buttons and typed codes in a frantic haste. He had to open those locks... If he tried to add the Black Materia now, it would explode and they'd get scattered everywhere. It took him a while, but he got everything fixed.
"There. Now to add the Black Materia."
"You got it?"
"Yes. He's got it in the blade of his Masamune."
"That's an excellent place for it..."
Seph drew the Masamune and slid it into the slot on the side of the barrel. The Weapon's internal computers recognized the Materia's power signature and carefully extracted it from the Masamune. When it had been removed and stored, a button lit up.
"Extraction and storage complete."
Seph removed the Masamune and put it back on his hip. Then he went to work on the firing mechanism. After a while, however, he sat back on his heels and sighed.
"It's a total loss. I have to replace it."
"How long will that take?"
"Too long. I have to find another place to store the Materias."
"No you don't. I have a way."
"Dad?"
"Allow me."
Seph stood up and backed away, giving his father's ghost clear access to the Weapon. The ghost floated up to it and one hand sank into the metal. Beeps, clicks and whirs made Seph blink. His father had somehow activated the repair protocols!
"Damn! I forgot all about those!"
"What?"
"The repair protocols I put in! I forgot I'd done it. But he managed to find and activate them!"
When his father floated backward, every system light was green. Seph ran a quick check, then nodded once. He turned to his father with one hand still on the Materia Storage barrel.
"I wish there was some way I could bring you back..."
There was a brilliant flash of light that blinded Seph and Celes. When the light died down, Seph's father stood there, solid and whole. Seph made a sound that wasn't a cry, but wasn't quite a sob. His father opened his arms and Seph ran into them. Celes turned so she wasn't looking at them, giving them a moment alone. Seph stood in his father's arms, tears flowing freely down his face. After he let go, he turned to Celes, wiping the tears away.
"Come on... Come meet my dad."
She walked over to them, marveling at how much they looked like each other. When she got close enough, Seph grabbed her in a hug and held her tightly.
"Dad, this is Celes. Celes, this is my father Sindar."
"Sindar the Great?"
"That was one of my titles, yes."
"I'm still wondering how..."
"You forgot to take your hand off the Materia Storage unit."
"That'd do it."
Sindar laughed and ruffled Seph's hair, drawing a protest from his son. Celes laughed too, a soft sound that reminded them of silver bells ringing in the moonlight. Then Seph turned to face the entrance to the cave.
"What is it, Seph?"
"We've got company."
Locke walked into the cave and held out one hand to Seph. He took it and they shook. Then Locke saw Sindar and his eyes widened. Celes bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Sindar the Great... I thought you dead."
"Seph brought me back with a wish."
"Ah. Will you join us to save Midgar?"
"My boy, it would be a pleasure to have one last adventure before I settled in and retired."
"Retire? You? You'd be begging for an adventure before long and you know it!"
"You know me so well, Seph..."
"Why not? I'm just like you, Dad."
Locke laughed and shook his head. Then Celes, after carefully finding a place to lean on, spotted something in the corner of the cave. Her eyes narrowed as she prowled toward it.
"What'd you find, Celes?"
"Looks like a computer chip of some kind."
She held it out to Locke, who examined it carefully before handing it off to Seph. Father and son examined it together, then Seph put the chip in the side of the Materia Storage barrel.
"What is that?"
"Celes, my dear, you found the chip I needed to control the width of the beam."
"Oh. But who would do that?"
"I have a pretty good idea..."
The four of them stepped out of the cave and it was concealed from view by an elaborate illusion, making it appear to be part of the wilderness. Seph nodded and they moved out. Celes, Locke and Sindar soon fell behind, watching him follow the silent call of the Materia Hunter. For that was what he was... He stopped by a boulder with a slit in it. Drawing his Masamune, he slipped it into the hole in the boulder. A pathway opened, wide enough for four. He waved them forward with his free hand, holding the path until someone stepped on it. Celes put her feet firmly on the path, keeping it open for them all. Locke and Sindar joined her, then Seph, holding his Masamune. The path wound around obstacles, providing easy footing for them. Seph saw a glitter in the path and knelt by it. After he determined the glitter's reason for being there, he stood and walked on. The path soon narrowed, forcing them to walk two abreast. Then it narrowed even further, making them go single-file.
"I don't like this."
"I don't either. Why did the path narrow?"
"I can answer that. We're on the right track."
"I get it. The closer we get, the harder the path."
"Exactly."
They stepped off the path into a wide clearing. None of them trusted it, so they stayed close together. A black dragon lifted its head and revealed the rest of their path. It stood and they thanked it as they passed. It understood the call of the Materia Hunter... It had seen several over its centuries of existence. But Seph was the first it had seen with his Masamune drawn and three companions. As Celes passed, it gave her several scales off its tail. She put them in her pocket with a quiet thank you. The path ended in front of a petrified tree.
"Is this it?"
"I doubt it."
Locke's comment opened the rest of the path. Celes went first, leaving a dragon scale on the tree, where it became embedded in the wood. A Wood Dragon would rise if called upon... She made sure to keep four scales, one for each of them. She also concealed three more in case they needed the dragon's help. The rest were put on objects and sank in. Stone dragons aplenty, with a few bush dragons and another Wood Dragon. Sindar brought up the rear of their little party, keeping an eye out for danger. They encountered little to no resistance on the path as they traveled, making Seph's hackles raise.
"I don't like this. There should be plenty to stop us."
"Maybe they're farther along."
"Or maybe it's a wild goose chase."
"I don't think so... There was moss growing on the rock at the very beginning of the path."
The cave opened in front of their very eyes... It was huge! Locke's eyes were wider than anything they'd ever seen as they walked in. There were piles of treasure as far as the eye could see. But they were focused on one thing, and one thing alone.
"The Rainbow Materia!"
"There it is!"
A rainbow pillar hovered above a marble altar, shining and shimmering brightly in the darkness. They stood there in awe, unable to move or say anything. Sindar nudged Seph's Masamune, reminding his son why they were here. Seph drew the Masamune, but made no other move. The Materia spoke with a multi-toned voice.
"Welcome, Materia Hunter. I am the last of what you seek."
"Yes. The Black was harder to find than you. I have to admit, I didn't think it would be this easy."
"That is because I allowed you to find me."
"Why?"
"You are the only one who has found all the Materia without losing any of them."
Celes nudged the Masamune, lifting the blade. Shimmers of the Black still glistened on the blade, ebony slivers contrasting against the silver metal. The Rainbow Materia was drawn to the presence of another rare Materia, allowing itself to be trapped in the blade. Seph blinked at the power radiating from his Masamune, then he saw the rainbow shimmer.
"Amazing."
"Let's get out of here before the cave collapses."