Chapter Five the beginning of the end
Nibelheim. it loomed in the distance to him. Sephiroth watched the three men. Cloud was sat down looking decidedly worse for the wear. Zack was bouncing around all over the truck as excitable as ever apparently some fool at Shin-ra had decided he was ready for some new Materia and it was this as much as anything that he talked about. Eventually Sephiroth sighed and spoke to Zack
"Calm down. your acting like a kid."
Zack having lost his fear for Sephiroth now he was first class ignored this advice and went on a talking mission to everyone in the truck.
Sephiroth watched and sighed quietly he was still a child despite all the training he had been given. Cloud was huddled in a corner. evidently this was not the best type of mission to send him on after all. He looked straight across keeping his face impassive even while inside he was scowling. of all the childish things. motion sickness! Why had he not been informed of this at the start? He looked up startled although he was careful not to betray that fact when Zack started jumping around the truck shaking slightly it was time to take him down a few notches. He did not hear what Zack had said but knew it would warrant his next words regardless
"Just like a kid."
Zack stopped jumping at least. objective achieved then. However he would not sit still, even for a moment, now he wanted to know what the mission was. Sephiroth took a deep breath then calmly started explaining this would not be an ordinary mission. Zack interrupted as per usual with his usual fast timing "good!"
Sephiroth glanced up at that finally something of interest perhaps this trip would not be so boring after all.
"Why do you say that?"
His voice was as soft as always but Zack being Zack picked up on the interest
"I joined SOLDIER so I could be like you. But by the time I was made first class...the war was already over. My big hopes of becoming a hero like you ended with that war. That's why I always sign up whenever there's a big mission! Kind of a way to prove myself. Say...how do you feel MISTER Sephiroth?"
This last sentence was said in a way that indicated Zack finally had something to prove the Great Sephiroth was human! Sephiroth did frown at that, the lack of respect would not go uncorrected but it would have to wait till after the mission. For now he decided to shut Zack up and go back to the original question
"I thought you wanted a briefing."
He smirked when Zack actually nodded and said nothing! Finally! Sephiroth continued in a matter of fact tone
"Our Mission is to investigate an old Mako Reactor. There have been reports of it malfunctioning and producing brutal creatures. We'll dispose of such creatures, then we'll locate the problem and neutralise it."
He calmly watched Zack waiting for the question that would come. sure enough it was not long before he asked
"Brutal creatures? . Where?"
Sephiroth smiled inwardly the boy was so predictable it was unbelievable, any enemies who wished to kill him would have no problems after watching him for a week. Still this was no longer really his responsibility if the boy wanted to die. let him.
"The Mako Reactor at Nibelheim."
At that statement Cloud looked up from his rather precarious position Sephiroth really hoped he would not choose this moment to prove physically that he was actually ill. Luckily he did not. He simply made a statement that that was where he was from. As if Sephiroth was not supposed to know that. or perhaps the child was finally trying to join in. Sephiroth murmured something about home towns but he did not finish his sentence before the truck began shaking violently accompanied by the drivers shrieking,
"Sir...s, something strange just crashed into our truck!"
"That would be our monster."
Sephiroth stood up calmly accompanied by Zack. The dragon as it was stood higher than the two of them put together but it was not exactly strong, Sephiroth wondered why the villagers had been so scared of it. it was only just growing out of babyhood. He looked up to the heavens as its first attack took Zack down instantly he took yet another deep breath concentrating on whether to heal the child before or after the battle. Meanwhile the dragon had no such problems and aimed another attack this time at him the flames it shot at him barely even singed his hair as one of the advantages he had to having been injected to Mako and Jenova cells for so long was an invulnerability to flames.
He smiled slowly, almost lazily, so it wanted to play did it? Zack forgotten now Sephiroth raised Masamune the sword glinting coldly in the strange light of day in a flash he brought it down against the dragons chest creating a thin line which although it looked harmless had actually slashed through the creatures heart killing it instantly. It did not even make a sound as it crumpled to the ground its blood trickling towards both man and boy.
Sephiroth quietly, calmly, looked at Zack, a simple revive spell should sort him out but he was so much quieter this way. somehow it seemed a shame to. He shook his head what was he thinking this was his comrade and as unlikely as it seemed his only ally if he were to be in danger.
He ran a long slender finger over a green stone on Masamune muttering a word under his breath, a word known only to him. The stone shone brighter than his eyes and surrounded first him then Zack almost blindingly before a strange music like sound was heard and Zack stood up groaning holding his head in his hands
"Jeez. where's the monster then?"
Sephiroth laughed softly the sound holding a mocking tone in it.
"Already dead Zack. come on we have work to do in Nibelheim."
They headed back to the truck and instantly Zack was regaled with questions from Cloud about what had happened. Zack being Zack immediately told all this was in fact the only reason Sephiroth allowed that Zack was almost likeable. At least he did not give into temptation to brag about what had happened he told the truth pure and simple well up to where he had been knocked out anyway.
Eventually they all reached Nibelheim and walking through the gates Sephiroth realised that he had left Cloud to stay quiet the whole journey. He supposed he ought to make some comment since the boy had seen fit to share the fact he had come from here.
"How does it feel? ...It is your first time back to your hometown in a long time, right? So how does it feel? I would not know because I do not have a home town."
Zack immediately jumped in with a question. did the boy do nothing but ask questions all day?
"What about your parents?"
Sephiroth looked back to Zack wryly, how little the boy knew. he frowned softly realising when it came to that subject he too knew very little. only that the woman Jenova was his mother. He looked at Zack intently for a moment then smiled although it was not a nice gesture when it did not quite reach his eyes.
"My mother was Jenova. She died when she gave birth to me. My father."
He laughed, a sound that would remain with Cloud and Zack till the day they died, it was not a laugh for joy more out of bitterness as he realised once again that he did not even know who his father was. He shrugged for he was damned if he would admit that to any of the three men who stood before him
"What does it matter?"
He continued to walk onwards shaking his head slightly the anger blazing in his eyes even if his face was as impassive as ever.
"All right, let us go."
He walked up to the Inn and looked up yes it would do for the night he supposed then he laughed again sharply a sound which was cut off as soon as it began. What choice did he have? That was the irony of it. he had joined SOLDIER to be free and he was still blindly following orders, even now when he was General and war hero he still had to follow orders.
He waited for the others to catch up and murmured as Zack came close although it was not intended for him
"The Mako smell is pretty bad around here."
He looked at them all as they came close enough to hear him and his instructions.
"We leave for a reactor at dawn. Make sure you get to sleep early."
Carefully he opened the door before looking directly at Christopher who had till now done nothing but sit there. "All we need is one lookout so you others, get some rest." He watched as Christopher walked to the watch post in front of the big tower then looked directly at Cloud remembering about what he had said about Nibelheim being his home town
"Oh, That is right. You may visit your family and friends."
Having said that, he walked into the inn to stand near the beds watching out the window silently neither knowing nor caring what the others were up to. He did not even turn round when first Zack then Cloud dragged their weary bodies into their beds. It was early morning before he went to bed himself despite his warning to the others to stay alert. but then his body did not seem to need sleep as the others did. In the morning he first woke up the two boys who were still sleeping soundly with a brief command
"We will be late if you allow yourselves to seep too long."
With that he turned and walked out the door followed not long after by a grumbling Zack. They made their way to the bridge where they would start their journey and waited. eventually Cloud and the other one, what was his name again? Oh well it would come back to him, eventually appeared, Sephiroth decided there and then that discipline would be the order of the day when they got back.
For now though he had to wait for this guide they had been promised. The girl eventually arrived, she was young. perhaps too young, her hair was a rich dark brown tied up in some sort of a pony tail, her eyes were nearly a ruby colour but that must have been a trick of the light. no bodies eyes were red. Sephiroth decided they were brown after all, like her hair, her clothes were what could be called typical of this small town, short top, a skirt that could almost have passed for a belt, in Shin-ra it would never have been allowed, especially not in his troop. A man approached him, presumably the girls' father, his voice low and urgent,
"Listen to me, Sephiroth. In case something happens..."
Sephiroth shook his head quietly, his own voice calm in direct contrast to the man,
"trust me"
The girl looked at the man with a gesture of impatience, but gave away that they were indeed related,
"I'll be all right, Dad! I have two men from SOLDIER with me."
She turned to Sephiroth allowing him to see that her eyes were indeed a deep ruby colour in the frosty daylight, her whole posture was as of yet immature, he was supposed to trust this girl to lead him to the reactor? What had he been thinking. he should have specified someone older. but she was speaking,
"I'm Tifa. Nice to meet you!"
Zack sounded horrified as he spoke almost unconsciously voicing Sephiroth's opinion,
"Tifa? You're the guide?"
Tifa gave a little smirk as Zack came running towards her,
"That's right. I just happen to be the number one guide in this town."
Zacks expression of horror almost made Sephiroth laugh out loud, almost... but he managed to keep his face blank. It would not have done to have had to explain himself, for once he was grateful for all his training from Hojo on never letting anyone see what he was thinking or feeling, he continued to watch silently,
"It's too dangerous! I can't involve you in something like this!"
that was it. Sephiroth had to turn away so no one would see his face, his eyes glowing brightly with laughter, this was the man who had involved everyone and anyone in his little stunts back at Shin-ra male and female alike just because he wanted to challenge authorities. It took him a moment to regain his composure then he turned quietly to Zack,
"Then there is no problem if you respect her. let's go."
He turned back again and started walking towards the exit, he knew they would follow him, but he was stopped halfway by a man with a camera,
"Umm."
He turned round to fix the man with a look that would have sent his troops scurrying to do whatever he had told them, this man though seemed immune,
"Mr. Sephiroth! Please let me take one picture for a memento!"
the man turned to the girl Tifa,
"Tifa, can you ask him for me too...?"
Sephiroth gave a soft sigh but saw no reason to get the girl involved as well, he walked over reluctantly to Tifa and Zack who were standing with just enough space for him to fit into the middle. He really hated having his photograph taken. too many memories of being studied. Zack and Tifa though, they were happy enough yelling out "chheeeesseeee" making Sephiroth wish he had not bothered all over again, when would people learn not to shout in his presence, did they not know how much it hurt?
Reflecting, he realised they probably did not, as he did his best not to let it show. The photographer was saying something about giving them all a copy but he did not really care, he had work to do. besides, something was strange, it was as if he could hear someone speaking to him very softly, someone he had not heard in a long time.
The group walked up to a bridge which swayed every time the wind blew, personally he did not think it looked safe, but it was apparently the only way to get to the reactor ad that was apparently vital although why he did not know. Monsters were no big deal, not really, he had dealt with one in particular for most of his childhood. Tifa looked at them all, her grin spreading as though she could sense his doubts about the safety of it, her voice over confident,
"It gets harder from here! Follow me!"
She set off at a pace that Sephiroth did not care to match, running to half way over the bridge, the others following not knowing whether to stay at Sephiroths own pace or match their guides who should have known the best way to cross. However as soon as Tifa met the half way mark the winds blew stronger, making the bridge sway more and more viciously, he frowned softly to himself, taking a tight hold of the side of the bridge with his right hand, this. was typical. Just his luck really. Tifa yelled something about the bridge trying to get her voice over the winds but to no avail, the bridge snapped suddenly, Zack grabbed hold of Tifa in a desperate attempt to keep her safe and in the process brought them both downwards, hurtling towards the ground. Cloud was the next to fall, his blue uniform indicating he was heading in the same direction as Zack and Tifa, the other blue uniformed man... Christopher was gripping the bridge and cursing under his breath, however he was much nearer to Sephiroth than the others had been, Sephiroth watched the man for a few seconds longer then letting go of Masamune he held a gloved hand out to Christopher.
"Come. we will climb up together."
Christopher's voice was shaky as he responded,
"but what about the others Sir?"
Sephiroth sighed; he must have seen them falling as much as he had.
"We will get them later. just hurry."
Christopher held his hand upwards trying to keep grip with the other one, Sephiroth reached downwards, he had to save at least one of them. These were after all, all he had to rely on, besides. he had not lost men in a simple mission before... Now he had lost two of them. That was bad enough!
Christopher reached upwards further, then another wind blew, making the ladder sway more, Christopher lost his grip and went hurtling downwards in a different direction. He did not take long to land but mercifully he never knew where he landed, the spikes from a particular rock formation caught him directly in the middle, blood staining the rocks red immediately, Sephiroth uttered a curse that would have had Hojo fuming for months. He then started the long climb upwards, each hand in front of the other, so nearly there then another wind and the ladder snapped under his weight.
He fell, watching with a curious detachment, wondering where he would land, he knew of course how to land on his feet, and after what he had already lived through he was not worried about dying. It was with some luck that he landed just near where the others had fallen, they were just regaining consciousness, Sephiroth nodded quietly to himself, they seemed fine, he spoke finally when they had fully come to, "Everyone seems to be all right.
"Can we get back to where we were?"
Tifa nodded albeit a little reluctantly,
"These caves are intertwined, just like an ant farm..."
she turned then looking at everyone, before finally voicing her problem,
"Oh, and Sephiroth.... There seems to be one person missing..."
Sephiroth frowned softly, now was not the time to mention what had become of their extra team-mate, loss of morale at this moment would not make for good work.
"It may sound cold, but we've got no time to search for him. We can't go back now, so we must go on. We'll travel together from here."
He turned to the others waiting to see if there would be a disagreement, but they seemed still in shock, perhaps deep down they knew they would never see Christopher again, perhaps they were just shocked at his heartlessness. whatever it was they all followed heading towards the nearest cave.
Zack looked at Tifa with a frown on his face, as always he was ready to find out more, ask more questions, it was this desire to learn that had made Sephiroth decide that Zack was ready for first class so long ago,
"What's this?"
He demanded. Tifa gave a half smile as if distracted but she answered the best she could,
"A mysteriously coloured cave."
Sephiroth laughed inwardly, a good answer, perhaps not the most correct but it could not be argued with at least. He looked at the two of them quietly for a moment then added his own comment;
"It must be the Mako energy. This mountain is especially abundant in it. That is why the Mako Reactor was built here."
Tifa frowned as if she did not like being corrected but she did not argue. for that at least his estimation of her went up a few notches. They continued onwards through the cave, avoiding sharp rocks and the two men and Tifa practically skipping along the flat ones, jumping from stone to stone despite there being no need for it. Eventually they came across the source of the mysterious light, a flowing green light spiralling upwards continuously, beautiful in its own way. Zack once more was ready with the eternal question,
"And what's this?"
Tifa looked dumbfounded so Sephiroth answered quietly,
"A mako fountain, it is a miracle of nature."
Tifa stood there for a few seconds more as though she could breath its very essence into her,
"It's so beautiful."
She finally whispered in awe walking up to it, looking like she would have loved to run her hands through it but did not quite dare. Her face changed then, as though a thought had just struck her,
"If the Mako Reactor continues to suck up the energy, this fountain will dry up too..."
Sephiroth gave a light shrug; very well she needed it explaining to her. he would do so. He was used to teaching others about things, this was no different really,
"Materia. When you condense Mako energy, materia is produced. It is very rare to be able to see materia in its natural state."
His voice was soft too, but for a different reason, it echoed enough in this cave without speaking normally and making the echo effect worse. He looked at the three people there, Cloud still not saying a word as though he were afraid to, Zack open mouthed, Sephiroth could almost see his mind trying to think of another question.
As usual. he found one,
"By the way... Why is it that when you use materia you can also use magic too?"
Sephiroth turned his scornful gaze on Zack; perhaps the boy had not learnt as much as he had hoped.
"You were in SOLDIER and did not even know that? ...The knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the materia. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the Land and the Planet. That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the planet calling up magic... Or so they say."
Zack breathed in again, but at least this time he did not ask another question,
"Magic. a mysterious power."
That was it. Sephiroth could not help himself, he laughed softly, his eyes lighting up at the thought that had hit him just then, Zack turned a wounded expression onto Sephiroth,
"Did I say something funny?"
Sephiroth shook his head quietly, trying to quell the laughter and to a certain degree succeeding, although the hint of laughter was still in his voice as he explained,
"A man once told me never to use an unscientific term such as mysterious power! It should not even be called magic! I still remember how angry he was." Zack looked at Sephiroth curiously, blue eyes staring at him from under his dark brown hair demanding,
"Who was that?"
Sephiroth sighed softly; all traces of laughter gone as he was forced to mention the name of that man who he hated beyond hate itself.
"Hojo of Shinra, Inc. ... An inexperienced man assigned to take over the work of a great scientist. He was a walking mass of complexes."
He stopped talking then and strode forwards purposely; Zack seemed to sense that the question and answer session was over for today and followed silently for once. With Cloud and Tifa not far behind. The rest of the walk was uneventful and it did not take them long to reach the reactor.
Nibelheim. it loomed in the distance to him. Sephiroth watched the three men. Cloud was sat down looking decidedly worse for the wear. Zack was bouncing around all over the truck as excitable as ever apparently some fool at Shin-ra had decided he was ready for some new Materia and it was this as much as anything that he talked about. Eventually Sephiroth sighed and spoke to Zack
"Calm down. your acting like a kid."
Zack having lost his fear for Sephiroth now he was first class ignored this advice and went on a talking mission to everyone in the truck.
Sephiroth watched and sighed quietly he was still a child despite all the training he had been given. Cloud was huddled in a corner. evidently this was not the best type of mission to send him on after all. He looked straight across keeping his face impassive even while inside he was scowling. of all the childish things. motion sickness! Why had he not been informed of this at the start? He looked up startled although he was careful not to betray that fact when Zack started jumping around the truck shaking slightly it was time to take him down a few notches. He did not hear what Zack had said but knew it would warrant his next words regardless
"Just like a kid."
Zack stopped jumping at least. objective achieved then. However he would not sit still, even for a moment, now he wanted to know what the mission was. Sephiroth took a deep breath then calmly started explaining this would not be an ordinary mission. Zack interrupted as per usual with his usual fast timing "good!"
Sephiroth glanced up at that finally something of interest perhaps this trip would not be so boring after all.
"Why do you say that?"
His voice was as soft as always but Zack being Zack picked up on the interest
"I joined SOLDIER so I could be like you. But by the time I was made first class...the war was already over. My big hopes of becoming a hero like you ended with that war. That's why I always sign up whenever there's a big mission! Kind of a way to prove myself. Say...how do you feel MISTER Sephiroth?"
This last sentence was said in a way that indicated Zack finally had something to prove the Great Sephiroth was human! Sephiroth did frown at that, the lack of respect would not go uncorrected but it would have to wait till after the mission. For now he decided to shut Zack up and go back to the original question
"I thought you wanted a briefing."
He smirked when Zack actually nodded and said nothing! Finally! Sephiroth continued in a matter of fact tone
"Our Mission is to investigate an old Mako Reactor. There have been reports of it malfunctioning and producing brutal creatures. We'll dispose of such creatures, then we'll locate the problem and neutralise it."
He calmly watched Zack waiting for the question that would come. sure enough it was not long before he asked
"Brutal creatures? . Where?"
Sephiroth smiled inwardly the boy was so predictable it was unbelievable, any enemies who wished to kill him would have no problems after watching him for a week. Still this was no longer really his responsibility if the boy wanted to die. let him.
"The Mako Reactor at Nibelheim."
At that statement Cloud looked up from his rather precarious position Sephiroth really hoped he would not choose this moment to prove physically that he was actually ill. Luckily he did not. He simply made a statement that that was where he was from. As if Sephiroth was not supposed to know that. or perhaps the child was finally trying to join in. Sephiroth murmured something about home towns but he did not finish his sentence before the truck began shaking violently accompanied by the drivers shrieking,
"Sir...s, something strange just crashed into our truck!"
"That would be our monster."
Sephiroth stood up calmly accompanied by Zack. The dragon as it was stood higher than the two of them put together but it was not exactly strong, Sephiroth wondered why the villagers had been so scared of it. it was only just growing out of babyhood. He looked up to the heavens as its first attack took Zack down instantly he took yet another deep breath concentrating on whether to heal the child before or after the battle. Meanwhile the dragon had no such problems and aimed another attack this time at him the flames it shot at him barely even singed his hair as one of the advantages he had to having been injected to Mako and Jenova cells for so long was an invulnerability to flames.
He smiled slowly, almost lazily, so it wanted to play did it? Zack forgotten now Sephiroth raised Masamune the sword glinting coldly in the strange light of day in a flash he brought it down against the dragons chest creating a thin line which although it looked harmless had actually slashed through the creatures heart killing it instantly. It did not even make a sound as it crumpled to the ground its blood trickling towards both man and boy.
Sephiroth quietly, calmly, looked at Zack, a simple revive spell should sort him out but he was so much quieter this way. somehow it seemed a shame to. He shook his head what was he thinking this was his comrade and as unlikely as it seemed his only ally if he were to be in danger.
He ran a long slender finger over a green stone on Masamune muttering a word under his breath, a word known only to him. The stone shone brighter than his eyes and surrounded first him then Zack almost blindingly before a strange music like sound was heard and Zack stood up groaning holding his head in his hands
"Jeez. where's the monster then?"
Sephiroth laughed softly the sound holding a mocking tone in it.
"Already dead Zack. come on we have work to do in Nibelheim."
They headed back to the truck and instantly Zack was regaled with questions from Cloud about what had happened. Zack being Zack immediately told all this was in fact the only reason Sephiroth allowed that Zack was almost likeable. At least he did not give into temptation to brag about what had happened he told the truth pure and simple well up to where he had been knocked out anyway.
Eventually they all reached Nibelheim and walking through the gates Sephiroth realised that he had left Cloud to stay quiet the whole journey. He supposed he ought to make some comment since the boy had seen fit to share the fact he had come from here.
"How does it feel? ...It is your first time back to your hometown in a long time, right? So how does it feel? I would not know because I do not have a home town."
Zack immediately jumped in with a question. did the boy do nothing but ask questions all day?
"What about your parents?"
Sephiroth looked back to Zack wryly, how little the boy knew. he frowned softly realising when it came to that subject he too knew very little. only that the woman Jenova was his mother. He looked at Zack intently for a moment then smiled although it was not a nice gesture when it did not quite reach his eyes.
"My mother was Jenova. She died when she gave birth to me. My father."
He laughed, a sound that would remain with Cloud and Zack till the day they died, it was not a laugh for joy more out of bitterness as he realised once again that he did not even know who his father was. He shrugged for he was damned if he would admit that to any of the three men who stood before him
"What does it matter?"
He continued to walk onwards shaking his head slightly the anger blazing in his eyes even if his face was as impassive as ever.
"All right, let us go."
He walked up to the Inn and looked up yes it would do for the night he supposed then he laughed again sharply a sound which was cut off as soon as it began. What choice did he have? That was the irony of it. he had joined SOLDIER to be free and he was still blindly following orders, even now when he was General and war hero he still had to follow orders.
He waited for the others to catch up and murmured as Zack came close although it was not intended for him
"The Mako smell is pretty bad around here."
He looked at them all as they came close enough to hear him and his instructions.
"We leave for a reactor at dawn. Make sure you get to sleep early."
Carefully he opened the door before looking directly at Christopher who had till now done nothing but sit there. "All we need is one lookout so you others, get some rest." He watched as Christopher walked to the watch post in front of the big tower then looked directly at Cloud remembering about what he had said about Nibelheim being his home town
"Oh, That is right. You may visit your family and friends."
Having said that, he walked into the inn to stand near the beds watching out the window silently neither knowing nor caring what the others were up to. He did not even turn round when first Zack then Cloud dragged their weary bodies into their beds. It was early morning before he went to bed himself despite his warning to the others to stay alert. but then his body did not seem to need sleep as the others did. In the morning he first woke up the two boys who were still sleeping soundly with a brief command
"We will be late if you allow yourselves to seep too long."
With that he turned and walked out the door followed not long after by a grumbling Zack. They made their way to the bridge where they would start their journey and waited. eventually Cloud and the other one, what was his name again? Oh well it would come back to him, eventually appeared, Sephiroth decided there and then that discipline would be the order of the day when they got back.
For now though he had to wait for this guide they had been promised. The girl eventually arrived, she was young. perhaps too young, her hair was a rich dark brown tied up in some sort of a pony tail, her eyes were nearly a ruby colour but that must have been a trick of the light. no bodies eyes were red. Sephiroth decided they were brown after all, like her hair, her clothes were what could be called typical of this small town, short top, a skirt that could almost have passed for a belt, in Shin-ra it would never have been allowed, especially not in his troop. A man approached him, presumably the girls' father, his voice low and urgent,
"Listen to me, Sephiroth. In case something happens..."
Sephiroth shook his head quietly, his own voice calm in direct contrast to the man,
"trust me"
The girl looked at the man with a gesture of impatience, but gave away that they were indeed related,
"I'll be all right, Dad! I have two men from SOLDIER with me."
She turned to Sephiroth allowing him to see that her eyes were indeed a deep ruby colour in the frosty daylight, her whole posture was as of yet immature, he was supposed to trust this girl to lead him to the reactor? What had he been thinking. he should have specified someone older. but she was speaking,
"I'm Tifa. Nice to meet you!"
Zack sounded horrified as he spoke almost unconsciously voicing Sephiroth's opinion,
"Tifa? You're the guide?"
Tifa gave a little smirk as Zack came running towards her,
"That's right. I just happen to be the number one guide in this town."
Zacks expression of horror almost made Sephiroth laugh out loud, almost... but he managed to keep his face blank. It would not have done to have had to explain himself, for once he was grateful for all his training from Hojo on never letting anyone see what he was thinking or feeling, he continued to watch silently,
"It's too dangerous! I can't involve you in something like this!"
that was it. Sephiroth had to turn away so no one would see his face, his eyes glowing brightly with laughter, this was the man who had involved everyone and anyone in his little stunts back at Shin-ra male and female alike just because he wanted to challenge authorities. It took him a moment to regain his composure then he turned quietly to Zack,
"Then there is no problem if you respect her. let's go."
He turned back again and started walking towards the exit, he knew they would follow him, but he was stopped halfway by a man with a camera,
"Umm."
He turned round to fix the man with a look that would have sent his troops scurrying to do whatever he had told them, this man though seemed immune,
"Mr. Sephiroth! Please let me take one picture for a memento!"
the man turned to the girl Tifa,
"Tifa, can you ask him for me too...?"
Sephiroth gave a soft sigh but saw no reason to get the girl involved as well, he walked over reluctantly to Tifa and Zack who were standing with just enough space for him to fit into the middle. He really hated having his photograph taken. too many memories of being studied. Zack and Tifa though, they were happy enough yelling out "chheeeesseeee" making Sephiroth wish he had not bothered all over again, when would people learn not to shout in his presence, did they not know how much it hurt?
Reflecting, he realised they probably did not, as he did his best not to let it show. The photographer was saying something about giving them all a copy but he did not really care, he had work to do. besides, something was strange, it was as if he could hear someone speaking to him very softly, someone he had not heard in a long time.
The group walked up to a bridge which swayed every time the wind blew, personally he did not think it looked safe, but it was apparently the only way to get to the reactor ad that was apparently vital although why he did not know. Monsters were no big deal, not really, he had dealt with one in particular for most of his childhood. Tifa looked at them all, her grin spreading as though she could sense his doubts about the safety of it, her voice over confident,
"It gets harder from here! Follow me!"
She set off at a pace that Sephiroth did not care to match, running to half way over the bridge, the others following not knowing whether to stay at Sephiroths own pace or match their guides who should have known the best way to cross. However as soon as Tifa met the half way mark the winds blew stronger, making the bridge sway more and more viciously, he frowned softly to himself, taking a tight hold of the side of the bridge with his right hand, this. was typical. Just his luck really. Tifa yelled something about the bridge trying to get her voice over the winds but to no avail, the bridge snapped suddenly, Zack grabbed hold of Tifa in a desperate attempt to keep her safe and in the process brought them both downwards, hurtling towards the ground. Cloud was the next to fall, his blue uniform indicating he was heading in the same direction as Zack and Tifa, the other blue uniformed man... Christopher was gripping the bridge and cursing under his breath, however he was much nearer to Sephiroth than the others had been, Sephiroth watched the man for a few seconds longer then letting go of Masamune he held a gloved hand out to Christopher.
"Come. we will climb up together."
Christopher's voice was shaky as he responded,
"but what about the others Sir?"
Sephiroth sighed; he must have seen them falling as much as he had.
"We will get them later. just hurry."
Christopher held his hand upwards trying to keep grip with the other one, Sephiroth reached downwards, he had to save at least one of them. These were after all, all he had to rely on, besides. he had not lost men in a simple mission before... Now he had lost two of them. That was bad enough!
Christopher reached upwards further, then another wind blew, making the ladder sway more, Christopher lost his grip and went hurtling downwards in a different direction. He did not take long to land but mercifully he never knew where he landed, the spikes from a particular rock formation caught him directly in the middle, blood staining the rocks red immediately, Sephiroth uttered a curse that would have had Hojo fuming for months. He then started the long climb upwards, each hand in front of the other, so nearly there then another wind and the ladder snapped under his weight.
He fell, watching with a curious detachment, wondering where he would land, he knew of course how to land on his feet, and after what he had already lived through he was not worried about dying. It was with some luck that he landed just near where the others had fallen, they were just regaining consciousness, Sephiroth nodded quietly to himself, they seemed fine, he spoke finally when they had fully come to, "Everyone seems to be all right.
"Can we get back to where we were?"
Tifa nodded albeit a little reluctantly,
"These caves are intertwined, just like an ant farm..."
she turned then looking at everyone, before finally voicing her problem,
"Oh, and Sephiroth.... There seems to be one person missing..."
Sephiroth frowned softly, now was not the time to mention what had become of their extra team-mate, loss of morale at this moment would not make for good work.
"It may sound cold, but we've got no time to search for him. We can't go back now, so we must go on. We'll travel together from here."
He turned to the others waiting to see if there would be a disagreement, but they seemed still in shock, perhaps deep down they knew they would never see Christopher again, perhaps they were just shocked at his heartlessness. whatever it was they all followed heading towards the nearest cave.
Zack looked at Tifa with a frown on his face, as always he was ready to find out more, ask more questions, it was this desire to learn that had made Sephiroth decide that Zack was ready for first class so long ago,
"What's this?"
He demanded. Tifa gave a half smile as if distracted but she answered the best she could,
"A mysteriously coloured cave."
Sephiroth laughed inwardly, a good answer, perhaps not the most correct but it could not be argued with at least. He looked at the two of them quietly for a moment then added his own comment;
"It must be the Mako energy. This mountain is especially abundant in it. That is why the Mako Reactor was built here."
Tifa frowned as if she did not like being corrected but she did not argue. for that at least his estimation of her went up a few notches. They continued onwards through the cave, avoiding sharp rocks and the two men and Tifa practically skipping along the flat ones, jumping from stone to stone despite there being no need for it. Eventually they came across the source of the mysterious light, a flowing green light spiralling upwards continuously, beautiful in its own way. Zack once more was ready with the eternal question,
"And what's this?"
Tifa looked dumbfounded so Sephiroth answered quietly,
"A mako fountain, it is a miracle of nature."
Tifa stood there for a few seconds more as though she could breath its very essence into her,
"It's so beautiful."
She finally whispered in awe walking up to it, looking like she would have loved to run her hands through it but did not quite dare. Her face changed then, as though a thought had just struck her,
"If the Mako Reactor continues to suck up the energy, this fountain will dry up too..."
Sephiroth gave a light shrug; very well she needed it explaining to her. he would do so. He was used to teaching others about things, this was no different really,
"Materia. When you condense Mako energy, materia is produced. It is very rare to be able to see materia in its natural state."
His voice was soft too, but for a different reason, it echoed enough in this cave without speaking normally and making the echo effect worse. He looked at the three people there, Cloud still not saying a word as though he were afraid to, Zack open mouthed, Sephiroth could almost see his mind trying to think of another question.
As usual. he found one,
"By the way... Why is it that when you use materia you can also use magic too?"
Sephiroth turned his scornful gaze on Zack; perhaps the boy had not learnt as much as he had hoped.
"You were in SOLDIER and did not even know that? ...The knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the materia. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the Land and the Planet. That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the planet calling up magic... Or so they say."
Zack breathed in again, but at least this time he did not ask another question,
"Magic. a mysterious power."
That was it. Sephiroth could not help himself, he laughed softly, his eyes lighting up at the thought that had hit him just then, Zack turned a wounded expression onto Sephiroth,
"Did I say something funny?"
Sephiroth shook his head quietly, trying to quell the laughter and to a certain degree succeeding, although the hint of laughter was still in his voice as he explained,
"A man once told me never to use an unscientific term such as mysterious power! It should not even be called magic! I still remember how angry he was." Zack looked at Sephiroth curiously, blue eyes staring at him from under his dark brown hair demanding,
"Who was that?"
Sephiroth sighed softly; all traces of laughter gone as he was forced to mention the name of that man who he hated beyond hate itself.
"Hojo of Shinra, Inc. ... An inexperienced man assigned to take over the work of a great scientist. He was a walking mass of complexes."
He stopped talking then and strode forwards purposely; Zack seemed to sense that the question and answer session was over for today and followed silently for once. With Cloud and Tifa not far behind. The rest of the walk was uneventful and it did not take them long to reach the reactor.