Sinner's Descent
Chapter Four-Hunting the Hunter
They were waiting for him. He could sense the animosity coming from the back alley of Sector Three. He could sense it quite clearly. They were foolish people, the three of them. He could also feel the fear emanating from each of them. A smug smile formed on his lips. It seemed he lived up to his notorious reputation.
How foolish, indeed, for them to hunt him. He was not one to be caught, not under any circumstances. He almost felt a small fraction of pity for their ignorance. Almost.
However, the almost acounted to nothing when he reached both hands to his waist, each landing on two deadly weapons. The Masamune, a sword only he himself could control, and the silver gun sititng in it's holster. Though he was new to the era of guns and shooting, his aim was deadly, and it was widely known.
Pulling the gun, he took careless aim at the wall where the hunters resided. Firing a single bullet, he was off in a flash, pushing past frightened bystanders, moving nearly as fast as the bullet as he made his way down to the end of the street. He was a strong man, but also a wise one, and he knew when to pick his fights with three trained negotiatiors. In the middle of a public street with distractions was not a choice spot.
Leaping over a fallen child, he made a sharp left, hoping lithely onto a garbage can and clearing the wall seperating Sector Three from Sector Two. Landing softly on the opposite side, he took his deliberate time in dusting off his sweeping black cloak. He was impossible to pursure now. They would never clear the wall in time.
Holstering his gun, he rubbed the handle of Masamune with a wistful sigh. It had never been drawn past his former failure with Meteor. Not because he didn't want to. Quite the contrary. He had been craving to bring it through the flesh of a lesser being. The times simply did not call for it. The days of the sword were long gone, and Masamune rested at his side only because of his lingering infatuation with it.
Strolling calmly down the streets of Sector Two, he stopped at a small street market, picking up a Paopu fruit and tossing it in the air. After a suspicious glance from the owner of the stand, he placed it back down gently, offering a small smile as he moved along his way.
"What do you mean, he got away?"
Gippal was at his wit's ends. He had sent the three of them with distinct instructions to kill him. How hard was it to tag one man and take him down? Surely the guy wasn't all that, was he?
A young boy, no more than sixteen, offered a heavy sigh as he crossed his arms and gave Gippal a miffed look. "He got away. Hopped over the Sector Two wall. How were we supposed to follow him?" Sora asked, hand lowering to the handle of the Keyblade.
Kairi gave an encouraging nod. "Yeah, he jumped right over it! Never saw someone jump so high, right, Sora?" she asked, turning to the boy. Sora gave Gippal a smug look, as if to say 'I told you so'.
Gippal let out something between a grunt and a growl, a clear sign of his frustration. "This is what I get for sending a buncha fucking kids to do this work," he muttered, throwing the three of them a dark look.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Riku spoke up quietly. He was leaning casually against the wall to the office, an uninterested look on his face, though his eyes followed Gippal's every move.
"Nothin'," Gippal snapped. "You got one more chance, or I'll show you to Seifer," he warned, nodding his head at the door for them to get out. "Now get. I don't wanna see you three bastards till that guy is dead and gone, understand?"
The three teenagers took their leave of the room, leaving Gippal behind to rant and rave at nothing and noone. He was going to bear the brunt of Seifer's disappointment for the three Negotiatiors missing the kill. It was going to be him who had to deal with the arrogant bragging of Seifer. With a resigned sigh, he made his way out of the office and to the elevator. Might as well get it done and over with.
"Come on, Yuna, let's go in there!"
Yuna couldn't help but smile at the eagerness in his voice as he snatched her hand and dragged her toward the clothing store. His first time in the Sector Five Department Store, or so he claimed.
"Tidus, I still can't believe you've never been here," she commented, watching in amusement as he thumbed through racks of clothing, a light in his eyes. He looked up, giving her a cheeky grin.
"Nope, sure haven't. I stay in Sector One mostly," he replied absently, reaching into the rack and extracting a single article of clothing. "This one!" he announced, leaving her momentarily to go to the changing rooms. While he was inside struggling with the clothes, Yuna ambled over to the counter, where Lulu, her best friend, stood behind the register.
"Hi, Lulu," she said quietly, giving the dressing rooms a quick glance. Lulu followed her gaze, a smile forming on her lips.
"Out with the blonde, hmm?" Lulu asked casually, flipping through a magazine advertising the store. Yuna gave a solemn nod, falling silent as Tidus emerged. She smashed her hand to her mouth to hold back her laugh when he stepped out, throwing the curtains back dramatically.
He had on a ridiculously small yellow vest, open, though you couldn't tell. The vest was on backwards, the seams straining against his broad chest as he strutted proudly toward her.
"You like it?" he asked, winking. Yuna grabbed the side of the counter, holding on to keep from falling to the floor in laughter. Lulu chuckled, though the sound was foreign to the overly-serious woman.
"If you break the seams you buy it," she informed him, putting the magazine back on the rack. Tidus gave a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head in a boyish manner.
"Eh, I guess it wouldn't hurt to say that the zipper broke off now, would it?" he asked, turning around and sticking a thumb blindly behind him. Yuna collapsed once again in laughter as Lulu sighed, shaking her head, though a smile remained on her lips.
As Tidus was finalizing his debt with another clerk, Lulu pulled Yuna aside, giving her a steady look. "So, Yuna, find anything you like?" she asked, her lips thinning at the secretive look Yuna gave her.
"Yes, we're looking for, something, but we haven't found it yet," she replied, her voice low. Lulu nodded gravely, giving her hand a quick squeeze before turning back to Tidus.
"I suggest you be along your way then, young man. There's lots to see in the Department Store," she added lightly, giving Yuna meaningful look. Yuna nodded, pausing at the doors to look back at Lulu one more time before Tidus dragged her out of the store.
As soon as the two of them disappeared down the street, Lulu exited the store, making her way towards the opposite corner. She whipped out her cell phone, dialing a number quickly and giving a gaurded look around the plaza she had entered after crossing the street.
"Yes, put me through to Haschel. This is Lulu." After a few nods and a muffled 'hello', she put her mouth closer to the phone, hiding it from view in case someone was watching. "Yuna informed me that Seifer is hunting him as well. They could have cut a deal with Devil's to retrieve the book. No, Yuna is still out. It appears that Northside is more involved than we thought. Yes, I'm in a secured location. Very well, I'll be there in ten minutes." She flipped the cell phone shut, stuffing it back into the folds of her dress before starting at a brisk pace.
It seemed that the ever-hunted Sephiroth had been sighted by three Negotiatiors from an unknown Alliance. From the information Yuna had just gleaned from Tidus, Lulu could only assume that Northside was doing much better in their hunt for the mercenary. And if Northside caught him, then there was no telling what would happen. Seifer was an arrogant, cunning man, only with his best interests at heart. No, it wouldn't do well at all for Northside to obtain Sephiroth.
Strife flipped through the book absently. He had left a note with Tifa to leave him undisturbed until the end of the day, unless it was an emergancy. He had left the book in his desk drawer for a week, mentally stomping himself for being such a coward.
However, as he browsed through the different types of materia used by his ancestors, he realized his worst fear was coming true. From the first page to the one he was currently on, the book explained everything Strife had been wanting to know. It also informed him that the world was in for a rougher ride than expected. At least that of Midgar.
"Ansem, you bastard, what are you after?" he muttered to himself, flipping to the next page. He felt a small pang in his chest as he read the materia title. The powerful 'Holy'. He swallowed hard, blinking several times as a floodgate of memories was released.
Watching Sephiroth as he came down. Putting Aeris into the river, watching her peaceful face as it floated underwater, out of his reach, out of anyone's. Shaking his head, he failed to notice, Tifa, who stood at the door, arms crossed over her chest in silent observation.
"Cloud, Barret's here for you. Says he has important information," she said softly. He didn't look up, but he gave a jerky nod. Tifa sighed, her eyes becoming darker as she fetched Barret. "He's lost in that book again," she said, placing her hand on his arm. Barret had a look of understanding in his eyes as he nodded his head.
"Take it easy, Tifa. Go spend some time with Marlene if you like," Barret said gruffly, giving her shoulder a brief squeeze. Tifa smiled bitterly, shaking her head as she moved past him. He sighed, pushing the door open with more force than he intended.
He stopped short when he was met with the site of his boss. Strife was slumped in his chair, the book laying open on his lap, though from his glassy eyes and dazed look, he was not reading, or at least at the moment. He was nearly halfway through the book.
"Spike!" he bellowed, smashing his hand on the desk. He was pissed at what he was doing to Tifa, yet he respected a man's choices. "Spike!" he hollered once again, this time reaching forward to snatch the book from his lap. He jerked back in astonishment when Strife's hand caught his wrist, preventing him from touching the book.
"Barret," Strife said quietly, back to his former self. His eyes lost their foggy touch and he seemed focused as he stared blankly at Barret. Barret narrowed his eyes, pulling his hand back slowly.
"The fuck is wrong with you?" he demanded, leaning forward to get a peek at Strife's current page. Some weird thing about old materia. "What the fuck you reading?" he asked instead, knowing he wouldn't get an answer for his previous question.
"Materia," Strife replied absently, marking his page and setting the book in his desk drawer. Barret gave him a meaningful look. Strife sighed, shaking his head. "It's not what you think, Barret. Tifa said you had important information?"
Barret 'humphed' at the subject change but let it slide. If Strife needed his help, he would ask. "We got trouble. Northside is after Sephiroth," he said bluntly, not into beating around the bush. Strife nodded, taking in the information.
"I see. Guess he musta pissed them off or something," he added nonchalantly.
Barret nodded his head. Yep, there was definitely something wrong with the shifty bastard. "Yeah, well, just thought I'd tell you," he said roughly, turning to leave. He trusted Strife, but he was never one to sit down for a cup of tea. He had shit to do.
Strife stared after the closed door some time after Barret left. He found himself reaching into the drawer, drawn to the book and all the answers it provided for him. If only he could have found it sooner. Sooner, and he could have saved her. Sooner, and it would have never happened.
He fingered the raised writing on the cover of the book. If only.
Thanks to all the reviewers, once again. It's encouraging to know you guys read our stuff. We love you all. So chapter four is for you guys. Muah!