A/N: Geez this chapter took longer than I expected it to…Well, regardless, here is the latest installment in Seph's half of the story!
On a completely unrelated note, I've been entertaining the thought of giving the chapters proper names for a while, but I've been coming up blank. If anyone has any suggestions for chapter titles, please let me know! Or if you prefer they just stay innocuous numbers. That would also be good to know. As always, thank you all for reading! :D
Chapter Nine
Sephiroth stood solemnly at the edge of the remains of the Shin-Ra mansion. He scanned the area for what seemed like the hundredth time, finding only ash and burnt bits of building. The passage to the basement had burned away from the inside – the wooden planks having caught fire and spreading the flames to the area below. The soldier leaned over the opening in the stone wall and gazed downward. It would be dangerous to try to get to the bottom now, without even the rickety planks to support him. What he could see was dark, burned black by the fire. Sephiroth's frown deepened.
There's likely nothing left. He turned, making his way back to the front gate. He walked toward the outskirts of Nibelheim, but stopped once the first house came into view. The structure was charred and broken. Sephiroth turned his head away, knowing the rest of the town looked no better. The flames were put out early last night, but the damage was extensive. Far off he could see one of the few survivors digging through the ashes for belongings and acquaintances.
They must have moved the bodies away by now, Sephiroth thought, looking pointedly at the path that led to Mt. Nibel instead of the town. His eyes traced up the trail, winding up the pass to where he knew the reactor sat.
Where Jenova waited.
His eyes darted away again, focusing on the path directly in front of him. He would have to go back up there, he knew. He still needed to find Genesis and the answer to why the copies had been sent to destroy Nibelheim. The reactor was the best place for him to start looking. Still dawdling, he opted to glare at an innocuous rock on the mountain path.
I won't be taken for a fool again, he thought, mentally bracing himself for another encounter with his mother. But was she his mother? Sephiroth rubbed his temples, though his headache had disappeared since Jenova's last piercing declaration. Logically, he couldn't see much resemblance between himself and…whatever she was. She couldn't be his mother.
And yet…
The books he did manage to read had detailed the JENOVA Project, headed by Professor Hojo and Doctor Gast. The two scientists that had practically raised him, in their own way. Jenova was his mother's name.
There was still that nagging potential of truth.
This is ludicrous…
His head turned at the sound of footsteps. Tifa stopped abruptly, still several yards away. She looked away from him, her face guilty, and stared resolutely at her own feet. Her hair was messy and tangled, and her clothes were the same she'd been wearing the day before. From her unconscious swaying, Sephiroth concluded the girl hadn't slept. He turned his attention back to the trail, with Tifa's accusations from the previous night ringing in his memory.
"Are you…" the voice was quiet and hesitant. From the croaking sound that accompanied her words, Sephiroth noted that she must have cried her throat raw. "Are you going to stay and help?"
Sephiroth let the question hang in the air, contemplating it. His arrival had not prevented Genesis from causing harm. In fact, he was willing to bet that his presence here may have held a part in instigating the ex-SOLDIER's fury. He glanced up to the location of the reactor.
"I have work to do."
The girl's gaze lifted a few feet, pausing at the soldier's own set of boots. "Are you going to the reactor again?"
"…Yes." He heard Tifa take a single, cautious step closer.
"I…I could help you."
Sephiroth turned to her, slowly. She held one fist above her heart, looking uneasy, yet still determined. He tilted his head, regarding her in silence.
The fact that he hadn't immediately brushed her off seemed to encourage her. "With that bridge out, you'll have to take another route. It'll take a long time if you try to find the way on your own."
Sephiroth's silence continued. She had a point. It would take him much longer to navigate up the mountain without a guide. He procured supplies earlier, so he would be able to spend some time on Mt. Nibel if need be, but it wasn't preferable. He doubted Genesis was still on the premises at this point, but he might be able to find lingering copies if he was quick.
Not to mention her presence snapped Jenova's control.
He sighed. "Lead the way."
Tifa jumped, startled by his acquiescence. She hurried past the First and up the path, her pace quick and purposeful. Sephiroth watched her curiously for a moment before he trekked after her. She was stiff in her movements, never looking back to check that he was still keeping up.
After traversing the winding pathways for nearly an hour in silence, Tifa finally slowed her steps, allowing Sephiroth to hike just behind her. She still refused to look at him, keeping her eyes squarely on the path. Sephiroth took a look over her head, attempting to gauge how much longer it would take to get to the reactor. The quiet was interrupted by the soft sounds of wildlife, and the crunching of gravel beneath their boots. It would be peaceful were not one sound missing.
Jenova was silent.
The lack of her chatter bothered him. After yesterday's encounter, he expected some sort of backlash. Punishment for betraying his mother. He did not expect the silent treatment.
"Master Zangan left."
Sephiroth's heart jumped at Tifa's words, momentarily confusing them for the voice of Jenova. He raised an eyebrow at the girl. "…Why?"
"To get help from Cosmo Canyon," she stated, continuing to single-mindedly trudge up the mountain. "He said I should tell you, so you wouldn't be worried about contacting Shin-Ra for aid right away."
The soldier grunted. The flamboyant martial arts teacher's face when he explained that he misplaced and potentially destroyed his PHS reminded him too much of his lack of control. He didn't care when Genesis initially melted the device, being too concerned with Jenova's release to even notice. Now, though, he touched the ripped section of his coat irritably. It was inconvenient to have no PHS directly after a crisis, to say the least.
Ahead of him, Tifa stopped. The hulking machinery of the reactor stood before them. Mt. Nibel's spiked peaks cast an eerie shadow over the building, reaching toward them like the clawed fingers of disfigured hands.
"What…" Tifa started, pausing to cough and clear her tired throat. She frowned, and eventually looked up at Sephiroth. Her eyes were wary and bloodshot. Sephiroth held her gaze, noting no hatred in her expression, despite her claims the night before.
"What happened in there, exactly?"
Sephiroth's eyes dropped to the ground, and then focused on the reactor with a hard glare. "I'm not entirely sure."
Tifa fidgeted, following his gaze. "Do I have to stay outside again?" A small bit of defiance crept back into her voice. Sephiroth scoffed, certain she'd follow regardless.
"You've already trespassed. There is no point in barring you from what you've already seen."
"Like that monster?" Tifa murmured.
Sephiroth scowled, and gave her a curt nod. The pair climbed up the stairs and entered. The first area looked almost undisturbed, save for some bloody handprints on the ladder. Sephiroth found himself uncertain if the prints belonged to Genesis or himself. The walkway to the next room was dotted with drips of blood, and smeared with another he couldn't identify. His eyes narrowed at the substance, making a note of it before moving on.
The pod room was trashed, predictably. The units themselves were hit by Genesis's Firaga, melting and warping Hojo's precious equipment. Sephiroth spied the mak0-soaked creature that escaped its prison yesterday. Its form laid still and silent, having expired sometime during the night. Reluctantly, he looked further up to see if the door to Jenova's chamber had sustained damage from the brawl. There was none.
In fact, there was no longer a door at all.
Sephiroth's eyes were glued to the gaping hole under the plaque displaying his mother's name. Locked. He'd locked that door. And it was blasted through, as though the reinforced steel and circuitry had been flimsier than paper under Masamune. The opening was slathered with the odd-colored liquid from earlier, with large pools of it shining on the stairs. Recognition made Sephiroth's stomach clench. The fluid was from Jenova's containment unit.
Sephiroth climbed the stairs almost mechanically, his footsteps echoed by Tifa's as she followed behind him. They passed through the opening to be greeted by sheets of broken glass, and sparking, disconnected wires.
The unit was empty.
"It's gone…?" Tifa wondered aloud.
"She shouldn't have been able to escape," Sephiroth heard himself reply. His head was reeling. This was why she'd been so quiet. She wasn't here. She needed me, he thought, searching the scattered debris for clues. She wouldn't have needed me if she was capable of this. Unless someone else helped…
"Are you alright?" Tifa asked. Sephiroth held her gaze steadily, and then nodded. The girl's shoulders drooped with something akin to relief.
"There was another man here yesterday," Sephiroth explained, gesturing back to the pod room. "He might be responsible for this. You should have passed him when you came to retrieve me."
Tifa's brows furrowed. "I didn't see him anywhere." She turned around and looked over the scorch marks and blood. At the top of the stairs, Sephiroth spotted his PHS. He went to pick it up, finding it to be just as bad as he feared. The device had melted completely. He couldn't open it, let alone contact the Company for assistance. He slipped it into his bag regardless, in case they questioned why he didn't call them immediately. Below, Sephiroth spotted the dumbapple he denied, crushed on the floor and rotting.
"That's how this room got damaged," Tifa muttered. "You two fought."
Sephiroth narrowed his eyes in irritation. Apparently the fall down the stairs had not knocked Genesis unconscious, as he first assumed. Playing dead, then, he mused. Acting.
"He must have hidden when I came through," Tifa concluded. "Left when we weren't looking."
While I focused on my mother. Sephiroth's jaw tightened. He descended the stairs, following the blood on the floor. Sure enough, the smeared blood where Genesis's body had been lying trailed off, back into the entry room. He stopped to wait for Tifa, who had caught sight of the dead makonoid slumped in the remains of its pod. She glanced at Sephiroth with a worried stare, and then her gaze was fixed on the corpse. She watched the limp form warily as she came down the stairs, and then hurried up to Sephiroth.
"It's dead," he commented when she looked back again. "It poses no threat."
"Are all of Shin-Ra's reactors like this?" Tifa asked as they exited.
"No," the First assured her, seeing the blood trail shift its way to another emergency ladder. This one dropped to a platform below, where the control panels for the reactor were located. An injured ex-SOLDIER could easily hang on to it, out of sight of the main walkway and distracted enemies. Sephiroth turned away, heading toward the exit. "This reactor is different from the rest." He heard Tifa shift, pausing a moment before she followed.
Outside, Sephiroth breathed in the brisk mountain air, grateful to be out of the stench of mako, fire, and blood. It was still quiet; peaceful, if not for the nagging thought that Jenova was somewhere out in the world, enacting her plans without him.
"You're leaving." Tifa didn't bother to phrase it as a question.
"I have to report what happened to Shin-Ra." He heard Tifa take a deep breath, and then she stepped out in front of him. Her eyes shined with a fire he thought was extinguished along with Nibelheim.
"Take me with you. To Midgar."
"Out of the question." Sephiroth crossed his arms. Her place was here, with the other survivors. "Shin-Ra will need your statement when they come to investigate."
"They can take it at Midgar," she argued. "I need to go. Cloud won't know what happened, and he'll be worried sick when they tell him the town burned to the ground!"
"That's none of my concern," Sephiroth stated. "You—"
"You saved his mother!" Tifa interrupted. "She's the only family he's got – he needs to know she's okay!" Her foot stomped the ground. "I've got to tell him!"
"I can relay the message myself," Sephiroth countered. Cloud Strife. He could recall the name fine now. It would be short work to find him among the cadets. "You will stay here."
"I won't!" Tifa shot back. Her eyes began to draw their shine from tears barely held at bay. "I can't…" She turned roughly, moving closer to the edge of the cliff, her hands balled into tight fists. She stood there, shivering slightly against the wind. From her viewpoint, the remains of her hometown could be made out along the tree line. Broken houses, empty of their occupants, stood disdainfully against the shining sun and chirps of birds. Tifa gestured weakly at the sight.
"There's nothing left to keep me here."
Sephiroth frowned. "I have to reach Shin-Ra as soon as possible. I travel faster on my own."
The girl kicked at a rock sullenly. She held her hands behind her back, gazing at her swinging foot. "Where are you going to contact them?"
"Rocket Town. Shin-Ra's space development team is stationed there currently." He saw the girl shift again, looking down a different path.
"Same thing applies," she muttered. "You'll make it there faster if I guide you. The path to Rocket Town is really dangerous with huge cliffs and trees. And lots of criss-crossing paths like a maze."
Begrudgingly, he admitted that the girl was right. With nothing left for him to investigate, it would be best if he could contact the Company as soon as possible. Nothing he said would change the fact that she was a good guide, and had led them around the treacherous paths of Mt. Nibel with speed and ease. He sighed.
"I only have supplies for myself."
Tifa spun on her heel, the first hint of a smile on her lips. "I know how to get around up here. I'll be fine."
"…Fine then." The smile widened. "You will guide me as far as Rocket Town. I will arrange for you to contact your friend." Sephiroth levelled his eyes with hers. "That is when we part. Understood?" Tifa nodded, and the soldier waved her ahead of him. He uncrossed his arms as he followed her down, his eyes on her bobbing hat as they walked. She was understandably concerned for her friend, but to argue to come with a man she claimed to hate? The man she blamed for her town's destruction? She was decently strong in her own right, but far from a match for him. She wasn't a threat. Still, her determination to come with him made the soldier uneasy. He narrowed his eyes at the girl when she waved to him to come down a different turn.
What is she planning…?
Sephiroth studied his guide's form as they hiked. Several hours had gone by with no more mention of Tifa's desire to go to Midgar, or even the disasters of the day before. He considered her usual outspokenness, comparing it against the calm, collected way she led him down the cliffs of Mt. Nibel. It was suspicious really, how eager she seemed to travel with him.
Not to mention he was certain they passed that cave entrance before.
The soldier huffed. The daylight was waning fast; they'd have to start looking for shelter now. Unless she plans to lead us down in the dark.
As if sensing his concern, Tifa pointed out a large ledge that lay only a few yards away. "There's a pretty big cave there. We should stop for the night."
Sephiroth followed her inside, ducking so as not to bash his head against the ceiling. The cave was fairly spacious, he observed. There would be enough room for both of them, as well as a small fire to keep the chill air away. He set about preparing a space for it while Tifa left to gather kindling. As he worked, he repeatedly glanced at the opening, ears straining to hear any footsteps trying to sneak up on him.
This is ridiculous, he berated himself. The girl was no match for him, even if she did have some delusion of revenge in mind. At the same time, there had been no indications that Genesis or his copies were on the mountain anymore. The only thing that would pose a threat to him would be the native packs of monsters that roamed the cliffs. Still, he felt uneasy. As if something were coming after him now. Something he wasn't strong enough to stop.
Something that could control him.
Shaking his head, the First leaned against the back of the cave. Jenova is gone, he told himself. She cannot control me. At least, as long as she wasn't around. He found himself twitching into alertness at a whistling of the wind, taking it for a low whisper. The sounds of insects calling out into the night filled the air, but otherwise all was quiet. Sephiroth stared long and hard at the cave entrance, half-expecting to see a mutated appendage reaching out to him in the dying light. He grimaced.
There had been no noise from Jenova all day. There was no need for him to feel so paranoid. But the memory of it, of his own lips twisting into a malicious grin as he slashed his old friend to shreds…of lifting his sword to release the warped and monstrous figure posing as an embracing mother…
The actions felt wrong. He'd been both in control and not at all, answering to some other pull on his muscles separate from the neurons firing in his own mind. He felt a pit in his stomach at the thought of recognizing Jenova for what she was. How had he not seen her clearly? His vision was fine. Every movement, every detail was so crystal clear it was almost painful to simply remember. Yet he stood there, gazing at Jenova in all of her monstrous glory, and he told himself yes, this being was his mother…
Sephiroth's eyes lowered to his empty hands. What is wrong with me?
A shuffling of boots on gravel turned his attention back to the cave entrance. Moments later, Tifa appeared with her arms full of small branches for the fire. Sephiroth admitted to himself that she did seem to know the terrain well enough. Trees were hard to come by here. The girl simpered at him and began to set up the campfire. Within minutes, the soldier lit the sticks with a low-level fire spell, and they had a small but warm flame burning. Tifa arranged herself against the wall, curling up and hugging her knees to her chest.
"I will keep watch," Sephiroth stated. "You should rest."
The girl responded with a non-committal hum. "I will in a bit." She gazed blankly at the fire as it crackled. Sephiroth shifted, keeping his eye on the entrance and his ears alert for anything that happened to wander too close.
"The guy you fought in the reactor…" Tifa's head turned, looking at the soldier as she leaned on her arms. "Was he the one who set Nibelheim on fire?"
Sephiroth grunted. "Not him exactly, though I'm certain he gave the order. One of the degraded monsters you've been seeing likely started it."
The girl's head turned back to the campfire. She went quiet again.
The pops and snaps of the burning wood echoed loudly against the cave walls. Sephiroth was about to tell her again to get some sleep when she mumbled. The soldier frowned, surprised he hadn't caught the words. Tifa coughed, clearing her throat.
"I'm sorry."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"
"I'm sorry," she said again, louder. "For the things I said. You saved Cloud's mother. They live in the first house you see coming down from the mountain. It would be the first place to check." She squeezed her legs, and her eyelids drooped. "You were doing what you could. It…" Sephiroth watched as she took a deep breath, and then released her grip on her legs. Tifa sat up, looking him in the eye. "It wasn't your fault."
Sephiroth held her gaze. He didn't tell her about his rivalry with Genesis. How the man resented him for always being the hero. At this point he wouldn't put it past the ex-SOLDIER to set the town ablaze just to get back at him for years of living in his shadow. Plus, a burning town made for a good distraction that would have allowed Genesis plenty of time to escape the reactor unseen. Sephiroth sighed quietly.
"You should sleep."
In the distance, Sephiroth spied the unmistakable sight of the Shin-Ra No. 26 towering against the sky. The rocket gleamed in the sunshine; the light glinting off metal and stinging the soldier's tired eyes. He glanced back the way they'd come, a frown on his face.
"Dangerous cliffs," he muttered.
"What?" Tifa asked through a yawn, rubbing at the dark circles under her eyes.
"You said there were dangerous cliffs and mazelike paths that would deter my progress," Sephiroth clarified. "It was a lie."
The girl flinched. "W-Well…" Her gaze shifted around as her brain worked to explain the fault away. She crossed her arms. "Okay, so I exaggerated a bit. But it was getting late and I wanted a chance to talk to you."
"You could have done so earlier."
"Yeah—well—" Tifa waved her hands in front of her, as though trying to grasp the words she wanted out the cool morning air. She grimaced. "…Too tired to think. Let's just go." She stretched her arms high with a tired groan and began to walk toward Rocket Town. Sephiroth felt a smile tug at his lips. The action was reminiscent of a certain spiky-headed SOLDIER he knew. He touched his pack, gently feeling for his destroyed PHS. With a resigned shake of his head, he walked onward toward town.
Everything was bustling. Quick orders and affirmations filled the air as members of the Space Development team scurried around, arms filled with notes and charts and pieces of the rocket. The pair watched the mechanics wearily.
"So now we just need a PHS," Tifa commented, looking from person to person.
Sephiroth nodded, scanning the crowd himself. His appearance was already garnering some open staring, and for once he couldn't blame them. Not only should he not be here, but his armor was dented, his trademark leather coat torn and burnt, and he looked altogether irritated. A few of the mechanics actually started to walk faster when they got too near.
"Excuse me, you two!"
Sephiroth's attention refocused on a young woman in a white lab coat. She peered at the pair through a set of round glasses that took up nearly half her face. The woman gestured for them to come closer. The soldier noted that her badge labelled her as an engineer. "You," she nodded to Sephiroth, "You're a SOLDIER, aren't you?"
"Sephiroth, SOLDIER First Class," he acknowledged.
"The Sephiroth?" The woman's eyes widened. "But…why? We haven't received any notice that you'd be coming…?"
"You wouldn't have," Sephiroth nodded. "I had a mission in the next town over."
At the woman's confused expression, Tifa spoke, "It didn't go well. We need to get in contact with Shin-Ra."
"Right…" the woman brushed a stray hair out of her eyes, looking Tifa over. "And you are?"
"A resident of Nibelheim, and a key witness," Sephiroth explained, irritation slipping into his tone. He ignored Tifa's look of hopeful confusion. "It's imperative that I get in contact with the Company immediately. Where is a PHS I can use?"
"That's not going to help you," the engineer sighed. "A storm knocked out the cell towers two days ago. None of our calls can get through."
Sephiroth managed to keep himself from rubbing irritably at his temples. He began to wonder if he shouldn't have his Luck stat evaluated to see if it didn't play some part in his recent dealings. He settled for narrowing his eyes at the engineer. "Why haven't you fixed the towers yet?"
"We've been trying, but the monsters in the area have been slowing us down. They've taken a turn for the worse lately; they're much stronger than usual, despite looking a bit worn down." She looked away, touching her chin with a thoughtful tap. "Although, you might be in luck…the captain will be flying to Midgar later today. You could ask him to carry a message for you."
The soldier shook his head. "The information is too sensitive for that."
"Well, maybe you can convince him to take you on as passengers? The cargo plane he's flying should have some room. That would probably be the fastest way." She looked at Tifa with a warm smile. "Just ask for Captain Highwind. He'll be at the launch zone."
Highwind… The name rang with familiarity in Sephiroth's head. Some email or other about a pilot undergoing training for the Space Development program.
"Right. Thanks, uh…" Tifa pursed her lips. "I don't think we got your name."
"I'm Shera. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go check on some specs." She nodded to Sephiroth. The First returned the nod, and started toward the rocket.
Tifa trotted after him. "So I'm a key witness now, am I?"
"It's the easiest explanation, and I would like to speed this along," he responded. "Besides, it is true." Tifa offered him a small smile as they walked.
The area around the looming tower of metal appeared to be even busier than the town. The pair found themselves having to duck out of the way of several pieces of machinery being carried to their proper place. After a few inquiries, they were pointed to the base of the rocket itself, where a man in a dark blue coat shouted orders.
"No, you numbskull, your other left!" The man bristled at a mechanic, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He lit one, mumbling in irritation when he locked eyes with Sephiroth.
"Captain Highwind?" the soldier asked.
"Who's askin'?" the man grumbled.
"Sephiroth, SOLDIER First Class."
"No shit," the captain frowned at the torn coat and dented armor. "Thought you looked familiar. You look more impressive in the papers." Sephiroth's eyes narrowed as the pilot took a long drag from his cigarette. He blew the smoke casually over his shoulder. "What's a bigshot like you doin' in Rocket Town?" Gesturing to Tifa, he added, "And what's with the kid?"
Tifa glared at him. "I have a name. It's Tifa."
"Not what I asked," the captain shrugged. "Though if we're doin' introductions, you might as well call me Cid." He squinted at Sephiroth as he took another drag. "So?"
The soldier could feel his eye twitch at the behavior. The captain certainly seemed to think highly of himself, to be this unruly to a SOLDIER First. "I need you to take the two of us to Midgar." Again, he ignored Tifa as she shot him a blatant questioning look. "I have to get in contact with the Company and the PHS system here is down."
"The hell you're comin' with me," Cid grimaced. "I'm takin' a cargo plane, not some passenger airship."
"What's the big deal?" Tifa retorted. "You realize you'd be helping Shin-Ra's best SOLDIER, right?"
"I realize that," Cid sneered at her, "But I also don't give a shit. Passengers are a pain in the ass. Cargo doesn't complain. And anyways," he crossed his arms. "Those PHS towers will be up by the end of the week. Why doncha just wait? Y'all look like you could use the rest after whatever beating you've taken."
"There isn't time for that," Sephiroth explained.
"Well, answer's still no," Cid shrugged. "You're better off waitin' here. It's storm season, and I ain't gonna be responsible for Shin-Ra's poster boy fallin' outta my plane and dyin' in the ocean."
Sephiroth crossed his own arms, staring steadily at the pilot. This is getting us nowhere, he mused. Genesis could fly to Midgar and attack by the end of the week. The Turks need to know what they should be looking for… At length, he closed his eyes. "Alright."
"What – That's it?" Tifa asked. "You're giving up already?"
The soldier nodded, his face unconcerned. He titled his head toward Cid. "I will call the president once the towers are repaired. Then I can inform him of our situation, and who it was that impeded the progress of this mission."
"You…" Cid bit down on his cigarette, looking uneasy. "Just what're you implyin'?"
"Obstruction." Sephiroth commented, his voice bland as he regarded the rocket with curiosity. "You've just begun your training, correct? You're the pilot hand-picked by Shin-Ra to fly this rocket to outer space." His eyes flicked back to Cid. "I wonder…Will you still be deemed the right choice for the job if you're charged with obstruction of a First Class mission?"
"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" Cid groused, flicking his cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his boot. "Gods damned self-important pretty boys," he growled. He jabbed a finger at Sephiroth's chest, stopping just short of touching the First. "Fine. But we'll have to clear out some of the boxes for this."
"You'll be compensated for your trouble." Sephiroth allowed himself a small victory smirk.
"Yeah, that'll happen," the pilot rolled his eyes and brushed past the pair. "We'll be leavin' in a couple hours. If your asses aren't on the airstrip in time I'm leavin' without ya."
Tifa watched him leave with a hand on her hip. She looked to Sephiroth out of the corner of her eye. "…Did you really need to threaten him like that?"
"Perhaps not," Sephiroth admitted, "But time is of the essence here."
"I guess," the girl frowned. She clasped her hands behind her back. "So, you're letting me come along after all?"
The soldier grunted. "I had time to think it over last night. The fact that you witnessed so much is something the Turks would want to investigate." He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. "In addition, you could give a more extensive report of the damage to Nibelheim than I could."
"Plus it'd be faster," the girl grinned.
"Yes." Truth be told, he was getting weary of trying to prevent her from joining him. Lack of proper answers for what transpired in the reactor combined with a lack of rest was working against him in his attempts to curb her stubbornness. At any rate, she had managed to snap whatever hold Jenova possessed over him.
It may be wiser to keep her around for now…
After a rest that felt far too brief, the pair made their way to the airstrip. They observed several workers gesturing between the plane and one of the cargo crates, clearly frustrated. Cid stood nearby, scowling at them with his arms tight across his chest.
"It's not heavier ya dumbass!" the pilot's derision caught Sephiroth's ear as they approached. "You're just slackin', as usual. Get this plane loaded now. No more complaints!"
Tifa turned to Sephiroth with a scowl of her own. "I don't like him." The soldier responded with a tired grunt of agreement.
"Oh, you two made it after all," Cid observed. "Get in then. We'll be takin' off soon."
It didn't take long for the crew to prepare the rest of the ship. Tifa and Sephiroth sat quietly, content to simply let Cid handle the plane while they drowsed in their seats.
Shortly after takeoff, Sephiroth noted Tifa slump suddenly. Her head hung heavily on the seatbelt. The wide brim of her hat and long brown hair covered her face entirely as she slept. The soldier adjusted his own seatbelt, fighting to keep himself awake. The plane's engine droned monotonously, and he could feel his eyelids drooping as he listened to it. Soon they'd get to Midgar, he could be debriefed, and he could rest. The president was unlikely to be pleased with his latest failure to eliminate Genesis, but at this point he was too fed up to concern himself.
How many times…? He'd lost track of the number of clashes between himself and the ex-SOLDIER. Not to mention Zack's battles. Sephiroth sighed, leaning head back. These fights felt so circular – Genesis would find a place to make copies, raise a small army, and declare war. SOLDIER would beat him back. He would retreat and restart the process. Sephiroth frowned as flashes of mutated appendages slithered around his memory. Genesis could have broken Jenova out of her prison, but why? The brunet claimed Sephiroth's cells could save him from degradation. It seemed logical that Jenova possessed the same ability.
After all, I have her cells, don't I? The First's eyes lowered gently, engulfing his vision in a comforting blackness. She is…my mother…
"Bad weather comin' up," Cid called. Sephiroth startled, and then leaned forward to look into the cockpit. "Nothin' we can't handle, but the ride's gonna get bumpy."
"Understood," Sephiroth replied. Sure enough, the sound of the engine soon mingled with the pounding of rain against metal. The plane lurched from the rough winds, and Tifa's head lolled. The action jerked the girl awake, and she looked around wildly.
"Wha-What's-?"
"Storm," Sephiroth commented.
"Oh," Tifa's shoulders slumped with relief. "I thought it was monsters again…"
"What the hell?"
The pair peered at the cockpit together. "Something wrong, Cid?" Tifa asked.
"Nah," he waved a gloved hand dismissively. "At least I don't think…" He leaned over the controls, trying to spot something through the sheets of water raining down on them. "No, wait. There it is!"
"There what is?" Tifa called.
"There's somethin' out there," Cid replied. "Looks almost like a person, but they're flyin' around…"
Sephiroth felt his stomach clench in time with Tifa's gasp. "What does it look like exactly," he growled.
"It's red, I think. Hard to tell."
Red and flying, Sephiroth mused. They had seen neither hide nor hair of Genesis and his copies on their way to Rocket Town. But what else would fly at us through a storm?
"Shit – SHIT!" Cid yelled. "That's a spell circle – the fuck does it think it's–"
The pilot's words were cut short by an earsplitting crash as lightning tore through the wing of the plane. Cid's continued cursing could barely be made out over the alarms blaring at the damage. Tifa screamed, curling tightly against the seatbelt as they began to careen out of control.
The plane dropped out of the sky.