Summary: A sort of interlude with Aridai and Tseng.


A few hours ago, Turk Conference Room 2

Ghost returned to the room that Tseng was still in, bringing some paperwork he still had to parse through while also keeping an eye on Sephiroth.

He felt his PHS ring, pausing his reading to pick up.

"Ghost speaking."

"Hey, kid."

"Director Valentine."

"Where did your sister run off to? Sephiroth said she was discharged recently."

"I told her to go home. She's said she's going to project to the 'Stream."

"Hm. Well, when you see her next, tell her I want her in my office first thing tomorrow. I need to see if her S, G, and J-Cells have been negatively affected by Fade."

"Understood. Lab 6?"

"That's the one. Oh, and tell her not to use too much magic, or it'll disrupt the readings."

"Commander Crescent has always been one to do what she wants."

"I know. She gets it from Genesis."

"Is that all, Director?"

"You might have to bring in my son's alternate as well."

"…Ah. He might not comply."

"All Alpha-1 residents are required to have a complete biological file to acclimate their missing credentials with the Merge. There seems to be slight alterations in the DNA of Alpha-0 and Alpha-1 residents when they're compared. This way, if anything disastrous occurs, we won't be accusing the wrong person."

"I see. I…will let him know. I'll text if there's any updates."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

Ghost hung up, setting his PHS on the table and mulled over how he was going to give the other Sephiroth the news.

He didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him, and his sister seemed to be hellbent on reentering the silver haired man into society.

"I take it that Director Valentine explained the new regulation," Tseng spoke up, drawing the attention of the other two in the room.

"Yes. Biological differences between the residents of our world and Alpha-1's. I suppose that's to be expected, with the differences in age, such as the gap between Boss and his alternate," Ghost nodded, "Human DNA is shown to alter itself naturally with age. It seems while our populations are technically identical, their biological sequences are not."

"Yes, that is correct. You would've done well as a medical researcher with your aptitude for biological sciences."

"Don't be ridiculous, Bossman. I am a weapon meant to be wielded by others. Besides, that quack Hojo ruined the medical science field for me. I can barely stand the science floors as is."

"Your sister would disagree with your first statement."

"She would. I'm rather happy with being a weapon and not standing around a lab looking at tissue samples. As long as my sister fights for the Planet, as long as Shinra follows this path in healing Gaia, I will do whatever it takes to complete her goals."

Ghost speaks in a bland tone, his words almost uncaring, if not for a slight tensed inflection. Then he smiled, "Don't you agree, Tseng?"

"Then I'm glad you are still with us, Ghost."

The younger man hummed in response, then picked up his papers, glancing at his PHS when a text lit the screen up.

"I'm afraid I have to take my leave. Yazoo is on his way to bring some reports from Director Hewley. Oh, and Sephiroth, my Father wants to speak with you. Now, preferably. He also requested that I accompany you." Ghost turns to look over at the quiet silver haired man, who hadn't said much since Ariana left.

"Will I always be accompanied?" the other green eyed man asked, standing up in one smooth motion.

"Considering there's only four people on Midgar right now that can incapacitate you fully, yes. Unfortunately, none of them are in this room. Your AVALANCHE went over the bad bits with my Uncle." Ghost glossed over the details, feeling the emotions currently in the room, "Rest assured, my Boss does put trust in Commander Crescent's decisions. Even with her strange decisions, she knows the difference between those in control, and those who are controlled."

"I see."

Ghost tilted his head, glancing at Tseng, before looking back at Sephiroth, "No, you don't. Not at the beginning of your journey here. This world is nothing like yours. My sister is the linchpin of this reality. Unfortunately, I, and everyone else on this planet, is just along for the ride."

There was a knock at the door, before it slid open, Yazoo entering the conference room.

"Ah." The twenty six year old silver haired man immediately noticed Sephiroth in the room.

"Yazoo," Tseng thankfully rescued the socially inept younger man from introducing himself, the short haired secretary making his way to the other side of the room.

"Director Hewley needs you to sign these forms," Yazoo said softly, "About your request for the next two weeks."

"Thank you."

Yazoo waited long enough for Tseng to read the agreement, before Ghost decided to finally address the elephant in the room.

"Little brother," Ghost greeted, "Come over, he's not going to bite."

"That is not my concern, Ghost. Why exactly is the Silver Son roaming around Shinra?" Yazoo finally turned away from Tseng, taking a few steps toward his older brother.

Ghost gave a groan, closing his eyes for a moment before answering.

"He's under our Big Sister's protection, how else. She values family above all, and since he's our Father's alternate, she already sees him as such," the older man said, "And once Ariana gets an idea in her head it's either her way or things get very difficult."

"The Disaster SOLDIER is a strange one. How fortunate she wishes to preserve life," Tseng added in his two cents, "Or the world would be very different indeed."

"And at least Ariana has no visions of grandeur and death. We would've been doomed," Ghost laughed with no humor, "But enough of that. Introduce yourself."

"It would be rude not to," Yazoo agreed, "Very well then." He approached the older silver haired man, Sephiroth standing up when the shorter man got close.

"My name is Yazoo Strife. I am the interdepartmental liaison between SOLDIER, Public Safety, and General Affairs. I primarily act as Director Rhapsodos' secretary, and Director Hewley secondarily." The man bowed shortly, glancing over at Ghost, "I apologize for speaking about you as if you weren't here. It was terribly discourteous of me."

"Ah. Hello," Sephiroth seemed to be staring at what for the most part, what appeared to be a much younger almost mirror of himself, "Apology accepted."

"Yazoo is also the oldest of the Strife Triplets," Ghost added in, "Back in 0002, Hollander decided to experiment on three SOLDIER hopefuls in an attempt to make his own version of me and Ariana. He used Father's cells and they propagated, rewriting their whole cellular structures, and giving their personalities a blank slate."

"Perhaps you may learn more at another time, Mr. Sephiroth. Brother, Father texted you, didn't he?" Yazoo redirected the conversation, the older brother nodding.

"He did. We probably shouldn't keep him waiting," Ghost glanced over at Tseng, "If you need me, just ask, Bossman. I will come."

Tseng made a noise of agreement, which Ghost took as a yes.

"Let's go."