Chapter 9: A Friend's Blessing.
This is the last one.
The last day of the status effect immunity experiments, as they have come to be called.
Sephiroth is used to them by now and he barely notices the attempted intrusion of the magic on his being. Apart from the initial cast which he would curiously study, the rest would simply slip off of his perfected mental barrier like water on oil.
As usual he lies with electrode wires draped around him. He can taste tension and excitement in the air. A strange downy scent reaches his nostrils and he catches a flash of orange in one of the assistant's sweating hands.
A phoenix down.
Professor Hojo clears his voice. "All is ready. Let us start."
The toddler's eyes move to Veld as he steps forward lifting his arm adorned by an iron bangle. Within its single slot glows a green orb the size of Sephiroth's fist. He can smell conflict on the man, just as he had every other time materia was required for an experiment. A certain amount of mental power – Mana – and skill is required for it to be used, especially repeatedly. The Turks are well suited to this task because of their combat experience and frequent materia use.
Sephiroth watches calmly as the materia flares, throwing its green glow onto the blue fabric of Veld's suit.
He can sense the man casting. He feels the materia form a conduit in the Lifestream leading to man's inner channels - his meridians - where the consciousness resides. The materia forms and shapes the older mans intention and the child can feel its ripples in the Lifestream as it hones in towards his closed being, even as he sees the vague translation of the intention inserting itself into reality. It applies its suggestion, attempting to convince the seals of his inner channels to unravel.
Suddenly a sense of familiarity comes upon Sephiroth. The figure of an unnaturally twisted head flickers through his mind. He has done this before. Only back then it was done from the inside.
Curiously he lets the seals tremble and twitch. He is not afraid of death. Any other would be unconscious by now, their vital signs beginning to fail or work erratically as a symptom of a seal's breaching. But Sephiroth's soul is not influenced, his body stays unaffected and he knows that even when they are half open he is in perfect control.
But at the rate they are unravelling it will be a good few minutes before the seals would be open enough for the currents in the Lifestream to suck any helpless soul away, rendering the person beyond the help of a phoenix down.
He realises that what he had done was perhaps slightly different. Sephiroth had been more forceful, directly and permanently breaking a seal.
With a mental shrug the spell is thrown off and the silver-haired boy settles to wait patiently for the next hour to pass.
./.
Another letter from Gast. Only this time it is a bit different since the stoic Turk also hands him a small box along with the folded note. It is obviously unsealed; he can see where the former tape has pulled off the grain. Long resigned to his companies snooping he does not even comment. Though he spares Veld a knowing look when he grasps his delivery, before turning away.
The toddler senses Veld's sent fluctuate but the boy knows the older man's face will remain unreadable.
Guilt and apprehension. Sephiroth has come to know this side of Veld during the many experiments the Turk witnessed and took part in.
Sephiroth stills his steps. "If you have something to say, then say it." He says calmly.
Surprise followed by a slight colouring of fear. He hears the older man take a breath. "What did it feel like?" The little boy turns back to look up disinterestedly at the Turk. "That last experiment." The older man clarifies.
"The death spell?" Sephiroth enquires and receives an affirming nod from Veld. "It feels like someone wants me to join the Lifestream."
The Turks expression stays impassive but his sent wavers. He doesn't understand. "Like someone wants to kill me." Sephiroth tries again.
The corner of the left eye twitches, but there is a wave of emotion conveyed through his smell. Guilt, anger, confusion, concern. Concern for him, the child realises.
"Why do you care? It is only killing intent." Sephiroth asks. It can not affect him. It is an inferior thought only capable of expressing itself through materia.
But the toddler's words do not comfort the older man and instead only plants the seed of doubt deeper within him. Sephiroth can smell it, and he observes apathetically when the Turk suppresses it.
"I see. Thank you for answering my question. I shall take my leave." Veld says quickly before turning and striding away.
Dear Sephiroth
So you've started to learn how to fight? It's nice to hear that you have found something you enjoy doing, especially since you would have been bound to learn this eventually. What a pleasant surprise that Professor Hojo took you out for lunch. Though I'm shocked you haven't been outside before. I think it would do you some good if you saw more of the city.
I'll tell you what I can about status immunities, but I admit that this is not my area of expertise. Many creatures are naturally immune or have a resistance to certain status conditions or elements. It may also go the other way, where the creatures are more susceptible or vulnerable. Sometimes these qualities may be caused by the physical properties of the creatures. For example the monsters known as the Malboro, a dangerous and poisonous creature is naturally immune to poisons or the Bandersnatch – a relative of the Calm Fang – which lives in the far north is naturally resistant to the cold. But sometimes their immunities cannot be explained by physical traits alone. In such cases it is theorised that this condition is caused by the magical skills of the monsters. As far as I know humans are not immune or particularly resistant to anything though there may be very small individual differences. But they may gain such traits through materia or equipment with special properties.
One of the most discussed of such items is the Ribbon. As it's name suggest it looks like a simple strip of cloth, often red in colour and incredibly rare. It grants immunity against all status ailments aside from slow, stop and instant death. You probably haven't heard of instant death, as it is called. Usually, living organism do not die unless they sustain great physical or magical damage, though the amount may vary from person to person, this quality is often referred to as Health. There are spells, however, that overlooks Health entirely, and if successful, causes death instantly no matter how healthy the victim is. If not revived they will start to decompose and eventually completely dissolve. It is a terrifying condition, though due to it's short lived nature, there are often debates of weather it should be considered a status effect at all.
But I have come off topic, haven't I? It's been a long and tiring journey, but I have finally arrived in town of Mideel and the spring does wonders for my weary mind and body. I'm truly not young anymore. But as always I am glad that I have gone on this journey.
As I crossed the Junon Plaines I was particularly surprised by the locals' veneration towards nature, in spite of the presence of a Mako reactor. In particular, they revere the Condor. It is a large, long-lived avian beast that lives in the area. Its main diet is monsters and it usually never touches humans or their livestock. Unfortunately, their numbers have been dwindling over the past half century. But I had the fortune of seeing one fly close to the Mako reactor. It was huge! Never have I seen a beast of such size! I wonder why it flew so close to the Mako reactor? Wild beasts tend to avoid them for there is little food within the vicinity of reactors.
On the Mideel continent, I took a detour to visit some colleagues of mine that I haven't heard from for a few years. It turns out they have settled down to become farmers and tend Banora White orchards. A peculiar arched, white barked apple tree. The apples are nicknamed by the locals as Dumb apples because the trees bear fruit at random times of the year! Apparently it is due to the Mako veins running close to the surface. It was my first time seeing them. The fruit, when ripe, is blue skinned with white pulp. I tasted one myself, and I must say, their fragrance is very particular.
But… I am very surprised by my former colleagues' choice to all lead this simple life over the life of researcher. They must have been living like this for…. four to five years now? One of the original reasons they came here was to investigate the land as a potential location for a Mako reactor while working on various other projects. But the plans for the reactor have been stopped for some reason and their other projects shouldn't be preventing them from traveling to the bigger cities. It just strikes me as strange that they should live so close to nature now. But they were rather distant towards me, so I was not able to find out much.
In a few days I will meet one of the sources that the old scientist in Cosmo Canyon told me about. Though I've been exchanging letters with this person they remain very mysterious. Understandably I'm excited to meet them.
I plan on staying on this continent for a while more so you can send your next letter to the Mideel town again.
Ps. I sent you a little package along with this letter. I hope it finds you well.
Yours truly,
Gast Faremis
Sephiroth has never felt the desire to explore Midgar nor know the people that walk its streets. Likewise, his soul expresses little interest for the city itself. The sight of the people milling below the old Shinra building evokes only disdain and annoyance. To him, the outside seems just as drab and uninspiring as the corridors he has grown up in and the people who walk them. He had made pleasant discoveries, however, which his soul had not recognised. Perhaps there is something of interest in the city which Gast is hinting at?
Gast explanation of Status immunities is much more encompassing than whatever the assistance had deigned to share with him. Professor Hojo had been more exasperating than his usual self ever since the first experiment and treated Sephiroth's questions as a distraction. There was an obsessed glint in his eyes that drove him to stay up late into the night. Sephiroth knew, he could see it even without the recognition curdling within his soul.
But with Gast's explanation comes the precursors of a heavy understanding. One that his soul does not deny.
Humans are not immune to status ailments. But he is. Or can be, if he so desires. Professor Hojo believes it to be an innate ability. It could be a physical trait, but given Sephiroth's human body and conscious choice in the matter his immunity resembled the magically based one.
Then has Sephiroth been using magic all along? Never had he thought of it that way. His abilities stem from his soul's influence over the Lifestream. He has come to understand that the people around him are not aware of the Lifestream and its influence the way he is. They do not seem capable of perceiving it. But he had not thought it as magic. He had never needed to use materia, after all. He knows monsters can cast magic without materia. But not humans. Is this an over sight on his part?
Sephiroth calms his thoughts and turns his attention back to the letter. It is knowledge that time will bring. Or so his soul suggests.
Slow, stop and instant death. Sephiroth's immunity has been established on all of them. He had informed himself on all the status effects before the experiments and had learned that they caused the targets cognitive process and movements to slow or stop completely. He had not even bothered to counter the time spells. They held a temporary influence on the Time within him. All they had done was for a short while influence his bodies growth. But his consciousness is not ruled by Time and he dictates the pace of his actions. In the end they had not appeared to have taken effect. And therefor the scientists had drawn their conclusion.
Gast is as usual much more enlightening than the brief explanations Sephiroth had found on the instant death condition. But it would seem that this condition was uncommon and greatly feared.
His brief exchange with Veld comes to mind.
Perhaps there is something more to the Turks reactions, the toddler muses as eye's roam further down the letter.
He had also been told by the man not to inform anyone about the experiments. The only one Sephiroth would care to share with is Gast, but knowing his letters are supervised he would not mention them to his friend either.
His thoughts come to a screeching halt.
Banora Whites. It sends a shiver of familiarity through his soul. And instantly he grasp at the fragments it presents. An echo of a forgotten voice. Contentment and betrayal. Overwhelming emotions. A clue.
Quickly Sephiroth skims the rest of the letter seeking more information. Suddenly the past and the present do not matter. He knows this is important. It is his purpose to find out.
Green eye flick towards the small, brown box by his side. He knows what is inside. It must be, but the thought of false hope weighs heavily. It is just another clue in his long quest.
Slowly he slides it in front of him and gently opens the flaps. And there, nestled in fragrant straw, is a blue apple.
…
The child watches the sombre dome of clouds covering the city. The lights are turned off and halls are deserted. Only the grey light of twilight seeps through the floor to ceiling windows. The boy's faint shadow stretches behind him, morphing into a tall, lone man.
He feels the weight of the apple in his hand. So light, so smooth against his bare fingers. He feels empty inside, yet his heart is heavy. A horribly familiar itch in his bones, that has imperceptibly grown within him, gnaws at his ribs. It leaves him restless and inexplicably dissatisfied.
The boy's ears twitch. The ding of an elevator. The squeak of wheels and the soft hiss of cloth against the hard floor. Soft, slow measured steps. The toddler waits quietly, looking down at the blue shade of the fruit as he turns it in his hand.
His company reaches the lobby. He knows it is the janitor. That specific janitor. He can hear it in the soft measured steps. The deep breathing of light exertion.
Sephiroth meets him regularly in the halls. At times they acknowledge each other's presence through a brief eye contact. He hears the old man stop for a moment as he notices the child before returning to his work.
A few minutes pass, both seemingly minding their own business. But the boy listens idly to the sounds of life behind him. Seeking something he cannot express.
Sephiroth turns his head and looks at the janitor whom quickly notices the young child's glowing gaze. Slowly he comes to a stop and straightens to look back at the boy. Sephiroth gestures to the man with one hand without turning around.
A few moments of stillness ensue. Then the janitor returns to his work. The child watches him a moment longer, then without a word turns back to his cloud watching.
…
A few minutes later the janitor parks his cart, and puts his cleaning utensils away. Then he sinks with a low exhale onto one of the benches behind Sephiroth facing the window.
"Do you know what a Dumb apple is?" Asks the boy. There is no reply and the old man's smell is its usual unchanging self. Slowly, Sephiroth turns slightly towards him to look at the apathetic expression of the weathered face. After a few seconds of quiet staring the janitor shakes his head.
"It's an apple that only grows on the continent of Mideel." Again Sephiroth is met by a blank stare. A sudden thought crosses the boy's mind. "Do you know where the continent of Mideel is? He tries again.
Another second trickles by before the janitor shakes his head again. His thin stringy white hair flutters from the movement.
Sephiroth pauses a moment sensing something strange in the air but unable to identify it he continues.
"It is a small, narrow continent south-east of this one." Sephiroth explains simply and watches as the janitor nods his head in acceptance.
"My friend sent me a gift." Sephiroth turns around to face his acquaintance and presents the fruit in his hand. "A Banora White, also known as a Dumb apple." He says calmly. The grey light in the falling night highlights the silver hair and his shadowed face is marked by the light of vivid green eyes. With dilated pupils and a relaxed but deep gaze, they do not appear threatening.
The four-year-old places his other hand on the apple. "In this life, it is the first time I have seen this fruit." Suddenly the boys small hands tighten and his wrists twist in opposite directions. A sharp snap echoes through the lobby followed by the hiss of pulp rubbing together. The corner of the janitor's eye twitches in surprise.
"But…" Continues Sephiroth as he looks down at the white insides. "I think of a friend when I see it." He raises the half in his right hand and offers it to the world-weary man before him.
Finally, the old janitor speaks in his strange accent. "This gift is from the friend you write to?"
Sephiroth nods. Hesitantly the man lifts his hand as he slides of the bench to squat before the boy. Calloused bony fingers close gently over the offered half of a friend's gift. The large blue veined, dry hands contrast greatly with Sephiroth's own small and supple ones. The scent from the other changes slowly along with the softening lines of the mans face and shoulders.
Sephiroth does not know what feeling they correspond to. He has not had much opportunity to decipher the finer emotions from this man for his sent rarely changes. But he has come to begrudgingly trust him more than any other in Shinra.
The silver-haired boy takes a step to the side and turns back to the lights of the city as he bites down on his half. A familiar, fragrant taste spreads in his mouth, not to him but to his soul. Besides him he hears the old man eat the other half, still squatting on the ground.
Behind them their long shadows stretch over the bench morphing into two men sitting peacefully together.
Gast's voice echoes faintly in Sephiroth's mind. 'All who share the meal become equals in their enjoyment.' Quietly the emptiness lurking within the child, and perhaps the man as well, retreats unnoticed from whence it came.
Author's notes:
Reviews: Thank you BloodyRoses and NatNicole for you reviews which have given me valuable feedback on my story, writing skills as well as inspiered and clarified future topics I might bring up in this story.
The scene with the Apple is quite a significant gesture from Sephiroth's side. I wonder if it bears elaborating any more or if you readers can read deep enough into it? Hint: Think of one of Gast's letters in chapter 3. Besides that I'd love to hear what else you think of in this chapter a previous chapter or the coming chapters. Whatever it may be.
Next chapter: Sephiroth meets Rufus