Behind Black Curtains
An AU, Sephiroth and Tifa fanfiction
-by Amaranthos-
Chapter 12: Snitch…
The sky is lit to the shades or grey and black once again. The North East trade winds blow coldness and rain from the sea. There is smoke, and patches of fire littered throughout the battle ground. The earth smells of blood and ash. The timber of trees sings a sad tune as the alive fires take what they can.
Descending from the heavens, in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, is the third star General that the army hated and loved. He stood, in the plane holding onto the rail waiting for the plane to near the ground.
"General Sephiroth" calls a familiar voice.
Sephiroth turns, his silver hair blowing dramatically to his side. He looks around watching the battleground on ground level. The air is thick of many familiar odours. He knows this place all too well, the carnage, the greed for power and of course, the enemy.
Sephiroth takes in the sight of one of his Commander's. Sephiroth could see the man had been in a panic, the scene of chaos reflecting from his face.
"General Sephiroth, they've taken over the entire Western province. The Black Crescents bay has been compromised sir." He spoke.
Sephiroth really hated when the first bit of news had to be the worst. It was like he was suppose to pull off miracles or magic, to find equilibrium on the playing field. Sephiroth walked over to a small tent. On entering he witnesses some of the other commanders, looking down at a table.
"General Sephiroth" calls his old friend, Jin.
Sephiroth shook his friend's hand. They hadn't seen each other in a year.
"Tell me what the course of action now is?" Sephiroth asked.
The old man, probably about 45 or so, was no older than 20 at heart. The man – like Velrog, was an amazing, impressive warrior, who believed in diehard wars becoming the true symbolism of dying in glory, in fighting through a last breath. Of course, Sephiroth kept up with his time and noted it wasn't a fancy of young bold rulers like Shinra.
The man who looked very brave in the face or irony and war, soured slightly.
"Spare me the face, I didn't come to waste time, Jin" Sephiroth spilt his cutting words he was infamous for.
The man sighed. Sephiroth had not changed.
He cleared a path amongst the gathered officials and looked down at a map on the table.
"This here Sephiroth, is the entire Western side. It's the Black Crescents bay which has been compromised. In about two hours Mack Knights navy ships would have landed in our waters. The soldiers protecting and barricading the Western side would not have long to survive as we're like sitting ducks out for the kill. The story gets worst" he spoke,
"One of our armada's has been totally destroyed, with over 2000 of our soldiers on that ship. We're now 2000 soldiers short for the Western side. We need help on that side Sephiroth. We tried contacting our submarines, but of course the technology Mack Knights are using fades out our signal, and masks their location in our own waters."
"What technologies have you we retrieved from Mack Knights?" Sephiroth asked, reading through a brief report on the table.
Jin sighed, "I'll introduce you to our tech guy, this here is Vue. He's our youngest -
"I didn't ask for a prologue…" Sephiroth said flatly. "What can you tell me about the technology retrieved?"
"Well sir, the technology they use for their radar system is some of the most advance I've ever seen, if not there's nothing like it. They're broadcasting on a covert channel, its encrypted, they're sending messages through their radar system, and masking themselves from our systems. This system shows that over 100 ships will enter our waters in the next hour, our armadas, ships, planes will not be able to see this making them vulnerable for attack." He spoke.
"How many of these, machines or radars have you gathered?" Sephiroth asked, inspecting the odd and smartly devised radar.
"We've gathered 24 sir, from the tanks and other land machines" the boy spoke.
Sephiroth pursed his lips.
"How far can this radar broadcast its message?" Sephiroth asked.
"For 50 miles. But what I've discovered is that through performing all the major functions, it sacrifices its broadcast range, and the system begins to fall apart but just for a short while."
"How much is a short while?" asked Sephiroth sternly.
"Urh… there's at least 2 minutes in between"
Sephiroth touched his brow lightly and then looked at a table that everybody was gathered around. They were all bickering, trying to make their plans and ideas be heard. So far all it seem to do was make the situation worst. The situation had flourished into an undeniable state of disrepair but it wasn't totally lost, thought Sephiroth. There were still so many things that could be done, especially from this young boy, Sephiroth thought. Cursing and quarrelling seems heavy, and it breaks Sephiroth for the second time in a row.
Sephiroth knew he couldn't deliberate any longer as time was against him and these fools. While they were fighting amongst themselves they forgot to realize a war was taking place right outside of their tent. Of course, the fools didn't notice that, unless the sound of a bomb was definite. Snarling, that their plans and the compromise of the Western boarder was now on his hands, Sephiroth furrowed his brows and advanced toward the table.
Pushing the officials off of him. He stamped his hand mightily into the middle of the map on the table. Immediately, the voices die down, and everyone looks at Sephiroth.
"Did I come here to hear little girls cry amongst themselves?" Sephiroth is disgusted by their behaviour, "you fools, look around you. The battle is set, the pieces are moving, the enemy is present. Quit your biting and gnawing, right now, the only thing that you all should be concerned with is getting your arse saved." Sephiroth spoke.
"What are we suppose to do Sephiroth?" asks a voice, the others joining in unison.
"Certainly not cry like a girl." Sephiroth spoke, "all this time when we could have been contacting our submarine troops, you fools were fighting." Sephiroth spoke.
"Have you heard nothing the boy has said? They're broadcasting on a protected channel through their radar system." One of the commanders spoke.
"I am aware of what the boy has said…" Sephiroth looked at the commander with a glinting green eyes, "but I also aware of the solution in his words" he spoke.
Immediately, they look at Sephiroth in such a way as if he spoke a different language. They looked confused, but it was their gratitude of saying hope.
"We do not have our submarines…so we'll return to an old favourite. Morse code. I need someone now to tell the submarines of their current location and how close our target is. I also want a distress signal to be amplified from using their own radar. I want to exert their radar system to the point that too many systems broadcasting the same signal will temporarily crash the system, making it unavailable. This then gives us 2 minutes to aware every armada, plane, ship or land mobile of their current status. I want a full report about everything on our enemies, then a summary and then a concise version. Send that version out to our people. Make it brief people. We have only 2 minutes of time until the system starts up again. We will have to work fast, and feverishly. And of course, not like fools" he spoke.
"In the mean time, Vue, you will find a way to decrypt the covert channel. Work hard boy, because I am not in the mood to kill you today" Sephiroth said flatly.
"Come on people, you heard the man…get to it" Jin shouted.
Sephiroth was also about to fulfill his part of the deal by leading the land troops, but he was held back by a hand.
"You're a mighty strategist Sephiroth" his old friend speaks.
Sephiroth says nothing. He could only look at the damage and wreckage caused by their ceaseless and un-amusing behaviour. Sephiroth felt wasted to work with incompetent fools.
Sephiroth pulls at his tightly buttoned black jacket. The black material quickly becoming dusty and dirty from the dust and myriad winds.
"I pity every one of you here" Sephiroth spat, his words were always intentional. Jin looked at the floor. Sephiroth had a right to feel this way. He was a young general who was often call to do something incredible, in the most unforgiving situations – situations which are usually wired to disaster.
"I can not say that I blame you" his voice was quiet, even with bombings and fire, and world splitting in the centre, the man had a certain preservation and poised about him, which Sephiroth uncommonly, thought unique.
"You people are so like Shinra. Why am I surrounded by mini-shinras all the day long?" Sephiroth asked.
Jin stood next to Sephiroth.
"Don't despair Sephiroth. If it's one person these people would uncannily hate to agree with, but find hope in – is you. Like it or not Sephiroth…you're a like a hero"
'A hero, you say?' Sephiroth smirks, 'Not at the mistakes for men' Sephiroth thought.
Another evening fades here at Black Crescents.
'And how I long to see sunshine and the peace of a land and its people. I'm almost sure and certain I'll forget simple, yet delightful things that once made me happy'
I smile gently at the thoughts. 'No matter how small they are I don't want to forget. Things like Isadora's favourite song, or my father's hearty chuckle or even… him
Tiredly I'll turn to my side and think about home, and my people. I'll remember the old days of how Isadora and I would just sit and have tea in my room, or how I would play the piano in the old great hall for everyone. I sighed. I had missed days like those. Such memories usually left a warm felling after they've departed.
'But of course, I'm trapped in Black Crescents' I reminded myself that my reality was uprooted, and the graphic scenes that I've seen, have been unholy and immoral for my life. As a pacifist growing up, I always tried to understand people and their encounters with death and killing. It was something, I thought I understood, maybe even had an answer for. But what a fool I've been, thinking or trying to understand the pain, the graphic scenes of death that it paints on the mind for a long time. My memories of the torture of Shinra had not faded and after seeing my people die, I expected it would never go away. To some point, I figured perhaps this experience has made me more mature in my endeavour of understanding peace and preaching pacifism. I'm more learned now, as I can relate to the man who has lost his money, and family and everything through the effects of wicked politics and kingdoms.' I hunkered down in my chair.
The days seem to move so slow now. All I was doing was waiting to be rescued. But I was so well guarded and protected, that I figured my father couldn't save me when I was at the heart to Shinra.
Suddenly a realization comes to me. I've been here so long, and I barely knew anything about Black Crescents, apart from their cruelty of course. I didn't know about their infrastructure, their technology, their buildings or armies or anything.
'Perhaps …maybe, Yuffie would tell'
Tifa sighed. It didn't look possible, as much as Yuffie didn't like Black Crescents, Tifa figured she would never give the secrets of Black Crescents.
'Would she?'
It was late at Black Crescents. Usually everyone would be nestled in the dining room, getting ready to eat their dinner, but there were those who had to personally get their meals delivered to them. Sleeping on Sephiroth's couch with nothing but a thin sheet covering her was Tifa.
Yuffie, who was instructed by Rufus, was asked to give Tifa all her meals. Sometimes an extra one if she required it for energy. By this time, Yuffie carried in her hand a full platter of food, passing the usual crowd and security.
"It's time for her dinner" Yuffie said to the two guards, who spared her a glance before opening the door to a sleeping Tifa.
Yuffie could hardly see anything in the room. The lights were off and to top things off, it was raining. Making the place darker than it usually was. Yuffie had thankfully revised her movements in the room, in the darkness so many times, she was so sure where everything was. Placing on the light, Yuffie moved toward the small coffee table, placing down Tifa's meal.
Shaking Tifa, the girl thankfully woke up easily. Unlike some of the people she had known, who were like logs and living deads.
"Dinner…" Tifa grumbled. Yawning, she looked at the food.
"Time to eat up!" Yuffie spoke, flopping down on one of the opposite chairs.
"Hmm.. could I pass?" Tifa asked.
Yuffie blinked back. "Do you know what Rufus Shinra would do to me?" Yuffie asked.
Tifa rubbed her eyes, "alright alright…"
Yuffie smiled. Apart from helping the doctor down below save lives, Yuffie had enjoyed getting this time every morning, lunch and dinner to see Tifa. Sometimes, Yuffie thought it healthy. Most of the girls here were snobbish and rude, and proud even though they were maids. But Tifa, who was neither nor Black Crescent, was humble, kind and full of wise things to say. Something Yuffie found contradictory in a time and place like this. It was an ultimate irony that Rufus Shinra should be fond of a pacifist. 'Yes, that makes so much sense…thinking it in perspective' Thought Yuffie, sarcastically.
"So how was your day?" Yuffie asked.
"Uneventful. Boring, and long"
"Hmm, maybe you should ask Rufus to let you out for a walk or something"
"I'm going to say, he's going to laugh and not take me on" Tifa embellished.
"Hey, it was worth a shot"
"So, any word from my father?" Tifa asked…
"I dunno Tifa. I guess, I don't get my hands on that sort of information… but if it's a rumour, no rumours today" she spoke.
"Oh.. I see" Tifa looked down.
Yuffie could tell Tifa was homesick. More than that, the poor girl wanted to go home. She didn't belong here, she was just a stolen trinket for the greedy holdings and position of warfare.
"You probably want to go home so badly" Yuffie started.
"Yes, I do. It's becoming overbearing, sitting in this chair, looking out that window. Counting the minutes on the clock. Reading every book on Sephiroth's shelf…" Tifa sighed.
"That does sound depressing…"
Tifa shook her head. "I got to get out of this place Yuffie."
Yuffie got up and took a walk toward the window. Looking out she could see hundreds of soldiers everywhere. The place was an impenetrable fortress, design to keep the enemy out, or enemy in. However it was, to breach the system, would mean you'd have to have an inside help, or someone who knew the system.
"How would you get out?" Yuffie asked.
"Well" Tifa took a sip of her tea. "I'd need a map, tis the first thing" she spoke…
Yuffie smirked. Tifa really didn't know how Black Crescents work, even up till now she was naïve in believing that the system could be breached, that she could escape almost unseen.
"You'll never make it" Yuffie said matter-of-factly.
"Well I don't have any other plans Yuffie. I'm stuck here in this fortress all day long. The most I can start devising is a way out of this fortress. Maybe if I could get my hand on some of the schematics or a map of Black Crescents, I could … get out" Tifa knew she was sounding pathetically hopeful.
Yuffie sighed. "You don't get it do you?" she paused, "outside this room Tifa, stands 10,000 soldiers. That's a mountain of soldiers against a wee you. They've got every type of gun and artillery, machine and soldier that works together to make this organization call Black Crescents a stronghold as an impregnable fortress" she paused, "when you consider what you've just said and what I know… it's impossible" she spoke.
Tifa grumbled, "then what am I suppose to do Yuffie, huh?" Tifa asked, "am I suppose to be sitting down, waiting for my father to save me, because you know what, he can't save me. You're right about one thing, this castle, fortress, whatever it is, is packed with mountains of soldiers and protection, but I don't have any other choice" Tifa got up.
"You're being stubborn Tifa"
"Am I Yuffie?" "If I don't act now, who knows what they'll do to me in the next week or month, or year, that's if I survive that long. As long as I keep prolonging the information flow, the longer I'll alive, but eventually I won't be able to make up any more lies, or anything. And then what do you think they'll do to me?"
Yuffie said nothing.
"They'll kill me…"
Yuffie sighed.
"Maybe you see it impossible Yuffie. But I want to be free… I need to get out of here. I don't expect you to understand because you aren't the prisoner…"
"Prisoner? You think just because you're locked up in this room and they interrogate you for your nation's secrets, you're locked up? Tifa, I've grown up all my life despairing over Black Crescents. My mother was killed when I was a baby to the hands of Velrog. Ever since then, I've entered the system, hating the system. I hate it Tifa. Do you think we're all the same, that all of us like the violence and death? Why do you think I became a nurse? So I could help lives, save lives. That was my peace for dealing with the deaths and losses. People in Black Crescents may not look like they care about what's happening, but I do Tifa. I want a future, I want something better than this. Instead, I'm in a prison in my mind. Believe me Tifa… unlike you, who has a family… I don't have any, and growing up all alone, imagine how I must feel about Black Crescents, and the kind of freedom I want…" she spoke. Tifa had never heard Yuffie this upset.
Now she felt pretty bad for the young girl.
"They killed your mother?" Tifa asked, "that must really hurt you"
Yuffie bit her lips, "it does Tifa. I never knew my mother. Or father. I was too young. My father died 2 years after my mother was killed. They said he died because of sickness, but I knew Velrog killed him." she paused, "my father fought for peace Tifa. As I've mentioned he believed in applying the pacifism technique into our laws and stipulations here at Black Crescents. But the council deemed him as a threat, so they eliminated my mother to remind him of his sworn duty. But that only brought my father more pain… driving him to become…
"A madman…" Tifa finished the sentence.
Yuffie blinked back quizzically, unsure how Tifa could have known.
"Oh my goodness…" Tifa said holding her mouth, "you're the daughter of Ninsuko…and the Commander, aren't you?" Tifa asked.
Yuffie didn't understand. How did Tifa know this? What was going on?
"How do you know that, not a single soul except the good doctor and Velrog knows that…"
Tifa looked at her, "a while back, Sephiroth had a journal from your father. I was reading one one day because I was bored. When I read it, it was the most heart breaking story of love, and the madness of fighting for peace. Your father infamously mentioned the lines of a diary of a madman. I couldn't continue to read the book because Sephiroth would not let me…" Tifa paused, "but you were their child…" Tifa smiled…
"You read about my father..and mother?" Yuffie's eyes watered.
"Yes I did…"
Yuffie smiled… "Please, tell me everything" she pleaded.
It was a quarter pass nine, and Yuffie had not reported back to the matron maid about Tifa or her health condition. She was 2 hours late, and the matron maid found that particularly strange. Walking toward Sephiroth's large Mahagony doors, she could see the both guards would not allow her access.
"Where is Yuffie?" she asked one of the guards.
"She's inside with the prisoner…"
"And what are they doing, do you know?"
"Talking"
"Talking?" the matron maid seem confused, "she was suppose to be back 2 hours ago"
Both guards said nothing.
"Can I hear what they're saying?" she asked politely. At first the both guards looked at her, and figured, what could that do. She wasn't allowed access, so what was the harm done.
They agreed allowing her to eavesdrop on the conversation, at first what she heard didn't seem to make much sense, but eventually from what both girls were saying, a friendship had evolved, and now they were speaking to each other in such a platonic way, they were both sharing sensitive information, which neither party should trade.
Amazed that Yuffie was a snitch, the matron maid agreed that there was only one thing she could do.
And that was to inform Rufus Shinra about the snitch.
To be continued…