Chapter summary:
In the wake of the discovery of Fail-Safe, Genesis starts treatment for his cellular degradation and Gast is forced to do more tests on Sephiroth. Vincent has gone missing, leaving Tseng in charge. Nothing out of the ordinary, except Galian has taken over Vincent's body and is threatening to put an end to Jenova. Now it's up to Tseng and the Turks to deal with this crisis without Vincent's leadership.
Chapter notes:
And it's finally here! The ninth chapter. Took a bit over a month but I think the wait was worth it. Already working on chapter 10 so perhaps we'll be looking at a double delivery this month, who knows?
As a fun fact, this is the longest chapter so far. I feel like not much happened but I also feel that the story moved along significantly—what do you guys think?
In case you need clarification, a sunshower is when rain falls from a seemingly clear/cloudless sky.
Friday morning found Genesis sitting on a semi-comfortable armchair in one of the examination rooms at the Science Department while Professor Gast prepared a line to start the treatment that Hojo had seemed almost sure would stop the Soldier First Class's cellular degradation. Angeal sat to Genesis's right, holding the other man's cloak and wearing an unsettled expression that matched his lover's.
It wasn't that they didn't trust Gast or the drug. The professor had administered the compound to a sample of Genesis's cells on Wednesday and it showed signs of decelerated degradation and marked recovery without damage to healthy tissue in a matter of hours, so they were fairly confident it would work. There was no way to be sure about the dosage so Gast was playing it safe with a relatively low concentration in order to better monitor the Soldier's progress.
The problem was that Genesis and Angeal knew how Hojo had come up with the compound and neither of them was happy about it. Genesis had been about to refuse the treatment and ask Gast to find another way when Angeal made him realise that refusing to use a compound that had proven to be effective would mean that the young boys Hojo and Hollander used on their experiments would have died in vain. However, no matter how many times Genesis reminded himself of the fact, he still felt incredibly guilty to be receiving the treatment.
As if to reassure him of the need to accept the tainted remedy, the needle hurt more than it should as it punctured Genesis's vein. A few months ago he wouldn't even have felt it, but now he could feel the thin skin on the back of his hand rapidly bruising. It scared him how quickly he was deteriorating and he found himself praying to the Goddess that they weren't too late. Seeking comfort, he reached for Angeal's hand and squeezed it tight as he felt the cool compound rushing through his bloodstream. Angeal's reassuring squeeze made some of his anxiety ease away and he tried to keep a positive attitude in spite of everything that had happened that week. He also tried not to think too much about all the things that would come in the near future.
"This is going to take about an hour," Gast said as he cleared up his implements. "A nurse will come then and remove the line. After that I want you to go straight to your apartment and rest up for the remainder of the day and come back tomorrow for a quick coagulation test. We'll leave the complete blood panel for Monday. If you feel weakened or unwell in any way, call me at once. Understood?"
When Genesis merely nodded while staring intently at the line going into his hand, the professor turned to Angeal.
"I'll make sure he follows all your instructions. Thank you, Professor," Angeal said.
Genesis mumbled a thanks. With a small smile, Gast nodded and patted his shoulder before leaving. As soon as the door closed behind the professor, Genesis sighed and dropped his head against the armchair's back.
"How are you feeling so far?" Angeal asked.
"Just a bit cold. And, well, rather less repulsed than I thought I would be. I guess it's because of the bruise that formed as soon as Gast got the needle in."
Angeal frowned and bent forward to inspect Genesis's hand. The bruise was mostly covered by the tape Gast used to secure the line but it was still clearly visible.
"Does it hurt?"
Genesis shook his head. "Not anymore. It did when he pinched me and all the time he was fiddling with the line but it's fine now."
"I hope this works, and fast. I hate to see you like this."
The auburn-haired Soldier smiled and kissed Angeal's hand softly. "I'm sure it will. You saw the test results. There's no reason to think it won't work; it's just a matter of finding the right dosage."
After a moment of light silence, Genesis sighed heavily and shook his head slowly. "I'm more concerned about Sephiroth and Director Valentine, to be honest."
The black-haired Soldier grunted in response. "Do you know if anyone has talked to the Director since Gast gave him the files?"
"I overheard one of Gast's aides in the waiting room. It seems like he still hasn't come out of his apartment."
"Can't say that I blame him."
"And we don't even know the full story. The incident with…"
He grimaced while trying to find a way to refer to the hapless children that Hojo and Hollander used in their wretched wager. Neither Hollander nor Hojo recorded a last name for them and when Genesis accessed the orphanages database, he realised it was because the children had no birth certificates of any kind. They had been found at the Northern Continent, near the crater, by a group of Shinra troops on a recon mission and brought back to Midgar when it became clear the children had no family. Unfortunately for them, they ended up at an orphanage that was the Science Department's pool of test subjects. Whether it was on purpose or not, there was no way to know.
"With the siblings," he said eventually, "was ghastly enough. For him to relive the rest of his torment at Hojo's hands on top of it… I can't imagine what he must be going through."
"And then there's Fail-Safe…"
Genesis sighed again. He'd read that section of Hojo's journal on Wednesday and he'd been having nightmares about the madman and Hollander for the past two nights. Angeal had barely slept the first night and Sephiroth…
"I wish Gast hadn't shown that to Sephiroth," Genesis said softly.
"He had to," Angeal said while squeezing Genesis's hand as much to comfort him as to derive comfort for himself.
"I know. I know Seph has a right to know what's happening to him and what needs to be done to fix it, but… You saw him, Geal. He was so devastated."
Angeal shifted uncomfortably on his seat. Just remembering the look on Sephiroth's face when he reached the part of the journal that detailed how Hojo planned to activate the General's Fail-Safe programming made him feel like breaking something. He had never seen his friend so hurt and forlorn and he hadn't felt so helpless since Genesis began manifesting Project G's side effects. The difference this time was that there was nothing Angeal could do to help ease Sephiroth's suffering, nothing he could say to at least give him hope that things would get better.
"Do you think his recent interest in Director Valentine is really all about Fail-Safe?" he asked after a while.
It took him a couple of minutes but Genesis eventually shook his head. "No. Not entirely. I mean, if it were only that he wouldn't be talking about feelings but about physicality and I think that couldn't have been further from his mind. He said he wanted Valentine as a friend and I know he meant it. He's so disconnected from his own emotions that he can't fake or hide them. If he were lusting after the Director it would be abundantly obvious. If anything, I think all Fail-Safe has done, at least on Sephiroth's side, is speed up the process."
"So you think Sephiroth would've become interested in the Director with or without Fail-Safe?"
"Yes," Genesis nodded firmly. "If Hojo hadn't come up with Fail-Safe, if Valentine hadn't been dragged into the Jenova Project and Hojo had limited his research on him to Chaos, I think that even then Sephiroth and the Director would have ended up in each other's path in the long run. I mean, what Valentine did, everything he sacrificed to try to keep Sephiroth safe before he was even born… And then coming back to the company after all of it just to make sure a man he never really met was safe… If that's not fate, if that's not love then I don't know what is. That kind of commitment and devotion generates a pull that's not easily ignored, not even for someone like Sephiroth.
"So, yes, I am convinced that those two were meant to end up together in one way or another. All Hojo did was muddy the waters in the worst possible fashion."
Angeal looked into Genesis's blue eyes and smiled fondly. "You incorrigible romantic," he said as he leaned close and kissed the other's lips.
Two rooms over, Sephiroth sat on an examination table as Gast drew the third and final vial of blood from the silver-haired man's arm. Aerith stood next to the table and moved to apply an alcohol-soaked cotton wad to the puncture on her brother's arm to stop the blood. It wasn't really necessary given Sephiroth's accelerated healing abilities but it was a small token of comfort she knew he might need.
Ever since he read the Fail-Safe files and watched the video of the incident at the Nibelheim laboratory, Sephiroth had been apathetic and dejected. That had been two days ago and he showed no signs of lightening up, not even when Gast told him they would start treating Genesis's cellular degradation. His father's promises and reassurances that they would find a way to deactivate Fail-Safe on both Sephiroth and Vincent had done nothing to improve his mood, either. Gast thought it was because the General felt pessimistic about the prospect of finding a countermeasure for what was happening to himself and Vincent, particularly because Hojo hadn't left any notes about how he altered Sephiroth's biochemistry to emit a mating call to Galian. Truth be told, Gast wasn't even sure the madman had ever gotten around to tampering with Sephiroth's system so the tests he would conduct over the weekend were meant to figure that out.
Aerith, being able to sense her brother's inner turmoil, knew better. She hadn't talked to him about it, wanting to give him time to process the information, but she knew she would have to do it as soon as they left the Science Department. Sephiroth couldn't go around mourning something he hadn't lost yet, and he needed to take the decision to fight Hojo's gruesome legacy and make his own path. It was clear he would need all the help he could get in that regard, which meant she would also need to speak to Vincent. Not an easy task, considering the man hadn't left his apartment since early Wednesday morning.
Gast took a swab off Sephiroth's mouth and a hair sample, all in silence. He'd given up trying to talk to his son somewhere between the first and second vial of blood, realising Sephiroth still wasn't ready to talk to him. After collecting the samples and throwing all disposable implements away, he looked at the silver-haired man for a moment before speaking.
"I'll get started on the tests right away. I'm not sure how long it will take me to have everything done but I'll let you know as soon as I have anything to report. You can go back to work as soon as you feel ready but Lazard is willing to give you the weekend off. All you have to do is let him know. Genesis is still in exam room 8, if you want to stop by. I instructed him to go straight to his apartment as soon as the drip is done, if you'd rather visit him later."
Sephiroth nodded and rolled down his sleeve, not bothering to check the crook of his elbow. He avoided his father's eyes and didn't say anything.
Gast sighed and shook his head. He leaned forward and kissed Sephiroth's temple before turning to Aerith and kissing her cheek.
"I'll see you kids later, then," he said and left.
Aerith turned to Sephiroth and looked at him with determination shining in her green eyes.
"Let's go home, brother."
Sephiroth blinked and looked at her, confused. "Home?"
"Yeah. We need to talk."
The silver-haired man shook his head and hopped off the table. He took his cloak from a nearby chair and shrugged it on, pulling his hair out of the collar. "We can talk later. I'll go see Lazard and help him with the mess Palmer and the others left behind. He's severely understaffed now that Genesis and Angeal are on leave."
The brunette planted herself in front of her brother, hands on her hips and a stern look on her usually relaxed features. She stared into his catlike eyes without saying a word for nearly two minutes before Sephiroth sighed and dug his phone out of his pants' pocket. He called Lazard and told him he would take the rest of the day off, possibly the weekend. Lazard told him he understood and that he hoped to see him back at headquarters on Monday.
After hanging up, Sephiroth looked at his sister with a very small smile. "Happy now?"
Aerith kept on staring at him seriously for a few seconds before breaking into a bright smile and wrapping her arms around his left one. "Getting there," she giggled.
Tseng loosened his tie and undid the first two buttons on his shirt. He had been up since four in the morning filing the reports of the interrogations he and the others had conducted after their return from Avalanche's facilities. He also reviewed part of the information Angeal had brought back from the factory and cross-referenced it to what Heidegger and the others had told them. So far everything checked out but it would take them weeks to deal with all the threats that sprung from the moles' undermining.
It was now eleven in the morning and he felt ready to keel over but he still had one more report to review. He wanted to be done by noon to go with Rude to the medical wing to pick Elena up—the doctor told them the previous afternoon that she was ready to be discharged and she couldn't wait to get home. Neither of them shared Vincent's aversion to medical facilities but that didn't mean that they wanted to stay in one for prolonged periods of time, particularly someone as active as Elena.
After seeing Elena to her apartment and making sure she was as comfortable as possible, he planned to go talk to Vincent. The Director hadn't left his apartment since Wednesday morning. Cloud had been the last person to see him and he told Tseng that Vincent looked troubled but in relatively good spirits. Gast had told Vincent to call him as soon as the gunman finished reading the files he sent, but all they had gotten was a text message asking not to be disturbed unless it was a life or death situation. That had been Wednesday at around four in the afternoon and they still hadn't heard from him.
When the message arrived, Tseng didn't immediately feel worried. He just assumed that Vincent really was just tired after Nibelheim and the factory and decided to rest. The man was resilient but his mind and body had been under a lot of stress lately and it was surely taking its toll now. However, when he didn't answer his calls on Thursday—about a dozen— nor the calls from everyone else in the team, Gast, and even Rufus, Tseng's alarm bells began to go off. He had hoped Vincent would at least check in early Friday and when that didn't happened he decided to clock out early and go make sure nothing terrible had happened.
He read through Reno's surprisingly legible handwriting once before starting to type up the redhead's report. His fingers had barely grazed the keyboard when his cellphone—the secure one Cissnei had provided him with—rang. With an exasperated sigh, Tseng looked at the caller ID. His frown eased up when he saw it was Rufus calling.
"Good morning, sir."
"Morning, Tseng. How's everything going?"
"I'm about to finish the reports on the interrogations. After that, Rude and I will go pick up Elena at the medical wing and then I'll go check on Vincent."
"Oh, good. I was actually calling to ask you to go see him. I'm getting a bit worried about him and… I know this is going to sound callous but there's no way around it. We need him back as soon as possible."
Tseng smiled without much humour. "Not at all, sir. We do need him back. I just hope Genesis's treatment will work. We need all the help we can get from Soldier and having him on medical leave automatically takes Angeal out of the equation, too."
"Sephiroth just told Lazard he's taking the day off, possibly the entire weekend, too."
The Wutain's thin smile disappeared. He had run into Sephiroth at the elevator bank on Thursday and the General looked like death warmed over. There was no need to ask what the problem was given that he'd been in a meeting with Rufus and Lazard in which Gast explained to them, in very broad strokes, what Vincent and the others had found back in Nibelheim: a very promising treatment to cure Genesis, an explanation to Galian's behaviour, more tests in store for Sephiroth. As he listened to the scientist try to give a coherent explanation without going into too many details, Tseng couldn't help but feel they'd taken a step forward only to do an entire Chocodance backwards. Now, hearing that they were three Soldiers First Class down for the weekend, he felt even more apprehensive about the entire matter.
"Is he all right?"
Rufus sighed heavily before answering. "I don't know. Lazard couldn't say. All he knows is that Sephiroth called after Gast took some samples from him. Security cameras show him leaving the building with Aerith."
"She's probably going to try to talk him out of his despondency."
"I hope so. And I hope she succeeds. I'm down two executives and I just fired the entire Security Department. I know Genesis needs time to recover and that Angeal will only leave his side if there's an emergency, so I won't even try to get him back to work until Gast gives Genesis the all clear. Zack is doing an admirable job of picking up their slack but he can't help us with Avalanche or the summit because Lazard can't afford to leave the recruits leaderless. Who knows what's going on in Vincent's head right now but I'm not really counting on him being back until sometime next week, so I really can't lose anyone else to Hojo's posthumous carryings-on."
"I understand, sir. I'll finish up here and go take care of Elena and Vincent. I'll leave Cissnei and Reno in charge and send Rude back as soon as possible."
"Sounds good. Take the rest of the day off is you need it. Please tell Elena I'll visit her when the workday's over. And tell Vincent I meant what I said when he came back to the company. Anything he needs—all he has to do is ask."
"Will do, sir. I'll call as soon as there's something to report."
"Good. See you later, then."
The call disconnected and Tseng left his phone on the desk. He wondered briefly when it was that Rufus began showing interest in Vincent. It wasn't that the President didn't care about the Director or that they weren't in amicable terms, but Tseng was pretty sure this was the first time Rufus had voiced actual concern for the older man. Usually Rufus only inquired about Vincent when the gunman had appointments with Gast or was forced to work in the field. Other than that, he was content with letting Vincent run the department as he saw fit without feeling the need to micromanage it.
Tseng was used to the President's lack of involvement with other executives and, indeed, anyone who could potentially pose a threat to his life or position. The only reason Lazard didn't quite fall into that category was because Rufus had made sure his brother had a good rank within the company, thus ensuring he wouldn't want to take Rufus out of the way to take over as President.
Vincent had never shown particular interest in Rufus but that was easier to explain since the gunman had limited the amount of people he interacted with since his return. He didn't know how to open up to the world after all the damage done to him over the years and he saw no real reason to try. In this regard, his rule of thumb was simple: if he didn't absolutely have to interact with someone, he wouldn't.
Tseng knew Rufus had visited Elena at the medical wing while Vincent was watching over her. Perhaps they had talked then and reached some sort of common ground, leading to the blond's current concern. Whatever the case, it was a good thing for one more person to have Vincent's back so he decided not to dwell on that, focusing instead on the last report.
Elena was already dressed and sitting on a wheelchair when Rude and Tseng entered her room. Her left arm was still in a cast but the bandages on her head and ankle were lighter than before, allowing her to wear both slippers. There was a small sports bag on her lap with her clothes and the antibiotics and pain killers the doctor had prescribed. A small cardboard box on the bed contained several vases filled with bright flowers brought by Rufus, Cloud, Aerith, and the Turks, as well as several boxes of candy courtesy of Tifa. Zack had gotten her a stuffed chocobo and Aerith had also sent her some tea to help with the pain and swelling.
The blonde Turk smiled at her friends and extended her arms. "Tseng! Rude! I'm glad you came."
Tseng laughed lightly and hugged her, mindful of all her injuries. "Someone's eager to leave."
Elena hugged Rude and nodded. "Yeah. The smell is killing me and I need my own bed."
Rude picked up the box with gifts while Tseng wheeled Elena out of the room. "The doctor said you need to start moving around as soon as possible, so don't get too chummy with it."
"I know. Oh, Tseng, wait. Can we check on Kunsel before leaving?"
The Wutain nodded and took Elena across the hall. The door to Kunsel's room was open and the young Soldier was sitting up on the bed. His leg was in a cast and his head was still bandaged but the net was gone. His nose was swollen but the cartilage had already set, although he still had a raccoon's mask in dark purples and pale greens.
He was eyeing a bowl of fruit as though he were afraid the shockingly bright pieces of food would jump up and attack him. Cloud was sitting to his right, clearly amused. It was him that noticed the Turks first.
"Did they discharge you already, Elena?"
"Yeah. Just wanted to come say hi before leaving."
Kunsel looked up and smiled, all misgivings about his hospital food apparently forgotten. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm really jealous."
Cloud sniggered. "Why? Because she can go home and not be attacked by abnormal fruit?"
Kunsel glared at Cloud. "I'm telling you, this is not normal." He had skewered a piece of fruit with his fork and was brandishing it accusingly at Cloud. "Look at this cantaloupe! It looks like someone dropped it in a bath of mako!"
The Turks looked at each other and then at the offending piece of cantaloupe. Truth be told, it did look a bit brighter than usual but it seemed highly unlikely that mako was responsible for it. From what Tseng remembered of his last trip to the hospital, sometimes they tossed fruit in a jello-like substance to keep it fresher and looking more appetising.
"It's just gelatine," Cloud said, confirming Tseng's theory. "If it were mako, everything would be green, not just the cantaloupe."
"I don't see you eating it."
Cloud rolled his eyes and took the fork from Kunsel, eating the fruit resolutely. "There," he said after he swallowed. "Not mako. Just… really icky gelatine. It's not going to kill you and you need to eat or the doctor is never going to discharge you."
"I'll just bust out as soon as I can move," Kunsel said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Elena smiled and had Tseng wheel her closer to the bed. She then rummaged on her bag and brought out a box of chocolate covered raisins. "Here," she said, handing it to Kunsel. "Just have Cloud eat the rest of the fruit and you can eat this."
"Elena!" Cloud and Tseng exclaimed.
"What? It's what I did! Reno ate all my icky hospital food and I munched on the stuff you guys brought me."
Tseng's eyes opened wide and Rude shook his head while Kunsel laughed and Cloud joined him.
"You're such children," Tseng eventually said. "Come, let's get you home before you give Kunsel even more terrible ideas and Lazard blames me for it."
"Fiiiiine, mother," Elena pouted. She then sobered up and looked at Kunsel again. "Wait. So, you don't know how much longer you'll stay here?"
Kunsel shook his head. "The doctor said everything is healing up all right but my broken ribs did a number on my internal organs and there's still risk of internal bleeding, so he'll keep me under observation until he's sure that's passed. Could be a few more days. I could work from here, though, if you need help analysing any of the information you got from Avalanche."
"Thanks for the offer, but I think you need to focus on getting better," Tseng said.
The kicked puppy look Kunsel gave him reminded him immediately of Zack and he had to wonder if the young Soldier was trying to manipulate him. Probably, given the fact that Zack often resorted to the same tactics when he wanted something he wasn't likely to get through any other means.
He supposed he could humour the kid. Besides, given the severe understaffing issues they were going through, it wasn't entirely unlikely that they would need to turn to him for help in spite of his medical status.
"If you end up being here more than three or four days and we can't find the manpower elsewhere, I'll send Elena over so you can work on the analysis." Kunsel brightened up considerably and even managed to laugh when Tseng added, "But only if you eat your food and not Elena's candy. At least breakfast and lunch. You should know better."
"You got it, sir. Thank you."
"I'll force feed him if necessary," Cloud offered. He got a grape stuck on his hair for his trouble. "Just because I can't get you back now that doesn't mean you're off the hook once the doctor allows you to leave."
Before they could get caught in what was gearing up to be a brotherly sort of fight, Tseng wheeled Elena around and started leaving.
"I'll come visit as soon as I can," Elena said as she waved.
Kunsel managed to thank her while trying to keep Cloud from stealing the fruit to weaponise it.
"You're a horrible influence on others, did you know that?" Tseng playfully asked once they were in front of the elevators.
Elena didn't have a chance to answer. The alarms went off all around the building and the automated security system informed them that all non-essential personnel should evacuate immediately. Almost at the same time, Tseng's phones began ringing in unison. Checking the caller IDs, he saw both Rufus and Gast were calling him. He tossed his regular phone to Rude so he'd talk to Gast while he picked up the secure phone and talked to Rufus.
"Sir? What's going on?"
"Vincent managed to sneak into Jenova's containment room without being seen. He's… It's not him. I mean, it's his body but it's obvious that he's not in control and Gast is sure Chaos isn't, either."
"Galian," Tseng breathed.
"Yes. Gast is in near hysterics—he wanted to send a bunch of Seconds in. I managed to talk him out of that idea and told him you guys would handle it. Reno's with him now picking up the tranquillisers for Galian. He and Cissnei will meet you outside the containment room."
"Thank you, sir. I'll just leave Elena with Kunsel and bring Cloud with me, just in case."
"All right. Gast insisted on being there and I'm afraid he might get in the way so call me if you need anything."
"Roger."
Tseng hung up and wheeled Elena to Kunsel's room while Rude stayed on the line with Gast.
"Tseng? What about Galian?"
"It seems like Galian somehow got control of Vincent's body and now they're in Jenova's containment room. We need to get there quickly and find a way to stop Galian before he does something stupid."
Cloud had just come out of Kunsel's room, locking the door behind him when Tseng arrived.
"Tseng! What's going on?"
"I'll explain on the way there. Elena's staying with Kunsel in the meantime."
Cloud nodded and let Elena inside. "She'll fill you in," was all he told Kunsel as he rushed out and followed Tseng to the elevators.
"So. What did you want to talk about?"
Sephiroth was sitting on the couch with a glass of lemonade with Aerith curled up next to him, drinking tea. When he finally spoke after fifteen minutes of more or less companionable silence, she sat up with her legs crossed and faced him with a serious expression. It nearly matched her overall demeanour during the conversation in which Gast explained to them why Sephiroth couldn't be near Vincent and it worried the General.
It also answered his question.
"This is about Vincent, isn't it?"
Aerith nodded. "You can't let what Hojo did affect you like this, brother."
Sephiroth sighed and rolled his shoulders. "It's not a matter of letting it, Aerith. It's…"
He sighed again and rubbed his face with one hand. He'd been reflecting on it since Wednesday and he still didn't know how to voice what he was feeling and thinking. Luckily for him, Aerith had a pretty good idea of just what kind of thoughts had been plaguing him.
"We still don't know if Hojo did anything for you to feel attracted to Vincent."
"What does it matter if he did? The fact remains that he altered Galian so he would find me. Even if Father manages to revert that programming and gives Vincent every reassurance available on the Planet that Galian and Chaos are no longer a threat to me, he still won't want anything to do with me. He'll still feel unworthy or inadequate or a failure or whatever else he imagines himself to be because of what happened over thirty years ago. How am I supposed to convince someone like him that I don't care about any of that? What can I say, what can I do to show him that—?"
A dull throbbing on the back of his head stopped him mid-sentence. He brought his hand up to put pressure on the spot to try to fight back the pain and he noticed Jenova was whispering to him.
"Seph? Brother, are you all right?"
"She's… Whispering. I don't know what she wants, I can't understand."
Aerith knelt in front of him on the floor and held his face in her hands, pressing her forehead gently against his. She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to link with Jenova to figure out what the problem was. It took her a few minutes, but eventually she was able to find what she needed. She gently broke the link so she wouldn't hurt Sephiroth and took his hands in hers.
"Are you all right?"
He nodded slowly. "It's not going away but it's not getting worse, either. What's the matter with her now?"
She debated whether or not to tell him but decided he had a right to know.
"Galian took over Vincent's body and made it to Jenova's containment room. She wants you to go and save her."
Sephiroth's eyes widened and he made to stand up but Aerith stopped him. "What—?"
"You can't go, Sephiroth. You'd never make it in time to help and you know being close to Vincent would only make matters worse."
"But—Wait. If Galian is in control and he's in the room… Why is she so calm about it?"
"How do you mean?"
"Last week at the lab when she went into full hysterics after I arrived she was responding to Galian. She only calmed down, in a way, when Chaos regained control." He took a moment to think before adding, "It was the opposite of the videos Father showed me of the tests he ran last week and Hojo's journals. Even on the video with the three brothers she only reacted violently to Chaos. She spurred the boys to attack Galian but I don't think she really wanted them to face Chaos. Why is she reacting differently?"
Aerith searched his vivid green eyes with hers and saw the same fierce determination in them that had somehow disappeared two days ago. She hadn't picked up on Jenova's seemingly contradicting behaviour, and neither had their father. It had taken Sephiroth to bring up one more piece of the puzzle and whether it was an important piece or not, it was giving him the chance to do what he was best at: finding a solution to a seemingly impossible problem. She hoped it would help him realise that he had a right to fight for what he wanted, that he didn't have to just throw the towel and let Hojo call the shots from his well-deserved grave.
"I have no idea," she said after a moment. "But you should definitely bring it up with dad as soon as you have a chance."
As if on cue, the house phone rang and Aerith picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Aerith! Is Sephiroth there with you?"
She turned to her brother and nodded. "Yes, he's here with me, dad. We know about Galian and Jenova. Is everything okay?"
"I don't know. The Turks are on their way to try to take care of the situation. How is Sephiroth doing?"
"He's fine. He can hear her but can't make out the words. I had to link with her to find out what was going on."
"What was she saying?"
"She wanted him to go and save her. He nearly bolted out the door but I managed to stop him."
"Good. There's no knowing what would happen if he came across Galian now. Listen, dear, just stay put, both of you. Call me if Jenova becomes aggressive with him or if anything unusual happens, all right?"
"Yes, dad. Be careful. We love you."
"I love you, too."
Aerith hung up and sat next to Sephiroth, covering his hand with hers. "Dad said the Turks are going to take care of it and he wants us to call if anything out of the ordinary happens."
Sephiroth nodded but remained silent for a few minutes. Eventually he nodded decisively and turned to look at his sister.
"Will you go through Hojo's journals with me? Maybe we can find something to help Father and Vincent, something he might have missed."
Aerith smiled and nodded. "Of course."
Tseng, Cissnei, Reno, and Rude were standing outside Jenova's containment room along with Gast and Cloud. Rude and Cissnei had tranquilliser guns loaded with the darts Gast had prepared for Galian and were trying to figure out where the best vantage points were inside the room on Tseng's tablet. Reno had his electromagnetic rod set to the second highest setting and would stay near the door in case Galian made a run for it. Cloud was to make sure Gast didn't intervene while doubling as their last line of defence in case Galian got past Reno.
It had been decided that Tseng would try to reason with Galian to get him to stand down without having to resort to the tranquillisers, Reno's mag-rod, nor Cloud's Tsurugi. Gast wanted to go in but Tseng managed to convince him of just how bad an idea that was given that Galian surely shared Vincent's dislike of scientists.
"You can't take any chances," Gast was saying. "If you see him going for the tank you'll have to shoot him."
"We understand that. How many darts can Vincent's body take before it becomes dangerous?"
"Not more than three, and even that seems a bit extreme."
"Two tops, then?" Rude asked.
Gast nodded.
"I can take the catwalk and perch on these tubes over here as long as they're not hot," Cissnei said.
"They're not," Gast said. "Just stay away from the junctions in case there are any leaks."
"I'll stay on ground level behind the tank, but we'll have to come in from the loading bay," Rude said.
"Give us two minutes to get into position," Cissnei said.
"Go, both of you." Tseng said. As Cissnei and Rude ran down the hallway, Tseng turned to the tablet to check the schematics. "I'll come in first, Reno. Wait until I give you the signal to come inside. I'll try to angle myself to keep him from getting a visual on you to try to keep him focused on me. Are you sure you'll be okay if he charges at you?"
"It'll be fine as long as he doesn't transform, yo. I can vault over him, slide under him, jump to either side. I'll know what needs to be done when and if it comes to that."
"Good. Cloud, your priority is keeping Galian from making it to the common area. Try to stall him until Cissnei or Rude arrive with the tranquillisers."
"Roger."
Tseng nodded and passed his tablet to Gast. He checked his gun and his throwing knives.
"Are you sure you don't want a tranq-gun?" Gast asked.
"Yes. I don't want him to see me as a threat from the get-go and those things are bulky. My gun and knives are much more easy to conceal."
"I don't understand why you think you can reason with him."
"Because Vincent and Chaos are still somewhere in there and they must have some degree of control over the situation if Galian hasn't transformed. He didn't attack anyone on the way over and he hasn't even threatened Jenova yet. He's showing restraint, which means some sort of logic must be at work here. That means I can get through to him, or at least try to."
He brought his hand to the comm unit on his ear and nodded. "Rude and Cissnei are in position. Wait for my signal, Reno."
The redhead nodded and leaned against the wall while Tseng opened the door to the containment room.
Jenova's containment room wasn't particularly big but had the advantage of a large, vaulted ceiling that allowed all the tubes and cables needed to keep Jenova in suspended animation to be kept out of the way. The tank itself took up about a third of the room and was located in the centre of it. There was a small panel in front of the tank and a control console off to the side. The left wall was lined with refrigerators and freezers with several samples taken by Hojo, Hollander, and Gast himself.
After taking a few steps into the room, Tseng saw Galian sitting cross-legged in front of the tank. He was wearing Vincent's pyjamas and was barefoot. His hands rested on his knees and he stared straight at Jenova. When he got closer, Tseng realised he wasn't blinking. He was about to speak up when a rumbling voice, so low Tseng couldn't believe it came from Vincent's body, stopped him on his tracks.
"What brings you here, Tseng of the Turks, the Host's foster son and dearest comrade?"
A chill run down the Wutain's back, he wasn't quite sure why. The titles themselves didn't trouble him, nor did the fact that he was certain the others could hear everything through the comm units. Perhaps it was the fact that Galian seemed to be using the titles not to mock him but to show his respect.
"There is no need for stealth. I know your two brothers and one of your sisters are here. Reno is just outside this room, Cissnei is elegantly balanced on the tubes near the catwalk, and Rude has melded with the shadows behind the tank. They have tranquillisers and a modified taser. You carry your gun and knives.
"Cloud Strife, the man that has adopted the Host as his surrogate father, is also outside; he carries a modified broadsword. Lastly, Professor Gast Faremis, the man torn between helping the Host and using him is also in the hallway. He is unarmed. Am I missing anything?"
"Shit," Reno's voice came through the comm.
"Tseng, what are we going to do?" asked Cissnei.
"Even if he knows we're here—"
"You could still take me down, Rude, yes. However, given the Host's current condition I would advise against it."
Tseng walked forward until he was roughly two feet away from Galian. From that distance, he realised Vincent's face looked terribly haggard. He thought he saw Galian's orange eyes flicker gold once but the eerie glow from the tank could be playing tricks on him.
"Current condition? What do you mean?"
"The protomateria is acting up. That is the only reason I was able to step forward. It is not damaged enough that I can overpower Chaos and take over completely but, for the time being, the Host's body is mine to command."
"What are you planning to do, then?"
Galian finally blinked, slowly. As his eyes opened again, Tseng could see his expression harden and the corners of his mouth twist up in a snarl.
"I should destroy the Planet Bane, shred it to pieces and burn it. Spread its ashes to the seven winds and pray to the Goddess that all its accursed offspring withers and dies with it."
He closed his eyes again, leaving them closed for a long time.
"Why don't you?" Tseng asked.
Without opening his eyes, Galian replied. "Chaos has made a case for the Planet Bane's offspring. One of them in particular."
"Sephiroth?" Tseng ventured.
Vincent's skin rippled and Galian shuddered violently. His hands turned violet and his nails turned into darkened talons. His fingers dug into his knees, nearly tearing into the fabric. The change lasted a few seconds, after which Galian released a strained sighed and relaxed again.
In its tank, Jenova's eye glowed a dangerous shade of red but nothing else happened.
Tseng didn't flinch but he heard Cissnei take in a sharp breath and someone cocked their gun; he couldn't be sure if it was Cissnei or Rude.
"Yes," Galian answered after he regained control of himself. "The son of the woman who broke the Host's heart and the man who burdened him with Chaos and myself. The son that madman wanted me to maul after humiliating him and the Host. The man the Host would give his life to protect and defend." His eyes opened then, narrowed in suspicion and mistrust. "I do not understand why."
That was something Tseng could help with.
"In general terms, Vincent regards all life as sacred. He values it and has always strived to protect it. In Sephiroth's case…" He paused, gauging Galian's reaction. When he only shivered minutely, he went on. "He didn't want him to suffer at his parents' hands and did his best to protect him. Given that he was unable to stop them, he feels that he failed him and has tried to make amends ever since. He feels it is his duty and that there is honour in it, that Sephiroth is worth… well, everything and anything."
"Why this man? All things considered, his affection is merely circumstantial. If his father had not passed along a genetic mutation that rendered the Host's body weak and feeble he never would have experimented on him to make him stronger and save his life. He never would have caught the madman's eye, causing him to be dragged into his insane ploys. He never would have met the unfortunate child and I would be free to carry out my duty as Planet Protector."
To their credit, none of the Turks reacted visibly to the news about Vincent's father and the experimentation he went through at his hands. They silently filed that information away for a later time and Tseng continued with his part of the mission.
"I'm not sure that Vincent believes in coincidences. If you ask him I'm sure he'll tell you that all those things happened as they did for a reason."
"What do you believe, Tseng of the Turks?"
"I believe it's irrelevant whether those events were fate or coincidence. All that matters is that Vincent is here now and his presence alone has saved our lives, made them significantly better. That is why I—all of us—would like to see him happy."
"Do you believe he will be happy near this man? More importantly, do you think he can make the Host happy?"
"I'm not sure. All I know is that he will forever regret not having a chance to find out."
Galian tilted his head in Tseng's direction but kept his eyes fixed on the tank before him.
"I am afraid I cannot fight back the natural impulse to chase after… the General. What the madman did to me, whatever chemicals he used, they are too strong to ignore."
The door opened and Reno rushed in. He stopped next to Tseng, knowing Galian wouldn't attack him.
"What if you received an order to stand down and leave Sephiroth alone?"
"An order?" Tseng asked, looking at Reno in confusion. "From who?"
"A Cetra," Reno said, still looking at Galian.
Galian finally tore his eyes from the tank and looked into Reno's aquamarine eyes.
"You mean Ifalna Gainsborough."
Reno nodded firmly. "According to what Gast found in that book, your kind refrained from attacking Jenova when it first arrived because the Cetra told you to leave it alone. You must have gone against your natural instincts then, right? All because of an order, yo."
"Like I said, what has been done to me is far stronger than natural instincts."
"I know, but it might help you fight it until Gast can come up with a solution, yo. It would lower the stress on the protomateria and on Vincent's body. It would allow him to better cope with all of this. We'll pick up whatever slack we can to help, too."
"Because the Host saved your lives, yes?"
"Because he is our family," Rude said.
"Because we love him," Cissnei said. She'd climbed down the tubes and now stood next to Tseng with Rude to her right.
Galian looked at them one by one, taking in their determined stance and the seriousness of their expressions. He returned his gaze to the tank for a moment before nodding minutely.
"If you can bring her here I am willing to try. While I am unsure that a direct command from a Cetra can nullify whatever is in my blood, I do not see the harm in trying."
"I'll get her," Cloud said through the comm unit.
"Thank you, Cloud," Tseng said.
While they waited for Cloud to return with Ifalna, Tseng decided to take the opportunity to get a bit more insight into Galian.
"I don't mean to be rude, but have you always been able to communicate like this?"
Galian's lips curled into a grin that was far more feral than any of them had seen before, lending him a terrifying appearance.
"No. It took me a very long time to be able to articulate your language. I have borrowed a lot from Chaos in this regard. However, I had not had the chance to truly practice until now. The Host deemed me too wild to attempt any sort of communication and Chaos was able to interact with me telepathically so speech was not necessary."
"Will you try to do it more from now on?" Cissnei asked.
"That is up to the Host."
"Why do you call him that? Why not Vincent or Valentine?"
The grin disappeared, replaced instead by an almost bashful expression.
"My kind is heavily bound by propriety and respect. I am an invader in his body and yet he has protected me from the scientists and even myself. I am eternally in his debt for this and cannot presume to address him by his name until he has granted me permission to do so."
"But you can call us by our names because…?"
"We stand on more or less the same ground. You would do anything for him, as would I. For more or less the same reasons, too."
"What were you planning to do?" Rude asked. "When you came here, I mean."
As if the question had reminded him of Jenova's presence in the room, Galian returned his gaze to it.
"I wanted to end its life."
"Why now, yo?" Reno asked.
"It was a matter of opportunity. I am not strong enough to best Chaos and it has been too long since I have been able to take over the Host's body without his consent. After he read the files Professor Faremis gave him, the Host was under so much stress that the protomateria gave enough to allow me to push past Chaos's barriers."
"When are you letting go, then?"
"After I speak to Ifalna Gainsborough."
"Does that mean you're giving up on destroying Jenova?" Tseng asked.
Galian smiled again, still an unnerving sight but one the Turks were getting used to.
"You are full of questions, Turks." He cracked his neck and straightened his back. "For the time being, yes. The offspring is not to blame for the transgressions of Shinra's scientists. As for the scion the Host is interested in…" He shook his head slowly, almost sadly. "I cannot make any promises other than this: I will do my best to fight back the impulses that have so greatly inconvenienced the Host."
"Is he okay?" Cissnei asked. "Right now, I mean. Can he hear us, or…?"
"Chaos has been listening all this time. He cannot risk taking action here because it would put the Planet Bane on edge and it could have disastrous results.
"The Host… He retreated into himself after reviewing the files provided to him. Chaos could not get through to him, try as he might. In fact, that is what distracted him enough for me to take advantage of the situation. I cannot presume to know what lies in his heart, but I do know he is troubled. He will need all the support you can provide him."
Tseng was about to reply when Cloud's voice over the comm unit interrupted him.
"Tseng. I'm with Ifalna at Gast's office. I explained the situation to her and she agreed to talk to Galian but she doesn't think it's a good idea for her to go into the containment room. She wants to know if it would be possible to meet somewhere else."
"I see." He thought hard for a moment, dismissing ideas almost as soon as he came up with them. After a moment, he said, "Vincent's apartment. We'll meet you there."
"Roger."
"Mrs. Gainsborough has agreed to meet with you but she won't come here."
Galian nodded slowly. "Understandable. The Planet Bane would probably use the opportunity to try to attack her."
"I told Cloud to take her to Vincent's apartment. I think it's the only safe place that he would be comfortable with."
"I agree. Do you want to escort me there or should I just transport like I did to get here?"
"That explains how you got past all security cameras, yo," Reno said with a smirk.
"We all have our tricks," Galian said with a hint of something that resembled pride.
"I think that would be best. Can you take someone with you?" When Galian nodded, Tseng turned to the others. "Reno, would you mind going with Galian? I'll need to talk to Rufus, someone has to pick up Elena and I don't think Gast will stay behind if his wife is involved."
"Are you kidding, yo? I've always wanted to try it."
"Reno…" Admonished the other three in unison.
"Vincent would've laughed and you know it."
Galian did laugh, a rumbling, throaty chuckle that sent chills up the Turks' backs—the good kind of chills. He stood up and gave Jenova a long, withering look before turning to Reno and offering his hand. He somehow managed to tone down the eeriness of his grin this time.
"Come, then, Reno of the Turks, the Host's foster son and most adventurous companion. I promise not to bite."
Reno grinned and took Galian's hand, allowing him to pull him closer and wrap an arm around his waist.
"What if I wanted you to bite, yo?"
"Reno!"
Galian laughed and, without answering, enveloped Reno and himself in a violet mist and disappeared.
The remaining Turks looked at each other, utterly confused.
"Did… Did Reno flirt with Galian?" Rude asked.
"Only after Galian flirted with him first," Cissnei answered.
Tseng sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thank Leviathan it's Friday."
The knock on his door startled him and Rufus ended up botching his signature on the executive order to pass control of Midgar's Police Department to Lazard on a temporary basis. Glaring at the piece of paper before him, he moodily told whoever had knocked to come inside. His scowl somewhat diminished when he saw it was Tseng coming in, looking exhausted.
"Good Goddess, Tseng, what's the matter?"
After locking the door, Tseng walked up to Rufus's desk, took off his jacket, flung it on the back of a chair and all but collapsed on the other. He undid his tie and took it off, tossing it next to his jacket before undoing the cuffs of his shirt. He sighed deeply before answering.
"I went to bed at one and I've been up since four in the morning. I just had a long talk with Galian—whom I had been led to believe didn't even reason, let alone talked—, at the end of which he flirted with Reno and the loudmouth flirted back. I'm supposed to be at Vincent's apartment to see if Ifalna can order Galian not to sexually harass Sephiroth while making sure Gast doesn't try to lock Vincent up in the Science Department indefinitely but I thought I'd drop by to let you know where we stand and to regroup before I have a nervous breakdown."
Rufus looked at his bodyguard with a mixed look of confusion, curiosity, and just a bit of pity. He stood up and went to his cabinet, retrieving a bottle of sake and two small cups. He poured them both a drink, sitting next to Tseng. He waited for the Wutain to drink his sake and refilled his cup.
"Feeling better?" When Tseng nodded, he mimicked the action. "Good. Now, take another deep breath and explain everything more calmly, will you?"
Tseng did. He told Rufus what Galian had said about wanting to kill Jenova but refraining from it because of Chaos's intervention. He also told him about Reno's idea to have Ifalna give Galian an order to ignore Hojo's programming. He had to explain that in more detail given that Gast had only given Rufus a rather simplified explanation. He left out Galian's comments about Vincent's father because he wasn't sure that Vincent wanted anyone to know about that, maybe not even the Turks.
Gast hadn't actually said anything about keeping Vincent in the Science Department but Tseng had seen the look in the man's eyes when they arrived to the containment room and when Tseng told him Galian had gone to Vincent's room to talk to Ifalna. Years of observing people, particularly Shinra employees, told the Wutain that Gast had lost all confidence that Vincent could keep things under control on his own and wouldn't hesitate to step in and try to do things his way. If Vincent was in no shape to stand up for himself then it would fall upon the Turks to make sure he didn't end up locked up in a lab, and he told Rufus as much.
"I see what you mean," the President said. "I'll talk to Gast about this. I'm afraid that if he pushes too hard he'll back Vincent against a wall and he'll want to resign. It was Veld who, in the end, convinced him to return and work for the company by bringing up the possibility of Heidegger taking over your division. Now that Heidegger is no longer a threat all that's keeping him here is loyalty to you, guys. But given everything else that's going on, I have to wonder if that'd be enough to keep him here if Gast starts threatening him."
Tseng sighed sadly. The possibility of Vincent wanting to resign had occurred to him on the way over to Rufus's office and the thought made him sick. Heidegger or no Heidegger, Tseng wanted Vincent to stay. He was a good leader, better even than Veld had been, and he made their job easier to bear. Their relationship outside of working hours was also important to him and the rest of the Turks and he had no idea if they could maintain that with Vincent no longer working for Shinra. Being realistic, probably not. It was unlikely that Vincent would want to stay in Midgar if his employment with Shinra came to an end.
"Please do, sir. I… I don't think we can afford to lose Vincent. On a personal level I certainly don't want to see him go, and I'm sure the others feel the same."
Rufus nodded. He was aware of the Turks' devotion to one another and of their off-the-clock activities. Reno had suggested once or twice that he join them but he wasn't sure Vincent would welcome him.
"If you're feeling more composed then I suggest you get going to Vincent's. The sooner we know if Ifalna can help out the better. Also, you look like you need to sleep the rest of the day off. Tell the others they can take the rest of today and tomorrow off, but I'm afraid you'll have to be back at the office on Sunday."
Tseng nodded and started straightening his clothes. He drained his second cup of sake and stretched; lastly, he arranged his hair.
"Thank you… Rufus."
The blond smiled and stood up, kissing Tseng's lips briefly. "Anything for my Turks."
By the time Tseng made it to Vincent's apartment, Galian, the Turks, Ifalna, and Gast were already there; Cloud had returned to the medical wing to check on Kunsel before meeting Zack for drills with the Thirds.
Galian was sitting on his knees in the middle of the living room with his hands on his thighs, eyes closed but looking alert. Ifalna stood next to him, one hand on his shoulder, the other on his head; her eyes were closed, too, and she seemed to be saying something under her breath.
Gast and the Turks were sitting on the couch, which had been pulled away from Galian and Ifalna. The professor was clearly unhappy about something while the Turks looked at the scene before them with looks ranging from curious to worried. Cissnei and Elena were holding hands while Rude and Reno flanked them, their arms wrapped around them.
Trying not to disturb whatever was going on, Tseng slowly made his way to the couch and sat between Gast and Rude. He wasn't going to ask anything until Ifalna and Galian were done but Gast turned to him and explained, whispering.
"Galian acknowledged Ifalna as his superior. He's pledged himself to her so her commands will be absolute. Right now she's trying to imprint the order into his subconscious so it'll be harder for Hojo's programming to overrule her. It's taking a while because Galian hasn't transformed."
"Why hasn't he?"
Gast shook his head. "Chaos is still trying to get Vincent to snap out of it and take over. If he allows Galian to transform, Vincent will just slip further into his mind."
Tseng said nothing, but his grim expression was enough.
Another fifteen or twenty minutes passed in silence. Suddenly, Galian shivered and Ifalna stopped whatever prayer or incantation she had been reciting. She opened her eyes and patted Galian's shoulder before sitting on a nearby armchair.
"That's the best I can do," she said.
Galian opened his eyes slowly, as if he were waking from a dream. He looked at his hands as if expecting to see an outward sign of whatever Ifalna had just done.
"Is everything all right?" Tseng asked, approaching Galian.
"I do not know. I do not feel different."
"How do we know it worked, yo?"
"We could call Sephiroth," Rude offered.
Tseng eyed Galian carefully, expecting something like the halted change from the containment room. When nothing happened, he felt a spark of hope that he was unable to quell.
"You didn't react to his name."
Galian looked at him, head slightly cocked to the left. "No, I did not. We should try Rude's suggestion, all the same."
"It's a good idea. I want to check on him, anyway," Gast said.
He dialled Sephiroth's number and set his phone to speaker. It rang twice before Sephiroth picked up.
"Father? Is everything all right?"
Gast answered, although his and everybody's eyes were fixed on Galian who, at least so far, had not reacted to Sephiroth's voice.
"Yes, son. It's a long story and I'll explain everything to you when your mother and I get home. Right now, though, how are you feeling? Did you hear Jenova again or anything of the sort?"
"Briefly, not too long after you called. Just a slightly desperate… something. But it faded quickly and I've felt all right since."
Gast sighed in relief. "I see. That's good."
"When are you and Mother coming home? Aerith and I have something we'd like to run by you."
"What about?"
"About what Hojo might or might not have done to me in regards to Fail-Safe."
"Did you find something?" Ifalna asked, moving close to Gast.
"Possibly." There was a slight pause, then, "Wait. Why do you have me on speaker?"
"We are testing something but we'll discuss it when we get home. I'll get started on processing the samples I took this morning and I'll try to clock out early."
"All right." The strain in Sephiroth's voice was apparent but he did not argue the issue. "We'll wait for you, then."
They said goodbye and Gast disconnected the call.
No one said anything for a moment, the silence that filled the room heavy with anticipation and a certain degree of hope. Everyone's eyes remained on Galian. His head was tilted up and to the right, his eyes closed in concentration. After a moment that was close to becoming uncomfortable, he opened his orange eyes with a small nod.
"I felt a stirring inside me, but I do not think it was the madman's programming. The…" He paused as if steeling himself before continuing. "Sephiroth's voice… it did not affect me."
The Turks—minus Tseng—heaved a collective sigh of relief. Even Ifalna looked optimistic, but Gast still seemed skeptical. Tseng picked up on this and braced himself for an argument.
"What was the stirring, then?" Gast asked.
Galian looked at him with barely guarded contempt; apparently, Tseng's earlier assessment about Galian's dislike for scientists had been correct.
"I believe it was the Host. I—"
It was, Chaos voice rumbled inside Galian's head. He sounded tired and slightly on edge. I have no idea if he was responding solely to Sephiroth or if my nagging finally got through to him, but he's awake now.
Galian's eyes flickered gold as he listened to Chaos, a change almost everyone in the room was aware of.
"What's Chaos saying, yo?"
"He confirmed it was the Host I felt. He seems to be awake now."
Tseng did sigh in relief this time. One less thing to worry was always good.
Turning to Ifalna, he bowed at the waist. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Gainsborough."
"It was my pleasure. Now, Galian, if you feel something's not right, do you think you'll be able to let Vincent or Chaos know? That way they can call me and I can try to figure out a solution along with all of you."
If you promise to behave, I can leave a three-way communication channel open. Vincent would like that, I think.
Galian nodded as much for Ifalna as for Chaos. "It seems like I will be able to keep in direct communication with them. I will alert them if I feel that the programming is overruling your orders and I cannot fight it on my own."
"Good. I think we will leave you alone now. You all need to rest, I believe."
Tseng looked at Gast and saw that the professor wanted to protest. However, one stern yet sweet look from his wife effectively kept him silent. Tseng would've laughed if it hadn't been horribly out of place and character for a man in his position.
"Tell Vincent I want to talk to him as soon as possible. Unlike last time I told him so and he ignored me."
"I'll make sure he's at your office Monday morning," Cissnei said. She saw the tension on Tseng's shoulders and how tight his jaw was set and decided to step in. It wouldn't do to have them fighting in the middle of Vincent's apartment when Galian was in control of their boss's body.
"All right. Have a nice day, everyone."
The Turks mumbled their thanks and goodbyes as Tseng escorted Gast and Ifalna to the door. He locked up and returned to the living room to find Reno and Rude pushing furniture back into its usual place. Galian stood off to the side, lost in conversation with Chaos judging by the flickering of his eyes. He waited until Galian's eyes settled back to orange before standing in front of him.
"What is it?"
"I was just listening to Chaos set some ground rules, as he called them. He also did a quick assessment of the protomateria—he believes it has stabilised enough that it will be safe for him and the Host to take control of the Host's body. He is unsure if the Host will want to take over, though. He will want to talk to you as soon as I step back."
"All right. Are you stepping back now?"
"Yes. I just wanted to thank you all for taking control of the situation. I understand that the professor wanted to do things differently."
"There's no need to thank us, yo."
"We've got Vincent's back," Elena said.
"That includes Chaos and you," Rude added.
"As long as you have our backs, too, all's well," Cissnei said.
Galian smiled. Chaos must have helped out because the eeriness was entirely gone from the gesture, replaced instead by a familiar sort of warmth.
"For the rest of my life, Turks. Also, if you see Cloud, thank him, as well. Now, if you will excuse me, it is time I let Chaos take over."
Without allowing anyone enough time to reply, Galian closed his eyes. When they opened again, cloudy orange had been replaced by bright gold. Chaos shook his head slowly, holding a hand to his forehead. On instinct, Tseng moved forward and wrapped an arm around Chaos's waist to provide support.
"Chaos? Is everything all right?"
"Yes, it's just… Galian isn't used to this kind of switch and he just… withdrew entirely. I had to rush forward. Not fun."
Tseng guided Chaos to the armchair before perching on the couch's armrest. The other four were already sitting on it in the same positions as before.
"Do you need anything? Water, something to eat?" Cissnei offered.
"I will need both those things plus some actual rest but there are things you should know first. And I'm afraid I will have to be the one to tell you. Vincent is being difficult."
"How is he?" Elena asked. "The guys said Galian told them you couldn't get through to him after he read the files they brought back from Nibelheim."
"That is what I need to talk to you about. As for how he is… He's a bit better now that you found a way to control Galian's impulses—by the way, nice catch, Vim."
"Yo," Reno said with a lazy, two-finger salute.
"He's having all sorts of irrational thoughts, though, and—"
Chaos's golden eyes flickered crimson and he frowned. Like with Galian, the flickering went back and forth for a while until Chaos sighed heavily.
"Wouldn't you know it? Hurt his sensibilities a little and he decides he does want to be the one to tell the tale, after all. So I guess I'll be leaving the talking up to him—I'll be around, though. See you later, kids."
Once again, Chaos retreated without giving anyone a chance to reply.
When Vincent opened his crimson eyes and looked at the Turks sitting on the couch his eyes welled up.
"I'm sorry," he said, the words barely audible as he tried not to sob.
Elena stood up, favouring her still healing ankle, and walked up to Vincent. She sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling his neck. Vincent held her close, mindful of her injuries, and sobbed against her hair. The rest soon joined them, hugging Vincent's legs and taking his hands in theirs, kissing and nuzzling where they could, drying his tears with hands and ties. No one said anything, allowing Vincent to vent whatever was eating away at him.
Long minutes passed, the silence of the apartment broken only by Vincent's sobs and the calming noises from the Turks. Eventually, Vincent sighed shakily and dried his face with the handkerchief Rude offered him. He kissed each Turks' lips in turn, briefly but lovingly before motioning for them to stop crowding him so he could talk. Elena was the only one to stay in place while Vincent looked at her healing injuries. Her cast was pale yellow and had been scribbled by the Turks, Cloud, Zack, Kunsel, Aerith, and some of the medical staff. It made Vincent smile.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her.
"I'm all right. The cast's bothersome, though."
"How long is it staying on?"
"A couple of weeks, I think. I hope it'll be gone before the summit. A Turk in a cast won't cause a very good impression."
Vincent wanted to say something along the lines of 'impressions be damned' but Elena was right. It didn't exactly inspire confidence to have someone from the security detail partially limited by a cast.
"You'll just have to behave to make sure your arm heals quickly, then."
Tseng snorted. "Impossible. She already cheated to get out of the med wing faster."
Elena gasped and turned to him, an angry pout on her face. "Tattle-tale!"
Arching an eyebrow, Vincent asked, "What did you do, Bushy-tail?"
The blonde blushed and shrunk in Vincent's lap but said nothing. He sighed softly and took her chin between his fingers, lifting her face so she was looking into his eyes. He didn't say anything, just stared into her honey-coloured eyes until she caved.
"Ren ate my food and I ate the snacks the guys brought over."
"Lena…" Vincent admonished.
"But just breakfast and lunch! Dinner wasn't that bad…"
"The rest was, yo," Reno defended. "I really don't see how that crap is supposed to help you get better faster or whatever. Popcorn's got more substance than that, yo."
Vincent glared at him for a second before breaking into a small smile and shaking his head. "I leave you alone for two days and see what you do. Chaos isn't too far off—you really are kids."
"Tseng called Elena and Kunsel 'children'," Rude offered.
"Maybe that's why Galian thinks Blade is Vince's favourite," Cissnei added with a smirk.
"He what?" Vincent asked, blinking.
"You didn't know? He called Tseng your 'dearest comrade'. Reno is apparently the 'most adventurous' which certainly explains why he was flirting with Galian. I'm kinda curious about the rest of us," she explained.
"What the hell were you thinking, Sparks?" Rude asked.
"Wait, hold on," Vincent cut in. "Just what happened when Galian all but hijacked me?" His eyes flickered orange for a moment and he chuckled. "All right, all right. When Galian outsmarted me and Chaos?"
The four Turks that were present in the containment room told Vincent what had happened there. When Reno told him about Galian's promise not to bite him and his reply to that, Vincent's eyes flickered orange then gold and he laughed.
"What, yo?"
"Galian wasn't exactly flirting with you, Red, but your comment made him change his mind. Chaos was just pointing out the practicalities of the issue. Or rather, the impracticalities."
Reno blushed, a bright colour that matched his hair and really made his tattoos stand out. He stuttered once, recovered, and broke into his customary lazy grin. "I'm sure we could make it work, yo. I mean, now that you're all in good terms with each other and stuff."
"We'll see about that. As for what he calls the rest of you, Grimalkin… You're the most persevering, Rude is a stalwart, and Elena is the kindest. He has one for Cloud and Rufus, too, but I don't think those concern you."
"Speaking of Rufus," Tseng said, "he wanted me to tell you that he meant what he said back when you returned to Shinra: anything you need, all you have to do is ask. And we have the rest of today and tomorrow off but we have to be back at the office on Sunday. Well, he realises you might need more time than that but he would like you to return to work as soon as possible."
Vincent nodded, thankful to the President for the reassurance and the reprieve. He knew it was a stretch to allow the Turks for downtime, particularly when he had been absent for two days without so much as an explanation or proper warning.
Perhaps you should include him in the explanation, then, Chaos offered.
"Tseng? Would you mind inviting the President over for dinner?"
"Sure. Any particular reason, though?"
"I owe him and all of you an explanation. I would rather just give it once."
"Dinner with the prez? We'll need to get it done right, Bossman. Mind if I commandeer your kitchen again?"
"Not at all, Red."
Reno then enlisted Rude, Cissnei, and Elena to go shopping with him—after Vincent made them promise they would take it easy on Elena and wouldn't let her overexert herself.
"What about you, Aqualung?" he asked Tseng.
The Wutain shook his head. "I'll pass. If it's all right with Vin-sama, I'll crash in his bedroom while you're out shopping. I'm awake through sheer force of will."
"Right-o," Reno said.
After everyone but Tseng and him were gone, Vincent moved to sit on the couch next to the Wutain. He pulled Tseng to his lap, wrapped his arms around him and kissed him soundly. The younger man kissed him back, moving to straddle him. On instinct, he ground his hips down against Vincent's, drawing a moan that sounded like the gunman wasn't the only one enjoying the Wutain's attention.
"At the risk of being repetitive," Vincent breathed against Tseng's jawline, "thank you. From all of us."
"You're welcome. Just… I'm not getting any younger, itoshii. You can't keep scaring me like this."
Vincent sighed and moved so Tseng was sitting next to him, keeping an arm wrapped around the other's waist.
"I'm sorry, Tseng. I… I'll try not to." He kissed his temple and patted his thigh. "Now, call Rufus and then off you go to bed. I need to eat something and then shower while I have a long talk with Chaos and Galian. I might join you afterwards."
Tseng smirked and kissed Vincent before standing up. "Good luck with that."
Sephiroth and Aerith where in Gast's studio when he and Ifalna returned home. They had copies of Hojo's journals covering most of the desk and some pages were on the floor. Sephiroth had highlighted several passages and added notes of his own. He was pacing the room when his parents entered and he whirled to face them, walking resolutely up to Gast and grabbing his arms.
"I think I have it!" he said in lieu of a greeting.
"Hello to you, too," Ifalna said with a smile.
Aerith, who had been kneeling on the floor while she reviewed one of the Jenova Project notes, smiled and shrugged. "You'll have to forgive him, mom. He really is on to something."
"Well, let's see it, then," Gast said.
Aerith passed Sephiroth the note she had plus a few more that she picked from the desk.
"All right, so, basically, Hojo concluded that Jenova did not respond to Galian because she knows he will die after confronting her," Sephiroth began. He showed his parents each note as he spoke. "But she fears Chaos because he's the only one capable of killing her and survive. In all his tests and yours she reacts accordingly. But not when I'm involved, at least not all the time. I was thinking about that after the incident at the labs last week and then earlier today when I heard Jenova. Last week, at dinner, Chaos said something to Vincent and I felt Jenova stir; she was angry and afraid, but it was very brief. That matches laboratory results. But at the lab, she went crazy when she heard Galian and calmed down when Chaos regained control. It was like his presence forced her to retreat. And today she reacted in fear to Galian, asking me to come and save her. If she'd followed her regular behaviour then she would've done nothing."
He was aware that he was rambling and sounded slightly frantic but he was excited about the prospect of having found a clue. To his credit, he waited patiently for his father to review his notes.
"This is huge," Gast said at last. "I think it means that Hojo discarded the pheromones idea and instead tried to disable Jenova's natural response to Chaos, allowing him to come close to you without her sounding the alarm. If it doesn't always work that way, then that means whatever he did is destabilising for some reason."
"But if he didn't do anything for Sephiroth to call Galian why does he react so strongly to him?" Ifalna asked.
"He must have increased his natural response and the behemoth DNA must've overrun Galian's system. When Galian mentioned the chemicals Hojo used, he probably meant the behemoth samples."
"So you can fix it?" Aerith asked.
"I'll need to review Sephiroth's samples and Galian's, but I think I can, yes. If it's a matter of the behemoths' DNA running rampant on Galian and flooding all three systems, all I have to do is recalibrate that. Then it'll be a matter of repairing the protomateria and Vincent should be fine."
Sephiroth sighed in relief and sat on Gast's chair, covering his face with his hands. He took a moment to compose himself before asking about what had happened with Galian and Jenova.
"We sorted that out, somewhat," Ifalna said. "Reno remembered a passage from that old Cetra book that mentions the war between Galian's kind and the Cetra against Jenova. He thought that if I ordered Galian to ignore Hojo's programming he might stand a better chance to fight it back, giving your father enough time to come up with a permanent solution. Galian agreed to try so he took an oath to protect and obey me and I implanted an order for him not to target Jenova in any of its forms."
"Did it work?" Sephiroth asked.
"We think so," Gast said. "We called you to check if Galian would respond to your voice like he had been doing lately but he didn't. He says he didn't feel anything within him stir."
"You don't sound very convinced," Aerith pointed out.
"It's a complicated matter. Vincent lost control of Galian because the protomateria began to act up. Chaos couldn't intervene because Galian went directly to Jenova's containment room and it would have been disastrous for him to force his way out there. Vincent wasn't even aware of what was happening because he apparently reacted in the worse possible way to the Fail-Safe data and retreated into himself. I'm concerned that things like this will keep happening and it will all blow up in our face at one point or another if the Turks are allowed to do as they please just to protect their own. Rufus is covering for them and there's nothing I can do about that."
"You can't blame them for having each other's backs," Ifalna admonished. "Besides, this is the first time Vincent has lost control like this. It's not like it was entirely unexpected, either: he has been under a lot of stress. Just going back to Nibelheim must have been incredibly difficult for him. Then Elena and Kunsel get kidnapped and badly injured… It's a miracle he's still functional."
"So he was already back when you returned?" Sephiroth asked.
Ifalna nodded. "I checked in with Rufus before leaving the office. Cissnei called him and told him Vincent was aware and back in control of his body."
"What you did with Galian, Mother… Do you think it would allow me to meet with Vincent without it causing trouble?"
"I'm not really sure. It would be worth to try, I think. Do wait until next week, though. He'll need time to make sense of everything that's going on."
Sephiroth nodded, visibly more relaxed that he'd been in days although it was undeniable that he felt excited, too. Aerith noticed and squeezed his arm, a soft smile on her lips.
"Everything will be fine, brother."
The General nodded, feeling hopeful for the first time since his failed dinner with Vincent. Perhaps his sister was right and everything would be fine.
He could only hope.