A/N: Eight weeks again? Eight weeks? This is definitely another negative record... (*hides under the bed*)
I'd like to thank everyone out there for their constant support and encouragement, as well as their patience. I really try to get back to my old writing habits in the future, even though I'm not sure life lets me do that.
After a rather sleepless night, I just spent six hours editing this chapter, and I feel that if I do one more edit, it will start getting worse instead of better... This chapter was quite hard to write anyway, maybe due to the fact that Sephiroth is the leading character here (for a change), and as much as I like him, I still don't feel entirely comfortable writing him. In addition, I can even tell you how often I wrote, scrapped and re-wrote the only scene where he's not in (I was actually surprised that this scene was giving me much more trouble than Seph...).
But enough of that. I'm sure you all prefer the actual chapter to me complaining endlessly ;)
Random added fact: Do you all agree that certain parts of songs need to be cut out and played in a loop? Something that carried me through the hell of editing the first part of this chapter again and again was the first minute – or the first verse - of Delta Goodrem's song Believe Again.
Have you ever stared into the rain,
Thought the clouds would never disappear?
Have you ever screamed out in the dark,
Thinking no one else could hear?
I was leaving footprints, tainted by my past,
On this winding road to you…
Warning: Still none. This chapter has a lot of Sephiroth and is pretty heavy on dialogue, but that's hardly worth a warning, is it?
And now, for the long overdue dedication:
This is a very (almost exactly one month) belated birthday present for one of my dearest friends here on FFnet and on LJ, the wonderful, talented and amazing NephilimRising. If you like historical settings, or just adore extremely well-written stories, go and check out her account right now.
My dearest friend
(no pet names, see?)
This is just a humble little virtual birthday present, and reading through it once more today made me realize just how humble it actually is. None of my lines really compare to the epicness of your writing, and of course I can't portrait Seph as amazing and breathtakingly IC as you can.
Maybe I failed a lot, but I tried my best, because you are such an amazing friend, talented author and my personal saving grace from fandom-insanity. Thank you for your support, cheer-up, encouragement and patience, thank you for long wonderful conversations and passionate ranting not only about writing and our shared fandom, but also about philosophy, religion, science and life itself. Thank you for just being there, and just being you.
I love you, lots.
~°oOo°~
He stood there in the dark registry, staring at those bodiless shadows on the wall in intense concentration. It's not here... There is a hint between the lines, but not more. Another dead end? No, it can't be. Not after I invested so much.
His thoughts reeled with disappointment, but only for a moment. Then cold rationality set in. According as circumstances are favourable, one should modify one's plans. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. With a sudden clarity, he knew what to do. If you stood with your back against the wall, you might as well attack. Nothing left to lose anyway. And after so many 'unconventional' approaches he had already used, what was one more? Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
He held the file for another moment, feeling the weight of the paper – small but noticeable – before he slowly opened his hand as if it had become too heavy for him. The file tumbled to the floor, like a bird shot in mid-flight, wings askew as it hurtled towards the ground. Another moment passed while he looked at it, careful, evaluating. It looked right.
Then he lifted up the flashlight in single, fast movement, and tossed it to the ground as well. A loud smashing sound, a rain of glass. He smiled.
~°oOo°~
With a violent intake of breath, Genesis found himself wide awake. His eyes adapted to the darkish twilight in a matter of seconds, and the unfamiliar surroundings caught him off guard. Impossible... this can't be happening again... His body tensed involuntarily, like a small animal preparing either for fight or flight, but in this very moment unable to do either. There was no logic, no reason, just feeling, looming over him like a dark shadow. A confusing mixture of despair, panic, and a sensation of... falling? No, it wasn't falling. More like floating, or sinking actually, sinking surrounded by darkness. Drowning.
"Genesis?"
For just a moment, his mind wasn't processing the voice at all, just the content, and the world shattered around him. He could basically feel the cracks running through the smooth surface of his sanity, until the last remaining spark of consciousness pointed out that this wasn't the voice from his dream. The realisation set in hard and sudden, like an impact with the floor after stumbling and falling over. In a strange way it even hurt, but pain was something he was more than used to; and right in this moment, it was actually welcome. Like an anchor, a tie, a safe ground.
His throat was still blocked, and not a single word made it past his lips. At least his hand was able to move, and it closed tightly around Angeal's arm. He wasn't sure if that gesture was meant to reassure he was alright, or a desperate search for hold. In a way, it was both.
Angeal didn't say anything either, but the question stil lingered, as if he had voiced it. 'What's wrong?'
In return, Genesis shrugged, implying an unspoken I don't know. They both remained silent, while the minutes crept on. Genesis knew with a desperate certainty that he couldn't go back to sleep, couldn't possibly calm down. His heart was pounding much too fast, and every single beat sent waves of pain through his body, as if his veins had turned into sparking electric wires.
It's because you focus on it. Just stop, and it will go away. Like this afternoon, remember? You thought you couldn't breathe, you felt like there was no air around you at all, but all it took was to calm down, and suddenly it turned out that you were breathing fine all along...
Genesis couldn't tell whether it was the Mako-improved hearing, in an alert-state triggered by the previous rush of adrenaline, or if his mind was playing tricks on him. For whatever reason, he could clearly hear the rush of blood in his veins, a running river, a lifestream. Far too audible and far too strong, so that the longer he listened to it, the more he felt reminded of a waterfall, or of rain. Heavy rain.
The little boy struggled for breath. The rain was as dense as a curtain now, taking away the last trace of visibility and causing him to merely stumble forward, blind and helpless. To make things even worse, the water surrounding him didn't feel like rain anymore, but like a massive flood wave trying to pull him under. It was everywhere, and he just couldn't escape it. Still, he hardly felt anything, not the weight of his soaked clothes, not the mud and wet grass against his bare feet, not the agonising cold. All those sensations were so unreal, as if they weren't happening to him at all. The only thing he felt was infinite despair, burning within him like red-hot coals, singing him, forcing him forward. He had lost orientation long ago, he couldn't see, couldn't breathe, couldn't think even, but he still kept running.
In the end, he didn't even know how he managed to reach the small cottage. Maybe the Goddess had mercy after all, and he had not yet fallen from her grace. With his last remaining strength, he pounded on the door, hard, again and again. The faint hint of warmth on his freezing hands told him that it had probably been too hard, yet he didn't stop. Not until the door suddenly opened. The light from inside was so bright it blinded him for a second.
And then he saw her. A female figure with warm, kind eyes, entirely surrounded by a glow that made her appear not human, but divine.
The illusion didn't last long though, as the surprise in those eyes looking down at him was replaced by shock."Genesis? Sweet Gaia, what happened to you?"
His lips opened, trembled, but there was no sound. He just stood there, shivering, only a few moments that still seemed to last forever. Then the woman's expression turned into a mix of worry and determination. Since he didn't move on his own, she reached out and pulled him inside. Once she saw him properly in the bright light of the hallway, the frown on her face deepened.
His glanced drifted past her, to the hallway mirror. For a moment, he saw what she was seeing: a child, dressed only in his pyjamas and a much too thin woollen jacket, barefoot, dirty and completely drenched. Faint, thin lines of blood were running over his left hand, but that was nothing compared to the sickly paleness of his face and those completely lifeless eyes. He looked a lot like that other little boy who had disappeared last autumn, who had only been found after hours of searching. In the lake. Drowned.
The burning despair he had felt before had died down completely, along with any other trace of emotion. His mind was like his eyes, completely empty, a void.
From far away, he heard patches of sound. Sweet merciful Goddess... in that weather... completely soaked... so cold... And then, a sentence that was surprisingly clear: 'Someone should take you home'.
It was as if he was standing right next to himself, watching the scene like a stranger, like a person looking into the mirror and finding the image suddenly alive. "No. Please. No. Don't make me go home!"He clung to her in sheer panic. She was his plank in ocean, the only thing that kept him from sinking down inevitably.
Helplessly, she cradled him in her arms, not caring that her own clothes got wet and stained with blood. "Shhhh... No one is forcing you to do anything. But I'm sure your parents are worried out of their minds. Don't you think, darling?"
He was shivering again, from the cold, the tears, the fear. Like in trance, he told her that his parents weren't at home, that they wouldn't be back before the next evening. And that he couldn't go home. He just couldn't go home.
Suddenly, there was another voice, calm and determined: "Mom, I think he should stay. Just for tonight. He can sleep in my bed, it's big enough for the both of us." Angeal walked up to his mother, holding a towel in his hand. When she let go of the boy, he wrapped the towel around him, carefully, as if he was afraid to cause any more pain.
"There's no use, sweetheart, he needs to get out of those wet clothes first." With a deep sigh, she had decided to let him stay.
Everything after that passed in a blur. He vaguely recalled Gillian handing him a cup of hot tea, and suddenly realizing that he was dressed in some plain, warm clothes that were at least two sizes too large. They were Angeal's, that much he could guess, even though he had no memory of putting them on. And while he carefully sipped his tea, Angeal seemed almost afraid to take his eyes off of him, as if something very bad would happen as soon as he did.
Before she sent the boys off to bed though, Gillian tried to talk to him again. She went down on her knees and looked at him. "Genesis, darling, why did you do this?"
Confused, he returned: "Do what?"
"Running all the way over here, in the middle of the night, through the pouring rain, not properly dressed and barefoot..." She cast him another glance so full of warmth and understanding that it made him tremble with its sheer weight. "What happened?"
"Nothing. I just... woke up and..." He stopped, shrugging helplessly. "I guess I… had a nightmare."
"A nightmare?" she asked, her eyes filled with doubt and a dark understanding at the same time.
Angeal never asked. His eyes did, but once Genesis turned away and refused to answer the unspoken question, he did not inquire any further. Instead, he offered his friend the entire blanket when they were lying in the small bed together, and wrapped his arms around him in when Genesis was still shivering. And in this embrace, the whole world was completely drowned out. Nothing else existed, except a low, constant sound. And even though Genesis had thought he would never be able to calm down, this sound managed to do just that...
And right now, he could hear Angeal's heartbeat, low, steady, persistent. The longer he listened to it, the more the waves of sound blended into waves of motion, and after a while, he couldn't even tell if he was hearing or feeling. The past entwined with the present, reality with vision, until he could no longer tell which was which. And before Genesis could even wonder about it, he had fallen asleep again.
~°oOo°~
When he woke again, he was unable to tell if just a few minutes or several hours had passed. He felt strangely tired, but also far too awake to try and sleep some more. To his surprise, he also found himself still in the very same position he had fallen asleep in, and realized that Angeal hadn't moved either, most likely because he hadn't wanted to disturb him. That doesn't look very comfortable... does he put up with that just for me?
Gently, Genesis shifted his weight from Angeal's arm, and tried to lift his head up to get a better look at him. The movements were fluent, but almost unnoticeably small, therefore it took Genesis quite some time until he had reached the position he wanted to be in. For a while, he just watched his sleeping friend, and a strange, intense feeling of warmth spread through his entire body again. This feeling... it's weakness, isn't it?
Involuntarily, he moved, just a tad too sudden. Angeal didn't wake up, but reached out to close his hand around Genesis' again, gentle but firm at the same time, as if he was holding on to something very fragile and precious he just didn't want to let go. Whatever wall Genesis had been trying to create against this feeling, it melted down instantly like a shield of ice touched by a desert storm.
For some reason, he still couldn't take his eyes off of Angeal. The situation was familiar, yet almost forgotten like so many childhood traditions: Faced with sheer, flawless beauty and perfection, like a fresh cover of snow glistening in the sunlight, or a rising sun creating the most amazing colours in the sky, he had spent hours just staring at it, taking it in as much as he could, caught in a weightless, dreamlike haze. He completely lost himself in those moments, and became part of whatever he was admiring. There were absolutely no words to describe what he felt, but for once, Genesis wasn't upset about it. For this one moment entirely suspended in time, the whole purpose of his existence was reduced to feeling this incredible warmth echoing through his body with every beat of his heart, and to knowing all of a sudden with absolute certainty that this was what he had desired his whole life.
Without being able to tell why, he reached out to caress Angeal's cheek. And even though it was tiny, weightless gesture, it was too much to ignore.
When Angeal opened his eyes to look at him, Genesis smiled, a trace of that dreamlike haze still highlighting his face. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you..."
"I can think of worse ways to be woken up..."
Those words, however, created a connection that made Genesis lower his glance immediately. "Like last night, you mean?"
"Don't worry, I wasn't -" ...sleeping anyway? You are not honestly considering to tell him that, are you? Why don't you add that you were staring at him for the most part of the night, while you're at it? It's not like that sounds creepy or obsessed or anything... "- bothered by it. Not at all."
As if he hadn't taken in those words, Genesis tried to sit up.
"What are you doing?" Angeal inquired softly.
"Getting up, I guess..." More a question than a statement.
"There is no need to. I'm sure it's not even five yet."
"But..." Genesis started, lacking the right words to continue. Obviously his mind shared Angeal's perspective, or simply considered it much too early to work properly.
Without dwelling on the unfinished statement, Angeal reached out and pulled Genesis back down. "Just give me a few more minutes of your precious time, ok?"
The way Genesis gave in without even trying to resist told him more than any words could have. However, feeling him that close yet again, the weight of his body against his own and the odd warmth it created, was like a déjà-vue of the strange sensation that had kept Angeal awake for most of the night. Part of him was entirely happy with the situation and satisfied just to hold Genesis, while another part of him actually wanted more than just that. Much more.
To stop his thoughts from moving in circles yet again, he decided to ask another question that had bothered him all along: "Anything you're not telling me?"
"What makes you think so?"
His fingers gently trailed over Genesis' back. "The very fact that you ask that question. And... well, that your behaviour is a tad unusual, to say the least."
Genesis tensed noticeably. "Why that?"
"You were talking in your sleep. Unless your habits changed drastically in the last two years, I think that qualifies as unusual..." Angeal knew as a matter of fact that Genesis usually neither moved nor spoke while he was asleep. Quite the opposite, he tended to be so eerily quiet that back in those days when they had still shared a room, Angeal had often felt the irrational urge to get up and check if Genesis was still breathing.
"What did I say?" An obvious try to sound casual.
"To be honest, I can't tell you. I couldn't understand a thing..." Angeal paused, before he added another question, although he actually didn't want to go there either: "What's the matter? Are you... scared that it's going to happen again?"
"What?" Genesis was suddenly close to panic, but he had no idea why. Impossible... it can't happen again...
"Because of what happened yesterday. The bleeding. Are you scared it's going to turn out like..." For some reason, he couldn't say it. "Like back then?" The truth was he had no idea how long Genesis had known that something with the initial Mako treatment had gone wrong, but he had the suspicion that it might have been from quite early on, maybe even from day one. Looking back, it almost hurt to think how long Genesis had struggled with that secret on his own, before he could finally not hide it anymore.
Genesis felt a wave of relief wash over him he couldn't explain either. Still, he wanted to deny instantly. But to his own surprise, his lips didn't obey. Instead of the intended Of course not, they voiced a hesitant "Maybe." Maybe that's it. A very good reason after all. Very logical. And very wrong?
"In that case, I want to tell you the same thing I would have told you back then, if I had known earlier: You are not alone anymore. Those times are long over, Gen. Just trust me, ok?"
"Thank you." Two small words, but entirely heartfelt.
They shared a few more precious moments, until Genesis insisted it was time for him to get up. "As much as I would like to stay, I still need to have a shower, get dressed and have a look at some of my old notes again. Stevenson is going to use me as a target for Materia-practice if I turn up unprepared or late on my very first day back in class."
Angeal still couldn't resist some half-serious, half-playful teasing: "And I thought you were in such a hurry to get away from me..."
"Don't be silly, Geal."
The use of this unexpected, yet familiar name caught Angeal by surprise. "Do you know you haven't called me that in ages?"
"What, 'silly'?"
Very funny. Angeal just shook his head. Remember why we came up with those names in the first place? Because they stated with the same letter. Gen. Geal. Made us feel even more connected than we already were.
"I didn't know it was that important to you. Maybe I should start using it again... Sounds better than 'sweetheart' or 'honey', doesn't it?"
Angeal showed him a bright, warm smile, and Genesis suddenly noticed an odd feeling of protectiveness welling up inside of him, so strong it almost took his breath away and made every heartbeat a painful torture. Strength. Weakness. Both at once. I won't let anything happen to you. I swear. And even though he made this vow with all his heart, he wasn't entirely sure what he was promising to protect him of.
~°oOo°~
"Gentlemen, I think that's all for today..."
Sephiroth felt a trace of relief. Company meeting were tedious, especially when he could see no good reason why he had to attend them at all. Why did they need strategists and military leaders to discuss petty problems like additional fundings for the Science Department? All he wanted was to get away from this waste of time and do something that actually led to results.
Most of the other attendants – officers and civil employees alike - seemed to think along the very same lines, given the eagerness they suddenly showed by collecting their papers, some of them even preparing to get up already before the meeting was officially closed. However, something told Sephiroth that they were in for a surprise. From the corner of his eye, he could see another officer approaching, a young man in his mid-twenties, wearing the insignia of the MIC, the Military Intelligence Corps. The way he walked, just a tad too straight and arrogant, predicted bad news.
Sephiroth had already registered the missing presence of an MIC member at the conference table earlier on, but he had put it down to the usual quarrels between them and the Turks, which usually resulted in one of the parties refusing to attend certain meetings for a while. In that regard, they were just like children. Bratty, spoiled children.
Behind those petty disputes, however, was a serious problem rooted in the fact that the executive board was unable to restructure the company's departments efficiently, and to keep their spheres of influence neatly separated. While the Investigation Sector of the General Affairs Department, the Turks, as they had been nicknamed for some reason, had gained more and more influence and become the strongest force in Public Safety within just a few years, the Military Intelligence Corps had gradually lost their former position, being merely responsible for strictly military investigations and recon missions by now. This area would have provided more than enough work, if the MIC had just chosen to accept it instead of trying to interfere with the Turks all the time; but as a matter of fact, both organizations were fighting for every assignment that fell into the grey zone between their responsibilities like dogs for a bone. In the long run, however, the Turks were highly likely to win that fight, Sephiroth could predict that with almost absolute certainty. Better organisation, clearer hierarchies and last but not least a more competent leader spoke strictly in their favour.
"I am very sorry, but this meeting is far from over."
Obviously it was the first time this officer had the chance to use the powers that came with his rank. Sephiroth could have sworn he was newly promoted, and that this promotion hadn't been exactly a good decision.
"Gentlemen, it's my duty to inform you that we are facing a major breach of security. Right here, in this headquarter."
Suddenly, he got the undivided attention of most participants. Sephiroth, however, wasn't impressed yet. The MIC was prone to exaggerate, and therefore he needed more details in order to decide if this incident was worthy of his attention or not.
"Last night, someone managed to gain access to the registry and the files stored within. The exact course of events is still subject of investigation, but we have reason to believe..."
"Is it just me, or would anyone else prefer a detailed damage report to unconfirmed speculations?"
The MIC officer turned towards the speaker in a split second, his expression predicting trouble for whoever had dared to interrupt him. Unfortunately, he found himself eye in eye with the most famous SOLDIER himself. His insecurity showed instantly. "Sir?"
Sephiroth hardly suppressed a frown. "I assume that since you took the liberty to keep all of us from continuing with our work, there has been some serious damage we should know about. So what exactly was stolen?"
"We are still checking the filing cabinets, but so far, it seems like the intruder was surprised and therefore -"
"So in other words, nothing?"
"At the moment being, we can't tell that with absolute certainty, but -"
"Was there at least some noteworthy damage?"
The officer now squirmed under Sephiroth's scrutiny. "It seems like the intruder had access to a key card -"
"Which equals nothing to speak of. In all honesty, why do you bother us with such a nuisance?" Getting up slowly and turning to the man in the black suit sitting right next to him, Sephiroth asked very audibly: "Isn't that Turk territory anyway?"
The sheer mentioning of the other department turned out to be a red flag. "Maybe you should take this matter a bit more serious, sir."
"And why should I?" Sephiroth continued his preparations to leave the room.
"Maybe because we already know that the intruder obviously was after an Infantry soldier's file. Said soldier died during the so-called Fairmont Campaign, an operation you happened to command back then. Not extremely successful, if I might add."
Outwardly, Sephiroth stayed calm, but his eyes gleamed coldly. "This is getting ridiculous."
"Quite the opposite, sir. Think about it: the crisis in Wutai is just heating up again. Maybe they sent some people to find out about our weak spots. Or should I say your weak spots, since you will most likely command a major part of the army in case of -"
To everyone's surprise, Sephiroth seemed unimpressed by this possibility. "If that's true, it would be one more reason to finish the investigations first of all, before torturing us with incomplete information and bold assumptions. Last time I checked, your Corps was paid for working, not for guessing randomly." He picked up his papers. "I'll expect your report. And make it a complete report this time." With a brief nod into the round, he walked out of the room.
He was already on his way to the elevator when he realized that someone was following him. From the corner of his eye, he recognized the member of the Turks he had previously addressed. At least Veld usually had the decency to send a halfway intelligent replacement when he couldn't attend personally.
Making it look almost casual, the man stepped up to Sephiroth as if he was just waiting for the elevator, too. Then he suddenly stated: "You are right, sir. The incompetence of the MIC is outrageous."
I know, and I don't need you to tell me that, Sephiroth thought instantly. Yet he knew better than to voice those words. Something told him that the other might have something up his sleeve.
And he was right. "However... Our inexperienced friend raised a valid point for once. We should take this matter seriously."
"Because it might have been an inside job?"
If the Turk was surprised, he didn't show it. "Exactly. After all, our mysterious intruder knew how to get access to a key card." He looked at Sephiroth apologetically. "At the moment being, it's labelled a strictly military matter and therefore our hands are tied. Still... if you have any reason to be personally interested in that matter, I'd recommend talking to a man of your unit, sir. A SOLDIER by the name of Alexander Griffin."
Sephiroth's mood darkened. "Since when is a SOLDIER working for the Turks?"
"Oh, Griffin is not working for us. Unfortunately, I might add."
In the background, the elevator doors opened soundlessly. "And why exactly should I talk to him then?"
"If anything happens within the troops, he is the one to ask. Rumour has it that if Griffin doesn't know about it and can't find out more within a few days, it doesn't exist."
"In that case, I'll consider the option." Sephiroth nodded towards the man, and stepped into the elevator. He would deal with that matter later on. For the moment being, there was a different mission to fulfil. Difficult, daring, and maybe no less important.
~°oOo°~
It was just a few minutes after ten o'clock, and most students of Major Stevenson's Advanced Materia Class had left the class room to do whatever they thought necessary to do during a break. It was not like Genesis cared anyway. He preferred the silence they had left behind to their loud and often highly annoying presence. And he had more important things on his mind than gossip and endless innuendo. Therefore, he had remained seated in the empty room, pretending to study some notes. His attention, however, was not focused on anything Materia-related. Instead, his glance was drawn again and again to a single line on the empty piece of paper in front of him.
Three simple, innocent numbers.
9, 16, 18
What exactly is that supposed to be? A mathematical riddle?
As far as he could tell, there was no obvious connection between them. Apart from the fact that 18 was two times nine, of course, but that didn't seem helpful. They weren't part of a row, like prime numbers or the Fibonacci sequence. Even though his mind generally refused to acknowledge the importance of such plain logical details, this was something he could tell straight away.
'Third time's a charm'... three? Nine is three times three, 18 is six times three... but 16? Why 16? Why not 15? That would work...
Genesis lifted his glance, letting it drift aimlessly over the surroundings, seeing and blinded at the same time. He wondered about himself. Why was he taking this so seriously? It had been a dream, and dreams often made no sense, at least not if one tried to interpret them literally. What made this dream so different? The fact that it felt so... real. Almost like a warning. And how am I going to protect anyone if I don't know what I'm up against?
Despite his determination, however, all his tries to decipher the cryptic warning had failed. Neither the first nor the second line from the note in his dreams made the least bit of sense, and the third...
"Extending in the same direction, equidistant at all points, and never converging or diverging." He had no idea why he had whispered those words. If he tried to find a line of poetry, it usually helped to say the words out loud. But this wasn't exactly poetry...
"Genesis?"
He couldn't help but tense violently. In the next moment, he cursed himself for doing so. It was just his name, for Gaia's sake, and he just couldn't afford to get an anxiety fit every time someone addressed him. In addition... how on the planet could he have missed someone walking up to him? Focused on other things or not, this is what the heightened senses that came with being a SOLDIER were all about, weren't they? And as if to spite him, those senses were working flawlessly now, telling him exactly who to expect when he turned his head. At least he didn't have to blame himself for missing someone approaching with the stealth of a Shinra freight train...
Sephiroth looked at him. It was a calculated glance, and Genesis could tell that he was evaluating something, but not what exactly.
He tried to play over that insecurity with a slightly too cheerful "Long time no see. What can I do for you, my friend?"
It had never been Sephiroth's intention to beat around the bush. In his opinion, there was no time for unnecessary procrastination, and no use for pointless small talk. "A long time indeed. Are you trying to avoid me recently?"
"Why should I?" Irritated, Genesis realized that his left hand had covered the paper in front of him with a hasty, guilty-looking gesture.
Again, Sephiroth gave him one of those contemplative glances, before he returned: "Maybe because I'm the only person who knows what exactly happened during your accident."
Genesis turned back to his piece of paper, and acted as if he was totally engrossed in some sort of work, when in fact all he did was drawing circles around the three numbers. "That would be a petty reason, wouldn't it?"
Sephiroth wasn't even sure what he expected from that little venture. Until a few minutes ago, he hadn't planned to address this very topic at all, but then he had seen Genesis' off-guard reaction and the very well-hidden guilty expression on his face. He didn't care what exactly Genesis was trying to hide, but he could feel with the instinct of an experienced military leader that there was something going on behind that casual facade his friend was trying to keep up. And he needed to know if it was enough to worry, needed to know as a superior officer, as a comrade and last but not least as a friend. "Depends. Given the fact that you haven't told Angeal any details yet, it can't be that petty, can it?"
Genesis lifted his glance just a tad too fast, too alarmed. He knew that his friend wasn't too good at picking up hidden emotions, but this was just as obvious as blatant agreement. It slightly annoyed him to be so defenceless. "Why should I burden him with something as unimportant as that?"
"Because that's what friends do?"
"Is it?"
It was like a duel of some sorts, throwing questions back and forth like darts, just to see who would be the first failing to dodge them. And although Sephiroth could have played along for quite a while, he knew that Genesis was perfectly capable of doing the same. This was leading nowhere... Enough with hiding, it was time to attack directly. "I don't know. You tell me."
Reacting to the change of tone, Genesis suddenly decided to change his strategy as well. "Sometimes it is better not to tell each other everything. Believe me, it's exactly what friends are supposed to do." He looked at Sephiroth intensely. "And if you are my friend as well as Angeal's, you won't tell him anything either."
Sephiroth couldn't help but notice how odd the situation really was. In fact, 'odd' was the only word he had to describe it, since he didn't know how to label that feeling, or what it was supposed to be. He could clearly recall Genesis' cold, distant glance when Angeal had first introduced them to each other. Of course there had been a trace of awe in that glance, too, but Sephiroth had learned pretty fast that his new acquaintance was not the one to admit being impressed by another person, not even by someone as impressive as the top SOLDIER himself.
For the next few weeks, it had seemed as if Angeal's tries to melt Sephiroth into their chain of friendship were bound to fail. Genesis had either ignored him, or talked to him in a haughty and cold tone that made every sentence sound like 'I don't care' or 'Stay the hell away from me'. All the time, Angeal had taken Genesis' arrogance and Sephiroth's resignation with a patient smile. "Don't worry, he'll come around eventually. Just give him time."
Sephiroth couldn't help but admire that optimism. To him, it seemed unrealistic, given those glances Genesis threw at him from the background whenever he and Angeal were talking alone. In the beginning, he had not even known what to make out of them. It was a voiceless 'How dare you?', an expression of sheer disdain reserved for a person who undeservedly claimed the victory for themselves just because they happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Yet in the end, Angeal had turned out right. Suddenly, there had been a hesitant acceptance from Genesis' side, which gradually grew into something like honest appreciation. However, as long as Sephiroth had known his two friends, he had learned to accept that what was between him and them was nothing compared to what they had with each other. If the connection between the three of them could be seen as a firm rope, the relation between Genesis and Angeal was a stainless steel chain. So many times he had watched them seemingly understanding each other without words, sharing secrets that he wasn't even aware of. He had watched them with interest, sometimes unsure if he should feel envy for that bond connecting them. And now that for the first time, Genesis had chosen to share a secret him – forced by circumstances or not – he wasn't sure what to feel either.
"It's not my style to talk behind someone's back, you know that. Besides, what's the use? It might be only a matter of time until Angeal finds out anyway..."
The expression on Genesis face was calm and reserved, the equivalent to a door flying shut. "Why should he? The problem is solved. Something like this will never happened again – I promised you that, remember?"
How was the term again? Showing commitment... "I honour your determination, but what if this is something that is out of your control?"
For a second, there was a spark, something that predicted a fierce reaction, but then the glow in Genesis' eyes became duller. As if he didn't have the energy to do so, he returned: "I'm fine. No need to worry."
Sephiroth still wasn't sure if this would lead to any results. If Genesis wasn't talking to his best friend, why should he suddenly decide to talk to him? However, he also saw this as a little personal experiment, an exercise in strategy. "Well, obviously your definition of 'fine' is differently from mine."
The expression didn't change, but it seemed hardened, as if the closed door had now been locked and bolted. "Give me one of your definitions that is not different from mine. It's all a matter of perspectives anyway, and ours don't exactly match."
"Still, my definition doesn't include paying no attention to your surroundings and almost falling off your chair... and I doubt yours does." Sephiroth was not the one to be distracted by generalisations. And if Genesis could use them, so could he. "Problems don't get solved by ignoring them, you know."
"Don't worry; I'm very capable of solving problems on my own."
"Now why did I expect to hear exactly that?" The verbal equivalent to the sigh a mother would use when faced with a stubborn child.
With a tilt of his head, Genesis simply returned: "I am not bound to please thee with my answer."
It was obvious that he was quoting. He had a certain, almost dramatic way of literally acting out the words when he did. Although Sephiroth had no idea why his friend sometimes preferred other people's words over his own, he had the sneaking suspicion that in this case, it was because he had no other way of putting it.
"It's not like there is any need to please me." As if he only now remembered why had come here in the first place, he held out a sheet of paper to Genesis.
"What's this?"
"Your holiday request. At least, that's what it is going to be as soon as you signed it."
Genesis hesitated first, but then reached out and took the paper. He held Sephiroth' gaze for just a second longer, and then lowered his head slowly to study the document.
"I took the liberty to have the necessary information filled in already," Sephiroth continued. Noticing Genesis' slight frown, he added: "I did the same for Angeal, and if you want to change anything, you're welcome to do so."
Even though he tried to focus on the content, Genesis couldn't help but simply skip over most of it to get to the most crucial part: the justification. It didn't say so on the document, of course. The term used was 'reason for request'. Instead of words, however, just three two-digit numbers filled the space.
Oh great... more numbers. As a matter of fact, however, Genesis knew that the third set of those numbers represented 'due to health issues'. For a second, his mind tried to evaluate whether this was acceptable or not, before deciding to base that on the meaning of the two previous codes. The second was short for 'recent promotion'. According to Shinra rules, any newly promoted staff member had the right to file for holidays, to compensate the amount of effort that had been necessary to reach that promotion. He didn't know about the other departments, but at least with the military, it depended a lot on the circumstances if that request was granted or not.
Not being able to figure out the meaning of the first two digits, he finally asked: "What does that code stand for?"
"Basically the official version of 'haven't had any holidays in ages'." Sephiroth knew any code in the book of this company by heart, but it had been Angeal's idea to put some other reason – or preferably reasons – before the 'health issues', to make the whole request appear more demanding then asking for a favour.
Genesis hesitated for another moment, but then silently scolded himself. There are more important things to worry about right now than your dignity. Truth be told, he wasn't even sure if he wanted this holiday-thing to work out, but this was already a development from being dead set against it in the first place. And in addition, he had promised Angeal to play along. He sighed, and then picked up the pen he had put aside earlier to sign the form with a single fluent movement of his left hand, before handing it back to Sephiroth with the right.
It was just a minor detail, but Sephiroth couldn't help noticing. If I was Angeal, I'd know what to read in that... It was not very satisfying that he still had no idea what exactly Genesis' current condition was like. The walls his friend had erected around himself had proved resistant to direct attack so far. But maybe an indirect, gradual approach aiming at voluntary surrender was the better strategy anyway. Looking at the almost calligraphic signature on the paper, more a drawing than a sequence of letters, Sephiroth decided that a small victory was definitely better than none.
Behind him, he could hear the heavy steps of some other SOLDIERs returning from their break, accompanied by hearty laughter that suddenly stopped when they registered his presence. As much as every member of the unit was used to the living legend walking among them, there still was something that inspired an instant, almost frightened respect.
Before Sephiroth turned to leave, however, he remembered something. "Oh, and by the way, it's a parallel."
Genesis looked at him with honest surprise. "What?"
"What you were saying in the very beginning. 'Extending in the same direction, equidistant at all points, and never converging or diverging' – that's the text book definition of a parallel."
"Of course it is," Genesis said, more to himself than to Sephiroth, who still mistook the anxiety in his friend's voice for mild annoyance.
~°oOo°~
When Sephiroth returned to his office, he found someone already waiting for him. Unlike his comrades before, the blond man, only a few years older than Sephiroth himself, didn't show any sign of nervousness when the famous SOLDIER approached, at least not outwardly, and saluted with a brief, effortless movement.
Sephiroth took a few moments to analyze what he was up against with the same brief, calculating glance he would have given a strategic map or an intelligence report. A hasty observer might have noted that the person standing in front of him was not half as impressive as the reputation he had within the Company, even appearing slightly smaller than the standard member of Shinra's elite force. True, he would have been labelled 'somehow attractive' by most, but Sephiroth knew that looks counted for nothing on a battlefield. However, there was something else about this young man, surrounding him like an aura, something aloof and opaque. His eyes showed the intense, almost unnatural glow of a person who had natural blue eyes, so the Mako only intensified them, but part of their light seemed to stem from a different source.
"The name is Griffin, sir. Alex Griffin. Shinra Military Department, Special Units, currently... "
"I know who you are, SOLDIER," Sephiroth interrupted him curtly. "Alexander Lewis Evan Griffin, second son and third child of Beatrice de Beaumont and Trevor Griffin, born on the 23rd of February 1975 in Southern Ridge, an outskirt of Midgar. Started his career in Military Logistics, and worked his way up to Special Units within a few years. Currently SOLDIER First Class, Shinra Personal Number 873 53 01." He noticed the brief smile playing on his opposite's lips, without being able to tell why it was there. Satisfaction? Disappointment? Cover-up? "As I heard, you are also something like the unit's unofficial SAR specialist."
"If 'unofficial' means 'involuntary', that's true. Still, since you didn't want to talk to me about a mission, we can skip that part."
"How do you know?"
Griffin just shrugged. "Well, let's just call it some sort of feeling. Never betrayed me so far. Therefore, it might be easier to avoid those pleasantries and get straight to the point. I suppose your time is limited and valuable."
Sephiroth couldn't help but feel sympathy for the other SOLDIER. He obviously didn't like useless talk any more than he did. However, a part of his mind insisted he should stay on guard. The young man in front of him was anything but harmless, he sensed that with the same intuition allowing him to predict an enemy ambush.
Casually, as if it was still one of those pleasantries he had rejected before, Griffin continued: "This is more about last night's breaking and entering, isn't it?"
Hiding his surprise, Sephiroth decided there was no need to deny. "You obviously deserve the reputation you have amongst the members of the Military Department. This... 'incident' is hardly common knowledge."
"Oh, please. It would be quite difficult not to know about it. The MIC is in charge of the investigations, and as usual, all they focus on is trying to keep the Turks out of it, while completely failing to understand that this draws even more attention. No surprise really. I know quite a few people who claim MIC is short for 'manipulative, incompetent, catastrophic'."
Sephiroth flashed a brief smile, which the other SOLDIER mirrored in a slightly brighter version, before he added in the same light tone: "Well, I personally tend to call them the DIY department. Whenever you get any information from that source, you need to verify it yourself first of all…" The smile was still playing on his lips, but at the same time, his eyes spelled out 'Ok, that's enough small-talk for now. Why don't we get down to business?'
"What do you know about an Infantry soldier named Taylor Levery? KIA during the Fairmont campaign about two years ago."
"Taylor Levery..." Griffin repeated slowly and thoughtfully. "I don't think that name rings a bell, but I'm not quite sure. Maybe if I could have a look at that file..."
He nodded in the direction of Sephiroth's desk. An innocent, plain blue folder was lying right in the middle of the immaculate desk top, the database print-out Sephiroth had requested earlier. How the hell does he know I even have that file? Ignoring that rumour has it he knows about everything anyway, of course. Against his better knowledge, Sephiroth felt impressed, but also slightly alarmed. People who know too much can't be trusted... And they make terrible enemies. "Be my guest."
He watched as Griffin studied the file for a while in silence. Despite trying his best, he could not figure out if this was simply an act, if Griffin was just pretending to read because he knew everything already, or if it was genuine interest he showed. Finally, the SOLDIER lowered the file. The expression on his face was cryptic, but vaguely satisfied.
"Tell me what you see that I didn't."
Without even batting an eye, Griffin returned: "To see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear."
Sephiroth frowned. Why for Gaia's sake is everyone in this unit quoting today? At least this time, the words sounded vaguely familiar.
In return to his questioning glance, Griffin added: "Sun Tzu, The Art of War. An old but very useful strategic guideline which everyone in SOLDIER had the pleasure of studying at some point. You are no exception, I guess." Still holding on to the file, he continued: "To answer your previous question, I see a spotless career. Too spotless, if you ask me. As everyone in this company knows, a total lack of flaws is just too good to be true. It's common knowledge that everyone has something hidden in his back yard, but very few people know where to dig in order to find it."
"And you are one of those few, I assume?"
"Let's just say I'm quite good at guessing. And something tells me we should start to dig here…" He held out the file, and pointed to a certain line.
With slight annoyance, Sephiroth registered the use of the word 'we'. He was not intending to familiarize himself with a subordinate, but at the same time, he was curious if Griffin could live up to his reputation. "Those are Levery's results in the qualification exams for SOLDIER."
"Indeed. And how do they look to you?"
Sephiroth took a step forward, but still maintained a notable distance between himself and the other man. "Not too bad, actually…"
"Not too bad? That's an understatement. He aced most of the tests and even showed a promising Mako-tolerance. Despite that, however, he wasn't accepted as a candidate straight away. The question now is: Why?"
"Something tells me you might have the answer to that already…"
"Oh, I'm honoured by your trust, sir, but all I have is a suspicion."
"Let's hear that anyway."
Griffin paused briefly, maybe to achieve a more dramatic effect, before he continued: "When that happens, it usually means the candidate has some sort of negative internal record. Like an ongoing investigation or an accusation that seemed likely, but couldn't be proven."
What he said made a lot of sense. Still, there was a tiny problem. "If so, why is this not recorded in his file?"
"Oh, it is. But it's in the section you can't access without the right clearance level, therefore the person who printed the file for you wasn't able to get it." The bright blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Given your clearance level, it would be easy to get the missing information from the Military Department's data base within seconds."
Despite the fact that Griffin was casually leaning to the desk now, he watched his opposite intensely. Sephiroth couldn't even guess what feelings and ambitions were driving this man, but as a military strategist, he knew a trap when he saw one. And Griffin's words were the verbal equivalent to a well-hidden set-up. He was too eager to get that information, and the question was why. Was he that devoted to his job, or was there something else behind it?
"I'll have a look into that matter later on. Thank you very much for your support." He turned towards his desk, to signal that the conversation was finished for him. However, Griffin remained standing, Defiantly.
"Anything else, SOLDIER?"
"Just for the sake of it, let me make a prediction: the code you'll find when looking into that matter starts with 04 303."
His persistence is indeed quite remarkable… "What makes you think so?"
"Well, he was allowed to re-apply for the exams. 303 is the only 'misconduct' Shinra still treats too leniently." If he had expected any reaction from Sephiroth implying he would keep him updated or at least tell him whether his previous statement was just a vague guess or actually a good prediction, he was in for a disappointment. But surprisingly enough, Griffin showed not even a hint of such an emotion. Instead, he saluted again, and added: "It was a pleasure to help you, sir. If you ever need anything again, you know where to find me."
After he had left, Sephiroth picked up another file he had received earlier, but kept hidden from the eyes of his visitor. Griffin, Alexander. SOLDIER First Class. He took a seat, and started to look through it again, reminding himself of every detail he had already memorized from when he first studied the folder.
So you said a spotless career is too good to be true? That everyone has something to hide, especially those who seem too perfect. Well, Alexander Griffin, your career is virtually flawless. What does this tell us about you then?
A/N – the second: Stating my quoting sources.
"I am not bound to please thee with my answer." is of course a Shakespeare quote (from The Merchant of Venice, to be precise).
All other obvious quotes in this chapter are – as Alex pointed out already – taken from the English translation of Sun Tzu's The Art of War.