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Chapter 6

Several weeks went by after that evening and winter was in her prime now, temperatures were bitter at best and snow had begun to settle in the city.

Sephiroth sat in the briefing room with several other members of SOLDIER, including Genesis and Angeal, awaiting the arrival of Lazard. Apparently several issues needed addressing,

"Just like the trains," Angeal said while they were waiting, "Nothing for ages then everything comes at once..."

Genesis replied with a short hiccup of a laugh and buried himself in his book again. Lazard hurried through the door several minutes later, seemingly slightly flustered and harassed,

"Good morning gentlemen" He said with a sigh and gestured for everyone to sit down.

It emerged that the Wutai army had placed spies and operatives all over the globe. Shinra were apparently unconcerned but lately they had shown signs of increasing hostility, attacking company complexes and personnel closer to Midgar. Genesis and Angeal were to take a team and investigate separate claims while Sephiroth…

"We have a special one for you this time" Lazard said, shifting in his seat to face him, "The Turks managed to capture one of the spies and squeeze some information out of him"

Sephiroth crossed a leg over his knee and watched the information scroll up the screen in front of him,

"Apparently the Wutai have their hands on a powerful weapon and have it stashed close to Howl's summit town, here" A red dot appeared on a map of the northern continent, east of the Icicle Inn settlement, "The spy wouldn't tell us anything else though, even after persuasion...but he hinted that the mako reactor there was somehow involved. A top Shin-Ra scientist has also gone missing. He was last seen at Howl's summit and is presumed kidnapped. He was meant to be supervising a project at the reactor there. That's why we're sending you. The President wants you to handle this one. A member of the Turks will also be accompanying you to assess the impact on the company's reputation..."

As if on cue, the door to the briefing room slid open to admit a person wearing the trade mark blue suit uniform of the Turks,

"I apologise for my tardiness Director" Came a familiar voice. Meia flicked a stray wisp of hair out of her eyes.

"Please don't think anything of it. You haven't missed much, have a seat" Lazard smiled and gestured to a spare chair next to Sephiroth.

She nodded and sat down, casting a sideways glance at the SOLDIER but his gaze was firmly fixed on the brief in front of him. She pursed her lips and watched her own screen as Lazard continued.

After their evening meeting, Meia had clung to a small hope that she would at least receive a message or two from Sephiroth, but nothing ever arrived. She shouldn't be surprised, she told herself, after all they weren't exactly on friendly chatting terms. Sephiroth might not even be the type to send pointless social messages. But still, even telling herself all this there was a part of her that hoped he was starting to see her as more than just a colleague.

Lazard concluded his briefing shortly after and dismissed himself. Most of the SOLDIERS followed him out, leaving the three firsts, a couple of seconds going over the briefs again and Meia. She stared at the screen. The northern continent, it would be nice to get some fresh air. Midgar air was dirty and polluted and hardly ever smelled clean. She stood up and was greeted by Angeal,

"It's nice to see you again. You look lovely by the way" He said, grasping her hand in a warm handshake. She had worn her hair down this time, as she usually does, but she realised Angeal had never seen it like this. Meia smiled at him,

"Thank you Angeal. Been keeping well, I hope?"

He nodded and looked down at Sephiroth, who was still reading, and shook his head.

She followed his gaze and looked back at him again, shrugging. Angeal crossed the room to the other side of the table and joined Genesis, presumably to discuss their team formations. She sighed and began to walk away,

"Meia...look at this with me please" Sephiroth asked suddenly.

She hesitated a moment, before resuming her place next to him and moving her chair slightly closer so she could see properly. A series of photographs were arranged on the screen. Aside from a lot of snow, you couldn't really see much. They also looked like they were taken in a hurry. The last two were interesting though. There was a shape in the blanket of white but whether it was just part of the rocks or something else...she couldn't tell. Sephiroth brought the last photo forward with a flick of his finger on the screen and zoomed in a little bit,

"What does that look like?" He asked her, pointing a gloved digit at a strange looking mass on the screen.

Meia leaned in closer; she couldn't tell,

"Looks like...rocks, no...Wait, something else...?"

Sephiroth looked at her a moment, his eyes studying her expression, before rising. "We're heading out in two hours, we should get ready" And he left the briefing room.

Reaching the cold northern continent was sometimes as simple as a ride in a helicopter but with the weather as it was, it was deemed too risky. Instead they would need to take a ship from Junon to a small port established on the continents south coast where a specialised chopper would be waiting to take them the rest of the way.

The operation was defiantly low man; seemingly the president's faith in Sephiroth was so great he could be trusted to do missions alone. Plus one Turk of course.

Meia stood at the stern of the cargo ship that was steadily cutting its way through the murky dark sea, wearing a large quilted coat to keep warm. The boat itself was hauling supplies up to the Shinra bases as well as transporting the pair of them.

The ride so far had been calm and smooth with no hint of sickness to hinder her. Meia wasn't even sure she got motion sickness, but she wouldn't be tested by these conditions. She took a sip from the plastic cup she held in her mittened hands; the brew within that called itself coffee was revolting. She screwed her face up. Can't expect much better from a standard issue free coffee machine, Meia thought. It was simply hot coffee flavoured water. Tasted like the lines hadn't been cleaned in a while either. Unable to drink anymore she poured the rest overboard, watching the wind splatter it all over the ship's hull and searched for a bin to dispose the cheap cup in. Hopefully Howl's Summit had a halfway decent method of making her favourite drink.

She resumed her position on the stern's rail and watched the frothy wake billow from the turbines under the water's surface. Over the low thundering sound she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. A member of the crew? No, they walked like behemoths with four left feet; these footfalls were soft and light. Sephiroth, Meia concluded, her theory confirmed a moment later when a black gloved hand gripped the railing beside her left elbow,

"The captain estimates we'll arrive at port just before dawn, conditions permitting" He stated, looking off into the distance.

Meia nodded in acknowledgment and straightened up. He didn't appear to want to leave yet however, maybe he had something else he wanted to say. She placed her hands in her pockets, waiting.

Meia would feel uncomfortable normally. She liked to talk, though recently her mood had set her slightly on the quiet side. Normally she would be the one to try and illicit a conversation, but she had learned that with Sephiroth there was no wasted breath. But despite this Meia had come to understand that he wasn't unpleasant, simply pensive; not one to waste time on idle chatter.

Not with mere colleagues, anyway. Meia cast her eyes down. Did this thought make her sad? A slight swimming in the pit of her stomach told her it might. Either that or it was the motion of the boat.

But she wasn't uncomfortable, not with Sephiroth anymore at least. It was just how he was. She understood that now. Perhaps they could one day be friends, or perhaps not. Meia was patient.

They spent a good while watching the sun gradually make its way closer to the horizon on their right before Sephiroth spoke again,

"Have you given any more thought to my question Meia?" He asked, still unmoving. Meia assumed he meant the photo's in the briefing room,

"Hmm, a little. I just can't work out if its normal or something we should be concerned about..." She scuffed a patch of rust on the deck with her shoe.

Sephiroth Paused a moment before turning to face her, his head tilted to one side slightly,

"Normal? There isn't anything normal about it..." He hesitated, "Are you sure you know what question I was referring too?

She looked at him, looking lost herself now,

"I think we're confusing each other…"

Sephiroth paused a moment, thinking, before replying,

"My apologies...I was referring to you joining SOLDIER"

"I thought you meant the photo's in the briefing room"

Sephiroth let out a low chuckle and turned to face the railing again,

"Sorry, I wasn't very clear"

Meia smiled and shook her head, perching on the barrier behind her so she was facing the ship now. His facade seemed to be slipping again and Meia relished the opportunity to talk, despite the touchy subject matter,

"If I'm honest with you, no. I just...don't know" She shook her head. She had her reasons of course, but opening up and telling Sephiroth, of all people, just didn't feel right. She assumed he didn't care for emotional reasoning. But what was she afraid of? Offending him? Or something else…

She felt him straighten up to his full height. Not impressed, again, she thought,

"Meia, I would like you think about it seriously. SOLDIER could use more good people. Our numbers have been decreasing for some time now. We're losing a lot of members to the war with Wutai. More than I'm inclined to believe to be honest with you, but no one is saying anything. As usual" He sighed, his eyes and voice betraying a hint of frustration that Meia realised wasn't necessarily tied to what he just said.

"Ok then. I'll think about it" She stated, a chill washing over her.

Meia glanced once more at the setting sun before bidding Sephiroth goodnight and heading off inside to her cabin.

He watched her as she crossed the deck and disappeared downstairs. What was stopping her from joining? He could tell there was a reason, but she wasn't willing to tell him. Was he that cold? He leant on the railing and watched the wake as she had done.

Sephiroth could sense a bond was beginning to form between them. He remembered the feeling from when he had met Genesis and Angeal. The feeling that caused him to look up and smile when they entered a room with him, rather than do his best to blend in the background. The feeling that let him say what was more or less on his mind, rather than saying as little as possible to avoid questions. He just hoped his personality wouldn't deter her.

He was reminded of the time they first met. Children...how they were free to be whoever or whatever they wanted to be, not having to worry about responsibility or what anyone thought of them. He envied the boy in his memories. Life was so much easier back then.

Sephiroth and Meia arrived at port more or less when the Captain had planned. It was still dark when they carried their packs down the gangplank and headed for the heliport. The Shinra settlement was a small one, simply consisting of the dock, a few cranes, a small HQ building and a heliport and hanger. Being assigned here must be a test of one's patience, Meia thought. A couple of employee's met them on the dock and directed them to the waiting helicopter.

They had been flying an hour or so now, Meia thought to herself. She looked out the open bay doors at the sliver of red light appearing way off on the horizon line. The colours of the sky were changing now, from deep blue through to purple and pink. The storm clouds in the distance were painted crimson and gradually turning to gold, heralding the sunrise. Meia inhaled; aside from the exhaust fumes from the helicopters engines the air was crisp and clean. Mountain air, how it cleared her head and refreshed her soul. It was the simple things…

Meia was jolted out of her revere by the chopper, which had lurched and righted itself again. She looked at Sephiroth, sitting opposite her behind the pilot; he had his eyes cast down, seemingly listening. He'd felt it too. Something wasn't right. She got up and as she did so, a loud ominous crack sounded, followed closely by a sound she knew all too well.

Bullet hitting flesh.

She dashed forward; the pilot had been hit square between the eyes. Meaning no one was flying,

"Wutai?" Meia asked Sephiroth, who was now crouching down next to the open door.

"Probably. Can you fly a helicopter?"

"Yes"

"Take over, try to land us. Were vulnerable in the air" He stated calmly.

Meia acted fast, the chopped was starting to veer and bank with no one to steady it. She yanked the dead pilot out of the seat, mentally apologising to him, and jumped in to take over. Gently but firmly she righted their course and began to look for a suitable place to land.

Sephiroth perched on the helicopters open edge, scanning the white expanse below them for signs of the enemy. A small patrol of two off-road vehicles was speeding towards them; Sephiroth summoned masamune to his left hand, the beautiful long blade manifesting obediently, waiting to be wielded in battle.

Meia was beginning to set them down but ten meters off the ground, Sephiroth sprang out the open door and landed perfectly on the snow below. He stood to his full height, shoulders squarely back and head held high, a warrior's pose, as he waited for the enemy to come to him.

Meia set the chopper down as gently as she could for a rushed landing, turned the engine off and scrambled out of the pilots seat, her handgun loaded and ready. She moved to the edge of the helicopter doors and crouched, watching Sephiroth curiously and with a slight rush of excitement in her chest; she knew full well he had the two vehicles making a bee line for them covered but when he leapt off at a dead sprint, she couldn't help but watch him.

He charged over the snow like it was perfectly smooth concrete, his powerful legs carrying him effortlessly. Then he vanished. Meia watched in awe as the vehicle at the front simply exploded moments later, sending debris and bodies flying high in the sky. She saw the second falter, trying to break but their efforts were futile and they met the same fate as the first vehicle. Sephiroth's speed and power was frightening. Dispatching them with one perfect swing each. Meia now fathomed now just how lucky her jaw really was.

The crack of a gunshot behind her caught Meia's attention and she quickly ducked for cover, moving to the opposite side of the chopper. More of the enemy? She scanned and listened and another crack followed by a bullet ricocheting off the floor. They were hiding somewhere in the rocks behind the chopper, at the base of a rocky bluff jutting out of the snow. She peered around the edge of the door cautiously, gun cocked and ready to fire.

Meia watched for any sign of movement, her eyes straining against the white of the snow and the effort of knowing who ever it was was probably camouflaged and therefore needed a great deal of concentration to pick out. But finally she was rewarded with a flash of light followed by a gunshot; The sun reflecting off a pair of glasses.

She had him.

Meia took aim and fired, her bullet finding its mark in the gunman's shoulder. The Turk set off, jumping from the chopper ready to fire another round if need be, the gunman panicking and fumbling his reload and only managing to fire off one poorly aimed round before Meia was on him. She shot him again in his trigger arm and he screamed in agony, dropping the rifle he was carrying. He reached for a long knife at his side but Meia shot that out of his hands as well,

"Try anything else and your life will be next" She commanded, her voice now deadly serious.

The Wutai sniper raised his hands slowly; a mixture of pain and loathing painted across his face.

"What are you protecting" Meia stated calmly. The prisoner said nothing. She shot him in the kneecap. A bloodcurdling scream echoed and bounced off the rocks as the sniper fell on his back, writhing in agony,

"Again, what are you protecting?" Meia cocked her gun and took aim at his remaining kneecap.

The Wutai man babbled something in his native language and spat on the ground next to her shoes. She shot him again, shattering his other knee. He was irritating her now. He screamed so hard this time he retched and coughed,

"Ignorant Shinra bitch!" He yelled, "Kill me, it makes no difference. You will fall to the Wushang! You will all suffer and die. My soul will return to the planet and I will make my brothers stronger!"

"I'll only give you one more chance. What were you sent out here to protect, answer me!" Meia snarled, placing a foot on one of the man's devastated knees and applying pressure.

The noise he made was horrible but she didn't flinch. This was the ugly side of her job. This was why she worked so hard to contain her feelings, her emotions. Slow, controlled footsteps approached her from behind but she was downwind and had caught a familiar scent before she'd heard them. She knew she was in no danger so she pushed on the man's knee harder,

"Tell me..." She bent closer to her victim.

"He will...bring victory to our people. You will...never...ah! Never stop our beloved..." The man then cackled uncontrollably; the pain seemed to have driven him to madness.

Meia straightened up and, without hesitation, shot him between the eyes. The addled expression sagged slightly as the life left the snipers body. She kicked snow over his face; ugly, she thought and turned to leave, passing Sephiroth silently.

He watched her approach and pass him, but she didn't return his gaze. She was focused, her face stony and expressionless. She didn't enjoy what she did, he thought. She was human. Though he was slightly taken aback that a woman like Meia could suddenly become so deadly.

He'd underestimated her.

Sephiroth glanced at the lifeless body of the sniper as he turned to move away, watching the pools of blood bloom and frame the corpses knees, arm and head. It was almost beautiful. He turned and returned to the chopper, Meia having already re-started the engines to warm them up again.

Last edit; 26/04/2016