Good eeeevening one and all! Sorry this is a bit late, but it was another case of 'having to get it right' u_u many a problem could arise from me not writing this one properly XD;
My usual thanks to my regular readers, and another thank you to my new ones :) And my biggest thanks to my regular reviewers, I really am very lucky to have people willing to write reviews that are substantial, as opposed to one liners - you guys rock, seriously :)
Music for Gismo - Youtube search - 'The positive distraction' by Paul Collier (thumbnail is a lil fish in a pond) This is just a nice track I listen to when I need to focus, has appropriate levels of emotion for the chapter though so I played it on repeat.
Disclaimer - Original characters, place names and plot are copyright to Square Enix. I do not own them and this is a work of fandom, not for profit. all I own is Meia, my own original place names and OC's.
Chapter 26
Angeal and Genesis couldn't believe their luck as the latter snapped shut his phone. Lazard had just informed them of a call that was made from a small town they were close too. Apparently two people washed up on the beach the day before last, both wearing Shinra uniforms. One in particular was very recognisable…
"Can't you drive faster, Angeal?" Genesis protested, wrestling with a map in his lap. Angeal shook his head,
"This is all we're getting. If we aren't careful, we won't be able to get back again. There's that to consider too" The gruff man replied. Angeal was currently rougher around the edges than usual. Genesis informed him to take the next right and after that, they should be in the town in about an hour. He rested his elbow on the open window and bit down on a gloved finger. They both prayed Sephiroth and Meia were still healthy.
The sound of cicada's. Lots of them, chirping away outside his window. Normally he would be highly irritated by the sound. But strangely enough today, he didn't care. Sephiroth blinked his half-closed eyes slowly and listened to them. If he could hear them, he was alive. He didn't think the afterlife would be so cruel as to torment him with a sound he normally detested.
For a man who never got ill, hardly ever gave a second thought to pain and most certainly retained control over his body at all times…He was feeling very peculiar now. Sephiroth felt so drained of energy he was certain his body had been replaced by a sack of underground tubers…He didn't have a headache anymore, but he felt very fuzzy in the brain department. He'd given up trying to figure out where he was a while ago and resigned himself to stare at the ceiling fan spinning away lazily above him.
He motivated himself to glance across the room at the small figure in the bed next to him. She hadn't woken up yet. This worried him. The doctors said that she didn't appear too able to recover as well as him. Of course, he knew this. But it didn't make the waiting any easier. He found himself wishing he could stir some kind of reaction from his body, enough to make his way to her bedside. He wanted to sit and wait, be closer to her. But the doctor wouldn't allow it and he was in no state to argue with a doctor. Plus, it was nice to have a man in a white lab coat actually concerned about him for once. Casting one last glance at Meia, Sephiroth closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
Genesis leapt out of the car before Angeal had even brought it to a complete stop, ignoring the man's usual grumblings. He stepped forward and looks around for the building most likely to be the town's medical facility. Angeal joined him as a young woman approached them,
"Are you from Shinra?" She asked timidly. Both men nodded, "Ah, you're here about the call then. Let me show you to our hospital"
The two SOLDIER's followed closely behind her, noting the curious townspeople as they stopped what they were doing to watch them. The woman spoke again,
"My fiancé and I found them a few evenings ago. Gave us quite a fright, we assumed they were dead but…" She trailed off as she led them into a moderately sized one story building, overlooking the glistening ocean bay nearby. A doctor was already waiting to greet them,
"You must be from Shinra. Welcome, let me show you to our patients" He tucked a clipboard he had under his arm and led them to the end of a corridor. Quietly, he opened the door to the room beyond. Genesis heaved a huge sigh of relief as he stepped through; followed by Angeal who praised whatever powers he could under his breath. Both Meia and Sephiroth were alive, according to their heart monitors. They stood and watched their unconscious friends with the doctor,
"I assume you know these two then" He paused as Angeal and Genesis nodded in confirmation, "I must say, when they were brought in I thought it was a miracle they were alive. They have both been exposed to the lifestream; most people at the very best are left with permanent brain damage but…" The doctor paused and examined a few instruments linked to Sephiroth, "Well. This one certainly shows no signs of it"
Angeal and Genesis looked at each other. They expected nothing less from Sephiroth but…
"This one? Is there something wrong with the woman, Doc?" Angeal asked, his eyebrows tightening. The doctor sighed and looked at her,
"We'll know more when she wakes up. She hasn't regained consciousness yet" He replied, his voice heavy. "Well, I'll let you have a moment or two with them" And the man left.
Angeal approached Meia's bedside carefully. She showed no signs of injury or illness. Her complexion didn't look any different than it usually did. Her chest rose and fell gently; it was almost as if she were merely sleeping. He heard Genesis sigh; he'd taken a seat in the chair beside Sephiroth,
"Do you think she'll pull through? I know she's a SOLDIER and all but…" He trailed off; his voice had lost most of its lethargic drawl and was unusually timid. Angeal thought a moment,
"I think she will. Meia is tough…besides…she'd never leave Sephiroth" He replied quietly. Genesis nodded and looked at his friends pale face, into the green eyes that were currently open in small slits, observing him. He caught his breath before smiling,
"Hey! Your awake, thank Gaia" Genesis exclaimed. Angeal moved to the foot of Sephiroth's bed and rested his hands on it. Sephiroth averted his gaze to the ceiling fan once again,
"Of course I'm awake. I heard your voice and my body instantly reacted in fear that we were going to have to endure another Loveless recital…" He said softly. Genesis stared a moment before grinning and shaking his head. Angeal chuckled,
"Good to see everything is still working, though I hate to break it to you Sephiroth, but…you look like shit"
Sephiroth's lips curled into a faint smile. Finally his record was broken. He forced himself to sit up, denying any help from his two friends. At least now he felt a little more energized. He glanced over at Meia, his smile leaving him as he beheld her sleeping form…
"She still hasn't woken up, has she…" He asked no one in particular. Both of his friends shook their heads sadly. He blinked slowly and sagged back into his pillows. He was beginning to worry again…
"Sephiroth, what happened in Clydia?" Angel asked, now sat on his bed. Sephiroth didn't feel in the mood to try and discuss it. Everything was still so muddled, so unclear. He closed his eyes again,
"Please, I don't really want to go through it at the moment" He replied calmly. His voice was dry and cracking slightly, so he asked for some water which Angeal gladly obliged him with. He sank an entire glass and requested another, which he took slower. He paused as a thought crossed his mind; how long had they been missing?
"How long have we been gone?" He asked them suddenly, taking another mouthful of water. The two SOLDIER's exchanged glances before Genesis held his hands up,
"Four weeks. Everyone has been having kittens over it…" He answered. Sephiroth simply stared. Four weeks in the lifestream, was that even possible? A day or so he could live with. But a four week exposure…the consequences of this revelation started to unravel in Sephiroth's head and he closed his eyes with a sigh.
Genesis called Lazard, something they promised they'd do as soon as they'd found Sephiroth and Meia. The director was relieved to learn both missing SOLDIER's were alive and advised he'd be sending transport out to recover them immediately.
The three friends sat for a while, Genesis and Angeal making light conversation to which Sephiroth barely participated in. Until a soft groan interrupted them…
Meia felt like she had just woken from the bottom of a deep well, or from under a large weight. A soft moan escaped her lips as her fogged mind pushed her consciousness into the physical world once more. She had slept soundly since leaving Sephiroth's memory in the lifestream, nothing had disturbed her. Her eyesight was fuzzy and she strained to make out the shapes dotted around her field of vision. Her numb skin became aware of freshly pressed cotton and light clothing. Then a large form appeared on her left and she turned her head. Oh how it ached, had she been sleeping on it?
"Genesis…? Is that you?" She croaked. Her throat was raw and scarred, probably from inhaling, breathing and then expelling lifestream. Something she remembered happening now,
"Yes, it is" Meia noted he sounded quite happy. She turned her head to the right and blinked a few times. Her eyesight slowly returned to normal and she smiled, beholding a familiar set of eyes,
"I know you…" She said with a sigh. Sephiroth relaxed into his pillows and beheld her, his relief plain to see as his mouth widened into a genuine smile. She was alright; she showed no symptoms of mako poisoning. Angeal and Genesis dismissed themselves shortly after she woke, leaving Sephiroth with her. He sat himself up again and watched as she tried to assess what she had control of and what she didn't. Eventually, she gave up and accepted for now; she would have to lie on her back…
"I'm glad to see you awake, Meia. I was getting worried" He said softly, gazing ahead peacefully. He heard her groan in acknowledgment,
"I just wanted to sleep in, that's all" She replied, her voice still hoarse, "Sephiroth…what happened to us? What can you remember?"
He rolled his head to the side and looked at her. She was staring at him; her eyes were a lot brighter than usual. But then being pickled in the lifestream probably saw copious amounts of the substance absorbed into their systems. Sephiroth heaved himself onto his side, where it was easier to look at her,
"Quite a lot, to be honest. Though I don't understand any of it…" He confessed. Meia nodded and closed her eyes. He should let her sleep…she was probably exhausted,
"But we'll talk later. Rest, Meia" He told her softly, noticing her small smile,
"Mhmm. But…until we have spoken, I don't think you should tell anyone else…for now, ok?" She asked him quietly. He nodded and watched her drift back to sleep. It was a sensible request, he wanted to try and understand everything that happened with her before he had to tell anyone else.
The doctor returned a short while later and was astounded when Sephiroth told him Meia appeared to be fine. Sephiroth was taken off the machines that monitored him and told he could move about now, as long as he was careful. Straight away Sephiroth consumed more fluids, gulping down water and appreciating its immediate effect on his body. But not on his bladder and he set off to search for a bathroom. When he came back, Meia was awake again and trying to sit up. He tilted his head and observed her struggling, before she looked at him with a silent plea for help. He moved to her side and obliged, sipping his arm under her legs and around her back to lift her into a seated position, where he propped her up with pillows.
By now the sun was beginning to set, warm gold sunlight was streaming in through the windows behind their beds. Sephiroth draped a soft robe over Meia's shoulders and settled beside her in a chair. He'd also locked the door so they weren't disturbed. She sipped on her third glass of water, also savagely consuming her first two as Sephiroth had done. A stray lock of hair was tucked behind her ear and she relaxed backwards into the nest of pillows Sephiroth had arranged for her,
"So, what was it like for you in there?" She asked him, staring at the wall opposite her. Sephiroth followed her gaze and sighed,
"It was calm, peaceful. I kept reliving the memory of us as children, over and over" He shifted his gaze and beheld her once again, "But I never got sick of it. Every time I was smiling and watching…until…"
Meia turned to observe him, noting that his eyes were very bright, even in the sunlight…
"Until?" She pressed him, setting her now empty glass on the table beside her. Sephiroth sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on her bed,
"Until it changed. I saw you as an adult. And I watched you move, heard you talking…but I couldn't hear who too…" He finished, leaning back again. Meia nodded. So, he'd heard her talking, but not Jenova…or the strange ethereal voices that came after it. Meia hoped He would react well to what she was about to tell him,
"Sephiroth? I think Shinra may have lied to you…about your mother's name…" She stated quietly. He didn't respond and she risked a glance at him. He was gazing out the window, a sad expression on his face…
"I…thought as much" He whispered quietly. Meia reached beside her and took his hand, wrapping her smaller one around it,
"I'm sorry. I truly am" She offered him. Sephiroth let out a sad sigh and turned to look at her again,
"It's ok, Meia. I'm glad it was you who found out…I don't think I would have believed anyone else, even if I did see half of it with my own eyes"
"That's a strange thing to say. What do you mean?" Meia blinked and tilted her head a little. Sephiroth hesitated before replying,
"Recent events…have made me realise how blinded I've been. Blinded by loyalty to Shinra, when Shinra are the ones holding all the cards" He looked at her, "It's taken someone with a lot of courage to finally make me see past all that"
"Why do you trust me so much?" She asked quietly. Her question was genuine, she was curious as he'd never really opened up to her on the subject. He hesitantly grasped her hand on his gently and stroked it with his thumb,
"Because…you're honest and genuine. You see past the SOLDIER, past the front I put up and past the picture other people paint of me. Despite my deliberate icy front and fearsome reputation, you still genuinely desire to be around me. Not a lot of people can do that. Most people are too afraid to even approach me. You though…" He looked up at her, "You're not afraid of me, Meia…I can trust you" He smiled sheepishly at her, a tiny pink tinge appearing on his cheeks. She smiled at him and watched him stroke her hand gently,
"I see. I don't really give it a second thought, you know? As if being around you is natural" She paused, "Or I'm so dense I don't notice all those things…" She trailed off, feigning a look of confusion. Sephiroth smiled and simply beheld her, until she shrugged and watched their hands once more,
"You know, in the lifestream, I learned a lot" She began again, quietly, "I…I think we need to be very careful from now on. The voices we hear…" She trailed off again, looking at Sephiroth with worry lined eyes. He frowned slightly,
"What about them?"
Meia swallowed dryly, desiring another drink to sip to calm her nerves. How would he take what she was about to tell him?
"I learned that it's just one voice. And…it belongs to a life form, an entity" Meia's eyes glazed slightly as she remembered the repulsion she felt, "A dangerous entity. You remember what I said in Nibelheim?" Sephiroth nodded, not once had he taken his eyes off her, "Well I was right. It wants you, Sephiroth…" She finished quietly, forcing herself to look into his eyes. They were unblinking and still fixed on her, only now they were flicking ever so slightly. A tell-tale sign, she'd learned, that he was thinking. She decided to carry on,
"This thing is really dangerous, I think. From what I was told, anyway…"
"Told by whom…" He asked her softly.
"More voices" Meia answered, she couldn't help but feel a hint of humiliation. She was sounding crazier by the minute… "They came to me after the creature, told me she was bad news"
She could still feel his eyes on her but he hadn't stopped stroking her hand since she started. Almost as if he was reassuring her it was ok to carry on, "And I was also told that apparently I protect you from the entity's influence" Meia looked up and smiled sheepishly. She felt silly now. Not only was she telling Sephiroth a shrivelled up life form wanted him, she was also telling him, the most powerful human being on the planet, that she was protecting him. She swallowed,
"I'm sorry. This isn't making much sense…" She murmured, her embarrassment plain to see now. Sephiroth squeezed her hand gently and shook his head,
"I actually suspected as much" He confessed, which caused her to look at him, "I can always rest when you're close, I can never hear that irritating voice when you're with me and…well, you always end up troubled instead of me" He finish with a hint of regret in his voice. He paused and began again,
"The second set of voices…did they tell you who they were?" He asked, his head tilted. Meia shook her head,
"No. They vanished before I could ask" Meia blinked a few times and sighed,
"What's going on with us, Sephiroth? I was told we had 'parts to play' just before they disappeared altogether. Whatever that meant" Meia mused out loud, her eyes roaming over his tired looking features, "They also said…that we need to protect one another"
Sephiroth chuckled, the sound barely escaping his throat, "As if I need to be told to protect you…" He said quietly, almost haughtily, and prompting a look of mild shock from Meia. He'd never said anything like that to her before…
"I can't protect you, though…what can I do that you can't…" She asked him softly. Sephiroth's lips curled into a gentle smile,
"You can do more than you give yourself credit for…" He reassured her softly, tilting his head when she looked at him, "I don't doubt you'll ever let me down"
"I…think I understand" She replied, "One thing I defiantly understand though…" She carried on, with more resolve now she was reassured Sephiroth was taking everything quite well so far, "That the thing that assaulted me back there defiantly wasn't your mother"
"The thing attacking you in there was called Jenova?" Sephiroth quizzed. Meia inwardly winced before nodding; she'd forgot to tell him that bit. Although, doubting he wouldn't work it out on his own was a slight underestimation.
"She said things to me…" Meia began again, frowning as she tried hard to recall what she remembered, "Things that make me think you were misled for a reason. Why say the name of your mother is the same as this thing that's harassing us? It makes me think Shinra is keeping yet more secrets…it certainly doesn't seem like a co-incidence…" Meia was thinking out loud. She glanced at Sephiroth again, who simply returned her gaze with a neutral expression. She bit her lip as Sephiroth looked away, staring out the window again. His expression was a little darker…Meia began to worry. Eventually though, he sighed and looked down at their clasped hands again,
"Hmmm, then I'm back to knowing absolutely nothing about myself" Sephiroth concluded, his voice hinting the resentment he felt. Meia beheld him, her heart aching for her friend,
"There may be some truth in what they told you. Your real mother…" She hesitated again, "I think she did pass after giving birth to you" Meia suddenly remembered another set of whisperings, even before the encounter with Jenova. A woman was speaking with a man…but the memory kept fading, flitting in and out of her conscious mind. It slipped through her fingers and she simply couldn't recall anything more solid. She shook her head, muttering a quiet apology to the man sat beside her.
"Don't be sorry, Meia. It's alright. You don't need to worry about me. I won't have it…"
"But if I don't worry about you, who will?"
This statement had a profound effect on him. He looked at her, words left him as he beheld her face. She watched him, hesitation and concern written across her features. Would it be so bad to let her worry over him? He'd never relied on anyone before, not for anything. He could do everything he needed by himself. But if what she learned were true, he would need to allow her further into his personality, into himself. Sephiroth concluded that this wasn't a bad thing. After all, wasn't it what he secretly yearned for?
"Sephiroth?" Her voice brought him round, he had drifted off again. She was worried; he saw it in her face. And unlike Genesis or Angeal, she wasn't afraid of showing him her raw emotions. Not like she used to be…
"Alright Meia, I take that back. I'm just not used to accepting sympathy, is all" He told her quietly, with an apologetic squeeze of her hand.
"All I want is to help you, Sephiroth…" Meia said quietly, gazing ahead at the wall.
"I know, Meia…" He took his hand away from hers and cupped it around her face gently, forcing her with a gentle pull to look at him, "And I'm touched you care so deeply"
They smiled and nodded at each other, both agreeing silently that they had come to some kind of arrangement. Meia removed his hand gently from her face and planted the smallest, softest kiss on his fingertips, before lying back to stretch her cramped body. Sephiroth's momentary shock faded quickly and he smiled to himself. Such a delicate woman; It was almost hard to believe she was a SOLDIER, just like him. He realised he could learn a lot from Meia as well. He mused to himself; who was the mentor now?
"This may be traitorous of me but…I don't think we should tell Shinra exactly what happened back there" She said suddenly, "How long has it been anyway? Sephiroth observed her a moment before giving her the figure. She too, simply stared as her reaction. Sephiroth carried on,
"Give them a taste of their own medicine?" He enquired quietly. Meia nodded, having regained her composure, and looked at him,
"Not just that. What would Hojo do if he learned we'd been exposed to pure lifestream for so long?"
Sephiroth knew where she was going and he agreed with her. Hojo would seize the opportunity to use them as test subjects even more than he did now.
"And if Shinra are up to something with us, the best thing would be to feign ignorance" Meia added, now thinking out loud, her head resting in her hand. Sephiroth nodded and she spoke again,
"We shouldn't even tell Angeal and Genesis…if we did, we'd have to tell them everything…"
Sephiroth frowned, but acknowledged she had a point. It wasn't a matter of trust but the less people knew the better. And there was no reason for anyone other than them to know anyway. Sephiroth Sighed,
"From now on…" He began slowly, "I don't trust anything Shinra tells me. The only people I trust fully is Angeal, Genesis and you"
She looked at him, "Not even Lazard? He wouldn't lie to you, would he?"
"Not knowingly…"
"Ah…Of course" Meia caught his meaning. Even as a director, Lazard probably wasn't privy to everything. And as Sephiroth's boss, he would be the first point of call for a well-planned lie.
"So, we carry on then. As we usually do…just with our eyes open from now on" she concluded, earning a nod from Sephiroth.
"I'm going to get the doctor so he can give you a check-up" He stated, rising and stretching a little.
As Sephiroth predicted, Meia was also fine despite the lifestream exposure. The doctor was still at a loss to explain how neither of them was suffering from long term damage. They explained that being a SOLDIER meant their bodies were capable of handling far more than normal people. The man frowned,
"Yes but…I've treated your kind before after such exposure and let me tell you, they didn't make it through as well as you two did…" He said quietly, his hand on his chin. Meia and Sephiroth looked at each other,
"You have?" Sephiroth asked after a moment's pause. The Doctor nodded,
"Yes. I used to be a field medic for Shinra before the birth of my son. Lifestream exposure was rare but…well; they were treated and sent back to Midgar to recover"
The two SOLDIER's remained silent until the Doctor took Meia off her monitors and explained that she too was free to move about, so long as she was careful. After he left she got up and walked around to relieve her stiff muscles. Sephiroth was deep in thought again; now back in his own bed. When Meia came back he looked up,
"Meia…have you ever heard of other SOLDIER's being exposed to lifestream?"
She stopped a moment and looked at him. From what little files she was allowed access too, nothing hinted of any such thing. She sighed and moved next to his bed,
"No, never. Only mako"
Sephiroth crossed his arms and stared at his knees. Now he actually dared to think about it, there were a lot of loose ends with Shinra that he'd never spotted before. His eyes flicked up when he felt his bed disturbed and smiled slightly at the sight of Meia now settling on the end of his bed, legs crossed and reading a magazine,
"What are you thinking?" She commented, turning a page. Sephiroth rubbed his chin,
"If they were sent back to Midgar, where are they? Where did they go?" He mused out loud. Meia looked up at him from her magazine,
"You would have spotted something, wouldn't you?"
"Yes. I've lived in Midgar and Junon all my life, but not once have I seen sick SOLDIER's in either facility's hospitals or labs. It doesn't make sense, where did they go?"
Meia gazed at him a moment before replying, "It doesn't, your right. But…obviously the answer won't be so forth coming" She turned another page and sighed, "You told me in the mine you didn't want me worrying myself sick. You should follow your own advice…"
Sephiroth gave a low laugh, "Should I now"
Meia nodded as a knock on the door met their ears. It was Genesis and Angeal. Apparently a Shinra helicopter would be coming to retrieve them in a few days' time. Genesis started reading Meia's magazine over her shoulder while Angeal approached Sephiroth,
"Feel up to talking about what happened now?" He asked them. Sephiroth's eyes flicked up to meet Meia's, who was already looking at him with intent. They hadn't discussed yet what they would say…
"I-if it's alright…" She began quietly, "I don't really want to talk about it yet"
Angeal looked at her with sympathetic eyes, "I understand"
Meia gave him a small, apologetic smile, before going back to her magazine. Sephiroth sighed through his nose and leant back.
The following morning, Sephiroth already felt well enough to get back to his usual routine and although the facilities that Shinra offered were missing, he still found ways of exercise. Currently, he was paused at the top of a large hill he'd come across while running. He folded his arms over his chest and sighed. His body, initially stiff and un-used, had recovered almost immediately. And now he was astonished to discover he felt better than he ever had. The feeling was the same as the sensation immediately following a mako injection. Only better. His body showed no signs of fatigue from his usual exertions and he wondered how hard he could push himself…
He breathed in a chest full of fresh sea air and set off again, down the other side of the hill. The feeling was exhilarating and he pushed himself more this time. The speed he reached going downhill was dizzying, but his balance was such he never faltered, his footing was as steady as the mountains. He tore through a thicket of tree's, nimbly dodging and weaving through them, before bursting through into the open with amazing force.
Right into Meia's path.
She yelped at the sight of a fully grown man sprinting out into the open with the speed of a racing chocobo. Her instincts took over and she ground to a halt from her own momentum and crouched, shielding her head with her arms. Luckily, Sephiroth had enough time to assess the situation and hurdled cleanly over her head, not harming a single black hair. Meia looked up as he landed and stopped dead a few steps later, astonished that he wasn't even panting,
"Are you training to enter the gold cup races solo or something?" She asked him jokingly as he turned to face her. His face wasn't even flushed. He cast his eyes down with a sheepish smile,
"Perhaps. Are you sure you're well enough to be walking about?"
Meia snorted softly, "Of course I am. And I wasn't just walking either" She answered incredulously.
They began walking together out into the rolling hills, away from the town. The sun was now beginning its climb into the sky and the landscape was bathed in a morning glow. It was still chilly, however, and Meia zipped up the front of her borrowed tracksuit.
Their clothing and uniforms had been shredded during the time they spent in the lifestream. Snagged on rocks while underground and sharp coral once they had been spat out on the sea bed, they weren't fit to be worn anymore. Sephiroth was still in mourning for his beloved heavy leather jacket. It was brand new for the winter, now he'd have to get another one made…
"Red doesn't really suit you, y'know" Meia quipped quietly after a while. Sephiroth tossed the hair out of his eyes and snorted,
"It's better than baby pink…" He commented softly. Meia laughed,
"You have me on that one" She acknowledged, before holding a hand to her chin, "Sephiroth? Do you feel…different in any way?" She asked quietly. Sephiroth looked down at her, nodding silently. She pursed her lips, thinking,
"It's the same with me. I feel like I could dance on air, I'm much more agile…my reactions appear to be faster"
"I noticed. If we were anyone else, we would have collided back there" Sephiroth commented thoughtfully.
"You think it's because we were pickled for so long?"
"That and…were SOLDIER's. A four week, pure lifestream bath…who knows what else we can do" He finished softly. Meia nodded and they kept walking into the country side.
The land was wonderfully green and lush, enticing them to scale hills and view the scenery. Meia was intrigued by a scattering of trees atop a rather large knoll they had ascended just before noon. She picked her way through the greenery and found a collection of large stones that once may have been a monument or a building. Sephiroth watched her fondly; he always found her almost childlike innocence at the sight of nature endearing. Outside of Midgar, she was practically a different woman. The simplest things captivated and inspirited her; dew drops on grass, storm clouds rolling in the distance, the sight of little birds playing in the trees. She could smile at the smallest of things…in a way, he envied her.
Sephiroth made his way to the stone sentry's and sat down on a large, mossy slab which sadly appeared to have lost its legs a long time ago. A short time later, Meia joined him, turning a smooth beautiful stone she had found over in her hands,
"It's so nice here. I could almost forget I'm a SOLDIER living in a choked hole of a city…"
"Such high praise for Midgar, Meia…" Sephiroth responded gently. Meia smiled and dipped her head,
"Sorry. I shouldn't talk like that" She said quietly. Sephiroth's eyes roamed over her features, which were largely hidden by her messy crop of hair. Apparently taming it was something she had neglected to do today,
"And I told you a long time ago not to be sorry for talking like that" He stated, looking up at the sun's rays cutting through the foliage above them, "You can be yourself Meia, you know you can with me. Always"
Meia crossed her ankles and sighed, "True, still…no one likes constant negativity"
"No, but a friend tolerates his other friend's grievances, does he not? That's what they do…" He looked down at her, the sunlight casting a mottled pattern on her head, "I may lack the emotional repertoire of most people, but I still care, Meia"
She met his eyes and smiled for a brief second, before studying her stone again. They sat in silence for some time, listening to the wind whispering through the branches above them. Meia took in deep breaths of sweet, earth soaked air; slowly the ache in her chest was subsiding, the scars from the lifestream were gradually healing. Sephiroth rose and began his own inspection of the stone around them, running his fingertips over their slightly damp surfaces. Meia watched him as he did so and smiled inwardly.
Destiny had brought them together, or so she was told. But she was glad it did. Sephiroth comforted her in ways she never imagined. Simple, subtle ways that extended beyond the physical. Indeed, although secretly she longed for him on another level, the affection he gave her at the moment was enough. Knowing that he smiled for her in a certain way, a smile he showed no one else, was a wonderful feeling to her. Knowing he appeared to only touch her with his bare fingertips, when he kept his gloves on at all times, was wonderful as well. Their connection was subtle, but beautiful. A unique friendship, borne from the most unlikely of situations. Her inward smile forced its way to the surface and she beheld him as he explored, her mouth wide and happy,
"We should start thinking about what we're going to tell Lazard…and write in our reports. I can't play the traumatized victim for much longer" She stated with a contented sigh. Sephiroth appeared from behind a cluster of large rocks and nodded, before joining her once more.
Uh oh...shinra better watch out now D:! Updates may be slow for a while. I'm at a major plot decision/development stage in my writing and have alot of things to reveiw and go over, so apologies if my next update takes a lil while. Hopefully once im sorted they will get back on track :)
Next chapter - The SOLDIER's return home, but will Lazard buy their story?
Please reveiw if you have a moment, feedback helps me stay motivated :) x