Chapter Five
First Mission
"Have you ever noticed that we have the same eyes?"
At the words, Sephiroth glanced at the girl that stood beside him. They were on the roof again, watching the sunrise. Both of them, as well as Genesis and Angeal, had passed and been added to the 3rd SOLDIER ranks. Today was supposed to be their first mission; all four of them going together. They were all supposed to go a several missions together before they were separated into teams of two. Since the event in the exam, neither of them had seen Angeal or Genesis. Sephiroth had begun to wonder if the two of them were afraid of Sienna for what had almost happened or if it had something to do with Gast.
"The same eyes?" He asked her.
"Yeah," She glanced at him from the side for a moment. Sephiroth looked and saw that she was correct. "Don't you find that…strange?"
"Strange?" He turned back to the sunrise, thinking to himself. "No. Many people have the same colored eyes."
"I know that, I'm talking about the shape of them. They're so different that the others. They're not circles; their more like the eyes of…of an animal. Like a cat."
"Or a tiger." Sephiroth smiled at her. Sienna gave a sigh before a small grin spread across her own lips. "Stop worrying about it, Sienna. It doesn't mean anything."
"But it has to. It has to mean something!"
"Well, if you want it to mean something, then think of it this way. We have the same, strange eyes because…" He paused for a moment, thinking to himself. "Because what?"
"Because we're connected."
"What?" Sienna looked at him in confusion.
"Think about it. Both of us are being trained and used by two scientists. They treat us like prizes. They plan on doing something with the BOTH of us. We're connected, somehow. I don't know how yet, but I'm sure, before all of this is over, we'll know the answer."
"What? Are you going to go on a little trip and try to find it yourself?" She snorted. "Why not just beat the crap out of them and get the answers now."
Sephiroth smiled. "If it comes down to it then I just might do that."
Sienna shook her head for a moment before deciding to head back inside. "Come on, let's go get this over with before Hojo has a fit for us being late."
"You worried about him being upset?" He asked her with a smirk as he followed her.
"I don't want to have to listen to him whine." She replied, stepping down the stairs. "I can handle Gast scolding me but Hojo's voice is just," She shivered.
Sephiroth gave a laugh, shoving his hands into his pockets as they walked. Both of them were now in uniform of 3rd Class SOLDIER. He had his hair pulled back into a ponytail as his bangs fell on either side of his face. Sienna had pulled her hair into a braid that was hanging limply over her left shoulder.
For the last few days, since the exam, Sephiroth had found himself wanting to be closer to Sienna. The thought of any other being around her seemed to anger him for some reason that he could not explain and so she was near her as much as he could, whether she knew about it or not. He watched her as she fixed that ruined house they had come across that one night. She was firmly concentrated on cleaning it. That was all she did after their training. He had half a mind to help her do so and the next time she did it, he planned on coming forward. He just had to seem natural about it, like he was just passing by and he wasn't stalking her.
"There you two are!" Angeal's voice made Sephiroth come back to the present. Angeal and Genesis were standing there, waiting on them at the helicopter they were taking.
"Angeal!" Sienna smiled, hurrying forward. Angeal, you could say, was one of the few that Sienna did not hate. They hadn't known eachother more than a week but already they got along great. Of the brother and sister relationship that she had read about, she was sure that she and Angeal had that starting already. Or was it too early for that? She wasn't sure at all.
"About time you arrived." Genesis commented, closing his book.
Sienna frowned at him. Though Angeal was always happy, his friend was as moody as ever. Whether he was still upset over her beating him during the exam or for some other reason that involved her, she didn't care. He was plainly getting on her nerves.
Ignoring the redhead completely, Sienna stepped onto the helicopter and took her seat. Sephiroth smirked and followed her. The four of them were given orders to sneak into Kalm and recapture a group of escaped convicts. They were placed into groups of two, leaving Sienna, Unfortunantly, with the moody redhead. She wasn't going to say anything though. She was not going to give Genesis the privilege to know that he annoyed her. As she sat there, waiting for the copter to land though, she watched the redhead as he sat across from her. His nose was stuck in that book of his again. 'Loveless' was written across the tan leather of the novel. With the way he read it, he must have already finished reading it but still he held it. He always had it on him, always re-reading it. It must have meant something to him for him to constantly use it like he did. Genesis was weird, and he was the first person she could truly say that about.
"What are you staring at?" Genesis' voice cut through the silence, his gaze still sliding across the pages.
"That book," Sienna answered after a few moments. "What's it about?"
The teen froze for a moment before lifting his head to look at her. He then spread a smile across his lips and held the book out to her. She grabbed it and pulled it back, opening the book to the first page.
Prologue
When the War of the Beasts bring the world's end
The goddess descends from the sky
Wings of light and dark spread far
She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting.
Sienna raised her brows and looked back at Genesis. "It's a poem."
"It is more than that." The grin on his face told Sienna that he was pleased that she had shown interest in it. She caught Angeal rolling his eyes and shaking his head with a smile. Sephiroth stared out the window, seeming to ignore all of them. Sienna dropped her eyes back down to the book.
Act 1
Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess
We seek it thus, and take to the sky
Ripples form on the water's surface
The wandering soul knows no rest.
One man became a hero, as another wanders the land and the third is taken a prisoner. All three are bound by a solemn oath, made together at the feet of the Goddess, to seek the answer together once again.
Act 2
There is no hate, only joy
For you are beloved by the Goddess
Hero of the dawn, Healer of the worlds.
Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul
Pride is lost
Wings stripped away, the end is nigh.
Though the prisoner had escaped, he is gravely wounded. His life is saved, however, by a woman of the opposing nation. He begins a life of seclusion with her which seems to hold the promise of eternal bliss. But as the happiness grows, so does the guilt of not fulfilling the oath to his friends.
Act 3
My friend, do you fly away now?
To a world that abhors you and I?
All that awaits you is a somber morrow
No matter where the winds may blow.
My friend, your desire
Is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess
Even if the morrow is barren of promises
Nothing shall forestall my return.
As the war send the world hurling towards destruction, the prisoner depart from his newfound love and embarks on a new journey. Guided by hope that the gift will bring bliss and the oath he swore to the Goddess and their friends. Though no oath is shared between the lovers in their hearts they know they will meet again.
Act 4
My friend, the fates are cruel
There are no dreams, no honor remains
The Arrow has left, the bow of the Goddess.
My soul, corrupted by vengeance
Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey
In my own salvation
And your eternal slumber.
Legend shall speak
Of sacrifice at world's end
The wind sails over the water's surface
Quietly, but surely
The prisoner meets the friend who wandered, though he was dying and the world was ending. He grows furious that the prisoner gave up on their quest to pursue love while he remained loveless. The wandered knows that in order to end it one of them must die. And so he initiates a fight to the death. The prisoner is unable to kill his old friend, and allows himself to be killed.
Act 5
Even if the morrow is barren of promises
Nothing shall forestall my return
To become the dew that quenches the land
To spare the sand, the seas, the skies
I offer thee this silent sacrifice.
The prisoner's sacrifice was the gift of the goddess, and its realization saved the world. The prisoner never returned to his lover, rendering her LOVELESS, the namesake of the poem. She was not alone however for her lover died and saved the world, and she would have him as long as she lived in the world. And so the prisoner's sacrifice saved the world and his love with a final line.
Of course…I'll come back to you. Even if you don't promise to wait. I'll return knowing you'll be here.
The last thing that the Prisoner had said, thinking about the woman he loved…
Something wet trailed down her cheek. Closing the book, Sienna lifted her hand and wiped her face off. Something wet, like a raindrop was on her finger now. She stared at in confusion, not sure what…
"The book isn't that sad is it?" Angeal asked, looking confused. "How could you let her read it if it was going to make her cry?"
"I didn't know she would cry," Genesis replied with a shrug. "How was I supposed to know?"
"Cry?" Sienna tilted her head a bit, still staring at the teardrop as it traveled down her hand before fading away. "What…what does that mean?" What was this pain that she felt in her chest? Why did she feel more tears fall down her face?
Genesis stared at her, trying to find something. Sephiroth finally turned from the window. He stared at her for a moment as well before reaching out and grabbing her hand. She glanced at him and he gave her a soft smile. She stared for a moment before a small one spread across her face. She turned back to Genesis and handed him back his book.
"Tell me, Genesis, why do you like this book so much?"
The redhead was silent, still staring at her before a grin lightened his face. He leaned back in his seat and began to answer her question; clearly aware of Sephiroth still holding Sienna's hand.