AN: Just to let everyone know yes, I know I spelt Sephiroth's name wrong in the last chapter. BAD ME, slap myself across the face I'll never do it again. Anyway I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year! I did and now I'm ready to get back to work. So here is the next chapter, hope you like it and you know the routine! Please, please review!
Long silver hair floated down around the pale face as one white hand slowly rose to the side of his face, where a slight disfiguration was abruptly begging to swell and bruise on his cheek, before slowly fading away leaving the skin smooth and flawless.
The great General Sephiroth had been hit!
Zack starred in equal horror to that of the cadets'. Okay maybe not quite. He would be hard pressed to match that expression. Which considering his current situation was a little off.
Sure the horror and terror was there, but something else as well. Something he could not place. Almost like the cadet didn't expect Sephiroth to fly into a rage and kill him like most would think, but instead knew what the General was actually capable off. The fear and respect people had for the General was nothing like it would be if they truly knew the General, which Zack knew was one reason knew why Sephiroth let only a select few close to him. He did not like the complete terror people had once they knew him.
Zack moved closer not quite sure what to do, or what he could do. He had never been in this predicament before. After this was the first time anyone had been able or the nerve to hit the General Sephiroth and not even Zack knew what the General was going to do.
Rain starred into the narrow, green cat like eyes that seemed to drill a hole into her. It was him! She was finally facing the source of the nightmare. The reason the planet had taken such drastic measures. The reason she had been born.
Despite the present circumstance, she thought being around him would be easier than this. She wasn't prepared for the jumble of emotions. Awe? No, that had been killed long ago. Anger? That had been a gradual decline. Hatred? Well, unlike Cloud that had never really been there. Sephiroth had gone crazy, and was being controlled by Jenova and she knew firsthand how strong and persuasive that voice could be. None of those emotions were it, what was it then? She needed to know in order to hide it! To be able to face it with a clear understanding and not let the person in front of her see it and take advantage of it. She was trying so desperate not to panic.
She was vulnerable, her shields were not up, he would see. She remembered all those times in the past. Sephiroth had always been good at reading people, at playing mind games, and he had always been able to read Cloud inside and out. The General had an unnerving way of being able to see and pick out one's weakness and take full advantage of it.
Not knowing what else to do, and feeling the panic about to take full control again, she let her mind go to that place. That place where no one could get in.
Sephiroth after the initial shock of walking into the SOLIDER lounge and having a cadet deck him was suddenly engrossed in the blue eyes and small face of the cadet starring up at him, with such a mixture of emotions on his face that Sephiroth was hard pressed to follow. What caused him to stiffen though was the green that suddenly swirled around the cadet's pupils, drowning out the blue. Mako!
There was something wrong, something different. He had felt it when he had first entered the room. It had been so strong that it had caused him to reach for Masamune, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the room. He had just been assessing where it had been coming from when the boy bumped into him. As soon as the cadet had touched him and now as he starred into the familiar green eyes so like his own, Sephiroth knew.
He was just about to comment on what had happened, when boy blinked. The simple act being nothing special in itself, but it changed the look within the cadet's eyes completely. The mako disappearing so fast, that he almost wondered it had been there and where there had been panic only moments ago Sephiroth now saw nothing in those blue orbs. The blonde had carefully hidden all of his emotions away; it was unlike anything he had ever seen before, especially in someone so young. The blonde's unusual and unexpected reaction intriguing him.
"Care to explain what that was for Cadet." He kept his voice low, not needing to add any menace to it. For some reason many found the calm, even tone of the General intimidating in and of itself, so he rarely had need to raise it.
The cadet took in a shaky breath, but surprisingly his voice was even. "There can be no explanation for what I did General. I'm very sorry, sir."
The General tilted his head causing a waterfall of silver to cascade across one shoulder, "And just what are you doing in the SOLIDER's lounge to begin with cadet?"
Sephiroth now noticed Zack take a step forward and sighed inwardly. Of course it would be Zack.
"I brought him here, Seph. It's partially my fault."
"Your fault, how is the actions of the cadet your fault, Commander Fair?"
Sephiroth saw Zack wince at the stiff formality, and he let his second realize just what kind of predicament they all were in. Everyone was watching, and the situation could not be handled the same as if it had been done in private.
Zack stiffened to attention, but never he did not back down. "The cadet was still jumpy from a previous incident. I should have been watching him more closely."
"And why was the cadet...jumpy?"
Zack's eyes now turned nervous, shifting from the cadet back to Sephiroth.
"There was a dispute between some cadets just a little while ago General. I haven't had time to make a report, but it ended with one of cadet Strife's friends in the infirmary and him close to being there as well."
Sephiroth saw the slight pleading in Zack's eyes, and refrained from further question, but let him know with the slight narrowing of his eyes that he would have the full story later. For right now he had to deal with disciplinary actions.
He returned his gaze back to the cadet, who was starring off at a wall behind Sephiroth expressionless.
"Cadet Strife," he allowed his voice to sharpen slightly drawing the cadet's attention back to him with a jerk. "You will have detention every day after your classes for three weeks. You will report to simulation room 17."
Simulation room 17 was in the SOLIDER's section of the floor, clearly stating just what kind of detention the cadet was in for, SOLIDER style.
The cadet nodded his expression not changing, if fact it seemed relieved, which irked the General slightly.
"Also," Sephiroth continued, "You are to report to my office at the end of the every week from now on."
That brought the cadet's eyes up to meet his in a flash and Sephiroth was rewarded to see a hint of alarm in the cadet's eyes.
"I will inform your patrol officer that you are no longer to report to him. I will now be monitoring your behaviour and progress until I am satisfied. Is that clear?"
"But..."
The General raised a slender eyebrow at the boy's protest cutting it off.
"Is that clear cadet?" His voice was now dangerously low.
The cadet snapped to attention, saluting sharply, "Yes, sir!"
"Dismissed." The command was uttered so quietly it was almost a whisper, but the cadet surprisingly still heard it and was gone in flash. Sephiroth was vaguely impressed with the speed, before something else caught his attention.
"Not you Zackary!" Zack who was trying to follow after the cadet stopped dejectedly.
Sephiroth was irritated and there was only one way to fix that.
"We still have a sparring match scheduled if I'm not mistaken."
Zack groaned as he turned to follow the General out the door. The General had already been hit once today, he doubted it would happen again. This was going to hurt.
Cloud screamed, jerking himself awake in bed. He sat up disoriented, gasping for breath and turned on the lights in his cabin. His eyes immediately rested on the empty bed across from him. She was gone! It had not been just a dream. The physical pain of that realization caused him to curl up in agony.
His soul was being held together by what seemed shear will, as the planets memories ripped into his fragile life-force. The Centra, they just kept pushing everything inside of him, no matter how he screamed and Rain...Rain was not there to ease the pain. The pain of the planet, the pain of the world that was being thrust into him and all he could do was gasp with no relief in sight.
Unbeknown to the blond, someone else sympathized with his pain. Just outside the door, a figured concealed in red, listened to the male's screams and his heart ached.
The blond was holding all of the planets pain inside of himself and it was like a wound that was festering and dripping never healing.
That is why the girl left. She has a knowledge few are privileged to know, about both herself and others. She will use this to try and quicken the rate of things that will allow him to finally heal.
Vincent opened his eyes. It was rare when Chaos communicated with him which was a relief, but when he did Vincent had learned to listen, especially when it had to do with the Strife children. Chaos had a strange and intimate knowledge of the inmost workings of Vincent's strange and often closed friends.
Can a wound as great as that be healed though?
Vincent waited for an answer and just when he though Chaos would not answer, it came.
It is possible, though it will not be easy and the scar will forever remain and you know how painful even a scared soul can be.
Vincent did understand.
His sister is the balm for that wound, but now that she is gone, the wound is more painful than ever. You will have to watch him very carefully. I will not come out if you can handle him. She did after all tell me to be gentle with him and I think you can manage that better than I can.
Vincent nodded; he would be keeping a very careful eye on his friend. Negations after all would be starting soon, and he knew Cloud wanted them to last as long as possible. He did not want to have to risk meeting his sister on the front when they were on opposite sides. None of them did.
Rain curled her hands into fist and dug them into her eyes, letting out a shaky breath. The past week had inched along with slowness that akin to torture. The exams had been brutal, even for Rain though she knew she passed respectably. Every minute outside of exams and detention she had spent with Rush studying. The kid was smart, but bookwork was not his strong suit and it was only through sheer determination that he had managed to get through the week.
Thankfully his wounds had healed fully and he would be ready and fit for sword training which was starting next week. Rain knew Rush would rather cut off his own arm than miss it, which would be quite tragic since beginners needed both hands to start off with.
Rain had grown attached to the kid in that short week. He was smart, had a good sense of humour when he loosened up, which was becoming more frequent and Rain in general enjoyed spending time with him. The two were quickly becoming inseparable, in the public life that is. They still gave plenty of space to each other when in private.
The only time anyone interrupted their duo was when Zack suddenly pounced on them, many times quite literally and insisted on spending time with them. It was sort of annoying at times, but each of the cadets enjoyed the bouncy, older SOLIDER. Besides they learned just as every SOLIDER had, that you can't say no to a puppy, especially when that puppy is your commanding officer.
Right now though she preferred to be anywhere else, even face a lair of crimson hounds than have to walk onto that elevator that would take her to the General's office and to think she would have to do this every week! It was enough to want to make her quit and go back home, but the the image of dealing with Cloud and the others made her rethink that decision.
She swore under her breath. None of her options seemed too good at this moment.
"AWWW, hang it all!!" She shouted and entered the elevator, slamming her hand on the counsel and swore again when she felt it break under her fist.
The General in the meantime had been watching this display of emotions with satisfaction and worry. Especially, when he saw the counsel break under the cadet's fist, there was a lot of strength in that tiny frame that one would not guess.
He quickly closed the security feed from his screen. He had access to the views of the entrance room to his office and the elevator that brought any visitors, along with multiple others. Though it seemed extreme, who after all would dare sneak into the General's office? That is besides Zack.
The cadet took a long time in coming, Sephiroth waited first a minute then two minutes. He was just wondering if the cadet's fist crashing through the counsel had rendered him stuck in the elevator, when a hesitate knock sounded on the door.
"Come," Was the sharp reply.
The General watched as the door slowly cracked open and the blond haired cadet appeared in the doorway. Sephiroth absently motioned the boy inside, while quickly adding his signature to a couple finale files on his desk and added them to the large pile at one corner of his desk. By the time he was finished the cadet was in front of his desk. Sephiroth pressed a button on his screen and the cadet's profile appeared before him where it had been waiting. He quickly skimmed over its contents though he knew it by heart. He finally sat back in his chair, crossed his legs and observed the cadet carefully.
The cadet's uniform was clean with no sign of wrinkles and his stance was stiff and at attention. His face at first glance looked calm, but Sephiroth was a master at reading people and could see the tell tale signs of nervously. The veins and muscles in hands and arms were strained at his side and the General noticed with interest, that his feet were slightly angled and knees beneath all that fabric was bent ever so slightly. The kid was in a defensive form, ready to defend or bolt at the slightly provocation. How interesting.
"Cloud Strife that is your name is it not?"
The cadet nodded jerkily and the General's eyes narrowed.
"What was that cadet?"
"Yes, sir."
Sephiroth nodded, "I expect a response when I ask you something. Now, your instructors say you dutifully attend class, you passed your exams this week reasonably well and you have reported for detention every day this week."
The cadet started to nod, but then responded, "Yes, sir."
The general inclined his head pleased with the response. He didn't also tell the cadet that though the SOLIDER running the detention, had said Strife's form was sloppy and he was slow at understanding, but that was expected of a mere cadet, his stamina was incredible. By the end of the detention, the boy was only breathing heavily. Sethiroth found that interesting, indeed most everything about this cadet was interesting.
Though the strange and menacing presence had not been present this time, there was a considerable shift in the room when the boy had entered. He felt drawn to the boy in a way he could not explain, nor did he like and until he found out what was going on he intended on keeping the cadet close by. Which wasn't going to be as hard as he thought, the cadet unlike the rest did not have that hero fascination with him that so many had, Sephiroth could spot those miles away. It was obvious though his presence unnerved the boy. He was almost fearful of him, though Sephiroth could not remember doing anything to make the cadet so.
It was true he did not have much patience with cadets and he did not consider himself a good teacher, so he usually kept as much distance between himself and new recruits as possible. Still he could only imagine the rumours that circulated. Still he wasn't sure he liked this fear any better, but no matter.
Rain stood stiffly ready to flee at the first sign of trouble. She had again felt the Jenova cells stir as soon as she entered the room, but not as strong as the first time and Rain wondered if the General felt it as well. If he did, he hid it well.
"It says here, you are from Nibelheim."
Rain jumped at hearing the monotone voice after so long a silence.
"There is a mako reactor up there is there not?"
Rain swallowed, she didn't think she could be any tenser, she was wrong. Every muscle was tight like string and she felt that at the slightest touch she would snap. Somehow she managed to answer.
"Yes, general."
The General nodded as if that explained something, "You have then had low level exposure to mako."
"Yes, sir."
Rain was begging to feel like a broken recording repeated the same phrase over and over again, but the General seemed to expect nothing else.
"It would be interesting to see how you respond to mako in the future. If you make it into SOLIDER that is, few do."
"If", as you said sir." Rain had no intention of making it that far.
The General raised a curious eyebrow detecting something in the voice, "You do not sound very ambitious cadet. Is it not your wish to make it into SOLIDER?"
She for once looked him in the eyes, taking in the sharp green eyes that were evidence of just how much mako flowed within that body. The glow of green around the eyes which normally only faired in most SOLIDERS in the heat of battle were always present within the General. Even still she managed to hold his gaze.
"No, sir."
The General blinked the only show of surprise he let show.
"Explain."
She dropped her gaze, now wishing she had just kept silent. Too late Sephiroth would not allow her to back down now.
"Explain cadet." The voice now had a slight edge to it.
She raised her head again.
"Because sir, this is enough for me. I have shelter, food and if I'm lucky comrades to watch my back. It is more than most out there have and I am continent with it. If one becomes too greedy you end up dead. Besides sir, I have a feeling SOLIDER life isn't all it cracked up to be."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. That last part almost sounded like a challenge. He was quite for a moment, after all he could hardly object. What the cadet said was all too true. SOLIDER was not an easily life and the Wutai war was not a place to win glory and become a hero. Those that went to the front knew that you won only one of two things out there. Either you won the right to fight another day or more common you died a painful death that Shinra would glorify and embellish in order to enlist more recruits. This war after all had taken a bigger toll on Shinra and its recourses then the public would ever know.
He however only smirked, "Interesting philosophy you have their cadet, though I wouldn't go spreading it around. We do after all need those who dream of glory. They will realize the truth soon enough, besides that sort of talk will only make you a target among your fellow cadets."
Strife shrugged absently.
"Wouldn't be the first time, sir."
Sephiroth's eyes narrowed at the obvious indication.
"But it will be the last cadet. Cadets Smith and Jefferson have both been expelled from the military program. The other five have all been punished severely, but will be allowed to remain in the program though I have assigned them all in separate squadrons from each other and you and Cadet Rush."
The cadet only nodded in acknowledgment, but Sephiroth's sharp eyes detected the relief in the blue eyes, before they once again went empty and Sephiroth was impressed by the control the young cadet had over his emotions. It made him seem older, for usually only those with years of experience had that level of control.
Rain shifted uncomfortably. The General was just starring at her and she felt that at any moment she was going to be exposed. Thinking maybe the stare was Sephiroth's way of dismal for she knew Sephiroth was a man of few words relying on glances – his coldly expressive eyes – to convey his wishes and opinion. She saluted sharply and turned to make an exist.
His cold voice stopped her. "I did not dismiss you cadet."
She turned around hesitantly. The General had stood and motioned toward a pile of files that sat in one corner of the room that was nearly was high as she was.
"All those files need to be entered into the Shinra database. My secretary apparently has been sick for the last mouth, undoubtedly caused by Commander Fair's antics in my absent and he does not touch paperwork, if we ever hope to find it again. You will help me catch up in my paperwork, until she returns. You do know how to use a computer don't you? I am only going to show you this once."
That last part came out as a threat and Rain after settling on the floor with a computer on her lap and days worth of work before her, was just thinking maybe she should have applied for Sephiroth's secretary after all. At least she would have gotten paid for doing the same work anyways.