Chapter Ten
AN - Aaaaargh a new trailer! I'm so excited for Rebirth now, although I have to get this story finished before its released! So I've got renewed motivation to keep going on it... which means you get a new chapter to celebrate :D
Cloud slung the Buster Sword onto his back, watching Genesis strap his red sword to his side. The first time he attempted it, he managed to tangle it up in feathers from the drooping wing and had to tug it free again with a pained wince. This resulted in him nearly overbalancing and having to flare the wing to keep his feet. Cloud stifled his smile quickly, knowing that the proud SOLDIER would not appreciate the humour of the situation. Luckily, the rest of their party was already moving towards the mine entrance where Barret, Angeal and Red were waiting for them.
Bringing up the rear Cloud followed them all westwards through the valley. The entrance of the mine wasn't much further up, just behind an open area with an old tree stump in the centre of it. Angeal was waiting there with arms folded across his chest as he leant against the rock wall the entrance was carved into.
"I can see why the mine closed up," he stated once they'd approached. "There are a lot of monsters in there."
"Should we be worried?" Aerith asked him, shaking out her staff and putting on a fierce expression. He shook his head with a smile at her antics.
"They aren't a match for SOLDIERs," he replied. "Or even good fighters that aren't SOLDIERs." He nodded respectfully in Tifa's direction. "We'll be fine as long as we keep moving. The paths haven't been maintained so we're going to be slow."
"Lead on then!" Aerith chirped, at which Angeal smiled and uncrossed his arms. He gestured for her to go first with a sweep of his arm, which Genesis snorted at.
Tifa lightly punched him in his good arm. "Stop that! It's sweet. He's such a gentleman to the ladies." With that, she followed them in.
Genesis tossed his hair out of his face lightly, his single long earring glinting in the midday sun. "Angeal wouldn't know what to do with a whore in a brothel." He muttered quietly, so quietly that Tifa hadn't heard him. Cloud gave a slight huff of amusement while next to him the edge of Sephiroth's lip quirked up slightly, in a movement that Cloud was beginning to learn meant that he found it amusing. Cloud briefly met Sephiroth's gaze, his green eyes shining with mirth. The level of expression in his eyes, so different from the insane-Sephiroth whose gaze just contained madness, threw Cloud for a moment and he stumbled over a rock. Immediately a gloved hand was steadying his elbow.
"Careful," Sephiroth murmured, much closer than Cloud expected him to be. Cloud felt the rush of heat to his cheeks as he blushed in embarrassment. He shook Sephiroth's hand away grumpily and stalked after Genesis into the mines.
It was a strange place, the inside of the mythril mines. Existing as a natural cave system long before humans started excavating for ore, tunnels had been carved organically through the rock system as the miners chased veins of mythril. In some places the natural cave formations remained, columns of rock where stalactites and stalagmites had come together to form elegant hourglass shapes. The only level surface was the floor, but even this was pitted and grooved courtesy of the many mining carts that had passed this way over the years.
Barret and Red were standing just inside the entrance, where the tunnel split into two routes – one leading to the left and one to the right.
"This place is a maze," Genesis commented, looking down each of the possible options. "I don't suppose you remember the way through, Angeal?"
The big SOLDIER scratched at one of his sideburns. "Not really… not enough to be confident, anyway. It's been a long time since I was last here. If I had to guess I'd go right, as that would be towards the west." He shrugged in an unconvincing way.
"Hmmm," Red sniffed carefully. "There is fresher air coming from the left."
"So we split up again." Barret suggested. "I'll go with Red and see if that way does go out and someone else can check the other way."
"I'll come with you," Angeal suggested. "It's as good an option as any." He then turned to Genesis. "Do you remember the codes we used as kids?"
Genesis tossed his head. "Of course."
"It's a way of marking where we have been," Angeal explained to the rest. "Banora had this huge natural cave system, we wanted to make sure we didn't get lost. You leave markers to show which way you've gone and what you found there. We can use this to find our way back through the caves, or to catch up with the other group if it turns out we followed a dead end. Genesis came up with a whole system for it." Genesis preened from the praise.
"So Angeal goes to the left with Barret and Red, Genesis goes right. What about everyone else?" Cloud asked, looking at the girls.
"I'll go right," Aerith spoke up. She glanced at Genesis and Cloud realised she was thinking about his injury. Judging by the scowl that replaced his smug expression, Genesis had figured that out as well.
"I will as well," Sephiroth stated in his deep voice. Tifa hesitated, looking torn.
"I guess… I'll go with Barret and the others," she said after a moment. "What about you Cloud? Coming with us?" He considered the groups… one contained both Sephiroth and Genesis, although Genesis was still badly injured no matter what he was telling them. The other had Angeal and Tifa, both artists in the way they fought, and Barret with his gun. Cloud was less sure about Red's fighting prowess, but they should be able to take on anything they came across.
"I'll go with Aerith." He stated eventually, in part wanting to make sure that Genesis didn't get any more injured. He felt a certain amount of lingering guilt over the SOLDIER's injuries despite knowing it was misplaced. Tifa's face fell briefly, but she covered by pulling on her gloves and tightening them up.
With his flaming Rapier able to light their way, Genesis took the lead. Cloud and Sephiroth, both mako enhanced, had superb night vision anyway but Aerith would have been walking blind without the red light. She carefully avoided his left side due to the wing, which brought her in line with the glowing sword Genesis wielded.
"So, what's this code you came up with?" She asked after a while, clasping her hands together behind her back.
Genesis smirked at her. "Just a series of lines that can be drawn onto rock – or in our case, etched." As if to make a point he used his sword to slash two parallel lines into the tunnel wall. "That will tell Angeal that we are travelling straight on, and in which direction."
"Huh," Aerith ran a finger over the grooves. "And if this way is a dead end?"
"Then it will help us retrace our steps, and Angeal will leave the same markings so we can catch them up." With that, Genesis strode on. One of the joints in his disfigured wing knocked against the low ceiling and he hissed in pain. Cloud winced sympathetically, almost able to feel the irritation rolling off Genesis in waves. But the redhead just shook his head grumpily and continued on.
The frustration of the wing constantly bumping against rock, whether the ceiling or the tunnel walls, was soon added to by the frustration of the mines themselves. A seemingly unending series of twisting tunnels, many culminating in dead ends. Occasionally, one of those paths led to a useful item, buried amongst the dirt and rubble, but most of the time there was nothing to show but a hike back through the dark with monsters snapping at their heels. Then Genesis would scour a vertical line onto the tunnel wall bisecting his previous marks and they would try the next branching tunnel.
The monsters in the mines were more of an irritant than anything else. Angeal had been right; they weren't a match against their fighting skills. But the confined tunnels meant that both Sephiroth and Genesis were hampered in their range of movement, the former because of the length of his sword and the latter due to the huge wing protruding from his left shoulder. This meant that Cloud and Aerith were forced to take on most of the monsters themselves, though with the combination of Cloud's heavy hits and Aerith's powerful magic they were easily able to take them down.
"OK, this is beginning to get a bit annoying." Aerith stated with her hands on her hips as she stared at yet another blocked tunnel.
Genesis sighed from behind them. "There was another passage a little way back. We are beginning to run out of options, though."
He turned around, ready to find the next tunnel, when the ground at his feet shuddered from the impact of a large mace. The wing flared as Genesis leapt back, effectively blocking Sephiroth from being able to move forwards to help.
"Oh for the love of the Goddess," Genesis snarled. "Go away you bastard!" He powered forwards and immediately attacked one of the monsters, as feathers cascaded around them. Cloud waved them out of his face as he tried to get into a position to support the SOLDIER. He could just about see Genesis darting forwards towards one of the strange, rock-like monsters they had encountered. As he did so, the redhead left himself open to a strike from one of the snake like creatures that seemed to follow the rock monsters around. In a flash, Sephiroth was there, beheading the snake despite not being able to fully swing his sword.
Cloud managed to strike a second rock creature with his Buster sword, separating its head from its body and causing both to crumble to dust. Meanwhile, the final snakes had been dispatched by Genesis and Sephiroth.
Once the monsters had gone, Genesis cracked his neck. "It's gone!" He declared happily, turning a circle. Cloud blinked as he realised that the large wing had completely disappeared. The rip in the back of Genesis's red coat and the pile of feathers drifting around Cloud's feet were the only sign that it had ever existed.
"You left yourself open." Sephiroth's tone was cool, his gaze disapproving as he focussed it on Genesis. "You are better than that."
Genesis rounded on his friend. "I would like to see you manage better in these circumstances!" He folded his arms and glared angrily at Sephiroth.
Sephiroth didn't argue, dropping his gaze. Aerith stepped forwards and clapped her hands to dispel the tension. "Well, we should keep moving! We can probably go faster without the wing." She started walking down the passage, twisting to look back at them with a smile. "You coming?"
Cloud shook his head with a fond smile and started after her, Genesis falling into step next to him as he passed. Sephiroth walked behind them, keeping up the rear.
"Just one question," Aerith said back to them as they retraced their steps. "Where did the wing actually go?"
"You know," Genesis said with a short, bitter laugh. "I have absolutely no idea. And honestly, I don't particularly care."
"It certainly makes it easier to get around." Aerith mused, waiting while Genesis scoured lines into the rock walls again before taking the next tunnel branch. "I wonder if you'll be able to bring it back out again-" She broke off abruptly as Genesis put an arm across in front of her, blocking her way.
"There are voices up ahead," he murmured, so quietly that even Cloud was hard pressed to hear him.
"Angeal's group?" Sephiroth asked calmly in the same low tone.
A slight shake of the head.
"You two need to stay out of sight," Aerith waved at Genesis and Sephiroth. "I'll go see what's happening." She grabbed Cloud's wrist and tugged as she stepped under Genesis's outstretched arm. Cloud only shrugged back at the SOLDIERs as he obediently followed Aerith along.
The tunnel suddenly widened into a much larger, open space. And there, right in front of them, crouched on the rock as his fingers trailed along some marks in the dirt, stood a familiar bald Turk.
"Hold up," he said as he straightened, adjusting his dark glasses that he was still wearing despite the dim lighting of the caves.
"Rude," Aerith stated blandly. "Fancy meeting you here."
"Aerith." He greeted her, tilting his head to one side. "You look well."
She huffed slightly and leant forwards, her hands crossed behind her back as she rocked on her toes. "So, what brings you to a place like this?"
Rude gave her a small smile. "Same thing as you, I'd imagine."
"Trying to take us in?" Cloud asked bluntly, his hand straying to the hilt of his sword.
"Not this time. We got bigger fish to fry." He appraised the pair of them again. "Where are the rest of you?"
"We split up." Cloud's grip tightened further on his hilt. Aerith stepped forwards, placing a hand on his chest.
"Sir!" The loud call distracted Cloud enough so that he loosened his grip a little. A bright blonde head of hair appeared at the top of a rocky outcrop. "There's no sign of him up here!" The woman gestured to the rock behind her, and Cloud could see that she was also wearing a Turk outfit. She noticed Cloud and Aerith then, almost doing a double take. "Wait, who are you?"
"Ain't none o' your business, Turk." A familiar, gruff voice came from behind Cloud as Barret strode up alongside him and readied his gun arm. "And you, ain't one beatin' good enough for you?"
The blonde Turk gasped. "You're the ones who fought Reno and Rude on top of the pillar! You're the reason Reno is out of action!" She turned away with a frown and tapped her lip. "Though… I guess I do owe my promotion to you." Turning back to them, she bowed with a flourish. "Feast your eyes on the Turks' latest and greatest – Elena!"
Cloud cocked his head slightly at the sound of the snort coming from behind him, recognising it as Genesis. The SOLDIERs had clearly decided to stay hidden from sight, although Tifa and Red had come up behind the three of them now. Both were watching warily, though not willing to come any closer to the Turks.
Rude hummed. "She may be new, but she's still a Turk."
Elena preened and took up a fighting stance. "And we have orders not to let you interfere in our search for Sephiroth! And we heard in Kalm that someone matching his description was coming to the Mythril Mines."
"Elena, you talk too much." A new Turk with long, dark hair, dark eyes and a tilaka in the centre of his forehead had appeared on a ledge behind Rude, striding out from a tunnel that led away into the rock. The blonde, Elena, straightened with a salute.
"Mr Tseng! Sir!"
Tseng looked down at them all, his gaze lingering on Aerith. "I don't suppose Sephiroth is travelling with you? Or the Genesis copy, by any chance?"
Cloud gave a slight shake of his head. "As if we would tell you, even if they were."
Tseng's expression didn't change much, except the corner of his mouth tilting up slightly. "I see." His gaze landed on Aerith again. "You have decided to leave Midgar for a while, then."
Aerith gripped her staff tightly, holding it against her body defensively. "I thought it was about time I got out, saw some sights… you know how it is."
"Hm." Tseng pulled a box from behind him and tossed it to Rude who caught it deftly. "Those belong to you," he said, still addressing Aerith. "You might have more luck delivering them than I have." His gaze flickered away from the brunette, towards the tunnel they had come from and where Cloud was convinced the SOLDIERs were staying out of sight. "Take care."
Aerith stepped forwards to take the box from Rude, shaking her head slightly at Cloud when he went to accompany her. "That's a little strange to hear from you."
Tseng inclined his head before motioning to Rude, who climbed up the rockface to join him, to leave the cave through the tunnel Tseng had entered by. Tseng then turned to follow, but paused before entering the narrow tunnel. "All intel gathered so far suggests that Sephiroth is heading straight to Junon." He told them. "I would advise you to find another route." With the cryptic message, he left the chamber. After a short scramble and a lot of swearing Elena finally made it after them both.
"Now what was that all about, I wonder?" Genesis stepped elegantly out from behind a rock he had been using for cover. "Tseng is known to be enigmatic but that it taking it to a new level. I wonder what he means by a Genesis copy? It isn't the first time I have heard that term."
"Who was that man?" Red asked curiously, his tail flicking from side to side.
"Tseng," Sephiroth answered him, stepping out into the light. "The second in command of the Turks, Shinra's hidden enforcers." He looked up at the ledge Tseng had been standing on, his fingers twitching minutely.
All of their party was now standing at the bottom of the cliff. Genesis turned to Angeal with a raised brow. "No luck your end? We have been chasing every single dead end that this goddess forsaken mine has to offer!" He sighed deeply. "Legend shall speak of sacrifice at the world's end…"
Angeal shook his head in the negative. "There were some cliffs and we managed to scavenge a couple of potions from an old campsite, but it was a dead end. However, that looks far more promising." He gestured to the exit that the Turks had used. "Given that we haven't seen any signs of other travellers so far, they must have entered the caves from the Junon side."
"Very true. So, if Tseng is to be believed we are travelling to Junon then?"
"You ain't seriously gonna believe a word that scumbag says?" Barret said incredulously.
"It is the most logical location for the other Sephiroth to go," Sephiroth told him. "There would be no reason to come through the Mythril Mines unless you wished to head to the west, there are ports to the south of the plains that will provide transport to the Southern Islands. But to get to the Western Continent, Junon is the most likely port of departure."
"All roads lead to Junon, huh?" Angeal said dryly.
"It is the main city on the western coast." Genesis shrugged. "Where else would we go? There is only that one reactor or small farmsteads otherwise. I do not believe Tseng told us anything we weren't already aware of."
"Except for telling us not to go there. What did 'take another route' even mean?" Tifa asked.
"Does it even matter? That arsehole!" Barret complained. "He's probably sellin' us a pack o' shit. Telling us where to go an' sayin' not to go there. Shinra dickhead."
Sephiroth let out a small huff that could almost be a laugh. "I believe he might actually be trying to be helpful. I think that he has two sets of conflicting orders, one of which he more inclined to obey than the other."
Understanding dawned in Red's eye. "You suggest that he has orders both to follow the other Sephiroth and to bring us in simultaneously, and you think that he is disregarding the latter?"
Sephiroth tilted his head in agreement, sending his hair cascading down across his shoulder. "Indeed. I imagine that Rufus has taken the events on top of the Shinra tower personally and ordered our capture. Tseng's warning was just that, a warning not to draw attention to ourselves so that he is not forced to act against us. If we take the main route to Junon we will likely encounter military patrols due to its prominence as a key strategic asset. If word reached Heidegger of our presence then Tseng would have no alternative but to confront us directly."
Barret grumbled about damn Turks but seemed to agree with Sephiroth's logic. Cloud tore his attention away from Sephiroth, instead curious about the box that Aerith was now turning over in her hands. "What is it?" He asked her quietly.
She clutched it to her breast. "Oh, nothing really. Just something of mine I once gave to Tseng for safekeeping." She looked thoughtful as she tucked the box away into her bag. In an instant, she switched back on the bright smile although Cloud thought maybe this time it didn't quite feel as true as it usually did. "Well, we can't stay here! Time to mosey, right?"
