The Highwind in the game looked surprisingly close to the airship in real life, as far as Sephiroth knew. He'd seen it from a distance, but had not had an opportunity or reason to board it himself as of yet. He had ridden other airships, though. The deck did look a little small, in his opinion… especially when they had Tifa run inside and down the metal staircase there.

"Is that airship… larger inside?" Sephiroth asked.

"It certainly looks like it," Genesis said. "Though I'm more inclined to believe the game makes it look smaller on the outside. Representative, like the ridiculous proportions of some of the characters."

"Game limitations," Angeal commented, and the other two nodded in thoughtful agreement.

Genesis directed Tifa to the room at the top of the screen but under the stairs called 'Operations' where a crew member said to go talk to Captain Cid. Who wasn't in the room.

"Captain Cid? Are they still using ShinRa designations?" Angeal asked, grabbing a jar of mixed nuts and popping a handful into his mouth.

Sephiroth still didn't care to know what a 'couch potato' was, but since both his friends were still snacking... He reached for one of the more colorful packages of snacks still on the table. He opened said package and tried one of the… frosted animal cookies? They were a bit overly sweet for his preference, but far better than some of the snacks that seemed pure sugar.

They had Tifa run out and after some searching, found a catwalk across what looked like a maintenance or work bay of some kind.

"Is that really the layout of a supposedly 'advanced' airship?" Genesis asked, deadpan.

Neither answered as the screen had focused farther down the walkway, showing Barrett yelling at Cait Sith about how he should have said he could fly an airship. Cait Sith said something about having to trick the enemy.

Which made absolutely no sense at all whatsoever. Genesis' grunt of disapproval and Angeal's resigned sigh seemed to say they agreed with him.

The camera panned back to Tifa who asked if 'everyone' was there.

She got no answer.

They ran down the now empty walkway.

"They couldn't even answer her?" Genesis grumbled.

From his tone, he didn't expect an answer. A good choice as Sephiroth wouldn't give one.

"Maybe she was speaking to herself?" Angeal also didn't sound like he expected an answer from his companions.

Apparently that walkway led to the bridge. The screen faded in to have Tifa standing on it as Cid came over to welcome her to 'his' ship. Funny, Sephiroth was pretty sure ShinRa commissioned it (it would explain the layout). Tifa walked forward and looked around. Cid said she should be more excited than that. Nanaki said Cid's name. The man rubbed the back of his head (or, at least, that was what Sephiroth assumed the strange movement was supposed to be) and fell silent.

They had Tifa go around speaking to people. Cait Sith said he'd give Tifa information on ShinRa… whatever questions she had she should take to him…

And there were so many things right there that Sephiroth didn't really know where to begin.

Especially because when they tried to speak to him again, he just said the same thing.

"Whatever we ask?" Genesis said, annoyed.

"Just talk to everyone else," Angeal said, matching his friend's tone. They had Tifa continue to talk to people, but didn't get much in the way of information or moving the story along until they spoke with Nanaki. First he asked if they could do it – could fight without Cloud (another scoff from Genesis) as Barrett ran over to speak with them. Tifa crossed her arms and spoke of Meteor coming and Weapon on a rampage… then said she didn't know what to do.

Barrett told her to get a hold of herself and think about 'it' (likely meaning the problem at hand, IE Meteor and finding Cloud).

Tifa said that if only Cloud were there, everything would be fine.

"That boy hardly knows what he's doing at all at this point," Genesis said.

"Genesis," Angeal said, frowning disapprovingly.

"Am I wrong?" he asked. When Angeal's mouth just flattened out in annoyance, Genesis continued on. "My friend, the fates are cruel!"

Tifa went on to describe how Cloud would stand and say everything was fine.

"And look where that led you," the red-head replied, rolling his eyes again.

That seemed to happen more often recently too…

Barrett rightfully called her out. She apologized but admitted she was depressed. They exchanged more words and ended with Tifa saying she had to find him – to see him again.

"Well, she is the only one left in their group competing for his attention," Angeal said. "It seems she'll be Cloud's choice of girl by default."

For once, Genesis spoke quietly when he did, looking rather sad. "You say that as if it is a given, but… it is difficult to compete with a memory."

Angeal winced and looked away. It took him a moment to speak. "Sorry, Gen."

Genesis shook his head.

Sephiroth wasn't sure what had just transpired and didn't think he felt comfortable enough with them to ask verbally, so he raised an eyebrow and made an effort to not smother the worry that broke through his normally stony expression.

Angeal saw it and seemed to deflate a little. Then he glanced at his red-clad friend. "Genesis," he said, nodding over to Sephiroth.

The thespian saw the expression on his superior's face and also seemed to deflate. Then he nodded at Angeal, who put a hand on his friend's shoulder in solidarity.

"Genesis is adopted. His parents had one other son, one Genesis never met as he… passed on before we were born."

"My parents," Genesis almost bit the word out, "adopted me because they wanted a replacement son – someone to take his place. Unfortunately, I was never good enough."

Sephiroth didn't know what to say to that… rather horrible piece of information. All he knew was that he felt honored that Genesis had shared it.

"Thank you," he finally said.

"For what?" Genesis muttered, sounding entirely too bitter.

"For trusting me enough to give me that information. I will not abuse it."

On the screen, Tifa paused and Sephiroth glanced over to see a blank-faced Genesis and a warm, approving Angeal.

Then, the red-head's ears seemed to go a little redder and he coughed. "That's… not anything you couldn't find out."

"Oh, take the compliment for what it is," Angeal said, nudging Genesis.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow as Genesis seemed to shrink in on himself a little.

"You're welcome," he finally said. "Of course I trust you, Sephiroth."

He couldn't help the happiness that swelled in his heart at that and the smile that came to his face. Not the small ones, but a true smile. He didn't know he could still make that expression, to be honest, but it felt good.

"Thank you," he responded with a nod. He internally debated whether he should attempt to reinforce his support physically… that was what people did, right? Zack certainly seemed to be willing to do that from what he'd seen. Unsure as to whether he was acting correctly or not, he ventured to put his hand on Genesis' shoulder.

The red-head didn't shrug it off, but he did cough and go back to the game. Angeal caught the motion though, and nodded with a small smile, so Sephiroth counted it as a win.

"Anyway, who should I have her speak with next?"

As Angeal made a suggestion, Sephiroth noted that the sky outside the ShinRa tower had grown dark, with barely any light on the horizon. He checked his PHS and saw they'd just passed 2130. He wondered how much further they could get in the game before they should stop for the night. 0030 or 0100 at the latest. They still needed to resume and maintain a proper sleep schedule while they could, after all. He had no intention of recreating the all-nighter and fallout they'd had to put up with earlier that week.

He directed his attention back to the game, where Genesis had Tifa speak with Vincent as the ground flew by outside the front window of the Highwind. He said he was glad she was alright. Nanaki told her to cheer up again. The next in line was Cid, who said he didn't dislike Cloud, but he had been a 'strange dude', then went on to say that he was unpredictable. Smart but stupid. That everything about him was… kind of odd, and now they knew why.

Then he told her to cheer up.

Somehow, he didn't strike Sephiroth as the best for making speeches.

Tifa still seemed bolstered by his words.

Cid said that if they could find Cloud, the Highwind would get them to him. At which point Nanaki (and wasn't it frustrating that they couldn't change 'Red XIII' to the beast's real name) came forward and suggested Cloud was stuck in the Northern Crater. A logical conclusion. Sephiroth approved. Then he said something about how Cloud had fallen into the 'cracked ground', and was 'buried in its depth'.

The dark-haired girl asked if he meant the Lifestream.

"That's a rather long jump for a conclusion," Genesis said, still subdued apparently.

Then Nanaki spoke about how the Lifestream gushed through the surface of the planet and ocean floor.

"Oh, so he wasn't buried," Genesis deadpanned, "he drowned. So much better. Wing stripped away, the end is nigh..."

The beast spoke of how he'd heard of such a place… how convenient.

After that, the speaking died down and control returned to them.

"Next?" Genesis asked.

"Barrett," Angeal said thoughtfully, tapping one finger on his chin. Sephiroth wondered if his five-o-clock shadow annoyed his sensitive fingers. The silver general hadn't had to worry about shaving very often through his life – had never been able to grow an actual beard. And when it did come in, the hairs were white or nearly invisible.

He dismissed the strange, wandering thought and turned back to the screen.

They had Tifa run up to Barrett, only to have him complain about why Cloud always had to be there and didn't they do fine in the beginning without him? If they meant AVALANCHE (or their cell, at least), then Barrett and Sephiroth had very different definitions of 'fine'. He'd classify their early missions as desperate, petty, violent, dangerous and lacking in forward vision.

Then the former resistance leader asked where the 'tough little girl' that Tifa used to be had gone.

They spoke to some of the others again, not getting much information until they spoke to the person at the helm. Cid apologized for his panicking, then said something about how she had to be prepared and go to the 'Operations room' to get ready.

"The room we visited first?" Genesis asked as if he didn't remember, probably to point out how annoying it was that they'd gone there already, and why couldn't they have 'gotten ready' then?

He had Tifa run out of the room, down the catwalk and over to the Operations room. They spoke to the man inside, who simply said: 'Thank you for a job well done!' After which, they could reorganize their party.

"Finally," Genesis said in a tone indicating that he'd had to deal with the most annoying, frustrating and disturbing wait in his life. "My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment—"

"Oh, hush," Angeal said. "It's simply part of the game and not the worst… feature we've come across so far."

Genesis snorted, shot a disdainful look at his friend, and then slumped back against the couch.

They chose to have Cid in their party along with Yuffie simply because she hadn't leveled up as much as some of the others. So one stronger member along with Tifa, and one weaker one. Definitely something Sephiroth could approve of.

Then they assigned new weapons, armor, and accessories, before spending several minutes on materia.

Once finished there, Genesis exited the menu and saved the game… just in case.

"What do we do now?" Genesis asked.

"Go talk to Cid… again?" Angeal asked.

"Or anyone, I suppose," the red-head mumbled. Genesis had her head back to the bridge, but spoke to Cait Sith first. He said everything was calm at ShinRa and to look for Cloud.

"How can 'things' be 'calm at ShinRa'?" Genesis practically hissed. "They just lost two of their captive scapegoats and were attacked by a giant Weapon!"

He made a good point.

"When the war of the beasts brings about the World's end…" the Commander continued sounding thoroughly done.

"Loveless Prologue," Sephiroth commented. "You've already quoted that once tonight, in a far more fitting manner.."

"This fits perfectly," Genesis replied, then, as though Sephiroth had been pointing out a grievous error, "And only once? I shall have to step up my game."

"No, actually, you don't," Angeal returned with a playful grin, drawing Genesis' attention.

"My friend, do you fly away now?"

"Oh, give me that," Angeal snatched the controller away from Genesis, ignoring the resulting noise of complaint. The dark-haired man rolled his eyes. "Maybe talk to Barrett now?"

Genesis sniffed haughtily. "Plebeian."

Angeal didn't seem to mind the comment. But he did have Tifa go and talk to Barrett. The gunner questioned Game Sephiroth's narrative that Hojo and ShinRa could create humans like Cloud.

"What a relief. Someone is using their brain for once," Genesis said. "Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess."

So they would likely have to deal with him quoting Loveless for the rest of the night. Sephiroth repressed a sigh. It could be worse, he told himself. He could be saying nothing but Loveless.

"If we speak to Cid, we might be able to move on with the story as he is the captain of the ship," Angeal said thoughtfully.

Sephiroth turned his head slowly to look over at Angeal. Apparently Genesis had beaten him to the gesture, already staring at the other man.

"What?" Angeal asked, genuinely confused.

"You… seem to be understanding the game… and predicting it," Sephiroth said slowly. This is exactly like what he'd noticed himself, in the gas chamber.

"Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end is nigh…"

Sephiroth expected Angeal to retort with something showing his amusement. Instead he looked a little horrified, blinking at them and then the game, and then them again.

"I… don't know what to say," he finally said.

"It seems game insanity is… infectious," Sephiroth said.

"But what choice do we have?" Genesis asked. "Wings of light and dark…"

They stared at the screen in front of them, each lost in their own thoughts. Should he mention the gas chamber? Genesis had been the one to point out several of the story elements, but his hobby was literature. Understanding the strangeness of the game, the insanity…

Sephiroth couldn't help but find it rather ironic. Three men who had seen the horrors of war, who had been raised to be the best warriors in existence from young ages, who had lived through the inhumane experiments of an unscrupulous company and its horrific scientists… and they all seemed to be far more afraid of a video game than any of that…

"Could you take it back, Gen?" Angeal asked, voice sounding a little raspy.

Genesis looked at the controller as if it would bite him. Then he slowly reached out and took it.

"I'll… have her speak to Vincent," the red-head muttered, moving the character on the screen to speak with the red-cloaked icon.

All he said was that too much hope is the opposite of despair and may consume 'you' in the end… although whether he meant 'you' as metaphorical or personally directed at Tifa was anyone's guess.

Then they spoke to Nanaki who spoke of a southern island where the Lifestream sometimes gushes out.

Well, there wasn't any blue text, but it would be the best lead they had at this point.

"What's directly South of Junon?" Angeal asked thoughtfully.

"A dozen or so small settlements dotting both the coastal areas and the inland continent," Genesis answered. "But we're looking for an Island, there's the larger island where we found the Temple of the Ancients, but I don't think it meets the 'gushing Lifestream' descriptor… so I suppose they could mean Mideel, though that's more South-East…"

"Mideel does have Mako activity," Sephiroth pointed out.

A South-East island could also describe-"

"No," Genesis cut him off. "Not unless the game forces me." He shot his friend a glare then turned back to the game and nodded firmly. "Mideel it is."

He spoke to Cid.

Who told them to signal when they were ready… each time they spoke to him.

"What do we do, then?" Genesis asked, frustrated.

"Talk to the helmsman?" Angeal suggested. "He is flying the ship."

"They should be listening to the Captain, not the Helmsman!" Genesis shot back.

His larger friend could only shrug helplessly, though he looked uncomfortable again. Due to deliberately attempting to predict the game, Sephiroth postulated.

Genesis had Tifa talk to the helmsman.

Which brought them to the map screen, complete with a strange Meteor-like shape in the background and the floating airship right in the center. They also still hovered directly in place over Junon despite the impression that the ship had been moving at high speeds away… to avoid being recaptured. That was two instances of game insanity in as many seconds. The game creators certainly seemed to have challenged themselves with how much insanity they could squeeze into as small of a window as possible…

"Is it common to feel as if one should stab their projection screen or game station while playing these types of games?" Sephiroth asked calmly, his fingers twitching as they itched for Masamune.

"I'm rather sure it's just this game and its relation to us," Genesis grumbled as Angeal, again, shrugged helplessly.

Flying the ship, according to Genesis, was… aggravating, in no small amount because the world land-masses that had been easier to navigate while on foot before were infinitely more difficult to identify as they flew around on the airship over the ocean. If not for the small, semi-transparent world map in the bottom corner, finding Mideel would have been far more challenging… and not in a way he relished.

They found a settlement in the approximate area Mideel should be, surrounded as it was by jungle, being situated thirty or so degrees south of the equator. Annoyingly enough, it didn't seem as if the airship would land in the trees (although it did make sense, he supposed, for once), so they landed just outside of the jungle and walked in, fighting only one battle on their way with some green monsters with scorpion-like tails. No one mentioned what they were, and Sephiroth himself hadn't ever run into such, so he took out his notebook and made a brief description if anyone went down to that area of the world.

Mideel, in and of itself, looked a lot more cobbled-together than Sephiroth remembered it being when he'd been there a couple of years before. He wasn't sure if that was the game or a comment on the future decade.

A man sat under the wooden bridge leading into the town and Genesis spoke to him first. He commented on how Tifa was a 'beauty', that the town was Mideel and a 'quiet little Hot springs town'. He went on to say how peaceful it was and a perfect retirement community. Well, he wasn't wrong.

The first shop they walked into had a woman walking around frantically, followed by a tiny white chocobo.

White.

Or silver.

"Has anyone ever seen a chocobo of that color before?" Sephiroth asked.

"No," the other two responded.

"I've seen green, blue and black… but never silver…" Genesis commented.

"I didn't know they came in colors other than yellow and green," Angeal muttered. "The chocobos we had to race to leave the Corel prison were a variety of colors, but I thought it was just a decorative thing, like dye, since the Gold Saucer is supposedly an entertainment venue.

Sephiroth heard that chocobos could have different colored feathers, but had never actually seen one himself (not counting in the game).

The woman and the chocobo ignored them completely, and Genesis ignored her as he walked Tifa to the back to talk to the last person in the shop, a rather rotund, bald man with a beard.

He said they always take cash, asked where they wanted to go, said that there was no room left, then that that had been a joke.

"Rather in poor taste for someone running a business," Genesis commented. Sephiroth and Angeal nodded in agreement.

Turned out that instead of 'going' somewhere, he would actually sell items to them. How… strange. On the bright side, they found remedies there. He found it a little strange that a town down in that direction would have such items available. Then again, ShinRa did tend to be stingy with their remedies (why they hadn't run across them before, likely) and there were enough poisonous or other status afflicting problems in that area that they'd need them.

They decided to buy a couple, stocked up on their potions and hi-potions before leaving the menu. Then Genesis turned and tried to talk to the woman instead. He got the chocobo. A menu popped up saying that chocobos ignore people who don't give them greens.

"Don't we have greens?" Angeal asked with a frown.

"Perhaps it only eats a certain kind of greens? Or there will be something further along that will give us clues or what we need?" Genesis suggested.

"Hmm," their dark-haired friend said as Tifa attempted to speak to the woman again. She seemed to be panicking that the 'oversized moon' was about to crash down and then went on about how she had to gather supplies.

I see. The business man is attempting to encourage panic-buying. Highly questionable business practice." As though ShinRa wasn't so much worse.

Genesis kept watching the screen as he walked Tifa out of the shop.

"So, under the bridge, or around by the stairs?" Angeal asked.

"I can see movement over that direction, so I say by the stairs," Genesis said, moving over towards that direction.

"Okay," Angeal agreed. "Up the stairs or should we stay on the ground level?"

"Ground level first," Sephiroth said. "With only two levels and a relatively easy layout, starting from the ground floor and working up makes sense."

"I would probably work from the top down," Angeal mused, "but I'm fine with working from the ground up, I suppose."

"We should at least try the shop over there," Genesis nodded to the right of the screen, moving Tifa in that direction. They spoke with one person who commented on the end of the world – understandable in Sephiroth's opinion – then went into the shop Genesis had pointed out.

The woman with the white chocobo happened to be there too… although how she was there without having passed them before made no sense.

"I'm surprised she seems to be the only one panicking like that," Genesis said. "At least from what we've seen…"

"Agreed," Sephiroth said. Just more game insanity.

Genesis gave a soft snort of acknowledgment and a small smirk, and had Tifa talk to the man behind the desk. It happened to be a materia shop with some decently rare materia. HP plus, MP plus, Destruct, Transform, Gravity…

"I'm getting them all," Genesis said, eyes fixed on the screen and a hungry expression on his face. Sephiroth did find that to be rather creepy.

The red-head managed to buy the Gravity before Angeal snatched the controller from his hand. He protested. Loudly.

"We don't have enough gil to buy them all," Angeal responded, exasperated. "We have – we had enough for maybe two of them, especially if we want to save some gil for weapons."

"Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul!" Genesis paused, as though waiting for a response both Sephiroth and Angeal knew better than to grant. When he didn't get it, his expression soured. "My friend, the fates are cruel!"

Angeal just rolled his eyes, then picked up the MP plus and equipped both the new materia on Yuffie before heading back outside.

Funny, the woman outside who spoke of the end of the world so calmly looked very much like the frantic woman they'd met inside the two shops…

There really was more insanity than logic in this game.

"Now what?" Angeal asked.

"You said you'd start from the top and work down," Genesis said. "I actually agree with you."

Sephiroth frowned, but figured that any one of them would get whatever mission they were sent to do here done, no matter their methodology, so decided not to protest. When Angeal glanced at him, he just shrugged.

"Up the stairs it is, then," Angeal said, heading up and speaking to the blue-clad girl on the first landing they came to. Apparently, she was advertising unique weapons from the shop she stood in front of.

Going inside there, they found the same woman running around again. The man sitting behind a desk at the front of the store welcomed them to the 'Charity store' a store of 'love and courage!'

What.

"Charity? Does that mean they're giving away weapons?" Angeal asked.

Genesis scoffed derisively. "Highly doubtful."

Since they had Tifa, Yuffie and Cid in their party, they decided to focus on those, but unfortunately only had enough for one weapon and one bracer. The stats were quite good, so Angeal picked Yuffie's weapon as she was the furthest behind when it came to her own stats.

"The girl outside might have stated it outright, but am I the only one who is confused that these weapons shops seem to have one or two weapons for each character?" Genesis asked, arms folded in annoyance. "Including an 'M-phone'. Since when has an 'M-phone' been a weapon?"

"Are we going to continue to keep pointing out how ludicrous the game is?" Angeal asked, walking Tifa out of the store. "We've established how insane it is a hundred times over."

"Yes," Genesis said firmly. "It is… both amusing and reassuring."

Sephiroth agreed.

"Reassuring?" Angeal asked, clearly puzzled.

"That we are still in possession of our own faculties," Genesis said. The larger SOLDIER's confusion didn't diminish.

Sephiroth didn't often step in, especially to explain, but based on Angeal's confused, if thoughtful look, he got the feeling that if he didn't this time, no progress would be made.

"The 'game logic' – or insanity as the case may be – is never addressed, mentioned, or questioned, and thus is accepted as normal by the people in the game – by the entire world of the game – no matter how much sense it does not make. Reinforcing logic and normalcy while comparing such to the game is thus reassuring and somewhat entertaining." While not a precise correlation, it was something he sometimes had to resort to as a child when dealing with competing scientists, or when he'd been placed under a new caretaker. Minus the entertaining part. And addressing the contradictions out loud. And friends to discuss the discrepancies with.

Angeal stared at Sephiroth as if he'd made a grand speech.

Genesis, too, looked surprised, but recovered far more quickly.

"Precisely!" the red-head crowed, grinning. Somehow, on Genesis, it didn't look nearly as friendly as Sephiroth thought it should. Then again, he wasn't exactly one to judge on such a matter. "Wings of light and dark spread afar! She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting."

"I… see," Angeal said slowly, contemplatively. He, too, started to look a little relieved.

On the screen he finished equipping Yuffie and exited the menu. "Up or down?" he asked.

"Continue up," Genesis said immediately. "We're working from the top down, remember?"

"Just checking," Angeal's deep baritone replied easily as he moved Tifa up the second set of stairs and onto the bridge. The completely and utterly pointless bridge. That looked like it would fall apart at any moment. Ah, well.

The old man looking out over a railing near a ramshackle building at the end of the bridge said something about being jealous because 'that kid' got a 'green stone' from a chocobo. A materia?

"What child?" Genesis asked. "We should go confront him!"

"We're not stealing materia from a child, Genesis."

The red-head looked over at his friend, incredulous again. "It's a game. We steal from people's houses on a regular basis."

"Genesis, no."

"Genesis, yes, unless you can come up with some actual logical reason why not."

Angeal turned to face them, holding up the controller and raising a pointed eyebrow. Genesis frowned, then sat back on the couch with a huff.

Of course, he hadn't let it go. As Angeal moved Tifa inside the hut, Genesis spoke again.

"Entering without permission? Where is your honor, Angeal?!"

The brunet rolled his eyes. "Truths or not, it's a game, Genesis, as you just pointed out."

The red-head still sighed dramatically. The other two ignored him.

The people inside seemed to be in various states of denial about Meteor. The cats squeaked… again… and the 'maid' cooking (at least that's what he assumed she was doing) on the stove ran an accessory shop.

Sephiroth sighed. Genesis gave out a 'hrk' sound and Angeal just shook his head.

There wasn't anything there they could buy with everything else they'd bought already anyway.

They ran back across the bridge and down. Either way they went, it looked like they'd have an opening into the town square. Angeal chose to head back around to the road leading into the town and walked under the bridge.

The first entity she ran into happened to be a gray dog. At least, it looked like a dog. Angeal spoke to it.

Tifa asked if it was all alone. Then she made a bunch of assumptions about it being lost from someone it loved… and knelt down.

At first, Sephiroth thought the dog spoke back, talking about how 'he' washed up on shore a week ago, a 'poky-headed young thing'. Then the camera panned up to two men speaking a little ways away. One of them spoke about how this boy carried a long sword, how it felt unlucky and how he had the most 'amazing' blue eyes.'

"Well," Genesis said, a little smugly, "It seems we were right."

Sephiroth very carefully didn't point out that they were predicting the game again…

Tifa stood up. Cid and Yuffie ran out of her and she asked the men what they'd just said. Sephiroth had never understood that question.

She ran up to them, asking where that person had been taken. She concluded it must be Cloud and asked where he was now. They told her he was 'up ahead' at 'the clinic'. The camera panned up a little more, showing a small building built with wood, half of it white-washed. Tifa didn't hesitate, turning and running towards the building. Cid, the dog, and Yuffie all followed.

Inside the clinic, Tifa looked around and called out. A man with glasses, short, brown hair and a mustache, turned and berated her for rushing in 'like Meteor was crashing down or something.'

"Has he not been outside at all lately?" Genesis asked, lips pursed in annoyance.

Tifa apologized but said she'd heard a friend of hers was there. Off to one side, Sephiroth saw the back of a nurse, but couldn't make out much of what she hid from the camera… he had his guesses.

The doctor confirmed that 'that young fellow' was there, next door, but that he wasn't doing very well. Sephiroth frowned but didn't say anything.

"Of course he isn't doing well if he took a swim through the Lifestream to the other side of the planet," Genesis threw his hands up, exasperated.

Tifa ran through the door towards the nurse, who turned around and then demurely moved to the side to reveal the top of Cloud's head… was he sitting in something? A wheelchair seeing as it was moving forward… on it's own…

Nope. Game insanity and move on.

Meanwhile, Cid and Yuffie came in after her, but…

"Where is the dog that came in with them?" Sephiroth asked.

"It did come in, didn't it," Angeal said, releasing the controller with one hand and rubbing his chin. "Unless the other two kept it out? It is a medical facility."

Tifa seemed relieved that Cloud was safe and walked up to him, but then the music stopped as Cloud's head bobbed strangely. He didn't respond, lifting his head back and looking around as a strange, soft screeching sound and new music started in the background.

'What's wrong with him?' Tifa asked. Then she addressed Cloud. 'What happened to you?!'

'Mako poisoning,' the Doctor said, folding his arms. 'Quite an advanced case. It appears this young man has been exposed to high levels of mako energy for an extended period of time.'

"If the Lifestream is where Mako comes from, that makes sense," Angeal said, not pleased with the turn of events. Sephiroth agreed.

He expected Genesis to say something about how ridiculous the idea of the Lifestream was, even if just to be contrary, but he said nothing. Sephiroth glanced at him, but the red-head watched the screen with narrowed eyes and a furrowed brow, as if trying to puzzle out something. He decided not to say anything.

The Doctor went on, talking about how Cloud couldn't speak and how he probably had no idea where he was. Then he said, 'He is literally miles away from us.'

Genesis rolled his eyes. "He is not 'literally' miles away! His mind might be, but he – his body – is right there! Learn your definitions, sir!"

Angeal snorted in amusement. Sephiroth just shook his head, once again puzzled at what tended to set Genesis off as compared to the other SOLDIERS.

"That doctor isn't very reassuring," Sephiroth said, hoping he hid how the man's implied tone brought up bad memories. "They… are supposed to be, are they not?" More than one of Hojo's underlings had commented on something similar in the past. The apathy from caretakers was a normal experience for him, but he'd seen medics in the field who… well, seemed to care about their patients' well-being in and above what that care said about them as a practitioner. "Or is that... common with non-field medics, scientists, and doctors?" he asked the other two.

Angeal's amusement faded into a troubled expression while Genesis shrugged. "How should I know? I've only ever visited one 'doctor' in my life."

"Hollander?" Sephiroth asked. Gensis nodded. "I see."

"Same," Angeal said. "But based on the complaints I've heard from our SOLDIERS, no, that's not common, nor normal."

"Hmm," the silver-haired man responded, then turned back to the screen.

Cid said that was 'evil'. Yuffie asked if he was lying.

"No, just exaggerating," Genesis said.

"Pot, meet kettle," Angeal muttered.

"I am a thespian!" Genesis said. "He is a doctor. A supposedly normal doctor."

Angeal paused, pursed his lips for a moment, then nodded in concession. "Point."

Tifa knelt in front of him, and the doctor asked them to all wait outside. First Yuffie, then Cid and finally even the doctor and the Nurse left Tifa and Cloud alone. After a couple of seconds, Tifa put her head in her hands, then asked why and what he wanted her to do. She asked him to talk to her, said that she got this far believing in the memories they shared (even if they weren't compatible, Sephiroth had to ask himself), then said this couldn't be happening – that it was too cruel.

"Denial is a powerful emotion," Angeal said softly.

Genesis nodded in solemn agreement as once again the screen faded to black.

Sephiroth couldn't help but feel sad, for Game Cloud, for Tifa, but mostly for his friends… and he couldn't even say why.

xXx

AN: Sorry guys, mix up when it comes to updates and... this should have been up yesterday! *headdesk* It was ready to go up yesterday... *headdesk* *headdesk* *headdesk*

Thanks again to the Great and Marvelous Imagination7413! She's been such a huge help. :)

Discord: discord. gg/GPfDYy5ZPa (without spaces)