As everyone got situated, Sephiroth turned the game back on. Then he held out the controller, silently asking for volunteers. He still remembered what Cloud said in the dream, his 'three things'. He would bring them up later, after he was ready to take the controller himself or it came up in game, whichever came first. If he took the controller now though, he'd probably break it.
After a moment, Genesis rolled his eyes. "Oh, very well. I'll play it."
The Silver General nodded politely in thanks (secretly extremely grateful) and handed the controller over to the red-head.
On the screen, the game faded back in, showing the world map over Rocket Town.
"Wait… we were still in Rocket Town?" Zack asked. "Didn't they land in the ocean… from, you know, space."
"Game insanity," Genesis and Angeal said at once.
"Ah," the boy replied with a nod of his head.
Genesis directed the airship to the rather close area of Cosmo Canyon and landed as nearby as he could. For some reason, the game gave them issues landing right by Cosmo Canyon, so they had to land just outside on the grass and head in on foot.
No one seemed to understand why, but no one seemed to care enough to comment either.
"Why does it look like sunset there?" Zack asked. "It's daylight everywhere else."
"We don't know," Angeal replied tiredly.
"It seems to be in a perpetual sunset," Genesis added on, grumbling as he ran into a fight. At least it was an easy win.
"That's weird," Zack said. "But it is an old game. Lighting effects are hard. At least, that's what the gaming forums say."
The other SOLDIERS nodded as Genesis finally approached the stone stairs leading up to the actual settlement. The guard let them in easily this time, naturally (Angeal had explained how they'd had a difficult time entering before), and Genesis led Cloud towards the stairs on the left.
Genesis, apparently, made a wrong turn or two, but eventually, they found themselves at the top and climbing up a ladder into an apartment.
"Huh," Angeal said as Zack reached towards some chips on the table. "Where is he?"
"So, I'm guessing he was there last time," Zack said between chips. At Angeal's nod, he added, "that can be annoying in games sometimes, on first playthroughs."
"Maybe he's in the machine room?" Angeal suggested. Sephiroth had to hide his annoyance regarding the fact that he didn't know what they were speaking about. He regretted not being awake last time, ignoring the voice (that sounded like himself, thankfully, and not the other) pointing out that the day after might not have gone as well if he had not been rested.
Genesis nodded and led Cloud back through the door. Inside, they indeed found who Sephiroth assumed to be Bugenhagen… and he looked about as ridiculous as they'd described.
"Wait, that's Nanaki's Grandpa?" Zack asked, confused.
"We're pretty sure he's adopted," Genesis said with a derisive snort.
"No kidding," the Second muttered, chomping into the chip in his hand.
Genesis had Cloud speak to Bugenhagen, who, after some philosophical lines about how they could always go to him for wisdom, told them to try and remember something they had obviously forgotten and that was where their answer would lie.
What.
"Is he serious?" Zack asked.
"Unfortunately," Genesis muttered.
Cloud responded that it was easy to say but he couldn't remember a thing.
"That may be the truest statement you've ever said," the red-head said, smiling a little vindictively.
"Hey, be nice to Spiky," Zack protested, pointing a chip at him.
"He's–," Genesis waved his hand at the screen, but cut himself off. Which, considering his shifted stance on the characters in the game and their very real counterparts, was impressive for conveying his distaste while still being circumspect. For Genesis.
The Second frowned and humphed, popping the rest of the chip into his mouth and turning back to the screen.
There, Bugenhagen insisted that 'it' must be there and to look harder.
"How does he even know that?" Genesis asked.
"Game insanity," Angeal said.
The red-head didn't look happy. "It looks like there is more actual insanity in this than an unreliable narrator would adequately explain, unfortunately."
Sephiroth wasn't really surprised… but then, Genesis didn't sound surprised either. The memory of the dream and the response given to his question about how much of the story was true came to mind, but… later.
In the game, Cid suggested (practically ordered) Cloud to 'call the others in here'. Cloud nodded and put his hand to his ear, as if he had his PHS in it, and a ring tone sounded while the screen faded out to black.
Once on the black screen, Bugenhagen spoke, asking if 'you' (meaning Cloud?) saw it and what it was he was searching for. Then the screen faded back in to the same room with everyone there. Cait Sith said that they couldn't come up with anything.
Genesis snorted. "Yes, because it's that easy to 'remember' something you 'forgot'." He rolled his eyes and clicked for the game to continue.
Yuffie agreed, and then Cloud said he remembered Aeris… a lot.
A crumpling sound had everyone looking over at a very blank-faced Zack with a crushed bag of chips in his hand. Sephiroth did not flinch, but it was a near thing. Thankfully, Angeal put his hand on his pupil's shoulder and the Second began to relax.
Meanwhile someone – Cloud? Presumably – said they hadn't remembered and they hadn't forgotten… Sephiroth frowned. That… didn't seem like the Cloud they'd come to know. He did seem to be struggling with words, though, saying that Aeris was there all along, right by their side. Then he said something about how she was so close they couldn't see what she did or the words she left behind."
"Um… is Spiky ok?" Zack asked, slowly.
"I would think that was obvious," Genesis commented. "He is most certainly not."
"No, I mean… he's acting weirder than normal…"
"He did just get his memories back…" Angeal pointed out, his voice just as careful as Zack's had been.
"Good point," Genesis said. "Though I would also point out that you've not been with us long enough to establish what his 'normal' actually is, yes, this is unusual, even for him."
"I've been here for hours, and this is my third day," Zack protested, puffing his cheeks out once he finished.
The red-head opened his mouth to say something but a stern look from Angeal had him backing off, albeit with a roll of his eyes. Still, everyone on the screen seemed to agree with Cloud's words, saying they felt the same.
Then Cloud finally said something more sensible about how Aeris said she was the only one who could stop Game Sephiroth's Meteor.
Tifa pointed out, sadly by the way she drooped her head, that Aeris was gone. At which point, Nanaki asked if there was no way to carry on what Aeris tried to accomplish. Barrett didn't seem to think so, as none of them were Ancients, and he had a point. Then Cid asked what she went off to do in the first place (at least, that was what Sephiroth got from the rather poor grammar).
Then Cloud exclaimed, 'That's it!'
Cid asked, 'What's it?'
Cloud then asked why Aeris faced Sephiroth without running away.
"That's not what I recall happening," Angeal said with a frown. Sephiroth noticed Zack's fists clench again, but decided against drawing attention to that. They might notice his own hands curled into fists.
Nanaki said something about how she'd returned there (meaning the City of the Ancients?) once again. Then Bugenhagen recommended they take him there. When Nanaki questioned him about traveling, he said that he liked to see things in the outside world from time to time.
"Head where?" asked Zack. "They didn't actually give a location."
"My best guess is the City of the Ancients," Angeal said. "Was that your thought, Genesis?"
"Of course," the man scoffed. "It's obvious."
Zack shook his head in exasperation but wisely said nothing more.
After a couple more exchanges, everyone filed out of the room except for Cloud and Bugenhagen. The blond turned to the old man and said he had one more question. He said they were carrying around huge materia and he would like to keep it in a safe place. Nanaki's grandfather agreed to keep it 'upstairs' and then said he'd teach Cloud how to work the machine.
The screen faded out and then in again with the dome Sephiroth had only glanced at before now glowing with a light in the center. Then the circular platform in the center of the room raised up and the camera zoomed in.
"Did this happen before?" Sephiroth asked quietly.
"Yes," Angeal replied, eyes still fixed on the screen. "Remember I told you of his model of the solar system?"
Sephiroth only replied with a nod. The scale had changed drastically, based on the size of Cloud and Bugenhagen, but Genesis had already complained enough about inconsistent scaling, that Sephiroth merely studied the new image. Instead of just the planets and their orbits around the sun, though (as the General expected), several large chunks of gemstones floated there too.
"How did they get Materia to float like that?" Genesis asked, exasperated.
Zack, who seemed to have recovered a bit of himself, smiled and said, "Magic?"
Angeal burst into laughter and Genesis reached for the table, grabbing one of the wrapped pastries (he caught the word 'snoball' on the label) and tossed it at Zack. Even Sephiroth found himself with a small smile on his face. It felt fragile but… considering he hadn't wanted to smile much since Genesis's head's-up, it felt… good.
"Brat," Genesis muttered with another roll of his eyes, although his voice had no edge to it. "Let's continue, then."
Before they could, though, Zack spoke up indignantly. "What do they mean, snoball?! This isn't a snoball*!"
Sephiroth blinked. Why did he sound so upset about a snack?
"Zack," Angeal started, but the younger man cut in.
"No, I'm gonna show you all what a real snoball is!" He nodded firmly and then turned back to the tv, stuffing it in his mouth despite his seeming current upset. "Are we gonna play more or not?"
Genesis opened his mouth to say something, but Angeal held up his hand and shook his head. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow and the red-head slumped back in his seat with a silent huff.
Bugenhagen commented on how this was 'very rare materia indeed'.
The red-head snorted. "Yes, please continue to state the obvious or utterly ridiculous and senseless filler. That makes everything so much clearer."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow in his direction. Zack must have caught it because he spoke up before Genesis could.
"Oh, 'filler' is an adopted word too?" the Second asked.
"And do you both define it the same?" Angeal cut in curiously.
"For me it is exactly what it sounds like," Genesis explained haughtily. "Pointless and unnecessary commentary that the audience or reader should already know by that stage in the play or book."
"Similar," Zack shrugged. "In games, a lot of mini-games can fall into that category. The stuff that's used to extend play time, but usually doesn't contribute to the player's experience. It's a lot like grinding, but at least with grinding, you get something out of it. Oh, and some side quests can fall under the filler-fluff umbrella too."
"Fluff?"
"Same thing. Stuff used to 'pad out' a game. Like a stuffed animal. Fluff. Filler. Padding." He waved his hand as he turned his attention back to the game. "Though 'fluff' can sometimes mean warm fuzzies in games," Zack said, almost absent mindedly. "Like a feather pillow or warm blanket."
The old man (who was floating far above Cloud) said each materia had a special consciousness inside it.
Then Cloud moved towards the nearest materia, the red one. A box saying that it was 'Huge materia' and that it was glowing strangely came up. Then a menu popped up, asking if they wanted to get closer, leave 'it' alone or go back down.
Naturally, Genesis picked 'get closer'. Then it said the Huge Materia emitted a fiery glow and was the same color as summoning materia.
"No, truly?" the red-head asked with exaggerated sarcasm. He still had Cloud examine each of the floating Materias. The second one they approached, the yellow one towards the bottom left of the screen, said something about 'emitting a quiet glow'. Then Cloud said it was the same color as command materia.
Genesis let out a long, exaggerated huff.
The third, green materia was much the same.
"How do I leave?" the red-head asked, moving Cloud around the screen.
"Examine one of the materia again? They all had a 'go back down' option," Angeal said.
This game…
Sephiroth silently agreed with Genesis' continued derogatory grumbling. A menu popped up that asked if they wanted to leave, but before they did, it asked if they remembered how to use the levers in the room below if they wanted to see the Materia again.
"Of course we do!" Genesis practically growled, finally making his way out of the tower. "Well, that was a wasted effort."
"Not necessarily, or he probably wouldn't be bugging you about return controls," Zack said. "Games are tricky like that. Come back and examine them again later and they might give you something. It's to encourage people to explore everything… multiple times. Game makers like to hide things and not make them easy to get sometimes."
"It was still a waste of time," the red-head insisted imperiously. Sephiroth, again, silently agreed.
"It's like when I explained the chests," the Second defended. "It's not like we can examine things up close in games like this. That the room got that big in comparison to when they were going up says it's important, because it did give us a better view. Or at least, probably. Sometimes games do fake outs like that too."
"Still ridiculous," Genesis said. Even Angeal nodded.
Zack just huffed and shook his head, focusing back on the screen.
"To the City of the Ancients, then?" Angeal asked.
"Yes," Genesis said, finally exiting the screen. It went directly to the airship.
"Well that was fast," Angeal said, sounding amused.
Genesis glared at the screen. "I am torn between the ridiculousness and relief that I do not have to navigate back out of that maze of a village."
Bugenhagen stood in front of the doors to the conference room saying he liked the smell of machinery, although he also loved the smell of nature. Then he went on.
Sephiroth was quickly losing his patience with this game.
Again.
Then the old man bid them bye, said he'd be on the deck, and floated off the screen.
"So there's a deck up there? Or did he mean the bridge?" Zack asked before finishing off the rest of his bag of crushed chips.
"There's a deck," Genesis said slowly. "It's up the stairs."
"Can I see it?" Zack asked.
"We don't have time," the red-head started, but Angeal just looked over at his friend imploringly.
"It'll only take minutes. At most."
Genesis let out a put-upon sigh. "Very well." Sephiroth was more inclined to just get on with the game, but didn't see much harm in letting Zack see the deck either.
They climbed the stairs (very quickly) and walked out onto the deck they'd seen after Tifa's escape from Junon.
"That is so cool!" Zack said.
"It still doesn't make any sense," Genesis muttered.
"It does look a little small," the Second conceded after a moment's contemplation.
"A little small', he says! Even ignoring the size, they went up the stairs to get there! Implying the entirety of the ship we've seen is in that section below them!"
"Genesis," Angeal admonished.
The red-head huffed again. "I'm going to talk to Bugenhagen."
He only said he wondered where they were taking him.
Sephiroth put a hand to the bridge of his nose.
"To the 'Forgotten City', you dolt!" Genesis shouted at the screen. "This was a waste of time."
"Genesis," Angeal said, tone a little harsher.
"Thanks for showing me the deck," Zack said as a clear peace offering.
"Hmm," the red-head responded as he maneuvered Cloud back down the stairs. Well, he didn't snap back, so that was probably positive.
"Should we save?" Angeal asked
Genesis didn't sound too pleased when he spoke, but he still didn't snap. "Fine." He headed to the operations room and saved the game.
"I'm changing Cid over to Yuffie," he muttered. "Need to keep her stats up and she seems to be one of the more difficult ones to do so." No one said anything as he also rearranged some of the equipment and materia, then made his way to the bridge.
They passed by Cait Sith just standing there, and apparently Genesis decided to talk to him because Cloud stopped and the moogle… thing turned to him.
'I told Aeris' mom about her death. Elmyra was cried herself silly… So did little Marlene…' No one said anything, not even to point out the poor grammar there. The room suddenly felt tense and Sephiroth couldn't help but feel guilty.
"One single point in his favor. I loath delivering that kind of news." Genesis made an attempt to redirect their attention.
"Everyone does, Gen," Angeal agreed. "It's hard enough when it's to a man's squadmates. When it's an innocent and their immediate family, and both are civilians…
He hated it. He hated feeling guilty, he hated what had been done to him, he… hated the whole situation. And he blamed Hojo. Shinra and Jenova too, but mainly Hojo.
(Why did he have to come back early?!)
Older Cloud's words came to him suddenly.
If you don't want to turn into that, don't hate. Or, at least, don't let it consume you. People have done you wrong, I can admit that. Hojo, ShinRa… Jenova. Anyone would be angry. Anyone would hate what those people, did to you. But the minute that becomes your drive – your reason for existing… that is the moment I will come for you.
He hated it… but he needed to let it go. He was just upset that Hojo was back, and he knew it. That man would have returned anyway, and Sephiroth resented the lack of freedom he felt when the scientist was involved, but… the hate was likely what drove him to do what he did in the game. He couldn't let that happen.
He couldn't do that to Cloud and Zack and… Aerith.
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to relax, then took several more deep breaths before he looked back at the screen. Right.
They'd already reached the City of the Ancients. Genesis had Cloud running down the center path of the fork.
"This place looks really cool…" Zack said. "And a bit creepy. My game didn't go here. So, you know where to go? You didn't hesitate when you just ran ahead.
"The middle paths lead to where Aeris…" Genesis started, but then faded off.
"Died?" the younger teen asked quietly.
"Yes," Angeal said, leaning over and putting a hand on Zack's shoulder. They went past the lake, that Genesis tried to get into from the way Cloud kept turning, but nothing happened, and when they finally got to the hole that would take them down to the area where Game Sephiroth had murdered her, it was blocked by growing reeds.
"It won't let me go farther," Genesis said, frustrated.
"Then maybe we need to go somewhere else?" Angeal suggested.
"Hmm," the red-head replied, still frustrated, but conceded. He turned Cloud around and had him run back to the fork.
"Left or right?" Genesis said.
"Left," Angeal said.
"Right!" Zack said.
Sephiroth decided they'd figure out where they needed to go either way, so he didn't voice an opinion. Genesis and Angeal both glanced at him, but didn't seem to press when he didn't speak. Zack turned around, mouth open to say something, but he paused and slowly closed it when he noticed the expressions on the others' faces.
Deciding it would be easier to respond than to draw any more attention to himself, Sephiroth shrugged slightly.
Genesis frowned, but nodded and turned left.
Zack noticed, and his exuberance returned. "What? Why?"
"Angeal has been here before."
The Second huffed and dug around in the bag of treats on the table for something else. "Want one, Angeal?" he asked, holding a package out.
"Not right now, Zack. Thanks," Angeal replied with a warm smile.
"Commander?"
"I'm playing," Genesis responded.
"General?"
Sephiroth glanced over, and thought about it… but he really wasn't hungry right now. Besides, if Hojo was back, he'd need to be careful of his diet again. So he shook his head.
Zack looked disappointed, but opened the package and took the pastry inside out and proceeded to nibble on it.
For some reason, Sephiroth felt a little guilty, but didn't know why. He pushed that to the side and focused back on the screen as Cloud entered a cave. They were at the top of a set of stairs when the screen faded in, and Bugenhagen seemed to be floating over them and the gap.
'Yes,' he said, 'this is...'
Well, at least they'd found the right place. Bugenhagen floated towards the glowing light in the center of a large pedestal in the middle of the room. Cloud had to go the long way, and was out of view at least twice. It took them a minute to finally get to the other side of the cavern and catch up with the old man.
The screen changed, getting closer to the bright light source as Cloud approached it and Bugenhagen.
"It changed size," Genesis grumbled.
No one bothered to reply to that.
Yuffie and Tifa walked out of Cloud and faced Bugenhagen as he explained about how the knowledge of the Ancients was swirling and telling him that the planet was in crisis beyond human power.
"Then why are we here?" Genesis asked.
"'Cause we don't give up," Zack replied easily. Angeal huffed, looking pleased as he reached over and ruffled the younger teen's hair. "Hey!" The Second scowled up at his very unrepentant mentor, who just sat back as Genesis clicked for Bugenhagen to continue.
The screen changed and the camera got even closer.
'It says, when the time comes, we must search for 'Holy'.'
Genesis gasped, sitting up straight.
"What?" Zack asked, turning to face him as the other SOLDIERS did the same.
"Legend speaks of a sacrifice at world's end… I didn't think the myth was true…"
"What myth?" the Second pressed, looking concerned.
"The legend of Holy. A one-of-a-kind Materia that has a weapon so pure, it can defeat anything. I only heard of it in passing. There's no such thing as a one-of-a-kind- Materia. There may be only one active kind of materia, where there is only one that can grow and create a baby materia, but Holy is different because it is so powerful. It can't be replicated due to its sheer power. Minerva won't allow it."
Zack's eyes had gone wide, and Angeal's eyebrows had risen in surprise. Sephiroth, himself, watched Genesis with a quirked eyebrow, encouraging him to continue.
The red-head saw the expression and just shook his head. "That is all I know, and I don't remember where I read that information. I've only come across it once in my research, but it stuck out due to its unique nature."
"Maybe we'll learn more here, then," Angeal said, gesturing at the screen.
"Indeed," Genesis said, hitting the button to keep Bugenhagen talking after Cloud asked what Holy was.
Bugenhagen explained that it is the ultimate white magic that is their last hope to stand against Meteor. 'If a soul seeking Holy reaches the planet, it will appear.' Then he laughed saying that Meteor, Weapon, everything will disappear… 'perhaps even ourselves.'
"But isn't that just destroying the planet in the other way?" Zack asked, hand thrust out at the screen.
"Not necessarily," Genesis said slowly. "The Planet is literally the planet. It is the Lifestream and everything that makes that up. Humans can enrich the Lifestream, according to the legends, but they are not the actual Lifestream."
"If the Planet wipes out humans, it can just make more life," Angeal said quietly, "start from scratch again."
Zack turned around, looking between the two SOLDIERS, horrified. "But… but that's…"
"A waste?" Genesis asked, voice equally quiet as his friend's. "Destructive? Horrible? But if you had beings growing on you that leeched your life force away, would you not consider it?"
The younger brunet paled and looked back at the screen. "But… it… she… they wouldn't…"
"If the planet felt it had no other choice…" Angeal said.
Zack turned back to his mentor. "But we know Cloud survived!"
"For how long?" Sephiroth said, speaking for the first time in a while. "I asked why him, or why only him, and he told me that in the future he comes from, the Planet had weakened to a point where it could not produce more life."
If Zack had been horrified before, he looked utterly heartbroken now.
"So, in the same manner we 'know' that Meteor won't hit, we 'know' it's likely Holy won't make life disappear," Genesis said thoughtfully. "But perhaps it should…"
"How can you say that?" the Second asked heatedly.
"Zack," Angeal said, voice warning. "We don't know what will happen. We can discuss it more after, okay?"
The boy didn't look appeased at all, but he did glance at all of them, then nodded once, only conceding for now, before turning back to the screen.
It probably didn't help that Bugenhagen said it was up for the Planet to decide. 'All that is bad for the Planet will disappear,' he said, floating closer to the screen. 'I wonder which we humans are.'
Zack's fists were clenched, but no one said anything, not wanting to start an argument now.
Sephiroth was grateful for that.
On the screen, Cloud asked how to search for Holy. Bugenhagen said to find the White Materia and speak to the planet.
"Was that the materia Aeris had?" Angeal asked.
"It was," Genesis said, looking more than a little shocked himself. Sephiroth could relate. He'd known Aeris' materia would be important, but… that important?
'If our wish reaches the planet, then the white materia will begin to glow a pale green.'
Cloud seemed to realize what had happened too, because he said, 'This is the end,' and went on to explain how Aeris had the White Materia, but when she died, it fell from the altar (that had been an altar?) and that was why he thought this was the end.
"Was it glowing green?" Genesis asked. "I don't remember."
Sephiroth recalled, he remembered the scene in great detail (even though he didn't want to). "It was," he said. Unless they wanted to mislead with lighting. Which was entirely possible.
"Is that… good or bad?" Zack asked.
"For now, good," Genesis said. "Holy may destroy humanity. Meteor will."
The Second nodded in acknowledgment, but didn't argue or snap, so probably a good thing.
On the screen, Bugenhagen laughed… twice. No, three times.
Why was he laughing?
Then he floated down, the scene shifting again to have greater detail, and pointed at the marks around the base of the coral-like structure holding the crystal in place.
'Ancient writing.'
Sephiroth had seen Ancient writing before. It did not look like that. Well… similar, perhaps. Another game limitation?
Cloud asked if Bugenhagen could read it. He shook his head and said, 'It's all Greek** to me!'
Sephiroth frowned.
"Greek?" Zack asked. "What's Greek?"
"Perhaps another term for 'nonsense'?" Genesis hypothesized.
It could be. But the game was also from another world. Perhaps this was a strange translation or a mistranslation of some kind? Or something specific to their world?
Cloud admonished Bugenhagen, saying this was no time for jokes. Well, he wasn't wrong.
"So that was a joke?" Zack asked.
"We don't know, Pup," Angeal said.
Meanwhile Bugenhagen began to float across the screen, saying he wasn't an ancient, and that he couldn't read it.
"Does that mean someone has to be an Ancient to read it?" Zack asked.
"Perhaps something we should ask Aerith when it's safe?" Angeal suggested.
Zack thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Good idea."
"Seems rather ridiculous to me," Genesis muttered. "Anyone should be able to learn a language if they put in the time and effort."
No one commented as Bugenhagen went on, saying that while he's old, he isn't blind and that there was something written beneath the writing. Cloud agreed, saying it was in chalk. Something about a key where even sunlight can't reach. Bugenhagen said it must have been translated by a scientist who used all his energy to translate the words.
"That's quite a bit of assumption jumping there," Genesis accused.
Sephiroth nodded in silent agreement.
Cloud asked about the Key, Bugenhagen said he didn't know but they'd probably need to figure it out, and that it was related to Aerith.
'So this note points to where the key is?' Cloud asked.
"How did he reach that conclusion?" Genesis asked, frustrated. "There are a half-dozen other interpretations it could mean! And why does the key even have to be physical?"
"Their logical thought progression is… lacking," Angeal conceded.
"Even I thought that was weird," Zack muttered, putting yet another empty wrapper back in the sack. How many of those snacks had he had today?
Was it Sephiroth's place to say anything? Likely not.
Bugenhagen said to use the clues to find the key and he'd remain there to continue to figure out the Ancient's writing. Cloud repeated the clues (or, clue) and Bugenhagen said that when they find the key or can't go further, to come back and see him. He may be able to get more from the writing and have more information.
Somehow, Sephiroth doubted it.
The screen faded out and then in, still focused on the crystal and the pedestal but farther away. Cloud didn't move. Genesis' fingers didn't either.
"So, with that utterly ridiculous clue that could mean literally anywhere, where do we look for this key?" the thespian asked, then began muttering about 'heavy handed writing' and 'not organic at all' and 'may as well have the writers come in and just tell the game players themselves'.
"It could be in a cave, I guess?" Zack suggested. "A really deep cave?"
"The Northern Crater? It is right near here," Angeal said.
"Hmm… perhaps," Genesis said.
Sephiroth frowned, thinking back to everything he knew. Then… he remembered his dream the night before. Return to the submarine. Have Vincent in your party. Don't leave the ocean until you know Vincent's story and have the key. Was this the key he meant? For such a poor clue, it did fit.
"Underwater," he said. Everyone turned to look at him.
"What?" Genesis asked.
"Last night, when I spoke with Cloud, he told me three things. The first was to return to the submarine. He said to follow the wall, have Vincent in our party and not leave the ocean until we knew Vincent's story and had the key."
More staring from the other SOLDIERS.
"And you couldn't have told us this before?" Genesis asked, tone scathing.
"It was unnecessary until now."
Genesis threw his hands in the air, one of them still holding the controller. Then he thrust it at Angeal.
"You take it before I throw it through the window."
"Hey! You'd owe me a new one!" Zack protested.
Angeal just sighed and took the controller. "Where to next, then?"
"Sepheroth just said," Genesis pointed out drolly. "The submarine by Junon."
"Junon it is," Angeal said and began to play.
xXx
*Snoballs can be one of two things: The first is most often seen as a Hostess-brand, coconut-coated, cream-stuffed snack-cake. Our headcanon of Zack's native jungle-home cuizine comes from a SPICY mix of New Orleans and Thai food. (What, it can work!) Thus, to Zack, 'REAL' Snoballs are a New Orleans treat with shaved ice that you can stuff with ice cream and drizzle with flavors or sweetened condensed milk. (Well, not everything can be spicy.)
**Imagination and I found a source that used a different line, but we decided to keep 'Greek' because it suits this story better. (Just acknowledging that some of our readers have played different releases of this rollercoaster of a game, where dialogue can be very different.)
AN: Imagination has also gotten super busy, so wasn't able to do quite as many passes as she likes, so if you spot an error you are welcomed and encouraged to point it out! (And thanks to her for everything she DID do, which was awesome.)
Discord: discord. gg/xDDz3gqWfy (no spaces)