The End is the beginning
Chapter 2 - The meeting
Dazed, her gaze fixed on her PHS, Theia read and reread the mission order she had received just minutes ago, almost incredulous :
- I can't believe it, she murmured with palpable excitement.
The opportunity left her speechless: she was going to accompany the Grand Sephiroth himself!
- He's real ! He actually exists ! I can't believe it !
The instructions were simple : a gigantic dragon had been sighted multiple times near the town of Kalm, even causing the disappearance of some residents. The mayor of the small town had requested assistance from Shinra and their SOLDIERs. First Class Sephiroth, supported by Second Class Areth Klein and two other guards, was to head to the location at the crack of dawn.
Over the course of that night, after hours of unsuccessful attempts to sleep, she eventually drifted off, her mind focused on the upcoming mission...
The next morning, like so many others, a slender hand emerged from the sheets to turn off the small alarm clock, then retreated under the covers. A few minutes later, she hurriedly jumped out of bed exclaiming :
- Oh no! I'm late again !
Panicked, the young soldier quickly put on her uniform. A quick wash, and she grabbed her sword before hastily leaving her modest apartment. As a Second Class, she now had her own place. Nestled in a neighborhood near the tower, her home was on the second and last floor of a brand new building. Most of the Second Class SOLDIERs resided on the same street.
Running breathlessly through the deserted streets of Midgar, thankfully empty at this early hour, she glanced briefly at her phone to check the time and was dismayed to find that she was seriously late. By the time she reached the tower and joined her team on the floor assigned to SOLDIER members, she was at least thirty-five minutes behind schedule.
- Please excuse my lat...!
The last word got stuck in her throat. Clumsily, she pointed at the young man who was waiting for her, arms crossed, surrounded by the two other guards.
- But ! But ! But ! No ! she stammered foolishly.
Her mind raced, and she immediately recognized the one she had bumped into in the corridors some time ago, the individual who had miraculously saved her at the laboratory.
- But what are you doing here, 'cat-eyes' ? she exclaimed. Don't tell me you're here for this mission too ? I was supposed to be the only one with First Class Sephiroth, normally !
Theia was so stunned that she didn't even notice the strange look exchanged between the two militiamen and their superior. Perplexed, the latter found it hard to believe that someone could be unaware of the famous SOLDIER's identity.
The youngest guard was about to say something when Sephiroth's jade eyes fixed on him, imperious. The message was clear : he better keep quiet.
- Sephiroth couldn't make it for this mission, so they assigned it to me, he explained, deliberately choosing to play along.
After all, such an opportunity didn't come by every day.
- Well, you found your voice i see !
The sarcasm slipped out before Theia could even think, which didn't sit well with Sephiroth :
- As a First Class, I am your superior, and you should address me properly, he reprimanded her.
- Fine, Sir, she replied, rolling her eyes.
- You're thirty-five minutes late, SOLDIER Second Class Areth Klein.
- I was getting myself all dolled up ! Is that okay with you !
Oops ! Her frustration had apparently overridden her reason, and she might have pushed the envelope a little too far. Seeing the icy glare that the young man shot her, she continued more calmly :
- Please excuse my tardiness, Sir. It won't happen again...
- Well, I prefer that tone. In the future, watch your language with me. Let's get going.
- Yes, Sir, she replied, resigned to the situation.
The two young guards who had followed this strange exchange between the Great SOLDIER and the Second Clas, bewildered, put on their helmets and lined up behind the two elite warriors.
Kalm was only half a day's march from Midgar. Moreover, this mission would likely require patrols in its vicinity, so no vehicles were needed for the trip. Once out of the metropolis, the team crossed vast green plains and grassy expanses in silence, broken only by the cries of some wild chocobos. Even when a handful of bold wolves approached, the only sounds heard were the howls of the canines frightened by the fire spells cast by the warrior.
This silence was gradually becoming oppressive for Theia. Even in the presence of her superiors, she was known for her loquaciousness, which often irritated them, as they couldn't make her stop talking. So she decided to break the stifling atmosphere :
- Why couldn't he come ?
- Huh ?
- Sephiroth, why couldn't he come ? she repeated, nonchalantly chewing on a blade of grass between her teeth.
- An important matter to attend to, he replied, clear and concise.
- I see...
Unintentionally, she let out a sigh.
- You seem disappointed, Sephiroth remarked, noticing the boy's sullen expression.
- Yes... No... Well, a little ! I've heard so much about him, and I was just a bit curious, she explained sincerely.
- You've never seen him ?
- No. Not even once. I know he's occasionally in photos in the newspapers, but I never read them. I hate reading that stuff !
The mere sight of the Shinra logo on the dailies made her nauseous ! Lies and brainwashing, that's what it was !
The Great Hero found it hard to believe. Over the years, he was aware that his fame had spread throughout the world. Even though he wasn't particularly interested in such things, he understood that Shinra frequently used his image in the media for propaganda purposes. The fact that this person couldn't recognize him at all left him bewildered. Intrigued, he continued :
- You don't even know what he looks like ?
- No ! retorted Theia. I know ! I know ! It sounds ridiculous ! I must be the only person in Midgar who doesn't know ! It's just that...
She seemed to hesitate.
- It's just that...? Sephiroth encouraged her to continue.
- Pff ! In fact... I can't stand him !
His interlocutor almost choked on her honesty.
- Sephiroth this, Sephiroth that ! she continued with a touch of disdain. It's like every guy has this guy's name on their lips ! And we never see him anywhere, supposedly, he's always on a mission ! I was starting to think he didn't even exist !
She paused briefly before rambling on, like a magpie :
- And honestly, do people not exaggerate a bit ? Supposedly, the best SOLDIER warrior ! Tremendous, superhuman strength... I've also heard that any man would dream of being like him. A friend once told me...
She forced her voice to sound much deeper and said in a burlesque tone:
- …When you see him, you'll know it's him ! And I've also heard that he's quite popular with both women and men, sometimes even 'handsome as a god' ! Pff ! In my opinion, it's all hot air !
A quick glance at her neighbor, and she caught the slight smirk he was sporting :
- Hey ! Why are you smiling ?
- For no reason...
- Ah... Well, let's talk about something else. Talking about that guy irritates me ! And you, who are you ?
The smile disappeared immediately.
- Have you lost your tongue again ?
The face remained expressionless.
- Did you join SOLDIER to become a hero like him ?
Still no response.
- You're really a strange one sometimes, 'cat-eyes' ! she added with a smile.
In a way, she was not so unhappy that he had been sent to accompany her instead of the other superstar ! Because she was starting to really like this guy. Okay, he was a little weird, but he didn't seem mean. And he really was handsome as a god ! This last observation made her blush, and she timidly turned her gaze away from his proud profile.
As for Sephiroth, he felt a bit guilty. This little game amused him deeply, at the expense of the honesty he should have shown to this subordinate. This kid left a rather unique impression on him. Not only did he not seem to fear him, but he also spoke to him naturally, as if they were friends. And lately, despite the emotions he desperately tried to conceal behind a mask of indifference, friendship was something he desperately needed. Angeal and Genesis had deserted the company for several weeks now and remained elusive. Tracking down his former comrades was a delicate mission he didn't want to be a part of. He left that task to Angeal's protege, Zack Fair, relying on him to inform him before Shinra if the two missing individuals were discovered.
So, he had preferred to be sent in pursuit of Kalm's wild dragon. He could have handled it alone, but the presence of a small team reassured the local residents and allowed him to avoid the overly intrusive questions of the curious who didn't hesitate to approach him when he was alone. When he had to choose a partner, the image of his "father" exasperated by the fiery-haired Second Class at the laboratory had come to mind. He had therefore expressed to Lazard his wish to take this Areth Klein with him, but the director had warned him : this young Second Class was the worst of all, not because he was incompetent during missions – quite the opposite – but because he was an inveterate talker and didn't consider his superiors as superiors, but rather as colleagues.
Nevertheless, as usual, Sephiroth had ignored the warnings and had chosen this young man to assist him. He didn't regret his choice, as for once, he didn't see himself as the Great Hero his subordinates feared and avoided upsetting. He was just a SOLDIER on a mission, alongside a teammate, nothing more. Like in the old days, with the cheeky redhead and his best friend...
The sun began its descent as they finally reached the plains of Kalm. The atmosphere seemed surprisingly serene, and after patrolling around the town for about an hour, the red-haired woman observed dubiously:
- I don't see any dragon...
- Yeah... it's around here... I can hear it, Sephiroth declared, his gaze lost in the cloudy sky, his attention focused on the heavy wingbeats of the creature he sensed.
Hardly had he finished speaking when a colossal red dragon swooped down on them at astonishing speed, tearing through the clouds and spewing a burst of flames as a greeting.
In a coordinated ballet, Sephiroth and Theia dodged, leaping in opposite directions to avoid the searing blaze. However, one of the two guards was not quick enough, and his arm caught fire abruptly.
The second guard grabbed his machine gun and fired a volley of bullets that hit the thick, scaled hide of the reptile without any effect. The creature landed heavily before turning toward the guard immobilized by his injury.
Sensing the urgency of the situation, Theia rushed to the aid of the struggling guard. Quicker than the gigantic reptile, she instantly cast a Shield that formed in front of them as it spewed flames once more.
Meanwhile, Sephiroth kept his attention on the dragon, analyzing its movements and seeking an opening in its defense. He spotted a weakness in one of the scales under the creature's throat, an area less protected than the others. With relentless speed, he tightened his grip on his sword and advanced toward the monster.
However, the dragon had no intention of remaining passive. It turned around and swung its tail through the air with incredible force. Anticipating the move, Theia leaped backward to avoid the devastating blow. The enormous spiked tail still struck her and sent her flying violently to the ground. She rolled to cushion the fall, quickly getting back on her feet, shaken but determined not to give up.
Sephiroth had taken advantage of the distraction to get even closer to the dragon. With a fluid movement, he leaped onto the monster's back, using his blade to cling to one of the scales. With superhuman agility, he climbed the reptile and skillfully avoided its attempts to dislodge him. Once he reached the vulnerable spot he had identified, he delivered a precise strike with his sword, slicing through the scales and opening a deep gash in the creature's throat.
The dragon roared in pain, shaking its body furiously to rid itself of the intruder. Sephiroth managed to maintain his balance and cast a Thunder spell before swiftly dismounting from the electrified monster.
Seizing the opportunity, Theia launched her own attack. With a series of fluid movements, she repeatedly plunged her sword into the creature's flesh. The dragon roared even louder, writhing in pain and anger. With a final sword strike, the Great Hero finished off the creature, which collapsed with one last roar. Its echo reverberated through the vast plains of Kalm for several minutes.
In the aftermath of the battle, Sephiroth and Theia stood their ground, their gazes fixed on the gradually dissipating clouds of smoke and ash around the lifeless body of the creature.
The injured guard, assisted by his comrade, finally managed to extinguish the flames that had engulfed his arm. Though burned and in pain, he stood up, gritting his teeth to hide his suffering.
- I see you handle yourself quite well, SOLDIER Klein, the First Class intervened.
- Thank you... You... too ! replied Theia, panting.
She struggled to catch her breath. The intensity of the battle had exhausted her. Her eyes landed in astonishment on the warrior at her side. To her great surprise, he wasn't even out of breath. He appeared to have overcome the confrontation without the slightest sign of fatigue. From what she had witnessed, he had displayed absolutely prodigious strength.
A strength that made only one name come to mind to associate with it... Oh...
Doubts began to creep into her mind. Her eyes widened as she considered a troubling possibility. Could he have lied to her ? She recalled that he hadn't revealed his name, skillfully avoiding the question. The words she had so often heard from her comrades suddenly echoed in her memory, deepening her uncertainties :
- When you see him, you'll know it's him, some said.
- The worst thing about him is his eyes ! They send shivers down your spine just by looking at them, others reported.
- His strength is superhuman ! This guy isn't human ! was the consensus.
She whispered his name :
- S... Sephiroth...
He turned to her and gazed at her without saying a word, unfazed.
- It's really you, isn't it ?
He didn't need to answer. She had just understood, and the awkward throat-clearing of one of the guards only confirmed her hypothesis. Theia clenched her fists and lowered her gaze, allowing her short fiery strands to veil her azure eyes. Overwhelmed, she didn't know how she was supposed to react. He had played a trick on her! The Great Hero looked so beautiful ! But what a jerk ! A wave of anger and shame suddenly washed over her. She felt so foolish, so naive ! How could she hope to fulfill her role as a spy properly if she couldn't even identify the living icon of SOLDIER when he was right next to her !
The young hero let out a discreet sigh. The charade was over. And if this little role-playing had allowed him to escape the often burdensome notoriety for a few hours, he still felt a sense of regret. Such behavior was not in his nature. In a corner of his mind, he heard his former friend's wise voice gently rebuking him, admonishing that one should not take advantage of others' ignorance and gullibility. Genesis, on the other hand, would not have hesitated for a moment and would have undoubtedly turned the situation to his advantage ! Gaia, how he missed his friends sometimes...
- We need to go and inform the residents that they are out of danger now, he finally ordered.
- Alright... Sir... his teammate responded without lifting his eyes.
When they entered the town, the residents cheered for their heroes, or more precisely, the Hero. Some of them even took out their cameras to capture the moment. The Mayor approached humbly, expressing his gratitude to the SOLDIERs for their valuable assistance. Although lodging and food were graciously offered to them, the SOLDIER politely declined. One of their guards was still injured, the other struggled to stand, and even the Second Class had difficulty recovering. So, arrangements were made to charter a helicopter that would quickly transport them back to the metropolis, where they could receive the appropriate healing spells and some well-deserved rest.
The aircraft arrived late at night. Barely had it taken off when the two exhausted guards collapsed from fatigue. Sitting side by side, one of them started to softly snore. In the seats across from them, the two other SOLDIERs sat with their backs turned, their gazes lost through the window. Yet, it was pitch dark outside.
After an awkward hour of flight marked by silence, the young woman couldn't hold back any longer :
- I imagined you to be taller, she stated, a hint of disdain in her voice.
She tilted her head to the side, squinting her eyes, and scrutinized her superior from the corner of her eye, hoping that some gesture would reveal an emotion. In vain, he didn't budge an inch, as if he hadn't heard her.
Theia still hadn't forgiven him, and she wasn't one to mince words. The little charade he had engaged in earlier in the day required explanations, and she intended to get them. His status as the Great Hero didn't justify such behavior. She persisted :
- And much older too. Is that right ? How old are you ? Twenty-two ? Twenty-three ?
- I'm twenty-one, he replied without turning around.
What kind of attitude was this ? Since when did people talk to each other like this, without looking at each other ? Her frustration escalated, and she attacked more directly :
- Do you often make fun of others like you did with me ? I hope at least it amused you !
She kept her voice relatively low not to wake the young guards, but her resentment still seeped through her words.
- It wasn't what you think, he explained calmly.
- Oh really ? Then what am I supposed to think ?
Finally ! Finally, he had turned toward her ! Not completely, just a slight quarter-turn, but that was something ! At least now she could speak to him face to face !
- I'm sorry about what happened, but... it's become so rare...
- What has ?
- That someone talks to me normally...
The revelation caught her off guard, and her anger dissipated as quickly as it had erupted.
- That's why I didn't want you to know right away who I really was...
Before he turned back to the window of the cabin, she thought she saw an expression of infinite melancholy fleetingly cross his enchanting features.
He was far from the image she had created of him. She had imagined a pretentious and arrogant hero, an idol in the image of the company that had made him famous : haughty and disdainful.
No. On the contrary. She glimpsed a young man who, beneath apparent charisma and coldness, was burdened with the weight of a fame he apparently hadn't chosen. Could it be that everyone was mistaken ? Could it be... that he hated being the Great Hero he portrayed ?
- I pictured you differently, she confessed.
Her voice had become softer. The heavy atmosphere had vanished.
- And what did you imagine ?
- I imagined you... well, less..., she stammered, unable to find the words. I mean, from what I had heard, you were described as someone very intimidating, someone one didn't want to upset. I don't find you that intimidating, to be honest.
- It's because you're very fearless, you know !
The cat-like eyes had locked onto hers, accompanied by a fleeting smirk. Ah ! Theia felt her heart give a strange little " Thump ! Thump ! "
- At any rate, it's true, she continued, shrugging to dismiss the odd fluttering in her chest.
He looked at her inquisitively.
- You're a wonderful fighter... you possess impressive strength...
- Thank you.
The comment she added in her mind made her lower her eyes, feeling embarrassed, and she fixed her clenched fists on her knees :
"...And you're really, I mean really, very handsome ! "
A few hours later, the first light of dawn slowly pierced the nighttime darkness. The fresh air of early spring made wisps of smoke appear with each exhale as the petite redhead made her way back to her humble abode. Weary, she couldn't wait to remove the bandages encasing her chest, which had become particularly uncomfortable after the day's accumulated sweat. So, all she dreamed of was taking a shower ! Cold, preferably ! Very cold ! To clear her mind ! Her head had a tendency to replay, over and over again, her superior's smirking face since she had left the tower. No, she certainly wasn't going to start fantasizing about the SOLDIER like a lovesick maiden in need of romance !
Yes, the shower, she had to take it ice-cold !
Suddenly, her personal phone interrupted her reverie and started vibrating ; she had just received a message :
" The mountains hide the jewels. The peaks reveal the way. Await the lightning in the sky. Let's meet where the clouds gather."
No, getting involved with a pawn of Shinra, especially the Number One of SOLDIER, was definitely not a good idea !
End of the chapter.