After about five months, chapter six is finally here! I won't hand out excuses, because really their pointless. I will admit part of the reason I've had problems with this chapter is because Angeal, on deeper inspection, is a very complicated character and is definitely contradictory at times, even before Crisis Core. I mean, he's full of pride in SOLDIER, and full of honor and doing the right thing, but for the life of me I can't understand why he would fight in the Wutai war- a war that had no real purpose other than Shinra trying to take over the world.

Or, you know, I could be over thinking this. Either way, I have my own fanon facts and ideas now, so we should have no problems. Feel free to share your own thoughts, I would love another person's opinion!

Also, I did a little tinkering with Ch. 5 so you might want to reread it. Or read the whole thing from the beginning…

Dogs and Butterflies

Chapter Six

Director Lazard had a troubled look on his face as he stared at the computer, aware of the two 1st Class SOLDIERs in his office but trying to delay the inevitable. There was no doubt in his mind this meeting was going to be anything resembling pleasant. Ever since he received the report from the 107th infantry that was supposed to rendezvous with Angeal's small troop, he had been dreading this meeting.

Sir, a silent IM popped up on his screen, courtesy of his lone secretary. If you do not speak soon, I think Genesis is going to use his Summon. He's been fingering it for a while now.

He briefly glanced towards the two SOLDIERs- Sephiroth was leaning against his usual bookcase, a scowl on his face as he glared holes into the opposite wall. Genesis was reading Loveless, or at least looked like it. His absent stare suggested he was lost in his thoughts while his thumb caressed the Materia in the hilt of his sword. Sure enough, the red Materia was glowing with an inner light, suggesting that power was being fed into it.

Thank you, Emily. He messaged back before pushing himself away from his desk slightly, leaning back in his chair to focus on the two SOLDIERs. The slight noise of his chair caught their attention, and instantly their eyes snapped towards him. "Two weeks ago, a squad of fifteen 2nd and 3rd Class SOLDIERs were led by SOLDIER 1st Class Angeal Hewley failed to arrive at the rendezvous site with the 107 Shinra Infantry."

To an outsider, neither SOLDIER look particularly interested. However, time working with the two allowed him to catch the small hints of concern and annoyance in the small changes in their body language. He took a deep breath and gave a rare prayer to whoever was listening as he continued. "The joint mission between SOLDIER and the Shinra Army was scrubbed and a search was started for the lost troop. According to intelligence, the squad had been ambushed in the vicinity of Fort Tamblin. All SOLDIER operatives were believed to be killed."

There was a brief streak of silence before Genesis scoffed as he closed his book with a snap and turned towards the Director. "Impossible. Even in an ambush SOLDIER is too strong for Wutai forces to kill. Especially in such numbers."

Lazard nodded his head, silently agreeing with him. It was highly unusual that the Wutai soldier could achieve such a feat. However, that's what all the evidence was pointing to at the moment. "There will be a deeper investigation, of course, but for now the squad is being declared MIA."

"When's the investigation?" Sephiroth asked, still leaning against the bookcase, his eyes directed away from the Director.

The director contemplated about his words carefully, this was the part he knew the two would be upset with. "Due to the increase in Anti-Shinra activity, mainly from AVALANCHE, there won't be an investigation for a couple of months…"

As predicted, both of their expressions turned cold. "Winter is only about a month away," Sephiroth pointed out, "The Wutai countryside will be virtually impenetrable until spring."

"General Heidegger and I are aware of this," Lazard acknowledged, "However, the Army, Turks, nor SOLDIER have operatives that can be spared at the moment for an investigation I personally promise that we will do our best to find the truth as soon as we can."

His statements were met by stony silence as the two looked at each other, silently communicating with one another with subtle looks. It was another instance of the frequent occasions that the Director didn't know what the 1st class SOLDIERs were thinking. Most people he could easily tell what was going on in their minds- however, the three 1sts and a few other executives he couldn't read. It was very unsettling not being able to tell if the strongest men of Shinra were thinking about what to have for lunch or plotting how to destroy everything.

Knowing how close the three were, it was probably the latter at this point. "And the reason we cannot go?" Genesis asked after a moment.

"I need both of you to guard the president during his tour of Junon due to the increase in Avalanche activity." Truthfully, he rather send the two to Wutai, but it would be too conspicuous. He was so close in his other plans, he couldn't be caught now. As long as he ordered the two to go with the president, it wasn't his fault if they did less than stellar job. Not that they ever did their best when it came to protection detail.

"For your own sake, I recommend that you stay in bed a few more days. Three at least."

Three days in bed was almost more than Angeal could honestly bear. He supposed if he was back in Midgar it would be even worse with his pride and honor demanding he stop loafing around and do something. Here it was a little bit more tolerable in that way, mostly because Suzu spending most of her day with him, chatting carelessly about everything under the sun, while also bringing along whatever chores she could. While darning clothes, cleaning and peeling vegetables, and polishing ornate things wasn't what he considered productive, it kept him from feeling useless.

Suzu had carelessly stated one day that Chou was torn between being happy the younger priestess was actually doing her chores, and worried because she was staying almost all day holed up with the SOLDIER. He wasn't able to assure the older woman that her fears were unfounded, mostly because he only caught glances of her throughout the day as she rushed by the room. Suzu talked of a fiery older sister who rarely backed down and always said what was on her mind.

All he saw was a young woman who looked refined and cold, and obviously hated him.

Thankfully, three days were only three days.

Chou was still half-asleep when she stumbled into the small kitchen in the middle of the night, automatically feeding the dim lantern magic to make it brighten.

"So that's how they work." The priestess froze as she opened her bleary eyes and saw the man sitting at the low table, cup in hand. Fear gripped her heart as her eyes locked on to the slightly glowing blue eyes. What was he doing up? What was he doing out of bed? What should she do? What was he going do?

He seemed to recognize the fear in her eyes, and tried to smile reassuringly, "Good morning."

That seemed to shake her out of her shock, causing a scowl to grace her lips. "What are you doing up?" she said coldly, not moving from the doorway. She hated the fact some of her fear and seeped into her voice. It was like meeting a monster, she thought; better to show no fear or weakness.

"It's been three days," he offered, trying to be as non-threatening as possible, "and I was thirsty." The simplicity of the excuse confused her for a few moments. Out of every possible excuse that had run through her mind, that was not one of them. "You don't usually rise this early, do you?"

She was shaken out of her surprise, and paused before shaking her head slightly. She took another moment before finally moved from the doorway. "No, I don't." She forced herself to sit across the table, her fingers playing with the seam of the pillowed seat. "I suppose I should ask you how you're feeling."

A true smile spread across Angeal's lips, "A little sore still, but truthfully, I'm happy to be able to be allowed out of bed finally." Chou's frowned deepened slightly, but nodded her head nevertheless as she accepted the answer. The silence began to stretch on, and Chou distracted herself by taking the simple iron kettle sitting in the middle of the low table, all but jumping out her seat to fill it with water and conjuring a fire. Morning tea was an old tradition she could easy lose herself in.

While the tradition was familiar and comfortable, she couldn't quite shake the feeling of Angeal watching her. A careful glance behind her revealed the SOLDIER watching her curiously. The knowledge made her tense, causing her to listen for the slightest sound that hint at any kind of movement. However, even after the water was boiling rapidly, tea leaves jumping as she removed the kettle from the fire, the SOLDIER had only moved his gaze to follow her.

The only time Chou ever paused in her routine was after she had set two ceramic cups down, hesitant to pour the tea. It probably meant nothing to him, but it meant a lot to her; the pouring of tea was a sign of respect, or forgiveness-neither of which she felt for the man sitting across from her.

Before she could make up her mind, Angeal suddenly rose and she was reminded just how massive the SOLDIER was compared to her. "Allow me," he asked, his voice husky yet soft. Light brown eyes locked with dark blue as he gently took the tea kettle from her. Once it was safely in his hands, Chou slumped into her seat, more than a little dazed. How did a SOLDIER of all people understand her people's tradition? His technique was not perfect, but it led her to believe that he had done this at least once before.

Once the last of the tea was poured, Chou allowed her eyes to fall from Angeal to the steaming cup in her hands. Her gaze flickered to him for a moment before she sipped at the tea. Even though she was the one who brewed it, and she was sure she had prepared it as usual, it tasted different. Bitter yet sweet, much like the situation.

"That wasn't your first time serving tea," she commented quietly after a pause.

"Back home there was an elderly couple from western Wutai," Angeal answered quietly. "I worked for them during the summer when I was younger, and they treated mother and I like family. They taught me a lot about their culture, though I understand theirs is a bit different from yours."

Chou nodded mutely, secretly surprised. To her, the ceremony was sloppy, for the ceremonies of the west however, it was nearly perfect. She took a sip of the cooling tea as she allowed her mind to ponder that of all people, a SOLDIER knew that. A SOLDIER that had grown up with kinsman to her. But were they kin, if they had abandoned their homeland? Were they not traitors? "Chou," she jumped slightly when he said her name, her gazing jumping to his. "I know you probably won't believe me, but as long as I'm here, I'll try not to cause any problems."

The priestess' temper was riled at his soft-spoken words. "How can you even think that I might?" she hissed. "You're a SOLDIER! You're invading our country for no reason!" For a moment, she regretted her words when his expression darkened and his blue eyes turned cold. She feared she had angered him, and Leviathan knew what an angry SOLDIER was capable of. Maybe the nightmare that had woken her was actually a premonition.

The dark look didn't transform into anger, but shame and regret as he looked away from her. "I know. This war is pointless..."

The confession shocked her for a moment before she latched on to the argument. "Then why fight in it?" she asked, though it sounded faintly of a plea. "Why are you doing this?"

Angeal paused for a moment before sighing. "I promised a friend."

"What?"

"I promised him someday we would both be in SOLDIER," he finally looked back at her, "I promised him that I would help him to be a hero."

Chou snorted at that. "Maybe a hero in your own eyes, but a villain in ours. Are you so twisted that fighting in this war makes you a hero?" She couldn't understand it, it was one of the reasons she disliked SOLDIER and Shinra so much. Sephiroth, the man Shinra and the rest of the world toted as one of their greatest heroes was the one and same as the man that had crippled her beloved homeland. She didn't know how many rumors of the silver haired SOLDIER she had heard, of the blood he had shed. It was mainly because of him that many believed that whatever Shinra did to turn men into SOLDIERs stripped away any humanity they had.

And she was sitting across from one of them. Except, she admitted to herself, he wasn't acting like the monster the stories portrayed. Not yet, she amended. What kind of man would fight in a war he himself admitted was pointless? Though regret and guilt was still in his expression, his eyes dark as he avoided looking at her. Maybe… Maybe he wasn't as heartless as she thought, and she grudgingly considered that maybe SOLDIERs weren't as evil as she once believed.