Author's Notes: Finally, we're here. Thanks, everyone, for staying with the story until now! :D I promise you that the chapter after this will definitely be where the fun begins. Credit to ScribeOfRED for beta-ing. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 13

"No way, yo! 'Course we didn't let you down! We spotted the target sixteen hours ago leaving Cosmo Canyon... but lost him after that – he disappeared inside all those rocks. And the guy has a buddy now, boss. Weird, red monster-thing. Sure you don't want us to blast them open?"

Pacing around the ShinRa helipad, Tseng stopped in his tracks and glanced at the grey ShinRa helicopter that stood fifty feet from him, its blades whipping across the air and sending a powerful, dust-tainted gust of wind his way. Behind it stood four more, and he could see a number of SOLDIERs and infantrymen running around as they tended to their supplies and last-minute checks. From observation, it seemed as if the squad was ready to leave for Wutai – an impressive feat, considering Heidegger had moved the date of departure a week earlier than scheduled. He coughed lightly, turning his attention back to his PHS, his eyes now trained onto the concrete ground. "Your duty is merely to follow him, Reno. Were you spotted?"

"'Course not! Takes a lot more to spot the Turks than just looking at the sky, yo!"

"Be careful. Remember that our primary objective is to locate and observe what he's doing. Does he seem to be heading anywhere specific? Rocket Town, maybe?"

"Not yet. Definitely going nowhere near Rocket Town. Seems like they've been moving in circles. Can't see his chick anywhere, too. Maybe it died at Cosmo Canyon." There was a thump, followed by a small cry of pain and a string of curses. Tseng pinched the bridge of his nose as he listened to the red-head snap angrily at his partner – Rude's reprimanding, deep voice was almost inaudible with Reno busily complaining about the unnecessary smack on the head and the potential danger it could cause them if he had yanked the helicopter's joystick. It took a while for Reno to speak into the PHS again. "Sorry, boss. But he did leave the chocobo behind."

"I see," Tseng mused, his left hand moving to rest inside his pants pocket. He walked away from the helicopters and saw Angeal's charge, Zack, standing at the entrance of the helipad. He had a friend with him – a SOLDIER Second Class. "Keep up the good work, Reno. Report to me again once the target settles somewhere."

"You got it, yo!"

Tseng ended the call and slipped his PHS into the chest pocket of his spotless black suit. He frowned and watched the flurry of activity before him, one hand moving to wipe the dust off his face as he pondered over the latest findings. Cosmo Canyon was, yet again, another location he hadn't thought Cloud would head to. The valley was peaceful, and it was by far the last place ShinRa would expect problems to arise from for they have never had any troubles with the area. It troubled him deeply to think that there was a possibility he might have overlooked what could potentially be the best hideout for an anti-ShinRa group. And Cloud had found a companion in Cosmo Canyon. What was this link he was missing? Who was this companion of his, and what motive did they have to be travelling to a different continent like that? Tseng had expected Cloud to come in contact with Wutai by now, or to at least head to Rocket Town to take part in the large anti-ShinRa activity that Genesis had been sent to disband.

It was difficult to believe that he might have been wrong... that perhaps Cloud may not have any ties to any anti-ShinRa groups after all.

Crossing his arms, Tseng bowed his head and recalled the large map that was pinned against the wall of his office. He had studied the map for so many hours before that he had memorised the information in it. Multicoloured threads held together by board pins marked the various places Cloud had been spotted, and also the places he had stopped to visit. The first trail began just outside Midgar, where he had initially been discovered by SOLDIER First Class Angeal and his charge, Zack Fair. From there, the target made his way to ShinRa, then to Sector Five (the last Ancient's church, specifically), then Kalm... Then a long route which took him to the other continent, where he eventually made his way to Cosmo Canyon...

It didn't make any sense.

With Cloud infiltrating headquarters and attacking Sephiroth, Tseng's first theory was that Cloud belonged to an anti-ShinRa group – Wutai being a possible option – with his own agenda in mind. His unfathomable escape from the 66th floor had him convinced that Cloud had contacts working with him inside the company, and after a long line of careful and dangerous research, Tseng discovered that there was actually a small faction moving against the president – amazingly led by the president's own son, Rufus ShinRa. Yet Rufus was still young, and the faction did not seem to be as threatening to the company compared to AVALANCHE, which were still silently terrorising ShinRa buildings and armed forces. Knowing, with growing dread, that there were some people he couldn't trust in headquarters, Tseng had no option but to trust the only person who couldn't possibly be Cloud's ally – the one he tried to kill: Sephiroth.

Cloud's appearance and contact with Aerith worried him, and he knew he had no options in securing the Ancient's safety but to tell the general himself why she needed to be protected. It was entirely possible that Cloud knew Aerith was an Ancient, and he could potentially use her against the company. Hojo would never allow anything to happen to the girl, after all – even if it meant paying millions for her release had she been abducted by the man. Tseng had faith in the Turks, but even he knew not to underestimate a man who could escape headquarters just as easily as how he had infiltrated it.

If Cloud really did know Aerith's true nature, then his visit to Cosmo Canyon made sense. Professor Gast, Aerith's late father, had close ties with Cosmo Canyon – he had provided the red canyon with a large telescope as a gift for the wisdom they shared with him about the Planet. It was a place anyone would probably end up visiting if they were to look up information about the deceased scientist. But why? What was Cloud planning? Or was he actually working under someone, like Rufus ShinRa, and was now scouting information about Aerith? Had his encounter with Sephiroth been a ruse?

Tseng sighed, glancing once again at the helipad's entrance. As if on cue, the door swung open and Director Lazard stepped out, Angeal and Sephiroth accompanying him. He watched as the blond man greeted the black-haired Second, resulting in the young SOLDIER to rub the back of his head, almost embarrassingly, before turning to Angeal. The stocky First said something, then gestured to both Lazard and Sephiroth, and Tseng watched incredulously as Zack launched himself at Angeal in what seemed oddly like... a bear hug. He arched his eyebrow, wondering what Angeal could possibly say to spark such a reaction from the black-haired SOLDIER, and wistfully wished he had SOLDIER's enhanced hearing if only to know what was being said. The helmeted Second moved his hand against his tinted visor as Angeal forcefully released himself from Zack's arms and Tseng felt his lips tug into a small smile. Zack reminded him of Reno: full of excess energy and a strange hyperactivity that was hard to control, causing mild headaches to those around him.

The director and two Firsts began to walk away from the two Second Class SOLDIERs and Tseng took that as his cue to move towards them. It seemed, by now, that the helicopters were ready to depart for Wutai. The many SOLDIERs and infantrymen had vanished into their choppers, leaving only the commanding officer waiting for further orders. As Tseng neared the three, he felt a spark of hope entering his chest; hope that the war between Wutai and ShinRa would end soon, hope that Angeal was truly the one SOLDIER who could bring an end to the ruthless war. Though his roots were tied deep in Wutai soil, his loyalties have always been with ShinRa, and that conflict oftentimes made him feel at a loss, even if he did not show it.

Discarding his thoughts, he approached Lazard and the two Firsts and nodded in greeting. "Director Lazard... Sephiroth, Angeal."

"Tseng." Lazard stepped forward and shook his hand. His grip was firm, the mark of a man who was comfortable with where he stood, being surrounded by infantrymen and SOLDIER operatives. "How are the preparations on your side?"

"We've investigated the terrains there, and found no abnormal activity going on. Wutai still hasn't resorted to finding alliances outside their territory."

Lazard gave a half-laugh and shook his head. "Such is the pride of those from Wutai. But at least it will be easier for us to finally bring an end to this war." The director had taken his glasses off and produced a silk handkerchief from his pants pocket as he spoke. Tseng watched interestedly as the blond man cleared his spotless glasses with more concentration than one would normally give. He avoided eye contact, and seemed thoughtful as he spoke. Silently, Tseng wondered if the man's refusal to look at him was because of his Wutaian origins, and he felt a small pang of resentment in his chest. "I have high hopes in Angeal," Lazard said, placing his glasses back on eyeing the SOLDIER in question.

"Thank you," Angeal answered, inclining his head slightly, seemingly oblivious to the scene before him. "I will not disappoint."

"Of course. And this is the chance for us to observe Zack's capabilities," Lazard said, his tone almost humorous. There was a rather amused, almost thoughtful smile on his lips as he spoke. Tseng turned his gaze on the bouncy Second, still standing far off at the helipad's entrance.

.

"I know you'll do a great job, but make sure you're still careful, alright?" Kunsel punched Zack's shoulder lightly, trying to hide his worry. Large monster infestations and dealing with anti-ShinRa factions was one thing, but war was a completely different matter. While a small part of him did feel rather envious towards his comrade, he knew full well that Zack's fighting capabilities were on an entirely different level compared to him. Zack was special in many ways, perhaps more than ready to be promoted as a First Class SOLDIER, even though his scatterbrained friend always managed to get himself into trouble. If Zack's cleverness was half of his curiosity and lack of concentration, perhaps he would have made First long ago. Zack seemed to have the envious knack of being clumsy enough to get into trouble, yet smart enough that it didn't get him into too much trouble.

Kunsel resisted the urge to roll his eyes as his friend moved his hands to his waist, one of his trademark gestures when he was feeling particularly proud of himself.

"You bet'cha! I'll make it to First in no time! And then you'll be next!" Zack said cheerfully, his grin so wide Kunsel could barely suppress his chuckle. Lowering his arms, the young Second dropped his voice. "Make sure you tell me if you have any leads on Cloud, okay? I'll keep my eyes out for him in Wutai."

He nodded. "I know he was spotted in Wutai, but you never know where he might go next. Don't lose your focus."

"No way am I gonna do that! You heard Angeal. Sephiroth is coming to assess me once we secure the fort!" Kunsel watched as Zack began to perform his squats. He shook his head, amazed that his friend seemed to be able to do that exercise anytime, regardless of where he was. "I'm gonna show him all I've got!"

Kunsel made a small noise of approval, head bobbing up and down as he followed Zack's movements. It was great that Zack hadn't lost his focus for the Wutai mission. The last thing Zack needed was worrying about Cloud when he needed to pay more attention to himself. Kunsel vowed to work his hardest while Zack was gone, to track down the blond man so he could put his friend's mind at ease. He was about to offer more words of encouragement, but a voice from afar interrupted him.

"Zack!"

Zack stopped his squats, and they both turned to the source of the voice: Angeal, who stood beside the last helicopter. Kunsel hadn't noticed when the other helicopters had launched. Embarrassed at his lack of concentration, he took a hesitant step back, allowing Zack to take the spotlight. He could make out Sephiroth standing with Director Lazard, and a Turk (Tseng, he knew), a few feet away from the stocky First. They all had their eyes on them, and he suddenly felt self-conscious. Angeal walked a few paces forward, his voice raised. "Let's go!"

The sudden wave of determination rolling off his friend was overwhelming. "Have fun, Zack," Kunsel said softly.

Zack brought his fist up, an unwavering smirk of utter confidence on his face. "Alright!" he cried out, one hand on the hilt of his broadsword attached to his back as he sprinted towards his mentor. "I'm ready to become a hero!"

The gust of wind from the helicopter blades was irritating, even though Sephiroth had, over the years, gotten used to the unnatural squall. He stepped down from the body of the helicopter, feeling the wind whip through his long, silver hair. His green eyes fixed on the small village up ahead, and he turned his head slightly when three infantrymen clambered down and took their positions behind him. The blades of the helicopter began to slow, and the artificially created wind died down. Turning, his eyes swept across the three troopers, and he could physically see their backs snapping up painfully straight in attention. His face remained unchanged, but he somehow wished they would stop treating like a superior... like any SOLDIER or infantryman had been with Angeal.

It was strange, but after Cloud had disappeared, he felt rather left out for he had longed for that small bit of attention he felt when he was faced with the blond man. Cloud had challenged him as an equal, not as someone above. He'd only gotten such treatment from Angeal and Genesis – Angeal as a friend, and Genesis, more often than not, as a rival. After so many years of being treated as a superior, it was refreshing to find someone else who drew no lines in position with him. Of course, he had fought with many anti-ShinRa factions, and some had never acknowledged his superiority... but they had been fighting as enemies, not as human beings. Cloud had labelled him as an enemy, but he hadn't been disgraceful. He had his motives in making him his enemy, unlike the anti-ShinRa groups who had fought with him because he was a part of the company.

The small click as Masamune's guard brushed against his coat made the infantrymen stand even straighter, if it were even possible, and Sephiroth snapped out of his thoughts. He nearly chuckled as he brooded over how dark his thoughts had been, and suppressed a sigh. What was he thinking? Perhaps, Sephiroth thought, his inability to join the Wutai war had affected his emotions after all. Not even twenty-four hours had passed since Angeal had left for Wutai before he'd found himself in the cramped underbelly of a helicopter, whisked to this backwater town to retrieve Genesis.

He would never find the likes of these three infantrymen worthy of his companionship and his trust.

"We're here to take back SOLDIER First Class Genesis. There is very little possibility that we will face trouble here, but I want you to take positions and guard the perimeter of the town nonetheless," Sephiroth ordered, receiving a prompt 'Sir!' from the three. He nodded approvingly, turning sharply against his heel. His long coat billowed behind him as he allowed his back to face the troopers. "Let's go."

They made their way to the entrance of the village, leaving the helicopter and its pilot behind, and Sephiroth directed his thoughts to the main reason why they were here in the first place. The previous evening, Lazard had received a call from Genesis shortly after Angeal's departure, reporting that the task of clearing the Nibelheim dragons had been successfully accomplished. There were brief words exchanged between them, and Sephiroth had offered to lead the retrieval group himself, much to the Director's surprise. But Lazard had understood his desire to get out of Midgar and thus approved his joining the group with the mission of guaranteeing the safety of the town. As Sephiroth walked, he recalled the Director's perplexed face when he had shut his PHS. Lazard said Genesis had sounded 'strange', but wouldn't elaborate further. One thing in particular stood out to him.

"Genesis said he didn't need a medic."

Sephiroth could feel a small spark of worry growing in his chest and he clenched Masamune's hilt, entering the village. There were a few people around who looked up at him as he entered – some, without surprise, immediately scampered away and retreated into their homes. A woman with blond hair and blue eyes caught his attention, and he watched curiously as she ducked around the side of the house, disappearing from view. It may have been his imagination, but he thought she had stumbled in her hurry. Somehow, he could have sworn he had seen her before, but he didn't get the chance to ponder over the matter. One man braved himself to walk over to them and held his hand out.

"Welcome to Nibelheim. My name is Axel. You're from SOLDIER, aren't you?"

The first thought that crossed his mind was that Axel was most probably a former soldier. He walked with a distinct air of authority and control that was common among soldiers who had left the service, but like most soldiers, and people in general, he seemed rather uncomfortable being in the presence of SOLDIER. The man was bulky, almost like Angeal, but was significantly shorter by a few inches. His hair was long, reaching down to his shoulders, and watery-grey eyes peered at him curiously. He was tapping his fingers against his leg – a clear sign of discomfort. He was much older than Sephiroth, and had a notable scar running down the side of his neck.

Sephiroth looked at the hand before turning his eyes to the village. "Have there been any more dragon sightings here?"

The man seemed surprised with his response. "N-No, none. I... I apologise for how we didn't greet your comrade," Axel said quietly, visibly flinching as Sephiroth's eyes flashed to him. "I wasn't here when he arrived, and the villagers... they were scared of the dragons. But he cleared them, and I can't thank you enough."

"Where is he?"

"At the inn," Axel answered, his head bowed low in embarrassment. "It's right over there." He pointed to the large building located closest to the village's entrance.

Sephiroth inclined his head slightly in thanks and moved to the building. He paused once to address his men, who were following closely behind him like annoying chocobo chicks. "Keep guard outside. Try to find out if anything else is going on here. We'll leave shortly." He watched as his men saluted stiffly and proceeded to take their positions around the village, giving him back his much-needed space. One trooper positioned himself by the inn's door, also keeping an eye on the village's entrance. The other moved towards the house where he had spotted the blonde woman earlier, and the last soldier took a faraway location north-east, where Sephiroth could make out a trail presumably leading into the mountains. They slammed their right boots down on the ground, adjusting their guns and keeping watch.

Satisfied, he took that as his cue to proceed.

It was easy enough to locate Genesis's room when he made his way into the inn, after remembering to retrieve a bag filled with Genesis's belongings from the infantryman by the inn's door. Genesis was the only occupant in the building. They were probably the only outsiders the town had seen in a while. The innkeeper – a man whose features were so bland Sephiroth couldn't seem to commit them to memory – pointed in the direction of the stairs, telling him Genesis was in 'the first door on the left.' As Sephiroth approached the red, carpeted stairs in quick strides, he glanced in through one of the open room doors and was unsurprised to see pale yellow walls and poor lighting. Despite the utter plainness of the inn, Sephiroth could not shake off the feeling that he had been there before.

It seemed strange, but as he reached the landing, peering through the large double-bay window on his right, he was sure that he knew the place. Nibelheim. He had never been sent on any missions here, that he could recall... but something about the small town tugged at his heart, telling him that he had a connection to it that was deeper than he could understand... He suddenly wondered if it had some relation to his past, before his memories of growing up in labs began. It unnerved him, and for a moment he stood staring out the window, listening to the small sounds of the innkeeper moving around below.

And that was when he realised he could hear nothing from Genesis's room.

Genesis was hardly vocal if left to his own devices. The man had a love for books and literature, and the most noise he would make when left alone was if he recited LOVELESS out loud. But even so, it was unnatural that Sephiroth couldn't hear anything. No sounds of boots walking across the floorboards... no sounds of a whistling blade cutting through air as he practiced his sword moves... no small noises of annoyance or approval at a text the crimson SOLDIER might have been reading... There was only utter silence.

Moving over to the oaken door, Sephiroth tapped lightly against the hard wood. There was no answer. His brows pulled together, and he turned the doorknob. It was unlocked.

"Genesis?" Sephiroth pushed the door open, his eyebrows rising as his green eyes travelled across the room. He spotted a soiled, shredded crimson coat lying against the back of a wooden chair, and a pair of boots on the floor – one of the boots was lying on its side. That was unusual. The man had an obsession with his boots, and would always ensure they were cleaned and standing by the foot of his bed before going to sleep. Despite this, both were covered in mud and what looked like dragon blood. Genesis's clothes were on the seat of the chair, and he immediately turned his gaze towards the bed, where he could just see a head of rust-coloured hair poking out from under the covers. A small sigh escaped his lips as he set the bag down, crossing over to his friend. "Genesis," he called again, his voice only a notch higher this time.

The crimson SOLDIER stirred and opened his eyes. Sephiroth was surprised to see that his eyes were fever-bright, but upon spotting him, Genesis cracked a grin. "My... what have we here? The great general in the backwater town of Nibelheim? My friend, the fates are cruel. There is no joy, no honour remains."

He resisted the sigh of relief that nearly escaped his lips. If Genesis could still sprout LOVELESS upon waking, the crimson SOLDIER was fine. He glanced at the bloodstained coat. "I take it you brought down the dragons?"

Genesis snorted. "Brought them down? They were hardly a challenge! Three dragons – I could have taken on more." He pushed part of the covers away and attempted to sit up. Sephiroth stepped back, allowing his friend his space. He realised Genesis was wearing a plain white shirt; he must've gotten it from somewhere to replace the shredded clothes lying on a heap on the chair. It was just as well, Sephiroth thought, that he had the intuition of bringing the commander's clothes. His eyes slid to the duffel bag, and he noticed Genesis's head turning the same direction. "Ah, Sephiroth. You've outdone yourself. Thank you." The words were forced, spoken between clenched teeth. It did not escape his mind that his friend had been struggling to sit up.

"You are injured."

"And so are you, but perhaps in soul and mind, and not the body!"

Ignoring him, he took out a FullCure materia, absorbing the magic into his hand. Genesis looked up, and Sephiroth was surprised to see a look of... defeat on his face. It was a face Sephiroth had only seen once, on a mission so long ago when Genesis had failed to protect a young client, resulting in her death. He had not seen the expression ever since, and for a moment, such a look startled him. It was as if the crimson SOLDIER was daring him to try to use the materia. Perplexed, he pushed the thought aside and cast the spell onto his friend, watching as Genesis closed his eyes and breathe a small sigh of relief. Silence settled between the two as they waited for the spell to work its magic, to restore the commander back to full health. When Genesis finally spoke again, his tone was light, full of humour. "Am I required to return to Midgar again, now?"

"Not until tomorrow, latest," Sephiroth answered, moving to walk across the room. He stopped at the chair, eyeing the torn crimson coat that was draped across it, both curious and concerned. It was beyond repair, that much he could see. Not only was it drenched in black dragon blood, it was also heavily stained with human blood. Genesis's, he presumed, feeling the fingers of his left hand twitch slightly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes... I must be." The words were whispered, and Sephiroth turned to watch his friend climb out from under the cream covers, retrieving the duffel bag he had brought earlier. Genesis moved with a strange stiffness that he couldn't relate to. It disturbed him to think that, even after receiving a FullCure, his friend might still be in pain. Yet there were some injuries that materia couldn't heal, some pains that mako couldn't touch... Those type of soreness, he knew, could only be cured by taking a long rest, which was what he knew his friend needed right now. But this wasn't the place for him to rest.

He moved away from the chair, walking towards the door and grasping the doorknob. "I will wait downstairs. Come down when you are ready... A helicopter is waiting."

Genesis sighed loudly. "As you wish, general," he drawled.

Sephiroth turned his head slightly, glancing back at his friend as he pushed the door open. He saw, through the corner of his eye behind his long bangs, his friend pulling out the red coat that was his signature outfit as well as the black turtleneck sweater that served as SOLDIER's standard uniform. His friend began to lift his shirt, but he paused, turning back to eye the general – Sephiroth closed the door before Genesis could realise he was watching. Silently, he made his way down the steps and out of the inn, wondering what Genesis may be hiding from him to pause like that. He had observed the room, had seen the small pouch with a few gil spilling out on the table near the chair, and knew that it was unlikely Genesis couldn't afford to purchase enough potions to heal himself if he couldn't sufficiently do so with magic. Why, then, had he left himself weak and injured before falling asleep? It had been at least one full day since Genesis fought the dragons... had the mako not been enough to mend his wounds?

Curiosity gnawed inside his chest, but he also had other pressing matters to attend to. He walked towards the infantryman situated farthest from the inn, close to the mountain trail, and watched as he snapped into attention upon his arrival.

"Report."

"Sir! There are some reports that there's an increase in mako pools around here," the soldier answered, looking around, almost as if trying to search for his source of information. "No other strange reports, apart from that."

"Mako pools," Sephiroth mused. Mako pools were potential goldmines for authentic materia, for they were often found crystallised at the bottom and had far more power than manufactured materia. The discovery of them around mako reactors was not unusual, however, and finding treasure in new pools was unlikely. They were common enough, and unless Genesis – or the dragon – had actually fallen into the pool, the latter being extremely unlikely, considering the pool's small size in comparison to the dragon, Sephiroth couldn't decipher a reason why grave injuries should be left unattended. He suddenly picked out the sound of footsteps heading his way. "Take the other men and scout the area. Report if there's anything unusual. Come back within an hour."

"Sir!"

Sephiroth turned, just in time to see the blonde woman from earlier walking towards him. She stopped abruptly when he locked his eyes on her, perhaps seven feet from where he stood. He took the opportunity to examine her again. She looked oddly familiar, carrying a strange air of familiarity that Sephiroth often felt when facing anyone wearing a white lab coat. Her blonde hair was long and tied back into a ponytail behind her, but it seemed rather spiky at the front. Bright blue eyes gazed at him almost shyly, and he would place her to be around Heidegger's age, if not slightly younger. She was small, frail, and held a small air of nervousness that he disliked. Sephiroth arched an eyebrow, prompting her to speak.

"Um... Those dragons... I heard you came to get rid of them?" Her hands were shaking, twisting her white apron as if trying to form some strange knot with the white cotton. She bowed her head, her plain grey dress and her miserable expression causing her to look particularly dull. It didn't escape his notice that she did not provide him with a name.

"They have been dealt with," Sephiroth concurred, his left forefinger playing with Masamune's hilt. Had he known Heidegger would keep such a ridiculous eye on him, he wouldn't have hesitated twice to delve into the Nibelheim Mountains... even if he was going to face some mere Nibel dragons.

"A-All?"

"All three."

She began to say something but hiccupped, tears now welling in her eyes. Strange sounds began to escape her – like sobs mixed with half-formed words that were both incoherent and unusual. Sephiroth felt his fingers curling around Masamune's hilt, his patience wearing thin. Just before he could turn and excuse himself, however, Axel appeared and took her right arm.

"Mrs. Strife, what are you doing here? You should go home. Terra! Take her home; make her some tea, will you?" Axel cried out towards a younger woman to the far left of the water tower, who instantly nodded and rushed to help them.

Sephiroth paid them no attention. He had already turned on his heel, intent on making his way back to the inn.

"Wait! Wait!"

He paused briefly, and the man was in front of him again.

"I'm sorry." Axel ran a hand through his dust-coloured hair, a gesture which reminded Sephiroth of Zack. "She's... she lost her son. We think the dragons got to him. And we can't thank you enough for what you've done."

The credit was actually meant for Genesis, but Sephiroth didn't grace the man with any more words or attention. The man sounded like he was trying to convince him that they were grateful. He inclined his head in a show of politeness and stalked away, stopping to rest his back against the outer wall of the inn to keep watch now the infantrymen had gone off to scout the mountain trails nearby. He felt frustrated. What was he doing? He was SOLDIER's general. Angeal had been sent out to Wutai's front lines, a man never before detected by ShinRa had infiltrated headquarters and was capable of going head-to-head with him, and he was in Nibelheim on a retrieval mission and was now examining mako pools. Sephiroth clenched the hilt of his katana tighter, feeling the anger and aggravation building up in his chest. Heidegger, Hojo... and now Genesis, who didn't trust him enough to explain why he had not healed himself to full health... Sephiroth felt his jaw set, and he peered from behind his bangs towards the direction of the mountains.

And that was when he saw the fire.

Flames licked the brick buildings of the small backwater town, burning in a wild display of red and yellow and black. Ashes were swept away by the wind's pathetic attempts to put out the blazing fire, and there was the terrible smell of burned corpses and smoke, choking him. Sephiroth felt his hand slip from Masamune's hilt as he focused his eyes into the flames, spotting a man with long hair silhouetted in the distance. Time stopped, and he couldn't fathom how long he stood there, staring at the destruction before him. He could make out minute details of the man... the silver hair... the white pauldrons and black coat... The man was walking away. The man was laughing. The man was... him.

"Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth blinked, the flames instantly vanishing. A sudden gust of Nibelheim wind blew against his face, stinging his cheeks with its unnaturally bitter cold. He turned. Genesis had a hand on his arm, his face perplexed and curious. "Genesis," he breathed.

The crimson SOLDIER immediately stepped back, giving back his personal space. "What happened?"

"Nothing," he answered swiftly, shaking his head. "The men have gone off to scout the mako pools nearby. They should be back soon. Are you ready to leave?"

Genesis nodded, and that was when Sephiroth noticed the duffel bag by his feet. He cursed himself inwardly, telling himself to calm down. Genesis stared at him for a few moments, his expression still curious. Sephiroth, however, gave nothing away, returning his friend's gaze coolly. Finally, the commander shook his head, waving a hand. "How is Angeal? He hasn't left yet... has he?"

Sephiroth arched an eyebrow. "He departed yesterday."

"What?" The outcry was startling and unexpected. This time, he was confused to see Genesis's shocked expression, and wondered if his surprise was shown on his face. Genesis turned away, bringing his right hand to his chest. There was a small sound of leather protesting as he dug his fingers into his palms, but Sephiroth was watching his face. Genesis was surprised. But beyond that, the general could detect other emotions: confusion, anger... and perhaps even a notable amount of fear. The man began to pace, muttering fast but inaudible words under his breath. And then, finally, he stopped, gazed at his hand, and turned his eyes to Sephiroth. "I see..." Genesis whispered, his gaze softening. "My friend... the fates are cruel..."

He refrained himself from asking, knowing rather than assuming that he would never receive an answer. It was perhaps fair, Sephiroth thought, suddenly feeling ashamed of himself. He had not shared the problems concerning his visions as well. What other dark secrets do we keep?

It didn't take long for the infantrymen to come back, to report that there was nothing wrong or unusual with the mako pools that had appeared nearby. It confirmed, at least to Sephiroth, that whatever it was that was bothering Genesis didn't originate from the small town.

They left rather quickly after that – both Sephiroth and Genesis were eager to get away for different reasons, to seek comfort in the familiar walls of ShinRa. As the helicopter lifted itself off from the ground, Genesis looked out of the window, feeling the dull ache in his chest. In the end, he had achieved nothing. He didn't locate JENOVA. He couldn't see Angeal in time. He didn't find Cloud. As they moved away from Nibelheim, he thought he saw a head of spiky blond hair poking out from the tall grasslands area and he chuckled darkly. He must've been desperate to feel the need to imagine what he wanted to see. The pain in his back, however, was no imagination. The wound had closed and healed, but there was a dull pain where the gash had been... He had finally gotten the answer he had been dreading since waking up in the general's room, so many weeks ago.

He was degrading.