Back in Edge Sephiroth was perched atop the tallest building like a stone gargoyle looking out over the city. It was the first time he got to take in the damage that the Geostigma had caused. A byproduct caused by Jenova and himself, unintentional for the most part. Atleast not consciously. Even before that the destruction he had tried to cause before had rocked the world. This time being revived Sephiroth was different, his mind not as clouded. It was crazy to want to hurt all of humanity for what only some had done to him. That was what Shinra wanted him to be, a weapon of mass destruction so they could start a new world to rule over. He refused to be what they tried to make him into.
The silverette didn’t sleep a wink, he didn’t feel the need. Though let in the night when the streets were mostly barren he explored the town, just wandering the streets and enjoying the cool night air against his skin. It was indescribable the feeling of being back from that empty plain of existence, hell would’ve been better than the nothingness.
Morning came rather quickly and Sephiroth focused on his connection to Cloud. Finding him at his residence first then followed him from a distance down the Midgar highway to an old broken down church. Inside was quite beautiful, with the crystal clear pool of water surrounded by hundreds of flowers that filled the air with their fragrance. The silverette headed inside after a few moments when he was sure Cloud was alone, silently stepping up behind him but stopping atleast six feet away.
Cloud turned, must’ve sensed his presence also, and questioned his future plans. Sephiroth’s brows knitted together in thought. “I’m not sure. Are you going to allow me to live long enough to come up with something?” Sephiroth retorted with his own question, teal hues eyeing the borrowed bracer. “This is a beautiful place, would hate to desecrate Zack’s sacred ground with a fight… He was my friend too, you know.” The silverette had very few of those in his time being General of the First Class’. Genesis, Angeal, Zack. All lost because of the damn company.
His cat-like eyes flicked over behind Cloud to the Buster Blade planted in the ground like a gravestone, once Angeal’s that was passed on to Zack. It was meant to be Cloud’s now, but it seemed he didn’t want to take it. Or maybe he didn’t feel like he had earned to right to wield it. Whatever the reason he didn’t think he’d have to worry about the blade being pointed at him. Sephiroth’s attention went back to Cloud.
“Hojo is towards the north. I suspect somewhere in the mountains there’s a science lab hidden, possibly disguised as a radio tower or something of that nature.” Sephiroth changed the subject and nodded towards the exit. “Shall we go?”
Cloud had finally come to terms with both Zack and Aerith’s deaths, as well as the survivor's guilt he had been carrying all of this time, ironically, because of Sephiroth. Both of his cherished friends had come in his hour of need against the one-winged angel and helped him find the closure he desperately needed to finally move on with his life.
At Sephiroth’s insistence, Cloud moved to follow the silver-haired general, only to pause mid-step when a ripple of water chimed across the small dew pond and the familiar aroma of soft yellow lilies wafted over him.
“You-” the blonde gasped and tilted his head as if trying to listen to something in the distance. “Yes...but...how can you be so sure...and what if you’re wrong...I don’t like it...but I trust you.”
The blonde was muttering unintelligibly under his breath and glaring half-heartedly at the church alter before sighing through his nose and shaking his head in defeat. Turning back to Sephiroth the blonde shrugged his shoulders in resignation and walked right past the taller man without the usual tense stiffness in his shoulders. “Alright, let’s go.”
