Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Apotheosis ❯ Predatory Smiles ( Chapter 5 )

The general was currently seated at his wide mahogany desk, fingers flying across the keyboard before him as he assessed the latest troop movements. He frowned at the slight retreat of his armored units, and slipped his hand below the desk to guide the bobbing head of the young aide-de-camp who crouched there into a more pleasurable position.

Seemingly unmoved by her ministrations, Sephiroth leaned back, stretched his shoulders, and debated the value of a sharp communiqué to the units' leader. The man had a great touch with the enlisted men, but he was simply not cut out for active combat. It would be a shame to waste such a great steward, though… more likely it would require a personal visit, an opportunity to put the fear of God into the NCOs in the hopes they'd head off the worst of their commandant's bad decisions. He flicked to another screen and tapped out instructions for one of his aides to check his schedule and arrange the trip.

Absently, he reached down and cupped the aide's face; she moaned softly as the caress. He was never certain whether the various young women considered such service part of their duty, a potential means of advancement, or were genuinely attracted to him; not did he particularly care, as long as they passed their background checks. Leadership had its privileges.

The last few years had been remarkably easy on Sephiroth; he found himself wondering in odd moments how much farther ahead he'd be if he had crossed Hojo sooner. He'd had no real idea what the reaction to Aeris's disappearance--or 'theft,' as the disciplinary board had termed it--would be; anything from being stripped of his position and handed over to Hojo for full-time research to outright execution; any number of outcomes that would cause him to have to flee Shinra. But amazingly, the company had valued their killer over their scientist; when Hojo continued to rage, Sephiroth had been removed from his grasp entirely, allowed to devote all of his energies towards being S.O.L.D.I.E.R.'s red right hand.

He did love the work.

The disbanding of Black and subsequent formation of the Turks had left him nonplussed; he did not relish the idea of being demoted to a skulking bully. But he had been allowed to remain a S.O.L.D.I.E.R., and building on his experience as a guard captain, he had quickly risen through the chain of command. Leading troops was both disappointing and more fulfilling than he had expected; while he spent more time in this office than he'd like, armies gave him the opportunity for destruction on a scale he'd never dreamed of… and there were plenty of opportunities to get into the thick of things. Keep his hand in, as it were.

All because of Aeris: the girl who had spoken only of peace and gentleness. He'd never forgotten her, or their conversation; had, in fact, spent much of the last few years trying to build on the meager store of knowledge she'd shared with him. He hadn't had much luck. There was plenty of babble about a City of the Ancients and some sort of apocalypse that would either create or open the way to a so-called Promised Land, depending on which book you preferred. Since those same books contained lurid tales of unicorns and mermaids, he doubted them all.

But she had not lied to him; once he had learned what to watch for, he felt echoes of many things she had described. Sometimes, particularly up north, he felt a low, peculiar thrumming in his bounds… even though she had insisted he was not a Cetra, he could almost believe the planet was trying to speak to him.

Never, ever had he encountered another sensation like her touch in the laboratory, however. Nothing that electrifying, that… sublime…

The woman sensed his sudden tension; not suspecting the true reason for it, she began to work faster. Sephiroth's eyes droops shut; soon thoughts of the girl and his mysterious heritage were driven from his mind as his breathing hitched; then he sighed and rolled his chair back to allow the woman space to rise. She stood and straightened her uniform. "Thank you," he said thickly, "that will be all." She nodded and quickly left the office.

He sat quietly for a few more moments, trying to recapture his train of thought, but it was no good. Resigned, he tucked himself away and rolled back to his desk to continue with the troop movements. It would be good to return to Wutai… the office life didn't much suit him…

A short while later he was interrupted by a rap at his door. Annoyed, he glanced up in time to see it opened by a familiar, reviled figure.

Rufus Shinra bounded through the door, his grin wide, cheerful, and false. "Sephiroth," he practically crowed, "I'm so glad you could make time to see me." They both knew it was a lie; Rufus never bothered with appointments, and Sephiroth's staff would never dare allow him through without ample warning.

Nonetheless, Sephiroth rose and bowed low over his desk. "I am always honored to speak with the President's son," he said, respectfully neutral. To say that he despised Rufus was a gross understatement; he considered the man a spoiled brat who knew too much power and too little responsibility. For a time after Black was disbanded but before the Turks were formed, he had attempted to conscript Sephiroth into his private bodyguard, impressed by his reputation as the 'angel of death.' Sephiroth had… convinced him otherwise… very harshly. Fortunately, shortly thereafter the President himself approved Sephiroth's transfer out.

But I must play the game.

Bowing more slightly this time, he gestured to the chairs before the desk. "Please, sit, and tell me how I may be of service to you."

Rufus sprawled into one of the leather armchairs, but did not look at Sephiroth: his attention was drawn instead to Masamune; the great katana hung behind the desk, comfortably within reach. "I see you've been busy," he said. "That sword has a few more notches in it than I remember."

Indeed it had. "I am only recently come from Ice Village," he replied. "Wutaian sympathizers were becoming troublesome, helping leaders of the rebellion to escape north." He smiled thinly; no need to mention the 'rebel leaders' had all been too young or too old to fight. "They are no longer a concern."

"Well, it's good to hear you're so involved with your work," Rufus said, the plastic smile once more stretching his face, but Sephiroth could tell the man was unnerved. "That's actually what I've come to speak to you about. How does your command suit you?"

Sephiroth folded his hands behind his back and raised an eyebrow. "I am pleased to serve in any capacity Shinra sees fit for me."

Rufus raked a hand through his hair. "Look, I know your background. All of this… it's got to be a big change for someone who's so used to the nitty-gritty aspects of life, am I right?"

Sephiroth nodded noncommittally.

"The operation has gone great--you did a wonderful job--but Wutai is pretty much dead these days. You're just mopping up the stragglers now, right?"

He nodded again, wondering where this was going.

"The rest of this operation could easily be handled by someone else--someone way below your caliber. In fact, it's pretty much a waste of your time here, and we've got something lined up that should be much more worthy of your efforts."

"Oh?"

"Remember the reactor explosion awhile back?" Rufus leaned forward. "The Turks found who did it."

"I trust they did an excellent job."

"The Turks…" Rufus smiled deprecatingly and made a back-and-forth gesture with one hand. "They're great, but this isn't really their thing. We need someone with experience in these matters. And a strong stomach." He grinned. "We've got a pretty interesting use in mind for these guys."

"Oh?" Sephiroth repeated, finally stepping forward to sit behind his desk. "Tell me more."

A few hours later, Sephiroth stepped into the alley behind Seventh Heaven. Checking to make sure he was unobserved, he quickly wiped the scarlet from Masamune's blade and sheathed the sword at his back. Pulling the hood of his cloak closer he set off, boots splashing in the mire. Rufus had asked him to proceed directly to Kalm Village to liase with the Turks, but he found doing his own research so much more… rewarding.

Too much time indoors, hmm?

This is going to be very fun.