Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Enemy Within? ❯ Chapter 7

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Chapter Seven

Sephiroth glanced about his room with a slightly detached state of mind as he was forcibly rotated in the stasis field he was confined to. He had been running through scenarios in his mind for the last hour or two, trying to think of a way to escape, but they all required him to be free...something the swordsman didn't think anyone was going to be willing to do anytime soon.

Sighing, he leaned his head back as he began another rotation. Kami knew why these stasis fields made their occupants go through this, but he had endured it for the last hour, and he would endure it for as long as it took...

For what? That little question halted his analytical thinking momentarily. Sephiroth had no doubt in his mind that he was innocent of these preposterous charges...whoever else the senshi had seen attacking Crystal Tokyo, it certainly hadn't been him. But was there enough evidence to swing things in his favor?

A loud clang, and the squeal of long-ignored hinges caught his attention, and the swordsman attempted to turn his head as far as he could towards his cell door to see his visitor. Throwing a sardonic, yet bitter, grin at the man, he spoke first: "Serin...decided to see the bird in his cage?"

Serin stepped into the cell fully, closing the door behind him, but not locking it...the stasis field would prevent Sephiroth from breaking free in the first place, but even if that hadn't been part of the equation, he doubted his friend would try to escape without at least making good on TRYING to prove his innocence.

"Actually, I came to see how you're holding up. So here I am," the paladin replied neutrally.

A snort and chuckle was Serin's initial answer before Sephiroth spoke. "Oh, just dandy. I get the reception no one would wish on their worst enemy, become informed that my fiancee has not only been attacked by me, but probably won't make it, and then get stuck in a stasis cell with a consistently changing view that makes everyone who sits in it get bored out of their skull. About the only good thing I can say about this is that it's given me a lot of time to think."

Cocking his head and blinking, Serin asked curiously, "About what?"

A shrug of the shoulders was followed by a twitch at one corner of the swordsman's mouth. "About finding the bastard who did this. Proving my innocence. All the easy stuff. And then comes the hard part: figuring out how the hell I'm gonna get out of this cell to do so."

A long moment of silence fell between the two co-commanders, as Sephiroth returned to his thinking, and Serin tried to find the proper words in reply. Finally, the paladin said, "Listen, Seph...I know you're innocent. I've already talked to Serenity about my concerns, and Mercury's backed me up. We're gonna get the guard who tried to stop you at the camp back to the palace, and he'll testify for you. This whole charge of you attacking the city will be shown for what it really is...ridiculous."

Sephiroth turned to look at his friend with a slight measure of surprise, but also a deal of relief and gratitude. "Arigatou, Serin. The sooner we can get this cleaned up, the better..." A slight, heavy pause punctuated the swordsman's next question. "Have...you heard anything more about Hotaru?"

Softly biting his lip, Serin looked down as he answered, "No...but she's still fighting. Serenity asked Mercury to go help, since she's the most knowledgeable doctor around, but...I still haven't heard anything more."

Sighing heavily, the swordsman nodded. "About what I expected...but I have a feeling that this isn't going to be a battle that Mercury or any doctor can win..."

Sharply, the paladin looked up at his friend. "What do you mean?"

"Hotaru and I established a telepathic link when I first helped rid her of the 'dark cancer' that existed in her body. Without even trying to, we can...tell what's going on with the other, for lack of a better explanation." Sephiroth sighed as he added, "I can tell that...something's going on with Hotaru-chan right now...it's not a normal sickness...but damned if I can figure out exactly what is going on..."

Pursing his lips, Serin nodded. "I'll go talk to Mercury and see what she can come up with. At least we know there's more to this than meets the eye." Sighing, he headed for the door, but before exiting, he shot a strained smile at his friend. "Don't worry, Sephiroth. We'll clear this up."

A small smile was the only reply given as Serin shut the door and locked it, leaving Sephiroth alone with his thoughts once more. As he glanced around his room, his eyelids suddenly grew heavy. A part of his mind was confused as to his suddenly tired state, and gave a brief, futile struggle before he finally succumbed to his body's desires...

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Entering his private office with his mind ajumble, Serin wearily collapsed into his chair with a sigh. Taking only a second to regather his thoughts, the paladin then began his duties.

First, he quickly established communications with the expeditionary camp around the NORAD ruins and raised the officer in charge there.

"Commander Serin! We hadn't expected to hear from you for some time yet, sir."

"Things have changed, soldier. I need you to locate..."

A slender finger reached out in front of his face and deftly stabbed the disconnect button. Shocked, and more than a bit angry, Serin glared up at the intruder, his hand reaching for his Crystal Sword. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The woman who had entered his office was definitely beautiful, was one of the first thoughts that entered his mind. Married man or not, he knew beauty when he saw it. Her long green hair and ruby red eyes perfectly accentuated her tanned skin. He was slightly surprised to note that this woman was also dressed in a sailor fuku, though the skirt, bow and trim were done in black. In her right hand, carried almost languidly, was a staff which, as he gave it a more thorough examination, resembled a giant key, with two deep red orbs at it's tip.

All of this occured in the space of a few seconds, yet it was a few more before the woman spoke, as if she were debating whether to answer Serin or not. Finally, she did: "The man you seek is already dead, Serin."

Blinking at the deadpan delivery of this news, the commander shook his head. "Dead...? But..." Glancing up sharply at her, he demanded, "Did you kill him?"

A slow, short shake of the head was his answer, to which she added, "No. It was the man you seek who was responsible for it."

Serin's eyes widened, and he slowly started to rise. "So I was right...Sephiroth is innocent..." His voice trailed off as the woman raised a hand and again shook her head.

"Not true. In a sense, both you and Neptune are correct in your assessment of who attacked Crystal Tokyo and your...comrades." The paladin wasn't sure, but he could have sworn that at that moment, her voice broke slightly before recovering to it's deadpan tone.

Blinking again, Serin asked, "Wait a minute...how the hell can Neptune and I both be right? Sephiroth can't be two different people, AND in two different places at once."

The woman remained impassive, silent, as Serin studied her. Finally, he shook his head. "Great...you're not going to tell me anything more, are you?"

"I cannot tell you any more. The answers that remain will have to be found by your own power."

Sighing, Serin nodded. "Alright, fine, but...how do you know so much? Who are you, anyway?"

A slight twitch at the corner of the woman's mouth appeared as she paused once more before finally answering. "You haven't heard of me before, but I am Sailor Pluto. And that is all I will say on this matter. You have work to do, after all."

"Not really...since the guy I'm looking for is dead, all I have to..."

"You misunderstand...that wasn't exactly what I was referring to." Without a single backward glance, she turned and stepped through the now-open door, exiting the room.

Serin leapt to his feet and poked his head out, Pluto's name on his lips...but then he stopped, his mind boggling. The corridor by his office stretched for a good quarter mile in both directions, and yet, he couldn't see his visitor anywhere.

Placing a hand to his forehead in exasperation, Serin muttered, "This has not been a good day..."

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He was somewhere else again...

Sephiroth had no idea how he'd gotten out of his cell, or where he was that had such lush greenery, but he knew that it was somewhere quite far from Crystal Tokyo. Glancing down at his hands, he was surprised to see that his treasured Masamune was with him as well. With long, purposeful strides that made him feel like he was gliding across the ground, the swordsman singlemindedly trudged through the dense forest he found himself in, nimbly avoiding the plant life and easily overpowering the few monsters within that dared to approach him. Twice he tried to stop, but his body refused to obey him, instead pushing him ever onward toward some goal...

Finally, he reached what he somehow KNEW to be his goal...and at the same time, knew that what he was experiencing was a dream. Stetched out in front of him as far as his eyes could see was an elaborate city, beautiful in it's design, despite the decay and erosion that had worn it into ruins. Dimly, he wondered what civilization had lived in such greatness.

'Cetra' was the answer dimly whispered back to him...

Cetra...the very mention of that word, no, that race, sent shivers down his spine. But why? He could feel himself on the verge of remembering something...something important...

However, his body gave him no time for sightseeing, instead heading for the building directly in front of him. Once there, a flash of light brought him the next image. One where he was looking down on two people facing each other, one holding a sword that should have been far too big for his hands...and the other(a woman, he somehow knew), was in a kneeling posture, praying. The sword bearer backed up, muttering something Sephiroth couldn't quite catch.

A flash of anger surged through the swordsman's mind and he simply stepped off of the ledge he perched on, arrowing down through the air, his blade poised in front of him for a downward thrust...

This in itself was horrifying to Sephiroth, but as he got closer, he drew in a sharp breath as he recognized his target. He attempted to scream, to divert the blade from it's mortal deed, but despite all his efforts, he was only a spectator.

Mercifully, the scene blanked out just before the tip of his Masamune bit into the woman's flesh. Drained and horrified at what he had seen(and, by extension, done), Sephiroth collapsed to his knees and wept bitterly.

He wasn't sure how long he knelt there, shedding tears of anguish, but he immediately became aware of two slender, smooth arms embracing him around his shoulders. Not knowing who it was, nor even caring, he clung to his comforter like a frightened child. As his tears flowed, he heard a soft voice comforting him, murmuring softly, "It's alright, Sephiroth...it wasn't your fault...you don't need to cry..."

It seemingly took forever, but at long last his eyes appeared to have shed all the tears they could. Shuddering one final time, the repentant warrior looked up at his comforter and blinked several times in shock. "You..."

Silencing him with a finger to his lips, the woman he'd met in his previous dream, and had seemingly killed in his most recent one, smiled softly and shook her head. "No words are needed, Sephiroth. This was once a part of who you were...but it was not your fault. You need feel no remorse for being a puppet."

Her finger dropped from his lips, as her smile likewise disappeared. Sephiroth slowly nodded, and decided to change the subject. "Who are you?"

Another soft smile accompanied her answer. "My name is Aeris. It's a pleasure to meet you on friendlier terms."

The warrior nodded slightly, a twitch of his lips indicating an almost-smile. "Likewise." He hesitated before adding, "What..."

"Was the reason for that memory?" Aeris finished with a sad, comforting smile. In response to his nod, she sighed. "I really couldn't say. It was...what your mind chose to remember. It could mean that HE is remembering it, as well..." At that moment, she shuddered in fright...not for herself though, Sephiroth could see that.

"'He'? Who is 'he'?"

Again, a dark look passed over the young woman's face, but she again shook her head. "If I were to tell you...you would not believe me."

Sepiroth frowned deeply at Aeris just then. "Look, my fiancee is injured due to whatever's going on, and this...'person' you're covering for is responsible..."

"She's not as injured as they think. Her physical wounds have healed by now," she interjected.

That stopped Sephiroth short. However, then he remembered what their shared link had told him, and he peered suspisciously at Aeris. "Then..."

"You must go to her...you will know what to do if you go to her. She requires your strength now more than ever...you have to hurry," she cut in once more. With those words spoken, she suddenly began to fade away, a serene, loving smile on her face the whole time.

"H, hey...wait!" he shouted...

And then he awoke.

His mind in a jumble, the warrior tried to piece together where he was now, and whether he was dreaming again or not. A light pinch accomplished the second objective, which left him the unenviable task of the first...when he suddenly realized why he was confused.

He was still in his cell in the Crystal Palace's dungeon...but instead was out of the stasis cell, face first on the ground. Hopping lightly to his feet, Sephiroth glanced quietly around the room, noting with further surprise that the cell door was open as well.

'What the hell....?' he thought as he silently approached the portal. Poking his head cautiously through the opening, the swordsman glanced left, right, then left again, confirming that the hallway was empty. Pursing his lips for a moment in thought, the warrior debated on the merits of leaving his cell under these circumstances...even remembering Aeris' words didn't seem to help make up his mind...

But when he felt a sudden dark, almost sickening presence loom through his link with Hotaru-chan...

Panting lightly from the sensation, he wiped his forehead gently, his mind made up in an instant. It was obvious to Sephiroth that whatever Hotaru was suffering from was definitely NOT a sickness, but something far worse.

And he had a horrid feeling that if he didn't get to his beloved's side soon, the whole world was going to pay the price.