Crisis Core: The Female SOLDIER

35

Sephiroth led the way through the archway to Nibelheim, a small mountain village located at the base of Mt. Nibel. Sera, Zack, and the three infantrymen following behind him as they passed through. She knew Cloud was embarrassed to be coming back home because he was unable to become a SOLDIER before coming back here. She noticed that when Cloud gradually became more withdrawn the closer they got to his hometown, when just hours ago he, Zack, and herself were chatting amicably amongst themselves, Zack and Cloud exchanging stories about their hometown. That's how Sera knew that Cloud was from Nibelheim before coming to Midgar to become SOLDIER.

Cloud had requested Zack and Sera not to mention him to anyone once they arrive. Sera knew the reason for it but when Zack asked why he didn't receive an answer. So they just agreed.

Sera hid a grimace as the throb in her head grew as they walked. She had been hearing the voices the closer they got from Nibelheim, but she couldn't pick out the words. They've been becoming louder the closer they got and it was giving her a headache. When Zack and Cloud noticed her discomfort, they asked her if she was okay but she waved off their concerns, assuring them that she just had a mild headache, which was not far from the truth. She dared not say she had been hearing voices ever since back at the church with Aerith.

They would think she was insane, nevermind telling them she was a Cetra.

"So, how does it feel?" Sephiroth asked, snapping Sera from her thoughts as he spoke. "To be home after all this time? I have no hometown, so I wouldn't know."

Her mentor's words about not having a hometown caught Sera's attention and she frowned slightly. It was the first time she had heard of this. 'He has no hometown? Could he really be just like me then? Apart from being a Cetra, that is,' Sera thought. She had yet to tell anyone of her discovery of being a Cetra. It was already bad enough that Hojo had speculated her to be one. If he had found it to be true...

She'd rather not think of the consequences.

"Uh... what about family?" Zack suddenly asked from beside her and she elbowed his side lightly, sending him a look to tell him not to ask that out in public, but it was already too late.

Sephiroth answered nonetheless. "My mother's name is Jenova. She died shortly after I was born. My father..." He trailed off and then, he started laughing, throwing his head back as he laughed before placing his hand on his forehead. "Why am I talking about this?" He wondered aloud before turning away. "Come on, let's go." They started walking again.

But then Sera stopped, thinking back to what she just heard. 'Sephiroth's mother's name is Jenova... Jenova?' She recalled what Hojo had said before.

"Indeed. A memento from an unenlightened era, when men could deem any unclassified form an Ancient." Hojo said.

"Unclassified life form?" Zack repeated, confused.

"Jenova, the calamity that fell from the sky."

"Wait, Zack," Zack stopped and turned to Sera as she called out his name. She gestured him to come over and he did so. "Jenova, Sephiroth's mother's name. Didn't Hojo mention something? About Jenova being the calamity that fell from the sky?" Sera spoke quietly, careful not to arouse attention.

"Yeah... now that you mentioned it," Zack paused for a moment. Then his eyes widened. "You don't think..." He glanced at Sephiroth.

"I'd rather not," Sera shook her head, knowing where his thoughts were heading to. "But the name... It's too close for comfort, but...." Sera trailed off, before shaking her head, deciding that it couldn't be. "Nevermind. Forget I said anything. Let's just go," The two of them quickly followed after the soldiers.