Crisis Core: The Female SOLDIER

40

Tifa came running into the inn, catching the two SOLDIERs about to head out after breakfast. "Sephiroth is apparently at Shinra Manor." she told them.

"That big mansion?" Zack asked.

Tifa nodded. "Yes. Shinra has owned it for a long time."

"Thanks for letting us know," Sera said and Tifa nodded before heading back out.

"What could he be doing in there?" Zack wondered.

"Let's find out," Sera answered and the two of them made their way out.

Sera and Zack were heading to the outskirts where the mansion was said to be located at when Zack heard his phone rang. He picked it up.

"Hell-lloooo?"

"Aerith?" Zack smiled as he stopped and Sera smirked at the look on his face.

"I finally got through!" Aerith said from the other end.

"Yeah..." Zack looked to Sera who just shrugged, before letting him know she'll be going ahead first, moving past him as she left him to talk on the phone. She was halfway across the town when she heard a pair of boots running towards her and she turned around to see Zack catching up. "That was a short call," Sera commented.

"It's not really the best time to talk to her. We're still on a mission, you know?"

"You're gonna see her after this?"

"Yep! I promised her after all, and I don't break my promises."

"I'm sure you don't."

The two of them were about to leave the village when they saw Cloud, with his helmet on. "Morning!" Zack called out cheerfully while Sera greeted him normally.

"Morning," Cloud greeted softly. "Tifa said to take you to the manor."

"She did?" Cloud nodded. "Yes. The Shinra Manor is up the stairs straight ahead. Then to the left. Come with me!"

"Wait, Cloud! We already..." Cloud had already ran ahead. "Know how to get there," Sera finished lamely.

"Ah, let him go," Zack told her. "It won't hurt to have him come with us, right?"

"I guess."

"The three of them made their way to the old mansion, going past the front gate as they made their way inside. "Creepy place," Zack commented, looking around.

"No shit," Sera agreed as they made their way to the stairs leading to the second level, where Cloud mentioned Sephiroth would be in the room on the right. They followed Cloud into the room.

"Something's wrong with Sephiroth," Cloud told them, his voice laced with worry. "The door to the underground passageway was unlocked, and I think he went in, but..."

"Where is it?" Cloud went to flick a switch, revealing a hole in the wall. Sera and Zack made their way towards it, before noticing Cloud was not following them. "Aren't you coming with us?" Zack asked.

Cloud shook his head, sitting on an old bed. "I'm still feeling a little lightheaded, so..."

Sera nodded. "Alright then. Stay put, we'll be back soon."

Zack and Sera made their way down the underground passage, going deeper below ground as they continued and they entered a room to find that it was some kind of laboratory. But compared to all the other items within the mansion, broken and unstable, the equipment inside looked recent, and still functioning.

They saw Sephiroth pacing about in the room, a book in his hands as he read the words aloud. "A life form in a state of suspended animation, excavated from a 2000-year-old stratum," he read out, "Professor Gast named this life form Jenova." He flipped a page, "Date: X/X/XX - Jenova verified as an Ancient."

Another page was turned. "Date: X/X/XX - Jenova Project approved. Mako reactor 1 authorized for use..." He walked down a row of bookcases towards a desk. "My mother's name, Jenova... The Jenova Project. Could this be coincidence...?" He wondered to himself, ignoring the presence of Zack and Sera as he spoke. He lowered the book and raised his head to look up at the ceiling. "Professor Gast... Why didn't you tell me? Why... why did you die?"

"Sephiroth...?" Sera walked towards her mentor slowly, ignoring the voices warning her in her head as she tried to get closer. "Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"I would like to be alone," Sephiroth responded, not even looking at her as he glared at the floor.

"But you haven't even left this place since-" Zack stopped her before she could continue, and she turned around to see him shaking his head. Looking back at Sephiroth, who was reading those books once again, she sighed and followed him out the room.

From that day onwards, Sephiroth had shut himself inside the Shinra Manor, and proceeded to review document after document, like a man possessed. Occasionally, Sera would visit him, bringing something with her for him to eat as she tried to coax him out, but he never budged. Going so far as to shout at her to leave him be the next time she tried, and she jolted back in shock. He had never raised his voice at her before. So she left him be after that, never bothering him again. The lights in the basement never went off.

A week has passed since that day...