Mission 14 : [Accidental Video] Technically before Uki's post, orz.

[argentimperator]

[The first, most visible thing when the feed blinks on is feathers. Sephiroth's wing almost seems to be dissolving from tip to base in a flurry of black feathers that blow away on the breeze. When those clear away a bit, Sephiroth himself becomes easier to see, taking a shaky step backwards. The angle on the video is such that it's impossible to see what he's retreating from, but the look on his face and the blood on Masamune's blade are both clear.

Even to the average observer, it's obvious that Sephiroth is pained and horrified. To the people who actually know him, and how subtle his displays of emotion usually are, the expression is like a blinking neon warning that he is in Bad Shape. When he speaks, it's barely audible and sounds... broken.]

No...

[The PCD feed jostles and eventually blinks out as Sephiroth snatches the device back up and, for the first time in his life, runs from something.]

Comments

[Offline]

[argentimperator.livejournal.com]

[Sephiroth, when Vincent finds him, is settled on the roof of one of the many uninhabited buildings in the city. Masamune is halfway across the roof from where he is sitting, the blood slowly drying on the usually perfectly cared for and much valued sword.

His eyes are distant and he barely seems to even notice Vincent's arrival at first.]

[Offline]

[ff_red_turk]

[Vincent won't come closer for now. Touching someone as battle-ready as Sephiroth when he is clearly breaking down is a bad idea, and he's been maimed enough for now.

Other people apparently think he is good at giving comfort, but the truth Vincent's comfort usually comes in the form of blunt honesty. And one of the things he can say he's said before.]

You can't let this destroy you. You're stronger than that.

[Offline]

[argentimperator.livejournal.com]

[It takes a moment for Sephiroth to respond. Usually, blunt honesty is a fairly good tactic with him. Right now, Vincent's words don't feel like honesty, though. He doesn't feel strong. He feels like shattered glass.]

I killed my brother.

[Offline]

[ff_red_turk]

Yes, you did. But you didn't do it alone. Jenova killed him, more than you did.

['And if I had been strong enough, you wouldn't have'. This part is not said, but it's clear that once again, Vincent feels like he's failed to protect Sephiroth from himself.]

You'd better be there when he wakes up. You deserve everything he's got to tell you.

... I'll deal with the others.

[Offline] Icon searches are a pain sometimes.

[argentimperator.livejournal.com]

[Even when Sephiroth's head raises to look at Vincent, there's a blank, empty look to the green eyes that calls into question whether Sephiroth really sees him.]

Why would he want to see me? I don't even- [It might be a while before Sephiroth could even face his own reflection.] I shouldn't have let this happen.

[Offline]

[ff_red_turk]

No, I shouldn't have let this happen. I should have seen it coming.

[The gilt is there both in his posture and in his eyes, but he'll deal with his own feelings later. Right now, protecting SEphiroth is the most important thing to him. He just failed. He won't fail again. Not this time, not now that he has the chance, even if it's temporary, to set right what was done wrong.]

It's not about him wanting to see you. It's about you needing to see him.

[Offline]

[argentimperator.livejournal.com]

You couldn't have stopped Madara. You tried to stop me. I... wasn't listening. I should have. It shouldn't have taken... this... to make me fight her.

[There's something almost childlike in Sephiroth's vulnerable look.] What he needs should matter more. I did this to him.

[Offline]

[ff_red_turk]

You have no idea of how strong someone has to be to resist it. Failing doesn't make you a bad person.

[Vincent has never wished to hug someone a smuch as he does right now, but he's really not sure it would be a good idea.]

He won't hate you. He knew what he was getting into. I told him.

[Vincent takes a few stepas away, and picks up Masamune. The blood is starting to crust on the blade.]

You'll go see him.

[It's not a question. Not exactly an order either. just a statement of fact.]

[Offline]

[argentimperator.livejournal.com]

[No, what he thinks makes him a bad person is that he succeeded after killing Riku. Whether or not a hug is a good idea is unknown, but he could probably use one. And this is one of the very rare times when he might actually allow one.]

That doesn't mean he'll want to see me. [He watches Vincent pick up the sword; usually he hates letting other people touch it, but this is Vincent and he's unusually ambivalent about the blade at the moment.] I'll contact him when he wakes. If.... he wants to see me, then I will.

[Offline]

[ff_red_turk]

[Well, that's good enough for Vincent.

The gunman comes closer and puts the blade down in front of Sephiroth. Then, he does what usually doesn't do and initiate some physical contact by putting his right hand on Sephiroth's shoulder.]

You will get stronger. You are Lucrezia's son. And Lucrezia didn't give up. She never gave up on you. I'm not about to start now.

[That's as close to saying 'you're my son and I'll protect you if I have to die trying' that Vincent has ever come. For someone like Sephiroth, though, that should be clear enough.]

You should clean that.

[Offline]

[argentimperator.livejournal.com]

[Sephiroth's shoulder is tense under the touch, but he's just tense in general. There's no real sign of his usual intense desire for personal space.]

I don't know what to do. [Sephiroth can't really remember ever admitting to that before. Even when he didn't know what to do in the past, he'd always had to give the impression that he did. But the idea of pretending infallibility when he just failed so badly is almost nauseating. And a part of him wants to let himself rely on Vincent and believe in his underlying message.]

I will.

[Offline]

[ff_red_turk]

You will do what you have to do.

[And Vincent turns around and leaves the roof ... but he won't be too far. Prepare to see a lot of flashes of red through the window of the Clinic.]