Sephiroth's soul redemption

The Give away.

Erik woke up earlier than the others as there was a hesitant knock on the door. He got up and looked in the face of a rather startled cadet who had been landed with bringing mail around.

A couple of sealed interstellar communications printouts where hastily pressed into his hands and the cadet fled. One letter was from Nathan, and directed at him and Enak, the other was for Jeh-ri. He briefly poked the redhead and tucked the envelope in his hand, and started rummaging through his trunk. Looking for things he would make others happy with. He was reborn, and now needed to shed material things that he had gathered in his former ‘life’. He looked at Zach and his little friend Cloud, who had now earned his admiration by joining so easily in the Dance of the Celestial Bodies yesterday, and being brave enough to allow himself to loose his virginity while all of them had watched and supported him, and wanted to give them both something special, something they would appreciate.
He pulled out the large ceremonial black, white and grey patterned prayer blanket that sat in the bottom of his trunk, and spread it out over the floor, as he started selecting various things.

Cloud felt a hand on his shoulder, and woke with a start at seeing Erik’s big pale blue eyes sparkle with mischief at him.
“Wake up, kiddo, I have something for you.” He said to him, and Cloud slid out from under the blanket he and Zach had shared. He was still wearing the black Hakama, and his upper body and arms where still sporting the patterns Leisa had painted there the previous evening. Cloud looked at the swirling lines and rubbed at them.

“Don’t bother. That has been painted with henna. It wares off in a week or so.” He said, and handed him a black sleeveless roll neck. “It will be a bit too big for you, but you’ll grow into it.” He said as Cloud pulled the sweater over his head, and stood up. Erik pulled the zipper back down that the young man had pulled up all the way, so his throat was revealed again. “Why do you keep hiding away like a turtle, kid?” he asked, but Cloud just shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to say.

“Thank you, I like it.” He smiled at the much bigger man, who pulled him into a rough embrace, lifting him several feet off the ground. “That Hakama suits you. It gives you a bit of volume.” He said, sniggering.
Cloud climbed on top of Zach, and started to prod and poke him, trying to wake him up. He did so reluctantly, then looked at the smaller young man sitting on top of him.

“Where did you get that, Spike?” He asked, running his hands along the sweater.

“Erik gave it to me.” He said, then a second dark grey one flew out toward them, which cloud caught.

“That one is for you, Zach.” Erik said. “It is more your size.”

Erik continued to pull items from his trunk, giving them to everyone there. Tossing various items of clothing at Ian and Enak. He pulled out a very nice looking choker made of elongated bone pieces, and gave that to Leisa, who glowed at him and then fastened the necklace around her slender neck. He gave a dark red polished stone hanging from a leather lace to Ian, Then he grabbed his sheathed Souba, and handed it to Jeh-ri. “Here, find your self a good sparring partner, and learn to use it.” He also pulled out an enormous wad of thin black leather, and threw that at Jeh-ri too.

“By the Creator, how many Borronix did you skin to make this?” He said as he held the garment to his waist.

“Ha! A Sephiroth Hakama!” Cloud laughed.

“Do you think he would like this?” Erik asked Zach, who frowned thoughtfully.

“I don’t think so. He always thought those pants suited you lot just fine, but I always got the impression he thought they looked impractical.”

“That would be a ‘no’, Erik.” Jeh-ri said. “I think this would look really nice on him, though.”

“Sure! Can you imagine him being here with us last night, all painted up and wearing that?” Leisa chimed in.

“Pure porno!” Zach said as he looked at Jeh-ri who bit his knuckles in agreement.

Jeh-ri hesitantly took the heavy weapon, that Erik had laid at his feet, knowing that there is no refusing a gift in this situation. “You didn’t do to badly the other day against Zach. You just have to grow stronger.” Erik said, kneeling opposite the copper haired man, and pulling him into a long intimate embrace.

You have a difficult time ahead, Jeh-ri. Our time here is drawing to an end sooner or later, and you will be alone here, Nathan made sure to get you a task that would put you within Sephiroth’s field of vision, and as you and Zach are friendly, he will warm to you too. I just hope you don’t let yourself get pulled into things you’ll regret later.

Jeh-ri felt panic rise in him at the thought of all his friends leaving, and him being totally cut off from the collective.

I just want to share with you that I have loved you from the moment Nathan assigned Enak and I to look after you while you where pregnant. I just couldn’t give you what you needed from me to be a good sim partner for you. That is why I have been behaving like such a jerk to you. I feel different now, I know you aren’t ready, still being a guy and all, but I can wait.

Jeh-ri fought with every ounce of strength to keep from crying as he buried his head in the much bigger man’s neck, shaking from head to toe. He felt like screaming, he wanted to beat the living crap out of the man, to hurt him like he had the last four years. But he held him so tightly, it made his ribs ache. Nathan had planned it from the start. Assigning Erik and Enak to Jehrica as he and Shau-ri where forced to leave her alone a lot during the time she was carrying their babies. He somehow had hoped her stable, happy, analytical mind would bring the twins to work out their differences and calm Erik down at the same time. It had only taken a lot longer for things to eventuate.

Please, let me go, I can’t cope with you like this now. You are making every thing so hard for me.

Typical Erik. He had the most amazing talent for screwing things up, having the lousiest timing possible to finally draw the right conclusion. Jeh-ri felt like he was being pulled into four different directions at once. Leisa, Ian and Enak came up to them, and enclosed the two in their arms, closing the circle. As their minds fused Jeh-ri felt the confusion and anguish ease, sinking down. As the circle slowly dissipated, he felt refocused, as he stood up, and carefully stepped out of the embrace of his friends.

“Zach, will you help me learn to use this?” he asked, pulling the double katana half from it’s sheath. “If I don’t start some serious training again, I will never be ready for my exams.”

“I think I can tear myself away from Cloud watch duty a couple of nights a week, sure.” He said, smiling widely, and Cloud poked him in the ribs. “I’ll come along and make sure you don’t cheat!” he said smiling at his black haired friend, who was now also wearing Erik’s sweater.

“Who is the letter from, Jeh-ri?” Cloud asked as he saw the envelope that was still laid unopened on the mattress.

He tore the paper open and started reading. “It is from Hazel. She has graduated and is going on a research assignment soon, for her practical exams.” He said as he read the letter from his former girlfriend and fellow temple trainee. He was really glad to see that she had done so well as she had sent a list of her grades along. The fact that she had worked so hard made him feel proud. “She writes that she would ask for permission to come and visit when her assignment is completed.”

“Really? That would be nice!” Zach drawled, as he and her had flirted with each other on occasion.
“Where is the General at, Zach?” Erik asked. “I have something for him too.” He said as he stroked the prayer blanket. “I think it more than appropriate for him to have this.”

The others agreed at that. This blanket had been with him since he was born. Now he was a different person, still the same old pain in the ass, but having grown somehow, moved on to a different level. Zach pulled his phone from his pocket, and dialled.

“Good morning to you too, what took you so long!” he said, “Rough night or something?” he asked, shaking his head.
“You decent? Good. Erik has a present for you, can he bring it up to your office?”
“No, he isn’t going to kiss you.” He shot Erik a questioning glance, who shook his head, sniggering to himself.
“No definitely not. Ok.” He hung up and indicated with his head for Erik to follow him.
Erik threw the huge heavy blanket over his shoulder, and walked out after Zach.
“Erik needs to speak to him alone, Zach.” Leisa called after them. The black haired man nodded indicating he had understood.

* * * * *

Sephiroth had slept a lot longer than he had planned to when the persistant ringing of his phone had woken him up. Erik Stone was on his way up, and he was still recuperating from his night with his brother, Enak. He briefly wandered if it had something to do with that and jumped out of bed, quickly washing the sleep sweat off him before shooting his clothes on.
He was probably paranoid about the reason why Erik was coming up, as Zach had mentioned something about a present.

Oh what rapturous surprise was the P.A.A. instructor about to spring on him now, he wandered, not in the mood for unexpected events. He made his way to his office in time to startle his secretary who had assumed that he would not to be in today, and apologised for his casual clothes. Sephiroth dismissed the young man with a vague gesture of his hand, and entered his office.

Zach led the exotic looking Erik through the more official levels of the Shinra Electrical Power Company. Erik enjoyed the wild looks in the eyes of most suits he encountered on this level, him still being half naked and his hair streaming loose around his head and shoulders. He even managed to rattle one blond girl in a suit by making a kissing noise at her. She flushed, but the look of anger she shot at him was in now way genuine and only seemed to be for the benefit of her superior who shook his head in disgust at seeing how Erik was painted up.

Zach sniggered when the other two had retreated into their office. “Do you know who they were?” he asked. Erik shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “That where Tseng and Elena form the Turks. One of President Shinra’s hush-hush organisations.”

“Wow, how impressive.” Erik said, the tone of his voice expressing the opposite.

Zach walked up to the desk of the Sephiroth’s secretary, who’s level of unease reached a whole new level at seeing Zach dressed most unusually, followed by a half naked P.A.A. instructor, who made a kissing noise at him. He blanched, and practically fled from the office, deciding the work he wanted to do could wait till Monday morning.

“Honey, I’m home!” Zach called out as he opened the door. “Your secretary looks a little jumpy today.” He sniggered.

“He ran away, just now. He’s a bit of a wuss, if you ask me.” Erik said, entering after Zach.

“Not everyone is as taken with half naked men as you, Zach.” Sephiroth said dryly.
“You had an interesting party last night, didn’t you?” he observed, but not without amusement, as he looked at the patterns painted on his forehead and chest of his friend and the rugged blond man behind him.

“We performed the Dance of the Celestial Bodies last night. As a thank you to the spirits for restoring me.” He explained. He dropped his gaze. “We hoped you would have joined us as we needed seven to perform it, but we managed to get Zach’s friend to stand in.”

“As things turned out for him last night, I think he would be really glad you weren’t there, though, Seph.” Zach laughed at Erik, who winked back at him.

Sephiroth continued to look at the man before him, his eyes had changed somehow. Some of the endless mischief had faded and he looked serene, more mature. He could see something of his brother in him, as Enak had a certain focus and concentration about him, that this man had lacked before.

“As a thank you to all who participated in the ritual, and as I am now reborn, I am giving the things away from my former life. This prayer blanket has been with me all my life. Without your intervention, I would now be beyond al help, and I want you to have this.” He said as he knelt down, laying the blanket on the floor at the General’s feet.

The taller man looked at Erik, who had stood up, but kept his head low. He took the blanket and looked at it, admiring the intricate pattern of blocks and triangles. He tossed it over his shoulder and inclined his head to Erik, realizing that if he had touched him somehow it probably would have resulted in an embrace, which he detested right now.

“This is very beautiful. It must mean a lot to you.” He said. “Thank you.”

Erik nodded, and left the office, leaving him to his thoughts.

He heard the door close, and spread the heavy material out over his empty desk, seeing the edges had been hemmed in black leather. As Erik was about his age, he was pleasantly surprised to find no damage or threadbare patches. It smelled vaguely of smoke and also carried a scent of some animal, probably from the hair of which the blanket had been weaved.

There was a soft scuffle of feet as Zach had entered his office again.

“You okay?” He asked, as his friend quietly admired the gift on his desk.

“It is made from Silk-goat hair, apparently. Warm in winter, cool in summer.” Sephiroth said quietly, kneeling down, taking hold of the label, stitched on one corner.

“This kind of item is very rare. They always stay with the tribe. You are the first off-worlder to receive one, Enak told me.” Zach explained.
“I know they can be a pain in the ass at times, but they certainly made a difference to your existence recently, haven’t they? He said, as he leant down on the edge of the desk, running his hand over the soft surface.

“Do you mean there was something wrong with the way my existence was before they came here?” he asked flatly.

“No, I just think they add a lot of colour to your life, I have felt for a long time I can only get so far with you. They seem to have some kind of way of making you shift your boundries again. I mean, if I told you that you were going to be in the sauna pool with seven people who you barely knew, all touching you at the same time, wearing a space suit, you would have sent to Hojo to have me tested for drugs.” He said, and he saw a light smile crawl along his friend’s mouth.

“I see they got you to wear a skirt too.” He observed, trying to make his friend self conscious about his clothes. And tugged at the sweater he was wearing.

“This is really comfortable, you know, besides, they are gifts, and it is very impolite to refuse. I think you are just jealous.” It was a good call on me saying you wouldn’t have liked the other Hakama though, even it was totally your style, he thought. “Erik had one like this in black leather.” He said, looking sharply to see his friend’s reaction, and he detected a slight glimmer of amusement, which disappeared just as fast as it came.
“Thought as much.”

Sephiroth snorted loudly, crossing his arms as he shook his head.

“By the way, you are looking a lot more relaxed then last night, did you get laid or something?” Zach asked, more as a standard joke rather than actually confirming a suspicion.

Sephiroth just gave him one of his mysterious smiles, refusing to confirm nor deny, but he knew that Zach knew better. “You did, didn’t you?” He exclaimed.
“So that’s where that sneaky sod disappeared to last night. Enak paid you a visit, didn’t he?”

If that is what Enak had meant by him needing to be grounded, by Shiva, he would never fly again.“He managed to get up here with out being seen, you know that?” The General said, as he sat down beside his friend.

“Weird though, he doesn’t strike me as being into men.” Zach said, frowning.

Sephiroth just shrugged his shoulders. “He could have fooled me, and I didn’t complain.”
He said, as he reached back to the previous night, now feeling strangely empty, but peaceful.

“Was it good, did anything unusual happen?” Zach asked, curious to see if his experiences with Jeh-ri were similar to the other.

“Yes to the first, and what do you exactly mean by the second?” he said as he faced the man sitting beside him, his arms still folded across his chest.

“Did you have that out of body experience thing happen to you?” Zach started out enthusiastic, but his voice trailed away as he saw the unaltered blank expression on Sephiroth’s face.

“You had.. what.. happen to you?” he asked, his eyes squinting, as if he were going to interrogate his friend about this new exciting detail about his exchange officers.

“Eehh, well.. when Jeh-ri and me ‘play’ with eachother, we sometimes.. just.. take off.. or something.” He said, knowing he sounded really stupid as he just revealed something he maybe should have kept his mouth shut about, but now there was now way he could turn back.

“You are being extremely vague, Zach.” Sephiroth sighed, but not wanting to let the subject rest. “What are you talking about?” he persisted.

“It is like we were standing next to our bodies, and we could watch ourselves on the bed, but we through the walls and flew out over the city and stuff. It was quite cool actually.”

Sephiroth continued to look at his friend in a way that told him that the other was convinced he had lost his mind.
“You sure you didn’t have any other side effects of the toxic shock you had last night?” he asked, taking hold of Zach’s arm and turning it over, where nothing of the gashes that were there not too many hours ago.

“No, I told you, I feel fine.” He said as he yanked his arm back. “That Nutria stuff, what ever it might be, it gives a great energy boost, it heals injury, intoxication, poisoning instantly. You can give me Nutria over Mako anytime!” he said, “Besides, the way you receive it, is far more pleasant, and no, I am not going crazy either.”

“Don’t you find it repulsive, this vampirism?” Sephiroth asked, having seen it done when they where in the bath last night.

“It felt kind of weird at first, but I got used to it after a couple of times, I just get.. horny. ”he said shrugging. “It isn’t blood you know. It doesn’t even taste like blood, you had some yourself.”

The other nodded. It had only been about a thimble full, but it had felt weird. It had reverberated through him, he had gotten impressions of the people around him as if they had held them, their bodies pressing against him, then the kissing around him had started, and he had briefly felt extremely aroused. That is when he had fled. The whole situation feeling so utterly alien to him and him so out of place, he had to get away.

“You have no idea what it did with me last night, Zach. These people, it feels like I’m suffocating at times.” He said.

“Maybe they want to help you, you know, get more at easy with others. They are very different from all those other moon eyed puppies you usually have around you, they are better capable of dealing with your presence somehow.” Zach said.

“If I wanted their help, I will ask for it.” He said.

“Phah! Now you are just being stubborn and stupid. You have never asked for help in your entire life, and you know it, Seph!” Zach exclaimed.

“Just what is the point, Zach? Am I supposed to make friends with every one here? People I am supposed to send into battle, to die? What kind of friend would do such a thing? Knowing I would feel responsible for lives, I cannot afford to be friendly. That is not why I am here, in this position.” He snapped quietly, knowing Zach only had his best interest at heart.

“I am not saying you should be friends with everyone, just extend your range a bit. There is more to life that this, Seph. I realize you have to keep a certain amount of distance between yourself and everyone here, but you are also human, you are also allowed to enjoy company. I find the P.A.A. people very interesting to talk to, they have been around and they lead lives very different from you and me. It is a good safe way for you to get out of your box a bit, so stop being so damned aloof and distant all the time.”

Seph crossed his arms and legs, and hung his head. Zach realized he didn’t want to continue this discussion any further. He needed to mull on things for a bit. Zach sighed deeply, and moved off the edge of the desk. “Well, next week is going to be interesting anyway. The P.A.A. people are going to teach the more advanced cadets to swat away oncoming projectiles. I can’t wait to see what that is going to be like!”

“Never a dull moment is there?” The General stated.

“Afraid not. Oh, before I forget, Erik is supposed to prepare some food tonight, and the rest of the group is going out into the practice fields to do some kind of closing thing, what have you. I am supposed to bring you there.”

“I don’t know about that, Zach.” he said frowning.

“Remember what I told you, about them extending your horizons? This would be the perfect moment. Your out of here, no one will see you, you know, you can let your guard down a little.”

“I will think about it.” He said reluctantly.

“I will pick you up just before sundown” Zach said and walked out the door.

“I said I will..” But he never got to finish his sentence as the door had already shut on him. Apparently Zach wasn’t going to take no for an answer.


* * * * *

He just tossed the last of the files that Jeh-ri had reworked into the pile to be discarded when there was a solid pounding on the door.

The fresh and wild looking head of Zach poked in as he stepped through the door, and spread out his hands in a gesture like he expecting something.

“What?” he asked.

“You ready? The others are all expecting you.” Zach said, walking up to the desk.

“I don’t know about this, Zach.” he sighed, pushing the heels of his hands against his eyes.

“I don’t care about your delicate sensibilities, Seph. I am getting you into a controlled social environment, with people who for once wont judge you or expect you to be anyone but yourself, instead of super-anti-social-control-freak-general- pain- in –the-ass. Now stop being such a miserable sod, and come along!” Zach persisted.

“There is no way I can get you to just go and leave me alone, isn’t there?” He tried.

“No way, Seph. I will get you out of here if I have to drag you out by your hair.”

He got up and moved over to Zach, who was dressed quite casually, and still wore the sleeveless sweater and the Hakama.
“Why don’t you just leave the metal at home for the night, you know, loosen up a bit.”

He pursed his lips at that, and reluctantly agreed. It would be nice to be released of the constant added weight. The only problem was, that once he had taken the heavy metal shoulder plates off, the impressions of their constant weight had caused permanent impressions on the leather. It looked incomplete somehow. Plundered.

“Don’t you have any other clothes, Seph?” Zach asked, only now realizing that he actually never had seen his friend either wear his uniform, or nothing at all. The other slowly shook his head in reply. Zach turned and pulled a bag into the office he had left outside the door. He pulled the top open, and pulled out a huge length of thin black shiny material. It was the Hakama he mentioned earlier. “Why don’t you just try it.” He said and laid it out on the desk. He briefly ran his hand over the huge wide falling trousers, but shook his head slowly. It just did sit right with him. As Zach was rummaging around in the knapsack he spotted something else.

“What is this?” he asked as he pulled a soft off white shirt out.

“That is what Enak called a work-shirt, apparently they all wear those things to parties and stuff.” It was a straight shirt, gathered at the back, with a v shaped neck and long sleeves.
He took his coat off and pulled the shirt over his head. The sleeves where a bit too long, but Zach remedied this by reaching inside and pulling out a short strip of material with a buttonhole in it. This he attached to a small button just above the elbow, holding the sleeve at three quarters.

“Handy.” He said.

“That is not bad at all.” Zach commented, and never having seen him wear anything else besides black, this was a very pleasant change.

“It isn’t quite what I like, but it is close enough.” He said, as he watched Zach stuff the rest back in the bag. “Enough playing dress-ups, let’s see what Erik has made for us.”

“It can’t be any worse than what they are making us eat here.” Zach mused as they moved down the elevator to the motor pool. The General got some strange looks from the officer who came up to Zach with a clipboard for him to sign the jeep out on. The man made himself scarce rather fast after Zach shot him a warning glace, and pulled out of the building, riding into the reddening dusk.


* * * * *


The “Thank You”

As Zach picked his way across the desert floor they could see a modest plume of smoke climb towards the darkening sky from somewhere deeper in. Sephiroth quickly estimated that where the P.A.A. people had made camp must be on the rock they had fought the simulation on. By the time they reached the narrow path that gave access to the shelf, all the last light of the day had bled away, and the sky was ablaze with stars.

“Wow, check it out Seph. It is really clear out.” Zach said, as they made their way to the top.
Sephiroth found himself in an emotive state he hadn’t found himself in since the first days he entered the Shinra Academy. He was actually nervous. His heart was pounding by the time he had reached the top of the path, and boosted himself up over the edge. It was quite a big fire, and the flames reached about seven feet high. Suddenly Erik burst right through the flames, and landed a couple of feet away from him and Zach. His Hakama smoked slightly as he went down on one knee.

He looked Sephiroth in the eye, who was quite startled by his appearance. His whole upper body, face and head where covered in dark brown shiny scales. His hands had regained the talons, and his eyes where bright white.
“General. I am so happy you could join us tonight.” He smiled at him.

He heaved a sigh of relief, afraid for one moment that the man had gone ferile again. Erik stretched his neck backwards and shook himself violently for a moment, and the scales blended away into his skin again.

“Welcome, both of you.” He said warmly, and embraced Zach, who yelped briefly as their skins touched.

“Ouch! Your hot!” he yelled, as he jumped backward, shaking his hands.

“Sorry about that, I forgot. It takes my skin a while to cool off.” He laughed. “There is water in that large crack if you need it.” He said, pointing to a lower part of the shelf where rainwater had accumulated in one of the deeper parts of the rock.

“No it is okay, it just smarts, that’s all.” Zach said.

Erik held out his hand to the General,, who took it without hesitation, and held it. There was a brief hissing sound, then Erik released the hand of the taller man, who held it up to him showing the blisters that had formed there, and disappeared just as fast.

“Nice, that Mako stuff do that for you?” Sephiroth just smiled. “You hungry?” Erik asked the two new comers. ”Follow me, please.” He said as he walked around to the other side of the fire, where the others where sitting on the rocky floor, as they busied themselves braiding long strands of plant material into circlets and bracelets.

“What are you guys doing?” Zach asked.

“Oh by the Creator, you managed to get the General out of his office!” Jeh-ri exclaimed as he stood up to hug Zach. “What did you do? Threaten to set the place on fire if he didn’t or something?”

“No, he didn’t have to. I see you lot are doing your utter most best to set fire to the entire desert.” Sephiroth observed dryly as Zach went around greeting the rest of the group.

“Don’t worry, General. Erik and fire have a very close relationship with each other. It will not do anything he doesn’t want it to.” Jeh-ri said. “I am really happy you came. We all are.” He said quietly and lifted one hand to just give him a friendly pat on the arm, but changed his mind and dropped it down by his side. “We found a lot of Silver Sage on our way here. We use silver sage in our rituals to purify ourselves and items to be used.” He went to explain to Zach. “These things we are making we are going to give these away during our mid summer-night celebrations.”

“Now we are all here, we can start eating!” Ian shouted enthusiastically. “Priestess, could you do the honours of the offering plate?” he said to Leisa who got up and accepted one plate of food from Erik.

She took it reverently, and held the plate in her hand as she closed her eyes.

“Great Creator, we have gathered here tonight to give thanks to the spirits helpers of our clan who have restored our brother to us. We give thanks for all the good things you have made come our way, that we now may share in the bonds of friendship and love. We pray, take this offering as a token of our gratitude, in peace… “

She prayed softly, reverently, then all the others joined in..
To our mother the earth
To our father the sky
To the rivers and the oceans
To the fire in our souls

To the east, the west, the north and the south, we give thanks!.

Then Leisa tossed the plate into the fire.

“What she do that for?” Zach asked Ian, who stood beside him.

“To show true gratitude, you give something back to the planet. To just take and never give anything back, is considered very rude in our lifestyle. So we give something back that we can use well ourselves, so it hurts. That is give away.” Enak said.

“And if you don’t do that?” Zach asked.

“Then you are considered a ‘taker’ as we call it, selfish, egotistical. It goes the same for your interactions with others. The more you give away, the more you get back. That is just the way things work. But of course you have to do it without expecting anything for it.” Erik explained.

Zach thought on that for a while. He had not actually ever put any thought to how food came to his table or any other things in his life, just then he realized how much he took for granted.

Erik left and came back with plates of food that he handed to everyone there, starting with the General and Zack.

Zach looked at his plate, which contained a large piece of grilled fish, and some mushrooms and raw vegetables. He thought it over for just a moment, then took a piece of the fish and tossed it into the fire. He briefly looked at Ian, who smiled in appreciation. Very good, you are learning fast. Sephiroth let his gaze drift over the others there, then also took a piece from his plate and tossed it in.

“Where did you get this, Instructor Stone?” Sephiroth asked Erik who was the last to get some food into him.

“There is plenty of fish in the river, the rest I traded from the kitchen staff after I gave them some fish.” He explained. “That is how we do things on Althea. You want or need something, you trade for it.”

“Hence no need for currency.” The General concluded. He looked the man over, seeing the large scorch marks on his Hakama. “Why did you give your leather Hakama away when you so obviously need it?” He asked.

Erik shrugged. “I will make myself a new one when I get home. I never get too attached to my possessions. They are just lifeless things, to loose people in my life is way worse.” He said quietly. “I would have liked you to have it. I think it would have really suited you.”

“I am not very partial to wearing a skirt, Instructor.” Sephiroth said dryly, but couldn’t keep a slight smirk of his face.

“The Samurai wore them.” Erik pointed out.

Sephiroth nodded in agreement. ”But they all extinct now, aren’t they?” He parried.

Erik laughed at that one briefly, loud and barking. “We aren’t.” He said, still grinning fiercely.

“Tell me something, where did you get those markings on your back from?” He asked.

They were a gift from a very fiery woman called Tah-Cha-et. She can walk over dirt that is over five hundred degrees centigrade, and stand in a blaze like that like we take showers. She can take hold of rocks with her bare hands at a temperature about a thousand degrees. I thought it was a wonderful trait, as I am a fire man at a lot of our ceremonies, so I asked her if she would share it with me.” Erik said.

“And how did she do that?” Sephiroth asked.

“Use your imagination, General.” Erik smiled. ”Needless to say, I had almost no body hair left and blisters in very interesting places for a couple of days.”

Erik was very pleased to see the smile that grew on the General’s face actually extend all the way to his eyes, as actual genuine warmth sparked there, and he heard Zach burst into laughter, nearly choking on his food.

“The things one does to reach his desired goals.” Sephiroth mused.

“That is nothing! You should know of the things he did to get himself kicked out of the P.A.A. when he was growing up.” Ian said.

“Remember the time he got reprimanded for smuggling booze for the juniors? He was supposed to paint all the doorframes in the new dorm-tower, and he added some kind of glue to the paint he was supposed to use.” Enak said.

“We were all locked in our towers, all the doors where glued shut!” Leisa said.

“We had a lot of fun climbing in and out or our rooms using the windows, and all the doorframes had to be replaced.”

“That earned you two weeks of suspension, didn’t it?” Jeh-ri asked?

“No, I got that for putting veritas extract in the instructors lounge water dispenser.” He said very matter of factly. Jeh-ri remembered that too. “All the lessons for that day had to be suspended because all the teachers where completely fucked up!”

“I still don’t know what the big deal was. It cured Instructor Harbinger’s erection problems.” Erik said, actually managing to sound surprised.

“Too bad it happened for several days during lessons, though!” Leisa giggled. “He did come out of the closet after that.”

“We all had our suspicions anyway, but he did finally have the courage to approach.. what’s his face.. “

“Me, actually.” Enak said, a dangerous look smouldering in his orange tinged eyes.

“What?!” Erik exclaimed. “That little creep came on to you after that?”

“Yeah, Erik, he did. I have never gotten around to thank you for that.” He said, as he suddenly launched himself at his twin, as they rolled along the floor, struggling and trying to grab each other in some kind of bizarre wrestling match.

“Now children, no biting!” Zach said, as they continued their attempt to strangle each other.

“Don’t give them ideas, Zach.” Sephiroth said dryly. But a sudden yelp from Enak told him the opposite had happened.

“I think I have a problem, Enak.” Erik groaned, as his brother tightened his grip around him.

“Really, what would that be.” Enak said, his voice humourless.

“If I don’t let you go, you wont either, but if I do let you go, you still wont let me go.”

“That is about right.” Enak said. Jeh-ri rolled his eyes as he saw the annoying predicament they had placed themselves in and decided to intervene.
The wrestling match ended abruptly after Cloud dumped a large bucket of water over them both. Zach shot a quick look at Jeh-ri, who gave the blond an approving nod.

Both soaking wet men went over the fire to get dry again, and Erik briefly shot a threatening glance at the cadet, who flinched briefly, then fled to the safety of Zach’s arms, who was still sniggering. Erik still shook a warning finger at him, who shot an accusing finger at Jeh-ri, his eyes wide and innocent.

“That wont get you of the hook, shorty.” Erik said. “You are still responsible for you actions, and when you least expect it.. “

“Don’t believe a word he says, Cloud.” Jeh-ri said to the smaller blond, who started to get a little jittery. “If nothing else he still is full of hot air.”

At that Erik just stepped into the fire again, and came out at the other end, steam coming off his skin and Hakama as the water evaporated in seconds.

“If you stood in there any longer, you would have come out naked.” Jeh-ri observed, as Erik beat out several small flames that smouldered at the hem of his pants.

“I bet you would really like that, wouldn’t you?” Erik drawled at the redhead.

“Sure, but the question is, would you like me liking you like that, Erik?” Jeh-ri countered.

Erik frowned, trying to make sense of what the other just suggested, or had he?

“Man, you can actually see steam coming out of his ears..” Zach whispered at Sephiroth, who had to admit he shared Erik’s puzzlement at the suggestions the redhead was making at the instructor. The whole relationship between these two characters had him wandering from the start, as had the volatile balance between him and his alleged twin. It was something to be pondered over.

Suddenly Erik shot over to Jeh-ri and grabbed him by the upper arms. He hauled him roughly to his feet and slammed him to the wall of the rise on one side of the shelf that rose several metres from the middle of the layered surface. He pushed himself against the smaller man’s frame as he breathed hard into his face.

Jeh-ri’s face was filled with a dreamy expression and seemed quite calm at the violent treatment, as he stared into the other man’s eyes. Then Erik’s eyes flashed wildly as if he suddenly became aware of something, and released him, dropping him to his feet, snorting in disgust he walked out of the light created by the fire and away into the shadows. Erik roared his frustration away into the quiet night air.

Jeh-ri just shrugged his shoulders. “Thought as much.” He just stated quietly to himself.

“What is up with him?” Zach asked, as they could all hear Erik venting away in the some more colourful contents of his vocabulary.

“He just needs a girlfriend, that’s all.” Jeh-ri stated.

“What did you do to him to make him run off like that.?” Zach asked quietly, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

“I just showed him what you and I do sometimes, and it freaked him out.” he smiled sweetly.

Zach slowly shook his head from side to side. This is just too weird. Someone who is so obviously hetero coming on to a man.

The party continued on as the twins started playing their pipes again, and the others played drums and sang. Leisa performed some very exotic looking dance, in which she make her hips do things that seemed humanly impossible to both Zach and Cloud, as a shiny belt of small bells tinkled at every move she made.

Sephiroth was glad that Zach had dragged him along. Beside all the banter and tomfoolery going on, the atmosphere was very soothing. He stared into the fire, fascinated by the ever changing patterns as Erik made it smaller and smaller as the night grew long. Enak pulled two pieces of string out of one bag, each with a small round ball at the end. He briefly held them in the fire, and started to swirl the two burning balls around his head and hips with ever more complicated patterns.

They are more like some weird travelling band of performance artists, that actually also can handle swords and fire weapons, he thought. They where very amusing, though. He wandered what it would be like for him to have grown up at the P.A.A. instead of here, having them as friends.

Dawn was making it’s approach, and he convinced Zach that he would make his own way back, as saw that the others had brought bedrolls, and would be spending the night. He shook hands with all the others and thanked them, leaving Zach behind who obviously enjoyed their company too much to go back to the Shinra building. Besides, he did enjoy the ride home alone, finally managing to steal a quiet moment for himself, before the week started again and the never ending stack of responsibilities and obligations the company would land on him again in the morning.

Zach watched his friend drive back alone, and wandered at him. It seemed no matter how hard he tried to break him out of his shell, he seemed to crawl back just as fast. He guessed that sometimes there was just no point, once a loner, always a loner, and it was lonely at the top for him.

He looked over at Jeh-ri who was trying to make the balls on the strings move just like Enak, but only managed to beat himself about the head with a pair that thankfully wasn’t on fire. He gave up eventually, and sat down beside him, and rested his head on Zach’s shoulder.
“Don’t give up on him, Zach.” he murmured against his shoulder, after pressing his mouth against it casually. “He does appreciate your efforts, even though he doesn’t show it..

“You think so?” He asked, as he saw the jeep’s headlights withdraw further into the desert, the beams bouncing off small rocks and shrubs at it make its way.

“If you cant do it, I don’t think that there’d be anyone else who could.” He said, as he took the black haired man’s chin into his hand, and turned his head so he could face him. He looked at Cloud, who had taken one of the poi up and managed to make it turn around behind his head and hip as Enak was showing him how.

“He isn’t doing to bad, is he?” he said as he looked admiringly at the blond young man. He briefly lost control and struck himself in the chest with the ball. “Keep practicing, you’ll get the hang of it!” Zach said.

Continues in Breaking the habit.

teaser for next chapter:

Jeh-ri gets to dig a bit into the general, Zach and Jeh-ri smoke the truth-sayer drug.