Good Luck and Goodbye, 1/? by Lucky_Ladybug (Final Fantasy VII, Legato)
Title: Good Luck and Goodbye, chapter 1
Author: Lucky_Ladybug/insaneladybug
Theme: #12 - Legato
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Warnings: Involves a suicide note; thematic elements; PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine and the story is!
Summary/Comments: Takes place in my Twilight and Dawn verse after Dirge of Cerberus. An old enemy, intent on bringing suffering to Sephiroth and the others, abducts Sephiroth after injuring him in a crash and makes it appear as though he tried to end his own life.
Cross-posted to ladybug_tales and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4243414/1/
Final Fantasy VII
Good Luck and Goodbye
By Lucky_Ladybug
Notes: The characters are not mine (except the villain) and the story is. It takes place in Twilight and Dawn verse, at the most recent point in the arc. So Sephiroth is sane again and they're on Earth. Originally it was going to be a long oneshot, but I think now it will have maybe three or more chapters. Many thanks to all who have helped inspire how this turned out, especially Dagron, Aubrie, Lisa, and Kaze! And a warning: as the summary states, this does involve a suicide note. Even though the circumstances are different from how they appear at first, I feel it best to caution about it.
Chapter One
We Who Just Bumped Shoulders
Sephiroth frowned to himself. He was sitting at his desk in his home office, and the folder he wanted was not where it should have been. His glasses slid down his nose as he searched through the other contents of the desk. It should have been with the rest of the work he had brought home from Jenova Corp, but it was not. Apparently he had left it either in the car or at the building. And judging from their luck, it was probably the latter.
He glanced to the clock on his laptop. It was later than he had wanted to go out, but he needed the documents in the missing folder. He would check the car, and if he could not locate it there, then it seemed he would be making a trip back to the company.
In irritation he pushed back his chair, moving to stand.
"What's wrong, Seph?"
He glanced over at Zack, who was blinking at him in curiosity from the doorway. The brunet was resting an arm against the doorframe, a stubborn piece of hair flopping into his right eye. In spite of himself, Sephiroth was amused. Zack's hair always had to be wild or unruly in some way.
"I'm missing something," he grunted, taking off his glasses as he walked to the doorway. "I need to see if I left it in the car."
Zack moved to let him past. "I don't think there's anything still there," he said. "You're sure it's not in here?"
"It's not." Sephiroth switched off the light before starting to walk up the hallway. "I'll likely need to go back to Jenova Corp."
"This late?!" Zack blinked. "Can't it wait till tomorrow?"
"The work I brought home needs to be done by tomorrow morning," Sephiroth pointed out. "I'd rather get it done now instead of cramming at the last minute."
Zack shrugged. "Okay," he said, and looked sheepish. "I'd come with you, pal, but I promised Tifa I'd help get the kids to bed, since Cloud's crashed on the couch and all."
A slight smile flickered on Sephiroth's features. Cloud had been exhausted when they had returned home. But it should work out fine, since Marlene and Denzel adored Zack, too. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I won't be gone long." He began to walk down the stairs.
Zack followed. "If you're sure," he said. "It gets lonely driving out there all alone."
"It doesn't bother me." Sephiroth reached the bottom, crossing to the front door. "There's still a slight chance I won't need to go in at all." He paused to slip into his dress shoes before he opened the door and stepped onto the wide porch. The stars still visible in the semi-clear sky twinkled overhead, gracing the property with their presence. The motion sensors activated as he walked down the steps and to the limo at the front of the driveway, bathing the yard in even more, albeit artificial, light.
Zack watched from the porch as Seph unlocked the car and searched through it. Then the silver-haired man backed away and straightened up, annoyance written across his features.
"You've gotta go, huh?" Zack surmised.
Sephiroth nodded. "It shouldn't take more than thirty minutes," he said, easing himself into the driver's seat.
Zack nodded as well. "Then I'll see you soon, pal!" he chirped, giving a friendly wave.
Sephiroth smiled a bit as he pulled the door shut and slid the key into the ignition. The engine came to life as he began backing the limousine out of the driveway.
Zack looked after him as the car's lights grew smaller in the night. Then he stretched, turning to go back inside.
"Seph always works too hard," he said to himself. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with him."
And since Sephiroth had always been that way, including back on Gaia, it was not likely that he would ever change.
Not that Zack really wanted him to. Seph was Seph---serious, kind, lovable workaholic that he was. It would drive Seph crazy to not have work to do. He would probably feel that he did not have a purpose. And on some level, Zack could relate to that.
****
Sephiroth did not get back in thirty minutes. And as an hour approached, he was still not there.
At first Zack was not that worried; after all, Seph could have gotten there and found something else that needed to be taken care of before he could leave. And he might not call to tell them if he thought the resolution would be quick.
But when it was nearing ninety minutes, a spark of concern began to rise. Seph had said it would take thirty minutes. Now he had been gone an hour more than that.
Zack grabbed up his phone. He would feel a lot more peaceful once he called Seph and found that all was well. Dialing Seph's cellphone number, he leaned back and waited, crossing his free arm over his chest. Once, twice . . . there was no answer. Zack swallowed hard after eight rings. Maybe Seph had forgotten his cellphone.
He ended the call and dialed their office phone. Again there was no answer.
But after seven rings, there was a click. Zack perked up. "Seph?" he asked.
"No, sir," came a vaguely familiar voice. "It's security. Is something wrong?"
Zack ran his tongue over his lips. "Hey, Seph was coming in to get something," he announced. "Did he ever make it in?"
"Mr. Sephiroth?" The guard sounded concerned now. "No, sir. No one's been in. The doors are locked up. I'd know if he had come, because my little device would beep. When did he leave?"
"An hour and a half ago!" Zack exclaimed, worry seeping into his heart. This really was bad. He had thought maybe Seph had been delayed at the building, or even while coming home, but not that he would not have gotten to the company at all. Suddenly the phone felt slippery in his grasp. What had happened to Seph?! Where was he?!
"I'll certainly keep watch for him here, Mr. Fair!" the sentry declared. "Are you going to look for him?"
"I sure am!" Zack said. "Something'd have to be really wrong for him to not turn up!" And the next question was, How bad was it? Was he laying hurt somewhere? Was it even worse than that? Had he met up with some old enemy? Or some new enemy? The lavender-eyed man's mind was awhirl.
Cloud, who had still been asleep on the couch, began to stir. "What's wrong?" he mumbled, trying to get the strength to raise up off the soft pillow. In spite of being awakened, it was almost impossible to make himself move. It had been such a long day, and the couch was so inviting . . .
Zack looked over at him, still gripping the phone. "Seph went to get something from the company, but he never got there!" he cried. "And it's been almost two hours!" Two hours. Almost anything could have happened in two hours. Almost anything could have happened in five minutes.
Now Cloud was awake. He pushed himself into a sitting position. "You think he might've had trouble with the car?" he exclaimed.
Zack nodded. "Maybe he just ran out of gas or something, but he's not answering his phone. Let's get the other car and look for him!" He was vaguely aware that he was saying something equivalent to "Call if he comes! Thanks, bye!" to the bewildered security guard as he closed his phone. But that was the last thing on his mind.
Cloud was climbing off the couch. "Are we going to get Angeal?" he asked.
"You get him, I'll get the car!" Zack said. Now he was panicking further. Every second that passed could mean more time lost, if Seph was hurt. And Zack kept praying that it was not the case.
He turned, hurrying to the door. The cool night air whipped at his face as he stepped onto the porch. It was a harsh reminder of reality. As much as he wanted to deny that anything was wrong, something told him that there was. And he hated that those somethings were correct, more often than not.
"I wanna be wrong," he said, his voice quiet but plaintive. "Please . . . this time let me be wrong!"
Now Cloud and Angeal were coming out the door behind him. Zack leaped down the stairs, jogging to the other car as he pressed the automatic unlock button on his keychain. "Come on!" he called, thrusting open the door and leaping into the driver's seat.
The other men were in the vehicle in an instant. Angeal, who had gotten into the back, leaned forward with his arms resting on both of the front seats.
"Sephiroth's phone is gone," he reported, his voice grim. "He did take it with him."
Zack swallowed, pulling down the seatbelt. It was not really a surprise. And even if the phone had been left at home, there would still be the most pressing question of why Seph had not reached the company building in this amount of time.
"He'll probably look at us funny for acting so worried," Cloud muttered, gripping his own safety belt.
"Yeah. . . ." Zack gave a weak grin as he inserted the key into the ignition. That was what they would all hope for, anyway. Right now, nothing would give him more happiness than one of Seph's strange "What is going on here?!" expressions. And whether Cloud and Angeal would say it or not, they felt the same.
****
The normal route to Jenova Corp involved crossing a part of the highway that featured a sharp drop on one side. Zack felt his heart twist as they drew near to it. There was not a railing in front of part of the drop-off, and skid marks could be seen on the road and into the grass. There had definitely been an accident.
Cloud drew in his breath sharply as Zack pulled over to the side of the road. Almost before the car was fully stopped, Zack was turning off the engine and flinging the door open. The wind, which had begun to grow more violent, knocked the door about as Zack flew out onto the top of the incline. But he barely noticed. He was picking his way down with as much care as possible, yet somehow practically running at the same time.
"Seph!"
The agonized cry rent the air. The car that could be seen at the bottom was theirs. Zack knew it. And as Cloud unwound himself from the stubborn seatbelt and exited the car, with Angeal close behind, he knew as well. From what could be seen of the crashed vehicle, it was identical to this one.
A wave of dizziness passed over Cloud as he started down the hill. So Sephiroth was hurt, then. He could not have been found and taken to a hospital. They would have been contacted. And there would be some evidence of it. But they were the first to have come upon the scene.
Blue eyes narrowed. Sephiroth was not careless, either. He would not have simply gone off the road like this . . . not unless something had forced him into it. The car could have screwed up, or even . . . could someone have run him off the road on purpose?
Angeal passing Cloud brought the blond back to the present. He was moving too slow. Zack was already at the bottom, and Angeal was heading in that direction as well. Cloud picked up speed. He did not want to see what kind of condition Sephiroth was in. But at the same time, he could not leave the others to face it without him.
He ran the rest of the way.
Zack, who had flung open the door, was now standing and staring in confusion. His heart, which had been hammering in his ears, could not calm itself. The car was empty. But there was blood on the seat and the steering wheel. Seph had been here. And he was obviously hurt. Where could he have gone from this point?
The brunet whirled, looking to the nearly-dead grass of the field. There were imprints where someone had walked. And blood had dripped into the brown blades.
"He's not here," he choked out, as Angeal and Cloud caught up to him. "He's gone!" He took a step forward. "Seph?!" he yelled. Only the unkind wind answered him, striking his face once again.
A deep frown creased Angeal's features. "What's this?" he asked. Something long and white had fallen to the ground when Zack had opened the door, but in his worry he had not noticed.
Zack turned back as Angeal bent to pick it up. "What is it?" he demanded.
Angeal stiffened, gripping the sheet of paper in his hands. For the only time Zack could remember, his old mentor was turning pale.
Cloud peered at the paper from where he was standing at Angeal's side. Suddenly his insides were turning to ice. It was not possible. Sephiroth was a tormented soul; they all knew it. But he would not . . . he would never . . .
"Tell me already!" Zack cried, running around to Angeal's other side. A strangled gasp issued from his lips. The note was hand-written and signed only "Sephiroth." A spot of blood stained the upper-left corner. But what Zack noticed most was the message.
I can no longer stand to live in this world knowing that I took away so many lives.
I do not deserve all that I have. I am leaving the company to you, Zack, and Cloud and
Angeal. You will be better off without me, even if you can't believe that now.
Good luck and goodbye.
For a long moment, no one could think to speak. They were shocked, still trying to process the contents of the note and what it meant. It was too unreal.
At last Angeal broke the silence.
"Sephiroth didn't write this."
Cloud swallowed hard. ". . . I don't think he would, either," he said, "but . . . isn't that how it is a lot of times? They can't believe the person would really . . ." He shook his head. Sephiroth was not suicidal. He always said his pride would keep him alive even if he was the only one left. And anyway, he knew how much something like this would hurt his friends.
Zack grabbed the paper. "It looks like his hand-writing," he said, "but that doesn't mean it is!" His heart had increased speed, if that was possible. This was not happening. Seph would never do this to himself and to them. But . . . if he had not written the note, then who had done it? And why? And most importantly, where was Seph?!
Cloud ran a hand through his hair. "What if he was forced to write it?" he suggested. Maybe he had not fully processed this himself. Maybe that was why he was feeling so numb and cold.
Or maybe it was that a sudden, inexplicable fear had struck him. What if they had not fully known the extent of Sephiroth's pain? What if the note was genuine and Sephiroth had tried to kill himself and right now was laying somewhere, bleeding to death---because Cloud and the others had not known to help him?
The urge to scream was increasing. But that would not help anything. Instead he cast his blue-eyed gaze up at the field around them. The origin of the note was not the most important thing right now. They had to find Sephiroth.
Zack was reaching the same conclusion as Cloud. "Let's follow this trail!" he cried, gesturing at the pressed-down grass and patches of blood. He was still clutching the horrifying note as he tore off running. Cloud and Angeal were running after him, but he was only aware of it in some far corner of his mind. He was staring at the footsteps. They were the right size to be Seph's. Beyond this field was a construction site. Could he have gone there and collapsed? How badly hurt was he? Was it the result of the crash . . . or something else?
. . . Or had the crash been deliberate, without anyone else involved?
No! That was not the explanation. It could never be the explanation!
Seph had been fine before he had left. A little tired, and irritated, but that was usual when an unforeseen inconvenience popped up. Could he have really been hiding such deep and alarming feelings towards himself? Could he have really wanted to take his own life?
Zack kept running, the sound of his and the others' footsteps in the grass echoing in his mind.
"I'm going to live out my life to the fullest."
Seph had said that only a few days before, when Zack had asked him how he liked being on Earth.
"I don't understand why I was given a second chance. But I won't waste it."
Those had been Seph's deepest and most sincere feelings. He never would have spoken them if he had not been asked, but he also would not have made them up. And Zack knew, they all knew, that he would not kill himself of his own free will. Not unless something horrible and drastic had happened to change his mindset altogether. It was always possible. But Zack would not believe it. He would believe in Seph until he had been given definite proof that the note was true.
It felt filthy in his hand, really. The only person who would write something like that, if it was not Seph, was someone who would want to cause indescribable heartache and grief for all of them. He wanted to crumple it in his hand. But it could be important evidence to finding their friend. For now it needed to stay intact.
He came to a stop at the corner. The blood ended here. The wind whipped against his face and neck as he stood, staring at the road. How could it stop altogether? Had Seph finally paused to try to mend his wounds, and succeeded? If he was capable of doing that, why hadn't he done it in the first place?
He turned back to Angeal and Cloud. "What if someone took him?!" he exclaimed. "What if they met him here with their car or something and forced him to get in?!"
Angeal's eyes narrowed. "That could have happened," he agreed, stepping closer to the curb. "It looks like there was a car here not too long ago. It was leaking oil." He pointed to a fresh, black puddle on the asphalt.
Cloud stared at it. Maybe it did not have anything to do with Sephiroth. And on the other hand, maybe it was the break for which they had been searching. Maybe this helped to prove that Sephiroth had not tried to do away with himself. There was still the problem of the note, especially with only one set of footsteps leading away from the car. Unless the person had walked right in Sephiroth's trail, it did not look as though anyone else could have left the note there. But for now they would concentrate on this other car. It was all they had.
"Let's go back and get our car," he said. "Maybe we can follow the oil or something, if it leaked all along the way."
"Go ahead and get it," Angeal said.
"I'm going to follow this trail right now before another car comes and messes it up!" Zack added, hurrying into the street. "You can catch up with me then!"
Cloud watched for only a brief moment before turning to go back the way they had come. He broke into a run.
****
Consciousness was returning. He was laying on his right side, his bangs falling against and half-concealing his face. There was something soft . . . a bed, maybe? Hopefully not a hospital bed. Though he should be laying on his back in a hospital. And it did not feel as though anything was stuck in his arm. Nor was there any annoying beeping.
Maybe Zack and the others had found him and brought him home? He remembered the other car that had been there on the highway . . . the one that had run him off the road. Everything after that was vague. He had tried to stop the car from swerving in every possible direction, but the sudden change of terrain had not helped. He had crashed.
Green eyes, framed by long lashes, slowly opened. It was a bed that he was laying on, with extraordinarily soft pillows as well. It looked to be a well-furnished room. Across from him was an ornate desk, and above that, a mirror bordered by what looked like fancy gold trim.
He raised up on an elbow. Where was this? It was certainly not home. And now that he was trying to move, dizziness was attacking with vengeance. The room tilted up and down, the bed and every other piece of furniture swaying to the motions. He shut his eyes, sinking back into the pillows. A shaking breath left his lips. Whatever was wrong, it had something to do with his head. Had he hit the steering wheel in the crash? His forehead was bothering him.
"Good. You're awake. You only sustained a few superficial scratches and a nasty bump. Though you bled a lot, which was troublesome."
It was tempting to open his eyes again, but did he dare? Instead he turned his head in the direction of the voice. It sounded electronically disguised, as well as if it was being piped into the room through an intercom system. Did that mean the speaker had trained a hidden camera on the room to monitor his every move? Indignation surged in his veins.
"Why am I here?" His voice was dark, dangerous, a tone that had struck fear into many.
This person only gave a cruel chuckle. "You're here because I will it and want it," was the answer. "You don't remember anything after the accident?"
"I don't remember you." Speaking was not very pleasant at the present time, either. But it was the only way he would learn anything. If that was possible to begin with.
"Then you don't remember being dragged out of the vehicle or the note being left." The voice held a hint of what sounded like sadistic delight.
The words were ominous. A fist clenched. What was this that he was supposed to remember but did not? "What note?"
"Oh, you've left them a suicide note, my friend."
His blood ran chill. Common sense was abandoned as his eyes flew open again. "What do you mean?!" he demanded.
"It's been made to look as though the great Sephiroth wished to end his life in the crash," the voice purred. "And thanks to my practicing over many months, I've devised a near-perfect duplicate of your hand-writing. It was all worth it for this moment, and the moments that will come after it."
Whoever this was wanted Sephiroth to lose his temper. And by now he was very close to it. Zack and Cloud and Angeal would be devastated, not to mention bewildered and horrified. Surely they would realize that Sephiroth had not been the author of such a note. But even if they did, they would know that something was very wrong. They would be in a panic searching for him.
"They won't believe it." His voice was perfectly steady when he spoke. But it was filled with daggers of ice.
"Even if they don't, they'll have doubts," was the sneering reply. "It's only human, you know. And they'll be led on such a wonderful game of cat and mouse."
"Only for as long as I'm here." He would have to devise a way out, of course. He would not sit back and allow this inhumane treachery to continue! This was outrageous.
"You, and they, have seventy-two hours." The voice's owner was enjoying this. "After that, you'll be dead from the poison in your system."
His eyes widened. "Poison?"
"The antidote is somewhere in the mansion," he was informed. "You're free to look for it during the times you feel able. But you have to be careful! There are other poisons too!" A wicked cackle ricocheted through the room.
Then this was all a sick joke. Whoever this was, was playing with their lives and feelings without remorse. Was it an old enemy? Or could it be someone new? The person acted as though he---Sephiroth supposed it was a he---knew a great deal more about Sephiroth and the others than he should. And calling him "the great Sephiroth" was something he had not heard from anyone on this planet, except those who had known him on Gaia. It was a sneering, mocking term.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
A clucking sound. "Don't be so hasty, dear Sephiroth. Let's not spoil the fun. You'll learn, all in good time . . . though you may be a wandering spirit before you find the truth!"
His lip curled. He would not die. If the antidote was within the walls of this home, he would find it. And Zack and the others would be looking for him. He would never forgive himself if they found him laying dead.
"Answer me this one question," he said then, his voice still cold. "You knew me from long before this world, didn't you?"
"Such a smart former general! Just what I'd expect." It sounded like the wretch was grinning in sadism. "You know, I never would have pictured you as the businessman type. But maybe now you're still fighting wars, hmm, just with other corporations. How many have you killed or otherwise subdued to keep yourself on top?"
Sephiroth was disgusted. "I am not that kind of businessman," he said.
A laugh. "Oh, isn't that what the Shinras tried to say, too? That they were perfectly good people trying to benefit mankind? It wouldn't be fitting to destroy their public image, now, would it."
At last Sephiroth felt able to attempt sitting up. He eased himself into the position, his gaze traveling the room. The camera, wherever it was, had been kept from his sight. That was all the more angering. Were there cameras in every room, even the bathrooms? Was this person even in the house at all, or was he observing everything from some other, remote location?
"I have never claimed to be a good man." This verbal game was annoying. He was only playing along because with each statement the other was making, a bit more of his personality and his knowledge was revealed. And as for "benefiting mankind", that had never been Sephiroth's goal. He was only trying to survive. He was not a humanitarian.
Though it would not be displeasing to him, if the company's technology was able to improve life on this planet. It would seem to be coming full circle in a way, especially since he did not want to control the planet as Shinra had done.
"It's good if you don't have a false image of yourself," the unseen madman declared now, "because you are most definitely not a good person! You are a wretched murderer forever tainted by the blood you've spilled, both for Shinra and for your own insane goals. If we were in the same room, I would spit upon you.
"And now this communiqué will end. I do hope you'll have fun traversing through my little home. With any luck, you will inject yourself with more of the poisons instead of finding the antidote. Then you truly would die by your own hand!" A grotesque cackle faded into a click and then silence.
Sephiroth leaned forward, swinging his legs over the edge of the mattress. The dizziness had passed for now, so this would be the best time to begin the search for the antidote. There was no sense in loitering when his life was at stake.
And maybe as he went, he could try to decipher this outrageous person's identity. From his speech pattern, he could be any number of people who had abhorred Shinra. It would be imperative to listen for any nuances or other clues that would help narrow down the list to the guilty party.
Inside he was seething. But he would not give this childish spy the satisfaction of seeing his fury. He would appear perfectly calm and collected.
He could only pray that Zack, Cloud, Angeal, and whoever else would be looking for him would stay safe. And that if any of them did hold doubts on whether Sephiroth had written the note, such doubts would be dispelled. It would be far worse for them to wonder if the lies were true than to know what was actually happening.
****
Zack was still following the oil trail several blocks later. His shoes slapped the pavement as he ran. It was surely too much to hope for that the spillage would lead all the way to where Seph was, but he still could hope anyway. It was their only clue.
And yet he frowned. Why would someone be so careless as to have this leaky oil problem if they were going to abduct Seph? If the person was not stupid, it almost seemed like they were being led on a deliberate chase. But why? What would be the point of something like that? Seph would not have had the chance to mess around with the oil himself, would he? If he could have, he would have done it, just to leave a trail for them to follow. But it was really not likely.
There was some old building up ahead now---a service station, from the looks of it. And a car was parked in front of it. Zack's heart sank. Was it the one he had been chasing?
Sure enough, as he ran over to the abandoned car, it was obvious that there was a large puddle of the black substance underneath it. And of course the car was empty. But maybe there would be some kind of clue. Why would it have just been left here? Zack frowned, his hands going to his hips.
"Hey!" he called to the night air. "If this is supposed to be a joke, it's not funny!"
He looked back to the car, grabbing hold of the driver's side door handle. The door opened. Blood was on the backrest of the passenger seat, though it did not touch the driver's side. A fist clenched. Seph had been there, alright. If the creep had switched cars, he had probably carted Seph somewhere else. It would be much better to think that Seph had escaped and the abductor had chased him without catching him. But in Seph's probable condition it almost certainly would not be the case.
Zack's stomach was twisting in his fear. Now it was obvious that there was another party involved---not that he had ever believed Seph had been alone.
He bit his lip. If the car had working license plates, maybe they could use them to get more information. Unless the car ended up being stolen. But it was worth a try. Moving back, he eased the door shut and walked around to the front. The license number stared back at him. He grabbed a small notepad out of his pocket, fumbling with a pen to write it down.
Their car was pulling up now. He could hear it, and through the abandoned vehicle's windows Cloud and Angeal could be seen getting out, but he did not fully look up until the number was written. Then he closed the pad, sticking it back in his pocket as he ran around to meet them.
"This is the car!" he cried. "The oil's pooling under it."
Angeal's eyes narrowed. "And Sephiroth isn't here," he deduced.
Cloud frowned. "He couldn't be in there, could he?" he wondered, looking to the gas station.
"It doesn't look like anyone's been in there for ages, maybe years!" Zack exclaimed.
Angeal nodded. "But let's check anyway." He started to cross the lot to where the building stood, dark and desolate against the night sky. Cloud and Zack followed, watching as Angeal took out a flashlight and shined the beam on the old door.
"The lock hasn't been broken," he announced, lifting the padlock in his hand.
"They must've just stopped here to switch cars," Cloud muttered. "I don't think Sephiroth was in any condition to be trying to get away."
"Even if he tried, we'd probably see some sign of it," Angeal agreed. He let the padlock fall back into place as he straightened up. "I'm going to walk around the back."
Zack was already going to the opposite corner, peering around it. There was still no indication of human life, only a few stray weeds growing up against the side of the building. They waved as the wind started to increase again.
"Seph!" he screamed. Of course there was not an answer.
Something about Zack's desperate voice chilled Cloud. He turned away, pain etched into his features.
Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Angeal frowned and turned back. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Cloud froze. "Yeah," he said then, forcing his tone to be normal. "I'm just fine." He paused. "I'm going to check out the car some more."
Angeal gave a slow nod. He would let it go for now. He did not know Cloud that well, and it was not in his nature to pry.
And right now, their biggest concern was finding Sephiroth alive and safe.
Author: Lucky_Ladybug/insaneladybug
Theme: #12 - Legato
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Warnings: Involves a suicide note; thematic elements; PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine and the story is!
Summary/Comments: Takes place in my Twilight and Dawn verse after Dirge of Cerberus. An old enemy, intent on bringing suffering to Sephiroth and the others, abducts Sephiroth after injuring him in a crash and makes it appear as though he tried to end his own life.
Cross-posted to ladybug_tales and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4243414/1/
Final Fantasy VII
Good Luck and Goodbye
By Lucky_Ladybug
Notes: The characters are not mine (except the villain) and the story is. It takes place in Twilight and Dawn verse, at the most recent point in the arc. So Sephiroth is sane again and they're on Earth. Originally it was going to be a long oneshot, but I think now it will have maybe three or more chapters. Many thanks to all who have helped inspire how this turned out, especially Dagron, Aubrie, Lisa, and Kaze! And a warning: as the summary states, this does involve a suicide note. Even though the circumstances are different from how they appear at first, I feel it best to caution about it.
Chapter One
We Who Just Bumped Shoulders
Sephiroth frowned to himself. He was sitting at his desk in his home office, and the folder he wanted was not where it should have been. His glasses slid down his nose as he searched through the other contents of the desk. It should have been with the rest of the work he had brought home from Jenova Corp, but it was not. Apparently he had left it either in the car or at the building. And judging from their luck, it was probably the latter.
He glanced to the clock on his laptop. It was later than he had wanted to go out, but he needed the documents in the missing folder. He would check the car, and if he could not locate it there, then it seemed he would be making a trip back to the company.
In irritation he pushed back his chair, moving to stand.
"What's wrong, Seph?"
He glanced over at Zack, who was blinking at him in curiosity from the doorway. The brunet was resting an arm against the doorframe, a stubborn piece of hair flopping into his right eye. In spite of himself, Sephiroth was amused. Zack's hair always had to be wild or unruly in some way.
"I'm missing something," he grunted, taking off his glasses as he walked to the doorway. "I need to see if I left it in the car."
Zack moved to let him past. "I don't think there's anything still there," he said. "You're sure it's not in here?"
"It's not." Sephiroth switched off the light before starting to walk up the hallway. "I'll likely need to go back to Jenova Corp."
"This late?!" Zack blinked. "Can't it wait till tomorrow?"
"The work I brought home needs to be done by tomorrow morning," Sephiroth pointed out. "I'd rather get it done now instead of cramming at the last minute."
Zack shrugged. "Okay," he said, and looked sheepish. "I'd come with you, pal, but I promised Tifa I'd help get the kids to bed, since Cloud's crashed on the couch and all."
A slight smile flickered on Sephiroth's features. Cloud had been exhausted when they had returned home. But it should work out fine, since Marlene and Denzel adored Zack, too. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I won't be gone long." He began to walk down the stairs.
Zack followed. "If you're sure," he said. "It gets lonely driving out there all alone."
"It doesn't bother me." Sephiroth reached the bottom, crossing to the front door. "There's still a slight chance I won't need to go in at all." He paused to slip into his dress shoes before he opened the door and stepped onto the wide porch. The stars still visible in the semi-clear sky twinkled overhead, gracing the property with their presence. The motion sensors activated as he walked down the steps and to the limo at the front of the driveway, bathing the yard in even more, albeit artificial, light.
Zack watched from the porch as Seph unlocked the car and searched through it. Then the silver-haired man backed away and straightened up, annoyance written across his features.
"You've gotta go, huh?" Zack surmised.
Sephiroth nodded. "It shouldn't take more than thirty minutes," he said, easing himself into the driver's seat.
Zack nodded as well. "Then I'll see you soon, pal!" he chirped, giving a friendly wave.
Sephiroth smiled a bit as he pulled the door shut and slid the key into the ignition. The engine came to life as he began backing the limousine out of the driveway.
Zack looked after him as the car's lights grew smaller in the night. Then he stretched, turning to go back inside.
"Seph always works too hard," he said to himself. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with him."
And since Sephiroth had always been that way, including back on Gaia, it was not likely that he would ever change.
Not that Zack really wanted him to. Seph was Seph---serious, kind, lovable workaholic that he was. It would drive Seph crazy to not have work to do. He would probably feel that he did not have a purpose. And on some level, Zack could relate to that.
****
Sephiroth did not get back in thirty minutes. And as an hour approached, he was still not there.
At first Zack was not that worried; after all, Seph could have gotten there and found something else that needed to be taken care of before he could leave. And he might not call to tell them if he thought the resolution would be quick.
But when it was nearing ninety minutes, a spark of concern began to rise. Seph had said it would take thirty minutes. Now he had been gone an hour more than that.
Zack grabbed up his phone. He would feel a lot more peaceful once he called Seph and found that all was well. Dialing Seph's cellphone number, he leaned back and waited, crossing his free arm over his chest. Once, twice . . . there was no answer. Zack swallowed hard after eight rings. Maybe Seph had forgotten his cellphone.
He ended the call and dialed their office phone. Again there was no answer.
But after seven rings, there was a click. Zack perked up. "Seph?" he asked.
"No, sir," came a vaguely familiar voice. "It's security. Is something wrong?"
Zack ran his tongue over his lips. "Hey, Seph was coming in to get something," he announced. "Did he ever make it in?"
"Mr. Sephiroth?" The guard sounded concerned now. "No, sir. No one's been in. The doors are locked up. I'd know if he had come, because my little device would beep. When did he leave?"
"An hour and a half ago!" Zack exclaimed, worry seeping into his heart. This really was bad. He had thought maybe Seph had been delayed at the building, or even while coming home, but not that he would not have gotten to the company at all. Suddenly the phone felt slippery in his grasp. What had happened to Seph?! Where was he?!
"I'll certainly keep watch for him here, Mr. Fair!" the sentry declared. "Are you going to look for him?"
"I sure am!" Zack said. "Something'd have to be really wrong for him to not turn up!" And the next question was, How bad was it? Was he laying hurt somewhere? Was it even worse than that? Had he met up with some old enemy? Or some new enemy? The lavender-eyed man's mind was awhirl.
Cloud, who had still been asleep on the couch, began to stir. "What's wrong?" he mumbled, trying to get the strength to raise up off the soft pillow. In spite of being awakened, it was almost impossible to make himself move. It had been such a long day, and the couch was so inviting . . .
Zack looked over at him, still gripping the phone. "Seph went to get something from the company, but he never got there!" he cried. "And it's been almost two hours!" Two hours. Almost anything could have happened in two hours. Almost anything could have happened in five minutes.
Now Cloud was awake. He pushed himself into a sitting position. "You think he might've had trouble with the car?" he exclaimed.
Zack nodded. "Maybe he just ran out of gas or something, but he's not answering his phone. Let's get the other car and look for him!" He was vaguely aware that he was saying something equivalent to "Call if he comes! Thanks, bye!" to the bewildered security guard as he closed his phone. But that was the last thing on his mind.
Cloud was climbing off the couch. "Are we going to get Angeal?" he asked.
"You get him, I'll get the car!" Zack said. Now he was panicking further. Every second that passed could mean more time lost, if Seph was hurt. And Zack kept praying that it was not the case.
He turned, hurrying to the door. The cool night air whipped at his face as he stepped onto the porch. It was a harsh reminder of reality. As much as he wanted to deny that anything was wrong, something told him that there was. And he hated that those somethings were correct, more often than not.
"I wanna be wrong," he said, his voice quiet but plaintive. "Please . . . this time let me be wrong!"
Now Cloud and Angeal were coming out the door behind him. Zack leaped down the stairs, jogging to the other car as he pressed the automatic unlock button on his keychain. "Come on!" he called, thrusting open the door and leaping into the driver's seat.
The other men were in the vehicle in an instant. Angeal, who had gotten into the back, leaned forward with his arms resting on both of the front seats.
"Sephiroth's phone is gone," he reported, his voice grim. "He did take it with him."
Zack swallowed, pulling down the seatbelt. It was not really a surprise. And even if the phone had been left at home, there would still be the most pressing question of why Seph had not reached the company building in this amount of time.
"He'll probably look at us funny for acting so worried," Cloud muttered, gripping his own safety belt.
"Yeah. . . ." Zack gave a weak grin as he inserted the key into the ignition. That was what they would all hope for, anyway. Right now, nothing would give him more happiness than one of Seph's strange "What is going on here?!" expressions. And whether Cloud and Angeal would say it or not, they felt the same.
****
The normal route to Jenova Corp involved crossing a part of the highway that featured a sharp drop on one side. Zack felt his heart twist as they drew near to it. There was not a railing in front of part of the drop-off, and skid marks could be seen on the road and into the grass. There had definitely been an accident.
Cloud drew in his breath sharply as Zack pulled over to the side of the road. Almost before the car was fully stopped, Zack was turning off the engine and flinging the door open. The wind, which had begun to grow more violent, knocked the door about as Zack flew out onto the top of the incline. But he barely noticed. He was picking his way down with as much care as possible, yet somehow practically running at the same time.
"Seph!"
The agonized cry rent the air. The car that could be seen at the bottom was theirs. Zack knew it. And as Cloud unwound himself from the stubborn seatbelt and exited the car, with Angeal close behind, he knew as well. From what could be seen of the crashed vehicle, it was identical to this one.
A wave of dizziness passed over Cloud as he started down the hill. So Sephiroth was hurt, then. He could not have been found and taken to a hospital. They would have been contacted. And there would be some evidence of it. But they were the first to have come upon the scene.
Blue eyes narrowed. Sephiroth was not careless, either. He would not have simply gone off the road like this . . . not unless something had forced him into it. The car could have screwed up, or even . . . could someone have run him off the road on purpose?
Angeal passing Cloud brought the blond back to the present. He was moving too slow. Zack was already at the bottom, and Angeal was heading in that direction as well. Cloud picked up speed. He did not want to see what kind of condition Sephiroth was in. But at the same time, he could not leave the others to face it without him.
He ran the rest of the way.
Zack, who had flung open the door, was now standing and staring in confusion. His heart, which had been hammering in his ears, could not calm itself. The car was empty. But there was blood on the seat and the steering wheel. Seph had been here. And he was obviously hurt. Where could he have gone from this point?
The brunet whirled, looking to the nearly-dead grass of the field. There were imprints where someone had walked. And blood had dripped into the brown blades.
"He's not here," he choked out, as Angeal and Cloud caught up to him. "He's gone!" He took a step forward. "Seph?!" he yelled. Only the unkind wind answered him, striking his face once again.
A deep frown creased Angeal's features. "What's this?" he asked. Something long and white had fallen to the ground when Zack had opened the door, but in his worry he had not noticed.
Zack turned back as Angeal bent to pick it up. "What is it?" he demanded.
Angeal stiffened, gripping the sheet of paper in his hands. For the only time Zack could remember, his old mentor was turning pale.
Cloud peered at the paper from where he was standing at Angeal's side. Suddenly his insides were turning to ice. It was not possible. Sephiroth was a tormented soul; they all knew it. But he would not . . . he would never . . .
"Tell me already!" Zack cried, running around to Angeal's other side. A strangled gasp issued from his lips. The note was hand-written and signed only "Sephiroth." A spot of blood stained the upper-left corner. But what Zack noticed most was the message.
I can no longer stand to live in this world knowing that I took away so many lives.
I do not deserve all that I have. I am leaving the company to you, Zack, and Cloud and
Angeal. You will be better off without me, even if you can't believe that now.
Good luck and goodbye.
For a long moment, no one could think to speak. They were shocked, still trying to process the contents of the note and what it meant. It was too unreal.
At last Angeal broke the silence.
"Sephiroth didn't write this."
Cloud swallowed hard. ". . . I don't think he would, either," he said, "but . . . isn't that how it is a lot of times? They can't believe the person would really . . ." He shook his head. Sephiroth was not suicidal. He always said his pride would keep him alive even if he was the only one left. And anyway, he knew how much something like this would hurt his friends.
Zack grabbed the paper. "It looks like his hand-writing," he said, "but that doesn't mean it is!" His heart had increased speed, if that was possible. This was not happening. Seph would never do this to himself and to them. But . . . if he had not written the note, then who had done it? And why? And most importantly, where was Seph?!
Cloud ran a hand through his hair. "What if he was forced to write it?" he suggested. Maybe he had not fully processed this himself. Maybe that was why he was feeling so numb and cold.
Or maybe it was that a sudden, inexplicable fear had struck him. What if they had not fully known the extent of Sephiroth's pain? What if the note was genuine and Sephiroth had tried to kill himself and right now was laying somewhere, bleeding to death---because Cloud and the others had not known to help him?
The urge to scream was increasing. But that would not help anything. Instead he cast his blue-eyed gaze up at the field around them. The origin of the note was not the most important thing right now. They had to find Sephiroth.
Zack was reaching the same conclusion as Cloud. "Let's follow this trail!" he cried, gesturing at the pressed-down grass and patches of blood. He was still clutching the horrifying note as he tore off running. Cloud and Angeal were running after him, but he was only aware of it in some far corner of his mind. He was staring at the footsteps. They were the right size to be Seph's. Beyond this field was a construction site. Could he have gone there and collapsed? How badly hurt was he? Was it the result of the crash . . . or something else?
. . . Or had the crash been deliberate, without anyone else involved?
No! That was not the explanation. It could never be the explanation!
Seph had been fine before he had left. A little tired, and irritated, but that was usual when an unforeseen inconvenience popped up. Could he have really been hiding such deep and alarming feelings towards himself? Could he have really wanted to take his own life?
Zack kept running, the sound of his and the others' footsteps in the grass echoing in his mind.
"I'm going to live out my life to the fullest."
Seph had said that only a few days before, when Zack had asked him how he liked being on Earth.
"I don't understand why I was given a second chance. But I won't waste it."
Those had been Seph's deepest and most sincere feelings. He never would have spoken them if he had not been asked, but he also would not have made them up. And Zack knew, they all knew, that he would not kill himself of his own free will. Not unless something horrible and drastic had happened to change his mindset altogether. It was always possible. But Zack would not believe it. He would believe in Seph until he had been given definite proof that the note was true.
It felt filthy in his hand, really. The only person who would write something like that, if it was not Seph, was someone who would want to cause indescribable heartache and grief for all of them. He wanted to crumple it in his hand. But it could be important evidence to finding their friend. For now it needed to stay intact.
He came to a stop at the corner. The blood ended here. The wind whipped against his face and neck as he stood, staring at the road. How could it stop altogether? Had Seph finally paused to try to mend his wounds, and succeeded? If he was capable of doing that, why hadn't he done it in the first place?
He turned back to Angeal and Cloud. "What if someone took him?!" he exclaimed. "What if they met him here with their car or something and forced him to get in?!"
Angeal's eyes narrowed. "That could have happened," he agreed, stepping closer to the curb. "It looks like there was a car here not too long ago. It was leaking oil." He pointed to a fresh, black puddle on the asphalt.
Cloud stared at it. Maybe it did not have anything to do with Sephiroth. And on the other hand, maybe it was the break for which they had been searching. Maybe this helped to prove that Sephiroth had not tried to do away with himself. There was still the problem of the note, especially with only one set of footsteps leading away from the car. Unless the person had walked right in Sephiroth's trail, it did not look as though anyone else could have left the note there. But for now they would concentrate on this other car. It was all they had.
"Let's go back and get our car," he said. "Maybe we can follow the oil or something, if it leaked all along the way."
"Go ahead and get it," Angeal said.
"I'm going to follow this trail right now before another car comes and messes it up!" Zack added, hurrying into the street. "You can catch up with me then!"
Cloud watched for only a brief moment before turning to go back the way they had come. He broke into a run.
****
Consciousness was returning. He was laying on his right side, his bangs falling against and half-concealing his face. There was something soft . . . a bed, maybe? Hopefully not a hospital bed. Though he should be laying on his back in a hospital. And it did not feel as though anything was stuck in his arm. Nor was there any annoying beeping.
Maybe Zack and the others had found him and brought him home? He remembered the other car that had been there on the highway . . . the one that had run him off the road. Everything after that was vague. He had tried to stop the car from swerving in every possible direction, but the sudden change of terrain had not helped. He had crashed.
Green eyes, framed by long lashes, slowly opened. It was a bed that he was laying on, with extraordinarily soft pillows as well. It looked to be a well-furnished room. Across from him was an ornate desk, and above that, a mirror bordered by what looked like fancy gold trim.
He raised up on an elbow. Where was this? It was certainly not home. And now that he was trying to move, dizziness was attacking with vengeance. The room tilted up and down, the bed and every other piece of furniture swaying to the motions. He shut his eyes, sinking back into the pillows. A shaking breath left his lips. Whatever was wrong, it had something to do with his head. Had he hit the steering wheel in the crash? His forehead was bothering him.
"Good. You're awake. You only sustained a few superficial scratches and a nasty bump. Though you bled a lot, which was troublesome."
It was tempting to open his eyes again, but did he dare? Instead he turned his head in the direction of the voice. It sounded electronically disguised, as well as if it was being piped into the room through an intercom system. Did that mean the speaker had trained a hidden camera on the room to monitor his every move? Indignation surged in his veins.
"Why am I here?" His voice was dark, dangerous, a tone that had struck fear into many.
This person only gave a cruel chuckle. "You're here because I will it and want it," was the answer. "You don't remember anything after the accident?"
"I don't remember you." Speaking was not very pleasant at the present time, either. But it was the only way he would learn anything. If that was possible to begin with.
"Then you don't remember being dragged out of the vehicle or the note being left." The voice held a hint of what sounded like sadistic delight.
The words were ominous. A fist clenched. What was this that he was supposed to remember but did not? "What note?"
"Oh, you've left them a suicide note, my friend."
His blood ran chill. Common sense was abandoned as his eyes flew open again. "What do you mean?!" he demanded.
"It's been made to look as though the great Sephiroth wished to end his life in the crash," the voice purred. "And thanks to my practicing over many months, I've devised a near-perfect duplicate of your hand-writing. It was all worth it for this moment, and the moments that will come after it."
Whoever this was wanted Sephiroth to lose his temper. And by now he was very close to it. Zack and Cloud and Angeal would be devastated, not to mention bewildered and horrified. Surely they would realize that Sephiroth had not been the author of such a note. But even if they did, they would know that something was very wrong. They would be in a panic searching for him.
"They won't believe it." His voice was perfectly steady when he spoke. But it was filled with daggers of ice.
"Even if they don't, they'll have doubts," was the sneering reply. "It's only human, you know. And they'll be led on such a wonderful game of cat and mouse."
"Only for as long as I'm here." He would have to devise a way out, of course. He would not sit back and allow this inhumane treachery to continue! This was outrageous.
"You, and they, have seventy-two hours." The voice's owner was enjoying this. "After that, you'll be dead from the poison in your system."
His eyes widened. "Poison?"
"The antidote is somewhere in the mansion," he was informed. "You're free to look for it during the times you feel able. But you have to be careful! There are other poisons too!" A wicked cackle ricocheted through the room.
Then this was all a sick joke. Whoever this was, was playing with their lives and feelings without remorse. Was it an old enemy? Or could it be someone new? The person acted as though he---Sephiroth supposed it was a he---knew a great deal more about Sephiroth and the others than he should. And calling him "the great Sephiroth" was something he had not heard from anyone on this planet, except those who had known him on Gaia. It was a sneering, mocking term.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
A clucking sound. "Don't be so hasty, dear Sephiroth. Let's not spoil the fun. You'll learn, all in good time . . . though you may be a wandering spirit before you find the truth!"
His lip curled. He would not die. If the antidote was within the walls of this home, he would find it. And Zack and the others would be looking for him. He would never forgive himself if they found him laying dead.
"Answer me this one question," he said then, his voice still cold. "You knew me from long before this world, didn't you?"
"Such a smart former general! Just what I'd expect." It sounded like the wretch was grinning in sadism. "You know, I never would have pictured you as the businessman type. But maybe now you're still fighting wars, hmm, just with other corporations. How many have you killed or otherwise subdued to keep yourself on top?"
Sephiroth was disgusted. "I am not that kind of businessman," he said.
A laugh. "Oh, isn't that what the Shinras tried to say, too? That they were perfectly good people trying to benefit mankind? It wouldn't be fitting to destroy their public image, now, would it."
At last Sephiroth felt able to attempt sitting up. He eased himself into the position, his gaze traveling the room. The camera, wherever it was, had been kept from his sight. That was all the more angering. Were there cameras in every room, even the bathrooms? Was this person even in the house at all, or was he observing everything from some other, remote location?
"I have never claimed to be a good man." This verbal game was annoying. He was only playing along because with each statement the other was making, a bit more of his personality and his knowledge was revealed. And as for "benefiting mankind", that had never been Sephiroth's goal. He was only trying to survive. He was not a humanitarian.
Though it would not be displeasing to him, if the company's technology was able to improve life on this planet. It would seem to be coming full circle in a way, especially since he did not want to control the planet as Shinra had done.
"It's good if you don't have a false image of yourself," the unseen madman declared now, "because you are most definitely not a good person! You are a wretched murderer forever tainted by the blood you've spilled, both for Shinra and for your own insane goals. If we were in the same room, I would spit upon you.
"And now this communiqué will end. I do hope you'll have fun traversing through my little home. With any luck, you will inject yourself with more of the poisons instead of finding the antidote. Then you truly would die by your own hand!" A grotesque cackle faded into a click and then silence.
Sephiroth leaned forward, swinging his legs over the edge of the mattress. The dizziness had passed for now, so this would be the best time to begin the search for the antidote. There was no sense in loitering when his life was at stake.
And maybe as he went, he could try to decipher this outrageous person's identity. From his speech pattern, he could be any number of people who had abhorred Shinra. It would be imperative to listen for any nuances or other clues that would help narrow down the list to the guilty party.
Inside he was seething. But he would not give this childish spy the satisfaction of seeing his fury. He would appear perfectly calm and collected.
He could only pray that Zack, Cloud, Angeal, and whoever else would be looking for him would stay safe. And that if any of them did hold doubts on whether Sephiroth had written the note, such doubts would be dispelled. It would be far worse for them to wonder if the lies were true than to know what was actually happening.
****
Zack was still following the oil trail several blocks later. His shoes slapped the pavement as he ran. It was surely too much to hope for that the spillage would lead all the way to where Seph was, but he still could hope anyway. It was their only clue.
And yet he frowned. Why would someone be so careless as to have this leaky oil problem if they were going to abduct Seph? If the person was not stupid, it almost seemed like they were being led on a deliberate chase. But why? What would be the point of something like that? Seph would not have had the chance to mess around with the oil himself, would he? If he could have, he would have done it, just to leave a trail for them to follow. But it was really not likely.
There was some old building up ahead now---a service station, from the looks of it. And a car was parked in front of it. Zack's heart sank. Was it the one he had been chasing?
Sure enough, as he ran over to the abandoned car, it was obvious that there was a large puddle of the black substance underneath it. And of course the car was empty. But maybe there would be some kind of clue. Why would it have just been left here? Zack frowned, his hands going to his hips.
"Hey!" he called to the night air. "If this is supposed to be a joke, it's not funny!"
He looked back to the car, grabbing hold of the driver's side door handle. The door opened. Blood was on the backrest of the passenger seat, though it did not touch the driver's side. A fist clenched. Seph had been there, alright. If the creep had switched cars, he had probably carted Seph somewhere else. It would be much better to think that Seph had escaped and the abductor had chased him without catching him. But in Seph's probable condition it almost certainly would not be the case.
Zack's stomach was twisting in his fear. Now it was obvious that there was another party involved---not that he had ever believed Seph had been alone.
He bit his lip. If the car had working license plates, maybe they could use them to get more information. Unless the car ended up being stolen. But it was worth a try. Moving back, he eased the door shut and walked around to the front. The license number stared back at him. He grabbed a small notepad out of his pocket, fumbling with a pen to write it down.
Their car was pulling up now. He could hear it, and through the abandoned vehicle's windows Cloud and Angeal could be seen getting out, but he did not fully look up until the number was written. Then he closed the pad, sticking it back in his pocket as he ran around to meet them.
"This is the car!" he cried. "The oil's pooling under it."
Angeal's eyes narrowed. "And Sephiroth isn't here," he deduced.
Cloud frowned. "He couldn't be in there, could he?" he wondered, looking to the gas station.
"It doesn't look like anyone's been in there for ages, maybe years!" Zack exclaimed.
Angeal nodded. "But let's check anyway." He started to cross the lot to where the building stood, dark and desolate against the night sky. Cloud and Zack followed, watching as Angeal took out a flashlight and shined the beam on the old door.
"The lock hasn't been broken," he announced, lifting the padlock in his hand.
"They must've just stopped here to switch cars," Cloud muttered. "I don't think Sephiroth was in any condition to be trying to get away."
"Even if he tried, we'd probably see some sign of it," Angeal agreed. He let the padlock fall back into place as he straightened up. "I'm going to walk around the back."
Zack was already going to the opposite corner, peering around it. There was still no indication of human life, only a few stray weeds growing up against the side of the building. They waved as the wind started to increase again.
"Seph!" he screamed. Of course there was not an answer.
Something about Zack's desperate voice chilled Cloud. He turned away, pain etched into his features.
Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Angeal frowned and turned back. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Cloud froze. "Yeah," he said then, forcing his tone to be normal. "I'm just fine." He paused. "I'm going to check out the car some more."
Angeal gave a slow nod. He would let it go for now. He did not know Cloud that well, and it was not in his nature to pry.
And right now, their biggest concern was finding Sephiroth alive and safe.