The Birth of SOLDIER (BC)

[Ermak Lorde]

It was quiet and still, with only the sounds of Freyr breathing. Eventually he calmed and slept normally, and even after a time he began to recover. Several hours passed and the night changed to very early morning, Freyr woke slowly, his breathing due to careful training, did not change as he shifted into conciousness. He barely restrained the urge to stiffen, he could feel floor beneath him, it was cold and the chill slowly seeped into his pain-twinged limbs. He could hear the soft breathing of another person nearby, and last he remembered he had been fleeing from assasins... Very carefully and very slowly he took stock of his condition. He wasn't tied down, which seemed a little unusual, or foolhardy, but he had been drugged with something or other, his muscles tingled and twitched. His hind legs were completely useless for the time being, as they were numb and painful in turn. That eliminated the possibility of running for it. His forlegs, though not extremely responsive seemed as though they could be usable, though Freyr could tell he'd sprained or pulled something in one or both of them. His human torsoe did not seem to be in bad condition, a light flexing of his arms told him they would do what he needed. Perhaps most strange about his situation was the fact his weapons were still strapped to his person.... Did they think him dead? or dying perhaps? Whatever the reason he was grateful for it. He waited for several moments. moving his arm slightly whenever his leg muscles spasmed uncontrollably. when he finally felt the comforting wood of his Glaive against his hand he moved. In an instant his forlegs leapt, his human torsoe whirled grabbing the shoulder of his supposed captor and drawing the blade of the Glaive to his throat with the other hand. Then just as quickly he stopped dead, staring at Sephiroth in surprise and shock. His cat-legs quivered, the muscles protesting the movement. "... Blessed Planet" He muttered quietly removing the Glaive and dropping it to the ground, even as he himself sank back to the floor. "I made it home.... " The releif was palpable in his voice. He grinned at Sephiroth, "Hey kid, ... I don't suppose you could snag me a sweet or two from my stash could you? It's in my trunk... you can have one too..." Then his eyes closed for a second, and he simply smiled.  

[Saerenna]

Sephiroth had stiffened in surprise, his hand automatically reaching for his non-existant blade before he even noticed that Freyr had been the agressor. He relaxed once he noticed who it was, and more importantly, that he was sane. He couldn't help but give a small wry smile at his former instructor. "If this is home enough, then yes you did." the green-eyed 'kid' stated, going to the chimera's stuff and getting out three candies. He tossed two to Freyr, and then looked at the third contemplatingly as he sat back down on his cot next to the chimera. "How are you feeling? The Captain gave you an antidote for whatever poison it was, but as your body is different, he wasn't sure what the effects would be." He asked, staring in wonder at the fact that Freyr was back and coherent after being away for so long.  

[Ermak Lorde]

"hmmmmm" Freyr mumbled non-commitally as he happily munched his candies, swallowing one he opened his eyes to glance at Sephiroth, then paused and stared, "Uh..... well.... Did you know you are glowing?" He asked completely sober, "You have like... this whole halo thing around your head.... oh Wait... that's your HAIR? What did you do to your hair??" He sounded somewhat shocked, "Did they make you do a mako bath or something? It's like they cut a whole in the ceiling and......... er.... we are ... indoors right?" Then he groaned, shut his eyes and rolled his head away, "I think that about answers your question. I think I'll avoid looking at things for a while." He shifted slightly on the floor and winced as feeling came back to his hind legs. "Hey Seph,.... could you do me a favor? I think the Captain missed a few,... could you pull the needles outta my butt?" He opened his eyes again to watch the youth's reaction "Don't give me that look, ... Alright let me rephrase that. Would you perhaps be so kind as to extract the needles from my equestrian posterier? They really hurt!! And I can't exactly reach that far..."  

[Saerenna]

Sephiroth gazed upward at his bangs, which were actually visible to him, and then back down at Freyr, not seeing any glowing going on. And what had the chimera just asked of him? He gave Freyr an unamused look, then rolled his eyes and sighed. "You aren't going to kick me, are you?" He asked, rembembering their first spar and the resulting pain and position that came from going behind him. Sephiroth stood and walked around behind Freyr, keeping a bit of distance. "I mean it, I'll pull these out only if you promise that you aren't going to kick me, involuntarily or not." He stated, a small smile hovering at the corner of his lips.  

[Ermak Lorde]

Freyr laughed at that, "Sure... I promise not to kick you." He continued to chuckle as the youth manuevered around him, His vision was still painfully bright and colorful, but he watched Sephiroth as best he could anyway, Trying to point out where the needles where. There were four in all lodged in his thigh. He winced as they were removed and his legs quivered but didn't move. "I'm not sure I could kick you if I wanted to right now..." He admitted to Sephiroth with an amused smile, "Those limbs aren't working so well right now... " then he paused and cocked his head as he considered Sephiroth thoughtfully, "Hey Seph.... Where you with me all night? ... I thought I had dreamed it orriginally,... but did you ask me something? something about family??.... .... I dunno, I guess it was a fever dream or something..."  

[Saerenna]

Sephiroth disposed of the needles as best he could, and then went back to his cot. He looked away contemplatively as Freyr asked about the night. "Yes, I was here all night, but what I said wasn't important." He said offhandedly with a shake of his head, avoiding eye contact. He wasn't one for personal conversations, and his past history was an especially sensitive spot, as he really knew nothing. Nothing about his origins, and even his younger years were hazy. He even thought of them as being clouded in green...but that really made no sense, and Sephiroth liked things to make sense. Sense and order and understandability. Why couldn't everything be simple like that?  

[Ermak Lorde]

Freyr chuckled, and settled himself as comfortably as he could on the floor. "I had a family... parents really, no siblings... A rather normal family all things considered." He smiled wryly at the memories, "..... I was born premature.... basically I was born crippled, unable to use my legs at all." He glanced at Sephiroth and smiled, "I didn't think it would be too bad, but my parents had trouble accepting it, my father came from a long line of Chocobo Racers... I could never follow in his footsteps as he might have wanted." He sighed and smirked at the irony, "I still can't y'know... well, that much is pretty obvious... When I was twenty-five my parents found a doctor willing to try and repair my useless limbs... I guess I was kind of intruiged myself at the idea, but I didn't think it would work. I went through with it to try and make my father resigned to my fate." His gaze traveled across his unique form with a pleased smile, before returning to Sephiroth's face, "Proffesor Gast gave me what I never had before, I can experience what other people grew up with, and take for granted! Not only that but I can walk and run twice as much as other people... Some people think of my differences as a Curse Seph... It's never a curse! My life will always be unique and beautiful, Use your gifts with a purpose, you have something other people would kill for." Then he grinned broadly, "They'll just never admit how jealous they are of us!" He explained with a wink.  

[Saerenna]

Sephiroth shrugged. He couldn't see how he would be jealous of having animal limbs. Especially not when his own functioned well. Exceptionally well by most people's standards. It was like he wasn't a normal human or something. He looked down at his hands, as if examining them for a flaw. Maybe a sixth finger, green blood, or something. But no, they looked normal. His eyes and hair had always been an abnormal shade. Nobody had silver hair as a kid. "My family...." He found himself saying quietly, "I don't have one." Then he shook his head, "Not like I needed one anyway. I'm fine on my own." Well, actually, Professor Gast was probably the closest person he could call family. He had pretty much raised him. Him and that other scientist, Hojo. But Sephiroth would never even think of calling that man anything like family.  

[Ermak Lorde]

Freyr smiled, a little sadly this time. "You do have one Seph, and I'm sure you'll meet them someday," then his grin became mischeivious, "Until then why don't we misfits stick together?" Impulsively he sat up partially and grabbed Sephiroth in a freindly headlock, "I always wanted a little brother" He smirked, dragging the youth from the cot to join him on the cold wooden floor. "Have you eaten your candy yet?"  

[Saerenna]

Sephiroth was taken by surprise as he landed on the floor because of Freyr's pulling. "I don't need family, I'm fine." He said shortly, struggling away from the chimera, but staying on the floor. "Besides, I wouldn't be able to meet my family if I know nothing about them. I don't even have a last name." he said, unable to help the sulky tone that came into his voice and face. He shook his head and tried to smother his emotions. He would not become a whiny teenager. He was better than that. "You aren't going to make me eat it, are you?" he asked, looking at the candy he still held in his hand.  

[Ermak Lorde]

Freyr simply raised an eyebrow, "I thought you would know me better than that by now, of COURSE I'm going to MAKE you eat it! Until you ask for them yourself! Kids ought to like candy, even if it's only once in a while." He reluctantly released him from the headlock and considered him seriously, "There is nothing that cannot be accomplished by determination," He explained soberly, "... Even the lame can walk if they are determined to do so..." His voice dropped until it was almost a whisper at that point, and the ussual joking manner had left him as he gazed at Sephiroth. "If you had met me before my operation... you would understand what I mean. Nothing is impossible Seph... the world can be yours if you simply put your mind to it." Then he smiled again. "But first you have to eat your candy!"  

[Saerenna]

Sephiroth sighed and smoothed his slightly ruffled hair. "What do sweets have to do with having the world?" he asked with a shake of his head, "And I'm not a normal child...I just don't know WHY." He reluctantly put the candy in his mouth, the sweet taste being almost a shock to him from after such a long time without it. He continued to just sit there, his eyes not focusing on anything as he tried to find some sort of unforgotten memory. But all he saw was nothing. Nothing that would tell him about his family, or where he really came from. Just a longing that became almost painful as he dwelt on it. Who was this Jenova? His mother.  

[Ermak Lorde]

Freyr grinned, in that infectatious way he had, "Good thing too. If you were a NORMAL child you'd be no fun at all!" He chuckled to himself, and even as they continued to converse the sun rose, as promised food was delivered, both of them ate, slept and chatted more. By the next day it seemed likely that things would fall into their old ruitine. As the trumpets sounded in the morning Freyr rose and stretched, a tad more stiffly than ussual but he didn't seem to retain any lasting harm. That morning Sephiroth and Freyr both were called into a debreifing in the Captain's office. He gazed over both of them calmly and turned to Freyr first. "So Freyr,... what did you find in Wutai..." This was the first indication to Sephiroth of where the chimera had disappeared to, Freyr smiled, "Well sir,... there were lots of nice food and pretty girls..." At the captain's scowl he chuckled, "and they had lots of training facilities for assasins and warriors... oh... and I think I spotted a guerrilla force hovering about near rocket town... yeah I think they had poison darts too if I remember." The Captain scowled at this news and turned to his map, deep in thought. "How big was this force would you say?" Freyr shifted position and tapped his chin with one hand casually, as if remembering a grocery list. "hmmm... let me see,... I think there were perhaps three troops... they had a relay system too, nicely coordinated." He continued to smile, acting as though this were merely a social chat. "Not too many but well organized." The Captain listened silently, and nodded when Freyr was finished. "48 assasins... plenty to take down important officials..." He whirled to face both of them again, "Freyr... how good would you say Sephiroth is right now?" Freyr blinked, and for the first time seemed taken by surprise, "Well... I dunno, he might have been slacking off while I was gone..." He glanced then at his protege, "... Better than any other single SOLDIER here I would say..." He glanced peircingly at the Captain, returning the older man's frown, "Why?" His voice deepened to a dangerous tone, one Sephiroth had never thought to hear from the jovial chimera. The Captain sighed heavily, "I can't risk alerting Wutai to our proceeds here... but if they thought that Shinra was simply sending unique warriors..." Freyr's face became suddenly unreadable, "Captain... I don't like to kill, you know that." "That is why Sephiroth is going!" Freyr stood silently for many moments, until the strain seemed like a palpaple thing, "... and,... if I were to refuse?" The Captain sat up straighter, with something akin to alarm. "Then people you know and care about would die. Sephiroth will go with or without you. Would you consign him to such a fate? You know he cannot stand up to that many skilled and... as you said, organized assasins..." He left that threat hanging, and Freyr sighed, "You planned this... alright, I will go... but know that I won't forget this... Next time you'll have to get someone else." His blue eyes had turned grey, he was very disapointed in the man who sat before him, and to Sephiroth's surprise the Captain fidgeted uncomfortably under that gaze as though he were feeling guilty. "Sephiroth?" Freyr asked softly, giving the youth permission to speak, "What do you think?"  

[Saerenna]

Sephiroth listened to these proceedings calmly. At least on the outside. As he kept surprise from showing on his face, his mind was working quickly. So, he'd actually get real field experience, taking out assasins.... And by the way things sounded, he'd be the one dealing killing blows. He had never killed another human before, only monsters, but it couldn't be that different, right? He doubted he would have those weird experiences he had heard about, when men fighting saw faces of family and friends on those they were killing. After all, he had no family, and the only friend, if that, wasn't fully human. But Freyr seemed very upset by this. Did he not think that the silver haired teen could do it? He nodded reassuringly at the chimera and then the Captain. "I'll do it." he said simply, making sure to keep emotion out of his face. Even though he was pretty much the best of SOLDIER, that was the best without having actually gone into battle or anything, and a small bit of fear grew in his stomach. But he quickly squished it down, enclosing it in determination. Sephiroth would be the best in SOLDIER, as he would prove by this assignment.  

[Ermak Lorde]

Freyr sighed deeply at the youth's affirmation. "When do you want us to leave?" He asked calmly, but his voice had lost a great deal of it's joviality, "As soon as possible." The captain informed him, "And try not to inform too many of the other recruits of your destination. You are dismissed." Freyr turned smartly, clacking his hooves together before he marched out the door. The Captain winced at the Chimera's show of conformity, and motioned for Sephiroth to linger for a few moments. "... Sorry to do this to you Sephiroth,... I know Freyr is very displeased with me right now... He really is the best we have, don't you ever believe otherwise, and he's a great teacher... but, well,... I chose you for 2 reasons, The first being, you have great potential and skill, probably better than any of our regulars. But mainly it was because I've never seen Freyr become so attatched to one person before. Perhaps you can keep an eye on him alright?" The Captain sighed heavily and then dismissed the youth as well. Gazing after his retreating form he thought aloud, "I really hope this is the right thing... If we lose either of them..... We may be in more trouble than Shinra could imagine."

By the time Sephiroth arrived at the cabin Freyr had already packed his travel bags, and was in the process of polishing his weapon. The youth had never seen the Chimera's blade before, the gleaming lengths glowed with care and seemed to have blue highlights, a sure sign of the highest quality blade. The staff was worn but still polished and seemed to have some sort of engraving down it's length. Lying on Freyr's cot was an enormous rifle. the barrels were too large for any normal bullets and the whole body of the gun seemed to have been reinforced with gleaming black metal. This also had an engraving, which ran down the barrel on either side. He glanced up at Sephiroth and smiled. "Do you have a working sword already? If not I think I have something you can use..."