#05a || shinra hq 49f [open starter]

[ghostofnibelheim]

"I apologize for the interruption. I'm Sephiroth, one of Hojo's SOLDIERs." He introduces himself with a mechanical bow of his head. "I am in detention for breaking the rules. I was ordered to assist you in any way necessary for the next four hours."

[ghostofnibelheim]

"Destroy the bridge." The General speaks after a contemplative pause over the map. "That will cut off their troops' passage over the canyon, and allow the military to fully entrench their camps on the river banks. The enemy will be forced to wait on the good weather before the only available road can be used, or risk becoming vulnerable against our ambush."

[ghostofnibelheim]

"The feeling of a desperate need for air while your chest is too tight to breathe in without pain... Is that what grief is like?"

If so, the Planet had to be really cruel, to be punishing its children this way as a consequence of love.

[ghostofnibelheim]

"Yes, you heard me correctly. Just seventy-four smiles, no extras; individually packaged, thank you. The address is-."

"... They hung up on me."

[ghostofnibelheim]

"In the autumn of 1883, and for years afterwards, occurred brilliant-coloured sunsets, such as had never been seen before within the memory of all observers. Also, there were blue moons, and the sun looked green."

He looks up from the book he's been reading. Tucked in a corner at the far end of the bench, one could almost miss his presence were Sephiroth's presence so naturally striking.

"And now it's happening again. Can you guess what the cause for this phenomenon might have been back then?"

[ghostofnibelheim]

"Today's simulated scenario puts you in the position of a cavalry vidette with a field glass. From the starting point, you can spy a whole army with supports to the east. A solitary chocobo rider dragging ammunition to the north. And lastly, a dummy to the west, set to paralyze the efforts of a corps. There is sufficient energy and time remaining in your comms' battery to report only one of these findings, however."

Arms crossed, the young SOLDIER finally looks up with a focused frown.

"What would you choose to do?"

[ghostofnibelheim]

"They could have escaped from the south gate and destroyed the bridge to stop our chase." He says with a detached tone while one hand wipes at an itchy spot on his face. The leather of his glove becomes smeared with dark, sticky filth. Ash? Burnt skin? Maybe a bit of both. He's long since learned that pain can take a while to register in his mind while on the battlefield.

"Instead, they chose to stay and defend the town. They knew we were coming. They saw our numbers. Yet, they stayed. The outcome was already clear... I don't understand why."

A single man can make a mistake in judgment. And maybe a couple people can be fooled and agree to an erroneous strategy. But a whole town of them?

What pushed these people into this senseless suicide? He'd never read of nor seen this behavior before. Sephiroth did not understand. And that was frustrating. When people became unpredictable, he sensed the vulnerability of doubt. It left room for error.

And Professor Hojo did not like errors.

"..."

[ghostofnibelheim]

"Today's simulation introduced a large army scenario. I counted 30 regiments. I reasoned that a single cavalry brigade, if bold, could break its line at the weakest link. The bigger the army, the more devastating it would be for it to be cut off from its sustenance, and force it to fall back. At that point, a well-devised flank attack is sure to inflict a critical blow on numbers and morale."

He said all that in a single breath, but even so, his eyes couldn't leave the PHS device on the table. The only object sitting before him, in the sterile emptiness of the SOLDIER floor.

"I don't think there were any mistakes, but... It's frustrating to not know for certain. My assessment is still pending."

[ghostofnibelheim]

"The speed and upkeep of our forces is paramount at this juncture. I'm here to escort the exacting commissariat for the supply of food and equipment." The young SOLDIER presents a missive, bearing all the necessary information: the number of remaining units and the amount of required ammunition.

"My orders are to ensure the safe delivery of the next convoy. What are the conditions of the line of communication to the rear?"

[ghostofnibelheim]

"They will not come out today. The weather is bad, and they're hoping it will wear us down while we keep them under siege." He says, arms crossed over his chest. "But this is the only time we have to act. Their chocobo artillery is on the way from their smaller bases. If we wait for the sky to clear, cannons will be upon us before we have made any dent against their walls."

And so his mind is made.

"Give me the clear to attempt to breach in. I don't need to take anyone with me. In case of failure, the company's losses will be minimal."

[ghostofnibelheim]

It all happened so fast.

Burning white light cutting into the air, and the hiss of one single, but pefectly aimed swing of cold metal. The monster is cut through and falls to its feet, nothing but a dying cry leaving its lungs before all life is gone in the eyes.

The SOLDIER stands behind it, a long blade down his side, the sleek surface shining red with blood against the light of the flames burning the immediate surroundings of the battlefield.

He had no obligation to intervene and help, but here he was now. Sephiroth’s wrist flicked one single, mechanical movement of the sword, the movement freeing it of the unsightly remains from its shine.

Only now did he turn to rest his eyes on the one he had so suddenly jumped in to aid in battle, to see if they were still capable to stand on their feet.

[ghostofnibelheim]

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