melodiesofeternity | The Final Loop

It feels almost like an out-of-body experience, how the syllables of ones name pierce the murky abyss that Sephiroth might otherwise have just lain down and fallen into, off the edge of his physical and mental limitations. He blinks a couple of times with his leathered fingers still pinching at the top of his nose before gradually lowering his hand back to his side.

He seems almost as if there were nothing wrong at all, once more. After all, were it not just another challenge that he'd overcome, enforcing his will over a calamity on another world? Thinking about it like that made even the creeping exhaustion seem almost like the perfect price to pay. He should rightly be reveling in the achievement, not brooding over the fight to come.

Recognizing Reno, one he believes is the only one left from a version of his Planet, Sephiroth twists his top lip into something of a just above-neutral grin. He wondered if Reno had any idea of the implications to his great experiment that had saved the day. A part of him wanted very much to let him know, if he didn't already. Yet still intelligence won out; too many times his pride ruled and it's not appropriate to show that desire here.

"Reno-" The silver-haired man took a breath, savoring the comparative quiet out in the corridor as opposed to inside the party halls.

"-it's been a while."

Maybe he should be more wary. This Sephiroth was decidedly not the last one. But... Reno wanted to be optimistic. Maybe it was stupid, but at least for now -- in this moment -- he didn't want to be worrying about his "allies" as well as his enemies.

When Sephiroth smiled, Reno smiled back.

"Looks like we're both still around. For now, at least." Reno grinned. He was tired. Sephiroth looked that way, too, super-human or no.

"...isn't that, peachy?"

Dry sarcasm with a touch of a phrase that he barely remembered. From before. It was about all Sephiroth could manage in terms of an appropriate response to Reno. In truth, he's glad that Angeal isn't here anymore, one less person following him around expecting something different to how he is.

No matter how the mask was pulled together, cracks of exhaustion like Sephiroth was feeling currently left no doubt about it. He's just as human as all of them, here.

"Tch -- what, you'd rather th' opposite?" Reno shook his head. "Don't give up on me now, hotshot. What would yer fanclub think?"

Sephiroth blinked forcibly as if it would change how he's perceiving Reno, dismissing away the strained feeling from behind his eyes before more carefully looking over the red-headed man. Taking a deeper breath and straightening his posture again where it had fractionally fallen away; though whatever Reno was talking about a fan club was completely lost on him.

"None of it will matter if it goes wrong this time." He paused, running the next thought carefully around in his mind, vetting it before presenting it as an additional comment to Reno.

"Too often here I've been powerless to change matters myself."

"I know." It had not escaped Reno that if the Heroes failed, after everything they had done the last six months' worth of loops, then it was all over. Everyone would be dead. There was a lot of pressure there.

"But that's just it, Sephiroth -- you don't have to do it by yourself, yo." Reno's smile became less playful, more genuine -- more encouraging. "Hell, no one could do this by themselves, an' we got a couple people here like you. Powerful as fuck. But we're talkin' about the future of a whole world."

He shifted his weight. "Not to get all Angeal on ya... But know yer team. It might not be him, it might not be Genesis, but... We're all workin' our asses off here with you. We got yer back."

As Reno was talking, Sephiroth swept his tall frame to the side of the corridor nearby and leaned lightly back against the wall. He never quite let go of the majority of his posture in that way though and usually, he wouldn't show any outward sign of such a weakness as he was feeling but he was fast approaching the point after which he just couldn't raise himself into caring all that much.

His expression remained flat as Angeal and Genesis were mentioned, though he related to the former from his presence here on Vaikuntha, he had no memories at all retained from that time in his life before; only the betrayal which too keen to be weaponized into anger.

One of the many facets at the core of Sephiroth's existence that had enabled him to cling to himself, even after death.

"In the face of obliteration, it's all any one being can do to take stock of the resources around them in order to avoid that fate. Even those who seem the most honest and certain in their allegiances to each other, the cooperation that's been seen in all of this; ultimately it's all in the name of self-preservation.

"I don't require anyone to be at my back." He finally replied, sternly, casting a look towards the doorway into the party where he'd exited. Where on any other day he'd have remained, if only for that which he might learn of others.

It would seem that this conversation was over. Reno shrugged lightly.

"Ya might not 'require' it, but you got it. Better get used to it."

He left Sephiroth alone in the hallway to think on that as he returned to the party.

The Final Loop

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