○ 01 ○ Familiar Places

[connectedsky.livejournal.com]

[At first, everything is dark. There's nothing but black and empty space...yet, somehow, this isn't scary at all. Maybe because there's something nearby - something warm and inviting. Safe.

A bright light in the distance.

But maybe not so far away after all. Soon there's solid ground. It's a circular platform that looks like stained glass, but doesn't feel fragile. It's brightly colored, and covered in pictures...pictures that must come from somewhere.

Maybe they mean something to the child on the other side of the platform. The boy is walking around, looking a little confused...and with good reason. He had just been here a few hours ago, hadn't he? The person he had been talking to before was sleeping. So why was he back here? Was this a dream?

That's when he turns around, finally noticing that he's not alone. In a confused, but friendly tone, he asks-]

How'd you get here?

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[no-hometown.livejournal.com]

[A child. The tall man regards the boy with a faint smile.]

Hello. I'm not quite sure, myself. I've been looking for someone. Someone I lost. [He studies the platform as he strides across it, toward the child.] Now I'm here, but he isn't here. [He comes to a halt, a few paces away, assessing the situation.] This must be another dream. [They never seem to end.]

[connectedsky.livejournal.com]

[At first, Sora isn't really sure what to say. The man seems nice, but imposing - like someone important. Still...he said that he was looking for someone.

Maybe he needed some help?]

Well...what does the person look like?

[no-hometown.livejournal.com]

[Sephiroth considers the question. Why had he said that? He realizes that he himself feels lost in this strange place. He's drifting somehow, but he's clearly not looking for himself. That wouldn't be logical. No, he has an actual, rational goal in mind. He can't let himself forget it. It's important.

He smiles at the child's helpful question, but there's a sadness in the smile, and it is very brief, disappearing almost as soon as it appears.]

He has dark hair and white wings. I think you'd know him if you saw him.

He's my friend.

[connectedsky.livejournal.com]

White wings?

[He looks surprised by the description, and in awe of the concept - someone with wings? Woah!]

I've never seen anyone like that. I didn't know people could have wings!

Does that mean your friend can fly?

[no-hometown.livejournal.com]

[Sephiroth nods, though he answers with neither joy nor excitement.] That's right. Yes, I suppose he can.

There aren't many people like that, it's true. [And it's for the best that there were few people with such wings, but he won't tell this child that.] I'll have to keep searching for him, if you haven't seen him. [He is not hopeful, but it is the desire that has overtaken him: to seek the things he's lost, so he will go on. Yet where will he go?]

What is this place? There doesn't seem to be anywhere to go from here.

[connectedsky.livejournal.com]

It's someplace important. But I don't really know what it is.

[The little boy looks around one more time, as if to confirm what he's about to say. There's nothing else around - just the platform, and the shadows beyond it.]

There's nothing else here, though. I'm know that for sure.

[no-hometown.livejournal.com]

It's strange... [He walks to the very edge of the platform, looks out. He wonders what would happen if he jumped off.

If he could fly as well. He frowns.]

You seem to be correct. How did you arrive here, then? [A pause, as he remembers his manners, belatedly. He's not quite himself at the moment.] I am Sephiroth. What is your name?

[connectedsky.livejournal.com]

[Sora opens his mouth when the man walks closer to the platform, to warn him...about what, exactly, he didn't know. But the boy hesitated - he looked like someone who knew what he was doing, so maybe Sora should stay quiet.

He shakes his head at the question, before speaking again.]

I don't know that, either. Earlier, I needed to be here to talk to someone. But I'm not sure how I got back.

[He pauses, also, only just realizing that he hadn't thought about introducing himself, either.]

I'm Sora. It's nice to meet you. [And, of course, he smiles. Sephiroth may be serious, but he still seems nice.]

[no-hometown.livejournal.com]

[He turns his attention to Sora, but he's still considering the darkness. It seems so complete, but there cannot be nothing but darkness in all directions, can there? It makes him curious.]

So we find ourselves in the same situation, more or less. There was someone else here, before?

[He nods.] A pleasure to meet you as well, Sora. [He doesn't have a great deal of experience with children. He tends to treat them more or less like adults who happen to be small. That was how he was treated as a child.] Do you know the meaning of these pictures?

[connectedsky.livejournal.com]

Well, I think the person I was talking to before is still here...sort of.

[Thankfully, Sora's not likely to notice that Sephiroth hasn't been around kids a lot. He notices a lot of things, but he tends to miss details like that.]

The pictures? Um...I don't really know what they mean. But they're all things that are important to me.