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It had been years since this had last happened. Long enough that he’d forgotten the feel of it, the disorientation of remembered experiences that the materia snatched away between uses. It ached in a special sort of way, to know things he hadn’t a moment before, and a small, bitter smile twisted Sephiroth’s lips as he remembered adventures as a teenager with people he’d long lost or simply hadn’t ever met like they were fresh all over again. He wouldn’t think about it too deeply, not unless he planned to not return when the portal came for him this time, unlike every other time he’d been misplaced like this in his youth.
This time, if he thought about it too hard, he might actually take the exit. His best friends were gone. Again. He’d been abandoned. Again. Wasn’t it going to be the same with Zack Fair? With the third wave of disappointment? So no, Sephiroth wasn’t going to think too deeply about how these adventures gave him a new place to be, a new experience outside of Shinra’s all seeing eyes. He’d just learn whatever he was supposed to this time, help whoever he was supposed to help, then probably go back where he belonged at the end of it all.
As he did every time. And then he’d forget the adventure happened, also as he did every time. This place though... There was a sweetness in the air here like the most untouched parts of Wutai, a weight to the air that said magic without being a threat the way the Planet always felt when he was home. Midgar was the worst, clawing at his senses if he let his guard down too far, but here? Here was gentle. Clearly, he was in no world of his this time. He always knew Gaia when she reached for him and this was most certainly not that.
The first fact of his adventure determined, he turned his gaze down to himself to see if the tradition of his clothes changing in transit would be true as well. Fascinating. He rather wished he’d been able to hunt down the materia at some point, but alas, it wasn’t to be. His fingers, still gloved, but now in a far more supple leather, buttery soft in a way that his combat leathers couldn’t afford to be, touched the deep black of the robes he was now wearing. It wasn’t a form of silk he recognized, and the hints of silver and gems on his person had moved to his waist primarily. A turn of his head informed him he currently had earrings as well, and he made a note to not take them out lest the holes vanish before he returned.
Lifting his hand revealed his bracers had turned into gently jangling silver bangles, and he laughed, the sound nearly inaudible as he finally turned feline green eyes back to the greenery around him. He wasn’t worried about being unarmed, he never was on these adventures, and he suspected the familiar form of Masamune would come to his fingers if he called. Satisfied by his assessment of his situation, he picked a direction and set off, drawing his attention to the different nature of the boots he had on. Similar, but not the same, as with everything else he was wearing.
Really, he had only just shaken out of his absent inspection when a man crashed through the trees right in front of him, head turned to call something back over his shoulder and a smile on his lips. Similarly attired to what he now wore, but with hints of red, the figure drew up to a halt upon seeing him, red eyes widening in surprise.
Well, there was no cause to be the start of difficulties. These trips weren’t always hostile after all. “Hello.”
Mouth snapping shut from whatever he’d been about to call, those bright red eyes narrowed at him for a moment, clearly evaluating him in a head to toe sweep of his eyes. “Why are you here?”
Rude. No matter, it was hardly the first time someone with such clear Wutian features had looked at him with suspicion. Far from. “I haven’t the slightest idea. No doubt a reason will reveal itself in short order.”
“You don’t know.” There was a touch of disbelief in the question, and when there was movement behind the man he spun so he was to his side instead of keeping Sephiroth in front of himself and finally completed the call he’d clearly meant to do earlier. “Shizun, wait a moment! I found something that might be dangerous!”
“I truly have no intention of posing a danger to you or your companion, I assure you.”
“And how am I supposed to be sure of that? I’ve never seen you before and you’re clearly strong.”
At this point there was a rustle as a branch was shoved aside and another man, this one with green eyes and attire with a slender stature, joined their conversation. He reminded him, on sight, of Genesis. Something about the demeanor. Curious. “Binghe, I heard voices. Don’t tell me you’re bothering some passer...by...” Whatever else he’d meant to say ground to a halt when the man actually looked at him, and it was curious to see recognition there. Why? How? “Sephiroth?”
Sephiroth inclined his head in agreement, which got a somewhat amusing double take from the first man. He looked decidedly put out about it, actually. “Shizun, you know this man?”
The fan in the green clad man’s hand immediately lifted and started to flutter in front of his face, very obviously scrambling for some sort of explanation. Why he was so alarmed about doing so, he had no idea. “Not know. I haven’t actually met him before!”
“But Shizun recognizes him. This Binghe doesn’t recognize him!” Binghe, as he’d so named himself, pouted harder even as he gestured at him, and Sephiroth felt amusement and a little sympathy bubble up inside him.
He turned his attention to the man who seemed to be named Shizun. “I, too, am somewhat curious at being recognized. I am rather far from home at this time, after all.”
“Ah, well. You see. You’re well known in my hometown! That’s all!” The fan whipped back and forth through the air in a slashing motion, his whole demeanor a touch frantic as his gaze darted between himself and Binghe.
“Indeed? Might I know the name of the place?”
“No. No, you might not. Thank you for your interest.” He wasn’t even surprised when the fan was snapped back open hard enough to echo. Anxious tic? Most likely.
Binghe had apparently had enough of all of this at that point and drew his companion to his side, wrapping his arm around his waist. “That’s fine, Shizun doesn’t need to say anything! He can talk privately to his husband about it privately later. We’ll be going now.”
Sephiroth nodded once, amused that the other man made a noise of protest and paled as he was almost bodily wheeled around to go in basically any other direction than the one he himself was currently standing in as the curly haired man decided they would be leaving immediately.
He wasn’t even surprised when a dark portal sprang up the moment the two were gone, and he sighed to himself in resignation before stepping through it, humor fading. Back to his normal life already? Unsurprising. At the very least he wouldn’t remember this encounter to regret not having chanced remaining behind.
He liked to think of it as a gift when on these adventures, since it kept him from being plagued by what-ifs afterwards.