Sephiroth scoffed but at least tried to chuckle it away a little towards the end. He never spent any time in the goofing off that Ales mentioned and even if he were to consider it...how would he even start? For much too much of his life it had all been the hard-graft, with precious seconds in comparison ever reserved for what he might relate to as fun. Even those moments came with at least an equal, if not larger sting in their tail. As such he was left only remembering such times fleetingly, as they inevitable were followed by much bitterness.

Sadness.

He still had a very large issue in admitting to himself how sad he'd become in the wake of Genesis and Angeal. It's a saving grace that Ales soon mentions something that pricks more to Sephiroth's intellectual leanings, like a fine dart of a needle meeting it's bulls eye. The expression of the tall man hardens as interest is piqued and before long those thickly-lashed eyes are narrowed inquisitively.

"Crystal...energy." Mako. It's a thought that's been sat there quietly yet now a spotlight shone on it. He'd spent a month or so being interested in the same, when he'd helped initially with the Enterprise, before more important matters had whisked him back to where his strengths lay.

"I wasn't aware you'd carried on researching the same. How's that going?"