A/N: I always say a few words before I start a story to clear things up.
I know Cloud would never ever join SOLDIER again
I know the SOLDIER program would never be started up again, unless it already is... I don't know, Ive never played the actual game.
But this is a fanfiction, so I'm going to write it, if you don't like it, don't read! I just thought it would be funny to see how Cloud would manage being a general.
And it is kind of yaoi, I guess... no lemons or anything cause I fail at them.
Enjoy!
Cloud opened his eyes slowly as the phone rang. He heard Tifa mumble something then run for it, probably hoping to get to it before it woke up the ex SOLDIER, but it was already to late for that.
He grumbled and pulled the pillow over his head when he saw what time it was. 7:00 in the morning... Sunday's supposed to be my day off.
Tifa was obviously in agreement, her angry voice was traveling through the floorboards.
"I don't care if your boss has an important delivery to make today, it's Cloud's day off, so I'm going to hang up now, and don't call back."
Blissful silence.
Cloud's eyes closed shut.
An open field of yellow and white flowers. The sky is so close you could reach out and touch it.
A hand reaches up.
Is it mine?
It must be... No one else is here...
A warm breeze. Strangely it doesn't move the flowers.
Where am I?
"Hmmm... Some people call it the life stream. But I like to think of it as limbo!"
A gentle touch. Standing back to back with a friend.
Zack...? Is that... you?
"The one and only, chocobo."
Laughter. Just like the old times.
Why am I... here?
"Because you want to be? How should I know, you're the one who called me here."
The smell of vanilla. How it always used to be.
I guess I was lonely...
"I know you are, me and Aerith see it every day."
A bubbly laugh. Green eyes you could loose yourself in.
Aerith...?
"Yeah, you remember her. She misses you."
A loving embrace. Feel the warmth spreading to your soul.
I miss both of you...
"Of course you do! How could you not miss this sexy face? Oops, out of time spike! Time for you to wake up and face your destiny Cloud!"
The crushing weight of depression. It smothers you.
I ... don't want to leave...
"Cloud, wake up."
Wake up?
"Cloud, wake up!"
Said Cloud opened his eyes, blinking the sleep out of them. "What?"
Tifa stood over him, frowning. "Sorry Cloud. They wouldn't stop calling, looks like you don't get a day off this week."
He sat up and stretched feeling the bones move, making cracking noises.
Tifa grimaced.
"Who keeps calling?"
"Reno, he says Rufus has a job for you."
Cloud nodded. "Thanks Tifa."
She smiled and ruffled his hair gently. "No problem, I'll go make a lunch for you to take."
She sauntered out of the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Cloud to get dressed.
"That was a strange dream... I have to stop eating sugary stuff before I go to bed."
Cloud looked up at the new Shinra building. It had been five years since the incident with Kadaj and Sephiroth. True to his word, Rufus stopped using the life stream for power, and devoted himself to protecting the planet.
He did bring back the SOLDIER program, saying that SOLDIER's would only be trained to fight monsters and protect the citizens. But Cloud knew it was only a matter of time before Wutai, or some other place would become weary of them and start a war.
Exiting the elevator, Cloud walked straight into the president's office without glancing at the SOLDIER's guarding it.
They didn't stop him.
"You needed something delivered Rufus?" He made sure his voice sounded mistrusting, and a little ticked off.
"Yes Cloud... Actually, before we get down to business, a little birdie told me that as of late, Tifa has been behind on her payments for the place your living in. Is that true?"
Cloud didn't let the surprise show on his face. Well now I know where she's been running off to on her days off. A second job. "No I wasn't aware of that, but what does this have to do with the job you have for me?"
Rufus picked up a pen laying on his desk and started scribbling on the paper in front of him. "I revived SOLDIER in an attempt to protect the people on our planet, and I must say, it's failing horribly. There is very little people who wish to join, and those who do have very little self confidence and or proper training, and die early on."
"What does this have to do with me?"
"Cloud, what SOLDIER, no.. What the people need right now is a hero, if you could lend us your time for just year, perhaps we'll be able to better the program and make it work."
Cloud shook his head in disbelief. "So you're asking me to join SOLDIER again?" He didn't wait for the answer. "I've already told you before, I'm a delivery boy now. And nothing you say will convince me to be other wise."
"Not even if I offered to completely pay of Tifa's debt? Or send your adopted children to school?"
Reno, who had been unnaturally quiet, spoke up. "Come on yo. It's not like he's asking you to be some first class, he's asking you to be the general, yo."
"General?" This time the surprise did show. "You want me to be the general of the Shinra army?" Barret will love this.
"Yes, that's the plan. We even have a couple of first class's left. Old friends of Zack's. They'll only join if you lead them."
"See Cloudy? Destiny! Don't you love how the goddess works things?"
Zack... "One year only?"
A smile graced Rufus's lips. "Yes, a year is all we ask of you, then you can go back to being a delivery boy again."
Cloud nodded. "Fine, one year, nothing more." I hope I don't end up regretting this.
Theres the first chapter, don't expect an update anytime soon, because I have other fanfictions that I must write chapters for, and most of them are small so I d like to finish them.
Sorry if Cloud was out of character!
Bai!