Deal with the Devil

Cr00cy is Chief Editor Forever

Over an hour. That's how long Reeve had been watching Cloud train in the WRO gym.

He'd heard of getting tired from watching someone work before, but he thought he'd at least need to be able to conceptualize himself doing the workout to feel anything like that. He was under no such illusions as to his ability, and so watching the blond warrior was just…fascinating. Fascinating in the way that watching a circus performer complete some impossible feat was fascinating.

What really struck Reeve, was that he hadn't stopped moving the entire time. Cloud was in perpetual motion, calisthenics had become sprints, which had given way to a gymnastic routine, all performed with perfect form despite the breakneck pace.

The real work however, began when the young man had picked up his sword.

Reeve wasn't sure what to call what he had been watching for over half an hour, but shadow boxing seemed as appropriate a term as he was going to find. He wasn't sure if that did it justice however. Cloud had started off tentative, feeling out his invisible foe, searching for openings and keeping his blade at the ready. Whoever Cloud was fighting in his mind must have been a powerful threat to have the blond so hesitant, he thought. Threats, Reeve corrected himself, as he watched his friend dodge back and begin looking from side to side. He was fighting multiple opponents. Reeve swore that he could almost see them with the way Cloud bobbed and weaved around their invisible strikes, a look of concentration on his face as his eyes constantly scanned the room, and careful footwork kept the imaginary threats in front of him.

Cloud was losing this fight.

His young friend had been pushed back against a wall of the gym, and he could imagine his assailants watching, stalking, circling, waiting to deal the final blow.

The tide turned in an instant. Cloud's eyes snapped to left as the first opponent struck, moving out of the way like a snake before striking through the air with a finality that said that foe would not rise again. He pivoted, bringing himself around to face the rest of the attackers, and lunged. Gone was the hesitant man who had fought and careful defensive battle against losing odds. In his place was a berserker, an angry war god, a threshing machine, one that was cutting down everything in its path.

Now, Reeve could almost see the invisible men stumbling, leaping, and diving to get out of the way of the blade. One must have been too slow, or tripped, because Cloud drove his blade downward, then wrenched it free of an invisible body, shifting his gaze to those that remained. They didn't last long. Within a few more moments, Cloud stood alone with the single remaining opponent, circling him with an easy grip on his sword and an air of an overwhelming confidence. Reeve wouldn't call it arrogance, just a deadly certainty of the outcome.

The two men leapt in, and Cloud's blade flashed. The battle was over.

Reeve marveled at the warrior in front of him, and that's certainly what he was, a warrior. If anyone's hands had been made for war, it was Cloud Strife. He winced a little at the thought. He supposed that the 'made for war' part of that applied a little more…literally to Cloud than most, considering his time in Hojo's care.

The young man planted his sword in the ground, leaned on it, and let out a long breath. His head turned to locate the sound of clapping in the room.

Reeve realized with some small surprise that he was the one clapping. Cloud smiled at him.

"Didn't realize I had an audience. I would have put on a show."

Reeve scoffed. "Don't try to make the rest of us feel any worse about our conditioning than you already do, thank you."

The blond smirked. "What brings you down here anyway? Do you creep on all your employees while they work out?"

"It's more of a rotating schedule really. I'm a busy man, I can't stalk everyone all the time. This way, people can't accuse me of playing favorites."

Cloud laughed.

"But really, you have a job for me? The bar could use some upgrades, so I'm looking for work."

"I do, I need someone to deliver supplies to Fort Condor, they've been helping us keep the land trade routes open."

Cloud nodded. "I'm on it. I'll head out tomorrow morning." He turned and began walking over to collect his gym bag.

"Cloud." Reeve called after him. The blond turned back to him, he hesitated for a moment, then asked. "Do you mind if I ask you a…personal question?"

His friend considered him for a moment, then shrugged. "Shoot."

"Would you…would you change what was done to you, if you could?"

Cloud barked a laugh. "Damn, that IS personal. What brought this on fortune teller?"

Reeve sighed. "I met with Vincent the other day, and the thought has been with me ever since. I knew him before…before what happened. I can see the stark differences in him, it's…strange."

The swordsman smirked at him. "And you didn't feel like trying to ask him?"

He shuddered. "No thank you. I prefer all my organs where they are at the moment. I have a feeling he wouldn't take this as well as you are."

"I think that's the first time anyone has ever accused me of being emotionally stable." He joked.

"To be fair, look at your competition." He smiled back. "It's just always struck me as such a Faustian bargain."

The blond raised an eyebrow. "Faustian-what-now? Reeve, I want you to think about where I grew up, how early I left home, and the rather large gap of time there in the middle."

He shook his head. "It's a deal with the devil Cloud-"

"Oh, like in the song 'the devil came up to Nibelheim?'"

He sighed. "I suppose, but in this case, you generally lose something in return, not beat the devil in a fiddle competition. You both underwent indescribable tortures, but you were…gifted," he said carefully, "with incredible abilities because of it. Abilities without which, we very likely wouldn't have been able to stop Jenova and Sephiroth."

"Huh, I must have slept through the negotiating part of that deal. I don't remember getting a choice in the matter."

He winced. "I agree that the analogy falls apart a bit there."

Cloud waved it off. "Don't worry about it." He considered for a moment, mulling the question over. "I...I don't know man." He stared down at his hands, as if considering the unnatural power within them. "I think that question is too big for me, you know? I would do damn near anything to take back what was done to Zack and me, to take back what I put everyone through." He paused. "But if I did, would I have been strong enough to kill Sephiroth? Would I have been able to save Tifa? How many Nibelheim did we prevent by bringing down Jenova?"

He shook his head. "You're asking me if I would change the worst experience of my life at the risk of dooming the world. That's too big a question to ask and get a real answer."

He looked at his older friend, his eyes tired. "The answer is both yes and no. Yes, of course I would, who wouldn't? And no, how could I, when I know what tragedies it has allowed me to avert?"

Reeve nodded in understanding.

Cloud chuckled. "You're a real downer. I remember Cait being more fun."

"Coming from you, that is especially cutting." He replied.

They shared a laugh.

"I'll make it up to you. Let's go get lunch at the bar, my treat."

"Tifa and the kids will be excited to see you, but can you spare that kind of time Mr. President? I thought you had big-shot things to do?"

He scoffed. "I'm the boss, I make my own hours. They just happen to match whatever my secretary tells me they are." He finished with a smile.

Cloud shook his head. "Let's head that way then."

Reeve fell into step behind his young friend. The warrior may not be able to answer his question now, but he had a feeling that when they stepped through the doors of Seventh Heaven, and the three smiling faces of his family greeted his, Cloud Strife would have his answer.

Just some dabbles that pop into my head from time to time.