Welcome, faithful friends. You have stepped into 'Requiem', a tale of staggering proportions. Inspired by the latest masterpiece of The Big Boss, I have decided to create a horrific tale. In the wake of 'Revolver', this piece will dive into indescribable pain. I shall use characters that were once held close to Shining Zephyr, prior to her brilliant RE/MGS compositions. Thanks for joining me, and my hopes for your enjoyment are high!

Disclaimer: The components of Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children don't belong to me. Have I made that clear, kiddies?

Warning: As all of my work does, this contains boy/boy love. It also contains Old Snake in a vulnerable, emotional state. If neither fact pleases you, please no readie-time for you. XD

Note: The first character to make an appearance will be riding a motorcycle. That part of the setting was inspired by the first fifteen minutes of Advent Children.

They were all lies. Every minute he spent with that entity turned out to be a lie. A wicked, vicious and ugly lie. He had wasted memories on a false monument to Heaven, giving his love to someone without a soul. Love, happiness and warmth were delivered to a soul without life. To make matters worse, it took him three days to realize the deception. Hal, Meryl and the others couldn't separate from the truth from deception, until reality slapped them all in the face. Sunny detected an abnormality, but couldn't decipher it. She assumed that something had happened to her beloved Epyon, transforming him into a silent, remote wolf. That was not the case, as Cloud painfully found out.

He had been lied to. Every last minute-every last second-had been spent with a fake. An immortal enemy of his created the doll to torment him, dangling his true love right in front of his nose. He cringed as the doll spoke of revenge, whispering thoughts of oncoming annihilation. He reeled back as the doll's eyes transformed into blank blue saucers, holding infinite dirges. His heart crumbled as he thought of empty kisses, all of them originally meant for a scintillating star of beauty. Right in the midst of an embrace, the mockery against love broke away from him. The entity of deception spoke of death, and the calamity its master would bring. Cloud could do nothing on the threshold of pain, paralyzed by the truth as it stared him down. The doll was the spitting image of Old "Solid" Snake, but it didn't offer love. It didn't offer the warmth Cloud knew so well. It offered nothing.

Declarations were made. The blonde swordsman was frozen, unable to move as the doll became airborne. Hal and Sunny rushed into the room, but neither one of them could offer light. In mere seconds the bedroom was annihilated, transformed into blazing ashes. The same attribute was applied to their small, humble home, due to the doll's composition of fire. Waves of translucent hellfire transcended from the airborne toy's body, setting off a series of explosions. Tears flew from the eyes of an otaku and maiden, caring nothing for their shattered home-and begging for the return of a loved one.

He drove. He drove through the thick sea of blood-red destruction, ears capturing the vast explosions of his world. All around him buildings shattered, their insides drawn into a fiery whirlpool of death. The skies had lost their previous radiance, eternally lost in the pallor of crimson oblivion. He rode, coursing upon the earth that trembled.

He rode through deafening tremors, dreaming of the one he loved.

"What's he thinkin'?! He can't take care of everything himself!"

As always, Barrett was intolerably uncomfortable under fire. In situations that called for action, he was always ready to take up arms-and never relished the sidelines. He had no problem with assisting his friends, but the intensity of the world's danger was just too much. Buildings were erupting into flames above them. The heavens were on fire, tremors were rattling their hearts-everything was just too much to accept. "This is sheer insanity," the muscular gunman moaned, gathering two children into his arms. One bore the name Marlene, while the other carried the name Denzel.

"He's out there, takin' on Hell itself! We're down here, lolly-gaggin' around, and he could be in danger!"

Red sent forth a growl. "Take it down a notch," the feline snarled. "We've got children here! Have you forgotten we're running a shelter for them?!"

Children were in the care of stalwart heroes and heroines. Sunny, Marlene and Denzel were three of the little ones, all sharing hopes for the world's rejuvenation. With the destruction of Tifa Lockhart's bar, and without Cid Highwind's airship, a select few were forced to utilize an underground haven. Only a few children were with parents, Sunny being one of them. They were all frightened, fearing the end of all dreams-but secretly hoping for the birth of sunshine. The world above shattered, and the world beneath them quivered. Hope, although present, was undeniably frail.

Tifa, at a sobbing Hal's side, spoke with a voice of radiant valor. "He can take care of himself," the maiden stated. "You should know that by now."

An otaku and maiden peered into each other's eyes. Two hearts throbbed in a stream of maddening fire, lost in a murky sea of anxiety. 'Do you think we'll get them back?' the maiden's eyes asked. The otaku, although saddened beyond human comprehension, presented her with a smile.

'I know we'll see Epyon and Cloud again-even if it's only in our dreams.'

A cobra's venom crept through him, gripping his insides. A stomach churned with a boiling concoction of vomit and blood, angered by the present conditions of a dying body. Bones threatened to cave in as breaths were executed, all weak and shaky. The ability to breathe was ebbing away, for the exercise required far too much strength.

He dangled from the ceiling, blood streaming and heart withering. Shreds of skin flapped against the frosty wind, dangling from a body that would soon lose its life. Tears mingled with blood, emerging from cerulean orbs that had been broken. He had been beaten, whipped and kicked into submission. Whips tore away scraps of flesh, merciless kicks rid his body of oxygen, and words sliced away at his soul. He once believed Liquid to be the epitome of evil, prior to his acknowledgement of Kadaj's existence.

A chain dug into his skin, driving itself into endless gashes. Blood fell upon a chapel's floor, its drops holding lost dreams. Not a shred of clothing protected him, eliminating every last bit of self-respect. Broken legs dangled listlessly above the chapel's floor, once devices of transportation. Two hands wrenched them apart, with their owner laughing at the top of his lungs. He had never questioned Liquid's authoritative stance until Kadaj's arrival. The silver-haired male definitely solidified his authority once he pulled his captive's leg bones apart-laughing while he performed the act.

"He doesn't have too much time," a youngish voice purred, sending its words into his eardrums. His eyes, glazed over with the mists of death, did not respond. "You're dying, you know. You're rotting away. Pretty soon, there won't be anything left for Cloud to see. Other than your bones."

Seeing Liquid would have been akin to seeing Cloud's face.

Footsteps scorched the Cosmo Canyon's surface. Eyes were in hot pursuit of a legend. Wisps of orange red locks threatened to steal one male's vision, but he deflected them with frequent waves of his hand. His ponytail had come undone, forced to fall apart under the immense pressure. His companion didn't have to worry about a single lock of hair, responsible for only a pair of sunglasses. He turned to the one of red tresses, face awash in uncertainty. Meanwhile, mountains crumbled. Fire roared within the skies, and the ground beneath their feet threatened to cave in.

"I don't see how Shiva's going to help us! Why are we out here, in the middle of Armageddon, searching for a sleeping Summon monster?!"

Reno didn't have a clear answer to Rude's inquiry. He didn't understand how his feet were moving, or how his heart was able to uphold a dangerously fast pace. No witty remarks met Rude's questions, replaced by crystal clear silence. Only several things were certain to the redhead, and all of them focused on one particular soul. He remembered how sitting inside of The Edge felt, in between Yuffie and Snake. Yuffie thunderously demanded a Shirley Temple, while Snake ordered a glass of apple cider. He remembered how his heart fluttered, captivated as the much older male sipped (daintily) at his drink. He remembered his inability to explain himself to Rude, who frequently inquired about his aimless confusion. After his observation of Snake, the redhead felt as if he had been slapped one too many times in the head.

With the world falling apart, he realized something of extreme importance.

Cloud had asked them to search for Shiva. Kadaj summoned Belial, the baddest Summon of them all. Along with the false Snake, the representative of hellfire brought upon widespread destruction. Which explained all of the world's fire. The only one that could even dream of challenging Belial was, of course, Shiva. "Quit your belly-aching," the redhead ordered, tossing off his laidback demeanor for the first time in ages. "Keep your eyes on the road, pal! We've got a lady to deal with, and it's not Lady Luck!"

Hold on, Snake.

"Don't let me go, dammit."

"I won't. I'd rather die than let you go."

"You told me you'd never let go! You promised! Stay with me, damn you!"

"Cloud, we need you out there! Without you, we're fighting a lost cause!"

"For the first time in my life, I feel whole. And it's because of you. Because of you, I'm alive. Thank you for bringing me to life…Dave."

"Where are you going?! Please don't leave, Cloud! What if something happens to Epyon?! He'll be scared all over again if you leave him! Please don't leave!"

"The flight of Snake's virus has doubled. At this rate, he'll age ten years by tonight. And there's not a damn thing we can do to halt the age progression."

"Tifa…when all of this ends…if this nightmare ever ends…would you…like to marry me?"

"Just what are you doing, touching on such an old man? Have you no shame, Cloud?"

"My love life is none of your business. Piss off."

"I just thought you'd have higher standards. You're such a phenomenal man, and…well, you've got three beautiful women at your side. What is it about that old freak that interests you? Isn't he filthy?"

"If anyone's filthy around here, it's you. Zip it or you'll find my blade down your throat, Hojo!"

"Cloud…have you forgiven yourself yet?"

The Heavenly Fair's wheels rode upon the trembling earth. A heart trembled as it pictured a loved one, remembering how that particular treasure winced at the idea of love making. Remembering how a precious face grimaced at the mere concept of intimate touching. Cloud experienced a tremendous amount of difficulty when it came to kissing, but his mate completely detached himself from blissful unity. Time and time again he told his lover how beautiful, how wondrous he was, but all words crumbled. The lamp of his heart despised his own face.

Snake hated it. Despite the encouragement from Hal and Sunny, he hated it. He hated his feverish attachment to Cloud with a burning passion. He hated how his heart throbbed whenever the blonde was within fifty yards. He hated how Cloud always brought a smile to face, even if the blonde didn't utter a syllable. He hated how much he adored Cloud, how much he wanted to touch Cloud-

-and Cloud loved every bit of him.

I haven't forgiven myself, Aerith. I don't think I ever will. I broke my promise.

I let him go.

"Stay with me. Stay with me, Sonata. Stay with me."

"It won't be too long now. Yes, I can already smell your rotting flesh. It's fun, watching you die."

Wrapped up in the brilliance of stained glass windows, he said nothing. He said nothing as he dangled from the ceiling, devoid of life's magic and drowning in one emotion: sorrow. Blood poured onto the floor beneath him, staining a set of beloved flowers. The laughter of a roguish imp met his ears, but his eyes couldn't find the one named Kadaj.

They certainly couldn't find the flock of ravenous crows crashing through the stained glass windows, but his ears definitely heard them.

"Watch yourself, Snaaake! My friends are mighty hungry, and you're just the ticket!"

"Reno, I think you'd better take a look! I might have found something!"

The redhead gasped, heart stopping to catch its breath. "There's some sort of weird inscription," Rude cried out to him, several yards behind. Pawing at a wall, the older male desperately tried to put a puzzle together. Reno rushed to his side, read it in a flash, and-

"Oh my god. That can't be right."

In order to summon Shiva, we need-

"I don't see Meryl and her boys anywhere! Are you sure we've got the right location, Princess?!"

"Yes I'm sure! Akiba gave us these exact coordinates! And don't call me that, old geezer!"

"Quiet down, you upstarts! Its bad enough we've got the entire universe falling! We don't need all of your extra noise!"

"That's right, my friends. Peck away! Isn't he just to die for?! It's an all-you-can-eat buffet! All expenses covered!"

"Dad…I want them back. I want all of this to go away!"

"Me too, Sunny. Me too."

Don't leave me, Sonata. Don't go. Stay with me.

"What is it, Reno?! Talk to me! What did you find out?!"

"Rude…in order to awaken our blind date, we're gonna need-"

Both Reno and Rude released a sharp gasp, eyes directed heavenward.

Snake raised his empty eyes to the sky-

Shrill laughter became louder-

A maiden wrapped her arms around her lover, drawing his surrogate daughter into the embrace-

Birds continued to tear their meals from an old one's body, and-

"Zack…?"

This awesome adventure was composed to 'Requiem for a Tower'. Thus, the title 'Requiem'. The title truly fits, too. Discover the definition of the word 'requiem', and you'll find out why. Kinda cool too, considering Cloud's pet name for Snake: Sonata. XD Speaking of the pet name, I always think it's cute to give our soldier cuddly nick names. Leon calls him 'firefly', Dante calls him 'dollface', and now Cloud will call him 'Sonata'.

I used the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children forms of guest characters. XD Cloud's totally sexy in that form, by the way. And I loved writing his words, while using his English voice actor as a guide.

I could not remember the name of Tifa's bar for the life of me, so I called it 'The Edge'. Bwa ha ha. Silly me!

I was going to use Sephiroth instead of Kadaj, but that was an obvious choice. I wanted someone new. Someone different. Kadaj fit the bill. XD

Kadaj and Snake's location was Aerith's chapel. You know, the place where everyone admires her flowers and stuff.

What did Reno and Rude need to awaken Shiva? Well, I'm not telling. XD Lemme just say I pulled an idea from the Fullmetal Alchemist anime.

What will become of our heroes? Will Cloud succeed in saving Snake? Will there be anything left for him to save? Will Kadaj and Belial reign supreme? Will Shiva awaken? And will the timid, adorable Hal marry Tifa Lockhart? What brought them together? Well, children, Mommy has the truth for you. This may end here, or transform into a tale of small chapters. Five, at the most. Your words of love encourage me. They also inspire me, but they inspire me so darn much that I've got a plethora of ideas to work with! My dear flower Zephyr should know everything about my idea surplus! And now I've got The Big Boss spinning epic tales-aaaughh! I still don't know who my favorite angel for Snake is, I still haven't plucked out a Valkyria Chronicles hottie for him yet-

So! Will evil conquer all? Will the world truly come to an end? How does Zack work into all of this?! Wanna know?

Just tell me! XD