Righto! This story was inspired by a yaoi where Zack dressed Cloud up as a girl and hooked him up with Sephiroth...Tho this ISN'T yaoi...unfortunately... Anyone if i do recieve any messages from any flamers, I will 1) Tell them that they can't spell (Have you ever noticed that?) and 2) Tell them to piss off.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Square Enix, apart from Pippa and a few very minor OCs. If I did own Fianl fantasy...Then Sephiroth and Vincent would be locked together in a cage hanging above my bed...
She wiped the sweat that started beading on her forehead as she started climbing up the hill...her hill. Her blonde hair shone in the pounding sun, the black, purple and blue tips also illuminating. She sat at the base of the thick oak tree and stared at the magnificent view of her hometown. Nibelheim was such a small town, too small to pursue her dreams of becoming a famous writer. She had planned to move to Midgar soon but of course, that was another thing her twin brother had beaten her to. He had gone to join Soldier but he was still a cadet at the moment. Unlike her brothers strength and muscle, the 18-year-old's made up for it in brains...and advanced literature skills. She opened her black leather book and pressed her golden chocobo feather quill to it. Her father had given it to her on his death bed, and she used it ever since, apart from making a few minor touches, like hallowing out the stem and filling it with ink.
"Another day dawned upon Ayaka. She stared up at the sky with a tear in her eyes and a plead in her heart. The first part of fairy tales are real. The pain, the despair, the feeling on worthlessness, that's all reality. but in reality, there's no such thing as a happy ending."
The girl's quill stopped scratching as she felt the vibration of her phone in her pocket. She smirked at the caller ID.
"Pippa Strife here. And what my dear brother, do i owe this great honor?" She muttered sarcastically.
"Pip, I need a big, big favour. If you do this for me, I'll be forever grateful."
"Just spit it out Cloud."
"Well, there's this annual ball at ShinRa, a real classy one. Only the high ranking Soldiers and important people are invited. My friend pulled a few strings who then pulled another few strings and got me a invite. But me and Zack made a deal. He get me in and i get him a date. I wasn't allowed one but I don't care. So will you be my friends date please Pippa?" he asked. Pippa could almost see Cloud's kitty cat face through the phone and sighed.
"Alright, on one condition. No lip action unless I say so."
"What? No! Eww! Zack isn't that kind of guy. He wouldn't hook up with his best friend's sister even if someone paid him to. Don't worry is basically just for the entrance. Once the first dance is over then you can do whatever you want. Tell you what, I'll book you a motel in Midgar so you can be here for a few days. Maybe you can get some publisher's number or something. Thank you so much for this Pip!" Cloud exclaimed.
"Wait hold up. Answer me this one question...How the hell am I gonna get to Midgar?"
"Oh Zack has already taken care of that. He knows a pilot that owes him a favour or two. I've already spoken to Ma about this so you're cool. Meet us just outside of Nibelheim in two days, we'll be waiting in the chopper. Thanks Pip! I owe you one." The call ended with a click before Pippa could respond.
"Actually you owe me 12." She muttered
"Ma, I'll be fine! It's just for a couple of days. Cloud's already booked me a motel so don't worry." Pippa sighed as her mother tightened her hug.
"Alright well tell your brother that I love him and don't go wandering around by yourself. Midgar isn't like Nibelheim, just promise you'll be careful." Mrs. Strife almost cried to her daughter.
"I promise Ma, but I really gotta go now. Love ya!" She yelled as she climbed on the back of Zangan Lockheart's truck to take her outside Nibelheim.
"Ready?" Tifa asked from the passenger seat.
"Uh-huh." The rest of the girls response was cut off by the old roar of the engine.
~Hmm I wonder what Zack's like...Well Cloud's friends with him so i guess he has to be at least half decent.~
Pippa spent the remainder of the journey staring out to the greenery of her hometown. Her eyes widened when she saw the sleek black huge helicopter waiting for her in an empty paddock.
"Yo Pippa, say 'hi' to Cloud for me will ya?" Tifa yelled out.
"Will do Tifa! Thanks for that Mr. Lockheart!" The blonde girl shouted excitedly, grabbed her bag and ran to the chopper. It was the most advanced piece of technology she had ever seen and she was enjoying every bit of it.
Someone with a helmet yelled out her name but before she could respond, she was almost knock off her feet by someone glomping her. His helmet fell off in the process, leaving his spiky hair to bounce up.
"Cloud. I. Can't. Breathe." She puffed. her brother apologised, let her go and blushed.
"Zack this is Pippa. Pippa, this is Zack. He is a Soldier Second Class, soon-to-be First, or so he says..." Cloud pointed to the man of about 19. His raven bangs fell over his amethyst eyes. As hard as it was to believe, his hair was spikier than Cloud's.
"Nice to meet you. Chocobo head's never mentioned you before. Shame. Hey, your eyes. There Mako enhanced right?" She questioned excited to meet an actually Soldier. Before he answered her, he signalled the pilot to start and closed the hatch.
"Yep. Damn Mako. My eyes seriously glow in the night. Kind of annoying when you're trying to sneak into one of the First's rooms to put itchy powder in his clothes..." Zack trailed off and led the blondes to a seat that was bolted to the wall and buckled himself in. They both followed his actions before the helicopter started.
"So Cloud, hows military life?"
"Ehh, can't complain. I'll tell you this, it's much better then being stuck in the scorching heat of Nibelheim day in day out. You'd probably like it Pip. They're strict, demanding and you have to get up at the strike of dawn...kind of reminds me of you in a weird way, doesn't it?" He taunted his sister and playfully elbowed her.
"Cloud's just jealous because I used to beat him in wrestling...until he had a growth spurt. Maybe I might just join Soldier Cloud, just for your own personal hell." Pippa mused.
"Ha! I wish you luck! Not one girl has gotten in Soldier and believe me, a few have tried. It's something to do with your bodies not being able to survive the Mako process. Two actually got up to that stage but...One died and the other lost her ability to bear children and eventually she lost her mind. And I don't really want to see that taken away from you. I'd think I'd like being an uncle one day." Cloud smiled and the thought of his win sister with a baby in her arms, now that would be a site for sore eyes. Pippa wasn't really into babies...or any children for that matter. It seemed she didn't have a motherly bone in her entire body.
"Don't hold your breath. I want to make the most of my youth and dragging around a screaming kid isn't really what I had in mind. Anyway what Zack. It seems you get more out and about than my dear old brother does. Please entertain me." Pippa laughed and pushed a bit of blonde hair away from her face.
"There's not really much to tell. There's a massive plate that's split up into seven sections. Sector four is where all the rich snobby people live. The ShinRa building is in sector five. underneath plate there's the slums. No one from plate really goes down there but a lot of them came up. I think I only see them in the morning. I think it's the sunrise. You can't see the sky in the slums, so it seems more miserable then it actually is. Some of the kids come up and I sometimes have a chat to 'em. Kinda gives 'em something to aim for. Try it, they're actually quite interesting. There's a huge shopping centre in sector five that you might like." Zack explained. "So tell me some things I don't know about chocobo here." He added.
"Please for the love of Shiva, STOP calling me that. I beg of you." Cloud exclaimed dramatically.
"Well chocobo here used to actually sleep with a stuffed chocobo until he was 13. Go through his stuff and I betcha you'll find it. Also he got scared when a moogle ran into him. It was quite hilarious."
"I wasn't scared of the moogle, it just gave me a jump, that's all." Cloud muttered defensively. "Hey, how about I tell Zack some of your embarrassing stories, like the time your hair went green for two weeks." He taunted. The next hour was basically war between the twins. When the chopper landed on the ShinRa roof, they were still bickering.
"Okay, I'm gonna go call this a tie, just because I think I know a bit too much about Cloudy now." Zack stuttered and jumped from the hatch. The blondes both shrugged before following his lead.
"Err guys, I'm gonna have to go now. I have a surprise drill in like 5 minutes and if I'm late again then Instructor Keller's gonna have my ass. Get to know Zack, he's a great guy!" Cloud yelled behind his shoulder ass he ran to the stairs, thinking the elevator was too slow.
"Oh...kay. He didn't even tell me what motel I'm staying at. I'm guessing he didn't tell you."
"Well you guess wrong. He booked you in a motel called the 'Blue Rose'. I'd be happy to walk you there, Midgar is real easy to get lost in." Zack offered. The blonde smiled and accepted.
"Hey Zack! I was wandering..." The receptionist ran up behind the Soldier, almost scaring him. She was fairly pretty, with shoulder length layered black hair, a toned complexion and bright green eyes.
"Sorry Karla, but Pippa here is going with me. She's Cloud's sister." He smiled warmly.
"Who?"
"Cloud Strife...He's a cadet. You know blonde spiky- wait, never mind. I gotta go now. I'm really sorry Karla." He muttered but with a warm convincing smile and ushered Pippa out the door.
"Why didn't you ask her before. She seems nice." The blonde stated as they walked out of the building.
"A bit too nice. She kinda freaks me out a bit." Zack admitted. They walked quietly until Pippa broke the silence.
"So is the General as intimidating as everyone says he is?" She asked with a curious gaze. Zack looked at her with an eyebrow cocked before answering.
"Ha, worse. but he's a hell of a fighter. That war in Wutai, we were losing...epically. And then the General went over there and the tables turned. But I only seen him fight simulations and the only time he's actually looked at me was when he evaluates me. The man kind makes you wanna be perfect in every single way." The both crossed a street and Zack led Pippa up the stairs of an average looking motel.
"Here's your place, conveniently located a block away from ShinRa. The shopping mall isn't to hard to find, just down the street. Do you need any more company?" Anyone else would think the Soldier was flirting with her, but Pippa saw it differently. There was something about Zack that made the girl want to befriend him. He stroke Pippa as the 'best mate' kinda guy.
"I highly doubt you would enjoy any of the activities that i had in mind."
"Oh really? Try me." the blonde smiled at the challenge.
"Well first I have to buy a dress-"
"I'm outta here." He said quickly and pecked Pippa on the cheek in farewell. "The ball starts at 6 so be ready before then." He added and walked back to the SinRa building.
~What a nice guy. Cloud was right, he's cute and easy to talk to. But unfortunately not my type for a guy...but for a friend definitely.~
"Good afternoon Miss. What can i do for you?" the receptionist asked with a happy but fake smile.
"Don't worry about straining your face muscles for me. Busy day?" Pippa asked.
"You have no idea. this is my second job, my cheek bones are killing me." the girl answered.
"I can see. Yeah anyway my brother booked me a room. It should be under the name Strife." The receptionist gave her a key which she thanked for and headed up the stairs.
~Eh, you can see where Cloud's paycheck stops. Alright now to buy a dress...great.~ Pippa wasn't into the whole girly girl thing, favouring a pair of jeans over a skirt any day. This was going to be fun...
And thus my first chapter! Vincent: This was actually bearable Me: Why thank you Vincent! *Glompz* Vincent: That doesn't mean I want to touch Me: Admit it Vincent, you love it Vincent: I admit to nothing Me: Naww your no fun. Can you say it please Vincent? Vincent: *sigh* Please R & R everyone. If someone does flame then I will morph it Choas and NOMNOMNOM on your brain xD