Oneshot inspired by "Highwayman", the poem by Alfred Noyes, and the song by Loreena Mckennitt. Half of this, the first part, was written literal years ago as songfic, and in a fit of boredom (and the fact that I need to get off my ass and write more. And the fact that my internet is being a bitch) I decided to browse through my old fics, came across this one, and decided to finish it. WIPs are great to keep around y'know! I honestly started this as a ghost story, but I just can't keep a dour story like that for long. Usually.
...I think this is going to be my first fic release in... well, since June. Not as bad as I thought TBH. Need to actually do some original shit though, can't make money off fanfics sadly. ER. ANYWAYS. On with the show?
Nibelheim was a small, sleepy town nestled in the mountains. The small village, well named for its excess of fog, was little more than a pit stop on the way to Rocket Town. Its greatest landmark was a single old, leaky water tower in the centre of the square. The high and twisted mountains rose like the ribs of a corpse, twinkling in the evening light from the hint of frost that dusted their peaks. Although snow wasn't visible, the puffs of air that escaped when one breathed were enough evidence of the cold permeating the Nibel region, much like the low-laying mists it housed. Locals were sparse, flitting past the creaking boards of the buildings to avoid the winds howling silently through the town.
It was far too cold and calm for Zack Fair's liking.
"Puppy, do stop squirming," came a calm drone from behind, the voice deep and calm.
"Aw, Angeal...!"
A smirk was all he received in response. The burly First Class stepped beside him, crossing his broad arms as he gazed out the window of the inn where they currently resided. "Patience, Zack. We'll be able to set off tomorrow, when the pass isn't so hazardous. We wouldn't want to have an accident before we even get there, would we?"
"Naw, no way! I can't wait to see that rocket they're going on about! Think it'll really work? Going to the stars and all?"
"Who knows, they've yet to finish construction," Mumbled the First aloud before turning to his protegee, "we're just there for a little publicity is all. No need to get too excited."
"Says you, I'm gonna find a girl if I can! The ladies looooove a man in uniform!" Zack grinned, showing off comically. Angeal just laughed and shook his head, shooing away the energetic SOLDIER.
"Away with you, off! Go find something else to do than think about women!"
"Aye aye, sir!" And he was off, tearing down the inn's halls much to his mentor's chagrin.
The black-haired teen found himself in the inn's pub area soon after, scarfing down the occasional tidbit of local cuisine or applauding the performances being displayed by the local townsfolk. Apparently they were having a weekly get-together, and Zack was quickly finding himself at home in the small town atmosphere, a nostalgic reminder of his home in Gongaga. He laughed and joked and made a general nuisance of himself, and the townsfolk loved him all the more for it. The evening waned, dusk glowing through the windows in pale grey rays.
That's when she stepped forward. One of the town's women, middle aged, took a seat in the hall, speaking aloud. "Tonight is the kind of night that reminds me of long ago stories. Do all wish to hear of one?" Cheers went up, but soon died. The hall quieted as she began singing. The lyrics she sung, the story she told, was uninterrupted by none save the howling winds and a few traitorous breaths from her captive audience. All stood or sat in rapture.
It was about a pair of lovers. A lady of the inn, and a highwayman. A tale of woe. Enemy soldiers came to kill the man, to use her as bait. To save him, she slew herself. The sound of a gunshot warned him from the trap. But on the morrow he heard of her demise, and took many a soldier 's life. But not all, and not enough, for he lay in a pool of his own blood.
Then the song ended. The room was still.
It was the eeriest thing Zack had ever heard.
Once it was finished the townsfolk returned to their idle chatter, laughing and joking as their drinks clinked together. Obviously such a spectacle was not unusual for them. The woman left after a few rounds of applause, excusing herself for the night. Zack decided to follow suite soon after, not quite recovered from the experience.
Angeal barely noticed him entering their room, merely flapping his hand at his student, indicating that he should get some sleep. Zack tried, he honestly did, but something kept him up. He tossed and turned, and sometime around midnight he simply couldn't take it anymore. He hopped to his feet, glaring out the window at the little town of Nibelheim as the moon shone on.
The moon. That was it. After hearing that odd song earlier, it must have been setting him off! Zack promptly flung close the shutters, grumbled, and sent himself back to bed, Angeal's light snores a meagre serenade.
Tap tap.
Zack's eyes twitched at the sound on the window. Damnit. A branch in the wind. Or a bird.
Crack!
Zacl growled as loud as he could considering he didn't want to wake his mentor. What a rickety old inn they'd managed to land themselves in! Frustrated, he flung open the windows to eliminate the source of noise. But in the end, there was nothing. Nothing in the sky, no branch tapping on the outside, nor even a wind to stir the trees.
But in the middle of the road he saw a figure, hunched, surrounded by a dark pool.
"Angeal!" He screamed, and his poor mentor yelped to attention with sleep-grogged eyes blinking wildly, searching for the source of the commotion. Zack had already grabbed his sword and kicked open their little room's door . It was miraculous that the man managed to follow his frantic trainee, but that he did. Other patrons complained and peeked out their doors to see the hubbub as two SOLDIERS noisily bumbled down the stair in the middle of the night, one shouting for a medic as he practically busted down the front door and ran into the middle of the street.
Angeal finally managed to call down his overenthusiastic puppy in the middle of the street. "Zack! What's the reason for this?" Angeal's voice was on edge, the man concerned by Zack's tone of voice.
"I saw someone," Zack quivered, "They were right here! Middle of the road, looking like they were in a puddle of blood!"
Angeal looked around the area searchingly. A few minutes later, he relaxed. "I don't see anything. Not even a puddle."
Zackl looked over at Angeal, seemingly expecting doubt, but the man was just cautious instead. Zack groaned, "I know. And that's what bugs me, because I know I saw something?" He sounded disappointed in himself, and crossed his arms, "I know that song from earlier set me off, but I was damn sure I saw something out here. I don't get it." The boy scratched his head, confused, and looked around some more.
Angeal, sighed. Most people (AKA his best friend Genesis) would have told him the puppy was just being delusional again. Angeal knew Zack, however, and the boy was energetic, yes, but not a liar, and not frittery in nature. "Well, we'd better survey the area just in case."
Zack smiled sadly, but a thankful nod set the on-edge SOLDIER on his course. The pair began to look thoroughly about the area.
A small noise from a ditch caught their attention. The pair were at it in an instant. With a curse, Angeal began fishing out the gaunt boy laid in the bottom, soaking wet with his head barely above the waterline. Ice ringed the slow-moving ditchwater, but the First Class paid no heed to it as he extricated the freezing youngster now held in his broad arms.
"Zack, tell the innkeeper to start a fire and a warm broth, now."
"On it-!" No sooner had the boy turned 180 degrees than the duo spotted a shimmering pair of figures nearby.
"Oh good, you found him," smiled a woman, her breasts covered in blood and her shattered ribcage peeking through.
The boy Angeal held suddenly jerked, the movement sad and pathetic at best, "C...lou...d... it's..."
The man beside her, regal lace stained crimson in the night, nodded sagely. "Cloud, yes. Good sport! A good thing you had the manners to tell me your name when I asked, or these fine men might not have heard you. You're a lovely lad, and I would not have regretted your company, but I think there's been enough loss here for a few centuries."
The woman beside him smiled more widely. The cold night stung the SOLDIER's faces, and when they blinked, there was nothing there. Zack, surprisingly grounded, just blinked a couple more times before he dashed back to the inn. "Er, hot broth, right? On it! YO! INNKEEP!"
Angeal breathed out slowly and simply hugged the confused teenager (and yes it was a teenager, despite how hard it was to tell with the too-light weight and the skin covered in bruises) closer to him. He tried not to shiver as most of his body heat disappeared in an instant, but he figured... Cloud, was it? Cloud probably needed the warmth more than him right now.
For his part, Cloud just stared at where the people... well, where the ghosts had been, made a confused noise, and slowly murmured a thank you to them despite the fact that he'd never hear an answer. He managed to snuggle further into Angeal's strong body and hummed, and the SOLDIER tried very hard not to get attached to the very small boy he held. Genesis had always chided him about being motherly, and it wasn't Angeal's fault that the ones in need were so bloody cute.
As he handed off the kid to the innkeeper, he calmly told himself that it wasn't his problem anymore. He already had a puppy, the last thing he needed was some little chocobo to match. Maybe he shouldn't have nicknamed him something endearing like that already, but the hair was undeniable. So was the sincerity of the small smile and mumbled "Thank you" that the boy gave him in his muddled state. Zack hovered like a mother hen nearby and Angeal wondered if he had gotten that from his mentor. But aside from that, the rest of the night passed uneventfully once they'd gotten Cloud to some medical attention (and a frantic mother).
The next morning proved more fruitful. Cloud came up them right as they were leaving, blushing furiously, and shoved a red materia at them. "I-I found this in the water tower last night, when the other boys were in the middle of, uh, 'playing' with me. You should have it! It's the least I can do to say thanks..."
"Is that a summon? Cool!" Zack grinned. Cloud blushed further. The blonde began to squirm uncomfortably as Angeal slowly, daintily took the object and inspected it. His squirming was reminiscent of the day Angeal first saw Zack, oh bother he shouldn't be relating his student to this boy, that was only going to endear him more. Then Angeal realized what he was looking at and his eyebrows shot up.
"Phoenix? Most impressive! I have a good friend who has been after this for years. I hope you won't be offended if I pass this on to him?"
"If it makes you happy, of course not," Cloud smiled shyly.
Zack took one look at Cloud, looked seriously at his mentor, and pointed at the small boy in front of them.
"Can we keep him?"
"Zack!"
Bonus
He was definitely going to have some explaining to do.
Genesis took one look at the young blonde cowering behind his best friend, scowled, and pointed at the boy. "Angeal. One pet only." He was of course referring to the one-trainee-only rule Lazard had imposed on the SOLDIERs under his rule. Angeal just gave a guilty grin.
"Well, I couldn't just leave him in Nibelheim... and he actually has some promise, as I found out when Zack took him for a spin training on the way here. So I thought that, well..."
"Angeal I am not adopting him on your behalf," Genesis shot, and that was the end of that. Or so the redhead thought.
"Not even for a bribe?" Angeal questioningly teased.
Genesis growled. This was not the first time this game had been played on him, and he never liked it. "Not even for a bribe. Nothing you could give me would bribe me that well anyway."
Angeal simply raised his palm in a 'stop and wait' gesture, turned to the boy hiding behind him (the blonde one. Angeal knew not to bring Zack within ten feet of Genesis lest he risk his puppy becoming a hot dog) and indicated he step forward. Cloud gulped, skittered forward slowly, and held out a red orb.
"This was your friend, right?" Cloud asked Angeal. Angeal nodded.
Genesis simply snorted, swiping the red orb offered to his vicinity and inspecting it. He frowned. His brows crunched. He looked at Cloud crossly.
"...One week test run. That's it. That's all I'll promise," Genesis finally acceded, bringing himself to his full height like a cat preening itself despite things having not gone their way. Cloud smiled his small little smile, Angeal had a shit-eating grin in the background, and everyone in attendance could see the fiery man's resolve already begin to waiver upon seeing the teenager's earnesty.
Hook, line, and sinker. Or, well, sucker. Angeal was surprisingly devilish when he wanted to be.