Title: Mako Blue Horizon
Chapter: Prologue
Author: Kage Kashu
Archive: Ask. Give credit where it's due. Then... ?
Genre: General. Humor/Drama/Angst/Romance/Action/Adventure
Story Summary: What would happen if Cloud never went to Midgar? Who would take his place? And who would take Sephiroth's place as Jenova's right hand? Because of a Mako induced illness, Cloud never went to Midgar. Because of his absence, things that were supposed to happen never did, and things that were never supposed to happen did. Sephiroth-centric with Cloudy moments.
Chapter Summary: Sephiroth finally gets to Nibelheim. Surprisingly little happens, due to major changes as listed above. Tifa's out, so who's the guide?
Disclaimer: Dun own them, wish I did.
Author's notes: This was a very strange idea that popped into my head while watching a friend replay FFVII.
Warnings: Very AU. Cloud is terribly OOC due to reasons stated above. Sephiroth abuse... by Zack and a large fuzzy creature. And, once again, AU.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Three Years Before Game, Shinra Mansion, Nibelheim
A shrill voice shattered the morning calm. "What do you mean, I have to take them?"
Sephiroth sighed and gazed distractedly at the blonde woman in front of him. She was a beautiful woman... and had he been straight, he would have been sorely tempted to attempt to court her. There was a quiet elegance about her that no city woman could ever hope to attain.
The shrill voice broke through his thoughts again, and his gaze was directed to the open door to his left. "I will not do this!! You can't make me!!!" The voice seemed to be coming from two places at once... one, said door, and two, a speaker overhead. He sighed again, rubbing his ear. Tenor. It actually hurt.
The woman smiled sweetly at him. "I'm sure Mr. Valentine will be able to convince him sooner or later, General Sephiroth." She had a lovely alto voice.
He frowned, "Hopefully sooner, rather than later. What was your name again, Ms...?"
"Strife, and that's Mrs. The people in town call me Mrs. Valentine, though. Not sure why..." she frowned at the open doorway as well.
"THAT'S BLACKMAIL!" came the half expected, half dreaded shriek. "I will not guide a bunch of half-witted Shinra up the mountain! Like as they'd not even listen when it matters! And whose record would that mar? Mine! No way am I gonna do it!"
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the woman as she winced. "Sorry, General. He's expecting Troopers." Her gaze drifted back to the door, she pressed a button on the desk before yelling, "Cloud!" over the intercom.
The voice in the other room was silent for a moment. Then there was a round of quiet muttering before it piped back up, "Yes, Mother?" No longer yelling. Good.
And the button went down again. "They're here. You shouldn't be so judgmental," her voice was stern. Made Sephiroth wish he had known his mother...
Wait a second... "Mother?" he asked her.
"Yes. I must apologize for my son's behavior. He doesn't think much of most of Shinra... but you, sir, do not seem like the rest of them," she smiled at him again, "You are far more polite." She grinned. "Mr. Valentine didn't know you were here, I think. Or else he wouldn't have been hitting the intercom button... But you would have heard it anyway." She laughed quietly.
A sudden racket started near the aforementioned left doorway. "But you said I could hike the rates!" The tenor, again. Not as loud as before, though, thankfully.
A light baritone replied, "Just for the Shinra?"
"No, not for the Shinra," sarcasm thick enough to spread lay in Cloud's voice. "For me having to be the guide. I'm not a people person, Vincent. I hate people!"
Vincent sounded saddened, "What about me and your mother? And Tifa?"
Sephiroth could see them, now. The blonde blinked. "Yeah, but you're special people."
The other man sounded vaguely offended. "Special?"
The tall brunette standing behind Sephiroth sniggered. "Bet he feels loved, ne, Seph?"
Sephiroth decided that that needed a reply, so he said, "Ha. Ha."
Mrs. Strife startled them both by chuckling enthusiastically. "And what's your name, young man?"
The brunette scratched the back of his head, looking at Sephiroth for help. When none was forthcoming, he replied, "Zachary Donovan, Ma'am."
Cloud's tenor carried over again, "Of course you're special, Vincent. Not everyday you see a vampire."
There was silence from the other end. And Zachary leaned over to Mrs. Strife, to ask, "Is he really a vampire?"
More silence. And then, "Of course he's a vampire!" Cloud had answered him.
"How old are you?" Sephiroth contributed. He hadn't liked the sound "rate hike" coming from a hick.
"Almost 19," was the cheerful reply.
"And you want to charge extra for having _you_ as a guide?"
"The other guide's almost 18." A wide smile crossed the teen's face. "Besides, I know every rock, plant and beast on the mountain. I've been a hunter here for 5 years. We've been guiding for 3."
Sephiroth frowned, feeling vaguely annoyed. He was about to ask if there were any other guides in the area when he noticed it. This teen with his cocky smile had mako eyes. Sure, it wouldn't be surprising, but Sephiroth knew every SOLDIER on sight. This boy wasn't one of them. So why did he have a SOLDIER's eyes? "How much?" he asked instead.
Of course, it wasn't just the eyes that caught Sephiroth's notice. Although, that is what warranted him a second look. "1000 gil."
He scowled. "How much of a hike is that?"
The rest also warranted a second look. The hair, for one. How much hair gel does that require, he wondered. "I don't like guiding. It's double. Take it or leave it."
Mrs. Strife sighed, "Cloud, you didn't hike it that much last time..."
Maybe bargaining? "600, at most," he said in a dignified tone.
The boy's eyes widened in mock outrage, "950."
"650," was Sephiroth's reply. He already knew where this was going.
"900"
"700"
"850"
"750"
"800"
"775, then. No more, no less."
"Deal."
Zack leaned up from behind, "You know that you should have started from 550?"
Sephiroth glared at him momentarily. Then turned slightly to whisper conspiratorially into Zack's ear, "I was going easy on him."
Zack lifted an eyebrow in salute, and grinned knowingly at him. And then turned to Cloud. "Hot dogs or tacos?"
Cloud blinked. "What?"
"Which do you like better, hot dogs, or tacos?"
Cloud stood blank faced for a moment. "Well... That's not a fair question. I don't like either of them... but Midean food's good, I'll give you that."
Zack stood silent for a moment, before crashing to the floor as Sephiroth's elbow contacted with his skull.
~*~
Two Days Later, Up Mount Nibel
Sephiroth shuddered. That boy... well, he'd just met the boy's pet. A giant Nibel Wolf lay at Cloud's side, allowing the boy to pet it, scratch it, and, it seemed, groom it. "Nibie" is what Cloud called the monster. The villagers called her "The Nibelheim Wolf".
The beast's shoulder was of equal height to his own. Yet... Cloud played with it as a small child would play with a _very_ big dog. It seemed to think that that's all it was, too. Just a big, big, dog. Oh, and it was BIG, too.
And just a few minutes before, it had torn out the throat of a Dragon. Sure, it was only a Green Dragon (the type most commonly found in the Nibel Region), but it was still a Dragon. Although, the boy had weakened it first. Unmindful of the danger to himself, Cloud had just thrown himself into battle... before Sephiroth could get close enough to use Bolt3 on the creature.
Where had he pulled that sword from? It was too big to easily hide, being a full-sized Wutaian katana. So where did he put it when the fight was over?
Mysteries, mysteries. But Sephiroth had a mission. One that left no room to extort the locals of their mysteries. Like the mako eyes.
Sephiroth found himself caught up in his thoughts, so much that he hadn't heard the approach. He did notice, however, when a great big tongue licked him from belly to chin. He was covered in animal drool. Not just any drool either. The Nibelheim Wolf's drool.
Soft tenor laughter. "Nibie likes you. I get the feeling that she bothers you though..." Laughing, mako-infused eyes. He'd seen stranger.
"I didn't expect such a creature to take well to strangers," he replied sourly.
"She usually doesn't." Cloud reached up to drape his arm loosely over her neck.
"You seem rather talkative." The boy hadn't hardly talked once they had set off...
A softer smile graced his face. "Well, maybe I like you too. Although... You aren't what I expected."
Deeper baritone laughter floated over to him. Zack. "Don't think I didn't see that," he called. "And guess what? It's caught on tape, to enjoy another time!"
Sephiroth's eyes widened. There was no way, absolutely no way, that Zack would get away with this.
~*~
Eight Days Later, Back In Nibelheim
Laughing mako blue eyes watched as the Shinra military trucks left. Cloud felt vaguely disappointed. Why, he didn't know. He had gotten to guide his childhood idol up Mount Nibel, and had obviously peaked the man's interest. He wasn't quite sure what it was that Sephiroth saw in him, but it must have been something, right?
'Maybe I should have gone to Midgar once I had gotten better... But Mother was so upset when I had fallen ill... She cares too much... Tifa was glad that I didn't go, too... but... What if...?
'No what ifs. None. I'll be happy with the present.' He smiled at the figures coming down the Mount Nibel trail. Tifa was back.
'775. Best deal yet... Wait 'til I tell her.' The smile turned into a grin. She would be angry, sure, but they always split commission.
His gaze drifted back towards the valley, after the already vanished trucks. Nibie raised her head to his lap, and he sighed.
~*~*~*~*~*~
So... Read, Review. Tell me what you think. (I like it.) Is it any good? (Please tell me what you think.) My opinion is subjective... (I need objective opinions...)
Thank you, for reading.
Chapter: Prologue
Author: Kage Kashu
Archive: Ask. Give credit where it's due. Then... ?
Genre: General. Humor/Drama/Angst/Romance/Action/Adventure
Story Summary: What would happen if Cloud never went to Midgar? Who would take his place? And who would take Sephiroth's place as Jenova's right hand? Because of a Mako induced illness, Cloud never went to Midgar. Because of his absence, things that were supposed to happen never did, and things that were never supposed to happen did. Sephiroth-centric with Cloudy moments.
Chapter Summary: Sephiroth finally gets to Nibelheim. Surprisingly little happens, due to major changes as listed above. Tifa's out, so who's the guide?
Disclaimer: Dun own them, wish I did.
Author's notes: This was a very strange idea that popped into my head while watching a friend replay FFVII.
Warnings: Very AU. Cloud is terribly OOC due to reasons stated above. Sephiroth abuse... by Zack and a large fuzzy creature. And, once again, AU.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Three Years Before Game, Shinra Mansion, Nibelheim
A shrill voice shattered the morning calm. "What do you mean, I have to take them?"
Sephiroth sighed and gazed distractedly at the blonde woman in front of him. She was a beautiful woman... and had he been straight, he would have been sorely tempted to attempt to court her. There was a quiet elegance about her that no city woman could ever hope to attain.
The shrill voice broke through his thoughts again, and his gaze was directed to the open door to his left. "I will not do this!! You can't make me!!!" The voice seemed to be coming from two places at once... one, said door, and two, a speaker overhead. He sighed again, rubbing his ear. Tenor. It actually hurt.
The woman smiled sweetly at him. "I'm sure Mr. Valentine will be able to convince him sooner or later, General Sephiroth." She had a lovely alto voice.
He frowned, "Hopefully sooner, rather than later. What was your name again, Ms...?"
"Strife, and that's Mrs. The people in town call me Mrs. Valentine, though. Not sure why..." she frowned at the open doorway as well.
"THAT'S BLACKMAIL!" came the half expected, half dreaded shriek. "I will not guide a bunch of half-witted Shinra up the mountain! Like as they'd not even listen when it matters! And whose record would that mar? Mine! No way am I gonna do it!"
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the woman as she winced. "Sorry, General. He's expecting Troopers." Her gaze drifted back to the door, she pressed a button on the desk before yelling, "Cloud!" over the intercom.
The voice in the other room was silent for a moment. Then there was a round of quiet muttering before it piped back up, "Yes, Mother?" No longer yelling. Good.
And the button went down again. "They're here. You shouldn't be so judgmental," her voice was stern. Made Sephiroth wish he had known his mother...
Wait a second... "Mother?" he asked her.
"Yes. I must apologize for my son's behavior. He doesn't think much of most of Shinra... but you, sir, do not seem like the rest of them," she smiled at him again, "You are far more polite." She grinned. "Mr. Valentine didn't know you were here, I think. Or else he wouldn't have been hitting the intercom button... But you would have heard it anyway." She laughed quietly.
A sudden racket started near the aforementioned left doorway. "But you said I could hike the rates!" The tenor, again. Not as loud as before, though, thankfully.
A light baritone replied, "Just for the Shinra?"
"No, not for the Shinra," sarcasm thick enough to spread lay in Cloud's voice. "For me having to be the guide. I'm not a people person, Vincent. I hate people!"
Vincent sounded saddened, "What about me and your mother? And Tifa?"
Sephiroth could see them, now. The blonde blinked. "Yeah, but you're special people."
The other man sounded vaguely offended. "Special?"
The tall brunette standing behind Sephiroth sniggered. "Bet he feels loved, ne, Seph?"
Sephiroth decided that that needed a reply, so he said, "Ha. Ha."
Mrs. Strife startled them both by chuckling enthusiastically. "And what's your name, young man?"
The brunette scratched the back of his head, looking at Sephiroth for help. When none was forthcoming, he replied, "Zachary Donovan, Ma'am."
Cloud's tenor carried over again, "Of course you're special, Vincent. Not everyday you see a vampire."
There was silence from the other end. And Zachary leaned over to Mrs. Strife, to ask, "Is he really a vampire?"
More silence. And then, "Of course he's a vampire!" Cloud had answered him.
"How old are you?" Sephiroth contributed. He hadn't liked the sound "rate hike" coming from a hick.
"Almost 19," was the cheerful reply.
"And you want to charge extra for having _you_ as a guide?"
"The other guide's almost 18." A wide smile crossed the teen's face. "Besides, I know every rock, plant and beast on the mountain. I've been a hunter here for 5 years. We've been guiding for 3."
Sephiroth frowned, feeling vaguely annoyed. He was about to ask if there were any other guides in the area when he noticed it. This teen with his cocky smile had mako eyes. Sure, it wouldn't be surprising, but Sephiroth knew every SOLDIER on sight. This boy wasn't one of them. So why did he have a SOLDIER's eyes? "How much?" he asked instead.
Of course, it wasn't just the eyes that caught Sephiroth's notice. Although, that is what warranted him a second look. "1000 gil."
He scowled. "How much of a hike is that?"
The rest also warranted a second look. The hair, for one. How much hair gel does that require, he wondered. "I don't like guiding. It's double. Take it or leave it."
Mrs. Strife sighed, "Cloud, you didn't hike it that much last time..."
Maybe bargaining? "600, at most," he said in a dignified tone.
The boy's eyes widened in mock outrage, "950."
"650," was Sephiroth's reply. He already knew where this was going.
"900"
"700"
"850"
"750"
"800"
"775, then. No more, no less."
"Deal."
Zack leaned up from behind, "You know that you should have started from 550?"
Sephiroth glared at him momentarily. Then turned slightly to whisper conspiratorially into Zack's ear, "I was going easy on him."
Zack lifted an eyebrow in salute, and grinned knowingly at him. And then turned to Cloud. "Hot dogs or tacos?"
Cloud blinked. "What?"
"Which do you like better, hot dogs, or tacos?"
Cloud stood blank faced for a moment. "Well... That's not a fair question. I don't like either of them... but Midean food's good, I'll give you that."
Zack stood silent for a moment, before crashing to the floor as Sephiroth's elbow contacted with his skull.
~*~
Two Days Later, Up Mount Nibel
Sephiroth shuddered. That boy... well, he'd just met the boy's pet. A giant Nibel Wolf lay at Cloud's side, allowing the boy to pet it, scratch it, and, it seemed, groom it. "Nibie" is what Cloud called the monster. The villagers called her "The Nibelheim Wolf".
The beast's shoulder was of equal height to his own. Yet... Cloud played with it as a small child would play with a _very_ big dog. It seemed to think that that's all it was, too. Just a big, big, dog. Oh, and it was BIG, too.
And just a few minutes before, it had torn out the throat of a Dragon. Sure, it was only a Green Dragon (the type most commonly found in the Nibel Region), but it was still a Dragon. Although, the boy had weakened it first. Unmindful of the danger to himself, Cloud had just thrown himself into battle... before Sephiroth could get close enough to use Bolt3 on the creature.
Where had he pulled that sword from? It was too big to easily hide, being a full-sized Wutaian katana. So where did he put it when the fight was over?
Mysteries, mysteries. But Sephiroth had a mission. One that left no room to extort the locals of their mysteries. Like the mako eyes.
Sephiroth found himself caught up in his thoughts, so much that he hadn't heard the approach. He did notice, however, when a great big tongue licked him from belly to chin. He was covered in animal drool. Not just any drool either. The Nibelheim Wolf's drool.
Soft tenor laughter. "Nibie likes you. I get the feeling that she bothers you though..." Laughing, mako-infused eyes. He'd seen stranger.
"I didn't expect such a creature to take well to strangers," he replied sourly.
"She usually doesn't." Cloud reached up to drape his arm loosely over her neck.
"You seem rather talkative." The boy hadn't hardly talked once they had set off...
A softer smile graced his face. "Well, maybe I like you too. Although... You aren't what I expected."
Deeper baritone laughter floated over to him. Zack. "Don't think I didn't see that," he called. "And guess what? It's caught on tape, to enjoy another time!"
Sephiroth's eyes widened. There was no way, absolutely no way, that Zack would get away with this.
~*~
Eight Days Later, Back In Nibelheim
Laughing mako blue eyes watched as the Shinra military trucks left. Cloud felt vaguely disappointed. Why, he didn't know. He had gotten to guide his childhood idol up Mount Nibel, and had obviously peaked the man's interest. He wasn't quite sure what it was that Sephiroth saw in him, but it must have been something, right?
'Maybe I should have gone to Midgar once I had gotten better... But Mother was so upset when I had fallen ill... She cares too much... Tifa was glad that I didn't go, too... but... What if...?
'No what ifs. None. I'll be happy with the present.' He smiled at the figures coming down the Mount Nibel trail. Tifa was back.
'775. Best deal yet... Wait 'til I tell her.' The smile turned into a grin. She would be angry, sure, but they always split commission.
His gaze drifted back towards the valley, after the already vanished trucks. Nibie raised her head to his lap, and he sighed.
~*~*~*~*~*~
So... Read, Review. Tell me what you think. (I like it.) Is it any good? (Please tell me what you think.) My opinion is subjective... (I need objective opinions...)
Thank you, for reading.