Me no own. All belong to Square. This work of fiction. No profit made. Don't sue. Or Mary Sue. Make sense I do not.
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Chapter Two
Searching
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From his first days in the Peacemakers, he had been branded a good fighter and a very promising diplomat. That had almost discouraged the young man, his visual of a diplomat being a stuffy old man, sitting in a library and having long, boring conversations. He had been relieved when they'd told him that it just meant that he was exceptionally good in getting along with different people. He had known THAT all his life.
So being branded a diplomat, and becoming a student to Sephiroth, one of the best warriors he'd ever met, hadn't slowed Zackery Lindeman down one bit. He didn't even slow down now as his chocobo entered Bone Village. The dark-haired man just hooted and shouted for everyone to get out of his way. Archaeologists scattered left and right, cursing and shouting after him, but the young man paid them no heed as he raced the bird up a ladder to the upper level, leading to the feared Sleeping Forest.
Before the Peacemakers set up business here, if someone wanted to enter the Sleeping Forest he needed an artifact called the Lunar harp to wake the forest so that it would be safe to walk in. But there were not enough magical harps for every Peacemaker, so they had managed to develop a type of materia that gave out the same note as the artifact. All of them carried one, it was also something of a way to prove that you really were a member of the organisation.
Zack pulled out the thin chain that his materia hung from and activated it just as the green chocobo entered the forest.
"Come on, Jammy! Faster!" Jammy, or Jade, as it was officially called, warked loudly with excitement and ran even faster, leaving any ambushing monster wondering what just passed. She was a lot like her master, a wild chocobo who disliked boredom and quiet. They had instantly taken a liking to each other.
Zack couldn't wait to get there, mostly because he knew that Sephiroth would already be waiting. He had missed his friend and tutor, and was curious to finally meet his lover he'd heard so much about. He and Sephiroth had kept in touch, the slightly older man helping and teaching him through letters and sometimes even the PHS. But it was a completely different thing to meet face to face again.
Jammy speeded up another notch, feeling her master's excitement, and soon enough they were out of the forest again, traveling down a thin, steep road at suicide speed. One step into the wrong direction and they'd be flying. But Jammy was as surefooted as she was fast, and they arrived at the bottom of the valley in no time and without a scratch. From thereon it was a straight road to the small village itself, where the members and their families lived. Zack sped right across the streets towards the main building, throwing greetings and waving his hand at people he recognized.
The green chocobo stopped as if she'd hit a wall when they got to the building, and Zack jumped off, scratching the bird's neck and promising it treats once he'd reported that he was back. Jammy warbled happily and jogged off to a nearby lawn. The young man threw his back bag over his shoulder and stepped in through the open door, walking straight towards the master of the fighter's clan whom he spotted chatting with two spellcaster masters.
"Sir!" Zack called just before stopping in front of the two men and a woman, and threw a salute. "I'm back!"
The two spellcasters glanced at each other before turning to look at the two fighters, clearly expecting something. Zack's master nodded grimly which surprised the young man, as the master was usually relaxed and good humoured. Obviously it wasn't the case now.
"Sir? Is something wrong?" The young man asked, glancing around. After a moment, master Ranael sighed and nodded.
"Well, it might be nothing, but I doubt it. It has been over a week now."
"Sorry I'm not following." Zack frowned and shifted his weight from one leg to the other and back again. "Has something happened?"
"Sephiroth is missing. He and a spellcaster called Cloud Strife. They were supposed to return from Wutai over a week ago. A few days, that's understandable, but over a week? Sephiroth would have let us know if there was a change of plan. We haven't been able to reach them with a PHS."
"Or with a spell." The female spellcaster said, her male companion nodding gravely.
Zack, for once in his life, was completely speechless. He felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over him. He had been looking forward to seeing his friend again so much, and now he was told that... "They... they can't be dead!" He more yelped than asked, the possible answer scaring him.
The masters looked at each other.
"It is a possibility." The male spellcaster said.
"But... but... maybe their PHS broke, and they're out of a spell's range?" Zack suggested. "I'm no thrower but spells have a range, don't they?" He looked at the master 'throwers' who looked at each other before nodding, although uncertainly.
"Maybe they had an accident. Do we know which route they were going to take?"
The fighter nodded. "Yes, and we've already sent a few people to check the route for any clues. The last time we heard from them, they were near the Nibel Mountains, so they are somewhere on their eastern side, coming towards the north."
Zack closed his eyes for a second and visualized the map, seeing what was the most likely route they would have taken. "All right. I'm going too."
"You just got here!" Master Ranael protested, but Zack shook his head and half turned to leave.
"Seph is my teacher, and a friend. I can't just sit around if he's in trouble. I'll give my report later!" With that, he turned and ran back out. Jammy answered his whistle, and after stopping at the grocery store, they were on their way again. If there really had been an accident, if something had happened to Sephiroth and Cloud, there was no time to lose.
"Okay, girl, let's take a break..." Mathew said and slid off the chocobo who warbled and started to poke the man with her beak until he gave her some greens. "Wait just a second you greedy little thing..." the man muttered lovingly and scratched the sweaty feathers on top of her head. "It's sure hot here..."
Mathew looked around, seeing only sand and rocks. He was heading towards the Gold Saucer through North Corel, to sell his whalebone carvings and other things he'd spent last winter making, far on the north continent. Spring storms had kept him from leaving home earlier, but now, as summer neared its middle, he was almost there. One more day in the desert, then over the mountain range, and he was as good as there. He would also race Cookie this year, the chocobo was much faster and stronger than she had been last year. Maybe they'd even win! He petted the happy, eating chocobo and took a long sip of water.
"Not too far to go now, Cookie my girl, and then we'll be back in business."
"Kweh!"
"Can't you just see it... 'Mathew and Cookie, champions of the chocobo races!'"
"Wark!" Cookie nudged the man and Mathew laughed.
"All right, we'll make it Cookie and Mathew!"
They continued their journey, both walking leisurely onwards, the young man whistling a merry tune. The sun hid behind clouds every now and then, but the air was humid, even though they were in the middle of the desert, and the heat was so much more intense than up north. Mathew would be happy when they'd finally get out of the desert. It was lonely, too. Cookie was good company, but a bit quiet on the talking department.
Suddenly the man stopped in his tracks and frowned, shading his eyes with a hand. He was sure he'd seen something up ahead. Something that moved. Maybe a monster, maybe someone else crossing the desert. Anyway, Mathew let his hand drop to the hilt of his long knife. Bandits were not uncommon here, either.
After a few seconds he saw it again. A flash of blue against the yellow and brown. It rose up and then fell again. He stopped Cookie and just watched for a while. Soon the blue spot appeared again, only to move a little towards Mathew's right, and then it disappeared again.
Carefully, in case it was a monster, or a trap, he started to move closer, guiding the chocobo by her reins.
Up came the blue dot, and down it went again. When he got closer Mathew saw that it had a blond head, which he'd originally thought was just a part of the sand. It was a human. Still wary, he started to walk a bit faster. It could be a trap, or then it was someone who was lost. Seeing how the person was staggering, being lost and dehydrated seemed like a likely explanation.
Mathew kept looking over his shoulders and stretching his neck to see if there were others nearby, waiting to ambush him. He couldn't see anyone, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Still, he had a kind heart, and his conscience started to complain that if it were him stranded in the middle of the desert, he'd like to be helped, not just stared at.
Still holding Cookie's reins tight, Mathew cleared his throat. "Hello there! Can I help you?"
The person had just disappeared from his sight again as he closed his mouth, probably fallen to his knees. Mathew waited for a moment and repeated his words when the blue dot staggered up again. It was as if his words weren't even heard. He shrugged, mounted Cookie and rode closer.
"Hey! Are you all right?" Mathew called when they were close enough that he could see the mystery figure. He couldn't tell whether it was a he or a she, as long, blond hair covered the face and hung almost to the elbows. The person was dressed in a torn blue shirt and tattered black pants. Feet were bare, and the merciless sun had burned the pale, scarred skin.
"Can you hear me?" He shouted, almost desperate by now, and guided Cookie closer. The thin wanderer stopped and started to turn towards him, but lost balance and fell to the sand. Mathew jumped off, grabbed his water bottle and ran towards him. He was pretty sure it was a man, now that he was close enough to see, although the person was very thin and the long, silky hair might suggest otherwise.
The man was trying to stand up again when Mathew reached him. He got down to one knee, to the man's left, and grabbed his shoulder. "Are you all right?" He asked again, and the man finally turned his sunburned face to him. Large, glowing eyes blinked slowly and eventually focused on him. Mathew opened his bottle and offered it. "Here, drink some water, you'll feel better."
Shaky fingers took the bottle, and the stranger took a few sips, just to wet his throat. The eyes closed but opened again when Mathew took the bottle back. They focused on him faster, now, and looked at him curiously and warily. He smiled and helped the man up.
"Are you lost? Can I help you?"
"A... a town. I need... to get to a town. What's the... nearest?" The man managed to rasp, his voice hoarse and quiet. Mathew looked over at Cookie.
"North Corel is the nearest one. I'm heading there myself, I can give you a ride." He really, really hoped this wasn't an ambush. But the man seemed more likely to faint into his arms than to chop his head off. The blond nodded after a while and swayed.
"Please. I'll... make sure you... get compensation... once we're there."
"It's all right. Come on, better get moving. We're still at least a day and a half from there." He held both of the man's shoulders, gently but tight enough to keep the man from falling as his bare feet dragged on the sand. They were about the same height, but the other man felt like he was nothing but bone and skin underneath the thin shirt.
Cookie knelt so that he managed to help the blond to her back without problems. Mathew jumped up behind him, taking the reins in one hand while the other wrapped around the man's slender waist.
"Don't want you to fall..." Mathew explained as he stretched his neck to see past the man and clicked his tongue to get Cookie moving. It took her a while to get used to the extra weight, but soon she was running as if it was nothing. The blond leaned his head to Mathew's shoulder and closed his eyes. He didn't have the heart to wake him again just to ask for a name. Not knowing how long the blond had wandered the desert, how badly he was starved and dehydrated worried him a bit. He just hoped they'd make it to North Corel in time. He didn't have much water left anymore.
Zack sat at the most northern tip of the Wutai continent, staring out at the endless sea, letting the strong, salty wind whip his hair and clothes how it wanted. It was strong enough to make his eyes water, and cold enough to chill him to the bone, but he didn't care.
Three months. Almost a hundred days. Sephiroth and Cloud had been missing for so long now, without a trace, without any lead to their whereabouts or what had happened to them. Since early spring to past the midsummer. He had searched the desert alongside others and retraced their steps all the way to Wutai, and to Sephiroth's family. And had found absolutely nothing. It was as if the ground had opened up and swallowed the two men. The others had already given up hope of finding them alive, and Zack, frustrated and unable to do anything more, was almost ready to give up as well. Almost. There still had to be something they'd all overlooked, some small lead, someone who'd seen the pair. Anything. And he'd find it. He had to. He couldn't rest until he'd know what had happened. The greatest fighter he'd ever known and a powerful spellcaster just didn't let themselves be eaten by monsters or killed without a fight that half the world wouldn't have noticed. There was something they were missing.
Zack had spent the last ten days as a guest in Sephiroth's mother's house. She had already resigned to the fact that her son was gone, she claimed she couldn't sense him anymore. Called it a parental instinct. It had almost flattened Zack's spirits to see her give up so easily.
'Easily?' his conscience asked, making the young man feel ashamed. 'She searched for Sephiroth as hard as you did. Half of the family left to search for him, and even she herself left her home, her land, everything, to travel to the desert. She's done as much as you have.'
Zack shook his head and sighed. Lady Meriko hadn't given up. She'd just known when to stop hoping for something that wasn't going to happen. Sephiroth and Cloud weren't coming back.
"Oh damn it... Seph, what the hell happened? Where are you two? Why haven't we found anything?" He muttered to the wind and turned his teary eyes to the sea.
"Zack!"
His head came up immediately, the young man sure that it had been Sephiroth. But when he turned around he saw one of the general's cousins riding towards him on a young chocobo, going so fast that he wondered if they'd be able to stop before the sea. The chocobo managed it, though, and looked quite proud of itself as the young, dark-haired man jumped off the bird and ran to him.
"Lord Zack! Quickly, come back to the house! There's a telegram for you!" The lad said excitedly. Zack was about to ask why the boy hadn't brought it with him, but shrugged and whistled for Jammy. He could guess why they were reluctant to know what the message was. Just in case it'd tell them that Sephiroth was dead.
As fast as the boy's chocobo had been, Jammy was faster, and Zack reached the beautiful house, or more like a mansion, well before the Wutaian. He jumped off and ran to the door where lady Meriko already stood, waiting for him.
"Lord Zack. Thank you for coming so quickly. The messenger left the letter for you... it looks like it's from the Peacemakers." She offered him the thin envelope which had suffered on its way to Wutai, and then some more when in the nervous hands of Lady Meriko. Zack took it with shaky hands and opened the envelope, almost tearing the paper as he pulled the short message out. He didn't dare to look up into the lady's eyes in case he'd end up shattering the hope that had rekindled in her eyes. Maybe they'd never stop hoping...
"It's... it's dated about a week ago. Shiva's sake... Cloud was found in the desert, he's alive!"
Upon reading that Cloud was alive, Zack had felt his face split into a wide, relieved grin. That would mean that Sephiroth might live as well! Lady Meriko had clasped her hands to her chest, begging for him to say that her son was alive. But when he read the rest, Zack's mood instantly dropped.
""He hasn't been able to tell us what happened, only that Sephiroth is dead. Please give my condolences to Lady Meriko and return here as soon as possible. Maybe you can help him remember what happened.
Ranael.""
"... Oh no..." Zack folded the letter and wiped away a traitorous tear that had escaped from his eye.
"... Zack? Please. Was it about Sephiroth?" Her voice was pleading, the sparkle of hope still in her eyes as he finally dared to look up. He cleared his throat and scratched his neck, hearing the quiet whispers from outside the door, where the rest of the family were probably listening. He only hoped that it was true, that it was better to know for sure than to spend your live wondering and waiting.
"Yes. Cloud's with the Peacemakers now..." He couldn't bear the joy in her eyes, and how quickly it disappeared when she heard his next words. "But... the only thing he can remember is that Sephiroth's..."
"No!" She cried and grabbed his shirt. "No, not my son! Not my only child! Please! Don't take him away from me! Please!" Her fists hit his chest as tears flowed down both their cheeks. She'd claimed that she didn't dare to believe that Sephiroth was alive anymore, but apparently she hadn't stopped hoping, until now. From behind the door he could hear worried voices and quiet crying.
"I'm so sorry... he's gone."
"What do you mean he's gone? You couldn't keep one man from leaving?" Zack's voice was as full of sarcasm as disbelief and anxiety. He'd just reached the Peacemakers, only to be told that Cloud wasn't there. Hadn't been there for half a week now. No one knew where he was or how he'd left. He'd just disappeared.
Master Ranael looked a bit sheepish until he remembered who was the master here. He frowned and shrugged his wide shoulders. "It sounds ridiculous, but apparently we couldn't. And we can't find him either. The spellcasters are looking for him, in case he's hiding with the help of a spell. So far, we've come up with nothing."
"But why would he leave in the first place!" Zack threw his arms wide, frustrated beyond words. He'd lost his best friend and rushed back here in hope of finding out what had happened to him, only to find that the small hope had up and left. Disappeared. And if anyone would dare to mention déjà-vu's, he would explode.
The master wrapped a sympathetic arm around his shoulders and started to guide the young man away from the small crowd staring at them. "Son, he was devastated because of what had happened. He couldn't remember anything, but it was clear he had suffered. He had scars all over his body, and every night he'd have nightmares. At days he wouldn't speak to anyone or get back to studying to get his mind off the matter. He'd just wander around like a ghost. We could barely get a word out of him. We tried to give him a bit of peace but still keep an eye on him. How he managed to leave, or why, we have no idea. The throwers are looking for him with spells, and we even sent men back towards the desert, in case he heads back there. There's little else we can do now."
Zack breathed deep and nodded. He didn't want to agree with is master's words, but without having no idea of Cloud's motivations or thoughts, there really was little way of knowing where to look for him. Maybe he'd even head back to Wutai, or to his home. Or to the closest gorge or monster or a high cliff above the ocean... Zack shuddered and closed his eyes. He didn't know the boy, only what he'd heard from Sephiroth, but hoped that Cloud wasn't the suicidal type. He was all Zack and Sephiroth's family had left of the general.
"Does he have family or friends he could go to?" Zack asked after a moment of silence. They had reached the room Ranael worked and taught in. Different types of weapons hung on the walls. There was a small desk with two chairs in one corner, and they were sitting now, the master filling two small glasses with brandy. Zack gulped his down at one go. He wasn't a drinker usually, but now the strong alcohol felt good rushing through his system. Ranael filled his cup again and took a sip out of his own.
"The only one we know about is his mother in Nibelheim. We haven't been able to reach her now, she only knows that he's missing. Unless he's gone back home, of course." The master explained and let his eyes wander over the rows and rows of weapons. Zack nodded and sipped at the brandy, slower this time. The alcohol started to kick in, made him feel more relaxed even though he wanted to jump up and run across the world to find the missing spellcaster.
"You do know, master, that I won't just sit here and wait for them to look for him..."
Ranael sighed and nodded. "Yes. So give your report now, and leave tomorrow morning."
"Yes, sir." Zack saluted lazily and started to report his last mission in detail.
The next morning master Ranael came to wish him luck as Zack mounted his chocobo. Jammy had seemed to roll her eyes when he'd picked her up from the stables. The chocobo was thrilled to be on the road again, even though she sensed her companion's anxiety.
Most of the warriors could cast simple spells, as could Zack. He kept casting a small sensing spell every now and then, feeling the surrounding area for monsters and other life forms. He had to try, even though he knew that if Cloud was lying dead in a gorge, he couldn't sense the man. He hoped that the spellcaster hadn't done anything that drastic.
On the way they passed the men Ranael had sent out. They were almost at the coast now, searching the area and every clue thoroughly. Zack stopped to check what they'd found and continued to the shore, stopping in the port to find out if Cloud had boarded any of the ships. The captain of one raised an eyebrow when he recognized the young man who had travelled on his boat back and forth for a few times now, but didn't dare to make any smart comments, seeing Zack's gloomy appearance. He or his crew hadn't seen anyone matching Cloud's appearance.
"But you know, if he's gone to the south, there are plenty of ships beside mine which go there and back again." The captain said, trying to cheer him a bit. "Have you tried asking them?"
Zack shrugged and stared out to the sea, watching as the setting sun disappeared out of sight. "I've talked to all I've managed to find."
"Even ShinRa ships?"
Now the young man frowned and turned to look at the captain. "ShinRa's? Of course not. Cloud, the guy we're trying to find, spent the last few years fighting them in Wutai. I don't think he'd try to get a lift from THEM."
The whole world seemed to be split nowadays, to ShinRa and those who opposed them. It had been like this for years, but it had got worse after the last war. ShinRa owned the biggest power company this side of the world, and many other companies, even cities. The Gold Saucer was one of the best examples of ShinRa's way of thinking: taking money from people for cheap thrills and making them WANT to give money to get more cheap thrills.
"Not even if he's desperate enough to take the first boat away from here? If none of the other ships have seen him, what choice is there?" Zack had to stop to think before he'd give a sharp answer. Master Ranael had told him the spellcaster was too devastated to even notice half of the things happening around him. Would Cloud really care who owned the ship, as long as it took him away? Probably not. Zack rubbed his face and sighed before turning back to the man.
"You wouldn't happen to know how many ShinRa ships there are, and what they're called?"
The captain even let Zack use his radio to catch two of the three ShinRa ships, the ones which weren't in port. And one of them indeed reported that it had taken a passenger, matching Cloud's description, over the sea and left him in its destination, Costa del Sol. Zack was relieved beyond words to find that the man was alive, but groaned when he realized how much more difficult his search had just become. Ships sailed to all over the world from Costa del Sol, and because of that the town had good land connections with most of the towns on the western continent. North Corel, Nibelheim, Rocket Town, any of the numerous towns you could easily disappear to.
Once more frustrated, Zack contacted the other searchers with his PHS and told them to get to the port. They had to wait two days before the next ship left for Costa del Sol. A ShinRa ship. With all the stops it made in between, it took them four days to reach the holiday town. If Zack's calculations were correct, Cloud had arrived here six or seven days ago. Anyway, he had the others search the town while he talked to people in the port.
They all came up with nothing.
"So either he's on a ship that's not here now, or then he left the town before anyone noticed him." One of the others reasoned, and Zack nodded. If he'd only known Cloud better, he could figure out what the man was thinking. Now there were just too many options for the four of them to go through with the speed and attention needed.
"Oh, hell... okay, two of you, check North Corel and the desert. You, stay here. I'll run to Nibelheim."
The three other Peacemakers looked at each other and nodded slowly. Zack noticed the look and groaned. "If you have a better idea, do share."
"It's not that." The young woman said after an uncomfortably quiet moment. "We were ordered to only search the northern continent, and basically just the Sleeping forest. As much as we'd all like to find him, there simply isn't that many of us to go around, and the masters think that, begging your pardon, it would be wiser to resume our usual tasks and leave Strife be."
Zack tried his best and managed to keep the scream inside his chest. After fuming quietly, he opened his mouth, keeping his voice very calm and quiet. "And you tell me this. Here. Now. In Costa. Del. Sol. After. A long. Trip. Over. The. Sea."
The two men looked decidedly uncomfortable, but the woman kept her back straight and looked Zack straight in the eye. "That's what the masters think. It pains them as well, but it's the wisest thing. They gave us orders, but like all of us, we've been taught to know when to ignore them. We're doing that now. Sephiroth was mine and Deren's friend, and Josin here roomed with Cloud. We knew them and want to know what happened. We'll continue the search, but wanted you to know that not all approve of this." She managed to keep her calm far better than Zack, and the fighter calmed down immediately and felt a bit embarrassed.
"Umm. Thanks. I know that Seph would appreciate that."
They stared at each other for a while, nodded in unison and went to get their chocobos. After checking that their PHS's worked and that everyone had enough potions and food, they took off. Zack rode with Josin and the woman, Sara, for the beginning of the journey, but after the first day and half started to head more north, to pass the mountain range and reach Nibelheim through the route he suspected Cloud would take. If he was going home.
Jammy ran as fast as she could over the stretch of desert, but she had to slow down when they got to the mountains. She was still quick enough to avoid most of the monsters, and outrun those which chased them. Zack was actually a little disappointed, he felt like whacking something into bits, even though it kind of went against the rules of the Peacemakers. Monsters didn't count, of course, but the overuse of violence was very much frowned upon. And with all the tension in his body, the fighter felt like he could slaughter a species of the cursed things.
A few days later the two arrived in Nibelheim. Only when he stopped at the gate, watching the small town did Zack remember Ranael's words. Cloud's mother didn't know whether he lived or not. So he'd first have to explain that to her. If he wasn't here. Explain it, give her hope, and then possibly take it away again if he was found dead somewhere. Did he really have the right to do this? Even to find the man? To find out what had happened to Sephiroth? And was that enough of a reason to bring pain to Cloud, forcing him to remember everything? Earlier, he had been so overcome with grief that the only thing he could think of was learning the truth. Now he felt like the worst had passed. He still wanted to know, but could he hurt people like that, just for a bit of information that wouldn't bring Sephiroth back?
"Oh, hell..." Zack muttered and scratched Jammy's neck as she put her beak on his shoulder, wondering why he was just standing there. "Well, we came this far. Might as well get some more grub while we're here..."
He walked into the town, holding on to Jammy's reins. A few kids who played around a well in the town square screamed and ran to gawk at the stranger and the big green bird. Zack smiled at them and let them come closer. Jammy bowed her head down to their level, and the kids let out thrilled screams and scratched her feathers.
"Hey, kid. Is there a shop around here?" Zack asked the closest one, and the boy pointed behind his back, not taking his eyes off of Jammy. The fighter's eyes followed the pointing finger and he made a mental note of the building's whereabouts. "Thanks. Seen anyone else you don't know here recently? A blond guy, a bit shorter than me?" The boy shook his head. "Thanks again. Would you kids watch Jammy while I go to get some food?"
"Yes!" The children exclaimed in unison, and Zack left the chocobo in their care. Jammy's green eyes begged him for mercy, but the fighter just grinned. "Don't worry, girl, I'll bring you some greens. Can you brats give her some water while you're at it?"
Jammy warbled and let herself be guided towards the well while Zack wandered towards the shop. His eyes searched the whole small town, noticed the faces that peered through the curtains, and the people outside who stared at him curiously. He smiled and waved his hand a bit as a greeting. Some of them nodded, most just turned and walked away. Just like home.
The small shop was dimly lit, and the air was hot and used, but the lady behind the counter greeted him with a smile and was eager to sell him everything he wanted. Zack bought food for himself and for Jammy, and some potions. While the woman counted the gil, the dark-haired man turned his charms on and started to chat with her.
"This seems like a nice, quiet town... it's Nibelheim, right?"
"Yes, yes..." the woman nodded and put the money into a small box, locking it. "This must be your first time here?"
"Yep. I'm just wandering around, me and my chocobo... some people gave me quite chilly looks, you don't get a lot of visitors here?"
"Heavens no!" The woman exclaimed and leaned over the counter. "We live pretty much by ourselves here. The mayor's the only one who has one of them phones, in case there's some emergency. We don't get much of those either. Only the occasional monster, but the men can take care of those."
"I see. My hometown's the same, except that we have two phones. And two trucks as well!" He smiled as the woman laughed at his words.
"Really? And where do you come from?"
"Gongaga. It's near Cosmo Canyon."
"Oh I know Cosmo Canyon, but never heard of Gongaga. Sorry."
"It's all right, I've barely heard of it and I was born there! Actually, I'm trying to find a friend of mine... he's also wandering in these parts, I thought he might be here."
"Oh I don't think so, the last time anyone came here it was the man from Rocket Town, selling all kinds of electric gadgets. Didn't sell much here, and left the next morning. He was a bit disappointed. But that's already over a month ago. Before that, it was that young man who came to talk with Mrs Strife. The poor woman, it was bad news about her son. A war hero, her little Cloud. But now he's disappeared. Dead, I'd wager. War does that. She doesn't talk much, a bit of a quiet one, wanders the mountains alone. Dangerous, that, no place for a woman to walk alone, but I guess it makes her feel better. The boy loved the mountains, I guess they remind her of him. He was such a sweet little boy, small and quiet, always bullied by the bigger boys, but to me he was always so polite, barely dared to ask for a free candy. Poor boy. He should have stayed at home. She's lost all her men to war, first her husband and older son and now Cloud... tragic."
Zack felt his throat go tight and he had to clear it and force the smile back to his lips. "Horrible, that... well, thank you for everything, I best go check on my Jammy... that's my chocobo, the kids promised to look after her for a bit. She can be a bit wild." He thanked her again and slid out of the door, back to the fresh air and brightness of the day. He spotted Jammy immediately, drinking from a bucket near the well while the growing number of kids and adults as well stared and sometimes dared to touch her.
"Hey kids! Did she behave herself?" Zack asked, smiling a real smile again. The kids nodded and started to ask if they could ride her. He promised they could, if it was ok with their parents.
For the rest of the afternoon, every kid got to ride on Jammy at least twice, and Zack chatted with their parents. The conversation always turned to strangers and if anyone had visited the town, but no one had seen anyone after the man from Rocket Town had left.
Jammy was so popular that the kids begged for them to stay at least until tomorrow, and Zack ended up taking a room from the inn for the night. He might as well wait here a few days, decide whether he should talk with Mrs Strife or not and see if Cloud happened to walk into town. He had seen the woman briefly during the afternoon, or at least he thought it was her. Sephiroth had told him that Cloud had golden, spiky hair and the bluest eyes ever. He'd thought that was from the point of view of someone head over heels in love, but he had seen a woman with pointy, golden hair and sad, bright blue eyes, coming down the path from the mountains. It had to be her. He'd watched her, seen which house she went to. Just in case he decided to go and talk with her. But that could wait till tomorrow. As could checking up with the other three. He hadn't heard anything of them, no news, good or bad. But it could all wait.
Nibelheim didn't have a chocobo stable, but Jammy had been content enough to sleep outside. Zack smiled when he took a look out of the window and saw half of the town kids feed her and try to climb onto her back.
He'd already had a bit of breakfast, and decided to catch up with Sara, Josin and Deren. He suspected the two would have left for the desert already, and Deren would be continuing the search in Costa del Sol and its outskirts. And probably working on his tan, he thought with a smile, but dismissed the thought. The man was a professional and would concentrate on his job. Even if he would do it without a shirt on.
He first called up Sara. The woman answered immediately, and reported that they'd found nothing so far.
"Josin even checked the Gold Saucer. He found the man who found Strife from the desert, a guy called Mathew Stocker, but he hasn't seen Strife again. Neither had anyone else there or here. We're over the mountains already, but so far there haven't been any clues. Anything at your end?"
"Nope." Zack answered and sighed, leaning his head against the window. Outside, two kids had mounted Jammy and were riding around the well. He trusted that she wouldn't drop them. "I'm at Nibelheim, but he hasn't been here. Thought I'd wait for a few days, in case he shows up."
There was a lengthy pause before Sara spoke again. "You should probably know that the masters have contacted us and told us to head back north. I told them that Josin and I would go through the desert and catch a ship back from the northern tip. But it doesn't mean that we won't search the place thoroughly."
Zack closed his eyes. "Yeah, do that. I don't want you to get into trouble. They didn't say anything about me?"
"No. I think master Ranael has told the others to let you do what you want. And... even though we'll go back, we won't give up."
"Thanks, Sara. I'll check with Deren and let you know if he's found anything. Good luck."
"To you too. Goodbye."
Zack dialed the man up straight away, hoping that he'd had more luck than the others. It took a little while before Deren answered, out of breath.
"Sorry, had to finish off a monster first. How can I help you?"
"It's Zack. Have you found anything?"
"Ah, sir. I'm afraid not." Deren always insisted on calling him sir. And anyone who has higher rank that he was. Or anyone the man thought should be higher in rank. "Some progress, though. There's a chocobo farmer here who told me that anyone heading inland would either get one of his chocobos or a car. Strife hasn't gotten either. So he's either gone off walking, without supplies, for the shopkeepers hadn't seen anyone like him, and that would be sheer madness, or taken one of the public transports. The ones that left around the time we calculated he'd have arrived here will arrive back in a day or two, they make a trip inland and return. I'll know more after I've talked to the drivers."
"Good work." Zack said, glad that the man was taking his work seriously, although he was disappointed that he'd found nothing as well. They talked some more, Deren also told him that the masters had been in touch with him, but that he was going to stay there until he'd get to talk with the drivers.
Zack closed the PHS after wishing him luck and sat down. He didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to think that Cloud hadn't come this way. He had probably left on a ship. But he could remember Sephiroth mentioning something that the spellcaster got motion sick easily, and hated traveling on boats. So Zack reasoned that he wouldn't get aboard one unless he had a clear destination. But if it wasn't his home, or Sephiroth's, where could have the man have gone?
"Damn it..." the fighter swore and picked up the PHS again to let Sara know that Deren hadn't found anything either. Just as he was telling her that, a thought hit him.
"Sara, didn't you say Josin used to room with Strife?"
"... Yes, but he's already told the masters and me everything he knows of him."
"Put him on anyway."
There was a small break before Josin picked up. "Yes?"
"I was just curious, did Cloud ever talk about his friends or family, besides his mother? Any place he used to go to as a kid?"
"No. I already thought of that, but he didn't have any other family than his mother and her sister and her family, somewhere near Nibelheim. I'm sure that if he'd gone to them, his mother would know about it."
"Okay thanks, I just wanted to check. Good luck!"
"Same to you."
Zack closed the PHS again and frowned. He was sure there was something they'd missed, some minor detail no one had bothered to check. And this had to be it.
"Bingo."
Cloud had an aunt, who had a family. Kids. Cousins. The lady at the shop had known the spellcaster had been a loner as a kid, but every kid had to have someone. If you didn't make friends outside the family, your mom made sure that some cousin would keep you company. Someone who knew you as a kid. A playmate who shared the same hiding places and secrets. This had to be it. Now the only problem was to find this aunt and her kids. He couldn't just go and ask Mrs Strife, and the shopkeeper would get curious if he'd go asking her such things.
He had wandered outside and watched as the kids took turns in riding Jammy over and over again. She didn't seem to mind, unless they pulled her feathers. The adults didn't give him cross looks anymore, they seemed to take him as one of the kids. Zack watched them around the town, taking note on how different life here seemed to Gongaga, even though they were both small towns.
People in Gongaga seemed always relaxed and ready to take in newcomers and their cultures. Hungry for anything new and interesting. Nibelheim seemed the exact opposite, everything new was frowned upon, and he suspected that with the exception of the one telephone, the people were still living the same way as they had lived for the past two hundred years. ShinRa's reactor in the mountains must have changed things, though, as it had in Gongaga.
Zack was just lifting a little girl to Jammy's back, her mother standing right next to them, when the shop door opened and a blonde woman stepped out. He expected her to return to the small house, but the woman stopped for a moment to stare at him and Jammy. She seemed indecisive for a moment, but suddenly squared her shoulders and started walking to the well. Zack swallowed and turned his back to her, concentrating all his attention on the little girl again. Only when Mrs Strife was right behind him, tapping him gently on the shoulder, he turned around and gave her his brightest smile.
"Hello, ma'am! Would you like to ride as well?" he asked, hoping that his eyes didn't betray to her that he knew who she was.
She blinked slowly and shook her head, golden-blonde hair shining in the sun. "No, thank you. I was just wondering if that was a real chocobo... I've heard of them..."
"Oh yes! This is Jade, or Jammy, as I call her." Zack introduced the bird who was patiently walking around the well, the little girl on her back screaming with delight and without a doubt half pulling off fistfuls of feathers. Her mother hurried behind the chocobo, begging for the child to be careful.
"I see..." Mrs Strife said and followed the chocobo with her blue eyes. Sorrow seemed to have aged her beyond her years. Zack wished he'd have some good news for her.
He was desperately thinking how he could start a conversation with the woman, or not to start one, depending what he wanted to do. He should talk with the woman, tell her that Cloud was still alive, or had been about a week ago. But how could he get the woman somewhere more private without it seeming odd? He could guess that the townspeople would start talking immediately if the widower took a young man to her home... he should have gone straight to her after all, announce himself as a messenger and had it over with. But he'd been a coward, and now she was talking to him and he hadn't heard a word!
"Uhm, sorry? You were saying?" he just blurted out, startling Mrs Strife into silence. Mentally kicking his own butt, Zack grinned and bowed a bit. "I'm sorry, my mind tends to wander."
The blonde looked at him a bit suspiciously and nodded slowly. "I was just asking where you're coming from... but it doesn't matter, really." She turned as if to leave, so Zack hurried to answer.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Strife, I didn't mean to be rude! I was just miles away!"
Now she did turn back to him, and stared at him straight into the eyes.
"Where I'm from? Well, it's a small town called Gongaga, and..." he fell silent at her piercing scrutiny, and ran through what he'd said earlier. "Oh, damn..."
"What did you call me?" The woman asked, now eyeing him with a tight frown. Zack was starting to worry.
"... Mrs Strife? I, uh..." moment of truth... "I have news of your son."
Her blue eyes flew open and she grabbed his arm. "You have news of Cloud? Where is he? How is he?" She was almost shouting until she realized that everyone was staring at her.
Zack cleared his throat. "I think we should talk somewhere more private..."
"Yes, you're right. And it's my sister you're wanting to talk to. Ame. I'm Maria, Cloud's aunt. Come on, then."
Completely baffled, Zack let the determined little lady drag him to the small house he'd seen her enter the previous day. Aunt? All right... right! The little girl's mother was shouting something after him, the child still screaming with delight and trying to urge Jammy to run to the mountains. Zack trusted the chocobo to behave herself.
The house he was led to was small, but big enough for a small family. His own home in Gongaga hadn't been much bigger, and he'd had several sisters and brothers, plus the parents, of course. But this house was now home to only one, as Maria quickly explained. "With Cloud missing, I came to stay with Ame. She's already lost her husband and older son, if she loses her little boy as well she'll just break, I know it... don't you dare to hurt her, boy, or I'll skin you alive! I have a son myself, I know how to handle your type!" She eyed him convincingly enough. Zack swallowed.
Maria took him straight into the house, and through a surprisingly large hall and living room to a smaller kitchen. There, in front of a large dinner table, sat another blonde woman, almost the spitting image of Maria. She seemed very distracted when she turned to see who'd entered with such rush and commotion.
"Maria? Who's this?" she turned to Zack, who smiled and bowed a bit. Maria gestured at the young man.
"This is... what's your name, boy?"
"Zack. Zackery Lindeman, ma'am. I'm... I'm from the Peacemakers, Mrs Strife. I have news of your son, Cloud."
The change in Ame was amazing. She turned from sleepy and distracted to almost hyperactive, her hands shaking and her blue eyes shining with nervous tears. "Oh no. Please, don't tell me he's gone. Please don't."
Maria nudged Zack in the ribs and eyed him menacingly. "Well, spit it out. If it's bad news, it's better out right away."
"Mrs Strife... we believe that Cloud is alive." Zack blurted out before one blonde would bruise him and the other one burst into tears. They did so anyway.
"Oh... oh, oh gods, my baby, my little boy, he's alive..." Ame cried and rocked back and forth on her chair, hugging herself. Maria squeezed Zack's arm tight.
"Where is he then? Why isn't he with you?"
"The thing is... he was found alive, in the desert where he and Sephiroth disappeared. He was put on a ship to north, our headquarters. There he was taken care of, but it seems he's lost his memory of the three months he was gone. I wasn't there myself, but I hear he was very devastated because of everything, losing the three months, and Sephiroth."
"Cloud loves him, doesn't he?" Ame interrupted him, and Zack nodded. "Where is he?"
"Well, we don't know. As I was saying, he was taken to the north. But only a few days after that, he left. No one knows where, or why. We're trying to find him now, and I came to see if he's come home to you."
"Well, he's not here. Yet." Maria said and smiled, moving over to hug her sister. Watching them, Zack suspected they were either twins or at least almost the same age. Ame hugged her sister's arms and sobbed, a thin smile on her pale face.
"But he's alive... my little child is alive." She took a few deep breaths and turned to Zack. "Do you know him? Are you a friend of Cloud's?"
"We've never met. But Sephiroth was one of my best friends, and my tutor. He told me of Cloud in letters, talked of him often. So I kind of feel like I know him already. They loved each other very much."
"Loved? Why do you speak of him in a past... oh no..." Ame shook her head, tears filling her eyes again.
"The only thing Cloud could remember of the past months was Sephiroth, dead in his arms. We haven't found his body, but Cloud's certain that he's gone." Zack said quietly, feeling his throat tightening.
"Oh, his poor mother... Cloud wrote to me of him a few times... and poor Cloud... and you... you must feel horrible." She looked up to him, on the brink of tears. Zack shrugged and attempted to smile.
"Well, I think I'm over the worst of it... I'm sure it's much worse for lady Meriko and Cloud. I was hoping to talk with him, try and help him remember."
"Do you think he's coming home?" Maria asked, finally letting go of her sister.
"I suppose it's one possibility. Do you know of any other place he might go to? Any friends or other family members?" Zack nodded a thank-you when Ame motioned for him to sit down and Maria poured him a cup of strong coffee.
"We're a small family." Maria explained and sat next to her sister. Definitely twins, Zack decided. "It's just the two of us, Cloud, my husband Kain and our son Cid. Kain and I live in Rocket Town. Cid and Cloud used to play together when they were kids, when we still lived in Nibelheim. Then Kain got the job in Rocket Town, and we moved there."
"They were still pretty close…" Ame opened her mouth when Maria closed hers. "Cid would come over here to play, or Cloud would go to Rocket Town."
"Does Cid still live in Rocket Town? I'd like to talk with him." Zack asked Maria.
"He's a very promising technician, and a pilot. Just like his father. After the rocket project ended, he left home to look for a better job. Almost three years ago, now. He was among the first to leave. Kain knew that the project would be terminated before the others, so he suggested that Cid would leave early rather than get stuck there. But if you're thinking that Cloud would have gone to Cid, well, I think Cid would have called me." Maria answered.
"I see." Zack muttered but smiled. "I would still like to talk with him, if that's possible."
"Cid lives in Midgar now, he found some work there."
Zack's mood dropped instantly and he had to try very hard not to let it show. Midgar. Cloud could be half out of his mind, but the fighter still doubted that he'd go to Midgar. Unless...
Unless he thought that ShinRa was to blame what had happened to Sephiroth, and seeked personal revenge.
He ended up spending a few more days in Nibelheim, just in case Cloud walked into town. But on his fourth day there, having a cup of coffee with the twins, he got a call from master Ranael. Maria had indeed confirmed that they were twins, and when Ame had cheered up a bit, they even started to act alike. She'd stand in the window most of the day, or go to the gate to wait for Cloud. But the two were now chatting happily, making sure Zack got enough to eat since he insisted on sleeping at the inn.
He had finally seen the spellcaster, in a way. After he'd gotten over the shock that Cloud might be in Midgar after all, Ame had offered to show him some photos. Curious, he had of course accepted.
She'd shown him a few childhood pictures and one of Cloud just before he left to join the Peacemakers. In one photo he had stood next to his older brother, who, he was told, had died when Cloud was nine. They looked very much alike, thin, slightly tanned and blonde. Wind just was almost twice as tall as his brother. In another one he got to meet Cid as well. The two children, no more than eight or nine, were sitting side by side on a bench. Both were grinning, and both grins missed a tooth or two.
Cloud had looked cute as a child, but Zack had paid most attention to the picture of him as a teenager. The hair was blond and quite wild, spiking and pointing into all directions. His eyes weren't as bright a blue as he had expected from Seph's praise and from meeting Ame and Maria. They were more a light, hazy blue, and even a bit cold. He was thin and the look on his face was bored and bad-tempered. Not really what he had been expecting. But there was a twinkle of hope and caring in those eyes, probably aimed at the one taking the photo. Enough of a fighting spirit for Seph to fall in love with.
The two women fell instantly quiet when he answered the phone. "Lindeman here. Oh, master Ranael. Any news?" he fell quiet for a long while, his brown eyes darting from Ame to Maria to the cupboards behind them. "I see... crap. Well I'll head there... yes I will! I'm sorry, sir, but I will. I know! I'm going! I don't care! ... Yes, sir. Goodbye." He closed the small device and looked up to two expecting pairs of blue eyes.
"Well. That was master Ranael. He just got a report from one of our agents. Cloud was spotted just yesterday. He's alive and safe."
Ame sobbed with joy and grabbed her twin's hands. Maria laughed and wiped away a tear. "Thank gods! Where is the boy?"
Zack knew that the look on his face was very sour, but he couldn't help it. "... Midgar."
.
A.N: Is Cloud after revenge? Will Zack ever find him? What the hey happened?
