I own nothing! Nothing! Must I be reminded of it every time?
Thank you for the reviews! This chapter's a bit more action-filled than the last.
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Chapter Six
Running
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Zack was half climbing walls with anxiety by the time Aeris and Cid returned. They'd come up with nothing. Cid had even stopped by Vincent's shop, where the goth had had no news of the missing spellcaster.
The three took enough of a break from searching to think of all the possibilities that could have happened to Cloud. But no one had really come up with the truth.
It was almost quarter to ten, and Aeris and Cid were getting ready to leave again, when there was a quiet noise at the door. All three froze, and Zack immediately reached out for his sword. The noise came again, and they recognized it. Someone was trying to shove a key into the keyhole of the front door.
"The Turks?" Aeris whispered while Cid pulled out a gun. At their amazed looks, the mechanic explained: "Vinnie gave it to me, as a bodyguard, ya know?"
A key rattled in the lock. "Either it's a very lousy or a very drunk Turk... could it be a neighbour?" Zack muttered, getting up, sword in hand.
"Don't think so, they're louder." Cid answered and stopped, halfway getting up from the chair. His mouth dropped open. "You don't suppose..."
The door opened and soon closed, not too quietly. Cid, gun ready, peeked into the small hall and swore.
"Cloud, you fucking moron! Where the fuck have you been!"
Aeris and Zack breathed a sigh of relief as one. Cid swore and dropped the gun on the chair, his eyes firmly on his cousin. "I oughta..."
Whatever Cid wanted to do, he was cut off by a loud crash from the door, as Cloud toppled over, taking a small table and everything on it with him. The mechanic yelped with surprise and rushed to the dark hall, swearing at the dead light bulb.
"Shit! Are you ok? Are you hurt?"
Zack and Aeris followed Cid, dread creeping upon them again. The blond mechanic was crouching over his cousin and tugging him up. He didn't seem too worried anymore, though, as he swore and chuckled mostly to himself. The other two couldn't see much of what was going on in the small, dark space, but they could smell the strong scent of alcohol when they got a bit closer.
Aeris and Zack looked at each other. Her eye was twitching slightly when she spoke, her voice on the brink of breaking, although Zack couldn't say whether it was from anger or relief. "All this time we've looked for him, hearts in our throats... he's been... drinking?"
"Uh, smells like it..." the fighter commented, a silly grin creeping on his face.
"There'll be hell to pay, oh yeah..." Cid muttered once he had Cloud back on his feet, a strong arm around his waist. The spellcaster had a hand over his eyes, the other one around Cid's shoulders, and his feet seemed to want to go in different directions when the mechanic started to walk him towards the living room. "I'm gonna whup your skinny ass, then laugh when you struggle with the killer hangover ye're gonna have tomorrow, and then whup your ass again, oh yeah..."
"Chid... shuddup..." Cloud muttered and lost his footing, throwing his hand from his eyes to Cid's shoulder so that he was hanging around the mechanic's throat. Cid swore with surprise as the sudden movement threw him off-balance, and both blonds crashed to the floor. Zack winced but laughed with relief. Aeris shook her head and went to help them.
"Seriously, Cloud, what were you thinking? We were all worried sick! We didn't know where you were at all! We searched all of Midgar for you!"
"Shud uph, ye'rre nod myh mudder..." Cloud managed to utter while both Cid and Aeris worked to get him back up.
"Good for you, if Auntie saw you like this, she'd whup your ass, too..." Cid muttered and nodded his head to signal to Aeris that they'd toss the drunk on the couch. Cloud moaned when he hit the cushions face first. Zack had to fight back his laughter when the spellcaster fought valiantly against the pillows and blanket to get to a more comfortable position.
"Oh he'll be sorry tomorrow..." the fighter shook his head and laughed when Cloud managed to lift his head and look blearily at the three by his side. He looked quite horrible, his face pale except for red cheeks and bloodshot eyes. He'd clearly been crying a lot. His hair stood straight up at the back of his head, where the braid had once been. The longer hairs framing his face were wet, probably with alcohol and tears, and dirty with the kind of dirt that covered the ground in the slums. His clothes were covered with it too, and blotches of it darkened his face.
"Whaddreyalllookinad..."
Zack burst into helpless laughter as the stress of the day fell off his shoulders. He was angry at Cloud and sure that so were the others. But he also remembered a letter from Sephiroth, telling him how sick the spellcaster had been after only a few glasses of wine one peaceful night. Now the blond smelled like he'd poured half a bar down his throat. Zack was angry, but he was sure Cloud would be very properly sorry for all the worry he'd caused come morning.
"Weren't you thinking!" Aeris' relief took a different form as she leaned closer and frowned at the stench. She grabbed the braid from the table and shoved it to Cloud's face. "Why'd you do this! Where have you been all day? Do you have any idea how worried we've been!"
Cloud tried to focus his blurry eyes on the chocobo-yellow braid that had still been a part of him that morning, but failed quite completely. "Uh, whazzat?" he tried to grab it, but missed so badly Cid started to laugh soundlessly. Zack was doing his best to calm down, but Aeris was still angry.
"We thought the Turks had caught you!"
"... Durrsh? No, no no... dey... uh... dey're all... wussies. I'll prodect you fromm dem..." Cloud promised, nodding seriously and turning slightly green as a result. Aeris didn't seem too convinced.
Cid had recognized the signs and shoved a waste basket between Cloud and the floor just before the blond threw up on it and Aeris's shoes. The flower girl shouted with surprise and took a few quick steps back, banging the back of her feet to the table's edge.
"Don't worry, Buttercup..." Cid said with a wink, "we'll get him back for all the sorrow tomorrow..."
Cloud threw up again
-x-x-x-
The next morning, long before dawn, Sephiroth woke with a nagging feeling, and he knew that it wasn't about the battle they had planned for today. When he remembered the kiss the general pulled the thin pillow over his face and half hoped he'd suffocate and wouldn't have to face the spellcaster. It was one thing to chat with the blond, even flirting would have been understandable, but just to kiss someone who he didn't really know at all!
"... Someone kill me now..." Sephiroth muttered to the pillow and jumped to a sitting position when there was a noise right next to his cot.
"Sir?" his second-in-command stood there, an amused expression on her face. "If you don't get up soon for the battle, the enemy will take care of that..."
"... Shut your smart mouth, Camui..." Sephiroth muttered and got up. "Are the troops up yet?"
"Yes, and ready to attack as soon as you're ready." Camui reported, scratched her shaved head and put her helmet on. The general nodded.
"I'll get dressed. Have them ready to go over in ten minutes. No, make that fifteen. I'll be there in ten."
"Yes, sir!"
Sephiroth sat back down as soon as the woman closed the door, and dropped his head to his hands. There really wasn't time to be sitting around and worrying about things like spontaneous kisses, but knowing that he'd be left practically alone with Strife when the fighters attacked first... he'd lead this battle from the back, organizing the men handling the cannons. Most of their previous cannon crew had been killed a while ago, including the group's leader, when ShinRa's missile had exploded near them. And Cloud... he'd stay in the back, like in every battle, use his spells to their best advantage before joining the battle with his sword.
"... Why... WHY did I DO that?" The general asked himself while getting dressed as fast as one only could when used to incoming missiles during the night. At winter he'd skip the whole process of dressing and undressing and sleep in the uniform, but summer was on its way and the small bunker was too hot for that.
Still mentally kicking his own butt, Sephiroth was out with the troops in nine minutes, ready to give his usual short speech before the battle. The sky was beginning to pale in the east, the whole battlefield was covered in thick mist, just like on most spring mornings. With Cloud's ability to silence the sounds the attacking troops made, they'd be able to reach the ShinRa lines before they were noticed.
"All right, men and women, you know the drill. This is our land, the land we will leave to our children and their children, not land to be raped for Mako. This is our home, and our anger is just. Some of us will die today, but their souls will return to heal and protect our beloved ones and Wutai. Our deaths will not be in vain. Now let's kick some ass."
Sephiroth had done his best to steer his eyes away from the blond spellcaster when he had watched over the fighters. His army. There were so few of them, compared to ShinRa, but they were all so determined, so sure that they couldn't lose this battle or the war. This was their land, like he had said, and they were damned if they would let ShinRa have it.
Lucky for him, Cloud was standing in the back row, behind a wall of men and women who were eager to hear their general's words. But when he gave the command and the group leaders started to lead their men over the trenches, the wall between them thinned at an alarming speed.
In time that was more than complimentary to the trooper's abilities to move quickly and silently, but alarming to Sephiroth, there were just the injured and the reserves in the barracks, the cannon men, getting their weapons ready, Cloud, and him. And the blond was staring at him. Not directly, but from the corners of his brilliant, sky blue eyes... 'STOP IT!' Sephiroth screeched in his mind, feeling a blush creep up to his cheeks. Hoping that he could blame it on the excitement of the battle, he turned towards the spellcaster.
"Strife. Good morning."
"Morning, sir." Cloud answered, turning to face him with the most expression-free face the general had ever seen.
He could see and hear from the reports the radio men were giving him that the men were almost in position, but he couldn't go into battle or let the blond leave without saying something.
"Look, about last night..."
"Sir, everyone's in position!"
"Same here, sir!"
Sephiroth wiped his forehead with a gloved hand and closed his eyes for a second. "... Attack."
The order was relayed through the radios, and the cannons were fired while Cloud's spells crackled in the air. Now the mist was a nuisance, Sephiroth couldn't see the battle or his troops, could only follow the fighting through the radio. He wanted to join it so bad, but the men manning the cannons still needed his advice, unsure with the large and heavy weapons. Curse ShinRa.
The wave of the battle moved constantly but Sephiroth managed to follow it and guide the cannons, glancing over at Cloud every once in a while. The blond was still throwing spells into the enemy lines but the general could see from his movements that the spellcaster was getting ready to join the fight. He had watched the man before, when he had lead the battle from the back row a few times, and had soon learned the little routines the blond had.
Throw a spell, check weapons. Another spell, check the lesser materia. One more spell, grab the sword, last spell, fight. Cloud was now on the second to last spell when Sephiroth ran from the cannons to check the radio reports and give orders. He almost ran past the spellcaster but stopped to put a hand on the blond's shoulder after he had released the spell.
"Good luck, Strife." He said. Or would have said, if Cloud wouldn't have suddenly turned around, stood on his toes and quickly, very lightly and shyly brushed his lips against Sephiroth's. When the general got over his utter amazement Cloud was already running over the field, pulling his huge sword from its sheath. Mouth hanging open, Sephiroth just stared until one of the cannons released its missile with a loud bang, bringing him back to reality.
-x-x-x-
"Man, you STINK!"
Cloud cracked open one eye and immediately wished for death as a hammering headache hit him. He moaned and lifted both shaky hands to cover his eyes from the dim slum daylight that streamed in through the window. Actually, what the slum dwellers called daylight didn't as much stream as limp or ooze through the thick air, but right now, it was way too bright for him.
"Owww... what hit me..." the spellcaster moaned pitifully. Cid laughed long and hard at him.
"Judging by that smell, a case of beer, a few bottles of wine and at least a few shots of whiskey and tequila. Man, do you have to overdo everything?"
Cloud squeezed his eyes shut tighter and whined, dimly beginning to remember that Cid wasn't far from correct. "Kill me, please..."
"Oh, no way! Not until we've all gotten back at you for yesterday! Shit, man, we thought the Turks got you, or worse! And you were out getting hammered! Sorry, but you're gonna hafta pay for that... THEN I might kill you, if I'm still angry enough."
"Angry?" the spellcaster opened one eye slightly again, and peered at his cousin. The mechanic was grinning madly at him, clearly enjoying his misery.
"Yeah, angry! Too bad I gotta go to work now. But I'm sure that Vinnie, Aeris and Zack are gonna make you miserable enough until I get back... have a nice day, boyo!" Cid barked out a laugh and ruffled Cloud's hair vigorously, making the other blond moan with pain.
The door slammed shut with way too much noise, at least for Cloud's ears. He couldn't remember much about the previous day... he had visited Aeris and her mother at their home, then wandered in the slums for an hour or so... until he'd decided to stop for a coffee at a small bar. Sitting alone in the half empty bar, he'd soon decided that he needed something stronger than coffee. The first drink had been a bitter one, but he'd finished it anyway. The second had gone down smoother, and by the third he'd been joined by a cheery, drunk man who had introduced the spellcaster to his good friends Whiskey and Tequila. He could feel bile rising up his throat when he remembered the drink the man had called bequila: a shot of tequila dropped into a pint of beer, glass and all. He'd drank that, as well. And beskey. And something that involved tequila and tabasco sauce. Oh, gods...
Cloud rolled over surprisingly fast and threw up in the empty waste basket Cid had left for him.
"I'd hate to kick a man when he's down, but you kinda deserve that."
The words floated to Cloud's ears as from a great distance, and he was surprised to see Zack standing so close when he lifted his head. That was a wrong move, though, as his head now felt it would split into two at any moment. Cloud closed his eyes and moaned, dropping his head to the couch. Zack chuckled and offered him some tissue. The spellcaster accepted it with a shaky hand and wiped his mouth.
"Thanks... why was Cid so mad?"
"You don't remember? You left around ten in the morning, said you'd be back soon. You were gone for about twelve hours, without letting no one know where you were. We were all worried sick, and looking for you all over Midgar." Zack explained and picked up the waste basket to go and empty it in the toilet. Cloud groaned.
"... Sorry. I got... distracted."
"It's ok to do something utterly stupid like get yourself wasted, but you could have let us know. It's not exactly safe out there for you, or pretty much for any of us. But anyway, I figured out yesterday where we could go for a while. Aeris and her mom are ready to leave as soon as we are. Aeris isn't too thrilled about this, she's worried about her flowers, but her mom is relieved, I gathered. So. As soon as you can stand, we're leaving."
"... Where to?" Cloud managed to ask when Zack was almost at the toilet already.
"It's a secret, for now. You'll see."
The next time Cloud became aware of his surroundings it was Aeris who he saw first. The pink-clad girl gave him a stern look but soon crouched down beside him, running a gentle hand over his forehead and hair.
"How are you feeling, Cloud?" she asked, sounding slightly concerned.
The blond closed his eyes for a moment. The headache was still there, but not so bad if he stayed still. He felt that he'd still have to throw up before he'd feel even a little better. "Uhh... I'm ok..."
"You don't look like it."
"I've felt worse." Cloud muttered and yelped with surprise and pain when Aeris started to tug his shirt off. "What are you doing!" The last thing he wanted was people to see his scarred body, having them see all that damage which he had no explanations for. "Stop!"
"All right!" Aeris stood and stepped back, looking a bit hurt. "I just thought you'd feel better in a clean shirt! I'm sure you'd smell better."
Zack was laughing somewhere in the background, and Cloud could hear someone else's voice as well. Probably Vincent. Were they taking turns in making him more miserable than he already was?
"It's ok, I'll take a shower soon..." he muttered, tugging his shirt back down. The movements didn't feel too nice in his head, and his stomach started to protest as well. "Oh shit..."
Aeris turned the other way while he threw up again, and the splitting headache came pounding back. His stomach kept heaving even though he felt like there couldn't possibly be anything left in it anymore.
"Here..." Aeris offered him a tissue once he was done, and Cloud wiped his mouth. The tissue was no help in getting the horrible taste from his mouth, though. He'd need to get up for that. He thought about it, and came to the conclusion that he could live with the taste for a few moments longer. Hell, if moving hurt like this, he could live with it for the rest of his life! Being pinned to the ground with a heavy beam on top of him and arm crushed almost in two had been a picnic compared to this...
Cloud had finally managed to get up and into the shower without throwing up or keeling over with headache when Cid got home around five in the afternoon. The mechanic laughed wickedly when Zack told him just how sick the spellcaster had been.
"Aeris left a few hours ago. She and her mom will get ready, and as soon as it's dark, we're leaving Midgar." The fighter's words surprised Cid completely.
"What? Today!"
"Yeah. The sooner the better."
"Why not tomorrow?" It was dangerous for all of them, but Cid realized that he really didn't want to part with his cousin so soon, not without knowing that Cloud would be all right.
"Well, Cloud tried that, too, but Vincent pointed out that it's far easier to get out of here after nightfall than during the day." Zack explained and shrugged. "The faster we get out of here, the better."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. The Turks are on the move, I saw more blue suits go by today than I usually see in a month."
"Really? Shit..." Zack frowned and scratched the back of his head, starting to pace in the small space of the living-room. "Hope they won't post more guards on the gates..."
Cloud came out from the bathroom then, clean and dressed in clean clothes. His hair looked pitiful, the longer spikes drooping with the moisture, and the short hairs in the back standing up. It was enough to make Cid burst into laughter.
"Damn! You look like... like a chocobo... whose tail feathers have been plucked out!" The mechanic managed to gasp between peels of laughter. The -very fitting- description made Zack laugh as well, and Vincent rolled his eyes, not letting such things break his blasé facade. Cloud blushed and glared death on all of them.
"Haven't you had enough fun at my expense already today?" the spellcaster growled and sat on the couch, making Cid move closer to Vincent to make some room. The mechanic patted his cousin on the back as an apology.
"Sorry, Cloud. But why did you cut your hair in the first place?" Zack said, forcing himself serious. Cid turned to hear the explanation as well, but Vincent kept his attention on the television.
Cloud squirmed a bit, not liking the attention. He turned his eyes to the floor and was silent for a long moment, long enough that Cid poked him gently in the ribs. "It's... because..."
"Come on, kiddo. You can tell us..." Cid said, smiling gently now. Cloud shook his head slightly and sighed. "What's with the melancholy?"
"It's because... he's dead. This's what warriors do, in Wutai. When someone close to them dies." Cloud explained quietly, his voice even.
Cid fell quiet and Zack found himself fighting back tears. The fighter came and knelt in front of Cloud, taking both his hands into his own, larger ones. He looked up, turning his head until he caught Cloud's eyes. "Seph loved your hair, you know... he wrote to me about it. I don't think he's happy that you went and cut it, but I'm sure he still appreciates it."
Cloud sobbed loudly and Zack could feel hot tears fall on his palms. "He's really gone... I miss him so much..." the blond whispered. "And... I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday morning, but it just hurts so much sometimes... it's not right! He shouldn't have died!" Cloud started to cry helplessly. Cid, almost in tears himself, wrapped an arm around his shoulders and leaned his cheek against Cloud's shoulder, murmuring quiet, calming words.
"I'm sorry, I can't help it..." Cloud muttered once he got his tears under control again. Cid patted him on the back.
"Don't worry about it, kiddo..."
Zack rubbed some warmth into the blond's hands, still held tightly in his own. "It's ok to cry. Doesn't make you any less of a man."
"... Or woman, depending which one of you was on top..." Cid muttered under his breath. Zack choked and turned away, furiously pushing all images created by the sentence out of his mind.
Vincent rolled his eyes and slapped the back of the mechanic's head. "You just can't keep your piehole shut, can you? Moron..."
"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." Cid chuckled but was honest when he turned to his cousin. "Sorry, Cloud, me an' my big mouth, you know me..."
Cloud was very quiet and unmoving, he only stared ahead and blinked slowly.
"Cloud? Shit, man, I didn't mean it..."
The spellcaster turned slowly to him and frowned. "If that's what makes me male or female, then... what's it called when you're both?"
"... I didn't need to know that..." Zack muttered and rubbed his eyes as the images came running back.
Cid stared at Cloud, mouth hanging open until the spellcaster winked slowly. "You... slag!" the older blond shouted and burst into laughter.
Around eight in the evening Zack decided that it was time to leave. Vincent had one more night shift before a few days off, so he and Cid left the same time as the two Peacemakers. They said goodbye to Vincent at the shop. The mechanic had decided to hang along to make sure they got out of the city.
The three tried to stay in the shadows as they made their way to Aeris' house. The slums were quieter than usual, but Cid assured them it was normal at the start of the week. Friday was payday, and after clock struck five on Friday afternoon, the slums were packed until Sunday evening.
"But still, the Turks might be prowlin' here for you guys..." the mechanic muttered, walking between Cloud and Zack. The fighter was carrying his sword over his shoulder so that no one would even think about troubling them. The spellcaster kept his materia and knives hidden, staring ahead as they walked. He'd joked with Cid earlier, but after that had fallen into a dark, quiet mood.
Luckily they didn't see one dark blue suit they'd recognize as a Turk uniform. Aeris' house was a bit away from the main part of the slums, sitting alone near a small garden she was taking care of. It seemed to be the only house in the slums that didn't look as if it was falling apart or in need of a lot of work. One light was on in the upper floor, and all the windows on the ground floor were bathed in soft, warm light.
"Damn. That's enough to make me homesick..." Zack muttered and grinned. "Nothing like the rest of the slums. No wonder Aeris isn't in a hurry to leave..."
"Yeah... I'll give the place two weeks before it's in as bad a shape as the rest of the sector..." Cid said as they stopped for a moment. Just seeing this small haven in the middle of the decay of the slums was enough to calm a soul.
"Can't you and Vinnie move in or something? Make sure the place stays like this?" Zack suggested. The mechanic shrugged and seemed to consider it seriously.
"Hey, that's not a bad idea... yeah, keep the place in shape if Miss Buttercup or her mom come back. You're not half as dumb as you look."
"Thanks. Hey, wait..."
"Moron."
"Come on, you two..." Cloud muttered and took off, leaving the two grinning and glaring at each other. The front door was open but since that was normal he paid little attention to it.
"Wait up, Cloud!" Zack called and jogged after him, a chuckling Cid right behind him. At the open door Zack swore he could sense something wrong, but a quick glance around the room showed him nothing out of the ordinary. Cloud was standing near the opposite wall, staring at something with his head cocked to the side. The fighter quickly followed his gaze, but whatever the spellcaster was seeing was hidden from him by the open door.
"Hey Buttercup! You ready yet?" Cid shouted once he was in, and jumped in fright when the door slammed suddenly shut behind him. Zack swore when he saw what Cloud, now holding both his knives ready, had been peering at.
"Drop your sword." Tseng said, pointing his gun at the fighter's chest.
Reno appeared on the top of the stairs, reaching over the railing, the tip of his electric rod crackling next to Cloud's ear. "You too, Mister Strife... the President will be soooo happy to meet you!"
"You fuckin'-" Cid started but a third Turk stepped out of the kitchen and grabbed the mechanic by the neck of his shirt.
"I'll only say this once again, drop your weapons, all of you. We only need Mr. Strife and Aeris alive, the rest of you are disposable." Tseng said, a snake's smile on his lips.
"Traitor." Cloud hissed and dropped his knives to the floor. "You're Wutaian, aren't you? How can you work for ShinRa?"
Tseng's eyes grew hard but he just shrugged the comment away and gestured towards Zack's sword. The fighter let go of the handle and the long, heavy blade slid off his shoulder and fell to the floor with a loud, metallic thud. "Blood does not dictate where loyalties lie."
"Your materia too, kid. We know you're a spellcaster." Reno said with a grin as he jumped over the railing to stand next to Cloud. His weapon's tip never left its place next to the blond head.
Cloud, still staring at Tseng, rolled up his sleeve and loosened the materia bangle around his wrist, letting it drop to the floor, next to his knives.
"Be a good boy now and Rude here won't snap your cousin's neck. The one around your upper arm, as well..." Tseng ordered, and Cloud obeyed. Cid swore and struggled to get out of the vice-like grip, but the tall, bald Turk holding him didn't even budge.
"What have you done to Aeris and her mother?" Cloud demanded as he lifted his hands into the air. Reno quickly searched him, nodding to Tseng when he found nothing.
"Nothing. It's not us who have business with Miss Gainsborough. We're just to escort her, and you, to meet with our boss. By force, if needed." The Wutaian Turk explained casually, as if holding a gun to someone's head was a daily occurrence to him. Which it was. "If you two come quietly, you won't come to any harm from us, that I can guarantee. If you give us grief, I can guarantee that your friends and her mother won't see another sunrise."
"Livin' down here, you think we've ever seen one?" Cid muttered. He had resigned to being hanged by his neck like a kitten, and had crossed his arms over his chest, looking mostly insulted by everything.
The Turks just ignored his words as the one named Rude used his free hand to force Cid's hands into cuffs. Tseng motioned for Zack to follow the mechanic's example, and the fighter was bound the same way.
"You too, blondie..." Reno said with a smirk, but turned a bit serious when Cloud glared death at him.
"I have nothing left to live for, Turk... how about you?" Cloud hissed as he reached out his hands. Reno was clearly unnerved by this, and his hands were shaking ever so slightly when he slapped the cuffs around the spellcaster's wrists.
"All right, Elena, you can bring them down now." Tseng called. A moment passed before they started to hear voices and footsteps upstairs, and soon Aeris and her mother, both cuffed as well, were led downstairs by a young, blonde Turk.
"Cloud! Are you guys all right? They were waiting when I got here, they were threatening to kill mom... I'm so sorry..." Aeris tried to reach her friend, but Reno put out an arm and stopped her before she got too close.
"Not so fast, sister." The redhead eyed her up and down, smirking. "Too bad you're off limits..."
"Get your filthy hands off of her!" Cloud shouted, angered, and Reno had to lift his other arm to hold the spellcaster off. His lightning rod, still on, was now dangerously close to his own head.
"Reno! Elena! Restrain your prisoners!" Tseng barked, turning his attention momentarily from Zack. The fighter lifted his arms immediately and punched the Turk's gun-arm to the side. The gun went off but the bullet flew away from everyone, skidded from the door-frame and continued its way to the kitchen. Aeris and her mother screamed, and the older woman pulled her daughter down. That threw Reno off balance, and Cloud's foot to the back of his knees dropped the Turk to the floor. The lightning rod, however, caught the spellcaster in the knee, and Cloud fell as well, howling with the sudden pain.
"Stop! Don't move!" Elena shouted, aiming her gun at both women kneeling on the floor. Zack had managed to knock Tseng's gun to the floor, but the Turk had retaliated with punching the fighter. The two were now squaring each other off, throwing quiet insults and threats.
All the while, Rude had not moved. Cid had curled into a fetal ball when the gun had gone off, and was now peeking at the chaos through his uplifted arms. "Hey big guy, whaddayasay we go out for a fag and leave these guys to finish this ugly business...?"
For a moment it almost seemed like the Turk would accept, but then he shook his head minutely and tightened his hold on the mechanic. "Shut up."
"Come on, it looks like we're not really even involved in all this!"
"Shut up." The Turk repeated and shook his prisoner slightly. Cid gagged with the tight grip on his throat.
Reno got back up quickly as Elena pointed her gun from Aeris to her mother to Cloud and back to Aeris. The redhead growled and kicked Cloud in the ribs. "Get up. And no stupid tricks this time."
Elena ordered the women up as well, and seeing what the situation had changed to, Zack lowered his hands in defeat. Tseng smirked and bowed down to catch his gun, but the fighter moved quickly and kicked it away. Tseng was back up again in one fluid movement, and punched him.
Reno and Cloud both scrambled for the gun as it slid their way. The spellcaster was still on his knees, so with a desperate lunge he reached the gun first, and turned to his back to shove it into Reno's face. The Turk froze.
"Drop the gun, Strife, or she dies!" Elena shouted, her gun now pointing at Aeris' mother.
"You drop it, or he dies." Cloud hissed, taking advantage of the fact that Reno was pretty much laying on him to bruise his face with the barrel. The Turk didn't dare to use his electric rod in fear of the gun.
"No, Strife, you drop it or she AND your cousin die!" Tseng howled, quite annoyed. He hadn't expected this to be an easy job, but this was starting to be ridiculous.
"SOMEONE drop it already!" Cid struggled to get free again, hating being just a pawn in other people's game. Rude shook him sharply, making the mechanic's shirt bite into his skin. "Still, squirrel."
"..." Cloud glared at Reno with all the hatred and anger he could muster, and let the gun fall to the ground. The Turk immediately grabbed for it, and used its butt to hit the spellcaster's head. That didn't do anything to help the hung over Cloud, who closed his eyes and groaned, holding his head as the Turk got up and tossed the gun back to his boss. Tseng caught it and turned it immediately to Zack.
"All right, now that we're done playing hero, it's time to go. Strife, Aeris, do ANYTHING stupid and these three die. GOT IT?" the Turk clearly was deathly serious, so Aeris nodded. Cloud just groaned as an answer while Reno roughly tugged him up.
"Don't worry, boss, I think I knocked the fight out of him."
"Finally." Tseng murmured and motioned with the gun for Zack to get out. He followed immediately, then Reno and Elena with their three prisoners. Rude and Cid were the last. The large Turk closed the door as soon as they were out.
Cid felt quite stupid, actually, being carried around like this, watching as his friends and family were threatened. Cloud seemed a bit dizzy after the hit to the head, but Reno still kept a sharp eye on the spellcaster. Elena guided both Aeris and her mother, not that either would try anything. Zack kept looking over his shoulder at them every time Tseng's attention was momentarily elsewhere.
They were led from the quiet corner of the slums towards the more lively parts. The streets were still fairly quiet, and most people minded their own business, paying no attention to the Turks and their prisoners. But Cid noticed that the further they got, the more people stopped to stare and whisper. Soon, even the people ahead of them were staring and pointing. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up.
Tseng seemed a bit nervous as well, glaring at their curious audience to keep them from trying to be heroes. He kept glancing over his shoulder as well, trying to keep everything under control. He wasn't liking this situation at all.
They were almost out of the sector already, the next one would be just past the last few houses. It would be quieter there. But when they reached the small clearing before the gateway, they were met by a throng of slum dwellers, glaring at the Turks angrily, some even holding weapons. Tseng stopped his small group immediately, pulled Zack closer and lifted the gun up to the man's temple.
"Let us pass now, and there will be no trouble to you." The Turk didn't shout, just raised his voice, but it was enough to make some of the people nervous. But not all.
"Where're you takin' them?" One man demanded loudly.
"That's none of your business." Tseng snarled and demanded them to move again.
"It is when you're taking our family." The man shouted and pointed at the Turk with his baseball bat. Others shouted in agreement.
Tseng looked at his small group of prisoners. "Don't be absurd, none of these are your family."
"She's my niece!" The man pointed at Aeris. Another pointed at Zack and claimed him as a cousin. One woman recognized Cloud as her brother. A few called Aeris' mother their sister, and a little girl tried to run to Cid, shouting for daddy. The mob closed in on all sides, making it tight for the Turks and their prisoners.
"STAY BACK!" Tseng shouted and moved his gun from Zack's head to point at the crowd. That was a wrong move. The fighter elbowed him in the back, pushing the Turk forward, and the mob descended on him. Zack knelt quickly to steal the master key to the cuffs from the Turk's belt before trying to back away from the fight. Rude dropped Cid as the little girl and two other kids attached themselves to the mechanic's legs. The blond quickly ushered them away from the fight as Rude was immediately attacked by three grown men. Elena screamed as she was pulled into the crowd, her gun taken from her hand. Reno twirled his electric rod around, keeping the mob around him at bay while he screamed for backup into his PHS. But a two-by-four to the back of his head soon felled him as well.
Having escorted 'his kids' to safety, Cid returned to the chaos to reach his friends. He soon saw Aeris and her mother, clasping hands with people as they were pushed away from the middle of the fight. The blond shouted thank-you's and apologies and elbowed his way after the two women, soon catching a glimpse of Zack's spiky hair. The fighter was dragging Cloud away from the fight.
"Hey! Wait!" Cid shouted and soon reached his friends as the throng of people eased around him. Aeris and her mother were holding each other, talking with a few women. Zack was standing right beside them, holding a nauseous-looking Cloud up. He was using the key to open their cuffs, and quickly freed Cid as well.
"We have to leave before back-up gets here." The fighter said, looking around wildly. Cid swore as he realized that all their weapons, Zack's sword, Cloud's knives and materia were still at Aeris' house. Well, it couldn't be helped now!
"Come on, Vinnie's shop is just on the other side of the gate. I can get you some stuff there, then get you outta here. Ladies, come on!" The blond mechanic lead them to the next sector, through the quiet streets towards the liquor shop. He went in alone, and soon returned with a full plastic bag. He shoved it to Zack and hurried them along, deeper into the sector. Soon he took a sharp turn to the left.
"This isn't the best way to leave town without being noticed, and not the easiest, either, but I don't think we can be picky right now!" He guided them to a stinking alley, and to their horror, opened the lid to the sewer. "Right, in you go! Straight till you come to a crossroad, then to the right, and then just keep on walkin' till you're out. Simple as a picnic."
"You're kidding." Zack said, holding his nose to keep from gagging. Cloud looked positively green beside him.
"I kid you not. Get in. There're a few flashlights in the bag. Hurry, for fuck's sake!"
"Will you be alright?" Aeris asked while her mother tied a scarf around her mouth. The pink-clad girl didn't seem too thrilled of the idea of going down the sewers, but she seemed less disturbed by the smell than the others.
"Yeah, I'll go to the shop and lay low for a while. Get my stuff from my place and move to Vinnie's. Eh, who am I kidding, there's nothing worth saving there. Don't ya worry about me, I'll be alright. Just... lemme know once you're somewhere safe, k?"
"Yeah, sure..." Zack muttered as he got ready to go down. Cid grabbed his cousin into a tight hug.
"Take care, goofball. Say hi to auntie Ame, and mom too, if you hear from one or the other."
"Yeah, you too..." Cloud muttered.
They said their goodbyes and descended into the sewer. Cid stayed there to close the lid and to throw some dirt and garbage onto it, and then ran through the alleys to the shop.
It was dark in the sewer, but Zack soon found two torches from the full bag. He turned one on and handed the other to Aeris. They were in a round tunnel, the roof not much higher than the tips of Zack's longest spikes.
"Well, let's get goin' then."
They were walking knee-deep in muck which contents they did not want to know of. It stank so bad that they were all gagging, even Aeris. Cloud's hangover returned and he threw up a few times before they reached the crossing. Their smaller pipe joined a much larger one there, all the muck slowly streaming to the right. There were a few lights in the high ceiling here and there, just enough to illuminate the more disgusting bits of waste that stuck out from the goo. Their pipe was at a higher level, so they had to go down a small ladder.
"... You guys think it's too late to go and surrender to the Turks?" Zack muttered, looking green in the flashlight's beam.
"I wonder what happened to them." Aeris asked no one in particular, to get her mind off the fact that she was now standing hip-deep in various types of waste. Her mother hung onto her shoulder. She'd almost slipped a few times already.
"Well I'm pretty sure that they deserved it, whatever they got." Zack said, holding the plastic bag above the muck. He gagged, water running from his eyes.
"I feel really sick..." Cloud muttered beside the fighter, shaking his head.
"Maybe it won't be long now." Aeris tried to comfort him. But there was no end to the tunnel in sight. Both ahead and behind, it was soon swallowed by complete darkness.
"The sooner we move, the sooner we're out of here." Zack mentioned as no one seemed eager to move deeper into the sewage, to a more even floor. That did the trick, though, and they continued their escape from Midgar.
The lights above, where they worked, barely lighted the muck below. The flashlights showed them only what they pointed them at, which was handy, since no one really wanted to know what kept making those squeaking sounds around them. A few times something that sounded very big roared somewhere behind them, but luckily they met no monsters. Zack had taken a moment to go through the bag when they took a small break: there was water and a few boxes of dry biscuits, two bottles of strong alcohol and three boxes of matches, and some old, dirty cleaning rags. The contents had puzzled him a bit until he remembered that Vincent worked in a liquor store. Still, the thought of them stopping to make a bomb out of the ingredients while fighting off some monster did make him giggle.
It was a scary thought, but they'd almost grown used to the stench by the time they felt the first brushes of fresh air against their sweaty skins. The sewage flowed a bit faster around them, the tunnel starting to lead downwards. A few more hundred yards and the tunnel just suddenly spat them out to the nature. They managed to jump from the edge to their left, to the yellow grass lining the sides of the stinking river that streamed out of their sight.
"We're out..." Aeris whispered with reverence usually saved for moments where one sees one's first born for the first time. She and her mother sat down while Zack stopped to look up to the starry sky high above, relieved.
"Thank Leviathan..." Cloud muttered by his side and fainted. The fighter yelped and quickly reached out to catch the spellcaster before he hit the ground, or worse, the river.
"Is he alright?" Aeris worried when the fighter helped the smaller man to his back.
"Yeah, just fainted. I think he's still exhausted and sick. I was sure he'd faint way before this... must have kept himself conscious just not to fall into that shit." Zack sat down beside Cloud and sighed. "I think we can afford a small break, but we better get far from here as soon as possible."
"I don't think we're too far from Kalm." Aeris' mother said, looking around.
Zack shook his head. "It's the closest place, it's the first place they'll look. Sorry, Mrs... uh..."
"Please, call me Elmyra. I didn't think of that..."
"Ah, hello, nice to meet you, Elmyra. I'm Zack." The fighter grinned and reached out his hand. Elmyra took it and smiled. "I'd normally kiss such a beautiful lady on the hand, but I hope you'll pardon me this time."
Both women laughed, but fell quiet almost immediately in fear that someone might hear.
"You know what, ladies? The first town we reach, we're shopping for clothes and bathing until we're wrinkly as raisins."
Aeris shook her head, chuckling under her breath. "This is going to be an interesting trip..."
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A.N: Tequila+Tabasco sauce is the WORST, most horrible thing imaginable you can pour down your throat. Unless your insides are made of asbestos. The smell still makes me sick, and it has been 7 or 8 years since I was dared to drink a shot of it…
Answers to reviews:
dogcollar: The magic 8-ball says: All signs point to Yes. My own preferences point towards ZxC, but Cloud seems a bit reluctant. Thank you for the comment, there shall be more flashbacks!
