Cloud stood by the mail box, today he knew the post from Midgar would come.
"Hi Mister Jansen!" Cloud said waving his arm at the postman as he walked up the street putting mail in to the boxes.
"Hello Cloud." The older man said with a smile. "I think I have a letter here for you."
Cloud just grinned and started swaying on his feet. "Is it from Genesis?"
Mr. Jansen just laughed a bit as he handed the letter over to Cloud before putting the rest of the Strife's mail in the mailbox. Cloud was already halfway up the steps ripping the letter open.
"Dear Cloud
I finally made it to first class! Sorry it took so long to write but I spent the last 6 months in Wutai before my promotion . I've not seen much of Angeal or dad lately, but I have been stuck in General Sephiroth's unit for most of my deployment.
I'm sure you recognize him from all the newspapers and recruitment ads. Let me tell you he's nothing like what they made him out to be. I expected an pompous arrogant asshole. It took awhile for me to find out who he was, he's rather closed off but when I did I was happier for it. Turns out the guy doesn't have many friends.
I managed to earn his respect on one of the missions and we got to talking afterwards. Anyway I told him about you and he wants to meet you when you come to Midgar next summer yourself. Don't be afraid he may look like he's made of ice but he's really a softy.
Anyway enough about Sephiroth, after the last encounter with the Wutai troops there talking about promoting me to Commander. I came up with the battle plan that took out their main northern base. Apparently they'd been struggling with it for years. I wanted to wait to write you until after I heard the final verdict but I figured you'd waited long enough for a letter, so I'll just have to write you again so you can know how it turns out. Who knows maybe it will even make the paper!
Everything else is actually rather boring. I'm glad you're doing well in school. Anyway thanks for taking care of mom for me. Dad, Angeal and myself are all going to try and make it home for Christmas this year.
Anyway love and miss you,
Genesis Strife.
Cloud clutch the letter to his chest. He missed his brother like crazy. He was going to work doubly hard to make sure he could make it into SOLDIER and be with his brother more. Angeal too he thought with a grin.
Genesis stood in a small Wutaian village, he didn't know the name, and he didn't care. All he knew was that Cloud had last been spotted here.
He watched as Reno walked away from one of the locals, back over to him and Rude. "They were quite willing to talk. They liked Cloud, kid was doing his job well. Apparently the guys who took Cloud were foreigners. That's the bad news." Reno said shaking his head.
"Who did it?" Genesis said on edge.
"AVALANCHE" Reno said.
Rude's face soured and Genesis looked like he was about to set something on fire. "Who's AVALANCHE."
"A terrorist group we've been dealing with. They weren't suppose to be this deep into Wutai, and I ain't got no idea what they'd want with Cloud." Reno said shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Then contact your boss and find out if he knows anything." Genesis almost screamed.
"You don't know what 'on your own' means do you bud? It's up to us to find your brother." Reno said with a bit of drawl.
Genesis just cursed as he spun around and put his fist through a tree.
"We'll find the kid, just cuz I didn't expect em here, and have no idea why they took em, doesn't' mean I don't have plan." Reno said trying to calm Genesis down, he really didn't like a pissed of Genesis.
"Then where." Genesis said turning back around.
"Come on." Reno said, "Just be ready for a fight."
"Always." Genesis said following Reno as he started up a mountain trail.
It was a half day's hike up the mountain when they found the facility AVALANCHE had been using.
True to Reno's words Genesis got a fight, so did the two Turks with him.
Reno leaned down to look at one of the body's during a lull in the fighting "Hey Genesis."
"What, don't tell me your scavenging bodies." Genesis said with a tone of annoyance in his voice.
"No man, just...does this guy look familiar to you?" Reno asked pointing to one of the men he had taken the helmet off of.
"Vaguely, but I don't see how that matters right now." Genesis said ready to move on.
"We've been hearing rumors about guys going missing. Cadets, SOLDIERs, Turks, Infantry, you name it. Just a few here and there. Nothing suspicious on its own but somethin' ain't been add'n up right. " Reno said standing.
"Why is that relevant now." Genesis snapped.
"Cuz' I think we've been fight'n the guys that went missing. And if that's this case..." Reno said looking at Genesis.
"If that's the case we need to find Cloud now." Genesis demanded.
"Dude... I didn't to have to say it. But we might not find your brother." Reno said looking at the Commander.
"We will find him." Genesis said determinedly. Cloud couldn't be one of these men.
Reno just sighed and threw his nightstick over his shoulder. "We're gonna have to clean this place out anyway. Let's get going."
The fought their way through the complex and eventually came to a lab. There were several locked rooms and Genesis blew the door down on each one. Each one held a different man, somewhere in the stage of becoming what they had fought so far. None of them still had a mind and none of them had been Cloud.
"Cloud damnit where are you?" Genesis screamed as he blew open the last door and gasped.
In the room sat Cloud, his arms wrapped around himself, vacant eyes looked up at Genesis.
"Cloud!" Genesis cried running into the room and pulling his brother into a hug. Reno and Rude hung back, waiting for Cloud to attack. What they had seen so far hadn't been pretty.
"Genesis?" Cloud croaked out, but his eyes still wouldn't focus. Genesis also noted they had a slight glow to them.
"What did they do to you?" Genesis said looking over his brother. There were needle marks all up and down his arms.
"Genesis." Was all Cloud said.
"We need to get him out of here." Genesis said standing holding his brother in his arms.
Reno hesitated but it was obvious that Cloud hadn't been as far gone as the others. Maybe there was some hope for the kid. "Alright. He was our priority and we've torn this place up pretty good. We can finish the job later."
Cloud just clung to his brother's body, as Genesis hauled him out of the facility and started the journey home.
These were all suppose to be light and fluffy when I started them! But it seems in any universe I can't help making Cloud a science experiment. This time he was well on his way to becoming a Raven.
I should be getting back to the light and fluffy as this little mini plot resolves itself.
Anyway please review-DHT
