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Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all associated characters and symbols are the exclusive property of Square Enix and its associates.

Nine…

The world was a dirty purple hue and he hung within its cold confines, afraid but not sure why. It was not the same feeling he had when he was in the Lifestream. There it had been warm and welcoming, while this place exuded only menace and death. Cloud looked around slowly, trying to figure out where he was. A light glowed in the darkness and as soon as he saw it he felt himself pulled in that direction, though every cell in his body suddenly screamed for him to stay away. He tried to struggle, but whatever it was that held him captive had also frozen his limbs and he was unable to move or resist. He couldn't even turn his head away or close his eyes. As the light grew brighter he saw something moving in the distance; a jumble of dark shapes centered round a shining image which was the source off the strange light. His stomach clenched, reacting before he even understood what he was looking at. When his mind finally accepted the image, making the oddly shaped puzzle pieces take physical form, he recoiled in horror and disbelief. It was Hojo! Or at least, what appeared to be Hojo. There was only a head, but there could be no mistaking the greasy black hair, high forehead, and bulbous eyes. The light seemed to emanate from the scientist somehow, illuminating him and what he was doing.

Monsters and humans clustered around the scientist, every one of them covered in the same strange growths Cloud had seen on the Bandersnatches. One by one they shambled mindlessly up to the floating head, froze in place and – as the head glowed more brightly for an instant – slowly dissolved into smoke which Hojo sucked into his mouth. Each time he inhaled the essence of one of the infected beings, his body grew. First a neck took shape, then the body, then the extremities, until at last Hojo resembled the final form he had taken after injecting himself with Jenova cells at the Sister Ray Cannon in Midgar.

But that was impossible! How could he have survived when Cloud was certain he cut the crazy scientist into pieces? Cloud shook his head, trying to deny what his eyes were telling him. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening! It was a dream; just a dream. Abruptly Hojo turned and looked directly at Cloud. He seemed surprised to see him. Then the bulbous eyes widened with the same sick pleasure he always showed when he was about to play with a new specimen. Cloud knew that look; it had been used on him many times after he and Zack were taken captive in Nibelheim; and fear shot through him. He tried to run away, his heart pounding so hard he thought it would burst from his chest, but his legs refused to respond and he remained hovering helplessly before the horrid apparition, frozen to the spot just like the monsters Hojo had turned into smoke.

"Hello! And what's this?" Hojo drifted toward Cloud, tentacle arms wriggling with excitement as they reached out to inspect his new prize. His rubbery mouth split into a broad grin, showing jagged teeth, and he started to giggle.

Cloud struggled against the blankets which hampered him, crying out in his delirium.

Lar clucked his tongue and rearranged the damp cloth on the patient's forehead. It was two days now since he arrived on that great yellow bird of his. At first nobody thought he would make it, but apparently the SOLDIER uniform the kid wore wasn't just a costume. He had an incredible resistance to the poison which raged through his veins from the infected monsters that were beginning to appear around Fort Condor lately. The bites and scratches were angry purple and seeped a green tinged fluid, just like Charlie had before he died from that attack last week. Lar had given the young man every potion and remedy he could get a hold of, but the fever continued to rage high enough to burn up any normal person.

"Ho… Hojo…" the young man mumbled. He thrashed his head from side to side, fingers twitching.

The old man leaned over him. "Whadja say?" he asked.

Cloud abruptly jerked upright, Mako blue eyes wide with fear as he stared at something only he could see.

"No…" He lashed out, knocking the startled oldster into the dirt wall. "NO!" Cloud tried to stand, but his legs got caught in the blanket and he fell, struggling frantically as if death itself was after him. His eyes were feverishly bright and unfocused.

"Tom! Harry! Get in here quick!" Lar hollered as he picked himself out of the wreckage of the chair. The sick man's eyes were wild. He was ripping at the blanket, but he didn't appear to be aware of his surroundings and Lar wondered what kind of nightmare would cause such a violent reaction. And what was a 'Hojo'?

Two burly men appeared at the door and started into the room. They took in the sight of the old man on the floor amid the wreckage of his chair and headed for the aggravated young man who was now proceeding to trash the bed.

"Wait a minute!" Lar suddenly waved them back, scowling fiercely at the sick man. Grabbing him didn't seem like such a great idea on second thought. Maybe it was time to try a new tack.

"Now just take it easy, young feller," he tried to speak as soothingly as possible while still keeping a safe distance away. "You're in Fort Condor. You were brought here by a big bird." He felt a bit silly rambling on like this, but the patient stopped struggling and actually seemed to be listening to him, though his eyes remained unfocused.

"The boys brought you up to my room and you've been sleeping in my bed for the last two days. You got attacked by some of them rabid monsters we've been seeing round here lately. They killed Shem and we lost Charlie just last week when he got bit like you. Them monsters are bad poison, what with them weird growths all over them, so we've been keepin to the Fort mostly."

He took a breath and his two companions watched uneasily, ready to lend a hand if it was needed. One of them glanced at the mess the invalid had caused and wondered if they'd be able to hold the guy down despite how sick and shaky he looked.

"That big bird of yours is sure kicking up a ruckus, so I'm hoping you can tell it to settle down. We been feeding it them green bundles you was carrying in your pack and we built a nest out of spare blankets and such but…" he let it trail off. The young man's oddly glowing eyes were losing their wild look and seemed to burn a bit less brightly.

"Can you tell us your name, son?"

Lar's head ached where it had made contact with the wall. He just counted his lucky stars that the walls were made of packed earth and not concrete. His throat felt like somebody had used sandpaper on it from talking so much, but his approach seemed to be working. The sick man's eyes narrowed as he tried to focus on the old man.

"Folks round here call me Lar, or old man," he shrugged, grinning amiably.

"Cloud," the blonde SOLDIER'S voice was so soft he almost didn't catch it. "I'm… Cloud."

He staggered then suddenly went limp. Harry caught him just before his head hit the floor and with Tom's help they carefully laid him back on the remains of the bed. But as soon as the young SOLDIER'S head touched the pillow his eyes flew open again. He grimaced and Tom started to back away when a firm grip on his arm prevented him. He winced at the power in the SOLDIER'S grip, even though the man was still weak from the poison and fever. Cloud didn't seem to notice.

"Please… Kisari," Cloud began. He swallowed hard, his voice hoarse and his mouth obviously dry. Lar hobbled over to the bed and sat in a chair Harry grabbed from the next room. He filled a cup of water, sneaking in a healthy dose of tranquilizer before holding it out to the patient.

"Thirsty?" he asked.

Cloud nodded then gritted his teeth as the mother of all headaches stabbed him between the eyes. The water was cool with an earthy taste and he gratefully downed the entire cup. He closed his eyes and took a quick internal check. His body still burned with fever and he was very weak. But he could think and he remembered words spoken during his nightmare. Calm words, coaxing him back to sanity. He opened his eyes.

"The growths…" he coughed and Lar handed him another cup of drugged water. "What are they?"

"Don't rightly know," the old man admitted, shaking his head. "Just that they been driving the local monster population crazy lately. It's bad enough having to worry bout getting attacked every time you step out of the Fort, but now we've got to watch out for them parasite thingies. One bite killed Charlie."

"Parasite?" Cloud turned his head to look at the old man, ignoring the pain as best he could. He needed to understand what was happening here and if the dream about Hojo had anything to do with it. Was it possible the scientist had managed to survive somehow? He didn't want to think so, but when Jenova was involved things were never that easy. And then there was the recurring dream of Sephiroth. Cloud felt like the world was closing in on him.

"Well… that's the best description we can come up with," Lar answered. "When they first started showing up, one of the workers here got infected or something. He had a great big growth on his neck and started mumbling bout getting to HIM or whatever. He ran off screaming and ranting and we ain't seen him since. Figure he died. We looked for the body. Never found anything. They killed Shem outright. Then one of them infected monsters attacked Charlie and he didn't grow nothin. He just died of a fever."

Lar leaned forward, looking deep into Cloud's glowing blue eyes.

"You're a SOLDIER, aint'cha?" he asked quietly.

Cloud closed his eyes. Weariness swept over him in waves and he felt himself slipping away. He fought it. "Sort of," he mumbled, a note of regret in his voice that made Lar curious.

"Thought so," Lar nodded. Behind him, Tom and Harry frowned. They'd heard of SOLDIERS and had even seen a few of them in action. They silently counted their lucky stars that Lar had talked the young man down from his rampage or they all might've been in serious trouble.

"Ain't seen any since that big battle with Shinra a few months ago," Lar continued, ignoring them. "After that Meteor thing showed up in the sky. You with Shinra?"

"No!" Cloud grabbed his head as pain lanced through it. He groaned. "No, I… never was," he said. A rough hand gently patted his shoulder as consciousness finally slipped away from him.

"Don't worry, son," Lar assured him. "We seen what'cha done to that pack of Bandersnatches. Besides, the war's over. Just get better soon, cause I think that bird's gonna come up here if you don't go down and reassure it soon."

He felt the young man's body slowly relax beneath his hand and listened as his breathing settled into a broken, feverish rhythm. All that tranquilizer Lar had snuck into his water had finally taken effect. He took the cup from Cloud's limp fingers and set it on the table, glancing at the empty tranquilizer bottle a bit worriedly. His eye caught on the giant sword the lad had had slung on his back when he was first brought inside. It had taken two men to carry the thing up here.

"Damn!" he exclaimed suddenly, startling the two men with him. "And I thought them Shinra SOLDIERS were all hype." He rubbed his shoulder gingerly. It felt like it had nearly been dislocated. He recalled the speed and power with which the sick man struck out. Tom had told him about the pack of Bandersnatches, or what was left of them; chopped to pieces every one of them. And the kid had left even less behind of those strange growths. Yet he came away with no more than scratches and a few bite marks. And the bird had no visible wounds at all.

"I'd hate to make an enemy out of that feller," he commented out loud.

"What do you want to do with him?" Tom asked.

Lar rubbed his eyes, wincing at the bruised shoulder.

"He should sleep for several hours, considering all the tranquilizer I poured into him. I'm gonna get some sleep too." He yawned. "Tom, you watch him." He got up and headed for the door.

"Oh!" He paused. "And don't touch him! If you startle him, he might get mad and beat the stuffin' out of you. Just call me when he wakes up. I got some more questions for him." He walked out, leaving the two men to stare at each other in consternation.

Harry suddenly grinned and clapped Tom on the shoulder.

"Well, good luck!" he laughed, and walked out.

Tom studied Cloud uncertainly. He glanced at the broken chair against the wall and the damaged bed and grimaced. Grabbing the chair Lar had used, he dragged it as far away from the bed as he could and settled into it with a thump. Tilting the chair against the wall, he listened to the sick man's breathing and wondered what Lar wanted to talk to him about. Minutes turned into an hour, then two, and his eyes grew heavy. Before he knew it, he nodded off.

Something was wrong. Cloud opened his eyes and stared into… pitch black. Was he blind? Or was it just too dark for even his SOLDIER enhanced vision to see? He reached out with his right hand, trying to find something that would tell him where he was. Only cold air touched his questing fingers and a hollow echo that seemed vaguely familiar greeted his straining ears. There were voices in the distance; many voices calling to each other. It sounded like a crowd and a chill went through him. Some of the voices were familiar to him, though he couldn't seem to separate them from the others. He turned his head, trying to help his ears pick up what they were saying, but they got all jumbled up inside his head and he couldn't make sense of them. Then, abruptly, one voice rose from the murmuring crowd. A voice he knew like the feel of the Buster Sword in his hands. Cloud turned and moved forward, feeling his way through the darkness towards the only anchor he could find.

"… and then I pulled my sword and cross-slashed, killing the monster in one blow." Zack's voice grew louder and clearer as Cloud concentrated on it. The darkness slowly began to melt to a misty grey.

"Zack!" he called out, searching blindly for his friend. "Zack?"

"… Course Seph only had to blink and most monsters would run."

Cloud stumbled at mention of Sephiroth. It was hard to accept that the man had ever been sane, let alone a friend of Zack's. There was a clinking sound and Cloud stopped, a shiver running up his spine. He knew that sound! It was a sound he had heard quite often while being held captive by Hojo; the sound of a glass specimen tank, the ones he used to store his projects in when he wasn't playing with them. A voice whimpered in answer to Zack's words, so feeble he almost missed it. His voice!

"Sorry man," Zack sounded instantly contrite. "Never mind that."

Cloud stood very still. He suddenly knew where he was. Somehow he had slipped inside the Lifestream and was sifting through the pieces of his fractured memories; memories he didn't want to dredge up; memories that hurt. He shook his head. He didn't want to be here! He tried to turn away, only to find that there was nowhere to go. All directions were the same in the Lifestream and only a strong will or outside interference would get him out. He knew this, but it didn't keep him from trying to escape.

"…then I followed him into the reactor. There were these Mako pods everywhere. They were supposed be making Materia, but we found out Hojo was making monsters in them instead. Seph found a special room with the name Jenova written over it. He said his mother was named Jenova…"

Someone giggled.

Revulsion crawled up Cloud's spine like a giant spider. He didn't have to see the man to know who it was. Hojo! Suddenly Cloud felt straps around his chest, arms and legs. They were holding him down against a cold, hard surface which pressed against his back. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. His body felt bruised and a terrible lassitude was settling over him. He knew he was bleeding, but didn't care. Death would be preferable to another session with the sadistic scientist. He couldn't even hear his own breathing. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Just silence. He craved silence and an end to it all, but the Voices wouldn't let him escape. They circled him, encouraging him to hold on, to keep trying, but he didn't know why.

"Hojo, you bastard!" Zack's voice. It was stronger, closer than the multitude in his head. "What the hell are you doing to him!" It snarled in his ears. Zack could be fearsome if he wanted to and right now he sounded like he wanted to strangle the scientist.

"Why, I'm trying to bring back Sephiroth, Mr. SOLDIER First Class." The hated voice cackled. "I've exposed this boy's body to Mako, a far higher concentration than any mere SOLDIER." He sounded triumphant and scornful at the same time. "I've also been injecting him with live Jenova cells. I'm curious to see how he responds."

Cloud felt his body twitch. Coldness was seeping into his flesh, freezing it to the table. Soon he would fade. He could already feel his mind slipping away.

"Hey, buddy!" Zack called out to him, a note of urgency in his voice. Cloud didn't know why. He was just a Trooper Third Class. Not worthy of anyone's notice, let alone that of a famous First Class SOLDIER. "Cloud!"

His bones felt as if they had frozen solid, but his muscles burned as though acid was flowing through them. There was motion; something propelled him forward and liquid began to creep over his face, into his lips and down his throat. He jerked, trying to scream as he realized what was happening, and warm liquid filled his lungs. It was heavy, stifling, and his eyes opened wide. They hurt and there was nothing to see but green; faintly glowing green fluid, thick and viscous. It filled the tank and his hands brushed against the cold glass of the specimen tank as the it pressed against his body, forcing the breath out of him. He beat frantically against it, still trying to scream, but the containment fluid drowned his cries and he hung suspended in the heavy liquid and stopped breathing.

Cloud clawed at the air, gasping for breath. His fingers met warmth. Feathers! A familiar musty odor reached his nose. His eyes flew open and he looked frantically into a pile of gold fluff. Kisari was in front of him, practically lying on top of him on an unfamiliar bed, and he realized that his hands were clutching her neck in what had to be an uncomfortable grip.

"Kwek!" she squawked, startled.

Cloud released her. His head ached abominably and he couldn't seem to focus his eyes. The last thing he remembered was fighting the pack of misshapen Bandersnatches. No… he frowned, remembering the face of an old man talking to him. What had he said? The chocobo settled down beside his bed, now that she was sure her master was all right, and began to preen herself delicately. Fort Condor! Cloud finally connected the dirt walls with a place. He was at Fort Condor. But he didn't remember getting here. There was a man sleeping in a chair tilted against the wall by the door. He didn't recognize him, but something told him he'd seen the man before. He shrugged. It didn't matter. If Kisari wasn't troubled by his presence, it was probably all right.

"So you're awake. And how'd that giant excuse for a chicken get up here!"

"Wark!" Kisari protested. An elderly man entered the room and gave the chocobo a wary look.

Lar scowled at Tom, who chose that moment to jerk awake. The chair came down so hard he nearly fell off. He looked sheepishly at the oldster, got to his feet, and scratched his head.

"Sorry," he said. "Guess I kinda dozed off there for a minute."

"A minute!" Lar yelled at him. "More like a couple of hours!"

He yanked the chair away from Tom, pulled it up to the other side of the bed from the chocobo, and leaned forward to study his patient's face. There was no sign of fever and the welts he could see had faded to a pale pink. He clucked his tongue, shaking his head in amazement.

"That's some kind of immune system you got there, son. Can you stand?"

Cloud nodded, acknowledging the older man's authority. He pushed the blankets aside, slid his legs over the edge of the bed and stood in one smooth motion. There seemed to be no lingering effects from the poison, though his vision shifted in and out.

Lar's mouth dropped open. Did he just see the young man's eyes turn green there for a second? Cloud noticed and raised his eyebrows. Lar waved it off. His old eyes weren't what they used to be.

"You look okay. How do you feel?"

"Better," Cloud admitted. "Do I know you?" he asked sheepishly.

"Well… yes and no." Lar related the events that led up to their current situation then added, "You were mostly delirious so I don't expect you'd remember much."

Cloud scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Sorry."

Kisari had just finished preening herself when several men suddenly rushed into the room shouting.

"Lar!"

"The big bird's disappeared!"

The oldster rounded on them with mock anger, though his eyes were lit with a mischievous light. "I can see that, idiots!"

They stopped slack jawed as they caught sight of the missing bird.

"How did it…?"

"What the…?"

"What do you want us to do, Lar?" It was Harry, trying hard not to laugh. The oldster scowled at Kisari. He glanced at Cloud, bushy brows raised and Cloud walked over to the chocobo. She scrambled to her feet, startling the men. He reached out to scratch her jaw affectionately and Kisari's eyes half closed as she crooned with pleasure.

"She won't hurt anyone as long as they don't attack me. But she can be a bit overprotective."

"Just like a woman," Lar grinned. He waved the men back. "Let her stay boys! She ain't doin' no harm." He looked at Cloud. "Now that that's settled… Hey Tom!" Lar interrupted himself. "Make yourself useful and bring us something to eat!" Tom lumbered out the door, face red as a beet, and Lar turned back to Cloud. "Been meaning to ask you what you're doing round these parts. Haven't seen many folks lately, but I heard tell of some sort of organizing getting started up at Midgar. Is it Shinra?"

Cloud shook his head. "No. Shinra is no longer controlling things. We have a real Mayor in Midgar now."

"Not that idiot Domino?"

Cloud had to smile at mention of Shinra's puppet Mayor who had ended up giving him the key card to the next floor just to spite his masters. "No. Reeve is running Midgar with the help of a few ex-SOLDIERS and troopers."

"And you?" Lar asked. "What're you doing so far from Midgar?"

Cloud glanced at Kisari's empty back and sighed. "Well, I was on my way to Junon with some letters, if I haven't lost them."

Tom arrived with sandwiches and tea and Lar told him to bring up their guest's belongings. Cloud quickly checked the saddlebags, where he found the letters and Marlene's brightly wrapped present. He breathed a sigh of relief. Lar looked quizzically at him as Cloud stuffed the letters back inside the saddlebags and took a large tuber from the other pack. Kisari's head came up and she accepted it with obvious delight. Apparently some kind of special treat, the old man decided.

The blonde SOLDIER turned disconcertingly glowing blue eyes back to Lar and asked, "Is there anything you need here? Food, supplies, batteries? I'm sure I could get at least a few things…"

Lar grinned. "Never mind that. Seeing you alive and well's enough for us. Although…" Cloud waited expectantly and Lar chuckled. "…we could use a few potions, elixirs, and such. We kinda used our last ones on you."

Cloud looked embarrassed.

"Don't worry bout it," Lar assured him. "We'd of used it on anybody that needed it. You just needed more. Course," he frowned thoughtfully, "you survived and none of the others did." He stopped as a haunted expression flickered across the young man's face. "Sorry. Did I say something wrong?"

"No. It's nothing," Cloud assured him, his soft voice tinged with sadness. "I'll call a friend of mine and let her know what you need." He pulled out a small cell phone, flipped it open, and tapped a number.

"Hi. I'm at Fort Condor. Yes…" Cloud blushed. "No, I'm fine, but I'd like you to gather together some supplies for them." He rattled off a list of several potions and remedies in quick succession. Lar opened his mouth to protest, but the SOLDIER shot him a look that broached no argument and he shut it again without a word. Cloud nodded. "Thanks." He snapped the phone shut and replaced it at his belt. Looking at Lar, he said, "It may take awhile since I seem to be the only delivery service that can reach this far." He shrugged and ducked his head, looking embarrassed. Then he rummaged in his belt pouch and brought out a handful of gil.

Lar jumped up, hands out to stop him, and shook his head vigorously. "There ain't no reason to be paying us, young man," he exclaimed. "Them potions and stuff will be more than enough."

"Please." Cloud looked at the money as if it was something distasteful.

Lar was taken completely off guard. He found himself accepting the payment with a shrug, feeling guilty somehow for trying to refuse it. What a strange man, he thought. He seemed older than he looked and Lar wondered how long SOLDIERS lived, since it obviously took a lot to kill them.

Cloud busied himself with the chocobo, slipping the bridle on and cinching the saddlebags around her neck and chest. He checked to be sure the harness didn't pinch anywhere then turned to lead Kisari out the door.

"Just curious, but how you gonna get that big bird down a rope ladder?" Lar asked casually.

Cloud grinned. "The same way she got up here," he said. "Climb."

Lar stood up. "This I gotta see!" He followed Cloud out.

And it was something to see, Lar had to admit to himself. That gold bird actually grabbed the rope with its beak, flipped over and climbed down the rope using its beak and oversized claws! Cloud quickly followed. Once outside, the young man hopped aboard the chocobo's back and took off at a pace no man and few monsters could match. Lar shook his head. He looked at the money in his hand, pocketed it, and went back inside the Fort to smack a few well deserving heads together.

Cloud hadn't bothered to mention to Lar that he wasn't completely recovered from the Bandersnatch attack. His joints ached and his vision still kept shifting in and out, though he could see better now that he was outside in the chill morning air. He was worried about the dreams. Could Hojo really be alive? It didn't seem likely, but the feeling of dread that welled up inside him when he remembered what he'd seen told him that at least his instincts believed it. He shuddered at the thought of the mad scientist in his new form, controlling men and monsters alike. If Hojo had wanted to create a god in Sephiroth, then he had truly managed to become a demon himself.

Still, he decided not to share his fears with anyone. His friends might think he'd gone over the edge and perhaps he had. Perhaps he was falling once more into the madness that had controlled him since he awoke in Hojo's lab. He leaned over Kisari's back and urged her to greater speed. She chirped happily, stretched out her neck, and the landscape began to shoot past him in a whirlwind of color, leaving Cloud alone to wrestle with his fears.