A/N: Hey all -yawns- have to say editing this at 3:35 in the morning is not going to be fun considering I was finding it impossible to get to sleep, but at least it'll be one less thing on my mind (is trying not to crawl back under the covers...and just failed). Well, the plan is to stay up until its a reasonable time to get up to jumpstart the new exercise regime that I've cooked up in hope of losing all the extra baggage around certain parts of my form; will it work? Probably. With any luck.
Doubt it...
Moving on! Anyone been having a strange moment where they like a song so much that they'll play it over and over again to the annoyance of others and maybe to the point you might drive yourself insane? I am. And the song is Ring a Bell by Bonnie Pink a.k.a. the opening theme tune to Tales of Vesperia. I don't know why, but somehow the song seems to be the main driving force for Ever After's progression (that and the music of Lamento: Beyond the Void; a friend's introduced me to the game and well...I'm cosplaying as Rai hopefully when I go visit her this summer). Maybe its the lyrics. Whatever it is, it's also been powering up my original story (that and a huge revamp of the storyline and setting; rather than doing it in just a Final Fantasy-esque setting, I've changed it to reflect the steampunk culture as well. This did mean all the characters I've drawn up before are having huge restyling sessions; only two more main characters to go now). Can't say when this'll turn up on the net. Maybe as soon as I figure out where to put it and how to make it look pretty I guess haha.
That's my pearl of reality done. Thanks to everyone who's been reading, faving and/or reviewing so far! Please enjoy this next installment! And review, for they are my cinnamon swirls!
Leon nearly laughed dryly at himself when he finally started reading the files that Prince Noctis had sent to him. Especially when he started reading up on a list of 'traits' that had been discovered and manipulated by Hojo.
-Subject has shown signs of going into periodical 'heats' every few weeks. In this state, Fenrir v.1 becomes quite the force to be reckoned with in its search for a breeding partner. Currently, he seems to be able to be placated by the use of tranquilizers though he has done considerable damage to his holding cell and a few pieces of equipment. Could this be a sign of a possible breeding programme?
"Huh…that explains why he damn near attacked me when I got out of the shower," Leon muttered. He was ignoring the pitiful whines coming from his bedroom, where he had securely locked up Cloud after a massive struggle with the blond. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that Leon didn't want to get punished for damaging government property, he would've sliced Cloud's head off. He knew that eventually he was going to have to let Cloud out though; he might have been cold but he wasn't cruel. Before that though…he decided to have a little bit disciplinary action imposed. Putting the file down, he strolled over to the bedroom door at a leisurely pace. He knocked on the door three times.
"Sorted yourself out now?" he asked loudly. There was a loud thump against the door; Cloud probably threw himself at it.
"Yes," Cloud called back through the wooden barricade. "Can I come out now?"
"Hmm," Leon hummed, pretending to be thinking about it in the long pause that followed. "I don't think I should let you."
"Leon! Come on! I said I was sorry!"
"Hmm yes, but apparently you will probably do this again."
"Leon!"
"Could send you back to the SOLDIER facility and get you tweaked again…"
"Please! Don't!"
Leon stopped just about there; although Cloud was becoming a little more open about how he was feeling (when he wasn't trying to explain to the SOLDIER what exactly it was that he was feeling), hearing Cloud sound that distressed about going back made him realise that there was only so far he could go.
What did Hojo do to Cloud to make him be so scared of the facility?
"I didn't mean it," Leon muttered, unlocking the door at last and pushing it open. He heard Cloud step back quickly from the other side. The blond was looking at him with a pleading look on his face. Leon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose slightly. "Cloud, I wasn't going to send you back. I was just trying to make it clear that you shouldn't do that, whether or not you're in one of your heats."
"Is it wrong?"
"Forcing yourself onto others is a crime called 'sexual assault', or to give it its more common name, 'rape'."
"It's a crime?"
"Yes." Though Axel might call it 'Surprise Sex'…the number of times he had to… "If the person doesn't consent to it, it's rape. Don't do it." He narrowed his eyes at the blond. "If I catch you doing something like that to anyone, I won't hesitate to arrange for a court martial."
"And court martial is…bad?"
"Very bad if you're a SOLDIER. They have the power to order for a decommission."
"…Oh…"
"Yeah. Oh." He noticed that he hadn't really helped with the mood. Well…he guessed in the long run it was for the best. He didn't want to deal with chasing a horny SOLDIER half way around the city. He held his hand out. "Promise me you won't do something like that, OK?" Cloud took his hand.
"Promise."
"Good," Leon said. "Now, guess you're hungry then huh?" One of the good things about Cloud that he recently discovered was that he seemed to be perpetually hungry, something that Leon took full advantage of to get out of any awkward situation. The Fenrir model was not going to turn down a chance to eat, and Leon didn't think he needed to worry about the blond's eating habits. After all, Leon always made sure that Fenrir trained at the Garden every day in a bid to ease him in to the Garden's daily life.
Even so, even after getting the Fenrir occupied with food (cold meats for breakfast; Cloud hated every cereal brand, porridge and anything that had some sort of grain in it) he was still wondering about the other points of information in the files; the points that Tio had highlighted in bright yellow.
-Creation of Fenrir v.2 via insemination was a success so soon after Fenrir v.1. I have been assured that this subject will be female.
-Fenrir versions 1 and 2 finally fully formed. They'll be kept separate for now. Fenrir v.1 will be treated as the control experiment.
-Fenrir v.3 creation in progress, seven years after the first inseminations. With any luck this subject will be even better than its predecessors.
-Fenrir v.3 fully formed. Another female. I had hoped for a male this time.
Two girls. Probably it was more appropriate to refer to them as Cloud's sisters. Whether Fenrir v.2 was a twin or not wasn't easy to tell due to the vague nature of Hojo's notes. But now that he knew about them…he was curious. He wanted to know more about them, about this whole Fenrir project. Maybe he'd pay a visit to Hojo at some point. For now, the file that was bursting to the seams with paper and data was more than enough.
Right now though, he had to sort out what was going on with him. The hallucinations were becoming clearer and clearer, and Leon was becoming more and more terrified of what was happening to him. He was not going mad. He refused to believe it.
Lieutenant Aerith Gainsborough had a few sleepless nights trying to figure out what on earth was wrong with Captain Leonhart, feeling like every time she had the answer, it would elude her again. She didn't understand.
How could someone who complains of having symptoms that would immediately suggest a case of the panic attacks actually not show the symptoms at all?
"Still nothing Aerith?" The brunette jumped when she heard the soft sound of a mug touching the desk. A long slender muscled arm was attached to the soft pink mug. She sighed.
"Nothing." She took the mug that was filled to the brim with hot steaming chamomile tea. "I've looked at everything that could possibly be wrong with Leon but nothing matches up."
"A new illness?" Tifa asked, her wine-coloured eyes blinking lightly in curiosity. Aerith pursed her lips gently.
"It's a possibility." She leaned back against the back of her chair, sipping at the tea with a heavy sigh. "I feel so helpless. Leon could be in real danger here and I…"
"You're trying your best. That's all you can do." Tifa took her usual seat on the desk, looking at Aerith with a worried gaze. She knew that Aerith always pushed herself too hard when she felt there was something she could do to help. "Maybe Captain Glacier or Dr. Kadowaki will know something about this. They have been in the Garden for much longer."
A small nod from the smaller brunette. "You know Tifa…I think you're right. We might need someone who has been in the medical field for longer than us." She stood up, gathering up all the notes she had been looking through. "Let's go ask them right now."
"But they're both in a meeting with the Commander."
"We can just wait inside the medical wing."
"Or we can catch up with them at the Commander's office."
"Good idea!"
"So you'll keep all this quiet?" Commander Harvey asked, looking between the two Chief Medics of Esthar Garden. They nodded, though the long, blond-haired and acidic green-eyed Captain Medic Vexen Glacier saluted to the Commander as well. Dr. Kadowaki was considered to be a civilian at best since she was based full-time in Esthar, working in both the Garden and the city's top hospital and with no military training whatsoever.
"Do you…really think it could be him?" she asked, her dark-eyes flickering with concern.
"When one gets a report concerning the disappearance of a family member of one of the suspects, it really solidifies the suspicion," Vexen retorted, clearly not amused with the situation at hand. "Honestly, what are these greenhorns thinking these days?!"
"If it is him," the Commander started carefully, "I'm willing to listen to his reasons. What happened has probably only added extra pressure on him to play his part."
"So what will we do? If it really is him, Squall's going to…"
"Possibly maim him for being an idiot before handing him over to the proper authorities," Vexen finished, "If we know Leonhart as well as we do."
"I think you're being a little harsh on Leonhart," the Commander murmured. He was facing the view of the Royal Circle. "He's changed from that twelve year-old I picked up from Hollow Bastion years ago, and he's not that nineteen year-old we had to help pick up the pieces for."
"Hmph," Vexen grunted. Dr. Kadowaki could only smile at the Commander.
"You have such faith in him."
"Well, what kind of Commander would I be if I didn't trust the judgement of my own Captains?"
"It's not just trusting all the other Captains, you seem to favour Leonhart the most," Vexen observed, some sort of bitterness in his voice. "Surely a Commander of your stature shouldn't have favourites, even if Leonhart had been part of your squadron before you were promoted."
The Commander just turned, smiling wryly at the Chief Medic. "Oh? Do I detect a hint of jealousy, old friend?"
"Don't be ridiculous." He glared at Dr. Kadowaki when she laughed behind one of her hands. "I just think putting all your trust and favour into one Captain is asking for trouble. Look how you've been repaid with-"
"Although it's pointing to Axel," the Commander interrupted. "I want to believe that he has his reasons for doing what he did, if he really is the double agent." He sighed, looking back to the view. "I know very well that he has the motive and the drive to do something stupid like this, and now I know that there's a possibility that he's been blackmailed. Regardless though…I still want to believe that he won't do anything to betray the Garden."
"...Cecil," Dr. Kadowaki whispered, looking at him with motherly concern. "I don't know who's taking the fact Axel's on the list of suspects harder: you or Cid."
"I don't blame Cid for taking it hard," the Commander murmured. "He practically raised Axel and Kairi as his own when we brought them to him after Dollet…"
"And you're suffering for it because you really do trust him." Vexen looked away, acting all supercilious about it. "Not that the twerp deserves it."
"Vexen!" the co-Chief Medic hissed.
"No, it's alright Nana," Commander Harvey sighed, using Dr. Kadowaki's given name. "All I can say is, if Axel is the double agent and he gets caught by Leon, I'll be giving him a taste of old Lightbringer when he's done dancing with Leon's gunblade."
"Somehow, I was expecting that sort of answer from you," Dr. Kadowaki chuckled, her large motherly figure rumbling along in mirth. "It's almost like you're their surrogate father when Headmaster Krammer isn't around to worry about them."
"Heh, maybe." The Commander turned to face them, nodding his silvery-blond head. "Dismissed, before we all start getting sentimental."
"Sir," the both nodded, turning and leaving the Commander's office. They didn't hear the Commander whisper a small plea to Hyne that he might be wrong about Axel.
Just as they left, Dr. Nana Kadowaki was surprised to see one of the young Lieutenants hanging around in the waiting room. "Aerith? What brings you up here?" Vexen was pretty much about to just walk past the young woman; Aerith didn't seem to mind though. Tifa Lockhart, her Kirin SOLDIER, on the other hand did seem to mind.
"I wanted to discuss with you and Captain Glacier about the symptoms of a patient," she stated, holding out the papers to the civilian doctor.
"Oh? Who's the patient?" Vexen asked, turning on his heel to face her.
"Captain Squall Leonhart," Dr. Kadowaki answered, sounding quite surprised as she read the patient information. "I thought he had recovered from his injury."
"He has but…something doesn't seem quite right with him," Aerith explained.
"How so Lieutenant Gainsborough?" Vexen demanded, his instinct to worry over SeeDs in his Garden coming out.
"Well…he seems to be complaining of symptoms that would draw up a conclusion of a case of panic attacks but…"
"But?" Dr. Kadowaki pursued.
"But when I did some tests on his mental well-being, he scored a perfect match with his medical test a few months before he took a paid vacation."
"Hmm?" Vexen looked very perturbed by that. "How's that possible?"
"It's best not to discuss it here," Dr. Kadowaki said, cutting off any chance Aerith might have had to respond back to her superior. "Let's go back to the medical wing. We'll discuss the matter there."
Marluxia Arconite was a pretty laid-back sort of character when he was off-duty, favouring leaning back into Vexen's chair with his feet propped up on the desk when he felt he had the chance to have a rare kip during the day. It was a side that only a few saw since everyone was more used to the flamboyant and near manipulative nature of the Cerberus model. However, he was to an extent fiercely loyal to Vexen, the SeeD he had been assigned to, but he rarely showed it in front of others. More often than not, he was pretty rude to the older man, doing his utmost to push the SeeD to the edge of his own sanity. His reasons for this were unknown, and Vexen didn't really want to know why Marluxia took so much pleasure from it.
So it was no surprise when Marluxia was being particularly rebellious when they arrived back to the medical wing. He was in his usual spot, napping.
"Nap time's over Marluxia," Vexen droned, kicking the chair lightly to get the Cerberus to move. The pink-shoulder-length-haired man, dressed in a figure-hugging black bodysuit without the usual SOLDIER armour plates, only opened one crystalline blue eye, raising a delicate eyebrow casually.
"I was having a nice dream."
"Just stand outside and make sure no one gets in with Lockhart over there," Vexen sighed, pointing his thumb over to where the tall raven-haired Kirin SOLDIER stood. Her arms were folded over her black leather body-warmer, looking far from impressed with this. Aerith touched her arm gently, sending a wordless message to her that for now it was best that she and the other SOLDIER did as they were told.
"Why?" Marluxia asked.
"Never you mind," Vexen muttered, looking like he was already losing patience. "Just get a move on."
"No."
"Marluxia…"
"Excuse me Marluxia," Dr. Kadowaki interrupted, putting on her sweetest voice. "Would you kindly be a dear and guard the door with Tifa? We have a very important thing to discuss."
"For you, dear doctor, anything," Marluxia replied solemnly; it was common knowledge that the Cerberus model would become all sweetness and light when it came to the motherly figure. With an over-the-top bow, he gracefully waltzed out the door. Tifa had just looked on with utter annoyance and disbelief, slowly following after him as if she had just been convicted; for her, spending time with someone who was overly ostentatious as Marluxia was her worst nightmare.
Captain Glacier now took a seat at his desk, while Dr. Kadowaki sat down in a seat just in front of it. Aerith stood. "Now then Lieutenant, let me have a look at these notes of yours." She relinquished them to her superior, looking over to the other Chief Medic who was waiting patiently for the Lieutenant's attention.
"Captain Glacier already knows the entirety of Captain Leonhart's background. For now, I'll tell you what I can reveal and how this could be linked to the captain's current state of mind." Aerith blinked lightly, unsure of where this was going, but at the same time…she was curious to learn more about the stoic brunet. Leon barely talked about his childhood before joining SeeD to anyone, not even to people considered close friends. Dr. Kadowaki's dark gaze seemed to be confirming on whether the pretty brunette lieutenant was worthy enough to know what she was about to say. "Squall…Squall grew up around the Sorcerer-kind."
There was a silence to let the statement sink in, but Aerith's vivid green eyes had widened in shock. "What do you…mean by that?"
"There's an orphanage in the Holy Citadel of Hollow Bastion that's run by the White SeeDs and the Sorcerer-kind that live there," Dr. Kadowaki explained, carefully choosing her words. "Squall was placed into their care when his mother died in childbirth, so he's had more contact with the innate magic of the Sorcerer-kind than the average SeeD. Maybe even more than your typical run off the mill White SeeD."
"…Rinoa," Aerith said, finally understanding what they meant. "And that time when he went AWOL a few months after Seifer's death…"
"At that time, the Commander and a few key members of the Main Headquarters thought that it would be best for Squall to have his memories of his…relationship with Seifer and Sorceress Rinoa erased. That memory erasure procedure was carried out by another Sorceress called Naminé."
"And you think…that something that happened in Rabanastre caused Leon's symptoms?"
"That's the conclusion you have drawn up Lieutenant, not us," the Captain Medic finally spoke, his acidic green eyes still looking through the notes. "However, it's one that we can probably agree has most likely happened. The power of the Sorcerer-kind is still a mystery to average humans."
"We can only theorize for now Aerith," Dr. Kadowaki stated softly. "But it is entirely possible for the past influence from the Sorceresses and Sorcerers that have had direct contact with Leon accumulated enough power to become a catalyst for something to react in his mind. It's an accepted theory that those unknown SOLDIERs that appeared in Rabanastre were the product of Sorceress Maleficent's magic. That could have been the trigger."
Aerith was quiet for a long time, trying to get her head around it. After the long pregnant pause she finally asked, "Do you think…what's happened to Leon…is serious?"
"Probably not fatal," Vexen sighed, putting the notes down at long last. "But something to keep an eye on indeed. It might be best to have an expert take a look at this."
"You don't mean…letting Sorceress Naminé have contact with him again?" Dr. Kadowaki exclaimed.
"She's the only one that has that kind of ability. I doubt a top-notch shrink could do any better."
"I thought you didn't believe in magic and special powers being better than the power of science."
"When it comes to matters concerning the Sorcerer-kind, science is unable to provide the solutions needed." Vexen then sighed, leaning back into his chair. "I know when it's best to swallow my pride when it concerns the well-being of any member of this Garden."
"But…what if something happens to Leon?" Aerith asked quietly, finally speaking after trying valiantly to voice her concerns. "What if…he remembers everything again?"
"That's something I'm worried about too Captain," Dr. Kadowaki agreed. "Squall's mental health after Seifer's death had been a complete shambles but we were able to fix it. If he remembers the truth, it could destroy his mind."
"It's a risk we'll have to take, but what's happening to Leonhart can't be ignored." Vexen nodded his head. "I'll arrange for a memory dive as soon as I can. Lieutenant Gainsborough, make sure you keep up to date with his progress. And…both of you…"
The two women looked at him, wondering what the next order would be from the military doctor.
"Can we please decide on whether it's Leonhart, Squall or Leon?! I can't keep up with all these names he has!"
It was deathly quiet in the cold metallic room that housed a vast number of humming electrical equipment, the only thing seemingly alive was the passed out form of a tall honey-blond young man leaning back in a chair, his feet propped up on a work surface. With his casual jeans and vest and a white lab coat over his shoulders, it wouldn't be at all hard to think that this man was just a lab assistant. If they had looked a little harder, they might have seen the black lined mark of a created SOLDIER on the nape of his neck. Further down his back, you could see the head of a sea serpent tattoo poking from underneath his vest with big inquisitive green eyes.
He only knew this because he had soon the tattoo numerous times before when he worked with this SOLDIER's partner, the ever elusive Agent Zexion Illua. A researcher by trade though he transferred to SeeD early on in his supposed-to-have-been rising career at the Shinra Company, he was by far the best hacker you could ask for. Some of the programmes he created on the fly were something of a masterpiece that even the most experienced of Agents trained as hackers and spies could struggle with. In short, Zexion was a certified genius. The only thing that had bested Zexion was the SOLDIER programme's security systems on their computers; to this day, there seemed to be an ongoing battle between the petit slate-haired man and the computer technicians at the facility. But that was beside the point.
He was here, in the Organization coat with his hood up and hiding his face, to steal the information that the Superior had demanded; information that he was ninety-nine percent sure Zexion had due to his superior technical skills and the fact that he did a lot of work with the Royal Circle's security departments. He did have some wild hope that maybe he'd have to fight for it, that he would be stopped before things spiralled out of control; he should've known better. Demyx, brilliant as a decoy and as a messenger pigeon rather than as a guard dog, was notorious for being lazy, for the most part either sleeping or playing his sitar.
This time was no different, much to convenience, as well as annoyance of Axel. The Leviathan model was snoring to his content, eyes flickering under his eyelids in an active dream. He his foot jerked from time to time; must've been running in this dream of his. Carefully, he slipped past the SOLDIER, making his way over to Zexion's main computer that was (almost too conveniently) left on.
If he was in the right state of mind, Axel might have questioned this. But he wasn't; if he didn't work quickly, Kairi would have an appointment with the Superior. That was the last thing he wanted for her. So he just went about his business, ignoring all the telling signs that this was too good to be true. All the documents needed had been easy to find; Zexion's meticulous nature always came in handy when things needed organizing.
Seriously, Axel actually felt that Zexion had done all the work for him rather than make it a challenge. He was in half a mind to just leave the Agent a note saying that he really was losing his guard if he though Demyx would be enough protection. But then again, that would only put himself in danger, and inadvertently put Kairi in the thick of it too. He slammed the keyhold into the alcove behind Zexion's computer, pressing the combination hastily before letting it copy everything, from time to time looking over his shoulder when he heard Demyx snuffle. His want to get out of here was starting to override his sensibilities; soon as he heard the beep from the keyhold to announce it was done, he wretched it out and started walking very quickly back the way he came before he had a chance to think about what he had just done and what the consequences would be. Yes, the faster he was through that ventilation system and out the premises, the better.
Zexion had watched all that happened through the safety of a small secluded area with a screen that showed him everything that was going on in his laboratory. He hadn't wanted to believe what he had just seen, but he knew that it was the truth. They definitely had a double-agent in their midst. And from guesswork on the body-shape alone, Zexion had a niggling feeling that it was Axel. Who else had such a bony, near bird-like figure?
But it was too early to make accusations. If it was Axel, he did the smart thing and hid any tell-tale signs that would suggest it was him while performing that little stunt. Making an accusation on the basis of a man's body type would be stupid and futile; he needed more evidence.
Walking back into the lab, he looked over to wear his ever loyal SOLDIER was. His eyes were open now; he had been pretending to be in deep slumber for this trap of theirs.
"Did you see who it was?" Zexion asked him. Demyx just shook his head.
"Sorry Zexy. The hood really hid their face well, and when I tried to get a look-see they usually turned to check if I was asleep or not." The honey-blond then gave him a small smile. "But hey, you were right about one thing."
"What's that?"
"They were after those security details about the Royal Circle. Good thing you allowed them to take an out-of-date file right?"
"Well, maybe. It's a risk I'm not happy about, but I'm not going to argue with the Commander." Zexion then sighed, leaning against his desk. "What bugs me is the fact that order to not confront the double-agent even when we caught him red-handed. What is the Commander thinking?"
"Maybe the Commander wants to give them a chance?" Demyx suggested.
"If it's who the Commander thinks it is, then that's a very possible intention. But on the other hand…this is the Commander we're talking about. He's probably letting our double-agent get lulled into a false sense of security."
"…are we gonna tell him then?"
"We don't have sufficient evidence of who it is, but we should let him know that they took the bait."
"You don't like this at all though, do you?"
"No Demyx. I don't. Not one bit." He punched in a few keys, bringing up Commander Harvey's contact details up on the computer screen before clicking on the home number. The Commander would be there with his wife by now.
"Commander Harvey speaking."
"Commander, Agent Illua ready and waiting for your next order."
"So he fell for it?"
"Sadly, not enough to tell if it was him or not, but you were right about him going for the Royal Circle security details."
"They'll figure out that its an old set of details though…"
"What should we do? Continue with the cat and mouse antics?"
"No…Illua, how good is your data manipulation skills?"
"I feel offended that you questioned them."
"I need you to copy and manipulate the Royal Circle's current security systems. After that, I want you to help tighten up the security around the Prince's and Presidential Palaces in particular."
"Understood. Illua out."
Leon had learned something this fine sunny yet frosty early December day. Cloud enjoyed antagonizing the local cat population. Especially, much to Leon's displeasure, his next door neighbour's Cheshire Cat.
"Cloud! Stop antagonizing Chesh!" he bellowed when he saw Cloud growling at the big, fat purple and pink-striped cat that was hissing at the blond SOLDIER angrily from it's perch on a tree branch in the apartment complex's courtyard. Cheshire Cats had been a relatively recent new breed of cat that had been created through genetic research, mostly coveted for its aesthetically pleasing colouration and generally good temperament. It was a particular favourite of the female populace of the noble classes at the very start of their creation, but nowadays they were a little more affordable for the middle classes though expensive to groom and keep happy. Chesh had been a birthday present for Leon's neighbour, Alice Chant. She loved the cat as if it were her own child.
As a result, although Chesh was probably the most amiable cat Leon had ever come across, he was pretty much spoilt rotten. And he was clearly unused to being chased by anything of the canine variety, created or modified or natural.
"But…cat!" Cloud tried to justify himself. Leon felt like banging his head against the wall.
"That's not a reason to try and eat the damn thing!"
"Cat!" Cloud exclaimed again, pointing at Chesh with an accusing finger. Leon just gave him a glare that dared the SOLDIER to defy him. Cloud frowned, clearly unhappy. The brunet walked past him, reaching up to the disgruntled cat.
"Come on Chesh. Let's get you back to your owner." The cat just looked at him, yellow eyes warily deciding on whether or not the SeeD captain was worthy to touch him considering he was that foul beast's owner. With a low uncaring meow, the cat jumped from his perch straight into Leon's arms. In his feline mind, Chesh had decided that this friend of his mistress probably could protect him from the foul blond beast.
Cloud did not look the least bit happy seeing that damn cat have pride of place in his Leon's arms. What did that pathetic excuse of an animal have that he didn't?!
"Hyne, Alice must be worried sick about you," Leon muttered, making sure that the Cheshire Cat's hind legs were being supported. He ignored the indignant gruff sound coming from Cloud; he knew all too well that the blond was getting increasingly jealous. "Cloud, do me a favour and go home."
"But-"
"Home," Leon said again firmly, his grey eyes flashing. He was in no mood to deal with something as trivial as the SOLDIER's jealousy of a cat. The blond's body seemed to droop as he walked away, head hanging, like a convict. –Or a rejected lover if you want to be a bit more accurate, a voice in Leon's head chuckled wryly. Leon just rolled his eyes. Although loathe to agree, the image did seem more appropriate.
He felt his pocket vibrate at that moment. Carefully positioning Chesh so that he was resting in the crook of his arm, Leon reached down into it for his ID pager, checking the new message:
Double-agent sighting confirmed. Laying out the trap as we speak. Details will be given to you at a later date. Continue as normal. Commander Harvey.
Continue as normal he says…how could he when the possibility of the double-agent being someone he knew was high. He didn't know the list of suspects -probably so that he wouldn't act strange around them- but it still worried him. What if it was a friend, or one of the SeeDs in his squadron, or worse still, what if it was one of the cadets that he was meant to train? He could only hope that it wasn't any of those.
Even as he walked back towards the apartment, he was still pondering over the possibilities. Or at least, he was until he saw Cloud sitting on the bottom step of the stairs near to the elevator, looking dejected. Leon sighed.
"Oi, Cloud." The blond perked up suddenly, looking at the brunet with a surge of hope. "Come on. The least you could do is apologise to Alice for scaring Chesh." The Fenrir model nodded his head with sudden eagerness, getting all close to Leon again while smirking in victory at the cat.
The brunet didn't know whether to be flattered that Cloud was jealous that someone –or something, was getting all cosy with him, or to tell the blond with a disparaging look that he was acting ridiculous since he was the human and Chesh was a cat.
Then he remembered that Cloud didn't see himself as a human. Honestly…Leon didn't think he could win against this infuriating 'pet dog' of his.
