A strange sort of peace had settled over Leon's home. Or at least a tense sort of truce. Axel was still holding his tea cup and he didn't dare try to beat Cloud while that cup was still in his little brother's hand. Right now the delicate china meant more to Axel than Leon's life. And really, Leon couldn't blame him. Axel had been living in a private hell for the last four years. That tea just might be his ticket out and Leon wasn't going to stand in his way.
Vincent had tucked himself in a corner, helping to keep mako tempers from flaring out of control. Cloud seemed more inclined to listen since he'd found out that Axel didn't run free on purpose.
"What is it you want from me?"
"How much as Yuffie told you?" Leon was almost afraid to hear the answer.
"Just that you want my sword." The blond sent a glare at the black haired girl as she burst into a fit of giggles.
Pinching his scar, Leon growled, "Yuffie, grow up or get out."
"Oh, Squally-
"Yuffie!" Damn he was tired. Six fucking a.m. tired.
"Yeah, yeah." Pouting, Yuffie went to invade Leon's miniature gym.
Sighing, he sat back and allowed himself to relax for a moment with the cretin gone. She racked his nerves worse than Axel some days.
"Thank Shiva she left."
Leon tilted his head to look as Cloud and for an instant caught blue, blue eyes.
"Amen to that. Ok." Leon sat up, not feeling ready to take on the day but not willing to let this pass either.
"What I would like is to know what your sword is made out of and who made it?"
"Oh. I suppose you want more like it?"
"If possible. I'm actually looking for a sword smith. Since Genesis took off, I've been stuck with standard stuff his apprentice can turn out. Noctis is good, but his training isn't complete." Leon watched Cloud's body language, catching the tensing at Genesis' name.
The blond seemed to consider something for several moments, "Genesis, won't be coming back. He's . . . dead for all intents and purposes. The man that you or I once knew is long gone."
Leon glared, "What are you talking about?"
Vincent rose, coming to stand by Cloud's side hand on his shoulder, "Genesis, the beginning, was the first of the mako soldiers to be made. He was considered a failure and released with false memories intact. An innocuous blow to the head could shake them all up and his true memories could be reveled. Which I think is what happened."
Leon nodded. Genesis and Zack had been sparing when the younger man had gained the upper hand, knocking the red head back, where his temple had connected with the wall.
"And Genesis is the vengeful type." Leon added.
Cloud nodded, "He might have been able to reproduce this, but the man who made it, is just as crazy if not worse than Genesis now. It's a one of a kind prototype that he wanted to wield, but discarded as too bulky. Stupid really.""
"Do you know anything about what went into it?"
The blond locks shook, "No. I wasn't allowed into the work rooms. Which I thank Ifrit for daily now."
"Have you ever put it through any rigorous testing?"
"Define rigorous?" Cloud gave him a dry stare.
Leon thought about the other night and nodded, "Point taken."
"The most I know about it is that it's a prototype and tough as Ixion's hooves. It has sliced through anything I've come up against. Of course, I never let it get dull, but it will keep an edge forever."
Leon thought about that for several moments, mulling over implications and wondering if the blond would be willing to part with the sword for a few hours. Asking almost seemed wrong since the blade was clearly as much a part of him as his arm or his eyes. Like something that he couldn't live without. Terrible insinuation in that phrase.
"Could Noctis look at it?"
The blond frowned for a long moment, "I suppose."
"He won't harm it. With a few basic tests and some questions he should be able to determine what it's made out of and possibly reproduce it."
Vincent snorted softly, "That could take years, Leon."
The brunette shook his head, sending his brown locks askew, "I don't have years, Vincent. I've got months, maybe." Leon stood and paced the room before resuming his seat strapping down his impatience, "Shinra is on the rise and the creatures they turn out are becoming worse. They must be stopped. I can't do it as things stand now though. I need something more." Uncompromised metal would be great.
"Wait. You're right Shinra is up to something, but you can't hope to stop them by yourself." Cloud argued.
"If I don't, then who will?" Leon growled, grey eyes hard on the muscular man before him. His personal grudge aside, he felt it was part of his duty to make this world a safer place.
Blue eyes darkened in a scowl, "I know people who could help you. I'd have to gather them up, but they would love to pay back Shinra for some pain."
Leon waved it away, "I still need better weapons, Shinra is going through my swords like they're toys. My guns are good, but since mine are a different grade and materials, Shinra can't fuck with them as easy." Leon's barely retrained rage showed in his blatant disregard for cursing, "Will you at least allow Noctis to examine your sword?"
Yuffie's high pitched giggle floated through the room. Leon thought, I am going to strangle her. Cloud looked as though he had the same thought. Feeling mildly better, at least I'm not the only one she annoys to her death.
Cloud was silent for a moment before demanding , "As long as he doesn't make it rust."
"Done." Rust was no problem, "I'll call him shortly and we can get started after breakfast."
Leon rushed through breakfast, half afraid the blond would change his mind if Leon took too long. Axel accompanied them out the door, Vincent and Yuffie going their separate ways since it wasn't a work day.
"I'll be in a little later, but there are some things I want to check out first. I'll update you on what I find." Vincent quietly told him.
Leon assumed Vincent was going to do some research on the man who'd made the sword. He was certain the black haired man knew who had completed the sword. His knowledge about Cloud and Genesis and his previous relations to Shinra, well Leon wouldn't complain. If Vincent could dig something up the better for the world.
"So, Leon, I thought Yuffie's orders were to relax." Axel suddenly spouted.
Slightly blindsided, Leon grumbled, "Later, Axel. Did you drink all your tea?"
"Of course. Why did you think I was tagging along? Because I like you? No, I want to talk to Shalua. I'm sure if I pass on what I think and know maybe she'll be able to make it taste better. It's just like medicine, nastier than Bahumat's big blue butt."
Shaking his head, Leon climbed into his car, "Big baby."
"Just because you'll drink wheat germ." Axel prodded.
Today the brunette didn't rise to his brother's baiting, instead brushing it off with a "Whatever." And stomping on the gas.
"Son of Chaos!" Noctis' curse easily reached Leon's ears through the open door to the work room.
The smell of burnt metal and the hiss of steam followed seconds later.
"Ifrit burn Shirna's hide! Xigbar!"
A flash of purple announced the man's presence.
"Order another round of the fire extinguisher and another three pound hammer. Whatever Bahumat breath they put in this ate my damned hammer. If Genesis ever dares show his face around here again, I will personally gut him."
"I think that's on backorder." Xigbar quipped before flashing out again.
"Not going well?" Leon inquired.
To his bemusement, the kid didn't start like Leon had thought he would. He merely growled, "No." And Leon recalled Noctis' words about never being alone.
"Where is Shelke?"
"Getting her treatment. There's no need for her to be here. I found this!" Noctis thrust a sheet of metal at Leon who stared at him for a moment before finally looking at the piece of metal. Where words had been acid etched into it.
"Genesis did this! That son of Chaos did this! I hope Ixion dances on his entrails while Ifrit burns his soul and Shiva freezes the rest of him." Noctis threw his ruined hammer into the trash forcefully.
Noctis,
I'm sorry about the metal, but I can't let you at Shinra. No, the place is mine to burn in Ifrit's holy flames and Bahumat's blue breath. I will destroy them while I destroy myself and I cannot let you into this battle.
Leon forgive this action, but this is my fight.
Genesis Rhapsodos
"Genesis has an acid drip somewhere in production. I don't even want to think about where! I'm going to have to tear the whole place apart and take it out before I can do anything." Noctis crossed his arms for a long moment before swinging into motion.
"So you literally can't do anything?" Leon asked.
"Nope. I don't know where it is. For all I know it's seeping out of my workbench. Although I think I'd smell that. No I'd have to get some test strips and look around. Until then I don't want anything in here that could be damaged. I've moved everything out of the store room and thrown away all started and completed projects. This is going to take some time, Leon. I'm sorry, but there is little I can do to hurry this along."
Leon nodded and noted that Cloud was suddenly not in the room anymore.
"It's alright, Noctis. Do the best you can, but don't drag yourself out. I don't need you getting hurt because of sleep deprivation."
The angry man saluted and turned away to work on his shop.
Leon exited the room.
"So, I guess you won't be needing me after all." Cloud's voice came from where he leaned on a nearby wall.
"It will probably take him a couple of weeks to get everything straightened out." Leon's jaw clenched, why hadn't Genesis come to him with this? Why did he have to march off with his own personal vendetta? Shiva freeze that red head temper.
"Well, Yuffie knows where to find me." He pushed away from the wall and began to walk away.
Leon started, "Cloud, wait." Where had that come from?
"Yuffie mentioned that your delivery service isn't doing well. If you were to help Noctis this would go much faster." Leon felt weird doing this, but he needed someone. Even if he didn't particularly like the man for insulting his brother, Leon could set aside his pride. For now. He'd beat Cloud to a pulp later. After he delivered Shinra back to the Lifestream.
The blond raised a brow. He was listening.
"It's not charity. You still have to work, but it would provide you with something a little extra. And seeing as I have several people lazing about from sword production I think some of them could be earning their paycheck by checking out your bar." Leon wasn't quite sure why he was suddenly hoping fiercely that this man would accept his offer, but he was.
Perhaps because Leon thought that once Cloud walked away he'd never come back. And Leon needed that sword. Tensely he watched as the pale male thought it over for several long moments.
Slowly, but surely, Cloud said, "I'll have to work it around my deliveries, but that just might be possible. As long as you don't overpay me."
Leon chuckled at that, "I wish everyone else thought the way you do, but no. I'll pay you for your work. No more, no less."
Cloud nodded once, "Deal."
Leon smiled, this was the start of a beautiful business relationship.