A/N: Sorry this is so long in coming. I went back to college and had projects and such that needed doing. Now that it's finals time, and stress needs to be unleashed, I give you my writing...yes I know this was supposed to be posted back in January...so very verysorry.

This chapter has NOT wanted to be written. When I first started writing this, I had about 7 pages and lost 5. That put me off for a while, since it was good writing. Then I reassembled my keyboard and began writing again (trust me: it's much easier to write when you have a full keyboard). I had twelve pages written this time that involved magical theory and other such plot intricacies and then lost the three pages that had that information in detail. ARGH!!! Needless to say endlessly frustrating.

Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to TheUltimateChefofDestruction…or however you spell your name and kremesch for letting me borrow one of their characters. Erryn in no way belongs to me, but to kremesch. Erryn is from kremesch's Dance of the Macabre and The Gemini Project; both Reno centric. Go read them! They are "Super Special Awesome!" to quote YuGiOh: Abridged.

Now, onto the story.

Phoenix Down

Chapter X

He took a step back and looked at his handy work. It had taken some time, but he decided that he had gathered everything that was important; information and material objects. His shirt was a bit snug, and his pants were a little too big for his taste, but he understood the necessity of it. Father wouldn't have provided useless things. He just hitched his pants up with a few belts and made sure his shirt wouldn't ride up with a shoulder pouldron, said armour kept secure through the use of a slender leather harness he threaded through it and secured around his torso. He didn't know how long he had been wherever he was, but he knew that he had to go. A whispering in his mind urged him to go, beckoning and promising him. His footsteps echoed as he stepped into the cavernous room, his boots clicking on the concrete floor. His gaze passed over all the vehicles before settling on a wicked looking machine.

"Perfect," he said to no one in particular. His echoing steps quickened as he hasted to the motorcycle. He'd never seen anything like it, and nothing in his memories could tell him its name. He walked around it, inspecting the glossy black finish on it. It was sleeker than the one in his memories, and edged in silver chrome and not the gold-ish copper of the bike in his memories. Running his fingers over the bike, he heard a slight click when his fingers depressed a mechanism and a chamber opened. His smile turned wicked. "Perfect," he repeated before stashing his gear in it and closing the compartment. Mounting the bike, he found the key in the ignition. Laughing, the figure started the bike up with a mighty roar of the engine. Blond spikes whipping in the wind, the figure followed the signs out of the building, still laughing, to greet the world.

Harry knew he was conscious, but he was wary of opening his eyes. He felt better than the last time he remembered opening his eyes. Carefully, slowly, green eyes blinked open to greet what looked like dusk. Just how long had he slept? The creak of leather brought his attention from the window to where Cloud was sitting, had shifted to a more comfortable position, reading a book. Rubbing bleary eyes, Harry groggily made his way to a sitting position. He must not have been quiet enough for Cloud glanced up sharply from his book. Harry just gazed back at him. Why did Cloud look so worried? Mako blue eyes, slightly glowing in the dim light, examined him and seemed satisfied by something.

"You certainly look better than you did the last few times you woke up," his soft voice informed him.

Now Harry was puzzled. "I've woken up before?"

Cloud frowned. Apparently, he shouldn't have said anything. Cloud's weight on the mattress brought his attention to the blond SOLDIER. A callused hand softly grabbed his chin and intense blue eyes examined his more closely. Tilting his chin this way and that, Harry wondered just what Cloud was doing.

"Your eyes are clear," Cloud informed him. There was more to that. There was definitely a but in that statement.

"And?" Harry prompted. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but he decided that he needed the information. If Cloud thought that it needed to be withheld...Harry watched as Cloud seemed to weigh the information before he finally spoke.

"They retain a glow."

"Glow?" Harry echoed back. He wasn't sure anymore if he wanted the knowledge; he wasn't too keen on the answer anymore.

"Apparently the mako that you were exposed to was more concentrated then we thought," Cloud explained. Harry only nodded. Aeris had said something the mako affecting him, but there was something niggling the back of his mind. Something that didn't pertain to mako. He carefully waited for it as Cloud continued his examination, focusing on a stab wound on his back.

It came suddenly and with such clarity Harry didn't know how he could have forgotten. Heat rose to his face and the brave Griffindor suddenly found himself shy. He must have tensed for Cloud stopped his examination. Unsure of what the man was going to do, Harry just sat there. How could he forget the first time he woke up?

"Uh…" Harry began, unsure of how to phrase his question. How in the mother of Sephiroth -a curse he had heard Reno mutter and shout several times- did he find himself in these situations? Harry looked around the room, anywhere but at Cloud's patient, waiting, expectant eyes.

Then he realized that Reno was missing. "Where's Reno?"

" Reno's on assignment," Cloud replied. "Speaking of which, I have a delivery to make."

Harry watched Cloud get up and retrieve a few parcels from by the door. He watched as Cloud paused with his hand on the door handle. "I'm glad you're feeling better," he finally said. And just as abruptly as he had paused, the blonde left. Harry just sat in bed wondering at the peculiarity of the whole situation while an engine roared to life and quickly disappeared; speed giving way to distance.

"Ready for The Dawn, huh?" Harry said to no one in particular as he resettled himself on his bed. He was tired.

Reno staggered down the street. He didn't know what time it was, but if one looked closely at the horizon –or what one could see of it between the buildings- it was faintly turning a pinkish grey. One could consider it ungodly late, if they never slept the night before, or way too godsdamned early. Since the Turk was a bit inebriated, he couldn't truly differentiate the time. He just giggled at the strange colours the sky was turning. He might remember or remark on it later, but at that distinct moment in time, he thought the flash of green cross the horizon was hilarious. His giggle fit stopped abruptly as his ears picked up on a sound. Familiar, the roaring sound suddenly boomed as the bike rounded the corner and the Fenrir sped by him with its blond haired driver. Mako blue met hazy green before the speed had the ex-SOLDIER down the road and around the next corner. Reno in his state of mind, vaguely wondered where Cloud was haring off to, but something told him he'd be back relatively soon.

Absently wondering where Rude was, the redheaded Turk decided to take one of the many shortcuts he knew and made a right down an alley. Noticing one arm was heavier than the other, Reno looked down to see his hand around the neck of a bottle of cheap booze. Huh…must've taken it from the last bar he had visited.

He felt the eyes on him: the Slum dwellers. They recognized the bottle in his hands and their accent in his self mutterings and deprecations. Even though he was wearing Turk black, there was an understanding between the two parties; it helped Reno was "evolved" from the Slums…if such a term could be applied. A wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf.

A familiar sound made the Turk pause in his wanderings. It's slow, repetitive, hollow reverberation was a fear all youth in the Slums ran from. Uncaring of who was behind him, Reno turned around and found a group of Uglies…and they were ugly.

"Did yer ma die when she saw ya, yo?" Reno asked, voice steady for the amount of drink he'd imbibed, "because if she didn't, I hope someone was kind 'nuff to put 'er outta her misery."

"Sonuvabitch!" the one with the pipe roared.

"Sees ShinRa dint teach ya manners," another Ugly said. Unlike the one with the pipe, he had an eye patch; flies buzzing around it to try to get to the wound underneath.

"I propose a toast, then, ta manners," Reno grandly stated before spitting to the side. "S'more than you deserve, yo."

It happened quickly, and if Reno was slightly more sober he might have guessed what was going to happen. The Ugly with a club threw it and Reno instinctively blocked it…breaking his bottle of booze.

"Oh, now you done it, yo," Reno muttered, Slum drawl becoming more apparent the more time he spent chatting with the Uglies. "I paid good gil for that bottle."

"You got no right ta that bottle, dude," the Ugly who broke his bottle said. That was the catalyst that finally got the battle going. The four or so Uglies launched themselves and their various makeshift weapons at him and Reno brought the broken bottle up to counter. He shoved the menacing shards into one Uglies' face and, following the arcing motion, kicked another's legs out from under them; granting him enough time to bring out his mag-rod. The sound of metal on metal screeched through the alley and sent various slum dwellers searching for cover. Reno's green eyes met the dark one's of the pipe-man's. Reno gave the man a rather evil, macabre smile before switching his rod on; sending a pulse of electricity down the rather conductive pipe.

He heard the click with a heartbeat to spare, spinning and trying to duck out of the way but two of the rounds that were squeezed off managed to find lodging in his the Turk's body. Growling, Reno brought his speed to bear as he became a whirling demon; punching, kicking and electrocuting his victims. A knife came into play; the cheap steel managing to bite him several times before Reno gave Knife-man a new face. Moments later, when all was said and done, the Turk was surrounded by twitching, quivering bodies; none of which he was certain were even still alive. Swearing avidly at the situation he suddenly found himself in, Reno turned about, stumbling, and proceeded to go where his feet took him.

The alleys changed and became more street-like, Reno, however, still slunk in the shadows; instincts and training controlling more of his actions than rational thought and higher thought processes. The will to survive that kept all Slum dwellers alive in their bleak existence coursed through his person. Somehow, he found himself in front of a familiar bar. Smiling a bloody smile, Reno staggered into the establishment.

The dim lighting in the interior was such a contrast to the natural, outside light, Reno had a sudden fit of vertigo, clutching onto the nearest table waiting for the world to right itself, knocking a chair over. The little bell on the top of the door echoed hollow and sickeningly throughout his pounding head.

"I didn't expect to see you back so soon," a familiar voice echoed through his brain along side the noise of the bell. Reno swallowed thickly, idly wondering if he was poisoned.

"Where's Rude?" The voice asked again.

After swallowing again, Reno felt that he could answer. "Dunno," he slurred. "Lost 'im sum…sometime last night. Somewhere?" He swallowed again. Was it just him or was that action getting harder to do? Silence greeted him. His mission hadn't been that bad and he didn't remember getting injured…too badly: nothing his body couldn't handle anyway. Perhaps he had been assuming a little too much this time around.

"You don't look so good," a different voice chimed in. Oddly enough, this one didn't echo. How strange.

"Ya, well, I don' feel so good, yo," Reno drawled before being assaulted by nausea. Not able to control his body functions, the Turk spewed the contents of his stomach across the table he was precariously leaning again. Vertigo assailed him again before, cursing, Reno slid to the floor unconscious.

Harry watched as Reno slid to the floor and Tifa bite her lip in indecision. "I'm going to call Rude," she finally said. "Do you think you could drag him upstairs?"

"I think I can manage," Harry replied. He didn't like the vibes that Tifa exuded. After his recovery from being shot and…other things…he was more attuned to his surroundings. He had felt Reno when he had gotten to the bar; something he knew he shouldn't have been able to do. Harry either had to wait for Cloud to come back to question him or for the Flower Girl, Aeris, to visit him in his sleep again. Perhaps he should call on Vuurvliegje?

Pulling out his wand as Tifa made her way into the depths of the bar, Harry muttered a spell and gently levitated Reno's unconscious body up the stairs to the room that was given to him. Harry rolled Reno onto his side, brushing sweat dampened hair out of his face. He didn't know what he felt for Reno; his emotions were in turmoil. Harry absently wished that he could see the stars; see Sirius winking down at him.

Hacking brought Harry out of his reverie to witness Reno spewing something thick out of his mouth onto the floorboards. Searching through the closet yielded a bucket that he stuck over the spill zone. He had to be poisoned with something. Harry silently berated himself. If he knew more spells, especially of the healing variety, he'd know how to fix Reno.

Something niggled the back of his mind. Hadn't someone… Reno or Denzel, say that Tifa kept a Cure materia behind the bar? Exiting his room, he slunk down the stairs, Harry bee-lined for the bar. Sure enough a small, green orb glinted in the poor light. He picked it up and it sang in his hand. Remembering what Reno told him, Harry 'peered' into the materia. Finding something that might work, he ran back up to his room to be greeted with Reno retching again.

"You aren't looking very well," Harry absently observed as he examined the materia more closely.

"Yeah, well-" whatever was going to say was cut off as he retched again. Harry, cast the spell. A bluish-green light washed over Reno before a haze coalesced into words above Reno…and Harry couldn't read the language of this planet. It wasn't long before the haze vanished.

"What was that?" Reno breathed. "Tickled."

Harry looked down at the Cure materia. "I'm not too sure. I think it was a diagnostic spell of some kind," Harry speculated. He smiled wryly. "I don't know what it said though."

"Well shit," Reno cursed.

"Tifa called Rude," Harry said. He chewed his lip; something he'd picked up from Denzel. "Cloud should be back soon."

Reno groaned. "If Rude didn't find me, then he was prolly called out'n 'other mission."

"Without you?" Harry asked as he cast a different spell on Reno from the Cure materia. Reno sighed as something in him fixed itself.

"Boss knows'm no good after a big mission," Reno replied. "Like ta celebrate bit more than most. What time is it?"

Reno watched as Harry looked at his watch and scowled before looking at the window. Fascinated, a sense of peace came over the Turk before Harry turned his attention back to him. "I think it's sometime around midday; Cloud should be back anytime."

"Yeah, saw him tearing off ta who knows where," Reno replied. His eyes narrowed. How did Harry know when Cloud would be back? So, in true Reno fashion, he drawled out, "How d'ya know Cloud's gonna be back soon, yo?"

Harry just shrugged. "Magic?"

Reno's laugh turned into a hacking, wet cough. He spit something –he didn't deign to look- into the bucket Harry had put next to him before looking back at the youth. "At least I didn't throw up, eh?" he said, giving the boy a weak smile. He was exhausted to tell the truth. He wanted to sleep, but knew it was a bad idea; using what little energy he had left to stay awake. He looked back at Harry and saw a distant look in his eyes. Reno watched as he tilted his head this way and that as if trying to hear some sound.

"I think Cloud's back," Harry absently said. Reno was about to argue with Harry when the boy shook his head and the distinct sound of the Fenrir drew his attention away from the boy.

"You should prolly go get Cloud," Reno managed before he got an intense to vomit. Harry left the room to the sounds of Reno throwing up.

Cloud shook his hair to try to get it into some semblance of normalcy…whatever that was. He couldn't do much with the ridiculous spikes his hair naturally gravitated towards. He was about to get off the Fenrir when hurried footsteps sounded from the bar and, curious, Cloud waited for them to arrive. He thought it might be Denzel, but the sound was off. When Harry appeared at the backdoor, Cloud's curiosity was only piqued further.

" Reno," was all Harry said before turning back into the darkness of the back of the bar. Cloud, worried now, followed Harry; leaving the Fenrir exposed to the elements for the time being. He followed the quiet, dark-haired youth up the back stairs and down a hall before coming into the room Tifa had given him. Reno was sprawled on the bed, spitting discoloured fluid from his mouth into a bucket that looked to be getting full.

"What's wrong with him?" Cloud asked.

"I don't know, give me a second to cast again," Harry replied.

Cloud was about to voice his question before he saw the Cure materia in Harry's hand glow. Reno was covered in light bluish-green mist that covered his whole body before coalescing into words. Fever. Poison. Internal Damage. Broken finger.

Reno moaned. Cloud scowled. "Stop acting like a baby, Reno."

Reno glared at him. "Yeah, well, ya wanna switch places? Be glad ta."

Cloud smirked. "Glad to know that you can drop with the immature slum drawl for a mature one."

Reno's glare turned into a scowl, bruised face contorted in rage. "Piss off, fucker."

What an endearing statement to say to your lover, Harry thought as he watched the two interact.

"Harry, can I have that materia?" Cloud asked, holding out his hand, while his other pulled a different green orb out of his arm band. Harry gladly handed over the materia. "Cure3."

Reno gritted his teeth as the spell hit him, righting and fixing any internal injuries and his broken finger. His off-coloured pallor turned white as the redhead rolled over and puked into the bucket.

"Stay here," Cloud told Harry. "Yell if something bad happens."

He didn't wait for a confirmation as he swept out of the room to his own in search for a Heal materia. Cloud wasn't sure if he still had it or if he had let Yuffie borrow it...or if Yuffie had helped herself "borrow" it. Opening the case to his materia cache, Cloud sifted through the tinkling, singing, rainbow hued spheres; purples and blues, yellows and greens with a few reds that he had kept secret from Yuffie. The Wutaian princess was worse than a magpie when it came to materia, shiny objects, and chocolate. He hand grasped a particular green sphere near the bottom; it tinkled and sang delicately. Cloud smiled.

"Cloud?" Harry called, backdropped by vehement swearing. His day was just getting better and better.

Tifa was wiping glasses behind the bar when the bell above the door chimed. "I'm sorry but we don't serve for a while yet," she informed whoever it was without looking up from her task.

"That okay," a deep voice that made Tifa pause in her work said. "I'm just here to drop this off."

"Rude?!" Tifa exclaimed looking up. The bald Turk pushed his ever present sunglasses up his nose and nodded. The busty brunette smiled. "What's the bag for?"

Rude shrugged. "Boss said to give it to Reno. I figured he ended up here since he didn't come home last night."

Tifa made a face. "Your partner is upstairs getting treated for a hangover I'm sure is gone by now by Cloud and Harry."

Rude frowned, but didn't say anything as he glanced towards the stairs. Tifa waved him onwards. "Go on, I'm sure the worst that's going on is Reno changing from his filthy suit."

Rude's frowned deepened, but Tifa had already gone back to her task of wiping down pint mugs. The intimidating Turk headed towards the stairs and taking up the entirety of the narrow staircase, he absently wondered how Cloud hauled his sword up and down this staircase, as he saw the object of his thoughts flash across the hall. Worried, for Cloud wasn't one to run like that indoors, Rude hustled the rest of the way up the stairs to the sounds of Cloud casting and Reno throwing up. His shaded eyes met the eerie green ones of Harry who simply shrugged.

"He's poisoned," the boy explained, "but the materia Cloud's using doesn't seem to be working."

"That fucking hurts!" Reno swore.

"Harry!" Cloud beckoned. Rude watched as the boy looked at the gem in his hand, a materia he realized, before casting something that looked like mist. It coalesced to the word 'poison' above his partner.

"Dammit!" Cloud swore. The blond turned to Rude. "You got someone good with poisons back at your headquarters?" he bluntly asked.

Rude nodded. Cloud hoisted Reno over his shoulder. The redhead swore at the rough treatment and muttered something unintelligible to him but it made Harry burst out laughing. At the top of the stairs, Cloud paused and turned back to Harry, with Reno yelling something about watching his head.

"It's yours for a reason, you watch it," Cloud told him. "Harry, you stay here. You don't want ShinRa to take an interest in you." Harry must have looked confused because Cloud elaborated, "They took an interest in me once."

Harry could only nod as Cloud turned back around. His eyes met Reno's greenish ones before Reno smiled before he disappeared around the corner. Harry, wondering just why he should avoid ShinRa, sat down to think on the matter before suddenly wrinkling his nose in disgust. The room positively reeked of acidic scent bile and vomit. Knowing Cloud would probably tell Tifa to check on him at some point since, for some reason, she started avoiding him; Harry traversed across the hallway and collapsed on Cloud's rarely used bed.

Harry smiled as he traveled down overgrown paths in a familiar forest. Harry was content to bask in the music of the night; the chirping crickets, singing frogs, the occasional call of some night bird and the random cries of hunting night creatures. Settling himself comfortably at the base of the bole of a tree, Harry nearly drifted off to sleep.

'I see you're "as comfortable as a kneezle in a tulip patch" as one of your friends has taken to saying,' a musical voice said, startling him. It took him a moment, but Harry finally looked up to come face to face with a familiar bird.

"Vuurvliegje! You startled me!" Harry gasped as his heart rate slowly returned to normal.

The phoenix just gave a musical chuckle as he watched Harry resettle himself against the massive bole. 'This is quite the tree you've settled down against.'

"Huh?" Harry responded before he took a good look at the tree he was settled against. As the phoenix had pointed out, the tree was very impressive. It would easily take everyone in his year in Gryffindor, with arms outstretched, to encircle the tree's massive trunk if they were lucky…perhaps just most of them and Hagrid? The tree was massive, and had an impressive height that Harry couldn't even guess at; the tree was easily as tall as the smallest tower of Hogwarts. "I suppose it's pretty amazing."

Vuurvliegje was giving him a reproving look at such blasé words to describe such a wonder of nature. Silence reigned about the two of them as they listened to the night.

'The Flower Girl has sent me a charge to look after,' the bird sang into the darkness. 'However, I think he'd be most upset at being called a charge. He was very interested in your sport of Quidditch.'

"I thought the between worlds thing was only for you and me," Harry stated more than asked.

The phoenix gave the avian equivalent of a shrug. 'The Flower Girl is the last Cetra; she controls –rules would probably be a better word- The Lifestream. She sent him here to keep him safe.'

Harry got the distinct impression of green eyes and fire…long silver hair that whipped in the hot breeze.

"Sephiroth?" the Gryffindor asked.

'He was not Jenova's Child by choice,' Vuurvliegje sadly sang. 'His human mother was beautiful. Hojo claimed to be his father, but who really knows?'

"He never wanted to remain a memory," Harry wondered out loud. "Or perhaps that was Jenova talking?"

The phoenix's response was only to coo and sing peace back into the air. The nighttime creatures continued their symphony and chorus.

"Vuurvliegje," Harry finally spoke as he looked up at the bird.

'Hrm?'

"I," Harry fidgeted, suddenly not too sure on how to phrase his statement. Vuurvliegje waited patiently while Harry fought and finally said, "I canfeel people…and I know I'm not supposed to."

'Presence or thoughts?' Vuurvliege suddenly demanded.

Harry's green eyes met Vuurvliegje's amber ones as he elaborated. "It's just people I've been introduced to and have been around most in this world. I knew Reno was outside this morning, and if you asked me I could tell you where Denzel was within a certain distance of the bar. I can tell you where anybody is in the bar…except for the few I was recently introduced to; they'd be a hazy shadow." His eyes were imploring. "What's happening to me? I know I'm not normal but…this isn't normal!"

Vuurvliegje was quiet for a moment before he tentatively began speaking. 'From what I understand, where I come from, magic comes from The Lifestream. Yes, Harry, I know you're thinking about materia, but all materia is is condensed and crystallized mako. Mako, in turn, is condensed Lifestream.

'The Lifestream, as its name suggests, is the blood of The Planet; all life comes from it and eventually all life returns to it. The ShinRa Electric Company, a few years back, found a way to utilize mako to power civilization as we know it. This in turn weakened The Lifestream and slowly began killing The Planet. That's where the whole Sephiroth debacle comes into play. I'm sure you've heard the story from various people here.' Harry nodded and Vuurvliegje continued.

'The Lifestream of your planet is amazing, Harry. I wish you were aware of it and able to feel it. Your civilization has found other means to support itself power-wise. Electricity and your small, layered charms are amazing! Your Lifestream is so healthy I'm surprised your magical community hasn't found it and studied it.'

"We're too busy trying to figure out how to kill Voldemort," Harry replied. "We don't really have time for anything else…and just a few decades before that, we had to deal with another Dark Wizard named Grindelwald."

Vuurvliege just nodded. 'It seems your civilization has yet to settle,' the phoenix sang. He tilted his head as if caught by a sudden thought.

"What?" Harry asked.

'Nothing,' the bird sang back. 'Be ready for The Dawn.'

Harry nodded as he leaned back against the tree closing his eyes to bask in the calm serenity of the night…

…the calm before The Storm.

Finally deciding that the feeling that was gnawing at his gut was hunger, the blonde experimentally decided he'd attempt to eat something. He knew that he didn't have to eat, only needing to bask in The Lifestream or a vat of mako but he didn't think the reactor workers would take too kindly to him showing up and having a "bath", but he decided he'd see what food was like since he, technically, had never eaten anything before. He searched his memories to see if he had a preference for anything, but conflicting dishes passed through his head until –stuffed peppers?- came to the forefront as a favoured dish. Absently wondering where that had come from, he slowed his bike down and passed through the town until someone hailed him.

"Srife! Strife my boy!"

Slightly interested about the mistaken identity and slightly angry about it at the same time, he slowed down for the older gentleman to catch up to him. The recognition suddenly left the man's eyes when he noticed the slight differences.

"Oh, so sorry, my boy, I thought you were a friend of mine," the man stated. "I'm Aiden Frontenelle."

"Sachar," the blonde from the back of the bike replied a the two of them shook hands.

"Ifrit's fires! You two could be brothers! Are you related?"

"Who?" Sachar replied.

"You and Cloud Strife, my dear boy!" Aiden exclaimed credulously.

"I think we might be cousins," Sachar replied seriously. He didn't want to cause any trouble, and this way he could find out about current events.

"Of course! Of course!" Aiden responded. "Let me treat you to lunch! You look famished! And if the two of you are related, then let's go to the diner 'round the corner! They have the best stuffed peppers outside Gongaga!"

Sachar smiled, managing quite well to keep the malice for his supposed twin out of his green eyes. "By all means, kind sir, lead on."

It was several hours later that Sachar found himself leaving whatever small, backwater town he had met Aiden Frontenelle. The peppers had been quite delicious, but he thought he'd have to go to Gongaga to try the "real thing" as Aiden had kept insisting…as did an echo of something in his head. Shaking it violently, Sachar's eyes narrowed. He needed to find this Cloud Strife; that was what Father wanted him to do. Finding Strife would make Father happy. Brother wasn't answering his calls anymore either. It was as if he disappeared; which made no sense since how can one disappear from The Lifestream? Unless he had been reborn?

Right, find Cloud Strife. Aiden had said that Cloud could usually be found at the bar 7th Heaven in the old Midgar area. Pointing his bike in a different direction, Sachar set off towards 7th Heaven and his "Brother".

He had fratricide to commit.

"Dammit Reno! What the hell did you do this time?" Erryn yelled as Cloud carried him into the infirmary.

"Fuck you!" Reno slurred as he spat some noxious substance onto the floor.

"I see your condition hasn't affected your lack of manners," she said acerbically. "You had none before and you have none now."

"Bitch."

"Bastard."

"Whore."

"Can you just draw some blood and find an antidote to whatever's poisoning him?" Rude interjected. Cloud dumped Reno on a gurney before heading into an adjoining bathroom to wash blood and vomit off his arms. Rude stayed in the room.

"Ya know ya don' hafta do this, right?" Reno slurred as she came at him with a syringe.

"Damn, now I know you're fucking sick!" Erryn cursed. Reno still edged away. She glanced at Rude, and the solemn Turk nodded before going over and restraining Reno.

"Don' let 'er do this, man," Reno pleaded as his attempts to escape intensified into violent thrashing. He did NOT want that needle in his arm. All he wanted was his apartment, a heater, a blanket, and a hot drink; he was freezing cold.

"Dammit Reno! Hold still!" Rude cursed as it became harder for him to hold the redhead down. It was then that Cloud emerged from the bathroom to the scene –for it was a scene- that was unfolding. Rude sent the blonde a pointed look to which he just shrugged and went over to still his thrashing lower body in an iron grip.

"C'mon man!" Reno whined. It was then and only then when they had him sufficiently restrained that Erryn swooped in and took the blood sample before tranquilizing the Turk. The other two present just looked at her and the scientist became defensive. Rude mused that he could visibly see her bristle. Cloud just stared at her with this dead-pan expression; clearly wanting to be anywhere that was remotely like a lab that had anything to do with ShinRa.

"What?" Erryn bristled. "He didn't need to be in anymore pain."

Cloud just took a seat next to a now unconscious and drooling Reno. Rude sighed.

"Just find the antidote to whatever is ailing him," Rude asked as he pushed his shades back up his nose. How by Shiva was he supposed to tell Rufus about this?

Erryn just muttered something as she pocketed the sample and left, Cloud visibly relaxing if only marginally less stressed than before. Rude gave him a pointed look. The bald Turk knew that he didn't have to be here; it was more than obvious that it made him uncomfortable. The look he shared with Cloud was epic. Rude absently noticed that the fluorescent lights made the mako glow in them seem much more intensified than it normally was. His eyes told Rude that there was no way he was leaving unless it was absolutely necessary.

Rude sighed. Perhaps he'd tell the whole thing to Tseng and have him tell Rufus?

It was some hours later, but Erryn had identified what had been poisoning Reno. Apparently, some innocuous bacteria had reacted badly with Reno's system and some kind of alcoholic beverage he'd imbibed; effectively turning it into poison. After creating an antidote from a derivative of Garidav Wildgrass and Zeghan Nuts; Cloud wasn't too sure how she figured these things out and what their antidotes were. Apparently, she had a thing for all natural cures. He looked at Rude, wondering if this was a normal occurrence. The bald Turk just shrugged.

"He'll wake up eventually," Erryn informed them. Then she turned to Cloud to address him directly. "You should probably get to wherever it is you're supposed to be."

Cloud nodded before giving Rude a glance. He nodded and Cloud slunk out the doorway. Erryn watched him go before looking back at Reno.

"You cause nothing but trouble."

Harry looked out the window feeling Cloud close by. Tifa had come upstairs, presumably to check on him while he had been asleep, and cleaned his own room. When he had awoken and realized he room no longer smelt like puke, the Gryffindor vacated Cloud's room for his own. He frowned, mulling over what his magic was telling him.

A storm was coming, this he knew, but the sky had never been clearer or bluer than it was now.

posted 11March2008