One more chapter with Angeal and the gang before we switch back. Please leave a review- DHT and darksargonas.
They weren't in the air ten minutes and the poor blonde was asleep. He apparently had a talent that the rest of the world would envy in being able to tune out Zack's relentless chatter. Angeal just had to smile however, he could tell his student was trying to cheer him up. The story of Kunsel and the cockatrice again and, while Angeal did find it amusing, it didn't keep him from his own thoughts.
The honorable First had always been Genesis's friend from near the first day they met. Angeal had remembered thinking Genesis was likely stuck up. All rich kids were, right? But even then he had held his tongue when he'd come across the boy in one of his family's dumbapple orchards. What he'd discovered was a small boy desperate for attention and longing for a friend, oddly not unlike Sephiroth when they'd first met him later.
The protectiveness he felt towards the ginger didn't come for years later however. Genesis had been thirteen, Angeal himself only twelve at the time. Some things were destined to be scarred into your memory and the image of Genesis sitting in his room holding that knife as blood dripped down his arm was one of those things for the raven.
Angeal shouldn't have been there, his father was supposed to be leaving for work and the young boy had been allowed to go for the first time. He'd been so excited about it and Genesis had smiled at him before they'd parted the day before. There was no way he could have known something was wrong with his friend at the time.
But then his dad had gotten sick and the trip had been cancelled. Angeal had rushed over to Genesis's house to see his friend and let him know he wasn't going after all. Mr. and Mrs. Rhapsodos had been out, to this day Angeal didn't know or care where, but the ginger had been alone and would have been all day.
He would have been dead if Angeal's trip hadn't been cancelled and the broken look in his eyes and the tears mixed with blood, it was a picture burnt into his mind forever. Genesis had come and stayed with the Hewelys for a week after that and, when he returned, his parents almost seemed disappointed. The ginger had become closer to the man he was today, quick to anger, obsessive and a bit narcissistic. Try as he might though, Angeal could never get past the image of the broken boy and so he'd sworn to protect his friend no matter how irritating he got at times.
Things had been good for Genesis these past few years, especially where Sephiroth was concerned, and Angeal knew he practically had no contact with his parents, who never even seemed to want a son.
But there had been signs, the First thought, as he closed his eyes. Genesis had been moody, secretive and more agitated lately. Angeal had assumed it was because the ginger thought he was being held back, which was partially true. But then he'd gotten his chance with the Mission to Wutai and turned it down in favor of a 'surprise' for Sephiroth.
The blood, the state of the apartment and the quick departure from ShinRa. All of these things painted a very dark picture. Angeal couldn't help but wonder if Sephiroth's surprise hadn't been a scene similar to the one he'd walked into all those years ago. He wondered how Genesis could have ever spoken so affectionately of the 'surprise' in such a way, then pull this off. It was disturbing in so many ways. In the end, though, it would have certainly explained everything they had found and the behavior of his two friends. Sephiroth's over protective nature and Genesis's calm, even subdued demeanor. If he had tried to take his own life and got caught by the General…
Angeal shuddered faintly at the thought of how that scene must have played out. Sephiroth was still detached from many human emotions, it would have likely traumatized the man. But in this case, Angeal was almost grateful his socially awkward friend wouldn't have enough experience to question why Genesis would do something like that, when he thought they were living happily. The blow to Sephiroth's pride would have been irreparable and it would have certainly strained their relationship. It might still if they were left alone long enough to give the man a chance to think about it. Angeal truly didn't want either of them to be alone with such a thing.
However, while the thought that Genesis might honestly have tried to take his life again made him sick, he was glad to know that the man was still alive and that Sephiroth seemed to be taking care of him. Whatever instincts the General had, they had triggered quickly enough to get them moving. If it was a case of Genesis snapping, under pressure or something else darker, he knew Sephiroth had enough personal experience with dealing with such emotions to help their friend. There was a lot under the surface that Sephiroth tried to hide, but Angeal could tell there was a scarred individual beneath all that apparent perfection. It was love, not duty, that had made the Silver General act so hastily and, in the end, no matter the reason, Angeal could forgive them for forgetting him in their haste. After all, it really was the Silver General's place to take care of Genesis now, even if Angeal had a bit of a hard time giving it up.
Still, he felt the need to talk to Genesis, a deep guilt settled over him that he'd missed the signs before now. He had to find a way to make it up to him and help him. Help them both, really. After all, it would only be a short time before Sephiroth and Genesis were at each other's throats with disagreements, even with a tragedy like this between them. It was simply the nature of how they were at their very core. Both so proud and so headstrong. Neither one willing to show a single sign of weakness. Neither one allowing themselves to become vulnerable and let themselves be taken care of. It was unspeakable to think that Genesis or Sephiroth would ever be willing to give up that much control and let one or the other get ahead. Not that it had to be that way to make their relationship perfect. They simply didn't know where to stop and become satisfied.
Angeal sighed and lifted a hand to rub at his brow slowly. The sound of the helicopter's rotors churning through the air finally came back to the foreground of his thoughts. It was all so exhausting to think about and there was so much in the way of complications. He looked over to see Zack and Cloud. The cadet was still asleep and Zack was staring at him with a concerned expression.
It was rare that he ever saw the puppy looking so serious, it was enough to bring a smile to his lips, which immediately caused Zack's features to soften. How long had his student been staring at him? It must have been a while. Angeal hadn't even noticed when Zack stopped talking.
"We will be hitting Junon in a few minutes." Angeal called out over the noise.
Zack gave an animated nod and even grinned, the fire in his eyes returning immediately. It was difficult not to get swept up in Zack's enthusiasm and the gods knew Angeal needed Zack's eternal optimism more than anything. Some days he questioned why he ever took the boy on, but in moments like this, Angeal couldn't be bothered to feel any regrets over the decision. The only thing that worried him was the fact that, on the coldest nights, Angeal found himself wondering if perhaps he didn't care for Zack a little too much in ways he knew he shouldn't.
At least the puppy was happily oblivious and eager to learn.
Barren wastelands slowly started exchanging scenery for warehouse buildings on the outskirts of the port town. Cloud began to stir as they neared Junon. H was just happy he didn't have to spend the trip on a boat. Otherwise he would have likely spent the entire time in his cabin. Sleeping through something like his motion sickness was near impossible and had plagued the poor cadet throughout his training. It was the biggest reason why he felt he might never make it into SOLDIER. A little frustrating to know that something that small could crush your hopes and dreams.
Once they were refueled and back in the air, it was Zack's turn to pass out, leaning over snoring and drooling on Cloud's shoulder. It was an amusing sight given the situation, but it also left Cloud relatively alone with Angeal. Nervously the blond looked at the Commander and asked: "Do you know the General and Commander Rhapsodos well?"
Angeal looked at the small cadet, putting up with Zack as the raven-haired 2nd slumped over a little further, and searched for the reason behind the question. He smiled a bit before looking away. It seemed the boy was honestly curious and attempting to be polite. Breaking the ice, as they say. Angeal let out a small sigh before finally answering. "They are my friends. I've known Genesis since we were kids."
"Oh." Cloud replied, honestly surprised, but then he thought about Tifa and if this was her they were going after, he knew he would have felt just as conflicted as he was certain Angeal was. "I'm sorry. I hope everything's alright."
"I'm sure it will be." Angeal muttered, though his earlier thoughts circled in his head a bit, making him seem a little distracted.
For some reason it seemed easier to talk after that and the raven haired man discovered why Zack had taken to the small trooper so well. There was an honesty and vulnerability that just stood out and made you want to protect the poor kid. Something that was so hard to find in Midgar.
The last half of the flight went quicker than the first, something Angeal was glad for and before he knew it, Cloud was shaking Zack awake as he was stepping out into the warm air of the resort town.
As Cloud roused him, Zack started abruptly and jumped to his feet.
"I wasn't sleepin' on the job!" He burst out with, then noted both of them were already disembarking and waiting on him. "Uh... oh... sorry."
The raven-haired SOLDIER gave a nervous chuckle and ran a hand through his spiky hair before jumping down to meet them. He honestly never slept during the rides before, but that meal had been heavy and he just couldn't keep his eyelids open to save himself. At least the ride had been a smooth one. He was beginning to worry about Angeal flying the helicopter when the man had had very little rest recently.
"So... where should we start?" Zack prompted, pushing to stand beside his mentor and new best friend.
At the question from his student Angeal turned to Cloud with an inquiring expression. "Any idea?" He asked.
The blond, who seemed a bit more relaxed around the Commander thanks to the flight, just shook his head. "No, sorry, no one saw them after we got off the ship." He had a bit of guilt to his tone for not knowing anymore. He really wanted to help Angeal and Zack at this point.
"It's alright." Angeal muttered, placing a hand on Cloud's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze to reassure him. "We'll start with the inn and see if they checked in and move on from there." He sighed, taking a look around. It really was too bright out. Especially for the mood he was in.
Cloud just nodded and followed Angeal. The group made their way to the inn reserved for Shinra. The place smelled of coconuts and sunscreen, and there were garish paintings of sunsets on the beach and other things that Cloud supposed tourists would like. To him it was just too hot as he removed his helmet again and brushed a bit of sweat covered locks out of his eyes. The salt from his skin mixing with his sweat got into his eyes, despite his best efforts and he was soon rubbing them with a faint groan as that annoying sting came on. As if things weren't bad enough! Now he was going to look like he had been crying for no apparent reason!
Angeal approached the counter and a young woman in a bikini top, a short skirt and flip flops greeted them with a voice that was far too perky. Her smile seemed genuine, but the 1st had seen his friend pull off such a feat countless times before and, with his current disposition, it left him doubting the authenticity. Yes certain, things could even make Angeal a bit jaded. Still, the woman seemed truly happy to interact with people and he really couldn't help but be reminded of his student.
"Hello! Welcome to the Emerald Palms! What can I do for you?" She asked, dipping down to grab the ledger. "Our suite reserved for Shinra officers is currently open!" The woman was far too perky with pink pigtails that weren't exactly natural looking.
"No, we're not here to stay, I'm sorry." Angeal apologized, offering a weak smile as he greeted her in return, he parted his lips, prepared to ask her a question, however he was interrupted.
"Terrible thing! The waves are beautiful this month." The girl replied, cutting the commander off.
"I'm afraid my lady, I'm here to inquire about a couple of guests you may have had in the last month or so." The raven haired man asked kindly, it wasn't this woman's fault he was frustrated and he refused to take it out on her, even as he found himself less and less inclined to endure small talk.
"Uh, I'm afraid I can't reveal any of our guests, it's against company policy to pull out the records. I'm sorry." The woman replied with bit of a pout. "I could still get you a room though, so it's not a wasted trip!"
Angeal sighed, resisting the urge to yell at the young woman. Once again, having to remind himself that this wasn't her fault. He understood how the policies went, it was just business and she was merely doing her job, even if it was making his own that much more difficult.
But he had something he might try. "Well, I don't think you'd need the records. I imagine you'd remember them." The commander stated. "You see, I'm looking for some friends of mine. General Sephiroth and Commander Rhapsodos."
"No way!" She squealed.
It seemed that the woman obviously believed him, which was a good thing. He wasn't sure how he would prove that they were indeed his friends. He wasn't nearly as well known as even Genesis was, who still paled in comparison to Sephiroth. He supposed there was that one picture taken on his PHS, after Zack had snatched the thing from him and forced the three famous men to pose together.
"They were here a few weeks ago! Just for a night!" She giggled. "I remember asking for autographs, but they were in a bit of a hurry."
It was obvious that the girl was reliving the experience and wasn't likely to give him anything else without prompting. "Do you know where they went?"
The counter girl looked nearly startled at being addressed again and shook her head before remembering something. "They were looking for Chocobos!" She yelped out excitedly. "Pointed them just south of town. There's a stable that rents them out to tourists."
Another sigh left Angeal's lips and he nodded. "Thank you." He replied before turning to leave.
A wild goose chase, that is what this was starting to feel like, and he was certain there were a few more things they could have prompted to get out of her, except he really didn't know how to go about it. Zack would have been perfect for the job, likely distracting her with chatter and getting her to relax her guard enough to 'share gossip' with him and inadvertently reveal a few more details, however… With one glance at his student Angeal knew it would be a bad idea.
Zack had been too busy checking the girl out to really be of any use, if he had opened his mouth, it likely would have gone a completely different direction and they might have ended up thrown out into the street. There was no subtle way to have told Zack what he needed from him, and he was certain the boy would have been too obvious about his attempts, as he lacked the experience and know-how of subtlety in these sorts of situations. However, once the conversation was finished and Zack sensed Angeal was ready to move out, he proved to at least manage hearing some parts of the questions. It was admirable, really, what with all those teenage hormones getting in the way.
"Gen and Seph know how to ride chocobos?!" He cried out as he pushed through the doors to the road. There was that giggle from the girl behind them before the doors slammed shut, leaving them to the busy streets once more. "Man. You learn something new every day, I guess... so uh... next stop to that place where they rent chocobos?"
Angeal nodded at Zack. "Yes, usually there is some paperwork and what not involved, we may be able to figure out where they went from there." He sighed a bit, the offer of a room at the inn was ever so tempting, but they'd lost too much ground already.
They made their way through the streets, Cloud silently following behind the Commander and his student. He had to agree with Zack on some level though, he really couldn't picture the great General Sephiroth riding around on a chocobo. Zack had dropped back to walk beside him once more and he had stuffed his helmet back on, just to prevent an uncomfortable questioning. Cloud was certain that his eyes were bloodshot from all the rubbing he had just did to get the salty-sweat to stop from stinging them. The last thing his pride needed was a misplaced pep-talk to make him feel better over his 'nerves'.
When they arrived at the shop, Angeal was almost relieved to find an elderly gentleman waiting for him rather than the perky girl at the inn. Too many of those and Angeal might have started trying to tear his hair out. The stable owner took a moment to finish tending to the bird he had been working with before approaching the counter. It gave the raven haired man a chance to look around. There were saddles and feed bins all around, as well as several different chocobos. Most were yellow, but there were even a few white, green and blue. Though no gold or black in sight. Not surprising how rare those breeds happened to be.
When the man walked up, brushing a bit of graying hair out of his eyes, he offered Angeal a smile. "What can I do for you boys?" He asked, pleasant enough, but it was obvious that he was tired and just putting on a face for his customers. Right now Angeal could relate.
Zack, in the meantime, made a straight line for the stalls and was busy looking over every single chocobo as if he'd just wandered into a candy store. He was making a show of petting each and every one, cackling madly or using 'baby talk'. He couldn't help it! Chocobos were awesome and he hadn't really gotten to see many of them since joining Shin-Ra's army and the SOLDIER program.
He turned away after inspecting every chocobo to make sure they were 'in top shape', according to his own standards after suddenly becoming an expert in veterinary care. He spotted Cloud and Angeal talking to the owner and decided that they didn't need his help. Good. He had chocobos that were clearly in need of affection to deal with.
"I'm actually looking for some information on a couple of friends of mine." The 1st Class SOLDIER asked politely, ignoring Zack as he ran off, though he doubted acquiring it would be as easy as it had been at the inn.
"Afraid I don't give out information on customers and all, I'm sure a strapping young man from Shinra can appreciate that." The man replied but he still hadn't moved away from the counter.
Anyone would have been a fool to think someone from ShinRa would leave it at just that. It was never quite that simple with politics and it was obvious that Angeal was there for a reason.
Cloud just watched the look on the commander's face fell. He really wanted to help him and so walked up to the counter himself. "Please sir, it's really important we find them." The blonde begged, which earned him a small smile for Angeal.
Normally, such words would have only harmed an investigation, as one was never supposed to let the party with information know just how desperate you were to get it. It could often make the exchange more difficult and expensive to procure. Of course, that was assuming you were dealing with less than savory types and, though the stable owner was a bit tired, he didn't look like he was ready to make a gil off of ShinRa by giving them a hard time. Besides of which, it was clear that Angeal and the two he came with were military and not Turks.
"Hmm." The old man crossed his arms, looking at the pair. He seemed to stare at Angeal for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't normally do this, but if my daughter found out I let Commander Hewely here down, she'd have my head." He laughed.
"I'll tell you what I know, but mind if I ask for an autograph? Her birthday is next week and it would just make her year, I'm sure." The man asked. He was a businessman after all.
Angeal rubbed his hand on his face, wondering if it was luck or something else that he had ran into such a person that actually recognized him. "Alright." It was one quick autograph and truly he didn't mind, especially since it meant he would get what he needed out of the man.
A quick signature later and the man turned back to Angeal. "I'm not daft enough not to know who you're talking about." The old man admitted. "They were through here several weeks ago. Rented a pair of yellow girls and paid extra to avoid the normal paperwork. I mean it was General Sephiroth, I figured if he really wanted to he'd of just taken 'em anyway. The only thing I can tell ya for sure is that they headed inland. Can't say I'm surprised someone's after them. They certainly had something to hide."
It wasn't what Angeal had wanted to hear, but he couldn't fault the man. "Thank you. Wish your daughter a Happy Birthday for me?" He offered, which brought a smile to the man's lips before walking out of the shop.
He would allow Cloud to collect Zack for the moment, as he needed fresh air. There wasn't much else he could have done by this point, all the roads they found dead-ended even before they had a chance to begin, he knew his friends could be thorough, but he never imagined they would have taken the time to do this. He needed some time to think and finding a bench to sit down on while he did it was a good idea. Luckily for him, there was one nearby and he collapsed into it.
Zack absently patted one chocobo lightly on the neck as he leaned against a stall. A few minutes in study and he was suddenly guffawing. This chocobo look familiar and he knew why! Cloud! His hair was blond and spiky and, until he'd been spending time with these chocobos, he hadn't realized how familiar those spikes had been! A hand lifted to smack himself in the face before he shook his head.
"I shoulda known!" He groaned.
He was about to approach Cloud and give him the 'good news' before a quick glance at Angeal's form, departing from the stables, dampened any plans of his. The look on his mentor's face spoke gravely and he mellowed out pretty quickly in the face of it.
Cloud looked a little confused as well, having switched his gaze from where Angeal had just left back to Zack and so on. Zack offered his friend a smile and grabbed him by the arm, then dragged him out to catch up with his mentor. There was no way he would leave Angeal alone for long.
"So uh..." He mumbled uselessly, not quite sure what to say to lighten the mood. "So what do we do now?" Zack finally asked.
The words. "I don't know." were no sooner out of Angeal's mouth when his phone rang.
Angeal answered it after fumbling around with it as he tried to remove it from its holster, then sat up straight, listening to Lazard, the director's voice filtering through the phone. "Angeal, I'm not sure where you are, but I was going over some reports and missions requests and I have a paper on my desk asking me to sign off on expenses incurred by Commander Rhapsodos at the general store in a mountain town called Nibelheim, not one week ago." Angeal was back on his feet in a moment, the fast movement of sitting then standing might have been comical in a different situation. "They've been spotted?" He asked to make sure, as he started walking back towards the helicopter motioning for the other two to follow.
"I don't have a visual confirmation, but it's the right continent."
"Alright, heading that way now." Angeal replied before hanging up, it was the only lead they currently had and it synced well with the stableman's claim that they had headed inward. With that he turned to Zack and Cloud. "They've been reported in a mountain town about 3 days travel from here."
"Three days?" Cloud asked stopping a bit. "You mean Nibelheim?" he blurted out, eyes going wide.
"Yes, that's it, do you know the place?" Angeal asked, looking back at the blonde.
"It's my home." He mumbled quietly.
"Then I guess it's even better that you're with us." The commander smiled again at the cadet. "Now come on, we've got a lot of ground to cover."
The blonde just nodded and followed the other man as Angeal began walking briskly back towards the helicopter. It all seemed to be going so quickly, he had hardly any time to grasp at each new moment as it arrived. How anyone could live like this on a day to day basis was beyond Cloud, but then again, he supposed it wasn't everyday that two of the most important figures in ShinRa's army just walk out on you.
"Wait... they went to your hometown? Why the heck would they go there?! What's in that place anyway?" Zack blurted out, cornering his friend suddenly with a hundred questions after he had caught up.
Cloud just turned to Zack and shrugged. "I don't know, I mean there's a reactor there but nothing too special. And the creepy old mansion, but it has been abandoned even before I was born. I don't know what they could possibly want in Nibelheim."
Angeal was just as confused as Cloud was, but didn't comment on it. He'd never heard of the town before and, as far as he knew, his friends hadn't either. However, it was rather remote, and Sephiroth might have thought it was a good place to get Gen away from everything.
Tiredly he prepped the helicopter for flight. It had been at least 48 hours since he'd slept and it would likely be 48 more before he was able to rest. It didn't matter however, he had a mission and he'd gone longer without sleep.
The flight to Nibelheim was quiet, mostly due to both Cloud and Zack passing out. The commander kept his focus, still trying to piece together what Genesis and Sephiroth were thinking. He'd never felt so left in the dark the entire time he'd known the pair. Even their relationship hadn't been kept secret from him, as he could still clearly remember the ginger's confession after he had first slept with the Silver General. If Genesis had really tried to take his own life, why hadn't Sephiroth contacted him for help after all this time? Never mind the fact that they had ditched their PHS's in the ocean, they could have easily acquired new ones by now and it wasn't as if they didn't know his number!
Another sigh escaped his lips as he rubbed his eyes. It was a few hours flight from Costa del Sol to their destination and he needed to save what energy he had to make sure he landed safely. All the forethought in the world wouldn't do them a single ounce of good if they crashed into Nibelheim.
There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, even though fall had just began. The homes seemed oddly stacked together with the architecture unique to the area. Smoke was rising from nearly every chimney and a water tower stood tall in the middle of the town. Dirt paths crisscrossed the small village, not surprising since the idea of paving streets or even delivering gravel for their roads seemed a rather daunting and pointless task even if a reactor had been built here.
A few eyes gazed up at the bird in the air and Angeal had to wonder how calm the sight seemed to be for the remote town. In an emergency no doubt a helicopter would be far more practical than navigating the steep mountain roads.
When he was finally able to land the helicopter, he just sat in his seat. Leaning his head back against the head rest, he took a moment to relax. He looked back to find Zack and Cloud leaning on each other. He was tired, but there was still a lot of work to be done. He twisted around, shaking Cloud first, then his student. "Come on now, it's time to go."
Blue eyes free of mako glow blinked up at him first as Cloud shifted out of his seat. "We're here already?" He asked, a bit of trepidation in his voice. The only other person who sounded so upset to be home had been Genesis. A frown crossed Angeal's lips at that, knowing full well what the ginger had been put through and wondering what had happened to the blonde to give him a similar reaction. Explanations would have to wait for now however.
Zack started awake, darting out of his chair and taking a defensive position immediately, "Who what?! How dare you challenge a SOLDIER!"
Well at least his enthusiasm was impossible to get rid off, even if he looked a bit bleary-eyed. When his imaginary foes disappeared, however, he looked around in confusion, nearly forgetting that they had someplace else to be. A hand lifted to push through his messy black spikes before turning to squint at Angeal and Cloud.
"So this is Nibelheim? Kinda chilly. And small. Man, my home town was at least a little warmer while it was practically deserted… I mean compared to Midgar!" He gave a huff and shoved his hands into his pockets, "So uh... they made mention of where they'd been spotted? Holy shit- IS THAT SNOW?!"
As per normal, Zack was a million questions and all energy the second he regained consciousness. Angeal had, however, never noted the fact that Zack might have never seen snow before. Given the young man's reaction, he would have to say this was a first. On any other day, Angeal might have taken the time to enjoy it, but today it was simply another distraction. He was about reprimand Zack when he suddenly felt himself pelted by a rather poorly made snowball. Instead of getting angry, the 1st actually felt all of his tension bleed away from shock. He blinked several times and finally zoned in to the sound of Zack laughing. Cloud looked absolutely mortified, but it was all Angeal could do to keep a straight face. He couldn't hold it back for long, however, Zack's laughter was infectious, and soon he was laughing with him.
Zack was absolutely happy he could take such a dour moment and turn it into something light-hearted for his mentor. The man needed it and Zack was eternally optimistic. He had to be, because the alternative would just add even more pain, leaving Angeal in a bad spot, and he wasn't sure he could forgive either men for hurting Angeal like this, if they were willing to do that to someone like him. Angeal was a good man, an even better teacher, and he had no doubts that he was the best kind of friend anyone like Genesis or Sephiroth could ask for. It'd be pretty damn rotten in his book if they threw him under the bus for all of this. Never mind the more personal feelings he had about the whole thing and how it pissed him off to no end that anyone would hurt Angeal.
Cloud had to agree with Angeal, it was hard to remain so down trodden with Zack acting so carefree. However, as he reflected on his friend's earlier question, the cadet's mood shifted back again. The truth was that he really hadn't wanted to return to Nibelheim so soon. He'd sworn that he wouldn't come home until he made SOLDIER, but fate seemed to have swept him up in a hunt for the two most powerful men on the planet. It was an odd set of circumstances to be sure, but it didn't mean he was ready to face his hometown that had thought so little of him.
Angeal calmed down after a few moments and brushed the melting snow from his form, turning to regard Cloud. This was the boy's hometown, after all, and he was certain that the cadet would be excited to have a chance to return. After all, it could be years before any soldier would get the chance to take some leave time to visit family, ShinRa was pretty strict about the tours of duty they made their soldiers take, especially with the war. He was surprised, however, to see the dark look on Cloud's face instead.
The blonde was always a bit quiet, but this didn't seem to be the comfortable silences the boy usually inhabited, nor an awkward silence where Cloud just didn't know what to say, or didn't feel as if he had the right to say something. This silence was more similar to the brooding nature Sephiroth often displayed, especially after his fights with Genesis, and it disturbed Angeal more than he was willing to admit. He hadn't known the blonde long, but such a disposition seemed horribly wrong on him.
He pushed the thought aside however to answer his student's question. "Genesis was logged at the local general store." Angeal explained. "They aren't staying at the inn however, so we're not sure where they are exactly."
"The mansion." Cloud muttered, maybe he wouldn't have to spend much time actually in town after all. He perked up a bit at the thought. Maybe no one would have to know he was home after all. Especially if he wore the helmet.
"It would be a good place to start. We don't have a lot of time, but you could stop in and see your mother if you want." Angeal offered, he knew trips home were rare in Shinra. It had been ages since he'd seen his own mother.
"No, that's ok." Cloud replied with a shake of his head. As much as he would like to have seen the woman, Angeal had been stressed and pressed for time as it was. The fact he wasn't quite ready to face her or his neighbor, that factored in as well. No, the quicker they could do what they needed to do here and get home, the better for all of them.
Angeal just watched Cloud and held back a small sigh. He hated assuming things, but to him it was obvious that the cadet hadn't had a good childhood. The 1st Class SOLDIER had seen enough of the signs both in his best friend and in several of the younger men. In fact he'd had his hands so full with Genesis, Sephiroth and lingering childhood trauma that one of the deciding factors in picking Zack as his student had been the obviously happy upbringing.
Not that his student hadn't brought a plethora of new problems into his life, but it was refreshing and nothing he couldn't handle. Plus he wouldn't trade his hyperactive puppy for anything at this point.
Though had Zack been the reason he'd missed Genesis's possible depression? A bit of guilt settled over him at the thought. If he hadn't taken Zack as a student, would he be out there with his friends right now?
"Alright then." He finally replied, accepting Cloud's reluctance to take advantage of this trip home, and pushed the darker thoughts to the back of his mind for the time being. "Do you know the way to the mansion or do we need to find a guide?" He asked the cadet.
"I know how to get there." Cloud acknowledged. Not wanting to offer up that he knew how to get there if only because he'd used it as a hiding place in his youth. Someplace the other kids weren't willing to go.
"Then I'll take the lead, just tell me where to go. Zack, you bring up the rear." Angeal ordered.
"Yes sir." Cloud replied and proceeded to do just that. Taking them on a path around the town. It would be quicker he knew, if just because they would avoid the town's gossip. Angeal at least didn't seem to mind.
"Awwwww maaaaan." Zack groaned, stomping his foot as he fell in behind the other two, "In the rear with the damned gear." He quoted with a sour expression, "Like basic training all over again."
He fell silent soon enough, though, as his broody grumbling gave way to curiosity. Half-way up the road, he caught a smell that made his stomach rumble unexpectedly. The sweet, smoky scent of firewood burning. Always smelled like a barbecue, even if it was just a simple log in a fireplace. It had always driven him nuts and made him hungry.
"Oh man. You guys smell that? Is someone smoking some meat around here? Is that hickory?! I swear that's hickory. Damn, my mouth is waterin' already!" Leave it to Zack to distract himself, even while on a mission.
Cloud just looked at Zack, seeming to do better since they'd moved further away from the actual town. He hadn't quite picked up on the scent that the SOLDIER's enhancements could, but he would soon enough. "It's probably some hunters. We get people passing through the mountains, hunting the wildlife, clearing out the wolves. As long as they avoid the-" He was cut off
"That's not a campfire." Angeal expressed as he caught wind of what Zack was talking about. He had smelt plenty of fire over the years, thanks to Genesis, and there were other things mixed with the hickory smell. There was almost a chemical nature to some of it and just solidified in his mind that Genesis had been here. Fire was always a sign of his friend.
"Are we close to the mansion?" Angeal asked Cloud, trying to stay calm.
"Yes." The boy nodded, before he could have much more of a thought he found himself lifted up into heavy arms and held tightly to a firm chest. They started to fly up the rocky mountain road, faster than Cloud knew he could go on his own.
"Hey.. HEY! What the- what!" Zack flailed wildly before he took up behind Angeal at that neck-breaking pace.
Genesis had to be close and was possibly in trouble if the mansion was burning. Angeal ran, knowing that Zack would be right behind him. The fact that he had the forethought to pick up Cloud was amazing or the energy for this little outburst of speed.
His face fell however as he was forced to realize the truth of the situation after reaching the source of the fire.
What was likely once a grand manor was nothing more than ash and burnt timbers. Distractedly, he sat Cloud down as he sighed. Genesis wasn't here and neither was Sephiroth, but they had been. Genesis's unique smoky scent was all but lost among the fire, but Sephiroth's, who never seemed to shake the smell of the labs he had been brought up in, or the supple leather he adorned himself with, lingered.
"What'd you get that I di- whoo-oah..." Zack skidded to a stop as he surveyed the wreckage of the once-mansion.
He had never been here before, of course, so he had honestly no idea just how big the place really was, but even with most of it collapsed in on itself, he imagined the place must have been impressive. A hand lifted to run through his hair as he gaped slowly.
"So uh... Somethin' tells me Genesis had something to do with this fire... I mean.. if they spotted him down at the store..." Zack furrowed his eyebrows and looked around, trying in vain to capture a glimpse of a clue. "This really blows. The more we uncover, the worse it looks..."
Angeal just glanced over at his student, exhaustion showing through, there was no hiding it now. They had come all this way for nearly nothing it seemed, just another dead end. The mansion was a wreck and it wasn't safe to acquire any clues to where they might have gone, if anything was left at all. It was obvious to him that the burning of the mansion had been a way to cover their tracks. Which meant that they had known they'd been spotted.
It also meant that his dearest friends didn't want to be found, not even by him. The knowledge stung, but he had to believe there was a good reason for it, even one he didn't understand. Frustration gave way to weariness as he looked at Cloud who was gazing at the mansion with wide eyes. The structure good or bad had been around for him his whole life, a change like that could be... shocking.
As he walked around the remains, something caught Angeal's eye. Slowly he bent down, picking up a single black feather among the dozen or so on the ground. "Its identical." he muttered to himself, confusion growing he placed the feather in his pocket alongside the note he'd recovered from Genesis and Sephiroth's apartment. With that he tiredly made his way back around to the front of the former mansion.
His eyes fell back to Zack and he sighed, he wasn't sure where they were going from here.
Zack paused to look Angeal over, who was on the verge of collapsing, even to the point that he had forgotten he still had one hand on Cloud and seemed to be using the boy as a means to hold himself up. The younger raven haired SOLDIER swallowed back a bit of unaccustomed jealousy from the sight and shook his head slowly. Zack had never seen his mentor looking so worn out and it had to have been more than just the physical exertion by this point. Not that he was that much of an idiot to not assume his worry over Sephiroth and Genesis wasn't having a huge impact. Zack frowned and felt anger welling up in the pit of his stomach. This was too much. Angeal deserved so much better.
"What the hell!? They couldn't have just left a stupid note or something for you!? HOW HARD COULD THAT BE GUYS?! THIS IS YOUR BEST FRIEND RIGHT HERE!" He yelled at the top of his lungs as he stomped closer to the wreckage and kicked a smoldering piece of wood.
"Stupid inconsiderate- wha - ...!" Zack was interrupted when he heard the roar of helicopter blades slicing through the air, only to look up in time to see another chopper with Shin-Ra's logo passing over head. "Shit." He mumbled under his breath, knowing with a sinking feeling that things must have gotten out of hand for the Director back in Midgar.
He turned to offer Angeal a hopeful look, despite himself. Anything to keep the other man going. He sure as hell wasn't going to fail him, even if his instincts were yelling at him to run, flailing after the helicopter screeching 'No no no no! Go away!'.
The helicopter overhead had been the nail in the coffin, it was true that he hadn't even realized that he was still standing because of the young blonde at his side, silently offering support. He didn't even have the energy to reprimand Zack for his outburst. It was true, he thought, they could have at least tried to contact him. Something to let him know they were alright.
Of course the possibility that they weren't, as unlikely as it was, loomed over his head. He still couldn't make much sense of it. What on earth was so bad that they would alienate him? If Genesis had tried to take his life, was he ashamed? Angeal would never have treated Genesis bad over it, he simply wanted to help. His mind remembered the surprise Genesis so fondly spoke of when he'd asked to trade assignments for him. Angeal should have known something was wrong then. His redhead friend had come a long way, but he hadn't been that selfless, giving up something that he supposedly treasured, just to 'surprise' Sephiroth. It should have sent every warning bell in his head off.
Was there something that Angeal had done to hurt Genesis? Was that part of the reason? It hurt to think so but at the moment everything was making less and less sense to him.
Angeal heard the footfalls of the three Turks who had arrived. Not realizing he'd been lost in his thoughts staring at the wreckage for so long. Cloud had stood next to him quietly as Zack continued his ranting.
"Yo, you boy's 'ave been recalled." A fiery redheaded Turk called out as he was flanked by two others, a bald man with a pair of sunglasses and a cute little thing with honey colored hair, bouncy curls and a sweet smile despite everything.
"I-" Angeal started to argue, he wasn't about to abandon his friends. No, he'd see this through. He however felt exhausted, more so than he'd ever been. It took a lot to get to Angeal Hewley, but the past several days had pushed even him to his breaking point, as he just collapsed, nearly knocking Cloud to the ground.
"And who the hell do you think you are com-" Zack puffed up like an angry puppy trying to assert his authority before he was cut off.
He caught Angeal falling out of the corner of his eye and yelped out in surprise, only managing to just barely reach the man before he crushed his poor friend, Cloud, underneath him. Cloud was struggling with the weight of Angeal as it was and, between the two of them, they managed to pick him back up. Zack had one of Angeal's arms hooked around his neck, with Cloud mimicking him on the other side.
"You picked a fine time to just dump this crap on us! Do you guys have any idea what Seph and Gen mean to Angeal?! And now you're just gonna kick us off like that?! What the hell!?" He snarled as he adjusted his mentor's weight between himself and his friend.
Fuck all, how did they expect them to leave anyhow, when Angeal was this worn out and he couldn't fly the helicopter. Asking Cloud would have been out of the question too.
"Your friend" The redheaded turk stressed the word a bit. "Obviously needs his rest. I'd be worried about him."
Zack puffed up again, looking angry underneath Angeal's arm, "What the h- NO. You don't get to make dirty assumptions like that! Of course I give a damn about Angeal, he's the mos-"
"Zack?" Cloud asked, concern in his voice, not sure what to do. He hadn't wanted to interrupt his friend, but he was terribly worried about Angeal too.
"It's alright." The girl said, a bit of perkiness in her voice as she winked at the two boys in front of her. Both were horribly cute. "We've promised to tell Director Lazard everything we find. You need rest. I can fly you back home." She offered.
"Listen to Cissnei." Reno nodded, not seeming the least bit bothered by Zack's outbursts. "We've got the General and Commander Hotpants covered."
Zack stuck out his bottom lip, looking quite put off, but he gave a short nod. Angeal was the bigger concern at this point. Even as much as he would have liked to elbow his way into the rest of the investigation to find both officers and give them a piece of his mind, he knew better. Lazard had given them all the time he could.
"Hey! Hey! You ought to give Angeal tabs too, at least. We both know the Director won't say anythin' unless he thinks it's necessary, and I think Commander Hewley kinda deserves some information at least!" Zack pleaded, knowing it was all likely in vain, but gave a signal to Cloud as he began to waddle forward.
The red-headed Turk shook his head. "That's up to the director yo." He seemed to be enjoying the exchange a bit too much but still turned to his silent partner as they carried Angeal off.
It took them a few tries, but they managed to sync up well enough to make their way down to the helicopters. As soon as they were out of earshot of the other two, Zack sighed and gave Cissnei a look.
"We really appreciate it. I hope you guys can figure something out."
"Don't mind Reno." Cissnei told Zack with a smile. "He's a bit rough around the edges, but he's good. He and Rude will find them."
Cloud just stayed silent, this seemed like more of what he shouldn't be involved in as a cadet. Blue eyes just looked up at Angeal, he almost looked peaceful like this, the worry lines that had covered his face over the past few days had disappeared.
He helped Zack get Angeal into the helicopter, as the female Turk, Cissnei climbed in the pilot's seat. A sigh left his lips, while not as exhausted as Angeal, he was tired himself. It had been a whirlwind for him as much as the others and he almost seemed disappointed at the fact that they were heading home, (especially without answers) where he would go back to being another random cadet.
It seemed Zack was tired too as he made himself comfortable next to Angeal. It made the blond wonder if there wasn't something more between Angeal and his student. It was a thought shaken off quickly. Knowing what little he did of the man he couldn't see him pursuing any kind of relationship with someone who was directly under him. It didn't change the fact that the feelings might be there. Then again, it was none of Cloud's business and he was wondering why he was even focusing on the thought.
He quickly brushed it off, making himself as comfortable as he could, before falling asleep himself.