So here's a maaaajooooor question from me. How/why do some author's get insane amounts of reviews while others don't? This is something that's bugged me since like… I started writing fanfiction wi Kingdom Hearts. Traditionally, you can tell if a story is worth anything depending on how many reviews are on the story, I get that. But then after that one story, ever story they write snowballs and then suddenly you find like 3 or 4 authors with reviews in the thousands and the then people that can write good stories but maybe aren't as awesomely wonderful at it get like squat compared to the big dogs and become so discouraged. Like I really feel that way right now. I've gone prowling around the Cloud/Seph section and there are some stories out there that get 43 reviews a CHAPTER. FORTY-THREE. That's like mindblowing compared to what most people get. My first chapter fic, written for KH received 51 reviews after 13 chapters, and at that time I thought I did good until I looked at the "big wonderful goddesses" of KH fandom. I reviewed for them and they never seemed to care. They update their stories once a year and NEVER replied to the reviewers. It was completely unfair, despite the fact the their stories were good. I really felt good about myself and this story until one review I got where it just kinda hurt, and I know the reviewer didn't mean to sounds like this, but it just kinda said to me "the only reason I read this is 'cause one of the REALLY good authors that's just amazing refered to it, and I probably wouldn't have read if they hadn't, and neither would most of your current readers". Like it was a kinda slap in the face. I mean, the reviewer didn't SAY that but it almost felt implied, though they prolly didn't really mean to imply that either. And I know that a lot of what was implied by that is crap because I already had a good sized base before. After that comment and looking at the reviews a lot of other author's get, like I just feel discouraged. I take pride in the fact that a few of those popular writers have favorited and alerted and reviewed my work, to me it's one of the BIGGEST compliments I could receive. I've felt SO much more welcomed in the FF7 writing community than KH, but I'm starting to feel like, other than my self and my beta, the people on the alert list and the small list of reviewers, WHO am I writing for? Is my message reaching out? Have I blown someone's mind with this and left an impact? I write SO much into my stories, spend HOURS planning and researching and the words and ideas float in my head and just won't LEAVE. I write for myself, but I post for the reader, YOU. All I guess I'm really asking is that I get some hint that you're REALLY enjoying this. I won't lie and say I don't care about my review count, 'cause I do, but reviewing isn't the only way for you to show me you really like this story. Favoriting and adding it to your alert list also let me know. All it really takes is like three clicks of a button to do both of those. Share this story with your friends and try to spread it around. And reviewing, it may take a little more time, but you can't begin to imagine the happiness it brings me to get up in the morning and sit down at the computer and see that there's a review, no matter how short. And even if I don't reply to your review, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate it any less. It just means I can't think of the words to reply. So please, just let us author's, not just me, but ALL author's that you think have done a good job know that you like their story and that their work is reaching people.

Author's Note: So here's the real author's note. But by God, read the big splash up there. For real. I was really frustrated that day. Anyway, another quick Chapter. This one's actually a decent length! YAY!! Anyway, much, much, much love to the people who reviewed the last chapter. You all are wonderful. And my question from last chapter is still open. This chapter is kinda the landing, and the drama begins again here. SO expect things to grow dark again fast.

-w- easy enough—Yeah, it's nice seeing Cloud growing.

Kitsunefan203—thanks or the compliment. Like I try hard to make it not follow too closely. In a few chatpers, though, everything is going.. crazy. I'll leave it at that.

Namesake—PFT that's like I can sooo see that too.

Xeron—Yes, she does have him whipped. XD

Quiet N Cryptic—Yes Stalkeroth! And he's only going to get worse. Much worse.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"DIRECTOR OF SOLDIER MISSING" the large print on the Midgar Weekly screamed. Sephiroth felt uneasy as he began to read the article. Most of the information in it was bull, complete gossip,but it struck home on a few key facts. Director Lazard had indeed run off, about a month after Zack was put on vacation actually. The Direct was funneling money into an illegal operation, but it was not AVALANCHE. And finally, if Lazard was caught, he would face an extremely severe punishment, despite the fact that he was Class A1.

ShinRa had planned on keeping the whole situation a secret, planning to eventually release a statement that said the Director fell into ill health and had to resign. But that damned Midgar Weekly—which was no more than a mere gossip magazine—had caught a leak from higher intelligence with in the company and it was all splattered around the city now.

This did not bode well for either SOLDIER or ShinRa; on top of the duties that had been transferred to him after Genesis and Angeal abandoned SOLDIER, the weight of SOLDIER's operations and regulations fell onto Sephiroth's shoulders. Sephiroth felt a migraine growing in his temple. Sephiroth was not a political machine! He was a fighter. There was a difference, and by the Goddess he would take it up with the President at the board meeting in two hours. He could handle the damned SOLDIERs if they just instated a new director to handle the politics.

The General crushed the paper in his hand, shortly thereafter balling it up and launching it at the wall in rage. This was not what he wanted to come back to. He was hoping that after the all nighter he had pulled inspecting Modeoheim he could come back, fill out his damned report and take the rest of the day relatively easy. He would go and find that wonderful blond Cloud boy, corner him somewhere and see his reaction. But all his plans turned moot upon discovering the damned paper.

He rose from his desk and headed towards the elevator. The SOLDIER floor was no doubt going to be buzzing with gossip and misunderstandings. He had to get the situation under control immediately within his ranks. ShinRa was most likely working to get the rumors quelled in the city, and had definitely pursued the reporter and sentenced him to quiet execution by Turk. The man had slandered ShinRa so it was only seen fit to spirit the man away into the lifestream quietly.

The murmur of the gossip was audible through the elevator doors when it reached Level 49. The doors pinged open and the SOLDIERs near the elevator quickly shut up. He gave the men a stern look before exiting the elevator. Swiftly, he moved to the most populous area of the floor, people going silent as he walked further in, he began his announcement.

"I am sure that all of you have read the Midgar Weekly, considering the amount of racket you are raising over its authenticity. Yes, Director Lazard has left ShinRa, but you are all fools if you believe what that tabloid has to say. If I hear any more of this rank filth coming form your mouth, I will personally see to your individual unpleasant punishment. Do I make myself clear?" His tone was obviously impatient and angry, scaring all on the floor that witnessed the scene, including Zack. All of the men in the room snapped into their finest form, calling in unison that they indeed understood the General's orders. Sephiroth merely nodded before turning on his heel and returning to the elevator.

Zack pushed through the crowd in an attempt to catch up with the silveret. He caught the elevator doors just before they closed. Prying them open, he stepped inside and let them close behind him. Sephiroth gave the teen a harsh look, his eyes cold.

"You're really hacked off at this, aren't you?" Zack said, not daring to touch the man before him.

"Very," Sephiroth quipped. When the elevator pinged, he pushed Zack out of his way and reentered his office floor. He stormed back to his office, slamming the door open. Zack was quick to follow, catching the door before it shut. He slipped into the office wearily and quietly closed the door behind him.

"You're tensing up. You need to relax some before you start shooting jets of blood from your eyes," Zack said, finally moving closer to the General. The teen barely had the tip of his finger on Sephiroth before his hand was slapped away. The older growled and collapsed into his office chair, rolling it close to the desk and cradling his head.

"I'm sorry. I am… just irritable from a migraine. It's been coming and going. Coming with the paper work, leaving with the battlefield," Sephiroth said, his voice rough and miserable.

"Has it really increased that much?" Zack asked, giving the room a quick look around. Aside from the stack of papers in the IN box on the General's desk, there was a pile as tall as the desk on the floor next to the desk.

"I am not cut out to be a politician for this damned company. I am here to plan battles and send grunts to their gory doom before taking up my sword and killing a thousand troops myself," Sephiroth bemoaned. Zack scrunched his nose at the way Sephiroth described his position as General of the Armies. Zack sighed, reaching out for the man's broad shoulders.

"I think you need to relax a little. Calm down before the board meeting. You don't want to bite anyone's head off now, do you? I think it'd be fit to cut that big ass table to shreds though. You know, piss the President off some and get your point across. But you can't go in like this. You'll prolly massacre the President if you see him like this," Zack said, slowly beginning to massage the muscular shoulders. Sephiroth groaned in approval, leaning back into the touch. This caused Zack to grin, feeling the muscles practically melt under his deft fingers.

After a few moments the teen slid his hands around Sephiroth's neck, hugging him tightly. He placed a few chaste kissed on the silver hair, enjoying how its silky texture felt against his lips. Slowly he released the man and moved around to the General's front. He gently pushed the chair away from the desk and crawled beneath it into the leg space. Sephiroth watched the teen with a small amount of amusement. Zack only smirked, resting his arms in the older man's lap. The ravenet leaned up and pecked the still hunched over General on the lips, pulling back slowly with a bit of a naughty grin on his lips.

Sephiroth wouldn't let the boy retreat, dipping his head farther down to catch the teen's lips in a far more involved kiss. Zack was grinning into the kiss, but Sephiroth didn't seem to mind. The young SOLDIER raised his arms, ensnaring the General's head and pulling it further down as he pressed upwards slightly. Their mouths opened and tongues met, clashing in a mock battle for dominance, which Zack soon relinquished before pulling away.

"Think you have enough time to do some unwinding before the meeting?" Zack asked, his eyes bright with lust and mischief.

"No, but fucking hell if I don't make some," Sephiroth said gruffly, removing his hands from his head and swiftly scooping Zack up into his lap.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Sated for the moment, Zack decided that that little blond chocobo head needed to get out and celebrate surviving the closet thing he'd get to war now that the truce with Wutai had been signed. He'd pulled the kid from whatever the hell he was doing—Zack didn't really care what Cloud had been doing, and the blond's superiors could get over him not doing what he was supposed to be doing—and was dragging him down the lobby to head into the city.

"Come on squirt, don't fight back. It's gonna be a blast, trust me," Zack assured when Cloud attempted to get free of his grasp and run away. "I know this great bar and grill in Sector Two that makes food just like my mom. They have the best truffamuffins this side of the world and like Gysahl pickles to die for."

"Zack, this is not a good idea, trust me. First off I don't even know what a truffamuffin is—" Cloud started to complain. Zack gasped in surprise, and interrupted loudly.

"A truffamuffin is only the most delicious thing ever. It's like this giant muffin goodness with truffaluffin berries and orgula nuts and cinnamon. You fucking have to try one."

"Fine, I will, if they even serve me. I don't think they will, Zack," Cloud said, still trying unsuccessfully to get his hand free. Zack grinned.

"They'll serve you, trust me," Zack said, continuing to drag Cloud out the building and into the streets.

"Alright already, I'll come with you," Cloud conceded. "Just let go of my hand. I can follow you without a lead."

"Harness," Zack off handedly corrected, comparing the kid to a timid chocobo rather than a puppy.

"E-excuse me?" Cloud stuttered, balking at the statement and not moving forward.

"Uh, nevermind," Zack said, the realization that what he had just said could be taken the wrong way, and already had. "Let's just go." Zack released the Private's hand and motioned with it for him to follow. Cloud rolled his eyes. As if he needed to be told to follow.

Zack worked his way through the small crowd in the town immediately surrounding ShinRa, occasionally glancing back at Cloud to make sure he hadn't lost him. Once they made it to the station, he purchased two tickets to Sector Two. The trains that ran above the plates connecting the sectors were nice, clean, and new. The seats were cushioned and covered in soft fabrics, and there were enough to seat everyone that might want to ride. The nice atmosphere made Cloud uncomfortable. He'd rather stand than get disciplined for sitting in a seat that was reserved for the people who were supposed to be above the plate. Unfortunately, there was no standing room, despite the fact that it only took the train an hour to go full circle around the city, and the trip that they were going on was only about eight minutes.

Zack didn't try to stir up any conversation on the short train ride, leaving the blond to stare around the train in awe. He could obviously tell the boy wasn't used to the luxury of it. When the train pulled into the Sector Two station, he shook Cloud's shoulder and stood, exiting when he was sure the grunt was behind him. The bar and grill he'd chosen was about two blocks from the station, making it a rather convenient place for Zack to slip into when he was tired of the crap at ShinRa. He pushed open the doors to the place, holding it open behind him long enough for Cloud to go grab it before continuing. The customary greeter stood a few feet in, but the smile on the man's face seemed to falter when he saw the infantryman behind Zack.

"Welcome," the man said, forcing the smile to stay in place. "May I see your IDs, please?" Zack knew that the formality had to have been a result of Cloud accompanying him. Zack came to the bar and grill quite often and the staff knew him well. Nevertheless though, Zack pulled out his ID and showed the man. Cloud did the same, though more hesitantly. The man greeter's smile disappeared from his face, a troubled look replacing it.

"I'm sorry, but we don't serve people of your Class in this facility," the man said, straightening himself out. Zack frowned. He promised the kid he would be served and he would make sure he would be.

"I don't really see the problem," Zack spoke calmly. "He's Class C, isn't he? I thought you served that class here."

"While we serve Classes C1 and C2, we do not make any exceptions for anything lower. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask him to leave," the greeter said, speaking directly to Zack. The older teen could feel his eyebrows knotting together in disapproval. He turned to Cloud and snatched the boy's ID from his hands and examined it. Private Cloud Strife, Class C4. Zack felt his jaw dropping. How the hell was Cloud only a C4?

"I told you this wasn't a good idea," Cloud murmured, looking down at his feet in submission to the greeter. Zack's lips flapped for a few moments trying to figure out what to say to Cloud. He'd at least have expected Cloud to be promoted to C2 from C3 upon official entry into the ShinRa Guard. He hadn't expected at all for him to be C4 and that good of a fighter. Cloud could hold his own just as well as any other fighter of a higher class, at least in the Guard. Finally Zack turned back to the greeter.

"So he can't even come inside? Not even to watch me eat?" Zack asked, catching Cloud flinch in the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry, but policy is policy," the greeter said. Zack growled.

"Fine. Then get me two fucking truffamuffins to go, it's the only reason I come here anyway," Zack spat. He knew his eyes were glowing in anger since the greeter jumped and hurried to the bar to place the order. He returned a few moments later with a bag in his hands.

"Your truffamuffins, sir," the greeter stuttered, handing it over. Zack shoved some gil at the man and turned on his heel, exiting the bar and grill.

"I think we should return to ShinRa, Zack," Cloud said timidly. Zack just turned to the younger teen with a scowl.

"Fuck no. Now that I've got you out here, we're going to get something damn good to eat. Come on, we're gonna go to the slums. I know a great place in Sector Five." Cloud held in a groan as he was once again led to the station, this time to one for the crappy ass trains that lead to the slums. These trains were dirty inside and mostly standing room only, with grungy ceiling hand bars and poles. Though he felt more comfortable on these trains than the ones that operated solely above the plate, he was still uncomfortable around Zack. At the end of the twenty-five minute ride, Zack tugged Cloud out and into the masses of bedraggled poor folk. He felt ill at ease returning to the slums in his uniform. The last time he'd been under the plate, he'd been kidnapped—and that was without his uniform at that.

The new restaurant that Zack was heading towards was anything but clean looking—the windows were smeared and grime covered, the sign was rotting and falling off, and the door looked as if it were rusting off its hinges. Zack pushed the door open (to Cloud's surprise, it didn't fall off) and plopped down at a random table. Cloud sat down more wearily, not trusting the chair to hold under his weight. No one asked to see their IDs under the plate. Class wasn't as big a factor when determining patronage, simply because if you were low enough, you wouldn't have enough freedom to leave your whorehouse to go to a restaurant. There was a single paper menu on the table, but Zack snatched it up before Cloud could even look at it. When the waitress came a few minutes later, Zack placed the full order.

"Alright deary, two beers and two club sandwich combos coming up," the cute lady tittered, winking at Zack before walking off.

"Isn't she a sweetie?" Zack asked, staring after the girl.

"Uh, yeah," Cloud agreed disinterestedly. He hadn't been looking at anyone in a remotely sexual sense in seven months. He just couldn't—his brain just didn't compute that feeling anymore. "So why do you even know about this place?" he asked, trying to get the subject off the girl and to something he might be able to actually talk about.

"Well that's a funny story, my friend," Zack said, beginning to chuckle. "You see, I was on a mission on the plate in Sector Five maybe a year ago, and I kinda fell through a grate and crash landed into this old church. There was a girl there that I became friends with and she's shown me around the slums. I still come visit her every once in a while," Zack explained. Cloud looked looked at him doubtfully. He fell through a grate? Well, if Zack hit his head often enough, then that explained the older teen's eccentricities.

"I see…" Cloud said, not exactly knowing how to properly respond to it. The food arrived and both teens quieted as they began eating. Zack was quick to start on his large mug of beer, but Cloud didn't bother touching his.

"Hey why aren't you drinking? This is a celebration," Zack asked when he noticed the untouched mug. Cloud looked up at him seriously.

"I don't want to chance failing a surprise drug test," he answered flatly. Zack nodded slowly, remembering that things were very different for the grunts. Even though he himself could get away with drinking because of his class and rank, Cloud couldn't for the same reasons.

"That sucks," Zack said quietly. He returned to his food, watching Cloud. The sight of the food passing the boy's lips was incredibly sexy. He absentmindedly wondered how well the blond was at blow jobs. When the food was finished, Zack pulled the truffamuffin bag open and handed Cloud a large, golden brown, dark speckled muffin. The younger teen examined it for a minute before taking a hesitant bite. Upon chewing and swallowing, he seemed to approve of the taste and took a larger bite. Zack grinned and started on his truffamuffin, savoring the wonderful flavors.

"So, uh, what's your obsession with these things stem from?" Cloud asked timidly.

"Well, truffamuffins are a Gongaga delicacy. Every time I eat one it's like I'm eating a little bit of home," Zack answered.

"Is everything from Gongaga named strangely?" Cloud asked, a bit of teasing in his voice. Zack laughed.

"No, not everything. I mean, look at me. I'm named normally."

"That's not what I meant."

"Yeah, yeah. The reason they're called truffamuffins is because Gongaga has this weird tribe of peaceful goblins nearby that go out and pick berries that they named truffaluffin berries and they collect ogula nuts. They started backing them into muffins and the people in Gongaga traded for them until they figured out the recipe. Then they just started gathering the ingredients themselves and make it. In Gongaga it's customary to give truffamuffins to your sweetheart instead of chocolate."

"Why?" Cloud asked, genuinely curious.

"It's not like we're short of chocolates in this day and age but, it's mostly because truffaluffin berries are a very potent aphrodesiac," Zack said grinning. Cloud choked at the statement. He looked down at his truffamuffin, realizing that there was only one bite left, then up at Zack's grinning face. He felt like he was going to be sick. He'd heard the rumors about Zack being a horny bitch in heat all the time, how he'd done just about everyone in ShinRa and just did not want to believe them at the time. He felt that there might be some truth in the rumors now, after that stunt.

"I don't feel so good suddenly," Cloud said, putting down his truffamuffin. Zack's grin faltered as he leaned forward to touch the blond's forehead; however, Cloud jerked back, not allowing him to make the contact.

"I think we should head back then," Zack suggested, standing up. He shoved the rest of cloud's muffin into his mouth, not wanting the thing to go to waste, and headed for the register to pay for the meal. Cloud waited by the door, his arms wrapped around himself protectively. The walk back to the train station was fast, leaving Cloud with a little more sense of safety when he was on the train. He cursed when he felt the berries beginning to take affect five minutes into the ride. His body was becoming unbearably hot and his dick was hardening. He did not want to be feeling that. Damn Zack, damn him to hell for keeping it from him.

When the SOLDIER noticed Cloud's bodily reaction, he grinned to himself. It was going as planned, though he wasn't exactly happy that Cloud hadn't partaken in the mind easing alcohol. Sure, it was a bit cruel, but Cloud was tempting and delicious. He had thought of the blond several times while in Costa Del Sol and wasn't going to pass up the chance at gaining some pleasure from the boy. He figured that there wouldn't be much protest, considering the way most grunts looked to him. Any grunt would fall to his feet in blind worship if he offered sex to them, after all.

Zack could feel the berries beginning to affect him, though a great deal less than it was affecting Cloud since there was mako pumping through his blood. He leaned closer to Cloud, wrapping his hand around the boy's waist from behind. Cloud stiffened but Zack ignored it, pressing his quickly hardening cock onto the boy's ass as he snaked his hand farther down to grab Cloud's own hard member. The blond whimpered, attempting to pull away. Zack only pressed the younger teen into the wall of the train, beginning to rub his hand over the clothed erection.

"Stop," Cloud began whimpering, distressed. "Please, stop." Zack ignored him, slipping his other hand around the boy and unbuckling Cloud's pants and unfastening his pants.

"Shhh. Look, don't worry, I'll make this feel good. You'll like it, I promise," Zack cooed into Cloud's ear. Cloud began struggling slightly as Zack's hand slipped beneath Cloud's underwear and wrapped around his arousal. The blond could feel tears prick at the corner of his eyes. He hated this. Why? Why did he always get picked for this kind of thing?

"I've never felt like that," Cloud finally said, his voice quivering in fear and loathing. Zack misinterpreted the words, however.

"Then I'll help you to feel it. This'll feel good, ok?" Cloud shook his head and whimpered again as Zack began to stroke Cloud faster. Just a few moments before they reached the station, Cloud came, hating himself for it. He pushed Zack away with all his strength, quickly fixed his pants and ran as soon as the doors opened. Zack was too stunned to follow after the younger teen. He could only muse about making Sephiroth start an order for a Class promotion from B1 to A4, then he could mess with the kid without complaint from anyone.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Tseng moaned, gripping Reno's hair tighter as he thrust into the redhead's mouth, shuddering. Reno tried to fight the tug and pull back but found himself gagging slightly as hot liquid hit his throat. He regained his composure and began moving again to help milk the Wutanese completely dry. After a few moments Tseng pushed Reno's head back, signaling for the teen to remove himself and get up. Reno swallowed what he could before letting Tseng's softening cock slip out of his mouth, then swallowed the rest. The teen gently wiped around his mouth, making sure nothing had spilt. Nothing was worse than cum face, especially when there was an upcoming briefing.

Rude just so happened to choose that very moment to enter Tseng's office—walking in on the horrifying sight of his partner wiping his face off and boss tucking his dick back into his pants. A small shocked noise scraped out of his throat at the sight, causing the two other men to snap their attention to Rude. A slight blush tinted Tseng's cheeks at being caught, but the man quickly reigned in his emotions and continued fixing his pants. Reno was completely unaffected by the intrusion and simply stood, his erection hard enough to be visible to the critical eye.

"What do you want?" Tseng questioned upon finishing with his pants.

"Strife has gone missing," Rude said simply, shifting in unease.

"What? Why didn't I hear of this first?" Reno asked skeptically.

"You weren't at your desk when his sergeant came by."

"Oh, right," Reno said, hitting himself on the head. "Where and when was he last seen?"

"He was last seen serving out his punishment in the weapon's storage room. He was reported twenty minutes ago."

"Fuck yo," Reno said. "I"ll look for him tomorrow. We've got a briefing to go to."

"Grunts can't come before missions," Tseng agreed quietly. "In fact we should head to the conference room now." The leader of the Turks lead the way out of his office. The other two fell in line behind him, but Reno couldn't help but wonder just what Cloud had gotten himself into this time.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cloud slinked back into the ShinRa building, heading immediately for the inner stairwell. No one was training, or least they shouldn't have been since most people that were sent to Junon were given a day off and all the others that had stayed back were in the city on patrol. This left Cloud in a rather odd position. He was sent to Junon by accident and his commanding officers did not like that fact. Before Zack had burst in the room to drag him off, Cloud had been hard at work cleaning and organizing the entire weapons room. Grunt work of the most annoying kind, but at least it wasn't latrine duty.

The blond reached his floor with little difficulty. As he suspected, no one was out and about in the lowest floors. He passed the gym and weight rooms, which only contained officers since most of the lower ranks were in town. Cloud carefully pushed open the weapons room door and settled him back where he had been before Zack, picking up the cleaning rag and the gun he'd been working on. Cleaning an arsenal of a few thousand guns was slow, tedious and, above all, mundane. He had a gut feeling that he would be at this punishment for the remainder of the month.

In all honesty, he could still feel the berry induced heat coursing through him. His cheeks were flaming, and he was holding tears back. Zack… Zack had targeted him like the boys from before. Was that all he was really good for? All he was seen as? Zack had handled it differently than the asses he'd had sent away, at least. At least it wasn't in front of five dozen other people that just stood around and did nothing—then again, getting forcibly jerked off against a train window wasn't much better. He was just lucky that no one was on the train. Hopefully Zack wouldn't pursue him in the weapons room again. His stomach dropped just thinking about it. He would undoubtedly be stuck there for a long time, and Zack knew where to find him.

After an hour the storeroom door was roughly shoved open, revealing Cloud's sergeant. The teen stiffened as the man laid his eyes on Cloud. The gaze was hash, full of anger and disappointment. Cloud carefully placed the rifle he had just finished down, rising to his feet and saluting.

"Private, where the hell did you run off to?" the Sergeant snapped.

"SOLDIER First Class Fair came in and dragged me out, Sir," Cloud said timidly, but he managed to press some force into his words.

"Like hell you did. Now tell the truth."
"I am, Sir. He came in here and dragged me out onto the plate to have lunch with me. After he couldn't get me in, he took me to the slums. I came back immediately after, Sir," Cloud explained.

"Right," the older man said disbelievingly. "And I suppose you expect me to believe that?"

"I do, Sir. Go ask him if you doubt me… I-I'm sure he'll be willing to vouch for it," Cloud stuttered. He was saving his own ass from the Sergeant, but was practically giving it away to Zack.

"I will," the Sergeant said thoughtfully. "Until then get your ass back to work. You don't get a dinner break since you skipped out during lunch." Cloud sighed, sitting back down and picking up the cleaning supplies.

As the two hours passed, the blond struggled to keep his mind off the images and feeling flashing to life in his mind. His hands were shaking and he was starting to hyperventilate. He had thought he was past all of this, past the mental pain of that torture—but apparently not. He could only hope that Zack would lose interest after being rejected as such on the train and that everything would return to normal. Then he could just bury those horrid memories in the back of his mind and forget about it.

The doors suddenly opened again, this time with much more important people on the other side. The Three Star General and the General of the Armies Sephiroth stepped through the doors, looking around the room as they talked.

"These guns are complete crap, but they'll be more than adequate with your abilities," the Three Star General stated, motioning at the arsenal in a sweeping movement. Sephiroth nodded. Cloud hunched back into the darkened part of the room, hoping the two Generals didn't see him. However, both Sephiroth and the Three Star General's eyes fell on him after a few moments. "You, uh, Private, which guns are the clean ones?" Cloud straightened upon being addressed. He quickly rose to his feet and scurried to a pile of the new guns, freshly cleaned an hour prior.

"These are the best in here, Sir," he said, picking up two. His voice was still slightly shaky, but he hoped they would pass it off as Cloud just being nervous. "We just got them in about two months ago. Only been used three times." He quickly passed the weapons off. Sephiroth's hand touched his and lingered for a moment. Cloud's heart skipped and his stomach dropped. He flinched, jerking his hand back slightly before regaining his composure.

"Good, these should do fine then," the General of the Armies said, examining the weapon. His reptilian eyes stole glances at the nervous blond from time to time, but he did nothing to intimidate him farther.

"Thank you, Private," The three Star General said, looking up. He paused, examining Cloud more closely. "Have you been crying, Private? How unbecoming. If you want to make it in the military, you need to suck it up and be a man. Emotions like that won't do you any good."

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'll pull myself together," Cloud said, snapping into a salute. The General seemed satisfied with the answer and nodded, turning back to Sephiroth.

"Shall we be on our way then, Sir?" the Three Star General asked.

"Yes. Let's not waste another minute. I have an itch to pull the trigger," Sephiroth said, turning away. The two walked out of the storage room, closing the door behind them. Cloud felt himself sigh in relief at the disappearance of the two. He slowly moved back to his spot, once again sliding back to his work.

He had just encountered two people that should have been impossible to see at his rank. The Three Star General was the highest ranking officer in the ShinRa Regulatory Army. He was the man that controlled everything about the men, at least on the domestic level. Sephiroth, the General of the Armies and General of SOLDIER controlled widespread foreign movements among both factions. He was the military genius behind Wutai. Cloud had seen Sephiroth many times simply because of their shared psychiatrist. The helicopter had been a mere coincidence, and so had this last meeting. However, the way the man's eyes kept glancing towards him sent an uncomfortable shiver down his spine.

Thirty minutes after the generals left, the door opened again, this time his sergeant. Cloud sucked in some air, nervous about the outcome of this meeting. He could see the tray of slop that the man carried in his arms, but wasn't sure if it was for him or to tease him. The Sergeant moved towards him slowly.

"Your story checks out, kid. Here's some dinner. I asked Fair not to bug you here anymore, since you're serving out a punishment. Don't expect to have anymore adventures soon," The Sergeant said, handing Cloud the tray.

"Thank you, Sir," Cloud said, putting his cleaning utensils down and taking the tray. The food looked as unappetizing as ever.

"Report back to your barracks at nineteen hundred and back here at o' seven hundred. You've got six more days of this, Private." The Sergeant turned on his heel and exited storage room. Cloud sighed, spooning the glop they called food into his mouth. It definitely wasn't as satisfying as the sandwich he'd had for lunch, but at least there wasn't a truffamuffin to go along with this meal. Cloud was still feeling it and disliked it greatly. Truffaluffin berries were truly a potent aphrodisiac.

Cloud returned to the daunting work, stopping just a few minutes before seven o'clock like he was instructed. He cleaned his tools and placed them back in the cleaning supplies cabinet before exiting the storage room with the dinner tray. He would have to run the tray to the mess hall before returning to his room. Cloud stopped in his tracks when he saw Sephiroth headed down the hall towards the weapons storage room, two rifles in hand.

"Ah, I see you're still here, Private," Sephiroth said when he was within a few feet. "Can you show me where these belong?" There was a glint of something Cloud didn't like in the man's eyes, but he didn't dare defy Sephiroth. Cloud nodded, turning around swiftly to reopen the weapons room. He offered to take the weapons from the General but the silveret just passed the young blond, entering into the dark storage room. Cloud slipped past the general, inspecting the different crates and piles for the model gun before stopping.

"It's this pile, Sir," Cloud said, saluting.

"Now, now. No need to be formal, Strife. As of five minutes ago, we are both off duty," Sephiroth said casually, placing the guns in their rightful pile.

"That still doesn't excuse me form Differential Classification mannerism, Sir," Cloud said, looking away. He could not believe the absurdity of the situation. Privates and Generals were not supposed to interact directly with each other.

"I suppose you are right," Sephiroth said, straightening. "Though I do find the whole system overrated at times. It's not like you are living a diminished life style simply because your class is different. The options of your entertainment are just simply different." Cloud bit his tongue. He could say a few things about diminished life styles. He certainly had lived one before and after coming to ShinRa.

"Sir, the lower classes are more brutal than most believe," Cloud settled on, saying something, but not complete defiance. Sephiroth chuckled.

"Really?" he said, his voice holding a trace of amusement. "Is that why you were crying earlier?" the general asked, turning towards Cloud.

"No, Sir, it's not," Cloud said, growing more uneasy. "I was harassed by a far superior officer." He generalized the statement, but it still covered the general basis of what had happened.

"I see. Are you in need of some comfort?"

"No, Sir, I'm fine."

Are you sure? I could most likely be of assistance in a situation as thus."

"Sir, why are you suggesting something like this to a grunt lik—" Cloud was cut off as the older grabbed Cloud's head with lightning seed, pulling it close and pressing cold lips against the teen's. Cloud felt himself panic, freeze, shiver. He was scared and didn't know how to react, then his flight responses kicked in. He pushed back against Sephiroth but found it useless. The man was too strong. The General gripped Cloud's arms painfully tight. He felt as if his bones would snap any moment. When Sephiroth pulled back, he stared into Cloud's eyes.

"On your knees, Private," he commanded with all seriousness. He released Cloud's arms and began to undo his pants. Cloud shuddered, terrified. There was no saving him from this man. Sephiroth was above the law. He had no choice.

He dropped to his knees.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Author's Note: If you didn't read the big bold underlined italisized thing at the beginning, go do it. :/ This was the "Landing" I suppose. Seph's finally made his move, and so has Zack. I'm sure everyone's gonna hate them now. But uh, not to worry? So reviews would be wonderful. I've been way down lately, as you can prolly tell from the big mass at the top of the chapter, so a review'd really cheer me up.