Author's Note: College is insane, but I love it. And like many author's I fall into the trap of not writing 'cause I'm at college. My roommate is kinda being my new editor…. Yay~! She's why I even finished this chapter as soon as I did, so yay! Let's thank the roommate!
Thanks to all the reviewers, you guys made me so happy and kept my spirits up: Failing Mentality, Dragi, Johnswinona, Clockwork Phoenix, Caterina Sforza, Ashlan, MapleLinah, mom calling, Yooney, CNome, Uncertain, scarlettHuntress, drawsalot101, sage-serenity, dawn chase, CreotiaFlayier, Superwitch, catlover28, Blooming Delirium, bbb136, DeathNoteMaker, LycanthropicPlushie, CelestialSnowWolf, ladysubaru83, Thunder-Horse, Sinfully Sadistic, Shinosuke, Shinigami-chan, reader713, KHfujoshigirl98
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Cloud fidgeted restlessly. He had been called into his superior's office before the rest of his peers had even woken and was informed that he had been drafted for a sudden mission. He was to get ready and meet with two more grunts and wait on floor forty-three for the accompanying SOLDIERs. He had been waiting an hour already and still no one had showed up at the rendezvous point. Cloud began pacing, peeking around the corners to make sure there wasn't anyone waiting in a different spot. He sighed, giving up and leaning back against the wall.
After another fifteen minutes of waiting, he finally heard footsteps heading his way. He quickly snapped off the wall and to attention, fearing that it might be one the SOLDIERs. When the person rounded the corner, Cloud relaxed a bit.
"Zack? What are you doing here?" he asked cautiously. It was true he'd been feeling more relaxed around Zack in recent weeks, but the older teen still unnerved him to some extent.
"Uuuh… I was out and got a text message from Tseng that I had a mission and I should report here. Fuck my head hurts. Didn't get enough sleep," Zack replied, rubbing his eyes. He peeked through his fingers at Cloud. "So why are you here?"
"Ah… uh, well they woke me up and told me I was drafted to go. That's all. They didn't even tell me where we were going," Cloud mumbled, looking down and to the side.
"So where are the others? I know we can't be the only ones going," Zack questioned, glancing around.
"None of the others have shown up yet, and I don't even know who they are to track them down," Cloud stated. It was too early in the morning for him to function at full capacity and he didn't find being around Zack alone particularly inviting, especially after the day before.
"For a company so meticulous, you'd think they'd tell us shit every once in a while," Zack said, shaking his head.
"Yeah. I guess we'll just have to wait…" Cloud said, nervousness creeping into his voice. Zack was pretty high up on the food chain when it came to SOLDIER, and that meant that the missions were more dangerous. If the last mission he'd accompanied Zack on was anything to go on, this mission was probably serious and incredibly important to ShinRa.
"Oh! That's right!" Zack chirped, his face brightening. The older teen quickly closed the distance between himself and Cloud and grabbed for the younger's ear. "How's it doing? It tender? You clean it?"
"It's fine," Cloud squeaked, jerking back. He reached up for his ear subconsciously and fingered the earring before frowning and dropping his hand. He was still uneasy about the ring and didn't like other people touching it at all. When his roommates had caught site of it, they fawned over it, asking too many questions and touching it too much to make him comfortable. He quietly thanked the Goddess that he hadn't seen Reno since it was put in.
"Ok, I won't touch it," Zack said, putting both hands in the air and taking a few steps back. Cloud diverted his gaze away from Zack, slightly embarrassed at his own behavior.
"Sorry… It just feels awkward when people touch it. I'm not used to it being there." Zack nodded and pat Cloud on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. It's not uncommon. I was wigging out the first week I had mine. My hair kept getting stuck in it, and I'd forget I had it. Wasn't a pretty sight," Zack tried to comfort. Cloud cracked a small smile and shook his head. Zack suddenly turned around and took a few steps. "The elevator's coming. It better be those other grunts."
"You can hear the elevator?" Cloud questioned, slightly amazed. Zack turned back to face Cloud, grinning.
"Well, yeah. It is kinda quiet this early in the mourning and I do have enhanced hearing," Zack bragged. Cloud merely nodded, hearing the ping of the elevator doors opening. Two sets of footsteps began making their way down the hall. When they reached the rendezvous point, Zack glared them down and spoke in his best commanding voice "You should be here before me. You took too long. Go run laps around the floor until the other SOLDIER gets here."
The two grunts stiffened but couldn't defy the order and quickly took off around the floor. Zack chuckled as he watched them run around for fifteen minutes for entertainment. When the elevator dinged for a second time, the sound of boots running ceased and was followed by a sharp "Sir!" Soon the grunts were running back. They lined themselves up with Cloud and assumed a rigid attention, not daring to let their breath to be heavy after the running. Cloud snapped to form as well, fearing the man that would walk around the corner.
When Sephiroth swiftly rounded the corner, Cloud had to stifle a gulp. This mission was definitely not going to be a safe one. Zack and Sephiroth together on a mission. It wasn't boding well for the mission or his personal boundaries.
"Seph! So we're going on this mission together? It's been a while since we worked together," Zack said happily. Sephiroth only shook his head as he stopped in front of Zack.
"Fair, you know this is a serious mission if I have been assigned to it," Sephiroth said smoothly.
"True…" Zack trailed off, letting the wheels turn in his head. "So what's this mission about?"
"There have been some issues with abnormally strong monsters in the region surrounding some reactors," Sephiroth stated simply.
"Just some lame old monster hunting?" Zack whined. Cloud sighed mentally. Monsters didn't seem that horrible. He wouldn't be expected to do much fighting either. He would just have to watch Zack and Sephiroth's backs in case there was a battle.
"Many operatives have been sent out to apprehend these fiends already, but none have returned. They have decided to send in the big guns to deal with problem. We are to eliminate the monsters as well as eradicate the source of these monsters. They are estimated at being around M20 in strength." This time Cloud couldn't help but gulp. The mission was sounding more and more dangerous by the minute. He was beginning to doubt whether he would be returning alive or not.
"Ok… That sounds better at least. So where's this reactor?" Zack asked.
"Nibleheim," Sephiroth said solemnly, his eyes drifting briefly to Cloud. The blonde's jaw dropped and he began stammering silently, trying to wrap his head around the news. His hometown was under siege from monsters. His thoughts began drifting towards his mother and whether she was alright or not. Now he had no choice but to stand up protect the only person that he held close.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Cloud felt like puking as the ship began its docking process, but that wasn't a new feeling at all. The whole boat ride from Junon was not exactly the most smooth. The beach of Costa Del Sol looked like a promising safe haven, but Zack's voice made him give up all hope for stable, non-swaying ground.
"Cloud, hurry it up, or we'll leave you behind!" Zack shouted one last time. The blond teen forced the rising bile back down his throat and quickly jogged to the van that awaited him. As soon as he was fully in, Zack slammed the door closed. "You ok? You're looking a little green."
"Yeah, I'm fine," Cloud croaked out, taking his seat. The boat lurched as it came in contact with the dock. The engine of the van soon started, the vehicle soon moving out of the boat and heading towards the mountains. Cloud's motion sickness didn't lessen any. This was not his trip. First a chopper flight from Midgar to Junon, followed by the several hour long boat ride, and now they were going to spend a day in a van traveling across the mountains, clearing out any rouge Class M20s. Cloud's specific orders were, according to Sephiroth, to watch the SOLDIERs' back and provide maintenance to weapons and help treat the few injuries they might get in battle.
"Zack, I hope you're not taking this too lightly," Sephiroth chided as he fastened himself into his seat. Zack remained standing, a grin growing on his face.
"I'm taking this as seriously as I can before giving myself an ulcer. Let's just take advantage of this as a bit of training for now, since we don't know to much," Zack responded. The ravenette began to do squats. Cloud off handedly admired the older teen's sense of balance in the moving vehicle, wishing he'd had the ability to stomach this much motion with such grace.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The van stopped roughly three hours from Nibelheim. Cloud glanced out the windshield to see just why they had stopped, and decided that he would definitely be getting out. The screeching of the gruesome creature outside—what undoubtedly had to be one of the M20s—took up most of the road as it stumbled closer. Zack and Sephiroth rose from their places after observing the monster for a few moments. Sephiroth motioned for Cloud and the others to stay put as Zack opened the door and hopped out.
"There's more out here than just that one. I don't like the looks of these guys. Do you think the other operatives even made it past them?" Zack said, as he disappeared around the van.
"For all we know they could have just recently migrated this far. Let us not judge what these things are like until after we have dispatched them," Sephiroth commented, following Zack. They reappeared on the other side of the truck, clearly visible through the windshield. There were four monsters in the road now, but only two seemed to be aggressive. The two SOLDIERs each took one, skillfully dodging them and cleanly taking them out in a few blows.
As they turned to fight the remaining two, one of the monsters opened its mouth as if letting out a wail, but no sounds made it to the van. Sephiroth dropped to his knees, hands covering his ears. Cloud lunged forward, grabbing onto the back of the front seat—Sephiroth had actually been stunned. Zack shouted in concern, rushing to Sephiroth's side, only to be stopped as one of the monsters lunged at him. Zack collapsed to the ground under the force and weight of the creature, floundering to get control of the situation back. Cloud grabbed his rifle and hopped over the seatback into the front cabin of the van, preparing to fire out the passenger side window. His heart was pounding, his breathing ragged. He would be lying if he said he wasn't scared out of his mind at the situation. The gruesome creatures were human like in skeletal structure, but resembled people in no other way.
The blond took a deep breath and just as he was aiming for the monster on Zack's back, it fell off the older teen in two pieces. Cloud quickly whipped his gaze back to Sephiroth, who was now standing again, a hand gently pressing at his temple. The monsters lay in pieces on the ground, but that didn't seem to satisfy the General. As Zack began to get to his feet, Sephiroth lunged at the corpse of the monster that had wailed moments before. Slicing it into as many pieces as he could before finally throwing a fireball at it. Zack forcefully grabbed Sephiroth's arm, and pulled the older man back a few steps. The General merely shook off the younger's hand and turned swiftly back towards the van.
"What the hell was that Seph?" Zack asked wildly, following the silveret back to the van. Sephiroth ignored the teen and boarded the vehicle, seating himself where he was before the incident. Zack climbed in after the older, exasperated. "Seph, what the hell happened back there?"
"Close the doors and drive," Sephiroth said sternly. The anger and disgust tinting his voice sent a chill down Cloud's spine.
"But Seph—" Zack tried to ask again.
"That is an order," Sephiroth growled. Zack closed his mouth and swiftly closed the van doors. Cloud quietly crawled into the back again and fastened himself into his seat. The van started moving along again. After a few moments of awkward, pregnant silence, Sephiroth spoke again. "If you see any more of those things, on the road or not, stop and inform me. We're going to take them out on sight."
"Seph, you can't be serious. Look at what they did to you!" Zack protested. The General turned his glare to Zack, his lips pursed and serious.
"I only underestimated their abilities. I will not make the same mistake again. These were weak creatures, but they will most likely gain strength as we near the reactor. We cannot let them live. If normal travelers encounter such a thing, they would not survive," Sephiroth snapped. No one dared to speak again, not wanting to invoke Sephiroth's anger further. Zack sat next to the General but did not fasten himself in.
Cloud forgot his motion sickness, too disturbed by the events that had just happened to notice that they were even moving. What if these M20s had the ability to defeat Sephiroth? If he was seriously injured or killed, what would happen to the rest of the group? To Nibelheim? He didn't want to think about any of that.
As they traveled on, the van made a few more stops to kill the human like M20s as well as several mutated versions of fiends that Cloud was familiar with. Sephiroth ran into no further problems in the fights, but Cloud remained unnerved. What was going on around his home?
"Hey, Cloud, you ok?" Zack whispered, sliding next to him. Cloud started from his thoughts and looked up into Zack's eyes, slightly confused.
"I think I am. Just a little… shaken up. It wasn't like this when I left," Cloud replied quietly.
"It wasn't? How long ago did you leave home?" Zack questioned.
"Almost three years, maybe. The monsters have changed way too drastically for this to be normal. I'm worried."
"About the town? Don't worry about that. With a situation like this going on, there's bound to be a few Turks posted around, and those guys aren't chumps," Zack said, attempting to comfort Cloud.
"I don't give a damn about the town. All I care about is my mom. No one else ever gave a damn about me there," Cloud bit. Zack pulled back, slightly surprised.
"Ah… Sorry, I didn't realize. We'll check up on her or something then. I'm sure she's fine."
"I'm afraid of what the townspeople might do to me when we get there. I told them I'd leave and become something great in the regulation army, but none of them believed me. If I go back now before I've even had a chance to pick up the broken pieces of my dignity and shape up, they might chase me out."
"Now you are coming up with silly ideas," Sephiroth said from his spot on the other end of the van. Cloud stiffened, looking up at the General without moving his head. "If you do not want them to know it is you, put on your helmet and do not talk to them. It is unwise for an ill-prepared soldier to enter battle. Wait until you are ready to confront them to do so."
"Yes, sir," Cloud whispered, bobbing his head slightly. Zack hit him on the back and returned to his seat.
"I can see the gates. We'll be there in a few minutes. Get your shit together," Zack said, moving back to where his things were. Cloud grabbed his sack of supplies, gun and helmet, ready to jump out as soon as the Van stopped. Zack pushed the doors open and everyone exited the vehicle. Cloud quickly placed his helmet on and situated his gear in the proper places before following the others to the town gates. He looked around at the area immediately surrounding the town, noticing obvious signs of fights. He bit his bottom lip and concentrated on the gate.
"So, how does it feel?" Sephiroth asked as he reached the gate. "To be home after all this time?"
"I feel complicated," Cloud answered simply.
"Is that so? I have no home town, so I would not know the feeling," Sephiroth replied.
"What about family?" Zack asked.
"My mother's name is Jenova. She died shortly after I was born. As for my father—" Sephiroth broke off into subdued laughter, leaving Cloud with the impression that, just like his own past, he shouldn't ask about Sephiroth's. "Why am I talking about this? This is not the time or place. Come on, let's go." The General continued into the town, leaving a slightly puzzled Zack to give orders.
"Damn, thought I'd finally gotten him to open up some more. Ah well," Zack said, turning back to look at the grunts. "Cloud come with me, you two, guard the entrance to the town until sunset. If anything weird looking comes, kill it. After sunset, you guys can rest. We'll talk in more detail about what we need to get down here tomorrow morning." Zack started for the town, motioning Cloud to follow. The blond followed a few paces behind, pretending he was unfamiliar with his surroundings. While the wildlife had mutated horribly, the town itself was unchanged. Everything was as he remembered it, including the townspeople. There were very few out and about, but he could understand that. Those M20s were dangerous. No one in their right mind would risk their neck against one of those.
Cloud settled his eyes upon his house. It was a little more run down than he'd left it, but the outside still looked cared for. The roof and door looked like they needed some repairing, but he knew his mother couldn't do that on her own. No one in the town cared for her much so there was no use in even trying to get help from them. Cloud sighed. He would definitely pay a visit to his mother and help with what little he could get away with.
"Uhm, excuse me," a somewhat familiar voice said, snapping Cloud out of his thoughts. He looked to the source, trying to compute exactly who it was. Then it hit him—it was Tifa, the so-called prettiest girl in the town! At one point in time, he'd thought so too, but because of bullying and a certain mishap in the mountains, he'd long since decided she wasn't as cracked up as the boys had made her. She was also the only girl in his age group. All the others were either a few years older or younger, with a large enough age gap to make playing with them undesirable. But boy had she blossomed. When Cloud had left Nibelheim, she was just starting to develop, and within almost three years she'd gained breasts larger than what could fit in his hands. In the weeks before Cloud left, she had tried to make nice with him, but he figured it was out of pity rather than actually wanting to be his friend. He felt nervous that she might have recognized him.
"Are you ones sent from ShinRa?" Tifa asked, obviously speaking to Zack. Cloud held back a sigh of relief.
"Yeah. I'm SOLDIER First Class, Zack Fair, Class B1." The older teen shifted his weight to one foot, placing a hand on his hip.
"Huh. Is the situation really so bad that we need SOLDIER First Class?" Tifa asked, wrapping her arms around her chest.
"We're not sure, but it's better to be safe than sorry, you know? Don't worry, we'll take care of you." Tifa shook her head and ran off, disappearing into the depths into her home. "What's up with her?" Zack asked, looking at Cloud.
"She's the mayor's daughter. A little eccentric, but I guess she's a normal girl. Don't mind her too much," Cloud explained, starting for the hotel. Zack nodded, jogging slightly to catch up with and surpass Cloud. Sephiroth waited at the door to the hotel.
"I will check us in. After that, I wish to have a meeting with you Zack," Sephiroth said as the two approached.
"Right. I'll go in with you, then," Zack said, nodding.
"You can go see your family and friends if you wish," Sephiroth said, addressing Cloud. The blond shook his head.
"I think I'll wait until later for that. I want to get a little rest before going to see my mom. She'll pitch a fit if I go like this," Cloud explained.
"Very well then. I want you to stand guard at the door to our room then. I do not want anyone to enter while he and I are discussing the matters at hand," Sephiroth directed as he turned and entered the hotel. It only took moments for them to check in and find their room. Cloud threw his stuff down just inside the door and closed it as he took up his duty guarding the door.
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"This place ain't half bad," Zack said, flopping down on one of the beds. Sephiroth only grunted in agreement, placing his things down by the wall. The General remained standing, heading over to the window of the room.
"Our original itinerary said to check the reactor tomorrow morning, but I think it would be wise to stay around here and collect samples of the mutated monsters and M20s. Hojo might not be happy, but I want dead samples. We do not have the means to transport live fiends of their caliber. Once we've learned about the attitudes and behavior, and where the hot spots are, we will go to the reactor. I would prefer to not suspect it as the cause," Sephiroth dictated.
"Right. But what if it is the reactor and while we're killing the things, it pumps out more?" Zack asked, his face growing serious.
"These things are different from the Genesis and Angeal copies we've been dealing with, but there is something about them that tells me they aren't entirely unrelated. I want them studied and understood more before we go and destroy them."
"And what if something happens like the first time we fought those M20s? I don't even know what happened then. That thing opened its mouth, and the next thing I knew, you were on the ground. If it can do that to you, then why risk failing this mission just because of curiosity. Shouldn't we just go straight to the heart and kill it?"
"And what if there's an even more powerful M class at the center? We should charge in blindly and get ourselves killed for being idiots? We're proceeding with caution. We'll learn the weaknesses of the enemy and then make our move in a few days. No more arguments, Fair."
"Fine. 'M sorry. I shouldn't talk back to my superior. Sometimes I forget that we're even different ranks."
"That's dangerous, Zack. Don't forget it. Don't ever forget it. We live in a world like this for a reason. People that forget their rank get killed because they act stupidly." Zack sighed. Cradling his head in his hands, the ravenet looked up at Sephiroth's back.
"I'm just a bit freaked out after what happened. It's scary when the person you think is invincible goes down like that." Sephiroth remained quiet for a few moments. Zack didn't dare to speak, sensing that Sephiroth had something to say.
"You really didn't hear anything?" Sephiroth finally whispered, still staring out the window.
"No, I didn't," Zack said, concerned. He quickly rose to his feet and moved towards the General. "What did you hear?"
"It was a high pitched wailing, mixed in with screams and cries from what sounded like a dozen, maybe more men. And over it all, one voice was calling out. 'Kill. Kill.' I couldn't take it so I sliced the things in two, but it didn't stop until after I'd burned the retched thing to ashes," Sephiroth breathed. If it weren't for a SOLDIER's enhanced hearing, Zack knew he wouldn't be able to hear him. "We need to get rid of those things. My gut is telling me we can't let them live."
"Alright, we'll kill as many as we can find around here," Zack tried to reassure.
"I want us to split into two groups," Sephiroth said, louder, his voice more sure. "I will take Cloud and use him as a guide to take me farther into the mountains. You take the others and patrol the area within a mile of the town."
"Are you really gonna put Cloud in that kinda danger?" Zack whispered skeptically, not wanting the boy to hear it from his post outside.
"What safer place than next to me?" Sephiroth whispered back, harshly.
"You know what—"
"I will not let that happen again," Sephiroth whispered sharply. "I will use this time to bond with him more. It would be a waste if I didn't."
"Fine, I understand," Zack said, unhappy with how things were panning out. He turned away from Sephiroth and headed towards the door. "I'm going to check out town."
Sephiroth leaned back on his bed as Zack exited the room. Cloud had a mixed look on his face, from what Sephiroth could grasp in the few seconds he caught sight of it. Just what was the boy going through, seeing what was happening around his hometown. However the fact that Cloud was unwilling to remove his helmet alluded to a distaste for the people of this small little village. If only Sephiroth knew what the boy's exact feelings were on the people, the places, what the boy held dear and what he loathed—then he would be able to bond with the boy while out collecting samples. This train of thoughts, however, was almost too sentimental for the General to continue pondering any longer.
Sephiroth stood, looking to leave the room and snoop around town like Fair was doing, though he didn't expect to find too much in such a place. The villagers seemed quite hostile towards ShinRa coming in at all, despite the reactor that gave them the luxuries they survived off. It was most likely do to the old ShinRa manor on the hill. Some deranged scientist or cruel executive must have left a fowl taste in their mouth about the company, not that Sephiroth could blame them for that. ShinRa did have many despicable people in its ranks. However he felt that the type were few, and far between, in SOLDIER. The Turks were a whole other story, though.
He pushed through the door, turning to Cloud to relieve him from his duty. The blond simply slipped into the hotel room and claimed a bed, giving the general little more than a "Thank you, sir". The silveret glided down the halls, down the stairs and out the hotel into the crisp air of the mountain town. But however crisp the air was, it didn't mask the scent of mako from the reactor on the nearby mountain. It was a scent very familiar to Sephiroth from his years spent constantly exposed to it in the lab, but this particular town's mako had a flavor to it that made him nostalgic. He couldn't quite place where he had smelled it before. The whole feel of the town invoked a sense of déjà vu. He couldn't understand why, though. Nibelheim was just like every other small town, but that may have just been the exact reason why he felt so nostalgic. Maybe it reminded him too much of where Genesis and Angeal grew up. Whatever the reason, Sephiroth was unsettled.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Cloud decided that night would be the best time to leave the hotel and go home to his mother. Unfortunately for him, Zack thought that it would be quite dandy to follow Cloud to his house. The SOLDIER was standing in front of the gate in the fence that corralled a garden and chicken coop in the Strife house's backyard. The blond frowned as he looked back at the older teen.
"Why did you follow me?" he asked Zack.
"Why not follow you? I want to meet your mom, see what kinda woman raised such a spirited guy like you," Zack replied swiftly.
"Well I'd rather my mom not meet you," Cloud bit back.
"Too late, I'm already here," Zack said, taking a step into the back yard.
"Can't you just leave me alone to talk to my mom in peace? I haven't seen her in a long time."
"No can do, hun. You're home, gotta make sure you don't dessert."
"I won't dessert!" Cloud exclaimed frustratedly.
"Who's there?" a soft voice called from the backdoor of the house. Cloud whirled around, clutching his helmet close to his side.
"Mom…" he said, not knowing exactly what to say.
"Cloud?" the voice called back. Cloud's mother stepped out from behind the barely cracked door and onto the porch step, where her features were barely visible from the weak light of the moon and the dim light seeping out from the house. "Are you really Cloud?"
"Yeah, Mom…" Cloud said quickly moving towards him mother and embracing her. His grip was firm but not tight. She hugged him back, nuzzling her head into his chest.
"You haven't been kicked out, have you?" she asked quietly.
"I haven't," Cloud answered shortly. "Let's go inside." He began to nudge his mother backwards, but she wouldn't move.
"Who's out there still?" she demanded to know.
"He's my immediate superior for this mission," Cloud replied with a hint of distaste in his voice.
"Then he should come in too," she scolded. The peered around her son and motioned towards Zack. "Please come in."
"I'd be delighted ma'am," Zack said, tilting his head. The older teen followed the two in and closed the door behind him. The house was sparsely decorated, containing two beds, a small kitchen, a table and a fireplace. Zack pursed his lips, realizing just the kind of life Cloud was probably living in before joining the guard. The hell of grunt boarding at ShinRa was most likely as bad as his life before. Even though he had been labeled Class C, Cloud was undoubtedly living the life of a Class F or D. Sure the home was in better condition, but the scarcity of belongings was highly reminiscent of the homes in the slums of Midgar.
Cloud's mother was another sorry sight for the eyes. She was tiny, only just barely making five feet tall, and incredibly frail and thin looking. She couldn't have been more than eighty-five pounds, if even that. Her long blonde hair looked frazzled and damaged, her blue eyes tired, and her skin as pale as snow. She was undeniably young, and if she gained a few pounds she would be a stellar beauty. Cloud had obviously inherited his looks from both sides. While his eyes and lips strongly resembled his father, he had his mother's cheeks and nose.
"Sorry to intrude," Zack said after a few moments.
"It's fine," Ms. Strife said as she motioned towards the kitchen table. Cloud took a seat and motioned for Zack to take the other. Ms. Strife pulled up a stepping stool and sat.
"Sorry I didn't tell you I was coming in advanced, Mom. I wasn't even told I was coming here until they were ready to shuttle me off," Cloud explained.
"So you're here with the group to investigate the monsters and the reactor?" Cloud's mother asked, very calmly.
"Yeah. The General's taken an interest in the mutant monsters and the new strain that's popped up. I don't know how long we'll be here."
"Well I'm glad that you're ok. I feared the worst when you shipped off for your training. Did you run into many problems because of your family background?" Clouds mother asked gently, grabbing for Cloud's hand. Cloud glanced at Zack before turning to fully face his mother.
"There was a little, but that's to be expected, Mom. My superiors are generally very understanding. Don't worry about it," Cloud reassured his mother.
"Is he really doing alright?" she asked turning towards Zack.
"Yeah. He's healthy as an ox. If someone bullies him, he punches their lights out. He's not letting his class get in the way of him being good at his job. He's one of the strongest in his group. I do say you raised a fine son," Zack said grinning.
"Fights? Cloud, try not to make enemies with your peers…" Ms. Strife said, mildly disapproving of Cloud's actions.
"I'm not going to sit and take that crap. Besides, they hate me before they even meet me, it seems," Cloud justified.
"Whatever you say, just be careful. Have you eaten tonight?" she asked tentatively.
"I sure haven't!" Zack exclaimed. Cloud frowned.
"Don't you dare think about cooking for us. We'll be just fine going to the restaurant. ShinRa's footing the bill," Cloud chided his mother.
"Nonsense. It's not like I'm going to die from cooking. You need some good homemade food. I'll make us some soup," Ms. Strife responded, not allowing room for argument.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Cloud found himself slightly miffed at the fact that Zack had managed to weasel every last embarrassing childhood story from his mother, despite the fact that the incident occurred four days prior. At some point, Sephiroth had forced the tales out of Zack, and Cloud was now being subjected to dry teasing during outings and long awkward silences with the General. He couldn't for the life of him fathom why Sephiroth still demanded him to be a guide after 3 days. Sephiroth was smart, right? He could certainly find his way around after a single tour. Sephiroth, however, seemed insistent on taking more of Cloud's time than was truly necessary for the mission.
Cloud heaved a sigh as he glanced back over his shoulder to make sure that Sephiroth had not, by some freak accident, lost his balance and fallen down the cliff. It was still uncomfortable for Cloud to be in the older's presence, but he was learning to let his guard down little by little. Sephiroth was protective of him, but not restrictive. If a fiend weak enough for Cloud's ability level appeared, Sephiroth would not be bothered by it and force Cloud to slay it. However, if Sephiroth felt the threat level was beyond Cloud's capability, he would step in, shielding Cloud from any harm. Granted, such tough monsters were rather few and far apart, but Cloud felt the treatment was slightly more than needed.
"Just treat it as training," Sephiroth had told him on the first day, though Cloud would have appreciated if the training had less to do with killing and more to do with survival skills and battle tactics. Though watching Sephiroth fight on the rare occasion did provide something of a learning aide, Cloud reasoned.
The past three days with Sephiroth had ended up in a few unsettling discoveries on Cloud's part. Not only had the land grown to look more dead than it had before, but the fiends seemed strange to him, even the normal species that roamed the area. They seemed more aggressive and misshapen. The once harmless, dead plants seemed to take on a dangerous air, as if new life was breathed into them would allow their branches to reach out and snag hold of anyone that dared to walk by.
"I've dispatched twelve of the M20s today," Sephiroth mumbled to himself, though Cloud still caught it.
"Do you want to call it a day and pitch a tent, sir?" Cloud asked, turning to face the General more fully. "It's getting late and I doubt we'd be able to reach Nibelheim before it would be time to head out again."
"We are about four miles from town, correct?" Sephiroth asked, looking back in the direction of the town. The man seemed to be a human compass in addition to the many other things he specialized in.
"Maybe if we traveled from here to there in a straight line, but it would probably be about a twenty mile hike if we follow the trail back." Cloud said, looking out over the cliff. The path they had taken into the mountains led towards the highest mountain in the area, Mount Nibel. This path, however, was the extremely long and well-traveled path from before ShinRa built the reactor. It wound around the surrounding area, often times making it seem that hikers were making little progress. If for any reason the townspeople from Nibelheim needed to visit the Mount Nibel's higher points or neighboring mountains, they took this road. The path did not stray near the reactor, however. The mako springs that had dotted the area had been considered dangerous, and were only ever investigated by those in need of materia.
"I suppose you do not want to try going back in a straight line?" Sephiroth asked, not looking at the blond.
"Maybe you can make it, sir, but I'm physically incapable of it," Cloud said as he threw his backpack to the ground.
"I could carry you," Sephiroth offered, turning towards Cloud, all seriousness in his eyes.
"No thank you, sir," Cloud responded hastily. Sephiroth twitched an eyebrow at the words. The teen quickly added, "It's not that I don't trust you, sir, it's just that I'm uneasy being touched. In general. Besides, weren't you planning on coming back this way tomorrow anyway?"
"Correct…" Sephiroth murmured as he grabbed Cloud's backpack from the ground and pulled out the make army tent. The General did not pursue the topic anymore. Cloud sighed as he grabbed for the tent pieces and helped Sephiroth pitch the tent.
The tent was small, barely large enough to fit the two men. It was designed to fit two people Cloud's size in the field. The two laid down sleeping mats and crawled inside. Being quite large, Sephiroth's presence made staying in the tent incredibly uncomfortable for Cloud. It didn't take much movement to brush against the older. The blond rolled onto his side, facing the tent wall, to avoid Sephiroth's touch. Sure, Cloud had begun to become more at ease around the General, but the rifle storage room was still relatively fresh in his mind. Yes, Sephiroth had stopped then, but who knew if the silveret would demand that he do something like that again.
"Cloud," Sephiroth whispered, his hand patting the little bit of Cloud's mat that was uncovered. "Can I ask you something? Personal, I mean."
"Yeah. What?" Cloud responded just as quietly.
"Why did you join ShinRa?"
"To get away from here," Cloud said bluntly.
"But why? This is your hometown, is it not? Aren't the people here you're family and friends?"
"No. Never. Someone as high class as you probably isn't familiar with the kind of bullcrap that my mom and I had to go through here," Cloud spat.
"What did they do to you?" Sephiroth inquired. Cloud remained silent for a long moment before answering.
"My mother only told Zack the stories about me that ended happily enough to be funny after a few years. My mother was treated like a whore, and I wasn't treated much better."
"If that is the case then you might as well not have a hometown, like me," Sephiroth said, attempting to comfort the boy. Cloud remained silent, deciding that he had said all he could stand about the subject. Sephiroth sighed softly as he turned on his side to face Cloud's back.
"Is there anyplace you would like to be stationed?" Sephiroth asked after a long silence.
"Anywhere I'd liked to be stationed? I don't car as long as it's not here," Cloud said, his voice tinged with distaste. "It's nice being able to visit my mother and all, but I really can't forgive the people here for everything. It wouldn't change anything for them whether I was in the guard or not. Maybe Fort Condor or Wutai would be good."
"Wutai is a death trap," Sephiroth spoke calmly.
"I know," Cloud replied.
"I did not get the impression before now that you were suicidal."
"I'm not. I guess I just want to get out and prove that I'm just as capable as those dumb Class C1s and B4s that tormented me here."
"There are better ways to prove yourself than going to Wutai. The people there will treat you just like the people here. Wutai hates ShinRa."
"It's not like I'll ever be transferred there anyway. I'm such a low ranking grunt that I won't make it past midnight guard duty at the lobby."
"We only keep the good soldiers at the company. The crappiest are the ones that lead the initial insurgences." Cloud turned on his back, mild surprise on his face. As he turned, he brushed slightly against Sephiroth's skin.
"Really?" Cloud asked, barely audible. He had forgotten just how close the general was, and was not expecting the man to have been facing him.
"We don't give a damn if a person has a high class if their attitude is poor. We will siphon those fools off and send into their most probable deaths when we plan to attack. A low class soldier that's dedicated is infinitely more useful than a cocky high class."
"But what about the boys in SOLDIER? Aren't they horribly cocky?" Cloud asked, imagining Zack when he had first entered the program. Sephiroth chuckled.
"That is exactly why we put many of the boys with one on one mentors at such young ages. Zack had the insolence beat out of him."
"He still thinks he's high and mighty," Cloud scoffed.
"Well he is over confident and presuming at times."
"So are you," Cloud said, moving to turn his back towards Sephiroth once more, but the older grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.
"Did you forget who you are talking to?" Sephiroth said, his face blank.
"For a second I did," Cloud said, seriously. "Sorry, sir, but I think it's time that we get back to sleep." Sephiroth's eyes brightened just the slightest bit as the realization that he had made significant progress washed over him.
"I would rather you feel at ease around me when we are not working. I do not wish to give the impression that I like giving orders all day. Despite my class and rank, I am mostly normal," Sephiroth confessed.
"Well this is work, and we have a long day tomorrow," Cloud said, starting to feel greatly uncomfortable with the situation again. The blond attempted to turn away again, succeeding this time.
"Is it so horrible to confide in me? To be my friend?" Sephiroth whispered. Leaving the question hanging, Cloud curled into himself the best he could in the limited space and closed his eyes. Sephiroth sighed, and continued to watch the younger's back until he was sure the teen was asleep. He gently brushed the nape of the blonde's neck with the back of his hand before turning to face the other way.
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"Why do you distance yourself from your superiors so much?" Sephiroth asked as they rounded a bend in the path. It was his first attempt at real conversation that day, despite the fact that the sun was starting to disappear behind the mountains.
"What do you mean? Isn't it bad to be too attached to your superiors? We aren't supposed to fraternize. It would end extremely badly for me," Cloud responded rather robotically. Sephiroth shook his head in disbelief.
"I do not mean anything like that. I mean why do you not seem to trust Zack or me? Or any of your lower ranking superiors?"
"I do trust you, and them—with my life. Not with my body. As someone who never had to struggle with class, you can't possibly understand how dangerous it is for someone like me. To be involved with people that have that great of class and rank gap is incredibly dangerous. If someone decides they don't like it, I could be stripped of everything and be sent to work as a prostitute in the slums," Cloud explained, disgusted that he had to even think about all of the reasons why he did not trust anyone. Of course the images of his rapes played back glaringly bright in his memory, but he was not about to confess any of that to Sephiroth. The only person he would ever stand knowing was Reno, since the older teen already knew and did so much to help him already. He felt relieved that there was a common, and very truthful explanation to give Sephiroth.
"You are right that I am naive when it comes to matters of the lower class; however, do not undermine the troubles of being so high ranked. I have difficulty choosing partners because many seek to gain power from me. I know I can trust and grow closer to you because you do not want me to protect you or help you move up in rank or class. But you will not let me." Cloud chuckled at Sephiroth's words.
"It still doesn't matter what you do, though. Your future is always secure," Cloud sniped back. Sephiroth's brow creased as he thought back on Genesis and Angeal. He knew his future was not as secure as most people thought, but he knew he could not voice those concerns to Cloud. It was best that the secrets of ShinRa never reached Cloud's ears, especially with his relationship to the company.
"I think you are more comfortable around me than you think you are," Sephiroth responded, a hint of humor creeping into his voice. It would be safest to derail the conversation he started. It was the wrong things to speak to the teen about. Cloud's eyes widened for a moment as he began reeling for words. "If you were not somewhat comfortable around me, you would not speak so rudely to me."
"I've forgotten myself, sorry," Cloud stuttered quickly as he began to walk faster. He could feel a blush creeping onto his face. How could he have let himself speak that way to the General of all people? He could speak that way to Reno, yes, but only because Reno tried to make the gap between their classes more apparent.
"It's quite alright. I enjoy it when people treat me as equals. Well, at least the ones that I trust," Sephiroth said, reaching out and grabbing Cloud's earlobe. Cloud stopped dead in his tracks, heart throbbing. The General fiddled with the red stud that he'd placed in the teen's ear. Cloud tensed because of the prolonged contact. "Rely on me a little more."
Sephiroth's voice seemed to loose any hint of teasing it had before, reverting back to his usual monotone. He dropped his hand, allowing Cloud to break free. The blond ran forward and around the bend. Sephiroth followed more sedately, deciding it was best for the teen to calm down. As he caught up with the teen, he realized that they had reached the mouth of the path that led back into Nibelheim. With all his data collected, he knew that they would have to start up the mountain the next morning. He could not put off investigating the reactor any longer.