AN: OK. You may all take a crack at the whip and flay me alive. I deserve it today and I'm sorry. It's 11:30pm. And that's cutting it entirely too close to TOMORROW for my taste. Today has been a hectic and draining and 'I want to pull out my hair today sucks so much ass' type of day. 9 hours of cashiering from 7:30am to 4:30pm. No real break seeing as it's damn Christmas and everyone has to buy everything last minute Dx Then I ended up being dragged around with my mother while she shopped for her last minute things. Didn't get home til 8:30pm. So, I get here and we have to pack cause tomorrow morning we head out to El Paso to visit Fam and stuff for the holidays. Then, when that was done and the car was loaded because YES we're DRIVING the entire nine hours to Texas from Arizona, I realize 'OH shit! I haven't even WRITTEN today's chapter! SO the next two hours were spent juggling writing this chapter and washing some dirty clothes I still need to put in the dryer. AND SO there you have it, the long hectic explaination as to why I deserve to flogged for uploading this way too late. Forgive me. And don't kill me. Now, here you have it, the culmination of my blood sweat and tears of the day, Day 21!

And, as always, I luv ya, Struggle! Thanks for the pick me up Review~!

DECEMBER 21, 2011

Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz - 5:55

Sephiroth gave an almost smile, absently tapping a finger to the beat of the song that played in his ears. Zack and Cloud had given him, of all things, an I-pod for his birthday and had loaded it with a decent amount of select songs, leaving plenty of room still for him to put more music on it. He'd never heard this particular song before he'd received this gift but after the first time he'd grown to like it. In fact, it was one of his favorites. The words made him want to sing it tauntingly on a stage with the sole audience being Hojo… and maybe their fat ass President. He'd have Zack and Cloud be his back up singers.

The image in his mind was ridiculous.

It wasn't as if the song particularly pertained to the situation he was in, but bits and pieces of it seemed amusingly appropriate and ran along the lines of one or more of his thoughts during those rare times when he let his mind wander.

Besides. He just liked the lyrics and the beat. Gaia forbid the Great Silver General actually listen to music! Gasp and Blasphemy.

Sephiroth found it funny that the thought had sounded monotone and completely serious even in his own mind.

Happy People - REM - 3:48

Zack was a naturally happy and bouncy kind of person. It was just a fact. But Sephiroth had to repress the exasperated sigh that wanted to make itself known at how impossible it was to get his second-in-command to focus long enough to get an answer from the man. Cloud had to admit that nicknaming the man 'Puppy' had been a stroke of genius on Angeal's part. He was half tempted to suddenly call out 'Squirrel!" and see what Zack would do. Hm…. Now there was an idea.

But that was a trick for another day. Right now, he wanted the idiot to pay attention.

"Zackary," Sephiroth finally called in a sigh he'd been attempting not to let out. Predictably, the lieutenant faced his superior and tilted his head in curiosity.

"What is it, Seph?" Sephiroth only just kept from rolling his eyes skyward.

"Have you confirmed that everything has been taken care of and is ready for Cloud's surprise?"

Zack visibly perked up even further at this, shining a brilliant grin at his CO, non-existent but apparent tail wagging at the subject of their conversation. "The party is all set, General Sephiroth, sir!"

Sephiroth didn't care to wonder why the man addressed him properly now and never when necessary.

Mad World - Gary Jules - 3:08

Cloud sat in his usual hiding spot up on the mountain, drawing shapes and little pictures in the snow around him. It was the norm for him, but it was lonely. He'd always known he wasn't liked by the other children in town. Heck, he wasn't even liked by the adults. It had never really bothered him more than usual.

Until today.

It was his sixth birthday and the first year he'd been allowed to invite some friends for a party.

Of course, he'd forgotten he didn't actually have friends.

A sigh escaped his lips and he rested his head against his knees, frowning as he looked out across the landscape.

Out Time Is Now - 4:08

"Ready?" Sephiroth's expressionless voice hid the reluctance and sadness that seemed to rest like a lump in the pit of his stomach. A feeling all of them shared at this moment.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Cloud answered for all of them, accompanied by the nods of the other three Firsts.

"It is about to begin."

At those words all of them shifted into a loose formation at the main attack points of their small assembled forces. Each of them taking up the point at the front of their respective groups. Sephiroth stood furthest forward, his group of nine -the best of the Second Classes that had followed them after their defect from ShinRa- standing behind him. Genesis and Zack stood a few feet back and to either side of the Silver General, each with their own small group of SOLDIERs behind them -more Seconds and a few Thirds. After them, completing the inverted 'V' of their formation, were Angeal and Cloud and their small factions, each made up of the few infantrymen they'd been surprised to find had followed the SOLDIERs

Memories - David Guetta (ft. Kid Cudi) - 3:30

Reno grinned widely as he looked over his handiwork with pride. He rolled his head to the side and winked smugly at the spiky raven-haired First to the right of him. "Well, what'd'ya think, yo?"

Zack gave a short laugh and shook his head. He had to give the redhead credit, it was a wonderful piece of work. Zack mirrored the Turk's grin. "It's awesome, Red. I can't wait 'til the Fat man hears about this. It'll be hilarious." They shared a snicker at the president's expense.

The sound of an appreciative whistle caused both men to turn. "Cloud!" They both shouted, happy to see the blonde where he stood looking over the giant spray painted tag. "I like it." Reno laughed. "Glad t' hear it, yo!"

It was the stupid shit like this they did that they all knew they'd remember forever.

Clumsy - Fergie - 4:01

Yuffie walked as confidently as she could toward the object of her affections. Today she'd do it. She was going to tell the other girl how she felt about her. Yeah, no problem. It'll be a piece of cake. Just go up to her and tell it to her straight. Easy. Yuffie smiled brightly at her self-assurance and stepped forward, nearly there. As if fate and her own two feet wished to thwart her every attempt at happiness… or perceived happiness at any rate, it only took two steps before she found herself suddenly tripping over air and falling forward, unable to catch herself as she fell toward the floor. Damn her inherent clumsiness! She cursed as she watched the floor racing up to meet her. "Ow." She muttered, sitting up and rubbing her head.

"Are you alright?"

Yuffie froze, afraid to look up and see the girl she knew was standing there, her crush, Shelke Rui. She looked anyway and eeped before giving a sheepish smile. "Uh…. Oops."

Don't Made Me Wait - This World Fair - 3:47

He waited. He had waited a long time. And now. Well, he was more than tired of waiting. He wanted a definite answer this time. It was a simple yes or no. Was that really too much to ask?

"Will you 'officially' go out with me, Cloud?" Zack asked for what seemed like the fiftieth time in the last three days. He really didn't see what was so hard about answering the question. They'd been secretly dating for almost a year already and not even their closest friends knew about it. Now, he wanted to make it official and suddenly his little blonde Chocobo was finding every excuse possible to not answer him. It was a bit frustrating, in all honesty.

Emotional (remix) - Casley (ft. Flo Rida) - 4:12

Genesis stiffened when he saw it, a flash of silver in the corner of his eyes he could never mistake for anything but what it was. Why was he here? That man never went to clubs or bars unless he was dragged there by someone else. He had never expected to see him again. Especially not here. Genesis groaned and closed his eyes, looking away from the entrance of the bar where he'd spotted that glimpse of his past. He took a long sip of his drink. It had been months. Months since the last time he'd seen Sephiroth. Since they'd broken up and moved on.

Well, no. Sephiroth had moved on. Genesis… he'd been… around.

As if his body had decided to betray his wishes and his mind had subconsciously agreed with his body, the auburn-haired man found his eyes scanning the room for silver hair and it wasn't too long before he spotted the man on the dance floor, a young blonde hanging off him as they danced. They were smiling all stupid and lovey dovey at each other with just the hint of sensual taunts in their eyes. Genesis narrowed his eyes at the scene and scoffed. Gaia, but he remembered when it had been him in the blonde's place… though not quite so short and not quite so 'in love' looking. It was more than a hint of sexual innuendos that danced in their eyes then.

But that was beside the point.

I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister - 3:04

"Welcome to the opening concert of the All SOLDIER all the time World Tour!" The voice of their manager, Tseng, came through the speaker. The crowd became quieter as the lights dimmed and they could see the shadow of the curtains being drawn.

Suddenly the lights flashed to life on the stage at the same moment that Zack Fair slashed the pick across the strings of his guitar, letting out a strong echoing chord. He grinned when the massive crowd before him screamed their loyalty and love for the band from every direction. He absolutely loved it when they all yelled and cheered at the beginning of a concert. Zack grinned and grabbed his microphone. "Hey, all!" He called out to the waiting fans. "We're your friendly neighborhood SOLDIER and we're ready t' Rock Midgar!" he screamed to the crowd. The deafening cries of agreement were the expected answer before suddenly the entire stage was in motion. Each of them getting into form and letting the opening instrumental of their most famous song resound through the large auditorium.

Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne - 3:36

"You should just quit 'er, Blondie," Reno drawled from where he was sprawled on the couch, head hanging upside down over the side of it and legs dangling off one arm.

Cloud looked at his friend with a small sort of smile that seemed to convey the thought of 'yeah, I know, quit telling me already' without words. He shook his head and let out a short sigh, plopping himself down on the empty part of the couch a few inches from Reno's head. "I think I will."

"Well, what'r'ya waitin' for, Cloudy? No time like the present and all that jazz."

Cloud snorted. "It's…. complicated."

Reno scoffed. "Tch, no it ain't. Just call 'er and tell 'er it's over."

"Fine," the blonde muttered petulantly and pulled out his phone, dialing Tifa's phone number from memory.

-END TWENTY-FIRST TEN-

AN: I can't write worth crap. D8 I'm running out of steam! Yeah, Ideas came pretty easy to me this day but my writing seems to have been lacking. Girlfriend was an attempt to continue from some song I wrote to a while ago… I think it was the Taylor Swift one from some day towards the beginning. Can't remember now. Had absolutely no clue what to write for Don't Make Me Wait. Bleh. No clue for the first one either V-V Kill me now. I suck. Today's favorite I guess would be, Memories. I wanted to continue it, but it still sucked as far as the way I wrote it goes. What I've decided I WILL DEFINITELY continue sometime in the future is Our Time Is Now, which is today's other favorite. It's part of an idea that started a few days ago with a different song. Needless to say, that idea has now become my new brainchild for a while. Look forward to it, though it may take some time to get written. So, yeah. That was today everybody. Only 4 days, and four chapters left. Review please!