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don't own FF7
Part two
Chapter seventeen
The group emerged from the cave and headed to the camp fire set up in the center. Kisala and Sephiroth vanished as the others rested, after a few moments they returned, dressed in their former battle clothing. Cloud stared at Sephiroth, whose armor glinted in the fire light before he looked back down at his hands. Kisala plopped her self down next to Shelk and Genesis, the latter grumbling as the two girls talked.
The flames cast a red glow on the already red rocks, staining them yellow. Nanaki was quiet as he thought and left into the rocks to think. The others watched him go as they sat in a circle.
Barret had left to go talk to some of the villagers and returned looking just as solemn as the others.
"What did they say?" asked Cloud. Barret took a moment to eye Sephiroth and Kisala's change in attire before answering.
"They said they finished fixin' the buggy" he said sitting down between Yuffie and Genesis.
The others nodded and Cloud sighed
"Shall we go" he stood and looked to Kisala and Sephiroth "I don't know which story is true yours or mine…so I'd like to keep an eye on you till I can figure it out" Sephiroth nodded with a smirk on his face.
Aerith also stood and said
"So this is it…Red XIII" she looked at the floor sadly
Barret looked at his gun arm and said
"That's just the way it goes" he too stood and looked out to where their buggy sat. "We should get go'en no point in stalling"
Cait sith and Yuffie walked out first followed by Barret, Zack and Aerith. Kisala looked at the canyon with a smile before grabbing Shelk from Genesis and walking away.
Genesis, Tifa and Sephiroth watched Cloud look at the house Nanaki was in with his grandfather.
"Come on Cloud" Tifa said and blue eyes turned to her "it was his choice"
Cloud nodded and they followed the others to the village's entrance. Just as they passed under the sign a voice called out to them and they turned in surprise.
Nanaki came bounding up to them, calling out
"Hey wait for me" he breathed heavily for a moment then said "I'm coming to" his tail swished behind him.
They blinked in surprise before looking up as Burgen himself followed after his grandson.
"Cloud, Sephiroth, please looked after Nanaki" he glanced at his grandson with a smile
"What happened?" Cloud asked confused, he had though the wolf was staying behind.
The wolf gave a huge grin and said
"I grew up a little that's what" he then jumped past them and down the stairs where Kisala smiled at the bottom with the others.
Burgen laughed at Nanaki's enthusiasm and said
"Come back when you have my knowledge"
Sephiroth smirked and bowed one arm at his side, the other bent under his chest.
"That may take a while" he chuckled with Burgen.
They nodded to the old man before going down the stairs and heading to the buggy; the town's people coming to watch from the town's edge.
After a few seating arrangement adjustments and a couple of arguments between Zack and Barret; the group was once again on their way, the moon as their light source. Barret leaned over the seat and whispered
"When you get tired spiky let me know and I'll take over" he leaned back and promptly went to sleep. Cloud looked at him in the review mirror and shook his head with a smile.
The sun was coming up and Sephiroth was driving. The burning light was what awoke the group. Yuffie yawned and stretched; smacking Cait sith of his moogel and into Shelk's lap. Shelk who was in Genesis lap; awoke startled and gave a yelp and Genesis grabbed the robot and settling it back on the moogel; forcefully.
Kisala giggled at the sight of her adopted sister curled up in Genesis's lap and gave him a half glare when he looked at her. Cloud groaned as motion sickness hit him as soon as he awoke; his stomach rolling in his body. Tifa shrieked when she awoke to see Sephiroth in the driver's seat. Green eyes glanced at her as she calmed herself. Barret grumbled as he awoke; being wedged between Cloud and Zack. Aerith shook her own boyfriend awake who yawned and rubbed his head. Nanaki watched them through one eye with amusement and said
"I think we need a bigger ride" a few chuckled.
Cloud stopped chuckling abruptly as he looked up in the direction they were headed. Dark mountains were in the distance, outlined in Gold as the sun came up behind them. Rolling green fields were around them. He glared at the driver and demanded
"Where the hell are you taking us" his tone knocked the humor out of everyone.
"To where it all started; we need clues to stop Jenova and my clone, and I figured this place would have them"
Cloud just glared while the others looked confused. Tifa looked forward and gasped and now understood why Cloud was upset. Zack pulled himself out from between Barret and Genesis and looked forward; half standing in his seat.
"Nibelheim" he said his tone bitter.
"But…it burned down" Tifa said confused looking up a Zack "I remember"
"Yeah" Zack slouched in his seat as the buggy got quiet and tense. "I remember to, and when Cloud and I escaped it looked exactly as it had before; maybe Seph's right, we do need to figure out what the hell's going on."
Sephiroth parked the car in front of Nibelheim's entrance. Sephiroth was the first to climb out; followed by Tifa then everyone else. The ones who had been here before stared at its rebuilt gate and sign. Cloud spotted his own old home; looking like the day he had last seen it. His eyes narrowed and he was the first to walk forward; determined to get answers, to all his questions.
Angeal sighed as he walked through the bushes, his broad sword strapped to his back. He glanced around him and listened as well as he could; pretty well for a Soldier…Ex SODLIER. He corrected himself with in his head.
A twig snapped but he pretended he didn't hear it. He did stop and began counting in his head.
"Three…two…one"
Something burst from the bushes and rocks and he dodged a swing from a practice sword as it scrapped the rocks; sending up sparks.
Before the Ex-Soldier was a woman. She had short wild blonde hair, she wore a black sleeveless tunic with dark blue outlines, going down the edges and crossing across her chest. Starting just under her shoulders was dark blue sleeves with black on her forearms. The blue sleeves ends were folded at her wrist. At her waist was a red sash with gold string in its end. A leather pouch was tied to the sash along with a pouch full of arrows. She wore brown sandals that had straps going up to her knees. On her back was also a long bow. It had colorful rings at both ends just under a sliver tip. The bottom end had a hole for Materia and its grip was blue. The bow its self was a dark wood with a thick black string.
"Nice form, but you might want to work on the walking part" he said chuckling.
She blew a stray hair from her eyes and brown eyes looked up at him.
"I heard you coming" he explained then look at the sun "come on lets go get something to eat Nora"
Nora nodded and the black haired soldier walked with her back to the village. The sign read Rocket town and true to its name a huge rocket sat just beyond the town; belonging to the town's pilot.
Angeal lived in an upper home he rented from the people downstairs and Nora lived with him.
They sat at the kitchen table eating soup. Angeal had been feeling nostalgic all day; a dangerous thing for him to do.
He had been thinking about him all day; all of them actually, while he was training Nora in sword play. He shook his head and looked at his house guest.
Nora was about Shelk's age if he remembered the girl correctly and he chuckled as he remembered their first meeting. Nora looked confused
"What's so funny Angeal" she asked leaning back in her chair.
"I've been feeling a little nostalgic today and I was remembering when we first met"
Nora giggled as she too remembers that meeting.
"It wasn't that long ago, a week or two maybe" she shrugged.
"Feels like years" he looked at his soup bowl.
Flash back
Black hair rustled in the light winds as blue eyes scanned the rocks. It had only been a couple of days since he had arrived at Rocket town and already he was getting rid of its plague of monsters. He gripped the handle of his buster sword over his shoulder but let it go in favor of the regulation sword at his side; use brings about wear tear and rust; or so he told…
Angeal shook his head and focused on the marks in the dirt. He was near a tree, one of the few in the mountain side, a large set of claw marks were in the dirt. He rose carefully when he heard the air swish to the left. He took a step back just in time to dodge an arrow, now embedded in a tree.
He blinked and raised his sword and turned.
Out of the rocks was a woman with a woodened long bow knocked with another arrow, aimed right at him. He blinked as he looked at her brown eyes
"Watch it" she said, her voice soft, from little use probably
"My apologies" he said lowering his head "I was tracking monsters"
She lowered her bow, the arrow now aimed at the ground; she eyed him up and down and narrowed her eyes.
"Crawl back home ShinRa lap dog" she snapped, eyes cold.
Angeal was taken aback by the looked of hatred that appeared so suddenly in her eyes.
"I am no longer apart of ShinRa" he said slowly so not to make her angry and have that arrow back in his face; she was a good shot if the arrow deep in the tree behind him had any judgment in that.
"Why" she asked, her hand twitched on the arrows sting.
Angeal bit his lip and looked away; the girl raised an eyebrow before nodding and putting the arrow away
"I understand," was all she said before digging the arrow out of the tree.
"What are you doing out here if I may ask" he turned to her, arms crossed
"I am on the run" she explained, checking the arrows tip "from ShinRa, when you know something ShinRa doesn't like, they tend to want you dead"
"Yeah" Angeal said, he knew that all too well "My names Angeal Hewley"
"Like First Class Angeal?" at his nod she whistled "I heard all the first class SOLDIER's quit but wow, the names Nora"
He held his hand out and she grasped it in a handshake
"Nice to meet you Nora"
End of Flashback
Nora laughed as he chuckled
"Yeah, I almost shot your nose off" she giggled
"Yeah, then bit my head off" he chuckled as well, getting up and washing his bowl in the sink. Nora watched him for a moment from the table before he said.
"You must have thought I was a monster?" he looked away from her as he said this
"You are a monster" she chuckled while smiling.
"Yeah a monster who feeds you" he replied but he could feel his wing shift in his back and wondered if he was a monster.
"What's with the sudden feeling of nostalgic" Nora asked and he heard the dishes on the table move
"Well, in a couple of days it will be the anniversary…of when Zack became my student"
Nora raised her eyebrows as she walked up to him. She was silent as she placed the dishes under the water. Angeal moved out of her way and leaned next to the counter.
"Zack the puppy" Angeal couldn't help but chuckle as he nodded.
"Yeah, he hated that nick name, along with Zackary, and yet everyone knew him as Zack the puppy." His smile slipped from his face
Angeal looked up when Nora placed her still damp hand on his arm
"It will be ok" she explained "sure there will be moments when you remember and are sad…but Zack sounds like the kind of man to not want you to dwell on it, to live your life."
Angeal nodded and looked out the window at the mountains in the distance; the place where it had all gown wrong lay nestled in those mountains. It hurt to live so close to that place but he was content where he was.
More than once he thought about going to Banora; seeing is mother and letting her know things were ok but…he glanced at Nora. He couldn't bring himself to leave, not anymore.
Nora, sensing his still sad mood said
"How about I cook dinner tonight" Angeal made a face "oh come on, I burned one left over meal and you ban me for life, I'm going to cook you something I use to cook for my family and you're going to love it" she crossed her arms smugly
Angeal laughed and walked past her while saying
"I'll believe that when I taste it"
Cloud and Tifa gazed at the water tower in the center of the town while Sephiroth and Zack looked at all the villagers; the larger group watched their reactions confused.
"It's like…" Tifa said
"It was never destroyed" Cloud finished for her.
"Let's split up and find out what happened" Zack offered and the others nodded, breaking off into smaller groups and heading to the different houses.
Sephiroth and Cloud walked into the house closest to the inn they had once stayed at. No one was inside that they could see but a dark shape sat in the corner huddled in the shadows. Cloud and Sephiroth shared a look and gripped their weapons. The shadow moved to show a human shape covered in a cape. Its mouth was the only thing visible.
"Must…find…it…and…bring…it…to…he…brings….to…Loki." his voice was slurred and broken apart like the words were being forced out of the owner's mouth. "Then…become…one with…Loki"
Cloud started at the thing as it repeated the same sentence over and over again under its breath and looked up at Sephiroth who was now looking at him. There was an awkward silence before Cloud said
"Let's…search the rest of the house" he then was off Sephiroth following him.
Shelk had been latched onto by Yuffie and Genesis was following at a tense pace while the girl bounced off the walls talking.
"You know brat" Genesis said "the key to being a great ninja is…"he paused as if it was some big secret and Yuffie started at him wide eyed "being quiet" he snapped.
Yuffie just blinked while Shelk looked exasperated. Genesis smirked at the girl until she opened her mouth.
"Then I suggest you stop talking" she then turned and went back to talking. Shelk tried to control her face from laughing while Genesis started in shock.
Zack looked at Clouds old house, remembering when Cloud took him to see the place.
"What is it?" Aerith asked, Cait sith bounced on his moogel next to her.
"This is Clouds old House," he pushed opened the door and entered. The house looked exactly the same, all the furniture in the same places.
Standing in the kitchen was an old woman. Zack blinked in surprise and went over to her.
"Hello sir" the woman said, not sounding shocked to see strangers in her house "What's your story"
Zack glanced at Aerith; that was such an odd thing to ask.
"A friend of mine lived in this house" Zack said "till he was 14 years old, then the town was burned down"
The woman looked surprised which made Zack suspicious. She quickly looked concerned before saying
"Son, are you sick…saying such things" she shook her head she then looked angry and pointed at the door "get out of here"
Zack glared but Aerith pulled him out the door.
"Something's not right Aerith" he told her as they moved on "this whole thing isn't right"
When they regrouped Barret looked at Sephiroth
"I think there might be truth to your story" he said and Sephiroth nodded
"Yes the men in black, the ones who talk about it, whatever it is, and the reunion" he shuddered as he remembered the things slurred stuttering voice. "They also had numbers on their hands…but I can't think of its meaning"
Cloud glanced up at Sephiroth before looking away quickly, his brain felt like it was being pounded; his memories were wrong. To take his mind of it he said
"They mentioned combining with Loki?" he looked up at the former general "any clue to what that means"
Sephiroth shook his head
"I've no clue" he looked at the inn he had stayed at.
Zack crossed his arms and looked at Cloud
"I went to your house" Cloud looked at him "and talked to the lady inside. When I mentioned someone living here till it burned down she looked shocked…before she changed her face to concern. I don't like this one bit guys, it's to…"
"Rehearsed" Cait sith said and Zack nodded
"Yeah, it's almost like their acting or something"
Kisala shook her head and followed Sephiroth's gaze around the town. Something didn't sit right with her. Tifa reached into her pocket and pulled out a bunch of pictures.
"I found these in my piano" she said sadly "I think it's the only thing left of the real Nibelheim."
The first Photo was of Zack, Sephiroth and a younger Tifa in cowgirl outfit. Sephiroth was frowning while the other two smiled. Zack started to laugh and said
"I remember taking this" he smiled as he flipped through them, showing them to others with him. He pointed to one of the men in helmets "that's Cloud" he told them and Tifa giggled before looking at the blushing Cloud.
"So that was you" Tifa smiled "I had a feeling." She smiled at him and he turned red before looking away. Kisala giggled before looking over at the inn.
"Come on let's go check in the inn" she said "we can figure out this mess in a room where we can relax." She glanced at the buggy "we've been cramped up to long"
The others rubbed sore limbs as they made their way to the inn. Inside, the inn keeper looked startled to see such large group. Sephiroth glared when he saw the young man recognized some of them before he quickly tried to hide it.
"Welcome" he said like it was rehearsed
"What happened here" Cloud asked also seeing what Sephiroth saw "this town burned down four years ago."
The man looked shocked before trying to hide that behind anger
"How rude, I was born and raised here; if you're going to make such accusations I suggest you leave"
"You're lying" Tifa snapped and the man looked appalled
"If your keep making these stories up, I need you to leave" the man said stubbornly.
Cloud growled under his breath and stormed out of the inn. The others watched him go. Tifa bit her lip before chasing after him.
Zack went to follow when Kisala held out her arm.
"Wait a bit Zack" she grinned "I think only Tifa can understand why Cloud is so upset."
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