Chapter 8

"NO! This is degrading! Zachary Elias Donovan! The mission particulars never mentioned anything about this!!!!"

Cloud stood in the middle of Zack's room glaring at his two friends. Both were completely unrepentant.

"Now Cloud we need something that will let you catch people's attention to draw attention to you faster. This will alert the monster faster."

"But this is indecent!" the little blonde wailed.

He was dressed in tight leather shorts which looked as if they had been sprayed on. The mesh crop top did little to hide his upper torso, the black of the garments emphasizing his flawless white skin. He wore a short coat which hung to mid thigh and at Zack's insistence, remained open. His blues eyes had been outlined with eyeliner and his lips had a hint gloss, emphasizing its pout.

"You look very attractive Cloud."



"I look like a slut. If anyone propositions me on the street I'm not responsible for what happens."

"Ah don't be like that Cloud. You know the guys and us would protect you. Right Seph?"

"Of course Zack."



Cloud heaved a sigh. There was no way out of this. Giving them one last sour glance, he strode out the door his two friends behind him.

"Whoa! Looking good Strife!"

"Hey baby wanna find a nice place to relax after this mission?"

"Aw man, Zack this what you been hiding all this time?"

Sephiroth and Zack kept a firm grip on each arm until they unleashed him on the streets.

~*~

Zack winced in sympathy as he watched what Cloud did in the alley before walking out with a self satisfied smile.

"Oh man, he wasn't kidding. That has to hurt."

"I couldn't quite see, sir. I know Strife kneed the guy in the groin but what else could he have done?"

Zack turned to Masoul, the SOLDIER next to him and made a face.

"What our darling little blonde did was slash up that guy's clothes, then he scratched him in /strategic/ locations which are only there when you have a rather wild night of sex then he kneed the bugger in groin. Twice. And ground his heel in for good measure."

Masoul winced and paled.

"Man, he's vicious isn't he?"

"Yep. Especially when you push him too hard."

~*~

Cloud felt decidedly better after taking his frustrations out on three rather lecherous men.





He could sense Sephiroth's sigh.







Cloud grinned and, his spirits lightened put a little swing in his steps drawing even /more/ attention from the crowded sidewalks.

SOLDIERS had been posted at different points of the route they had planned Cloud to walk. They knew it wouldn't necessarily be the first day which the monster would attack but they could hope. As Cloud walked he began to sense eyes on him. It gave him the chills and Cloud knew instinctively that the monster was close by watching, waiting.





Cloud subtly changed his long stride to a slower more languid pace. It allowed him to lower his arms so that they were nearer to the knives strapped to his back, hidden by the jacket.

Then the presence disappeared.

/What the…?/





The monster looked vaguely like a deformed human but the golden eyes filled with nothing but insane hatred held no humanity. Cloud struggled, clinging on to objects and dragging and kicking whenever he could, trying to hamper the monster's passage.

It hardly affected it. The monster just kept walking towards one of the alleys. Cloud's shoes were scuffed and his hands and fingers were cut and bleeding. He knew his shoulder's and upper back was the same because of the monster's sharp talons.

With a heave, the monster threw Cloud against a wall of a building and the blonde felt his breath leave his lungs even as his ears registered the sound of breaking bones. A moment later the pain erupted like a furnace making him moan in agony.





"Cloud! Zack, here!"

"Aw shit! That thing is dead!"

A roar, the sound of steel meeting flesh. The wet sound of flesh splitting, blood hitting the pavement. The thud as a body hit the ground.

Cloud squinted, wanting to see but the blackness was closing in and as the monsters body hit the ground so did he , unconscious.

~*~

He woke feeling brand new.

"Was it a dream?"

"Nope. It was too damn real and too damn close. Sephiroth nearly killed me, worrying about you."

Cloud looked up to see Zack come in bearing a tray with some covered dishes.

"Food?" he asked hopefully.

"Yep! Cooked it myself!"

Cloud suddenly shrank back a bit, remembering his last run in with Zack's cooking.

"Umm, actually, I don't feel to hungry right now."

"Ha ha, very funny Strife. I'll have you know the guys rate my cooking above that crap in the cafeteria."

Cloud grinned.

"That's not saying much Zack."

"Aw shut yer yap. Its edible and its got all the stuff you need to get better."

"Why am I feeling so good anyway? I'm sure broken ribs don't feel like this."

Zack winked at him. Cloud could see a tinge of seriousness though, even through the humour.

"When the monster went down, me and Seph took off the jacket and top to check the damage. We didn't have time to get you to the medics. Your ribs were definitely broken and if we had moved you the edges would've punctured your lung, maybe even your heart. So Seph and I used the healing materia. The other guys came over and when they saw you, they helped as well. So you're now one hundred percent ok!"

The seriousness was completely gone and Zack's eyes were alight with suppressed mirth. Cloud narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Anything that made Zack that happy without prior warning to Cloud was always something bad to Cloud.

"What are you not telling me?"

"Hehehehe, let's just say that you have SOLDIER's in the palm of your hand."

Cloud frowned not understanding the comment. As he thought a bit more however a bright blush came to his cheeks.

"ZACK!"

"Hahahaha! I can't help it if you're beautiful!"

~*~

Sephiroth was trying very hard not to fidget or roll his eyes as he listened to President Shinra commend the SOLDIER for their quick dealing of the monster.

/Blah, blah, blah. Pompous windbag. He's got more hot air than a hot air balloon./

Just then a mental voice, well missed rang in his mind.



I doubt he cares. Not as long as I don't show it openly.



"Sephiroth are you listening?"

"Of course, sir."

"Very good, then do not forget. Tomorrow, first thing after muster, bring Strife to my lab."

/What?!/



"Yes, Hojo."



A flavour of cherries, signifying laughter.