Forgotten Daze
FF7 Fan Fiction

Chapter 10

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"How - in the - /hell/ --" Cloud spat, panting between each word as they continued their ceaseless climb upward, covered in a dark, brown, sticky liquid, which he could only assume was some god forsaken form of what he knew as blood, "can a mountain - a /mountain/ - spew forth - so many - so many - god damned /things?!/" Another imp approached him menacingly from the side, and Cloud swiftly dispatched it, his Shinra issued gun quickly becoming an extension of his anger and irritation. The blond now fully understood the perks of automatic weapons.

"These things live everywhere," Zack said, his voice level. He wasn't even winded. Cloud, despite his advanced state of combat-induced confidence and exhaustion, managed to throw his friend a dirty look in the dark, which was never seen. "Probably Shinra's fault, anyway."

Cloud caught up to Zack, breathing hard. They had fought their way through dozens of the mountain-bred imps, and Cloud had actually been able to keep up. For the most part. His sides ached and his chest burned. They had been running for nearly an hour, and combined with the constant battle, which, needless to say, almost made his heart burst out of his chest by itself, he was starting to wear out. Zack, on the other hand, seemed only to be getting warmed up.

There was a rumble above them as something Cloud could only think of as the mother of all mountain-imps stepped forth from wherever it was mountain-imp mothers stepped forth from, sending a shower of rock and dirt to the duo below. Cloud felt a growl start in the back of his throat, his previous combat giving him a tremendous sense of confidence. Zack, who Cloud knew he would later thank, stopped him in one swift motion, jumping off the small ledge they stood on and landing beside the alleged she-beast, his sword in her side long before her large reptilian claws could sweep just over Zack's head as the SOLDIER slid beneath her, his sword slicing open her side.

Some of Cloud's newfound self-confidence leaked slightly as he watched the graceful spectacle. The large beast began to topple over with an eerie, painful cry. Zack was fifteen feet above by the time she hit the ground. The blond swallowed hard as his Inadequacies, which were happily forgotten in his fit of rage and bloodlust, began to seep back in. Zack was a SOLDIER. He had to become Zack. It was only a slightly daunting task.

"You coming?" Zack called from ahead, still moving.

Cloud forced his legs back into motion, though with a slight lack of poise. He caught up to his friend shortly, who had slowed visibly to allow it.

"I thought there was a disgruntled SOLDIER and his minions here?" Cloud asked, still panting. "All I see are horrific monstrosities of nature."

Zack made another impressive leap off the path, scouting ahead. Cloud slowed to a stop, his hands on his knees as he fought for breath. "Why should they bother attacking us when the monsters will for them?" Zack asked from a distance.

Cloud scowled at the ground, the unmistakable sound of an approaching fiend appearing to his side. "I have /monsters/ that need exterminating at /Nibleheim!/" he yelled, turning on the beast with his marked personality change. The monster, a slightly lopsided version of the ones he had been killing all night, paused at the outburst, his sunken arms still poised, ready to attack.

A single shot rang out, bursting the night's silence. Cloud turned to Zack, his scowl even deeper. The SOLDIER had already turned back to the night sky by the time the monster fell in on itself, his gun already back in it's holster.

"That one was mine," Cloud spat. Zack ignored him. Cloud's anger grew, Zack's indifference toward him since they left grating on his nerves. He was worried for Rainer, too, but he wasn't ignoring his friend, now, was he?

"There's someone moving up ahead. It's too tall to be one of these things, it has to be human."

Cloud pushed himself off a nearby rock, stumbling to Zack's side. "I don't see anything."

"That's because you're too short."

Another ignored scowl. There was the slight hint of a smile on Zack's lips, though it did little to improve Cloud's mood.

"Do you want me to lift you up?" Zack asked.

"Shouldn't you be out killing things without mercy or remorse?"

Zack turned suddenly, his familiar smile set. "Aw, Spike," he said, ruffling the blond's hair for a moment before being batted away. "It's been so long since we bantered!"

Cloud held his frown as long as he could before he had to turn away, even more angered that he couldn't hold on to the right emotion in the face of Zack's never-ending good humor.

"It's someone, I know it is." Zack resumed his vigilant stare, the prevalent muscles in his arm tensing noticeably. Cloud sighed heavily, still slightly out of breath.

"We're going all the way out there?"

Zack flashed a quick smile and sprinted off, all the answer Cloud needed. He took off as well.

"Do you actually have a plan?" Cloud yelled, struggling to stay at Zack's pace.

"Don't need one." Zack replied, hopping a rock and leaving Cloud a good distance behind. The blond stopped, glowering angrily at where Zack had disappeared. Zack was older than him, yet clearly a child. Cloud was younger, yet the more mature one. Zack was a SOLDIER first class. He was a fledgling recruit. It just didn't make sense. Zack had frequently commented on not knowing how the SOLDIER they were after had slipped through Shinra's filters, but what Cloud really didn't understand was how /he/ had.

"Cloud?" Zack asked, appearing in front of him again. The blond snapped back into reality, looking up at the other man. "You okay?" he asked.

Cloud nodded, his breath finally evening out.

"Then, I assume you noticed the thing above you?" Zack asked, pointing to the area just above Cloud's head.

His stomach sank as he slowly turned, coming face to belly with one of the larger versions of their deformed adversaries. Cloud let out a squeak, his eyes wide as the monster flexed on of it's hands, sharp with claws, nearly reaching him, despite it's sunken arms.

Again, a single shot rang out, and the monster hesitated a moment, looking down on the blond who had yet to move. Behind him, Cloud heard Zack's gun return to its holster. He scowled. This wasn't going to end well.

The monster gurgled something awful as it toppled forward, catching Cloud underneath before he could move. Both hit the ground hard, the monster oozing quietly as it settled atop the blond.

Cloud felt the rage boil inside him as Zack slowly walked to him, pausing above him.

"You okay?" he asked again. Cloud frowned. Zack smiled.

Zack smiled as Cloud fought to brush the goo from his uniform, still fuming from his few moments underneath the creature's body, only succeeding in spreading the thick liquid further. "You know, I really do think you're improving."

Cloud ignored the compliment as he moved to brush the goo that had gotten on his hands off on his pants. Zack sat down on a nearby rock, watching the blond. "I guess determination /is/ all it takes."

Cloud cast a sneer toward him, and Zack smiled. Their fight, whatever it had been, was for the moment forgotten. Zack was riddled with anxiety, all of which he did his best to hide from Cloud, trying his best to remain the stoic figurehead the under experienced platoon desperately needed. Cloud, of course, could hear his shaky nerves in his laugh, but was also doing his best to remain impartial, and didn't comment on it.

"I don't think these things are doing much for my experience," Cloud mumbled. "I hate to boost your ego, but I think you're a better sparring partner than them."

"You just can't appreciate a good thing, can you?" Zack asked.

"Do I really need to remind you that the only reason I'm here is because you can rely on me to do all the paperwork and not tell the higher-ups that you sat on your ass the whole time?"

Zack sighed heavily. "Now, Spike, I don't think Sephiroth would appreciate that attitude."

"I swear to god," Cloud said, glaring at his friend, "even in the most dangerous of situations you're willing to sacrifice our time and our safety just to try and piss me off."

"Oh, Cloud, it's a give and take relationship," Zack said, standing and putting one hand on his hip, assuming a stance he frequently took when trying to appear enlightened. "Maybe its not my audacity, but more your sensitivity, which is the worse SOLDIER attribute?"

Cloud's eyes were dark. "You're an idiot."

Zack grabbed one of his arms quickly, wrenching it around behind him. "That's no way to talk to your superior, Strife!"

"Hey!" Cloud struggled against his brute strength, hopping on one foot as he tried to wrestle out of the hold. "Knock it off!"

"Don't call me an idiot, then!"

"Stop coming up with stupid philosophical bull, then!"

Zack pulled his arm tighter, and Cloud cried out.

"Don't question my philosophy!"

"I swear to god you're ten years old!" Cloud managed, arching his back in another attempt to free himself. The blond was almost sure that his friend giggled behind him.

"Sir!" both men stopped, turning to see a trio of soldiers approaching, all slightly frazzled from their mid-night raid. "We have five other men on the eastern side, who claim to have seen someone entering a small cave."

Zack let go of Cloud's arm and stood up straight, narrowing his eyes into what he apparently thought looked more leader-like. Cloud rubbed his arm, watching Zack sidelong. "Did they follow?"

The young soldier shook his head. "No, sir, we wanted to contact you first. We figured we were too spread out to make a move, but the ones that spotted them are still there, keeping a lookout."

"How far away is it from here?" Zack asked.

"Only about fifteen minutes if you know the path."

"Okay, round up the rest of the soldiers. Two of you stay here with Cloud, and keep a lookout on the path down to the town."

The soldiers turned to the young boy immediately, and despite the darkness, Cloud knew the darkened shade of his face was apparent.

"You," Zack said, pointing to the apparent leader of the group, "take me there."

"Sir!"

The two left at once, leaving Cloud and the other soldiers, who now watched him intently, expecting an order.

"Uhm," Cloud looked to the town down the path, which was empty. He ruffled his spikes, forcing down the blood that was still rushing to his face. "Just ... keep an eye on the path. And ... get rid of any monsters that approach."

"Sir!" both said at once, saluting. Cloud let out a nervous laugh and turned away from the two.

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Sephiroth closed the file quietly, leaning back in his desk chair. The Midgar night seemed quiet outside the window behind him as he craned his neck to look out over the city, one hand still on top of the folder, fingering the edges.

He couldn't tune out the voice in his head. The repeating sound of the official who had briefed them and his unflinching smile seemed to be haunting him. Unwillingly, his eyes ran over the file in front of him once more, reading the words in his mind.

Mako Poisoning. He scowled and forced himself back to the window. He was sick of Shinra, sick of their games. The SOLDIER in Antei, /he/ was the mistake, not him.

He unconsciously clenched one fist, his ire rising at the mere thought. Asinine Shinra politics. Even in an institution such as theirs, even within SOLDIERs, there still existed those who would use any means necessary to climb their way to the top.

Again he saw the face, so confident and self-assured, smiling at him, knowing just what to say. There was no way Zack had known what had happened, he was still too young and too new to Shinra. Sephiroth closed his eyes. He'd never been apart from Shinra, things were markedly different for him.

Sephiroth turned back to his desk, refusing to allow himself to give into the anger. He should have been the one in Antei. Not Zack. He knew the SOLDIER, knew how he felt about Shinra, about all that they had done to him.

The general sighed, bringing one hand to his forehead. Maybe it was best that it was Zack there and not him, he thought, smiling slightly to himself, if he was there, he might just be tempted to join.

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Cloud dragged one foot through the gravel below him, drawing another straight line in front of him. It could barely be seen in the darkness, but it gave him something to focus on, and that was all he wanted. The two other soldiers who were now, apparently, under his command, sat similarly around him, both almost his own age, and clearly of the same mindset.

They were all scared. There was no doubt in Cloud's mind that this was their first mission, and despite how much he may have wished it otherwise, he knew that they had seen through his façade as well. They sat in silence, all facing their own inner demons in the darkness of the cold mountain, their backs turned to a yet-unseen enemy who had before been classified as one of the top soldiers in the world.

One boy continually turned, glancing over his shoulder at every slight scuffle that arose both around him and in his own mind. He'd react quickly, snapping to attention when the wind began to blow a slightly different direction, the leaves on the scarce mountain trees changing their rhythms. The other remained still the entire time, sitting cross-legged against a rock, his arms locked over his chest, and his head bowed.

At first Cloud thought the second boy might have the advantage among them, that perhaps he was experienced. It wasn't long before the blond realized that his eyes were closed, and a look of worry was embedded across his hidden face. He was shutting out the world just as much as them.

Cloud found himself tapping a foot uncontrollably when his thoughts began to wander. He'd force it still, and another nervous habit would pop up. The blond began to worry about a rash breaking out on his head, where he almost ceaselessly ran one hand through his spikes in unconscious worry.

It took him awhile to realize where the fear was originating from. In the silence he ran through countless scenarios, playing each out. If a soldier came from behind them, he could dispatch them quickly, or at least distract them long enough for the other two to come into the fight. If one came from the path to town, they would see him in advance, and could plan out an ambush. If two or more appeared, they could create any number of ploys Cloud had already plotted. If a monster appeared, he could slaughter it himself.

That, then, left only one explanation for why he was drowning in his own anxiety. Despite everything he knew about the man, his talents, his exploits, his fighting style, the brand of deodorant he wore, the way he reacted quicker to an opponent who snuck up on him than one he planned a strategy to fight, how he used each and every individual weapon he had on him to his advantage, and how he had not once been beaten in a battle, he was worried about Zack.

Maybe, he thought, though it bothered him to no end, he was only so worried about something happening because they had left on such yet unresolved terms. Although, when he thought about how he would feel if he had straightened things out beforehand, he knew he would still feel the same anxiety. He had only known Zack a short time, but he couldn't deny how strange it felt to be separated from him. Especially when his well-being was so unsure.

This time Cloud grabbed a hold of his hair, shutting his eyes tightly as he shook his head, hating the feeling that he was underestimating Zack. Nearby, one soldier took a quick glance over his shoulder, his posture broken. He snapped back, his eyes still nervous. Cloud watched him, letting his thoughts dwell on his actions. The boy made a face to himself, clearly unsure of something. He turned once more, and this time focused on a figure in the distance.

"Someone's there!" he cried, jumping up. The other boy looked up quickly, his eyes wide. Cloud remained still, having already seen the dark form.

The first boy turned to Cloud, as though he held some sort of answer. Slowly Cloud stood, determined to hold on to his confidence.

"Who is it?" the other asked quietly, still sitting as to not give away his location, if he had been yet unnoticed.

Cloud stepped forward, squinting in the darkness. "He's running, and he's not trying to hide. I don't think he's an enemy."

As if to reassure them, the approaching figure raised one arm, waving it through the air. It was either a greeting or a warning, Cloud wasn't sure, but both made his insides churn slightly.

The first soldier sighed heavily with relief. "He's friendly."

The other followed suit, falling back into his original position, his head down. "Good," he breathed, resuming his meditative stance.

Cloud wasn't ready to let go of the anxiety, something told him otherwise. The first soldier noticed the look on his face instantly, and even in the darkness, went pale.

"What's wrong?"

Cloud didn't respond. The soldier closed in, finally becoming visible. He looked, if it was even possible, younger than himself. He stumbled toward him, his eyes desperate. At once the approaching boy picked Cloud out of the three, and moved frantically toward him.

"Sir!"

Cloud stepped forward tentatively, his stomach wrenching at the look of the boy. "What is it?"

"The-the SOLDIER! And ... well actually, /both/ SOLDIERs!"

"What?"

The soldier wiped his forehead, staring at the ground absentmindedly with his frazzled eyes. "The one we're after," he started, his hand shaking slightly as it fell to his side. Cloud noticed a dark stain on his uniform, and one hand instinctively went to his weapon, "He got ahead of us. We were attacked and had to run, but Zack--"

"Zack?" Cloud approached him suddenly, his eyes wide. "What happened to Zack?"

The other soldier finally looked up, his nerves starting to calm. "He-- fell behind."

Cloud was silent for a moment, waiting for the boy to continue. He didn't. "What do you mean, 'fell behind'?"

"To let us get out. There were monsters everywhere, so we had to run, and he stayed to make sure we had an exit, but when we got out he wasn't there. We waited as long as we could, but the monsters were too thick and we had to fall back further without him."

There was another pause. Behind him, one of the soldiers that had stayed with him so far walked to Cloud's side, having heard the news. "You think something happened to him?"

The wounded soldier shook his head. "I don't know, but I've never seen so many monsters before. If he made it out, he'd be here by now, we were moving so slowly--"

"Where did you leave him?" Cloud lurched forward, only inches from the boy's face.

"About a mile northeast of here--"

"God /dammit!/" the blond took off at once, shoving the young soldier out of his way.

"Hey!" one boy called, starting off as well. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Just stay there!" Cloud called, his sprint unaffected. "Organize everyone up again and ... and do whatever we were doing before!"

One soldier yelled again, but Cloud had taken a massive leap, and between sliding down a slick, unstable portion of rock, and the deafening pounding of adrenalin and blood in his ears, he heard nothing.

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The two men stood in silence, waiting for the other to speak.

The SOLDIER eyed him carefully from across the clearing. "You're just a kid."

Zack smirked wildly, confidence streaming through him. "Afraid your loss will be a spot on your untarnished record?"

The SOLDIER remained stoic, his eyes dark, instantly resembling someone Zack had fought next to so many times before. "I suppose it /is/ futile to hold any stigmas about slaughtering someone so young."

Zack scoffed, swinging his buster sword around once more. The SOLDIER had made himself easy to find. He /wanted/ to face someone from Shinra, that was true, but he knew the men sent to Antei were there to kill him, not to negotiate. The group of young men Zack had followed left at once, upon finding their enemy. The monsters around them had grown too thick, and Zack, although he hadn't said anything, wanted to face him alone. The others were too young and too inexperienced, they were only brought along to keep the town safe, /he/ was the one who had to deal with the SOLDIER.

"I thought for once," the SOLDIER started, "Shinra was going to take me seriously. Not send me such a joke."

Zack closed his eyes, letting his sword rest on one shoulder. "If you're really that intimidated, just say so."

The SOLDIER didn't appear amused when Zack looked up once more. The black haired man's expression fell as well, always irritated when a battle was forced into being serious.

His enemy noted the change, and shifted in his spot slightly. "You're not actually planning on attacking me, are you?" He asked in his monotone voice.

Zack frowned. "You're pathetic vermin from Shinra's old days that should have been taken care of years ago. Of course I'm going to attack you."

This time, the SOLDIER expression changed slightly. Zack scowled at once, hearing the source of his attention behind him. He jumped sideways, sliding as the uneven land fell into a slight slope. The monster that had appeared behind him seemed to smile, its large, awkward jaw brimming with sharpened teeth. At once there was a warm wetness on the back of his neck, and Zack lurched forward, his eyes wide as another, smaller monster jumped on his back in his moment of inattention.

His reflexes were faster than the imps, however, and before it's tiny claw could be brought to the front of his neck, Zack had slammed himself backwards into a nearby rock. The imp fell away at once, crying out sharply as it was crushed.

"I'm not going to fight /you,/" the SOLDIER began, watching as the larger monster lunged toward Zack, who was barely able to dodge, "if you can't even survive this."

Zack growled as he slid beneath the monster's claws, standing up behind it. The demon was too awkward to turn as fast, and Zack's sword pierced the back of it's neck just before two other small replicates appeared to his side. One jumped onto his left arm, barely the size of his fist. He swung his arm around quickly, his entire body moving, and sent it flying. The other made a move for his leg, but was dispatched from the momentum of the turn in one graceful roundhouse kick, which sent it hurtling toward the SOLDIER.

The area was silent for a moment as the imp crashed into a rock only inches from the SOLDIER. Both men stood still, waiting for the other to move. Finally the SOLDIER let out what seemed to be a sigh, and Zack's eyes went wide as the feeling of blood running down his back struck him.

His hand went to his neck instinctively, where the monster had dug it's claws in. His stomach twisted slightly as he felt a deep puncture wound on the upper part of his back. He scowled at the SOLDIER. The wound wasn't deadly, but it was in no way a good omen.

"I see Shinra doesn't have nearly the same standards as it once did."

"I was wondering when you'd notice," Zack replied, ignoring the pain. "I'm still trying to figure out how they failed to notice /you./"

"Me?" the SOLDIER asked, suddenly seeming interested in the conversation. "I was with Shinra for years. I fought in the war, at the same level as Sephiroth."

Zack smirked at the name-drop. "Congratulations," he said. "But you should know that although I may just be a kid to you, I'm the only SOLDIER first class here. You're just a remnant of Shinra's past they sent me to get rid of. And don't play so high and mighty to me, you still haven't even shown me that you're /capable/ of fighting."

"You're the one with the boy?" the SOLDIER asked abruptly. Zack paused.

"What boy?"

The SOLDIER's expression was stoic, even as a young man, clearly one of his subordinates, came forward from an opening in the rocks behind him, leading Rainer by one hand. Rainer looked to Zack, his eyes wide with fear.

"You bastard!" Zack yelled, his grip on his sword tightening. "What kind of stunt is this? You can't fight me head on? You have to take some poor /kid/ to improve your chances?"

The SOLDIER grabbed the boy away from the other, yanking the arm he held. Rainer stumbled sideways, crying out slightly at the jostle. He fell to his knees at the SOLDIER's side, one hand shaking visibly as he pushed himself up, his eyes wet in the darkness.

"Go back above," the SOLDIER ordered. "Make sure everyone stays away. I'll take care of this one myself."

The other man nodded, looking Zack once over before he left. Zack stood still, nearly shaking with anger. The man disappeared.

"Let the kid go and fight /me/!" Zack yelled, inching forward in agitation.

The SOLDIER made no move. "I'm here to break Shinra," he said, his eyes cold. "Think what you want; taking hostages may be traditionally a cowards way out, but I lost any sense of a moral code watching that corporation destroy all it could. This is nothing in comparison to what /you're/ fighting to represent."

Zack grimaced at the comment, readying himself for combat. The SOLDIER remained still, Rainer quiet in his grip.

"A SOLDIER," he continued, his eyes narrowing, "should also never reveal his weakness." Zack scowled. The SOLDIER pulled his gun from his side and pointed it to Rainer. "Even if I hate that company with all my heart, SOLDIERs are respectable, and you do nothing but give them an even worse name."

Zack sprinted forward at once, not caring about his own safety. He made a grab for the SOLDIER's right arm, wrenching it away from the boy. The gun was twisted away from the boy's head, but Zack was thrown off slightly, and the SOLDIER's now free arm swung around and nicked Zack in his side with his weapon.

The dark haired man sprung back quickly, his anger quickly taking him over. He reached for the SOLDIER's right arm once more, unable to let the gun stay locked on the boy. In a split second he noticed Rainer beneath him, looking up with wide, frightened eyes. Zack suddenly realized his mistake, as his eyes returned to his adversary, who still had one free arm. Another split second past, and the SOLDIER finally smiled.

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Cloud regained his composure quickly, one hand covering his nearly crushed nose, checking vainly in the darkness for blood, silently cursing the unseen rocks beneath his feet. Looking around wildly, his eyes strained in the blackness, Cloud could hear a slight murmur of voices in the distance, and broke into a run once more. It was the fourth time he had fallen since he started his endless race; one side of his face, his left arm, and now his nose all throbbed from being thrown onto the ground. But he couldn't stop, not until he found Zack and proved the young soldier wrong.

Zack could not have gotten hurt. He could not have gotten in trouble. Cloud slowed for a moment, feeling the walls with his hands as he fought for breath. If Zack wasn't invincible, then god help them all, the one constant of the universe would be shattered, and the very foundations of time would undoubtedly collapse in on itself.

The voices perked up again, and Cloud resumed his sprint. They were real, and one sounded familiar. He grit his teeth in his mouth, not wanting to underestimate his friend's power, yet unable to keep down the feeling that he needed to be by his side. Even if he couldn't do anything to help him, he needed to be there.

The blond stopped abruptly, catching the dim outline of someone standing in the distance. It was one of the enemy, he was sure of it. Cloud inhaled deeply, calming his nerves. He was close.

He proceeded slower, moving quietly through the night, still following the same familiar voice. He walked a large circle around the figure he saw, surprised that his stealth saw him through unnoticed. The voices picked up intensity, and a small, flat clearing came into his view. He could see the dim outlines of people, and his muscles tensed at once as Zack's voice rang out clearly in the night.

Cloud fell to his knees instantly, his nerves suddenly beating him down. If he was caught here he'd become the only thing he'd ever successfully been: a burden. He wanted to help Zack, but jumping directly into the fray of a SOLDIER class battle was not the way to help anyone.

Slowly, the blond began to move, bent at the waist to avoid being seen. He crept around the enclosed arena, a barely noticeable path leading the way to the entrance. His heart beat with incredible intensity, and the painful focus of his thoughts into being silent drowned out all noise around him.

The ground declined suddenly, and Cloud stopped, not wanting to get too close. With excruciating concentration, he crept up on the side of the path, to an area that gave him a clear overview of the clearing. He swallowed hard and leaned forward, looking down.

Cloud's heart skipped a beat at his first glance. The SOLDIER had Rainer by one arm, holding him up by it painfully, wrenching the boy's wrist. In his other hand was a gun, which was pointed directly at a shocked Zack, only inches from his forehead. His friend was still, his eyes wide in a look of disbelief Cloud had never seen on his face before.

The blond turned away, sinking to his haunches, his hands shaking. He had to do something. This was real, this was a real situation. Everything else had been training, he had never had someone's life at stake, he had never had to make such a dramatic decision. He was instantly teleported to Nibleheim. He hadn't been strong enough then to help someone he cared about, that was one of the reasons he had come to Midgar -- to be able to face such a situation and be /able,/ be able to save the person, be able to make a difference, be able to act on his feelings.

His hands were numb along with his body, but he was somehow able to lift his gun with one violently trembling hand, and push himself back up. He inhaled deeply, his breath shaking just as much. He closed his eyes tightly, squeezing the gun, and jumped down to the path, his decision made.

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Zack stood still, never taking his eyes from the SOLDIER's. The gun was still in his hands, he was at complete ease in the situation. Zack swallowed hard, his mind trying desperately to calculate some means of survival-- for himself and the child.

"A SOLDIER should never reveal his weakness," he repeated, his eyes cold as he watched Zack's nerves begin to break. "You let yourself be blinded far too easily."

Zack scowled, his anger rising once more. He had heard this speech too many times, it wasn't the last thing in his life he wanted to hear.

The SOLDIER was still smiling faintly, amused by the turn of events. Zack could still see Rainer out of the corner of his eyes, watching the scene with similar disbelief. If only there were some way he could grab the boy away, everything after that were only minor details. All his thoughts were focused on somehow saving the boy his own inadequacies had threatened.

The clearing was silent when without warning, the SOLDIER fell forward suddenly, crying out as a large, Shinra-issued gun cracked across his head. Zack lunged forward instantly, taking advantage of the fall, and grabbed Rainer, pulling him back within safe distance. Still fumbling with the boy, Zack turned his head up, spotting a bit of yellow in the dim light. His heart jumped to his throat at once as the spikes took form, and the SOLDIER Cloud had knocked down began to climb to his feet again, his Mako fueled body barely affected.

"Cloud!" Zack cried, but it was too late. The SOLDIER was standing before the young recruit could gather his bearings, and something that glinted in the moonlight was drawn from its hiding place, and jammed into the blond's side.

Cloud lurched forward, toppling down to his knees in an instant, a sharp cry ringing out, both hands over the wound in his side. Zack's breath caught in his throat as he held Rainer tighter, trying desperately to think of a way out.

A small trail of blood became visible on Cloud's lips as the SOLDIER moved slowly, sheathing his knife. One hand reached down toward the blond's neck, and a low feral growl rose from the almost limp body. Zack's eyes went wide as Cloud stood, catching the SOLDIER off guard, evading the arm and punching him squarely in the jaw.

The SOLDIER barely moved at the attack, but jumped back in shock at the action, the wounded young boy in front of him still standing, one hand over his side as he stared the other down, sheer animalistic intensity in his eyes.

A moment of uncertainty washed over the SOLDIER as his underestimate of the boy became apparent. Zack clutched Rainer's shoulders hard, his own animal instincts taking over. Never taking his eyes off the two, one hand felt the ground near him, searching for his weapon.

The SOLDIER sneered at the blond, standing a safe distance away. Cloud managed to bring one shaky hand to his side, patting one leg for his own knife. Zack's hand brushed over a rock, the only thing close to him. He could see the slight glint of his sword a good distance from him out of the corner of his eyes.

Rainer shook violently in his arms, clutching futily to his chest. Zack's mind sped, trying to figure out how he had let the situation slide away from him so terribly. He had to manage it back to his advantage, he had to get Rainer out, he had to stop the SOLDIER, and he had to save Cloud.

"Zack!" someone called from behind him. The soldiers were approaching. "Behind you! There are more monsters!" Zack scowled. The /monsters/ were approaching.

The SOLDIER stood erect, the situation clearly under his control. Behind him, a horde of the misshapen imps appeared, their reptilian skin black in the moonlight. There was no way they could win, Zack realized. He had to retreat. He couldn't fight with Rainer, and he couldn't fight with Cloud.

Almost in response to Zack's thoughts, Cloud produced his own knife, the intensity in his eyes still prevalent. He was nearly doubled over as he stood, breathing hard.

"Get out," he said, struggling to speak in between his ragged breaths. "I'll hold him off--get Rainer out!"

"I can't leave you!" Zack yelled back, suddenly spotting one of the smaller imps behind cloud. He growled lowly and picked up the rock nearby, squeezing it tightly in his left hand. He juggled Rainer in his arms, managing to cast the stone directly at the monster, picking it off the ground as the rock hit it sharply.

The SOLDIER bent down slightly, readying himself for movement. Zack's reflexes strained themselves as he tried to jump forward to protect Cloud, but was held back by the young boy in his arms. Cloud tensed, readying the knife he held.

Zack knew the outcome at once, and lurched forward. "No!" he cried, only moments before the SOLDIER had snapped the wrist, the knife falling to the ground, and planted one heavy blow to Cloud's stomach, directly above his wound. The wind went out of Cloud in a second as he doubled over the fist, falling to the ground the second it was moved.

The boy clutched Zack harder, pressing his crying face deeper into his chest. Zack responded, strengthening his grip on the young boy. He grit his teeth unconsciously, watching the situation with an anxiety he hadn't felt in some time. Rainer's sobs only increased, and Zack realized the decision he had to make.

Cloud's body lay still on the ground, a dark stain forming on the bottom of his uniform. The SOLDIER stood above him, looking around territorially, for the first time showing signs of anxiety as the number of soldiers behind Zack began increase, cutting through the monsters.

Rainer tugged against Zack's shirt, and the dark haired man cringed as he faced the situation.

"Sir!" it was Yasuhiko, one of the young soldiers, at his side in an instant. "Get the kid out, we have a narrow opening, but it can't last!"

Cloud was motionless, and Zack pounded the ground with one fist, damning the situation. He shook his head as he lifted Rainer, standing up. He had to leave him. Rainer buried his face into his shoulder, and Zack cast a final glance at his friend before turning and following his men out to safety.

"I'll come back," Zack said quietly, in a voice no one heard. "There's no way in hell I'm losing you here."

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Cloud opened one eye slightly, unable to see anything. His mind was swimming, half unconscious from the wound in his side, and half delirious from the pain. He smiled weakly to himself, tearing up at the thoughts that rushed to him. The shadow of the SOLDIER passed over him, and Cloud felt confidence well up in him once more. He wanted to yell, laugh at his face, but lacked the ability. Instead a weak, painful laugh escaped his lips, his eyes still wet.

Asshole, he thought, still smiling through the pain. The pompous /asshole./ He couldn't hurt Zack, no one could. Not even if he had to stop him himself, he wouldn't let anyone hurt him.

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Notes:

- In the interest of my poor writing skills, if anyone wants to help beta the last half of this story I'd be more than appreciative. Cough. Yes.
- omg subplots wtf. Yes, some things actually DO have meaning in the long run. I know, I know, I'm shocked too.
- PS: Chapter 10 marks the breaking of 100 pages. It's currently at 107!
- PPS: I love all of you who review. A lot. Just in case you forgot or something.