Disclaimer – I don't own FF7

Coeurl

By Crimson Skies

Chapter Thirteen – Close Encounters

Two weeks since Cloud had started teaching Reno how to use materia, and he still hadn't quite gotten the hang of it. Admittedly, it wasn't something one normally learned in half a month, but he should have at least been able to produce a frost. Cloud sighed in exasperation. Maybe that was the problem. Cloud had started Reno out on an Ice materia. Really, Fire materia were the best for beginners. The only problem was that Cloud detested fire and refused to even touch a Fire materia. The only results they'd had was with the Bolt material, and then it was just a few sparks. And Bolt was probably the hardest for a beginner. Cloud attributed it to Reno having a natural aptitude for all things electrical.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do," Cloud said finally, taking in Reno's frustrated face. "You are going to take that materia…yes the Fire one…and you are going to practice with it. The trick to using materia in the beginning is channeling the right emotion. Yes I know I've told you this before," he added, seeing the look the other boy shot him.

"That's why fire is good for most beginners. Frustration and anger is the key and when you're starting you have both in multitudes. The reason I haven't had you try it before is because, honestly, I don't like fire and I didn't want to be on the receiving end of any accidents. But I can see that this won't work any other way. So, while you practice, I'm going to go out for a walk. While I'm walking do your very best to release your anger through the materia. When I get back you can demonstrate what you've been able to do while I stand very, very far away," Cloud finished.

"Frustration and anger, huh? Just wait, I'll master this one in no time," Reno assured him.

"No doubt," Cloud said wryly. He beat a swift retreat out the door as Reno snatched the fire materia from where it lay in the corner. "Oh, and you might want to practice outside," Cloud called back as he jogged away. "For safety reasons…"

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"Ah, breathe that sweet, fresh, smog." Zack grinned as he strolled through the streets. Nevermind that he was breathing smog and nevermind that passerby were giving him strange looks. Nothing could beat him down right now. After all, he'd just escaped from his interviewing job for the afternoon. An entire afternoon on leave. Two weeks ago he would have called his superiors (including the almighty General) cheap behind their backs and complained the rest of the day. Now he was just grateful for the short reprieve.

A sudden shout barely registered on his senses.

"Thief!"

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Cloud couldn't help it if the merchant turned his back on his goods. Really! This was Midgar after all. Did the dumb man really expect people to leave his money alone if he didn't pay attention? So when the opportunity presented itself, he wasn't able to restrain himself. And he would have gotten away completely unnoticed if the man hadn't happened to turn back at that exact second.

As it was, now he was being chased down the street followed by cries of "Thief!" But he wasn't really worried. No one would stop to help the greedy merchant. Actually, other thieves were probably making off with his goods while he chased Cloud. Served him right. Not wanting to be bothered, people actually moved out of Cloud's way.

He'd nearly lost the merchant when a man casually strolled out of a side-street into the middle of the road, a completely clueless expression on his face. Unable to stop, Cloud ran headlong into the stranger. They were sent careening into a pen of milling chickens. And if his day couldn't get any worse…Cloud was allergic to chicken feathers.

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One moment he'd been walking along, minding his own business and then next he was sent sprawling in a pen of…chickens? Zack shook his head in bewilderment. He wondered for a moment why his body felt so heavy when he finally noticed the teen sitting on his stomach, a teen that had just let loose and impressive sneeze.

"Bloody chickens and their stupid feathers," the boy muttered. He continued on to rant about 'corrupt merchants' and 'stupid blockheads' and 'damn Fire materia'. Zack had no idea what the connection was, and to be honest he didn't quite care. He was too busy staring at the odd youth whose hair was as spiky as his own and decidedly…blond.

"…and so I've come to the conclusion that I'm an unlucky bastard," the blond finished, finally able to open his watering eyes after so much sneezing. Zack decided right then and there that the sky itself had nothing on that shade of blue.

"Um, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind getting off me?" Zack asked finally. The boy glanced down at him in surprise. A calculating look entered his eyes as he noticed the SOLDIER uniform. The muttered comment of "damn Shinra lackeys" did not escape Zack's sharp ears. Nevertheless, the boy did climb off of him and then proceeded to completely ignore him, too busy picking chicken feathers off his clothes. Zack decided he didn't really appreciate this.

"What, no 'sorry for running into you'?" he demanded, arms crossed. "Or at least a 'thanks for breaking my fall?' Disrespectful gaki!"

"Who are you calling-?" the boy was cut off mid-sentence by a cry of "Thief!" A startled looked crossed his face. He didn't waste any time before bolting, scattering chickens and feathers in his wake. Zack was left in wide-eyed silence, still not quite sure what had exactly transpired.

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Midgar really wasn't his favorite place to be, bad memories or not, Vincent thought to himself. It was just too noisy and crowded. And he'd never been a people person. Today hadn't started off well either. He'd gotten nowhere in his 'Cloud hunt' and now he'd nearly been blind-sided by a fat man screaming "Thief" at the top of his lungs. People were just bothersome, he concluded.

Walking past a spiky-haired man chasing after a bunch of loose chickens and being scolded by a middle-age housewife (presumably the chickens' owner) he also decided that people were weird.

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Cloud arrived at his and Reno's shack just in time to see billows of smoke come rolling out through every opening. "Thought I told him to practice outside," Cloud mumbled. A second later, a coughing red head stumbled from hut. A triumphant look was plastered on his face. Cloud immediately noted, with no small amount of amusement, that his eyebrows had been singed off. Nevermind the Shinra lackey and the grubby merchant…the sight of an eyebrowless Reno just made his day…

"What's so funny?" Reno demanded, finally noticing Cloud laughing on the ground, tears at the corners of his eyes.

ENDCHAPTERTHIRTEEN

Sorry about the shortness of the chapter. I'm working on time constraints between my treatments and all. Anyway, I have sympathy for Reno. My eyebrows are gone too, thought in my case they fell out. Oh well, at least I know they'll grow back. Tell me what you thought of the chapter, okay? The good and the bad.

Thanks to:

irin, kk, MajinBakaHentai, dimonyo-anghel, Kaoru, rei, White Topaz, rurouniturtle, Cendrillo, SarsMortis, and nicole

for reviewing. I love all of you guys. You make my day. Hope this chapter made yours.