A/N: "Well, I'm back again. This oneshot is a lot more serious than the last one, and quite a bit longer. It features Zack and Cloud... yeah. It's been a while since I last played the game... a year and half, but I can't now since a friend is borrowing it... anyway, some things might not fit with the canon" shrugs "Live with it..."
Disclaimer: Not my characters...
First Step
"Hey, Cloud? How ya doin'?" He didn't expect an answer. The blonde cadet was still out of it, blank blue eyes staring at nothing. Zack readjusted his grip, pulling Cloud's arm across his shoulders and warping his other hand around the thin waist. He wished he still had that motorcycle.
"You know, we probably could make a lot of money by becoming mercenaries."He randomly blurted out with asmall grin appearing. "We would be great!"
Zack half dragged half carried the blonde through the foliage that was beginning to thin. "What do ya know, a road. We might be able to hitch a ride. Despite your small stature, you're heavy." He sent Cloud down and seated next to him. Cloud leaned up against Zack's shoulder. "I wasn't calling you fat, you don't have to get defensive."
As a reflex, Zack's hand twitched to the handle of his Buster Sword. A truck was coming down the desolate road. "Hey, looks like wewill be able to hitch a ride after all."
The yellow truck slowed to a stop coming up along side them. "You boys lost?" The elderly driver asked.
"Sorta." Zack replied, getting to his feet with all grace of a First Class. "You headin' to Midgar?"
"Yup, you boys need a ride?"
"We sure do!" Zack put on a bright smile.
"Hop in the back."
Zack pulled Cloud to his feet and helped him into the flatbed of the truck. "Thanks a bunch, gramps." He remarked as he hopped in as well.
The old man started the truck again and they were on their way. He couldn't help but notice the blonde's vacant expression and listlessness. He didn't say anything realizing that it wasn't really any of his business.
"Oy, Cloud, your not still mad at me for calling you fat?" Zack leaned back against the frame. "We're friends, right Cloud?" He didn't expect an answer, nor was he surprised when he didn't receive one, it was the only thing he could think of to do. If he kept quiet, the silence would be unbearable. Just like the silence in Hojo's lab. He asked Cloud questions mostly for his own sake, because in his mind he could imagine the responses the shy blond would make.
Yeah, Zack, we're friends. And I wouldn't get mad over something like you calling me fat! The imagined spluttered reply came.
"Yo, gramps, know any good jobs that would suit us?" Zack called over his shoulder.
"You need to try stuff! You're still young, live life while you can!" Came the reply.
Zack laughed, running a hand through his black spikes. "I still like the mercenary idea. Right, Cloud?" He reached over to ruffle the blond spikes that were just about unruly as his own.
Stop it, Zack! The whine, he never really likes it when Zack tousled his hair.
"Cloud! Watch out!" A gunshot rang out, followed by a second. The truck swerved, threatening to tip, but coming to a stop. Zack was upon Cloud, covering the smaller. His shoulder was burning as blood flowed freely down his arm. They slid out the back of the truck; they were so close to Midgar.
The old man had a bullet in the middle of his forehead. Zack muttered an apology as they passed by.
Oh my god, Zack, they're here. Why can't they leave us alone?
"Damn that Hojo." Zack grimaced; his shoulder still hurt despite the Mako treatments.
Zack dragged Cloud; they were going to make it to Midgar. There! He could see the top of ShinRa Headquarters. "Almost there, Cloud, hang tight."
"Freeze!"
Zack stopped. Heknew the soldiers were behind him, his senses told that there were seven at the moment trying to stop them. He grinned, letting Cloud slip to the ground, he reached over his shoulder and grabbed the hilt of his Buster Sword.
"I said freeze!"
Zack pulled the blade free and whirled around, sweeping the blade in a wide arch. He was still grinning. The idiot soldiers aimed their weapons but hesitated. He charged forward, swinging his weapon with ease. Using the flat side, he knocked the first opponent in the head crushing his skull. He flipped the weapon to the blade side, the first victim didn't even slow him down, and the second had his torso neatly severed. The third took a kick to the sternum that cracked his ribs, turning them inward to puncture his lungs.
Shots were fired, but he blocked each one with the great blade. The other four adversaries were a greater distance away, staying away from the dangerous SOLDIER.
One of them took a bead on the unmoved blonde. The other specimen. He fired.
Zack noted the change in target almost a second to late. He took the bullet with a grunt as it pierced his side. Determined to stay alive, he tried to block the other shots, but mistakes were made. He turned in the air on his descent to the ground and collapsed face first, knowing full well that his First Class advantages were going to be no help. "Cloud, run!" He gasped through the blood filling his mouth.
The blue eyes, once a clear blue, now a lost, deep sapphire from the Mako, just stared at him.
I won't leave you here to die!
"Cloud!"
Shots ripped through the once proud SOLDIER, the lifeblood ebbing away. The cobalt eyes still stared pleadingly through the black hair, pleading that the blonde would be able to wake up and get out of there. They pleaded, but there was no life in them.
One of the soldiers kicked the body. "What do we do with this one?" He asked, motioning to the blonde.
Another laughed. "He's vegetable! He won't be going nowhere.(1) The monsters will get to him within the day. Just leave 'im."
The four walked away, away from the two specimens and over their dead comrades with out a second thought.
"So, you want to get into SOLDIER? Good luck."
A mischievous grin. "You wanna meet Sephiroth?"
His hand drew away. "You don't like me messing up your hair, do ya?" Smirk.
"I can help you, with training for SOLDIER that is."
"God, Sephiroth is sometimes such a pain! Mr. Perfect! So what if I didn't hand in my report?"
Black spikes bobbing with laughter. "I could so see you wearing a dress and a wig! You would probably look pretty cute too!" (2)
"Hey," A smile "we're friends."
"Something is odd with Sephiroth..."
"Stop… him." Blood smeared on the broken Mako containers.
"Let's get out of here." A quick glance around Hojo's lab.
"We're friends, right Cloud?"
"Zack?" The rain felt cold against his skin, a few blond spikes fell limply and were plastered to his face. His joints were stiff and aching. "Zack? C'mon, Midgar is just ahead."
His eyes finally focused on the blood that was beginning to wash away from the still body. "Zack!" Panic started to rise in his voice.
"Cloud! Watch out!" Gunshots.
"Sorry, gramps."
A feral grin.
More gunshots. "Cloud, run!"
"No!"
"Cloud!"
"ZACK!"
Strength flooded his limbs and he scrambled over to the body of his friend. Sobs tore through him as he gripped Zack's coarse clothing.
He didn't know how long he stayed there, but night soon fell. Even in the dark he could see surprisingly well. He carefully pulled the straps off of Zack's- no, he couldn't think of him dead. He put on the straps that would enable him to carry the Buster Sword across his back.
Slowly getting to his feet, he looked down at the still form. "I'll live out both of our lives, Zack. I promise."
He turned towards Midgar, and brushed back his wet hair, the action causing his hair to retain its normal spikes despite the slowing rain. Taking the first step towards the city, his promise became everything.
With that first step, the life of a young man known as Cloud Strife was now blended with the life of the First Class SOLDIER, Zack.
1: Yes, a double negative makes a positive. It was intentional, because Cloud did end up going somewhere.
2: I could so see Zack saying this! And Cloud would stand there blushing, denying the fact while Zack laughed. I have to wonder what brought the subject up...
A/N: "Thanks for the reviews from the pervious chapter and again if you have any requests, make them, I might write them for ya. See you around. Next chapter will be the request from Sharem."
Death