Title: Reunion of Brothers

Author: Chimera Dragon

Translations: Nii-San – Big Brother

Nii-chan – Little Brother

Ka-San – Mother

Daijobu – Okay/I'm alright

Gomen nasai – I'm very sorry (I broke it up because he's gasping)

Nani – What?

Chapter 2

A few days later . . .

Cloud, Loz, and Yazoo had recovered the remains of Loz's bike as well as having brought back Yazoo and Kadaj's bikes. Yazoo worked on tuning up his own while Loz rebuilt his from the scraps of his old bike.

Yazoo and Loz stayed with Cloud at the church. Loz particularly enjoyed getting help watch the kids because they like playing with him. The kids loved the fact that one of the 'adults' enjoyed paying with them as much as Loz did. Loz would often toss one of the children high into the air and then catch them. The first time Cloud and Tifa had walked in on such a scene they both nearly lost it and attacked Loz.

Begin Flashback

A little girl screamed, as she flew high into the air. Cloud and Tifa had just entered the church and started to fun to her when Yazoo stood up form one of the pews and stopped him.

"Watch, Nii-San," Yazoo said and held Cloud's shoulder.

Loz caught the little girl who giggled and hugged him. The silver-haired man laughed and set her on the ground, she pouted at him for a moment. "It's someone else's turn."

"Okay Loz-Nii-San!" she replied running to the back of the line to next Loz.

"Loz," Yazoo called quietly.

"Hai, Nii-San?" Loz asked, turning to look with two kids hanging from his powerful arms.

Cloud stared in disbelief for a moment.

"Nii-San!" Loz called waving to Cloud awkwardly.

"Big Brother Loz! You promised to play with us!" one of the children on his arm whined.

Loz smiled and set down one of the children and threw the one that was whining into the air and caught them with little effort.

"The children were bored, so Loz offered to play with them since you two weren't here. I've been watching over them," Yazoo said dropping his arm tiredly.

"Thank you," Cloud replied, placing a hand on Yazoo's shoulder.

"How long have you two been here?" Tifa asked.

"Three or four hours. Loz is training," Yazoo replied with a shrug. "He used to do the same thing with me."

"Oh," Tifa replied, looking between Yazoo and the children. "Must be easier with the kids."

Yazoo laughed for a moment. "I'm heavier, but he also has to catch them. It evens out in the end."

End flashback

Cloud walked into the church and saw Yazoo with several of the older children teaching them what appeared to be ancient history. Yazoo looked up and locked eyes with Cloud for a moment before turning back to what he was doing.

Cloud continued through the church carrying a silver canister. He quickly found Loz working on his motorcycle. Loz had nearly finished rebuilding the body of his bike, he looked up at Cloud from half under his bike.

"I've got the water to try again," Cloud said holding up the canister marked with the symbol of Shinra on it.

"Good," Loz replied climbing out from under the motorcycle and wiped his hands off. The two of them walked over to Yazoo who looked up at them and stood, laying his book on the ground.

"Yes, Nii-San?" Yazoo asked looking at Cloud.

"We're going to try again, did you want to watch?" Cloud asked.

"No, I'm going to rest," Yazoo replied looking tired. He turned to the children who had been sitting with him. "We're done for today."

Some of the children groaned and slowly moved away to find something else to do.

"How'd you get them so interested in History?" Cloud asked. "And why were you teaching them?"

"Tifa, 'asked' me to. And you simply have teach in a way that," Yazoo tilted his head to the side," appeals to them. Go, try the cure and let me know how that goes." Yazoo laid down on one of the pews and closed his eyes.

Cloud looked at the book Yazoo had been teaching from and noticed the black ooze that was on edges of the book. He looked back at where Yazoo laid and saw the pained expression on the long-haired man's face. Yazoo's arm twitched and his right hand; which fell to touch the ground, had black ooze dripping slowly from his gloved hand.

"Come, Nii-San, we should hurry," Loz said motioning to the back of the church. Loz stopped for a moment to place Yazoo's hand gently back onto his chest and let him get was rest he could.

Cloud took a shot glass and filled it with from the pool of water under the open roof of the church. The water glowed with a faint green light.

"Yazoo said this should be the right amount," Cloud said and poured the shot glass into the canister and swirled the water.

Loz silently took his coat off and unwrapped his forearm. Cloud dipped the shot glass into the new water from the canister and carefully poured it over Loz's arm.

"How's that?" Cloud asked as they both watched the Geostigma disappear from his arm in a swirl of green light.

"No pain at all," Loz replied with a grin. Cloud gave a minuscule smile and poured more of the water on Loz's bicep. "We can cure Nii-San!"

"Yes we can," Cloud replied as they hear the roar of a motorcycle engine and the squeal of tires on dirt and pavement.

"Cloud-Nii-San! Loz-Nii-San!" one of the children cried running into the room while Loz quickly put his coat back on, looking as though he sensed something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked kneeling in front of the child, a little boy.

"Yazoo-Nii-san ran away!" the child cried bursting into tears and clinging to Cloud.

"What?" Loz demanded. He knelt next to Cloud and put a gentle hand on the boy's back. "Please, tell us exactly what happened! You'll help us find, Nii-San."

"He was just lying there sleeping 'cause he's been really sick," the child began with a sniffle, trying to be brave. "He moaned and sat up real fast. Then he ran out the door and rode off."

"Did he say anything?" Cloud asked.

"Nii-chan, I think," the boy replied thinking hard. "And something that sounded like Kay-dodge!" he smiled at them proudly.

"Thank you," Loz replied and stood. He picked up his re-made Dual Hound and stalked out of the church. He sat down on Kadaj's bike and waited for Cloud.

"Do you have any idea where he's going?" Cloud asked as he hopped on Fenrir.

"No, but we can follow his tracks, and I can . . . feel him," Loz replied, eyes distant for a moment. "Do you have the cure with you?"

Cloud nodded and showed Loz the container. The two of them took off following the faint trail left by Yazoo's motorcycle.

Several Hours Later . . .

Cloud and Loz had finally lost Yazoo's trail when they reached the glowing forest of Ajit. Cloud shivered slightly looking at the forest.

Loz sat back and closed his eyes. He raised his arm, pointing deeper into the forest. "He's by a body of water . . ." Loz said, voice distant and hollow.

"Loz, is he at the lake where you all took the children?" Cloud asked not relishing the idea.

"I don't know," Loz replied with a sigh of defeat. His shoulders slumped and he looked near crying.

"Come on," Cloud said putting a comforting hand on Loz's shoulder. "We'll find him."

"I know we will," Loz replied, straightening his shoulders. "I'll lead," Loz said commandingly. Cloud nodded and followed Loz as they took of breakneck speed. They finally arrived at the lake where Cloud laid Aerith to rest. They looked up and saw Yazoo walking to the deepest spot. Yazoo's body looked out of focus and his face was twisted in agony.

Cloud set the canister into one of Fenrir's compartments and followed Loz into the water.

"Nii-San!" Loz called. "Stop! You'll hurt yourself!"

"Nii . . . chan . . ." Yazoo mumbled, voice hollow. He half knelt in the water until only his head was above the surface. He stood back up and turned around with Kadaj in his arms. Kadaj's face was peaceful and it looked as though he was asleep.

"Yazoo? Nii-San? What's going on?" Loz asked worriedly. Yazoo slowly walked over to them and laid Kadaj in Cloud's arms.

Kadaj groaned and curled into Cloud's chest with a groan of, "Nii-San, I missed you."

Yazoo sighed and collapsed face-down in the water.

"Nii-San!" Loz cried and picked up Yazoo from the water and easily carried him back to shore. He gently laid his shuddering brother on the ground and carefully removed Yazoo's jacket.

"Let me help you," Cloud offered as he propped Kadaj against the side of Fenrir. He opened yet another compartment and pulled out a towel. Between the tow of them they got Yazoo dried off. Yazoo continued to shudder, body arching off the ground in pain.

"Yazoo-Nii-San," Loz begged, tears in his eyes. "Please don't leave us." Loz held Yazoo's hand as though Yazoo could use his strength.

"Hm," Kadaj murmured waking up and stretching like a cat. "Nii-chan? What's going on? Why do you two look so stressed out?"

"Nii-San is dying!" Loz cried, tears began rolling down his face as Yazoo's body gave a particularly hard shudder.

"What?" Kadaj demanded quickly kneeling next to Yazoo. "You damned idiot! You were supposed to wait until you found the cure!" Kadaj snarled looking as though he might start crying as well.

"We did find it," Loz replied. "We just didn't get a chance to give it to him before he came to find you."

"It's true," Cloud replied pulling the Shinra canister out of Fenrir.

Kadaj growled in frustration. "I don't know how much good that's going to do at this point. His body may reject it now."

"Ka-San!" Yazoo screamed hands in front of himself as though to ward something away. "No! I won't! I won't become that!" Yazoo protested weakly.

"Nani?" Cloud asked confused.

"It looks as though JENOVA-Ka-San is trying to use him," Kadaj replied placing a soothing hand on his brother's forehead. "We'll have to try that cure of yours."

"G-gomen . . .na . . . sai" Yazoo gasped weakly, eyes open a bit and clouded with pain as his body continued to shudder.

"Why didn't you wait?" Kadaj asked, tears welling up.

"Nii-San," Loz cried piteously.

"Daijobu, Nii-chan," Yazoo replied, placing a hand on Loz's arm. "Don't cry."

"I'm not crying!" Loz insisted, wiping his eyes.

"Let's see if this cure will work," Kadaj said looking up at Cloud. When they looked back down Yazoo had passed out again.

"Right," Cloud replied as he, Loz, and Kadaj unwrapped the various spots of Geostigma. "Do you want me to do it?"

"Sure," Kadaj replied. Cloud opened the canister and poured some of the water down Yazoo's arm.

"Do you think it'll work?" Loz asked with a hint of fear in his voice.

"Sure it will," Kadaj assured. "Just have faith in Nii-San."

Yazoo sighed in relief as the Geostigma on his arm evaporated in a swirl of green light. "Thank you," he murmured in his sleep.

Kadaj smiled and helped Loz lean Yazoo forward so that Cloud could pour more of the water on his back. Yazoo's body gave a final shudder as the last of the Geostigma disappeared.

"Thank goodness that worked," Kadaj sighed. The two of them gently laid him back down on the ground.

"Nii-San?" Loz asked looking at Kadaj. "I-we thought you had died. We saw you . . ."

". . . go into the Life stream," Yazoo finished opening his eyes a bit.

"I did, but," Kadaj began uncertainly. "She said that I was still needed."

"Ka-San?" Loz asked curiously.

"No, it was this really nice woman," Kadaj replied sounding wistful. "She wore a lot of pink and . . ."

"She had a really nice voice?" Yazoo asked.

"Yeah," Kadaj replied.

"That sounds like Aerith," Cloud murmured to himself.

"Is that her name?" Kadaj asked looking at Cloud. "She's really nice but didn't tell me her name. She and some guy with spiky black hair took care of me while I was in the Life stream."

"Zack?" Cloud asked.

"He said, 'tell Cloud that he's doing a good job,'" Kadaj replied.

Cloud looked stunned for a moment.

"I'm just glad you came back," Yazoo said stilly lying limply on the ground. He sat up; still a little weak, and hugged Kadaj tightly. Loz sniffled and suddenly grabbed Cloud and bear-hugged the three of them together.

Cloud grunted, Yazoo hn'd, and Kadaj squeaked.

"Loz, I think you are breaking ribs," Yazoo finally said as he patted his brother's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Nii-San," Loz replied sheepishly as he loosened his hold.

"Kadaj grunted and massaged his ribs. "No harm, no foul."

"So, now what do we do?" Yazoo asked getting slowly to his feet. "I don't hear Ka-San's constant call anymore. Do you, Kadaj?"

"No, her voice seems to be gone. I think we should find our real parents. JENOVA-Ka-San wasn't really our mother," Kadaj replied.

"But how will we find them?" Loz asked.

"We research, Yazoo replied simply as he carefully put his coat back on. "We should start with the old Shinra building. I heard that," Yazoo began, "Some of Hojo's lab survived."

"I know that some of it survived," Cloud said speaking up. "I've been there."

"Can you take us there, Nii-San?" Kadaj asked looking hopeful. He put an arm around Yazoo's waist and helped his brother over to the motor cycles. Kadaj then helped Yazoo over to the motorcycles. Kadaj put Yazoo on his motorcycle and then sent Loz a look. /You drive, Yazoo-Nii-San's bike back to where ever we're staying./

/Okay." Loz replied and got onto Yazoo's motorcycle.

/Do you want me to ride with you/ Yazoo asked looking at Kadaj. /I'm fairly certain I can hold on./

/Yes, I'll have you with me./ Kadaj replied with a nod, and Loz nodded back at them.

"What's going on?" Cloud asked watching as Kadaj mounted how own bike in front of Yazoo.

"We're following you back, Nii-San," Kadaj replied.

/He doesn't know./ Yazoo reprimanded gently.

/Oh, I forgot./ Kadaj replied, mildly sheepish. He looked over at Cloud. /Sorry, Nii-San./ Kadaj "spoke" to Cloud.

Cloud had turned to look at the lake for a moment. "it's alright," Cloud replied looking back at the brothers.

/No, Nii-San, he didn't speak aloud./ Yazoo corrected.

Cloud stared at them in shock for a moment. "You can . . ."

/Speak telepathically/ Yazoo asked mildly amused.

"How . . . ?" Cloud asked dumbfounded.

"It was something that Hojo," Yazoo began, looking disgusted at the thought of Hojo, "thought it would be beneficial in battle and for missions. He once told me that anyone related to the Sephiroth project would be able to hear us and that we can hear them."

"Why me?" Cloud asked curious.

"You have enough Jenova in you that you're practically related to us," Yazoo replied. "That's why you're our Nii-San."

"But how is that ability possible?" Cloud asked hopping on Fenrir.

"I don't know," Yazoo replied as he and his brothers shrugged. "We just can. It's like the way Sephiroth controlled you at the temple of the Ancients. We should get back to the church. The children are probably worried about what happened to us."

"Okay," Cloud replied still a little amazed by what he had just witnessed. The three of them rode back to the church in complete silence.

TBC . . .