AUTHOR'S NOTE: I AM SO FUCKING SORRY ITS BEEN SO LONG OH MY GOD. I HAD NO EXCUSE EITHER.
NONE.
ZIP.
ZILCH.
ZERO.
I just didn't feel like writing this! I was sitting on this chapter for so long it annoyed me to hell and back. Worse yet, I had to break it up because then it would be TOO long... but its so boring... and I wasn't sure if I should put the test of the Temple in the same chapter... but its too short... It just wouldn't come together right. So I said fuck this shit and decided to make this chapter a 'set-up' chapter. Kinda. Hopefully, it'll be okay once the rest comes out.
I also got sick... I had some family issues... but I had those resolved for a while and just kept sitting on this. Again, no excuse. I'm hoping I'll be able to pick this back up again though. I've had a different writing project going on too- something original! And I wanted to do that more than this. But, I promised I finished this monster, and I shall!
Anyways, This is from the perspective of Cloud and Vincent. Have fun!
~777~
Cloud wasn't sure if he now truly hated the guy for holding out on him, or if he just hated the whole shitty situation he was in in general. So to make things simpler, he eventually decided it was both.
Sea-foam and salty brine slapped him and his comrades in the face as the bobbing Tiny Bronco bucked across burly, writhing waves. The undulating obsidian waters tried endlessly to drag the plane down; but could do nothing for it as it galloped across the surface in swift abandon. Everyone bobbed along with it, hoping to keep with the momentum and prevent from getting unceremoniously thrown into the sea. Admittedly, it was funny watching Red hiss when some of the water got into his face. He must've been the one who loathed this kind of travel the most.
In the meantime, Cloud continued to eye the medicine in his hand all the while. He hadn't taken it yet, despite Garm's cautionary words. His doubts and hesitation edged his nerves like blades being sharpened to cut-throat perfection. He turned the bag over, having not noticed he was being watched in-turn. He was so distracted with his own ruminations that Tifa had settled herself quite near him; sitting just spans away right behind him at the tail-end of the plane. He merely continued eyeing the bag the entire time, blinking as he studied the mako vial and the other two prescription meds in-turn.
"I-I... I have what?" He blurted at Garm last night, while they were at the Golden Saucer.
The other man huffed, looking rather believably bereaved despite being masked. "You got... Sephiroth's cells in ya..." He reiterated. "-And its probably clashing with your um... your amnesia..."
Cloud blinked, looking helplessly between him and the bag of medicine in his gloved hand. Somehow, he always suspected he had something like amnesia; seeing as his last five years were still a blank slate. But it was still different actually hearing it being said out loud and not just be something he inwardly and vaguely acknowledged.
So all he could say to that was, "B-but... how... when-?"
"Hojo was responsible for it," Garm went on to say, his brows noticeably lowering to his shock-blue eyes. His tinted goggles did nothing to hinder the visible animosity surging within him as he said, "Dunno why he did it, but Hojo's been putting bits and pieces of Sephiroth in a bunch of subjects lately... We still don't know why. Let's just say, you're not the only one with this problem."
"But I'm the only one where its so acute," the merc snorted bitterly.
Garm blinked a few times, and then glanced away. He lifted a hand; perhaps to rub at the back of his head before stopping in mid-motion. "Uh... well," He didn't elaborate there, but the vocalization did drive the point home well enough.
"But how would... when did it happen?" Cloud blundered on, feeling like he was still missing some rather vital context here. He knew he shouldn't ask either; seeing as he already suspected when it happened- but he wanted to hear the confirmation of this conjecture from the source itself.
Garm shifted uneasily on the chair he was on, sitting a little a ways from Cloud; who was resting on the edge of his bed. "I'm guessing you still don't remember anything of your last five years, considering the nature of your question..."
When Cloud grimly shook his head in answer, the associate sighed. The sound however had an off quality to it; as if he was trying to disguise something like potential disappointment. But what exactly would this stranger be disappointed about? Instead, he went on, "Figures... freaking anterograde and disassociative amnesia doin' its thing here..."
"Wha- I have multiple kinds of amnesia?" Cloud blinked, and then suddenly felt incensed. "How the FUCK would you even know about it!? And for that matter, how come you never said anything until now?"
Garm raised both his hands in immediate surrender, his expression, albeit largely guarded, still displayed traces of his chagrin. He looked liked he was about to answer the loaded questions too, until he stopped and considered something else. He shook his head at some enigmatic thought, and then, "I... I'm just the middle-man here... I'm just telling ya what the doc was tellin' me to-"
"BULLSHIT," Cloud spat with tangible ire, jabbing a finger at him. "Don't you be givin' me that crap! Not after all you've done!"
Garm back-pedaled, and this couldn't be more evident when the words died upon his unseen lips and he was raising both hands again in a submissive gesture.
Cloud however advanced anyways, continuing in an increasingly blustery bellow, "Give me one good reason to stop trusting anything you're saying right now: I fucking mean it... After all, YOU'RE the one who keeps risking his neck to do all this shit even though you don't really get anything beneficial from it. For that matter-" He stood up to his fullest height, "I know Tseng keeps his men hospitalized for the shit you have... But why let you keep moseying around as you are? And why help ME for fuck's sake?"
"Cloud-"
Aforementioned individual suddenly leaned in, his nose barely hand-spans from Garm's mask as they met eye-to-eye. "I ain't buying anymore of your dumbass 'middle-man' bullshit... there ain't no way in HELL you're just some fucking trainee either- seein' as you let me kill Palmer, go out of your way to help us, and you're doing it in the condition that you're in... I'd imagine Tseng would keep you bed-ridden too, if it wasn't for the fact that he has no say over what you can or can't do-"
He bared his teeth next, "-Which incidentally says you're not REALLY under his orders... you're free-lancing, or volunteering to do all this for some sorta personal gain. You're not Shinra, and you're certainly NOT a fuggin' Turk. I don't know who the fuck you are, but you ain't no god-damn middle-man- Not when its evident you have a personal stake in this!"
The merc finally, and perhaps thankfully, moved away; balling his fists at his sides and feeling some sort of rampant fire spear its way through his veins. He sighed next, as if releasing whatever tension was left within him as he said, "...Tifa trusts you, Aerith trusts you, and you're helping AVALANCHE rebel against Shinra. I see you're an ally of some kind... I ain't stupid. But for fuck's sake, I just don't get for why or what reason." He shook his head. "I can deal with that... in fact, that's just fuckin' dandy knowing we've had help this entire time... But my problem here is you: YOU are the one thing I just can't seem to wrap my fucked-up head around."
Cloud meandered away, pacing the length of the guest room with his back to Garm. His shoulders slumped next, "You strike me as the honest type... and the fact that you got people like Tifa and Aerith staunchly defending your position is definitely hint enough. They want us to just give you the key despite our reservations. You claim a whole town is in danger, and don't tell me which town it is specifically and not back up the evidence because its personal. Why else would something like that matter to you when the Turks have condoned entire city sections for Shinra's petty victories before? What's that got anything to do with you? Why would Tifa and Aerith want me to implicitly trust you with our hard-earned treasure, even though you won't tell us what town is in danger of getting erased?"
He shot Garm a glance over his shoulder, feeling his own worn nerves tatter and fray even further the longer he eyed the man: He saw it within him then... something old and familiar and warm.
He saw him, for that one second.
He saw... him.
And he just didn't know why, but he couldn't help but... once again... make the connection that Garm and Zack were connected in some way. He just didn't understand why, but there was context here and Cloud knew the girls knew. But what was keeping their mouths shut? Was there yet some other piece of the puzzle that they think Cloud just can't handle?
Was it... Minerva forbid, possible that even Tifa of all people couldn't trust him with something so vital and so precious?
"I... I'm sorry..."
The merc flapped his gums, realizing that Garm was taking the moment to speak.
"You're right... and that's the bitch of it," Garm elaborated in a vague murmur, his mild-mannered timbre so soft it was almost intimate as it was dispirited. "Its just... I just can't, man... I can't tell you. I'm afraid of the consequences of it if I did," he solemnly supplied, keeping his eyes to the floor.
He's not even disguising his voice anymore.
"What're you on about?" Cloud tilted his head slightly, meandering back over and stopping a meter from him.
The man shook his head in detached way, his arms resting on the back of the chair. He leaned against it, his body shrinking as he sunk further into his seat, "Cloud... If I could tell you the whole damn truth and be certain of the consequences of it, I'd tell ya the whole damn thing right now. But I can't... and I'm not supposed to until I know for sure it won't fuck up both you and me more."
Cloud blinked so many times there, and then pressed, "Now that sounds an awful lot like you actually give a damn about me personally..."
The accusation should've unsettled the other, but did nothing of the sort. At this point, the conversation had long since been derailed from Garm's original reason for being here. They're crossing some forbidden territory here- and it was something that Cloud hadn't expected after having such a damn good date with Tifa not moments ago.
So much for their good time while they were stuck here in this Shinra-owned park.
Garm meanwhile said nothing against this, but didn't exactly say anything to support it neither. Instead, he merely drew himself to his fullest height and threw up his hands again for what seemed to be the millionth time tonight. "Look man... I can't say anymore here. I'm not only unable to, but its completely off-topic." He finally looked Cloud in the eyes here; his tinted goggles doing nothing to conceal the glint of his mako-charged gaze, "All I can say is this: I held up my end of our agreement: I told you about your conditions, the Turks want you for something, and technically, I didn't lie about being the middle-man in that essence- even though the reasons for it are admittedly... not something we should be broaching right now."
He walked up, and then held out the baggie with the meds in it. "At this point, all I can say is this: Please take these... It'll help out in ways that'll hopefully pave the way for a better conclusion to this unfinished conversation in the near future. If they start to help, please let me know. Hopefully then, I can finally let you in on the whole damn thing. This, I can assure you."
Cloud snorted as he took the bag. "So, you want me to take these, and your word that you'll actually come clean soon?"
"Its all I can give you," Garm huffed. "Haven't I proved my actions sincere enough?"
Cloud twitched his nose and tucked the meds away. He eyed Garm all the while, "Maybe, but you still reek of secrecy. I dunno why the girls think its a good idea for you to just take the key, but I'll concede to their judgment. Aerith always did do us right with her advice and counsel."
"And not Tifa?" Garm bobbed a single shoulder, his tone carrying just a hint of his relief when Cloud didn't press further.
"Well, yeah, of course she has-" Cloud wondered if the girls were sitting just outside the guest-room door listening in on this. "She's just always so secretive about it."
Garm nodded, and then scooped up his blades and reholstered them. "I'm just sorry I can't say more, Cloud. Really, I am. I asked my superiors so many times, but yunno how Turks are... a hard lot."
"On that, I think we can both agree on," Cloud muttered.
Cloud jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder, flinching in reflex but noticing it was Tifa who was in fact merely trying to get his attention. She smiled demurely, but her eyes certainly didn't behold any of the same sentiment seen upon her curling lips. "You okay there?" She started with an uncertain, almost cautious tone.
Cloud huffed, and then stowed the baggy away. It wasn't missed when he saw Tifa's brow quirk from the corner of his vision. "Nuthin' doin'," he huffed, focusing the majority of his gaze on the front. He took in the watery horizon line, ocean spray merrily slapping him and his fellows in the face the closer the Tiny Bronco got to their destination. "Just wonderin' about what Garm's finding in there," he reluctantly conceded to her.
Tifa bit and nibbled her likely salty lips, releasing Cloud's shoulder and settling both hands on her lap. "Yeah," she trailed off. "He uh... he did seem more stressed than usual..."
"I just don't get it it with you an' her," He flicked his head towards Aerith, who was bantering away with Cid and Barret rather happily despite whatever the Cetra could be feeling right now. "Its like," Cloud trapped Tifa with his rather pointed neon-kissed gaze. "-You guys seem to be under the impression that he's... yunno. Actually being legit about all this. You wanted us to give up the key so easily."
Tifa had to look away there- her cherry wine eyes firmly arrested onto some region around her upper thighs. She merely kept nibbling her lips, looking at almost anything but Cloud.
Now at his wit's near end, he pressed, "Tifa, seriously. Say something. Anything." He shifted his weight until he was facing her fully; both head and torso fully aligned with her line of sight. "I've had enough of this panderin' around. I know Garm ain't a Turk but..." Again with the head shaking. "This 'trust me' bullshit works both ways. I can't keep bein' led by the hand here like ya'll been doin'. Giving him the fucking rock was bad enough!"
"I know! Its just- He asked us to... and if we didn't..." she cryptically trailed off.
"What Tifa, what?" he jabbed.
Nearby, and very nearby at that, Cait Sith furrowed his furry brow and glanced helplessly around. Cid noticed as well, but he was focused on driving the Bronco straight through the increased pressure of slapping waves. Red meanwhile, while not digging his claws into the vehicle's wings, was tilting his head and ears towards their direction. His flaming tail lashed once.
In fact, he even intervened, "I think I'm inclined to agree with Cloud in this instance. This whole thing reeks of conspiracy- and I know that sounds ridiculous coming out of me... but its been that way for quite some time and I too share Cloud's concerns. Why must we all continue to follow along whatever scripts this false Turk hands us?"
Red messily extracted his claws from one place to another, and as carefully as possible, turned to face them. He still flinched every so often; doing his best to ignore the occasional splash of ocean against his russet fur.
"He is a SOLDIER, or at least formerly. I can tell by his astringent scent," Red twitched his nose pointedly. "He's also kind to a fault... a lot of his mannerisms come off as thoughtless. And yet... he's helping the Turks? One of the most enigmatically unsympathetic branches of Shinra's operations? There's no way its just voluteer work... He has personal stakes in this- and most are associated with either us personally; or Shinra has compromised his way of life outside of all this somehow. And as far as I can see, Cloud's important enough to him to risk constant exposure- so its certainly personal. And for him to have come to us and request the Key to the Temple so candidly..." He turned to Aerith here, his gaze inscrutable. "Well... you did give it to him without any thought. In some way, he matters personally to you as well. And with us giving him the Key so willingly... even I have to draw the line here."
Now that was an accusation. There was no disguising that.
Cid threw the whole group looks over his shoulder in the meantime, his eyes hardened gemstones slotted into a granite statue. Hs cigarette had long since burnt out; but it didn't stop him from spitting the butt out. He kept gnawing on it, and then turned towards the front again. "Can't help agreeing with there. This whole damn thing is fishier than this here trout sittin' in my lap."
"You have a what in your lap?" Barret muttered.
Cid was seen throwing aforementioned fish over-board next, with Red eyeing it hungrily as it vanished into the sea. He turned to glance over his shoulder again, but had to focus on driving the plane in the meantime. "I like Garm. There. I said it. He comes off as a nice enough feller. But-" The cigarette danced around his lips before it settled at the other side. "-He's suspicious and hard to trust. He's been having us eatin' from the palm of his hand. We want to trust him... but he hasn't exactly explained anything to us. He helps us along... but to what end? Where does this end go? Are we really fighting Shinra here? Or is he just playin' us?"
He turned to look at Aerith next.
"You and Tifa here seem to know though... and ya won't say nuthin'. Why though? Surely there's something we could do to help not make the situation worse?" Once again went his iron gaze towards the ocean; as if he could tame the sea with just his will alone. "I dunno what to think anymore. What's that sayin' yer fond of usin'? 'There ain't nowhere to go on this here train'? Keep following the tracks or whatever? Cuz that's what its feelin' mighty like. I'm not getting how to say it, but I'm gettin' it. Yunno?"
Cloud nodded, and then refocused his crystalline gaze at Tifa. Aerith meanwhile was nibbling her lip, and then eyeing the rest of the group with Tifa's same expression of uncertainty.
And then, she randomly said, straight out of the blue, "Gongaga will end up like Sector 7 if he doesn't do what Rufus says. That's why we had to give him the key."
Cid suddenly strung together a colorful garland of expletives and Whoa'd until his steed studded to a stop. The Tiny Bronco wound down, much like a real flesh and blood creature; his motor going quiet in the odd pause that befell them. Once he pulled the thing to a full stop, he turned around in his seat and twitched a brow at her.
"S'cuse my language ladies but... WHAT IN THE EVER LOVING FUCKITY HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT SHITTY SHINRA BRAT? DON'T HE HAVE BETTER TO DO THAN WIPING FUCKING TOWNS OFF THE MAP!? I SWEAR THAT RAVING MOTHERFUCKER IS GONNA GET HIS SOONER OR LATER!"
Once he settled, he dragged himself all the way out of the cockpit and scowled at every person present in-turn. "And seriously: Why fucking Gongaga? It ain't like they got much left of their town! And the number of people livin' there is only a bit more than a scant handful at this point... It ain't real beneficial for Rufus to be goin' after it unless-"
"-Unless Garm or a close friend of his has family there," Red concluded for him, his one gold eye arrested on Aerith especially, his expression more akin to a wolf zeroing in on its kill. He must've come to some other epiphany because he certainly wasn't removing his gaze anytime soon.
It was then did Cloud blink and shake his head; his mind reeling as he dawned back on all of his past interactions with the larger man. It just couldn't be. It really couldn't. But then...
Even if it was him... how come Cloud still couldn't recall anything of him?
Literally, every time Cloud reminded himself of Zack's identity, his mind would scream at him to not pay much acknowledgment to it. Even Cloud himself knew this: From when Aerith talked of her boyfriend for the very first time in the Sector 6 park... to that hotel they stayed at prior to arriving in Gongaga. And then, at every other juncture from that point, Cloud's mind whirled to censor itself and deny any firm and established connection to ongoing events.
He was an idiot. But not THAT kind of idiot.
Zack was involved in this.
Garm too.
Hell, maybe they were the same person- or simply knew each other. Maybe Garm really was a middle-man looking to help them for Zack. It was hard to say at that moment- and it was a moment Cloud wanted to promptly bury before it started wedging another rail-road spike into his brain again.
"Hopefully then, I can finally let you in on the whole damn thing. This, I can assure you."
Cloud's eyes focused on some point at his feet; his mind reeling at the brevity of the portent. Rufus was going to wipe Gongaga clean off the map- the fucking asshole. Like he had anything better to do? And Garm and the rest of the Turks had to keep on dancing to whatever melody he was stringing together. It was no wonder Garm wanted the gem so bad.
But then... even if they find anything within the Temple... would it be enough to appease the president? What's to stop him from making that threat into a sure-fire promise anyways? What if Shinra simply gets more powerful from this endeavor? Wouldn't it render the associate's actions moot despite all he's done to help AVALANCHE?
It doesn't look like he had the choice as much as Cloud had thought. But then, why would the Turks want to help this conspiracy along when they've damned Sector 7 before? What the fuck changed in recent times to make their behavior even more dubious?
Cloud sat back, forcing himself to bury Zack's name and possible existing link between he and the so-called trainee. There was nothing to do for it except hope they get to the Temple before the Turks left it. At that, he snapped his fingers at Cid in an indicator to get the plane going again.
"We need to be there yesterday," he crisply asserted. "Its bad enough they have a bird that actually flys."
"Well s'cuse the fuck outta you!" The pilot thundered back. "Ain't my fault my baby got her wings clipped! Rotten, spiky-headed, dour-faced mother fucker! Just 'member whose bird you're riding and see if I take your ass anywheres again!"
Cid urged the plane on; all the while Cloud pondered their next move. Even if they did catch up to the Turks, what then? Would they have to watch them leave with whatever treasure was inside as they did with the key? Could they- gods forbid- talk it out with them? What the hell can they do?
And dammit- why the fuck was Garm's identity a big player in all this? Why did his relevance matter as much as Zack's whereabouts? And was it possible that maybe... just maybe... they truly were the same person?
Stop thinking about it.
Another ringing pain speared its way through his head- albeit, briefly. Cloud groaned and slumped a bit; not noticing Tifa reach out to him. She stopped and withdrew just as the merc recovered though. After a moment spent shaking it off, Cloud then took the little baggie out of his satchel and eyed it like he was going to interrogate it for answers this time.
So- it treats headaches, right? What's stopping him from taking it now?
He blinked again, glanced at Tifa, and noticed her own gaze. She certainly seemed interested in whatever he was about to do. How much did Garm tell her exactly? She, and Aerith for that matter? And why the fuck was it their business anyways?
What the hell was he hiding?
Cloud thinned his lips, and then stowed it away- ignoring Tifa's seemingly crestfallen expression. He can take it after they dealt with the Turks- and after he talked with Tifa too.
...
~777~
He knew.
Nanaki knew.
Its blunt, but he knew. The evidence was there, laid out crisply and cleanly and surgically; if one knew which details to nit-pick. Aerith's trust, Tifa's trust in Aerith by extension, Gongaga, Zack's importance to the Turks... Its ugly how obvious it is.
He looked at the rest of the plane. Seems like half of the group knew too- Cid was actually clever, a literal rocket scientist. Only reason he likely hadn't figured on it was because no one mentioned Aerith's boyfriend to him and he hadn't been here since the beginning. Why would they? It was such an unimportant and innocuous detail that didn't matter unless you applied it to their very specific situation. It might click for Barret- given it already hasn't. And seeing as he hadn't said anything... and that thoughtful expression look on his grizzled face? He might already know. Yuffie didn't seem to care too much.
But Cait Sith. Its much harder to tell what's going on in his mechanical mind. He kept a completely docile outer persona, oblivious to any and all woe. And really, it unnerved Red. He didn't say anything though, but somehow, it wouldn't surprise him if Cait knew. The only one who can't seem to connect the dots was Cloud- who literally had pain every time Zack was mentioned.
He glanced at the merc, sympathetic. If none of these fools here want to be honest, someone had to be. It just felt wrong to keep leading him on like that. And if no one will, Nanaki decided he may enlighten him. Here's hoping he didn't have to, though.
So he focused on keeping his grip on the plane, staring hard at Aerith and with a look that can burn through metal. He let her know silently that he knew. And she can see that oh so clearly. She blinked, gulped, hung her head. Nodded. Good... seemed she may enlighten him too after all.
Ah, but first. They had to deal with the Turks once they caught up. Then, they can speak with Cloud.
...
~777~
The Temple of the Ancients.
It was surrounded by a twisted, leafy HELL with no true way of finding your orientation. The verdant walls of vines and brush pressed in on Tseng's troupe from all sides; thickened branches as wide around as a man's wrist reaching impossible heights as they gored the trees' naturally lush canopies and smothered their trunks with their smothering vice. Sunlight couldn't really breach the leafy roofs; leaving the underbrush almost as dark as twilight at some places but somehow doing nothing to protect them from the heat. Cicadas chirruped nosily all around them; the oppressive humidity so tangibly heavy it was akin to walking through a driving rain in the midst of the hottest summer afternoon- except that it wasn't due to rain for quite some time in this region. It would remain stubbornly hot and expectant, yielding no such easy reprieve.
Vincent huffed as he helped Zack through the brushwork, eyeing his team -a weird, novel term within itself- as they blundered through the literal jungle. All the while, Vincent especially kept his burgundy stare arrested on the ex-SOLDIER most of the time:
Zack was plainly under some amount of due stress with the amount of times he's had to stop to breathe, but he's said nothing of it and continued to endure. And if he had any complaints about his choice of wear already, he could only certainly add to it when his black cloak visibly dragged him down. He even eventually said "Fuck this shit" after a while and threw it over his shoulder and not give a damn who saw him at this point.
Granted, who even would be out here to see him anyways? Its not like his identity being kept secret mattered much anymore. The only person he was essentially hiding from at this point was Cloud, and that was that. Vincent certainly didn't hassle him for it, nor did Tseng or Cissnei.
As for the bracken itself, the chaotic, twisted nightmare of green in every shade and thorn continued to drag them down. Zack was leading the team of four with a borrowed machete swinging telepathically in front of him. He used Levitation to do all the cutting and his normal strength to help the diminutive Cissnei over fallen logs and prickly brush. Sometimes he had to help Tseng as well; since the man was clearly acclimated to life in far more tame wilderness. Tseng wasn't what Zack affectionately called a 'country boy', and wasn't as used to laboring through vast wilderness as Zack had grown up doing. Vincent wasn't one himself, but his brute strength was sufficient enough to carry him through the thick vegetation.
Tseng meanwhile had obtained a couple of machetes for this very expedition; but what with all the effort it took to get to the Temple, Zack wondered why they just couldn't fly the rest of the way- That is, until Tseng said there was (obviously) no landing pad in sight and he was afraid the bird's rotors would get caught in the jungle's mess. So they had to physically toil away in blistering heat and bug-laden woods and shove their way through brush so dense it literally took several minutes just to go some meaningful yard or two.
Vincent helped Zack cut as well, being far stronger than any of his companions present. He picked up slack when Zack tired out. He was resilient in every way, which only continued to mystify and fascinate the group (and himself sometimes) the longer they stayed around each other. Vincent certainly didn't mind lending his abnormal strength to help them though- not after all they've been through. If he had to lend himself to atonement, it might as well be towards keeping the town of Gongaga from getting levelled.
He glanced at Zack again, but this time he couldn't help but ponder the conversation the ex-SOLDIER would've had with Cloud last night. Zack managed to get the key from AVALANCHE with no apparent issues- and even managed to keep his identity (somewhat) in-tact. The fact that he obtained the Key to the temple without any sort of quibble or resistance on their part had been a sure surprise- but it simply meant that Zack's own judgement of the scenario was rightly apt. Maybe. Avoiding conflict with AVALANCHE and slowly earning their inadvertent trust throughout their journey meant that the exchange had been smooth.
Now, the remaining question was how did Cloud react to Zack's initial explanation of his appearance and the reasoning for taking the key? Not to mention the medicine, and how and why he knew so much of Cloud's conditions... Obviously, Cloud and Zack hadn't come to blows, and he apparently tolerated the so-called 'associate' to an extent, but Vincent still couldn't help but wonder.
Cissnei and Tseng both practically jumped Zack last night upon his return a rough couple of hours later- wondering why he'd taken so long to get the dang rock. Zack however merely shrugged at them and said, "They just gave it to me. Told ya they'd be understanding if I was allowed to explain it to them."
"But that doesn't explain the prolonged absence," Cissnei rightfully pressed. "What did they say exactly? What happened?"
Zack scratched the back of his head, his ice and neon-glazed eyes darting to the bird's leathery and metal-plated floor. Vincent subtly shifted next to him, watching him all the while.
"Well... If I had to be more specific... we can say Aerith was the more understanding of the bunch... Obviously. But Cloud though?" Here he shook his head, "I had to be real careful with the info. He already looked like he wanted to punt me across the whole park when I told him I was taking the key." Here, he actually laughed- albeit, it was a forced sound. "-At least he didn't make due on that threat..."
Tseng narrowed his eyes, his mirrored stare discernable from the glass planes stretching over the helicopter's face. "Details, Zack. I need details," he urged. "You didn't tell them about the Septimus operation, did you?"
"No!" Zack furiously rattled his head. "I didn't hafta do that after all."
Vincent paused to take the machete from Zack's spiritual and meta-physical grip on it. He allowed the ex-SOLDIER to briefly recuperate from using Levitation by cutting through the path ahead himself, with a blade in each hand. All the while, he mused over the recollection:
After Tseng's query, Zack once again proceeded to avoid eye-contact, but it wasn't out of any defensive reflex so much as it was a more thoughtful one. He scrunched his brows, clenching his jaw next, "I talked with Aerith first... she completely understood why I needed the key. But then she told me I had to explain this to Cloud, and then I went to do that. So I had to wait on Cloud to come back from the little outing he was havin'." His lip quirked a bit there, but he didn't elaborate on the nature of said 'outing'.
Instead, he went to say, "So I waited by his room with Aerith until he came back-He was already on guard when he saw me, but he and I talked amicably enough. Tifa, Aerith and I sat with him, and they listened as I explained Rufus' intention with the Temple, and what he planned to do if we didn't do what his royal brattiness says... Not that I mentioned Gongaga specifically... but Cloud thankfully agreed on letting Aerith give me the rock after hearin' that." Zack then took a breathe here, "But then, I told the girls to leave so I can talk to Cloud about his various... 'conditions'."
"And how'd he react to that?" Cissnei queried from her position in the right-hand passenger seat.
Zack worked his jaw again before answering, "After explaining the bit about the mako addiction and J-cell sickness, he was okay with it- seeing as its stuff a SOLDEIR would already be aware of... er, not that he was one, but you get what I mean. Its stuff he knew already." He raised a pointer finger here, "But the bit about Sephiroth's cells? That's the part that blew him down. He didn't know about that, nor the bit about his amnesia. He seemed to have been somewhat vaguely aware of the latter- but it was probably one of those things he musta never thought poignant. He looked down-right uncomfortable the more I went on."
"Surely, he asked you about how you'd know of it and where he could've incurred it?" Vincent asked this time.
Zack winced like he was physically struck, and then uneasily bobbed his shoulders, "I had to mention Hojo... so yeah, he asked me about that and why he didn't remember anything of his earlier encounters with him... but I simply told it to him as Hendel told me: Hojo had drugs that completely remove someone's memory of their time in his lab, and his trauma at Nibelheim played a part in it too. He believed that logically sound. Honestly, the more I went on about that, the more he looked like something musta clicked in place for him-"
Zack sighed and leaned against the door of the bird, looking out the window next, "He still doesn't know anything of his last five years, but he seemed to connect the pieces himself there." He shrugged, "I asked questions I figured Hendel woulda asked 'em: Like how much he knew and to take it easy when revisiting blank spots in his memory. He always seemed to be seconds away from an attack if I pressed too deep, so I skirted 'round it and had him answer what counts as simple stuff. Thankfully, Cloud was understanding enough to not punch me in the face."
His reflection mimicked his frown as he said, "Although, I can't say I much cared for that explosive outburst from him... Dunno what stopped him from following through on that idea. I'm just glad Tifa and Aerith are in on it now... They can hopefully help him out where its needed- as he's likely to not clock 'em like he would me!"
And although Zack wasn't incorrect on that matter, Vincent could see easily the shaken trepidation that balled his fists and rigidly set his shoulders. As the ex-SOLDIER helped Cissnei over some logs and she continued to remind him when to stop to take a breath, Vincent continued to eye him. He could plainly see that Zack would still continue to fret over Cloud and adhere to the helpless fury of being unable to do more than just 'wait and see' if the medicine does its job. Zack wanted to help unrealistically allay all of Cloud's woes; but it only seemed he may have inadvertently tacked on more.
Hopefully, that isn't the case, he inwardly prayed.
Vincent jerked when one of his borrowed blades abruptly cut through the thicket; the resistance not quite like the last million times he's done this today. He blinked, and then continued to burrow his way through the wood and green walls until it was sizeable enough to admit a grown man. He then shoved his way through first; letting Zack, Tseng and Cissnei following him through the aperture next.
They finally found it; the Temple itself in all of its antiquated glory:
As they came upon the rather abrupt shift from verdant hell to largely spaced clearing, The group couldn't help their slack-jawed stares as they eyed the area yawning before them. The grass here was still high enough to reach one's waist-line, but relatively speaking, it was easy enough to wade through. It stopped at a great crevase that completely surrounded the Temple; a gigantine moat with not water, but brimming, natural mako flows from breaches in the planet's crust. The life-stream's concurrent glow literally illuminated the temple grounds where sunlight couldn't reach; likely looking to be a spectral sight at night (not that it already didn't, per se).
Now as for the Temple itself, Vincent had to stop to try and identify whatever the strange layout of the building was: It was an immense layered pyramid, with its titanic base and foundation as wide as the entirety of Nibelheim's entire perimeter; and then some. The pyramid's top was obscenely small in contrast to its bottom; made deliberately flattened in some places and angled in others in ways that couldn't allow anyone riding a summon -or a helicopter no less- to land comfortably. When the Ancients built this place, they'd made it so that nature itself and the fairly steepled structure couldn't be compromised in any way- nor can anyone approach and land upon it from the skies. They had built this place with the future in mind.
And then there's the key, Vincent wondered. They've hidden it so far from this place- like literally on the other side of the world... Whatever's in here, they didn't want anyone to get it.
...It must be worth dying for, if that's the case.
Vincent eyed the posse behind him, noticing the moment when they too came down to the same conclusion. Zack was clenching his jaw, with Cissnei and Tseng sparing each other glances. All the while, they've most certainly understood the fact that they were ultimately defiling more than just hollowed ground.
And as if to prove this, Cissnei muttered more or less under her breath, "Yeah... So does anyone else here feel like we don't belong here at all? Or shouldn't be anywhere within a hundred clicks of this place?"
"Nup... not just you," Zack conclusively agreed.
Tseng sighed out his resigned reply, but nonetheless stepped towards the building. The tall grasses seemed to pull at him; visibly slowing his progress as he waded through the pool of green. "We've no choice," He said over his shoulder, incling his head towards the masoned structure. "If we don't do this, more than just Zack here would likely be lynched."
"Like you had to remind me?" Zack snorted, following him next.
Cissnei stayed impossibly close to Zack, letting he and Tseng pave a path for her through the painfully tall verdure. She literally had to grab Zack's arm to keep from getting lost in the over-grown weeds, her russet hair a coppery beacon as it bobbed along behind the ex-SOLDIER. Zack paused briefly, eyed her, and then resituated his blades by pulling the holsters to his front. Once done with that, he stooped to his knees, let Cissnei climb onto him, and piggy-backed her all the way to the moat. Cissnei muttered something unintelligible to him, but he merely smiled at her and jostled her almost playfully.
"Hush. You like it," He joked next.
It was a playfully snide comment Vincent was able to make out as he tagged along behind them at a sedate pace. He tossed aside the used and now worn machetes, chuckling as he watched Cissnei wrinkle her nose and lightly bop her impromptu steed outside the head in answer.
Despite the cuff, Zack continued to wear that insufferable smirk until they finally stopped at the moat; his expression dying in spades as he watched the roiling moat curl and twist in silent tranquility that bordered on the menacing. He huffed, his grip on Cissnei's thighs slightly tighter as he moved uncomfortably away from the raw energy of the planet.
Tseng meanwhile eyed the wooden bridge ahead of them, the ancient structure likely no good to cross. It was so over-grown with vines Vincent could only wonder how the ropes holding it together held out for so long- until he realized the ropes weren't 'ropes' so much as they were actual, living, tendrils of roots deliberately grown up alongside aforementioned vines.
"Wow," Zack mouthed as Tseng prodded at the naturally-grown hand-rails. "Ya gotta admit, that's pretty inventive and cool."
Cissnei nodded and repositioned her arms around Zack's neck as she eyed the bridge. "The Ancients were quite in-tune with the planet- so I suppose making structures like this became a norm for them," She hummed at a following thought next. "I could only imagine what the Forgotten City looks like."
"Hasn't anyone ever seen it?" Zack queried to both she and Tseng.
"No. The forest that surrounds the Forgotten city is far more treacherous- as its led many explorers and would-be plunderers astray," Tseng supplied this time, removing his hands from the natural tree-root grown bridge. "I think it was called the 'consuming forest' or something... the name eludes me."
"Ugh..."
Vincent this time acted upon Zack's obvious discomfiture and confusion by elaborating. He blinked, recalling upon his older knowledge of the place from a time he spent being Lucrecia's body-guard. "Actually, its called the 'Sleeping Forest'... although I suppose the term 'consuming' fits just as well," he shrugged. "The forest was supposedly enchanted by the dying remains of the Cetra themselves to help keep its old structures and treasures safe. I wouldn't doubt that the key came from somewhere within the region."
"So... how did Dio get it again?" Zack wondered.
"Someone would've had to dig it up around the Bone Village before selling it to him," Tseng replied as he stepped carefully onto the bridge, testing its durability. "The lyre that was said to be buried there could've been in the forest itself at some point... but in recent times, the forest is said to be dying. Its edges have receded considerably, and just enough for the people who've founded the Bone village to have built it in the first place. Legend tells that the immense stretches of the 'Sleeping Forest' used to be so vast, it kissed the ocean's very edge and entirely surround where the Icycle Lodge is now. Its the last barrier before it empties out into the snowfields."
"...Damn... and also... what's a 'lyre'?" Zack queried with another tilt.
"Its another name for a harp or harp-like instrument," Cissnei replied this time, leaning a bit and looking into her steed's eyes from the corner of his own peripherals. "They say the lyre was used to awaken the Sleeping forest was once buried with the Key to the temple here... but no one has seen the fabled instrument since the end of the antiquated era. The fact that only the key was found would mean that finding the lyre will be nigh-on impossible to find. It might be lost forever, on that note."
"So, no one would even be able to see the Forgotten city until this 'lyre' is found?" Zack connected the pieces then, inclining his head and shifting a bit to redistribute Cissnei's slighter weight.
Vincent harrumphed in confirmation there, "That's right."
"Ah... so, a magical 'harp' is the only way to awaken this cursed, man-eating forest on the other side of the world." Here he bobbed a shoulder and smirked a bit crookedly next, "Right. Sounds legit."
"But its not a 'man-eating' forest... you just get lost," Cissnei went to amend.
"Same difference," Zack sniffed at her. "You're still essentially lost forever, right?"
"Well yeah...? I suppose so..."
"Then I rest my case!"
Tseng meanwhile retreated away from the bridge, having ignored the banter in some part. Here, he nodded to Vincent to try it and stepped away. And while this seems a presumptuous move that could spell disaster for him, the immortal also knew he was the only one with the reflexes fast enough to make it back to safety- should the old bridge actually give. So, to further test this, Vincent mutely opted to cross the structure first so he wouldn't have to watch Zack or the others blunder their way across or drop straight into the planet's very veins at any point.
Besides, Vincent was pretty sure mako energy -even in its rawest form- would do himself no true harm. Zack however had been majorly affected by it in recent times, and there was no telling what more mako would or could do to him. He had no doubt the stuff would likely put Tseng and Cissnei in a irreversible coma, or kill them out-right.
Even though Vincent could see the reservations flitting about Zack's wary gaze, even the ex-SOLDIER had to admit that it was better for Vincent to risk himself than anyone else. While agitated, he watched as the immortal crossed the creaking wooden structure; making note of how little it wobbled. And thankfully, the distance between one side of the moat to the other wasn't too huge- roughly the distance of a behemoth from tail-to-tip.
Once Vincent was across, he waved in the others, watching in mute trepidation as Tseng crossed next, and then Zack and Cissnei. Zack had to put the Turk girl down before crossing- as he didn't want to further test the old bridge's durability anymore with a solid distribution of he and Cissnei's combined weight.
Once they all made it across, Tseng proceeded to take the lead again; proceeding to climb the huge, somewhat imposing and intimidating flight of stairs. The pyramid itself was already immense in scope and frame; standing at a throat-bobbing five or so stories. So, for the fact that the only way in was to climb this massive flight to its very tippy-top was another test of endurance to add to their previous venture of simply navigating the protective jungle.
As expected, Zack was able to make it work- the guy was apparently a squat champ for a reason. It was a fact he bragged about to Vincent once, and was further proven when, despite his condition, he could make the flight up with relative ease compared to everyone else. Vincent was the next one up, with Tseng and Cissnei lagging in from behind. The two Turks were not only the last ones, but they had to stop about mid-way up and take a breather. By the time they actually managed to make it to Zack and Vincent, they were plenty worn out.
"-And I suspect...*Huff* ...We'll be making our way back down the temple's entirety too... once we go inside," Tseng heaved. "-Only to be making our back up again... *Huff* ...when we leave..."
Cissnei moaned piteously next to him, and then swept some of her unruly, curly mane behind her ear. "Not looking forward to it," She snorted.
"...And then we have to walk all the way back to the bird more than mile or two away," Tseng added, making Cissnei groan even louder.
"Tseng," She began right after he finished his little explanation.
"Hm?"
"Just... *Huff* ...Shut up. Do me a favor, and shut the fuck up."
Zack smirked and leaned in, grinning like an insufferable smart-ass. "Well then... on the bright side, that's what you have me around for, sis!" He then added on, making a deliberate show of his mirth by leaning right into her face and practically sneering, "I can always carry your little princess ass whenever her highness requests it!"
She shoved him away, her eyes narrowed but the expression soft. "Guess you always wanted an excuse to sweep a girl off her feet. I'll hafta to be sure to tell Aerith you're into the idea of wooing other chicks."
Zack waggled his brows suggestively, "Naw... not just any girl... Just this one!"
He suddenly lunged and ruffled her hair, the weirdly out-of-place romp and raw display of affection striking Vincent as a little odd. He could only think it was a coping mechanism now, after all the times he's spent around Zack these last few weeks. He watched idly as Cissnei attempted to shrug him off, but it seemed she too enjoyed the brief attentions.
Tseng didn't bother breaking it up, as he was spending another moment not only getting back some energy, but eyeing the stone door sealing the temple shut. He frowned, and then dug into the pouch strapped to his thigh to retrieve the materia-sized key. He turned the weird relic over and then approached the final bulwark barring their way in.
Vincent frowned at him, and then folded his arms. "You have any idea how this would work?" he queried.
"Not at all... Although admittedly, I wouldn't have minded having Aerith with us," Tseng shrugged. "-If for the matter that I wouldn't doubt she knows more about how this could work than we would."
Zack relented in his assault and let the wriggling Cissnei go, having apparently had his fill of shared skinship for the day. Vincent couldn't help but wonder if thoughtlessly sharing his personal space was simply something Zack must his quota of filled before he's usually considered content. Must've been a habit he either developed after watching over Cloud for so long, or he's always had, He figured.
Zack rolled a single shoulder, tilting his head next, "Yunno... its not like Aerith has ever been taught anything about bein' an Ancient and all... What makes you think she could have anymore an idea on how to navigate this bitch of a place than we would? Despite never bein' here?" He paused and folded his arms as he eyed the door, "...Let alone gettin' in here..."
Tseng turned the key up and over, and then held it up to the door, "I could only suspect that there's some things she simply knows and hasn't needed to learn... Not unlike the fact she seems to innately hear the planet whispering to her, and its something I wager Ifalna hasn't had to teach her."
Zack's current poise was a rather stout parody of Vincent's own, "You sure about that? Ifalna coulda taught her that bit..."
"Aerith was just seven years old when she lost her mother," Tseng reminded him. "While her skill may be unrefined, its no doubt something innate to her- not to mention the lore of the Ancients she seems to just know even though no one's actually spoken to her about it. Its likely she catches wind of what she needs to understand from just listening to the planet alone. Minerva only knows what Aerith sees or hears without her mentioning it to anyone..."
Zack shook his head again, looking a lot like he was shrugging off a bombardment of mosquitos. He blinked, and then simply scratched his head in answer.
Upon the silence, Tseng once again held the key out, watching as it seemed to become even more reflective. The watery surface already seemed to give off an odd, contorted air as it is- but now, its shimmery face seemed to ripple as if someone was skipping a flattened pebble across still-water. Its seemed to thrum with a resonance Vincent could feel even from a distance- a live-wire of concurrent energy that reverberated the air between them. He could only imagine how Tseng felt holding it; the Turk not really moving despite the likely shuddering reverberations shaking his entire outline.
Suddenly, the thrum stopped; and the ancient stone door split in two: The halves groaned as they pulled from each other, sliding into sheathes on opposing sides of the entrance. Dust, debris and mosses were scrapped free of their purchase; littering the only way in and out with a fine, green, powdery layer across the brick flooring. The sun's rays shot into the confines of the temple for the first time in likely thousands of years.
"...'And so the heroes stood'," Tseng suddenly recited. "-'They, the worn souls who've hath wandered the world, resolving to find their purpose and predetermined path... their direction, destination and destiny... for it was within Minerva's own secret garden, would they hope to find their journey's end'."
Zack stopped, blinked, blinked, and blinked. And then he stared at Tseng and said, "Uh- Wait, what-?"
"...Loveless, Act 4," Cissnei said to him to help clarify the enigmatic quote's origin.
"Aw man, don't you be doin' that shit too," Zack spat to Tseng.
The head Turk merely smirked at him, but the gesture flickered away as easily as it had appeared.
Vincent honestly couldn't help it himself; the idea of exploring this place and being one of the first to breach it in an literal millennia or more filled him with a tangible excitement that rose the hair on the back of his neck. He fought down the sensation though; suddenly feeling more or less like they were intruding upon more than just some ages old relic of times long forsaken.
He noticed no one else took the lead or tried to enter the temple first; although Tseng was still standing at the head of the pack. The Turk put the key back into the pouch at his side, but was carefully studying the temple's interior like he expected some sort of ages-old booby trap to viciously ensnare them right at the get-go. When nothing happened of course, he and Vincent spared each other glances, and then the Turk ducked apprehensively inside-
The interior was, for lack of better words, archaic but extravagant in design. While nothing can be done for the worn look of it all, everyone could see that this temple would've likely stood yet another thousand or so years before it truly felt the effects of time. The relatively square-shaped room still miraculously swept and swirled in a dazzling way; deliberately curving around the sharper edges and corners with the help of the tactical positioning of the pillars keeping the lofty lobby held upright. The stone here wasn't even colored like typical stone; instead being tinted with the soft hues of a muted blue.
The pillars had violent, surging, fiery lines swirling through them like veins popping up in an waking volcano; channeling pure inferno in a flow that bled down into the temple's unknown depths. It seemed to power the temple without it being quite like the way mako energy was processed and used in electrical transmutation- lighting up the various candelabra along the pillars. A single brazier ignited at the very back of the room too; the fire silently whispering instead of crackling as was normal.
"Pure summon energy," Cissnei huffed with awe. "These fires lighting the interior is actual energy that must've been given as a gift from either Ifrit or Bahamut himself to the Ancients as a way to help light the way within..."
"-Or serve as a grim warning to trespassers as to what could be inside," Vincent sharply corrected. "For all we know, the Ancients could've asked a summon to guard the innards of this hollowed place to prevent the likes of us from taking what they felt was so priceless that they needed to put the key on the literal other side of the world for. This energy here is also likely being fueled by the same, aforementioned summon, even now..." He made eye contact with all those present, "-Whatever we find here, its likely waiting for us, and already knows we're here."
Zack shivered and darted furtive glances around, "Makes ya wonder... ya think Aerith could hear voices speaking in here that we can't?"
"Most likely," Tseng reluctantly admitted. "But then again, its a shame we don't have her here to guide us herself. There must be some vital context clues only an Ancient can glean that'd probably lead one to the treasure here. Anyone else though-"
"Dude, don't even think of finishing that sentence," Zack snapped.
Vincent huffed, interrupting the brief spat, "AVALANCHE is likely on the way too... do you think they'll be here shortly?"
Tseng bobbed a shoulder at him, "I don't know if 'shortly' is the correct term, but yes, perhaps. If they're fast and don't stop for any reason and take the same route we did to the temple through the jungle, I'd expect we'll see them in some couple of hours."
No one said anything in reply to this, as Tseng had already started moving forward to the big brazier at the back. He licked his dried lips, a cold sweat building along his temples.
All the while, Zack anxiously followed behind, fidgeting like he wanted to run in the opposite direction. "Yeah... Definitely don't feel like we belong here," he trailed off.
Vincent watched the trio in front of him, but by now the hair on the back of his neck was prickling at a rigid stand-still akin to the needles on a Cactuar's limbs. He shivered, feeling quite cold even though the room was musty and unbearably warm with the unseen summon's pulse. In fact, the mustiness was so heady that Zack was seen drawing his respirator back over his mouth, hacking up a lung before he settled again.
Cissnei patted him, waited for the brief attack to pass, and then said to Tseng, "Now what? I don't see a way into the rest of the temple from here... its nothing but solid walls and narrow space all around..."
Tseng blinked as he eyed the brazier and the pedestal in front of it, and then drew out the key again. "I think this thing activates something else in here... but I'm not sure how..."
Vincent stepped forward, flicking his head in implification.
Tseng blinked at him, and then handed him the watery-kissed orb.
Without anymore communication, Tseng and Vincent both understood that the key was supposed to go into the pedestal- however, the only problem that lie therein would be what happens should this thing activate something unsavory. If it was indeed rigged to be some kind of trap, once again, Vincent was volunteered to take the brunt of it.
-And yes, you can bet Zack hated watching this entire exchange but knew he wasn't in any position to say anything against about it. Honestly, there was no point in telling Vincent not to go through with it, as he'd do it for the group anyways. On the side, Vincent was literally the best person here who could endure whatever torturous horrors this ancient piece of architecture could throw at them.
Vincent eyed the waist-high pedestal, noticing that it had a series of interconnected shapes like various circles being linked by a single zig-zagging line piercing every center. It was more or less like a long creek that was dotted by several pools of pure energy; with the center being the largest and most prominent. It was here Vincent inserted the key, bracing himself for any kind of horrid curveball this place could possibly throw at him-
-The last thing he expected was for the floor beneath everyone here to suddenly take on the contorted properties of thick water and suck in every person present like some perverted black hole.
-And the last thing Vincent saw of his comrades was the blanched, white-faced, terror-filled expressions of Zack, Cissnei and Tseng before the literal definition of pure, palpable darkness greedily devoured their outlines; pulling them into the unknown brackish realm below.
...
