Life as a SOLDIER
Disclaimer: This fanfic is a mix of everything, isn't it? …cool.
A/N: Well, nothing else to say except let's move on.
Chapter Six: The Rematch and the Bloodstained Showdown
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"Come on, Cloud, we have to go now," said Zack.
"Will Kumo be okay here on her own?" asked Cloud.
"Yes, the other Chocobo will take care of Kumo. All the Chocobo take care of each other while we're away. She'll be fine."
Cloud glanced down sadly at Kumo, and stood up. "Okay…" he said. "Let's go…"
"Come on, Cloud," said Zack, putting an arm around Cloud and leading him away from Kumo. "She'll be fine on her own. Come along."
Cloud looked back sadly, then nodded agreement. "Okay…" Cloud sighed. "I'm gonna miss Kumo…"
"Dude, you're making it sound like Kumo's dying. Calm down, you can see her tomorrow during break."
Cloud leaned on Zack sadly. "Wah… But I don't want to leave Kumo…"
Zack stared down at Cloud. "We'll see her again tomorrow, okay?"
Cloud looked up at Zack. "…thank you, Zack," said Cloud, looking down at the ground shyly as they walked back to Shinra. When they got back, it was noon time, and lunch was being served.
Zack quickly removed his arm from Cloud as the two SOLDIERs came running to Zack. "Hey, there you are, Zack!" called one SOLDIER. "We missed you today, where were you?"
"I was showing Cloud the Chocobo Garden again, and I let him chose a Chocobo to raise."
"You let Cloud raise a Chocobo?" asked the other SOLDIER. "Is Cloud able to care for a Chocobo?"
"I bet he's able for anything," said one SOLIDER. "After all, he did defeat Sephiroth his second day here!"
"A mistake I want to correct," said a voice behind the four of them.
The four of them looked back to see Sephiroth standing there. "Sephiroth, how are you!" said Zack with a mix of fear and bravado. "We're just off to lunch now! Want to join us?"
"I'm afraid the only ones not going to lunch today are me and Cloud. Cloud, come with me, I want a word with you."
Cloud stared up at Sephiroth. Oh, dear, he is angry… What does he want to see me for? "Ok-Okay," agreed Cloud.
"But, Cloud," started Zack.
"We can't go against Sephiroth's word," said one SOLDIER reasonably. "Come on, I'm sure Cloud will catch up quickly.
"Let's not miss lunch, Zack!" agreed the other SOLDIER.
Zack looked like he was about to disagree for a few seconds; then he nodded slowly. "Ok…fine. See you later, Cloud?"
"Sure, Zack. See you," said Cloud.
Zack waved and walked with the two SOLDIERs to the cafeteria as Sephiroth placed a hand on Cloud's shoulder and steered him towards his room.
As Zack took a seat in the cafeteria with his two friends, Zack opened up his laptop and clicked over to Cloud's programming, and kept a visual open. At least I can keep an eye on him, thought Zack.
"Make it interesting!" said one SOLDIER. "Change the way Cloud talks once in a while!"
"Huh?"
"Yeah!" agreed the other SOLDIER. "Like, make Cloud talk in the third person!"
"Hmm… Sure, okay!" said Zack, typing up "Cloud talks in the third person". "Let's see how this turns out."
With Cloud…
Cloud took a seat opposite of Sephiroth, staring down at his light-blue slippered feet. Well, at least you can't deny he keeps his guest comfy, thought Cloud.
Sephiroth (who was wearing silver fuzzy slippers) sat back casually, eyeing Cloud. "Well?" he said after a few minutes. "Don't you have something to explain?"
"Explain?" repeated Cloud. "Cloud has wondered about that too…" he stopped. wait, did Cloud just talk in the third person… ? Did he just think in the third person!
"…what?" asked Sephiroth, sure he had misheard Cloud.
"Nothing, Cloud said that he too wondered about the battle…" Cloud stopped in confusion. Wait, Cloud is talking and thinking in the third person! Why now? Cloud has never spoke in the third person!
"Okay, acting cute won't cut any ice with me!" said Sephiroth. "I'm being serious here! I want you to tell me what happened at the battle! You must have some idea on how you defeated me!"
"No, no, Cloud has no idea!" said Cloud. 'Really, he has no idea, don't ask Cloud about it!"
"Must I ask the questions then?" asked Sephiroth in an exasperated tone.
"That would help Cloud out, he's not a good talker…" Cloud stopped again, looking down. This will only make Sephy angry… How can Cloud make himself stop talking and thinking in the third person?
With Zack…
One of the SOLDIERs howled with laughter. "Look at this, Sephiroth's getting pretty annoyed right now!"
"I guess Sephiroth doesn't like the third person," said Zack musingly. "I didn't know that…"
"Hey, hey, make Cloud a mute next!" said the other SOLDIER.
"Guys, be serious, Sephiroth isn't made to be angry or annoyed, it makes him murderous!" Zack told them warningly.
"Come off it!" said the other SOLDIER, and reached over Zack to type "Cloud is now a mute".
With Cloud…
"Fine, tell me what happened when you went berserk," said Sephiroth.
Cloud opened his mouth to talk, but nothing came out. He blinked in surprise, placing a hand over his throat warily. He moved his mouth but no sounds came out.
Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "Now what is it!" he demanded.
Cloud tried talking again, but again failed to utter a sound. He looked a little distressed now, moving his mouth frantically.
"You try my patience," said Sephiroth menacingly, narrowing his eyes. "Quit fooling around and talk already! I know you're hiding something!"
Cloud shook his head, trying to say he couldn't talk without talking.
Sephiroth stood up and strode over to Cloud, glaring down at him. "Well, can you talk now?" he asked, looking indeed scary standing 6 feet tall.
Cloud signed that he couldn't talk, trying vainly to make sound.
"Come on, Cloud, before I hurt you or something!"
With Zack…
"Now you guys have done it!" said Zack, quickly correcting the problem.
"What? We're just having a bit of fun," said one SOLDIER defensively. "Come on, it's fun watching Sephiroth get angry like that!"
"Idiot!" snapped Zack. "When Sephiroth gets angry, he has this bad habit of murdering brutally the one who got him angry! Remember Billy Bob?"
"Yeah…" said the two SOLDIERs slowly.
"Billy Bob made Sephiroth very angry that day by mentioning the 'J' word, and Sephiroth got so angry he murdered Billy Bob in front of everyone! Do you want the same thing to happen to Cloud!"
"No, Zack…" said the two SOLDIERs slowly.
"Then honor Billy Bob's memory, and protect Cloud's life by shutting up and getting lunch! I can handle this!"
"Okay, Zack…" said the two SOLDIERs slowly, trudging to the serving table.
Zack heaved a sigh, and looked back at the visual, and stared in surprise. "Oh, dear, Sephiroth is pretty angry."
With Cloud…
Cloud was on the ground holding his cheek. Sephiroth had just struck Cloud pretty hard. "You got your voice back?" asked Sephiroth.
"…yeah," said Cloud, rubbing his cheek.
"There, problem solved." Sephiroth went back to his seat as Cloud climbed back to his own seat. "Now will you answer me properly?"
"I--I will, Sephy--Sephiroth," Cloud corrected himself quickly.
But Sephiroth heard that. "What was that you called me?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"I--I said 'I will, Sephiroth'," stammered Cloud, looked down to hide a small blush. I can't get so flustered like this… I can't feel anything like that for Sephiroth…!
"Liar," said Sephiroth quietly. "You called me 'Sephy', didn't you? Don't deny it, I heard you."
"…okay, I did… I called you Sephy…" said Cloud, staring into the carpet.
Sephiroth stared at Cloud. "Sephy," he said to himself. "You shortened my perfect name? Why, is it too hard for you to pronounce? How dare you remove the 'roth'!"
"No--No, that's not it!" said Cloud hurriedly, glancing up at Sephiroth, who was wearing his narrow-eyed expression. "I--I just shortened it because…"
"Don't beat around the bush, just tell me," said Sephiroth.
Cloud looked down, not answering. My--My heart's beating so fast… from what? I--I don't like Sephiroth…
Sephiroth stood up. "Cloud," he said suddenly.
"What…?" asked Cloud, looking up at him cautiously.
"I want a rematch with you. Right now."
"What? Now?" asked Cloud.
"I don't take too kindly to being defeated," explained Sephiroth as he walked around towards Cloud slowly. "Especially not by someone like you," said Sephiroth with a glare, putting emphasis on the "you".
"Someone…like me?" repeated Cloud. "What do you mean?"
"The way you are. Everything about you. You're so shy and quiet, and so innocent and naïve… yet you came here, a place that is no place for people like that. You say that you came here to become stronger for a friend, but I think otherwise… You're hiding something from me, aren't you?"
"No, that's the truth," said Cloud, looking up at Sephiroth, who stood a few feet away. "Really, I'm not hiding anything… I came here for my friend Tifa. I promised her that I'd become stronger for her…"
Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. "Then prove it to me," he said. "Let us go to the dueling hall and have a rematch. Surely, by some miracle, you might not be killed this next battle, because I won't lose."
Cloud gasped in shock at the intensity in Sephiroth's voice. He's--he's serious…! thought Cloud in horror as Sephiroth walked to the steps leading to the door, taking the fuzzy slippers off and putting on his leather boots. "I'll be waiting, Cloud," said Sephiroth. "If you don't show in an hour, I'll drag you to the arena myself. I mean it." Sephiroth picked up his Masamune and walked out the door.
Cloud sat still, staring at the floor. "He…wants a rematch… He wants to fight me again…" Cloud stood up slowly and followed suit, taking the slippers off and putting his boots on, and hurried up to his room, forgetting about lunch. My swords… I wonder if they had something to do with it? asked Cloud to himself as he grabbed them. "Well… here I go," he said to himself, and hurried down the stairs.
With Zack…
Zack watched the progress, feeling slightly anxious. Oh, no, what should I do now…? This is a perfect opportunity to test the "berserk" program again, but… If Cloud can't control himself again, if the program is too much for him… He could do a lot of damage to himself and Sephiroth… I'll wait it out, maybe Cloud can do it this time…If it looks like he's about to lose, then…
With Cloud…
Cloud took much care to go as slowly as he could, but he still got to the door marked "dueling hall" in a matter of 8 minutes. I'll just do my best, decided cloud, even though his heart thudded loudly inside him. Cloud shook himself and entered the room. "Sephiroth, I'm here," announced Cloud.
Sephiroth glanced sideways at Cloud. "Ah, it was wise of you to show up, Cloud. Now I can defeat you properly, with some real wounds to think about." Sephiroth readied his Masamune. If he tries that move on me again, I'll counter it, decided Sephiroth.
Cloud unsheathed the first sword slowly. I'll try not to fight or get to aggressive… I'll just keep defending, and hopefully… I won't black out or get possessed or whatever happened last time…
Sephiroth waited a second, then charged quickly at Cloud, attacking quickly. Cloud successfully defended against the attack, but in the second it took Cloud to recover, Sephiroth used the flat part of Masamune and struck Cloud across the room.
"Awa!" yelled Cloud as he flew, hitting the ground.
"Hah! How's that?" Sephiroth asked. He didn't await an answer; instead he jumped high in the air and struck Cloud away again before Cloud could get up again.
Cloud crashed back-first into the wall with a yell, sliding down and landing face first on the hard floor. this--this isn't good…
Even as Cloud hurriedly got back up, Sephiroth came back, attacking quickly and furiously, making Cloud defend quickly. "You can't defend forever, Cloud!" said Sephiroth. "Come at me!"
"I--I can't!" said Cloud, trying to catch his breath. "I'm not good enough to!"
"Don't tell me that, not when you defeated me once!" said Sephiroth darkly. "Quit messing around, and fight me!"
Sephiroth jumped high in the air and came down quickly on Cloud, tossing him down into the ground. Cloud rolled quickly to dodge the attack, and pulled out his second sword, coming it with the first in hopes of defending himself better; however, being caught off guard did him no good, as Sephiroth slashed hard at Cloud's side. With a sharp cry, cloud fell to the ground, clutching his side, holding the combined blade in his hand. Oh, no, he drew blood…! realized Cloud, checking his hand.
With Zack…
Oh, no, he drew blood! realized Zack. He felt himself wobble. I--I don't like blood… But I-I must! I have to help Cloud! Zack clicked up Cloud's programming and quickly typed "Cloud fights back swiftly and carefully".
With Cloud…
Cloud stood up shakily, shook himself, and charged at Sephiroth, attacking, as Zack typed (though he didn't know it), swiftly and carefully.
Sephiroth, who was probably expecting this, defended quickly, and attacked Cloud, sending him flying back.
Cloud recovered quickly, staying on his feet, and attacked, whirling around Sephiroth to attack from behind. Sephiroth defended, but was caught off guard when Cloud pulled out a third blade and knocked Sephiroth away with it.
Sephiroth growled to himself. He's starting to get more aggressive, he realized. I have to be more careful…
Cloud combined swords three through five, glaring up at Sephiroth, readying himself to attack. For some reason, he thought to himself, I know what to do…! I hope it lasts! thought Cloud as he charged at Sephiroth again.
Sephiroth parried the attack, but was slashed in the arm by Cloud's sixth blade. He hit the wall hard, and glanced quickly at his arm. …? No-one has ever made me draw blood before…! What is he! Sephiroth gritted his teeth and attacked Cloud again, sending Cloud flying across the room.
"Gaaah!" yelled Cloud as he hit the ground hard on his injured side. He winced greatly as he clutched his side, trying to get back up.
"Now I have you!" said Sephiroth, and slashed Masamune down hard at Cloud, cutting across Cloud's front.
Cloud hit the wall again, this time not recovering very good. He slid down the wall with a gasp of pain, holding his shirt.
Sephiroth stood in front of Cloud. Now's my chance to finish him! thought Sephiroth.
With Zack…
Zack let out a cry of surprise. "This is bad!" he cried. "At this rate, Sephiroth might actually…!"
"Zack, this is a pretty intense battle!" commented one SOLDIER, munching on a chicken bone as he watched the battle.
"Yeah, look at all that blood!" exclaimed the other SOLDIER, chewing on some sandwiches.
"Don't say the word 'blood' in my vicinity!" snarled Zack angrily, opening the file marked "programs", and opened Cloud's program again. I'm sorry, buddy, but it has to be done! Zack typed up the word "BERSERK", hitting the enter button three times greatly.
With Cloud…
Cloud was about to sit there and accept defeat, but suddenly a monster roared inside him. Cloud gasped. What--What's happening! asked Cloud frantically to himself. It--its happening again! This is what happened last time! I can't let it happen! I can't defeat Sephiroth again!
Sephiroth pointed his long katana at Cloud. "Well? Are you going to admit defeat, or shall I force the words to come out?"
Cloud dropped his sword with a clang, putting a hand to his head and shaking it. No, no, no, no, no…I won't… I won't…!
Sephiroth narrowed his eyes again. "What's wrong?" he asked, curious in spite of himself. Is it that he's about to…? Cloud stared up at Sephiroth, fighting the new monster that tried to inhabit him. Sephiroth noticed that Cloud's eyes were flashing strangely. They were trying to become that evil dark green again, yet they flashed blue occasionally. What is he fighting?
Cloud slumped over, holding himself up for support, breathing heavily. I…can't fight this… thought Cloud as he saw everything around him go black… He picked up the sword and unsheathed blades seven and eight, combining all the blades together.
Noticing this, Sephiroth quickly jumped out of Cloud's reach, realizing the evil dark green eye color Cloud had now. He's doing it again… But now, I know… I'm ready for it…When he tries that move again… Sephiroth readied his Masamune, awaiting Cloud to make the first move. When Cloud charged at Sephiroth, Sephiroth dived at Cloud, holding out his sword, ready to strike.
Cloud pushed his own blade against Sephiroth's, both holding onto that position. Cloud pushed down hard on Sephiroth, pushing Sephiroth back a little. Sephiroth snarled and pushed back harder, both standing at a standstill. For a few minutes, they both pushed down hard on the others blade, trying to dissuade the other; in the end, Sephiroth resorted to a nasty cheat; he swung his leg around and tripped Cloud, catching the blonde SOLDIER off guard for the final time.
"Now I own this victory!" yelled Sephiroth, and stabbed Cloud through the gut.
Cloud yelled in pain, but he was pinned the floor by Sephiroth's blade; obviously, he couldn't move.
Sephiroth leaned close to Cloud, and said quietly, "Now no-one will ever question who the best around here is ever again, and your death shall prove it!"
Sephiroth unstuck the sword and was about to stab Cloud once again through the heart, until somebody yelled, "Stop!" Sephiroth turned to look over his shoulder and saw Zack standing at the doorway, breathing heavily from running but his sword in his hand. "Sephiroth, stop! I'll explain everything!"
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Oh-hoh! This isn't a bad stop to make a small cliffhanger, eh? What do you think is about to happen here? What will Zack explain to Sephiroth? And what'll happen to Cloud? Stay tuned for the next installment, okay? See you in chapter seven! Bye for now!