Life as a SOLDIER

Disclaimer: Why don't you like Dirge of Cerebus? I think it's a good game. After all, it is an FF7 game.

A/N: Yeah, yeah, it's part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, yeah. But was it absolutely necessary to include a WHOLE thing about Vince? PAH! I don't like Vince that much. And besides, I'm more eager for Crisis Core. Or Last Order.

And no smacking Sephy! That's my job!
Everyone: …
Me: What?
Everyone: Nothing…
Me: …? Huh. Anyway, I was thinking about a masochistic Cloud. THAT would be excellent! Can I do that? It's the word of you readers after all. I didn't plan to make Cloud a masochist, but if it gets demanded a lot, then I'll certainly do it! (PS: Vote yes for a masochistic Cloud!)

Well, enough of that. Let's get started!

Chapter Forty-Two: The MAXIMUM Effect
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Zack woke up early in the morning. It might be a good idea to test MAXIMUM first thing in the morning, thought Zack. Better now then never… Well, never is better then now, but in this case… He sighed sadly and trudged to Clouds room. To his surprise, when he got inside, Cloud was already awake, looking out the window. "Cloud?" he asked.

Cloud jumped and whirled around. "Za-Zack!" he stammered. "You scared me!"

"You're awake pretty early today," remarked Zack. "You couldn't sleep well last night?"

"No, I learned to get up early," said Cloud.

"You…learned?" repeated Zack. Conditioned would be the more correct word, thought Zack to himself. He eyed Cloud. "You still have the raccoon eyes, and your eyes look drowsy."

"You should see Sephy when he has raccoon eyes," said Cloud with a smile, rubbing his eyes. "He's worse then me. It's almost like he has raccoon eyes all the time…"

"…" Zack sat down at Cloud's table, trying to shake a guilty feeling from himself. He seems so cheerful today… Oh, if only I knew what MAXIMUM does so I don't get this sense that something awful might happen…

"Zack? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Zack blinked and looked up at Cloud, who was looking down at Zack with concern. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine, but…"

"But what?"

"…we have another program for you to be tested on," said Zack quietly.

"Really?"

Zack felt even more confused. Cloud didn't seem all that surprised; in fact, it looked as though he's been expecting it. "Yeah, really… We have to go to the City of the Ancients and test it there."

"Okay then," said Cloud. "What program is it this time?"

"…Cloud, this isn't you!" exclaimed Zack, standing up. "What's the matter? Surely, you aren't just gonna accept being tested, right!"

"Zack, calm down. You're beginning to sound like Tifa," said Cloud with a smile. "I'm all right. There would be no point in fighting, after all. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?"

Zack gasped. What happened to him…? What happened to the little Cloud that I knew…! Has the Cloud I love so much really become Sephiroth already…!

"We should get going, yes?" asked Cloud, standing up and heading for the door. "I'll meet you by the door, okay?"

"Of--Of course," stammered Zack. Cloud nodded and left the room. Zack glanced down at the table, not really seeing it. Have I really lost Cloud…?

With Cloud…

Cloud stood at the doors and waited, thinking about what happened in the room. Why did I feel so calm a few minutes ago? thought Cloud to himself, an apprehensive feeling washing over him. It's not like me to be so calm around Zack… I would have wanted any comfort I could get from Zack…to have him hold me and tell me it'll be all right… Cloud hugged himself and waited. I hope Zack comes down here soon…

Clomping footsteps were heard, and Cloud looked up eagerly to see Zack hurrying down the stairs. "Hey, Cloud," said Zack, carrying his laptop at his side. "Let's get going."

"You know where to go, right?" asked Cloud, following Zack out of the building. "Have you ever been to the City of the Ancients? And where is it anyway?"

"I can't really say where it is," said Zack. "In fact, it can only be found by those who know exactly where it is. And our new shachoo knows that only three people know where it is."

"Three? Who are those three?"

"…me, Aeris, and Tseng."

"Tseng!" repeated Cloud in shock. "But… Isn't he that Turk? How does he know how to find the City of the Ancients?"

Zack let out a long sigh. "Aeris told me about her childhood, how she spent it with her best friend Tseng. She had a small crush on him, but that faded after she left to move to Midgar. The next time she saw Tseng, he was a Turk who had at first helped kidnap her, then helped release her."

"Oh…"

"Yes, they were really good friends, and Tseng knows Aeris's real name, even if I don't…" Zack let out an impatient snort. "But of course I still love Aeris! I--I don't think she'll ever leave me for Tseng, right?"

"No, of course she won't!" agreed Cloud hurriedly. "Aeris loves you a lot, Zack, and so--so does everyone else who meets you! Aeris chose you, right? She's still with you, otherwise she'd be at Shinra with Tseng, right?"

Zack smiled at Cloud. "Thanks for saying so. And I'm sorry for that little outburst. It's just… I can get a little jealous now and then. Don't mind me."

"It's no problem," said Cloud. Aeris really has made a strong impression onto Zack… What must I do to make that same impression onto him as well…?

At the City of the Ancients… (bear with me, I haven't played the game in a looong time, and I lost it, so I don't remember the game map well. If lost, just imagine the Forgotten City from FF7AC. They're the same thing anyway, right? Can't remember… Anyway, let's move on!)

"Wow!" exclaimed Cloud, looking around the forest. "It's so beautiful…! The Cetra really once lived here!"

"Yes, they did," said Zack, watching Cloud run about the trees fondly. I guess I haven't lost him after all… he saddened. But I can't forget why we're here…

"Is this really all trees, or is it like a regular city. Can only certain people see past the, if any, illusions?"

"There're no illusions, it's all nature," said Zack, sitting down on a stump and opening a laptop. "We--we have to get started."

"Oh, already? All right then," said Cloud sadly, coming over to Zack. "What must I do first?"

"First off, you have to be some ways away when we commence the first program test. A far place into the forest. I'd say about 10 to 11 acres away from here."

"That far?" asked Cloud, looking into the forest. "Surely it's not that far away…?"

"Just a precaution," said Zack. "I don't like being separated either, but… Don't worry, I'm sure it's perfectly safe."

"…okay," said Cloud quietly with a blush. "I trust you."

Zack watched Cloud walk deep into the woods. Zack opened up Cloud's programming and kept a visual open. When he reaches exactly 10 acres away… But I hope the program isn't that devastating…

About 1 hour and 47 minutes later…

"Cloud, I hope you'll be all right…" said Zack, checking the visual. Cloud was ten acres into the city, and Zack could see that Cloud looked a bit anxious about the program. The power of the Lifestream is a lot… Not even Aeris can fully understand the Lifestreams power. What makes shachoo think that Cloud can?

Cloud in the visual was saying something, but the visual had no audio, so Zack had no idea what he was saying.

I can't even lip read…I wonder what he's saying…? Zack shook his head and opened up the program. "Well…here goes." Zack clicked onto the program, and typed the word "MAXIMUM".

At first, nothing happened. Zack looked around, and saw no change anywhere. Then all of a sudden, a sharp piercing scream was heard in the distance. He gasped and looked up. "Cloud!" Forgetting that he had the visual open, Zack dropped the laptop and started to rush into the woods to find Cloud, but then there was a massive explosion; Zack let out a yell as he was blown back. "Oh!" he cried in pain as he collided with a tree. He slid down and landed face first. "Ow… What happened…?" Zack stood up shakily, and looked around in shock at the amount of destruction that MAXIMUM caused.

Nearly a whole row of trees had been destroyed; debris lay everywhere, and a haunting silence filled the air. It was almost like the calm of a storm.

"This is awful…! Is Cloud okay!" With that, Zack picked the laptop up and hurried into the woods, looking for Cloud. "He can't have gone that far…! No, he has gone very far…! Don't worry, I'm coming!" After a long time shifting through trees and bushes, Zack finally made it to Cloud. "Cloud!" called Zack.

Cloud was breathing heavily, but still standing nonetheless. "Zack…" he gasped with a tired smile. "That--that was MAXIMUM, huh…?"

Zack held Cloud steady. "You're awake! How do you feel? You feel all right, right? Do you need rest?"

"I'm fine, just really tired…"

"Just really tired!" repeated Zack in shock. "But-- That was all the power of the Lifestream! Look around you! How could you not be tired after you did all this!"

Cloud looked around with a surprised expression. "How--how much damage was that…!"

"I'd say about 10 acres worth."

"But I feel just fine…" said Cloud quietly.

He took a few shaky steps forward, and Zack hurried over to steady him again. "Cloud, you shouldn't move! You're exhausted! You need rest!"

Cloud smiled tiredly. "I--I can't, I have to train with Sephy. He said no breaks…"

"It doesn't matter what he says! You're getting some rest as soon as we get back to Shinra." Zack softened his gaze at Cloud, and added more gently, "Just let me have a word with Sephiroth, all right? He's sure to understand."

"…I hope so," said Cloud, closing his eyes and leaning onto Zack.

When they get back to Shinra Company…

Zack and Cloud were about to come upstairs when Rufus called, "Zack! Strife! Come into my office, we have to discuss the results of the MAXIMUM."

"We do?" asked Zack. "Can't I just mail the results to you? That's that I did with the old shachoo."

"New shachoo, new rules," said Rufus. "Come on, I would rather discuss them then read about them. Come on."

Zack and Cloud exchanged glances, and followed Rufus to his office. Rufus sat down at his desk and gestured to the seats across from him. "Well, shachoo, what did you want to discuss?"

"Not discuss something with you, Zack. Just tell me the results and leave. It's with Strife I need to discuss something with."

"Wha…?" Zack trailed off, then sighed. "The MAXIMUM had devastating results. It destroyed a whole ten acres of the Ancient City! I think you should tweak it a little, so it's not so destructive."

"Yeah, sure," said Rufus. "Tweak it. I might," he said with an evil smile. "On your way."

Zack bit his lip, wanting to stay, but resignedly picked his laptop up and left the room. "See you in my room, Cloud?"

Cloud nodded but didn't say anything.

After Zack left, Rufus stood up. "I had a feeling you'd eventually find out that I murdered my father," he said without preamble. "Which is a shame, because I would so love to have you out of my hair."

Cloud looked down and didn't answer.

"You…remind me too much of Sephiroth when he was our age," said Rufus. "Would it surprise you to know that Sephiroth and I are something…like half-brothers?"

Cloud looked up, startled. "What…! Sephy is your half-brother!"

Rufus shrugged. "In a sense, seeing as we share the same father."

"…wait, you mean… Your father, the old shachoo, was…!" Rufus nodded. "Then who was the mother!"

"Elizabeth Shinra," answered Rufus. "She was a foolish young lady. Bright, cheerful, and blonde. The perfect target for Shinra's experiments."

"But…Sephy always told me he didn't have a father, that his mother was Jenova. I thought it was true."

"I myself don't know the full story," said Rufus. "I'm not even sure if Sephiroth is really a half-brother of mine."

"Then why tell me?" asked Cloud.

Rufus looked down at Cloud. "Are you saying that…you don't know what you are?"

"…I have no idea what you're talking about," said Cloud, looking down again.

"Hmph. You'll know, soon enough…" Rufus sat back down. "Anyway, the MAXIMUM program will be devastating enough, once I perfect it. So far, you were the only one to have survived the Lifestream's power."

"…I am?" asked Cloud. "Who else have you tested MAXIMUM on?"

"Oh, just a few SOLDIERs here and there…a handful of Turks…even a scientists…heck, I've even pulled in a few civilians. This program will change the world."

"You've tested so many people…!" Cloud looked up in shock at Rufus. "Have you no remorse! How can you stand to be so cruel-hearted! How many people will you see killed on your way to power!"

Rufus raised his eyebrows. "…you're a spirited one," he said at last. "So you can get emotional at times. Well, if you're gonna be that way…" Rufus leaned back in his chair and waved a hand. "You're dismissed."

"Huh--No, wait, I'm not--"

"Dismissed, Cloud," repeated Rufus. "And I won't say it again."

Cloud opened his mouth to protest, then he sighed and lowered his head, leaving the room.

Rufus looked over some plans on his desk. Spirits aren't allowed here at Shinra… After the final testings for MAXIMUM, there'll be one last thing to do to Cloud before we make him our second Sephiroth… And that will be to break him. Without any mercy.
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Whee, more Rufus-being-an-evil-bastard-ness. Aren't I the most evilest person in the world? OOH HOW I LOVE TO MAKE THE PEOPLE I TYPE ON COMPUTER SUFFER! WHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAHA!
Muses: -quietly- don't mind her, she's on sugar high.
So, I'll see you next chapter, yes? Bye for now!