--Chapter 7--

Right on cue, a loud pair of warks sounded from the near distance. With a gust of feathers and wing-rustled hot air, two large golden birds came leaping though the gate, shaking themselves off and staring at Cloud expectantly. One of them wore only a saddle while the other, slightly larger bird was already heavily laden with packs.

This is it, then. He's getting ready to flee, and that means… the SeeD had to cut off the thought as a dual wave of nausea and vertigo took him at once, nearly knocking him to his knees. Squall's already flimsy equilibrium was growing more and more unstable as more blood seeped from his arm, and if Strife was planning to escape, he had to attack now or be killed when his enemy prepped to leave.

And yet…

Something about their standoff felt more like a formality than the prequel to an actual fight. He felt wary (as he did around all people, ally or otherwise) but lacked in the destructive intent that he usually reserved for his enemies.

I should be charging him while his back is turned—I'll need the advantage to stand even a chance of hitting him. I'll need the Renzozuken, and I have to— But even as the thoughts of what he should be doing in his current position coursed through his mind, some baseless feeling that was centered in his chest took over his actions.

Cloud turned as he heard the dull thud, the muffled sound of Leonhart falling to one knee on the grass.

"If you're going to kill me, do so quickly," the SeeD said quietly. Still, there was strength in his voice—it was not the voice of a man who has given up. "If not, I will attack." A ghost of a smile—one half of surprise, half of understanding—crossed Strife's face.

"I see. How do you plan on attacking me when you cannot stand?" A matching half-smile, one that said 'I know you understand what I mean,' preceded Squall's reply.

"I do not need to stand to hit you." To affirm this, he raised the gunblade and placed his thumb on the trigger, daring Strife to up the ante. Instead, Cloud shook his head and, sheathing his own massive sword on his back, turned to the chocobos.

"Save your limit breaks for an actual battle. For now, we need to get out of here. Sheathe your weapon and I'll help you onto one of the chocobos."

What am I saying? Cloud wondered as Squall, equally flabbergasted, asked himself the same thing about his enemy. The SeeD thought it was a trick and the SOLDIER felt like someone else was directing his mouth as well as his words. At depth, though, both shared that odd, inexplicable feeling of ease where there should have been animosity towards the other.

Leonhart had gone still with surprise so Cloud, not even waiting for him to sheathe his weapon as a sign of agreement, started forward towards the SeeD, unarmed. It was horribly dangerous, a move that he never would have considered at any other moment and did not understand why he was doing so now. And yet here he was, advancing upon a downed enemy, a "wounded animal" as he himself had put it, and this time the animal was fully armed and able to defend himself.

I could put a bullet between his eyes right now, Squall had time to think before his left hand inexplicably released the trigger and he found that he had sheathed the weapon on his hip. Strife knelt beside him, sliding Leonhart's good arm over his shoulders as he lifted him.

"This doesn't make a damn bit of sense," the SOLDIER heard the SeeD whisper, almost helplessly.

"Tell me about it," he grumbled in reply.

I am going places with this one next! Can anyone tell me if this is too unbelievable,depsite the warrior's obvious confusion over their ownactions? (I will explain soon enough!) I don't think it is, but I'm asking for actual constructive feedback people! Help me out please!

-K-