Author's Note: You know what I hate about ? You can't use the tab button. Really pisses me off. Mabbe I'll manually ident....no...wait...too lazy.
So here's chapter two. This one IS longer, but pretty uneventful. I think. Let's see, Cloud angsting, more angsting, angst, angst, yep! Uneventful. The next chapter is when the actual plot gets going. I was going to combine chapters....but then I thought hey, I should preserve the crappiness. You know, this was going to be a trilogy? The second one they were going to go in space and destroy this comet thing that was going to crash into the plant. Many Star Trek jokes were planned. The third one was a mystery fic where Rufus gets kidnapped. Many Scooby Doo jokes were planned. And Lassie ones. Good times.
Well, off we go with number two! Wear your safety gear, cause you might get brain damage reading this. Don't not scroll down if you suffer from epilepsy, chronic back bain, astigmatism, Hannah Montana syndrome, or U.G.L.Y.D.U.M.B.A.S.S. Nigahiga anyone? XD
Chapter Two
Cloud twitched, making a face as a dreamed.
The images flashed rapidly in his mind.
There was Zack, lying in his own blood as it mixed with the rain. Even his eyes seemed dull, their happy light fading.
"Zack," Cloud looked at the gunshot wounds, not believing what was happening.
Zack winced as he began to speak. His blood was coming out quickly, and Cloud had no way to stop it "For the both of us…"
Cloud twitched again, and turned over.
Zack ruffled his hair, smiling at him before walking away to his death. He tried to speak, but he could only lift up his arm. 'Don't go,' he thought, 'Don't leave me…'
Cloud nodded, holding his breath as Zack paused. "Both of us?"
Zack smiled slightly, pain clouding his eyes. "That's right. You're gonna.…" He paused again.
Zack grinned, wishing him good luck on becoming a soldier.
Cloud groaned, his hands twitching violently. He began to cry in his sleep, tears silently streaming down his face.
Zack was being shot by the ShinRa guards. He fell. A guard came up and shot him point blank in the head.
Zack was in the back of a yellow truck, sitting next to him, smiling.
Cloud's heart was pounding. "You're gonna?"
Zack reached his arm up and grabbed Cloud's shoulder. He pulled Cloud down to his chest "…Live. You'll be my living legacy." He said slowly.
Cloud was thrashing now, his quilt and sheets beginning to twist around his body.
Zack let him go, then held up his buster sword. "My honor, my dreams. They're yours now." Cloud took the sword, and Zack pushed it towards him, letting his hand fall, breathing raggedly.
Cloud looked at Zack. "I'm…your living legacy…."
Zack smiled. "……" He looked away from Cloud and closed his eyes.
And stopped breathing.
Cloud finally realized the price Zack had paid. Zack had died to save his own worthless life. Cloud started to sob and gasp. He looked up at the grey clouds and screamed.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Cloud sat up, gasping for air. His face was wet with sweat and tears. He untangled himself from his sheets and walked into his bathroom. He washed his face off with cold water. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he winced.
"I should probably shower." He muttered. Slipping out of his boxers and undershirt, Cloud turned on the water and sighed sadly.
It had happened on this very same day. Until recently, Cloud always had nightmares of that awful moment. He had finally stopped the nightmares from coming, but it was no surprise that they returned on the night before the "anniversary."
After washing his hair thoroughly, he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist. Opening one of his dresser drawers, he pulled out a clean pair of boxers and pulled them on. He put the towel his head and rubbed it fiercely. Cloud tossed the towel on his bed and opened up his closet. He dressed himself in his normal outfit, mostly soft black leather, with an extra long sleeve covering one of his arms, formerly infected with Geostigma. It had been cured for a couple years now, but Cloud was too used to having his arm covered to change it. He picked up his phone from off his bedside table and checked the clock.
"Eight? Hmph. The shower took longer than I thought." Cloud walked out of his bedroom and walked downstairs. Marlene and Denzel were eating breakfast at the bar. There was still an hour left until opening time.
"Good morning, Cloud." Marlene said cheerfully, swinging her legs back and forth. She accidentally kicked Denzel, who ended up spilling his orange juice.
"Marlene!" Denzel stood up as Tifa grabbed a washcloth and began to mop up the mess.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean too,"
"It's okay, Marlene. See? It's all cleaned up now." Tifa assured her, patting the orphan's head.
"Yeah, it's fine. I mean, you kick me practically every morning." Denzel grinned.
Cloud smiled. "Morning. I'm going to be out for a little while." He told them, trying to sound cheerful.
Tifa looked confused. "I thought you said you were taking the day off."
"I am. I just need to go somewhere for a while." Cloud headed to the door, hoping no one would say anything else.
"Can Denzel and I come?" Marlene asked, sounding hopeful.
"No, Marlene, sorry." Cloud was about to walk out the door when he saw the sad look on Marlene's face. "Maybe another time, okay?" He added quickly. Noticing Tifa's suspicious look, he gave the two orphans a quick hug. "I'll be back later."
"Bye Cloud." Denzel said, his mouth full of toast. Tifa seemed to relax; the hugs had worked. Cloud smiled and walked out the door.
Once he was out the door, the charade fell. His shoulders shagged and he felt like crying his heart out. Cloud mounted his motorcycle and sped off from the tavern.
---
It stood there, shining in the sunlight at the back of the church. It's blade glistened and sparkled, hiding the scratch the littered the surface.
"I am keeping my promise? How can I tell?" He asked aloud, trying to hold back tears. But as he looked at the buster sword, the memories came back.
Zack's death, when they first met, as they fled from capture, and many more flashbacks hit him all at once. He just couldn't hold it in any longer. Cloud feel on his hands and knees in from of the sword and began to cry.
"It was my fault. I'm sorry, Zack. I'm so sorry."
---
"But he's been gone for hours!" Denzel said, frowning.
"I know. He'll be back before dinner, you two. Besides, Cloud's a big boy; he can take care of himself." Tifa assured them, filling up a customer's glass with whiskey.
"I guess you're right." Marlene looked down at the bowl of water she was holding.
"Don't you two have to give that to someone?" Tifa asked, wiping her hands with a cloth.
"Oh yeah! Nanaki! He wanted some water." Denzel told her. The two kids ran out to the back of the tavern where they were playing with Red.
Tifa smiled and shook her head.
At a table near the tavern's door, and hooded man sat with an un-touched glass of ale. The shadow of his hood masked his face; even his eyes weren't visible. Finally, the stranger stood up and walked out of the tavern, smirking.
---
How long Cloud had been out, he didn't know. All he knew was that it was late afternoon, and he was damn well hungry. Knowing that the tavern was open by now, Cloud drove his bike to the back of the tavern. The large patch of grass behind Tifa's tavern also served as a backyard where Marlene and Denzel could play, so it was fenced off. Cloud could hear the two playing with Nanaki.
"Alright! It's my turn! Giddy up, horsie!" Marlene laughed.
"Mmmm…..fine." Nanaki growled.
"Guess he did lose that bet with Yuffie….." Cloud thought. He walked back to the front and was about to open the door when a customer walked out. The man was dressed in a gray, hooded cloak, his face covered by the hood. For a reason Cloud couldn't name, he was suspicious of the man. But he was already walking down the street and away from the tavern. Cloud shrugged the feeling off and stepped inside.
Tifa spotted him immediately. She waved him over to the bar. "Where have you been? Do you want anything to eat?"
Ignoring the first question, Cloud forced a smile. He did feel better than he had this morning, but not completely. "I'll get something myself. I don't want to give you any extra work." Tifa smiled back and nodded. The blonde stepped behind the bar and went into the kitchen, where he grabbed an apple. Biting into it, he looked out the window. Denzel and Marlene were having fun playing "horse" with Nanaki, but the lion-dog himself looked miserable. Cloud shook his head and quietly ate his apple, thinking about nothing.
The silence was broken by a crash and a scream from the main room. Cloud rushed in, hoping there wasn't any trouble.
A tall man, clothed in bright red leather, was pointing a gun at some man's head.
"Try zat again and I vill shoot you, you drunk bastard." He sneered. The man being threatened smiled.
"Just trying to make sure yer guard is up. Always *hic* keep yer guard up."
The man was obviously drunk. Unfortunately, the man in red didn't notice. He growled and cocked his gun, ready to fire. Cloud leaped over the bar and knocked the gun from his hands. The man turned to punch him, but Cloud saw it coming. He grabbed the man's fist and twisted his arm behind his back. Then he slammed the man up against the wall.
"Both of you leave right now." Tifa ordered. The drunk only grinned and wobbled out the door. The man in red, however, had other ideas. He tried to struggle from Cloud's grasp in vain.
"Who are you?" Cloud asked, narrowing his bright blue eyes.
"Someone who is leaving." The man hissed. With a nod from Tifa, Cloud let the man go. The man glowered at Tifa and Cloud before storming out of the tavern. After a moment's silence, the customers began their chatting again, ignoring what had happened. Seventh Heaven was one of the safest taverns to drink at, and they knew it.
"What was that about?" Cloud asked, helping Tifa sweep up the shards of a broken glass.
"I'm not sure. He just whipped out the gun, and you came in." Tifa shrugged. "The drunk probably tried to pick the other guy's pocket, or something like that. Nothing unusual." She carried the shards to the trash and dumped them in.
"Another glass of light ale, please!" A customer called.
"Coming right up!" Tifa replied. She grabbed a pitcher and went over to the customer.
Cloud frowned, thinking about the man in red. "Yeah. Nothing unusual." As he shook his head, the blonde went back into the kitchen, his thought returning to his dead friend.
Chapter Two
END
A/N: Whew! Made it through another one. Things could get dangerous from here on out. Next chapter we start diving into the perilous water that are known as: The Plot! *dundundun*
Please remember to bring your scuba gear. And note that I am not responsible for any injuries you might suffer while reading this fanfic.