Author's note: It's almost that THAT time of the year! Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Yuletide, Omisoka, Shabe-Yalda and whatever else you celebrate (or nothing if you don't at all)! I'll be gone until after the New Year so here is my gift to you all. Be safe if you're traveling and have a beautiful time with your loved ones!
Much love and appreciation towards: haikomochan, dawn chase, cake and Constance Truggle for your kind words of appraisal (if I missed anyone, it was unintentional)! When I see people respond, it empowers me to work harder on bringing you a story that will hopefully keep you entertained and immersed in my world. Thank you!
Author's note #2: I currently have about 5 stories planned out and they are completely unrelated but keep an eye out for them because they may just randomly appear!
Author's note #3: It's really been bugging me how the chapters are inconsistent so once it's all done, I'll re-upload the prologue and the first chapter into one chapter so as to remain constant. For now, ignore it and just go by my actual title numbers.
Disclaimer: Once upon a time… the end.
[ VIII ].
A lone snowflake carried by the cold wind drifted between the three men, floated across the balcony and out of view. Cloud felt his bones turn brittle and weakened at the sight of the enemy. It can't be! He screamed inwardly, eyes wide.
The corners of Sephiroth's lips curved upwards, halfway between a smirk and a sneer with emerald eyes locked onto Rufus' bright blue ones. The two men stared each other down from across the enormous landing without a word. Sephiroth made no signs of having acknowledged Cloud's presence and though it made Cloud feel slightly left out of the equation, he was met with a certain confusion of whether the other man was aware of him at all. He certainly didn't mind that it gave him a short moment to gather himself.
"My apologies, General Sephiroth. Have I disturbed your slumber?" Rufus gave the man a half-hearted smile with his shotgun still raised at arm's length.
Cloud looked to his left. Sephiroth flicked Masamune with his wrist as if flinging off invisible blood and lowered it to his side, the sneer unfaltering from his lips and his green eyes bored a hole through Rufus' skull. "Simple human. Have you not heard the phrase, 'Let sleeping dogs lie'?"
Rufus shrugged carelessly with his weapon still in place. He knew better than to let his guard down. "You don't bite the hand that feeds you."
More electrical currents zapped between all three men. Cloud felt the tiny hairs on his arms stand on end, charged by invisible static that one of them had released across the ground. He glanced back to Rufus who was was clearly unafraid of the threat standing before them and flapped his gums as passionately as ever.
"It doesn't benefit me to play with a brat like you," Sephiroth countered, turning his attention onto Cloud. "You, on the other hand..."
Cloud clenched his fists tightly at his sides when Sephiroth finally addressed him. The sudden attention lurched his heart into thunderous poundings. Sephiroth's sneer turned into an excited, devilish grin that increased the anxiety within his chest. It was the kind of look a cat would give a cornered mouse, if they had legible facial expressions. The pumping of his heart's valves escalated and the sounds gradually took over his senses until all he could hear was his own heart beating like a tribal drum. Behind the rapidly escalating beats, rang a familiar high-pitched screeching that he knew would eventually knock him out of consciousness. He didn't have time for that yet he couldn't stop it from happening.
Don't... I can't... If I lose consciousness, he might kill Rufus...
You don't like Rufus all that much.
But I can't just let him die.
He's half of the world's issues.
I'm not the one to judge.
You can be.
Yeah.
You've always been so easily persuaded. That's what I like about you.
Who… who are you?
I'm...
"He's waking up." A female voice.
Cloud felt himself coming into a conscious state as the sounds around him became clearer. His ears picked up the sound of shuffling, a cardiac monitor beeped softly somewhere and then the smell of antiseptics drifted into his nose. The top side of his left hand felt stiff. An intravenous drip, he summed up. Perhaps it was the idea of it, but he could've sworn that he tasted saline on his tongue. I did black out.
His sense of touch came second to last as his eyes were yet to open. Under his hands was the coarse feel of hospital draw sheets. An unfamiliar male voice spoke from his right side. It was loud, clear yet not a boisterous sound.
"Can you hear me? If you can, make a sound."
Cloud tried to move his lips but they were so parched and dry that only a hoarse, unintelligible grunt escaped.
"He's responsive," the male voice stated. To Cloud's left, someone scribbled onto a clipboard that echoed into the air. "Say your name."
He wanted to say, "Cloud" but something stopped him. Not only did his tongue feel dry and stiff, his parched lips weren't responding either and his jaw felt clamped shut. The only thing he could manage was a force an unintelligible grunt through his parted mouth again.
"Can you open your eyes?"
Cloud attempted to open his eyes but couldn't quite control the muscles over his lids to slide up and make the eyes themselves, roll forward. He felt the ticklish sensation of his long eyelashes batting however, the rest of it remained closed. The man next to him shuffled around and the one with the clipboard to the left walked around the foot of his bed, which he recognized as the female when her heels clacked over the floor.
"Unable to fulfill request," the male explained. More scribbling at the foot of the bed. "More induction required. I'll check back in a few."
"Yessir," the female responded while jotting notes across the board. She clicked over to his right side where the male had walked off. "You're going to feel a little pinch."
Cloud hissed softly at the "little pinch" to the inside of his forearm.
"Be gentle, Elena. Our little hero is a delicate woman."
Woman?
Cloud abruptly opened his eyes, blinking quickly. He was still lying on the balcony and Elena was knelt over him with a cotton ball between a pair of tissue forceps, stained with spots of blood. He sat up confused as he did a quick once-over of the area. I was in a hospital, wasn't I?
"Something wrong, Cloud?" It was Rufus, who stood a few paces behind Elena, unscathed. There was an all-knowing lilt to his smile.
Instead of answering the question, Cloud looked at the other four Turks scattered around the balcony and the several blue, Shinra uniformed SOLDIERs at the doorway. Their guns were rested on their forearms as if expecting an intruder; an intruder that appeared to be long gone. Elena dabbed at his right arm again with the cotton ball which smelled of isopropyl alcohol. It stung so he looked down at the scraped wound on the outer side of his arm. It looked pretty nasty. I must've scraped it when Rufus knocked me down.
"How are you feeling?"
Cloud looked up to see Tseng had stealthily approached Elena's side and was observing from his height. "Fine. Thanks," he bowed his head lightly toward the female and the corners of her lips spread into a pleased smile that was only visible for a split second. With a soft nudge, she'd placed a small gauze over the site and held it in place with surgical dressing tape.
He returned his eyes to Rufus.
"You took quite a nice nap in the middle of a crucial moment, Cloud."
Cloud wanted to ask what happened to Sephiroth. What had happened to him and what had happened to Rufus and Sephiroth's standoff but he kept his mouth shut. Knowing Rufus, he would one way or another, read Cloud's thoughts and word his reply anyway. Rufus had some perception to and Cloud had been shown that time and again.
"He disappeared," Rufus answered with a shrug.
"I figured."
"Come. Let's return to the warmth of my office. It's become a little too chilly for me."
Everyone stood at Rufus' words, even Cloud. He wasn't going to refute the invitation since he too, was feeling the weight of the cold air around his skin. Rude stood closest to the door and went in first as the SOLDIERs parted onto opposite sides of the door, followed by Rufus, Tseng, Elena and himself. Reno was still in the furthest corner of the balcony speaking quietly into his mobile phone.
The welcomed heated air from the office sent shivers down his spine as his skin absorbed the warmth. His goose bumps raised at the turn of temperatures. Cloud wasn't sure where he should stand once inside the office so he halted several steps shy inside of the door and watched the rest of the Turks file into positions on either side of Rufus' as Rufus ascended to his platform-raised desk. When Rufus took his seat, he beckoned for Cloud to recline himself in the chair he'd previously occupied. Cloud reluctantly acquiesced to the man's request.
"I'm a man of my words, Cloud."
Cloud stared, awaiting further explanation.
"You'll have to pardon my... behavior from earlier. For now. Let me explain things to you, Cloud, of how I was sure I'd be able to draw Sephiroth to me."
There was something off about Edge. Cloud couldn't quite distinguish what it was the more he neared the city with Fenrir, but he felt it deep in his bone marrows as though his soul knew the answer. It wasn't due to the events at the Shinra Headquarters that had him feeling anxious. That was only part of it. The other half of it was the vibe that Edge was silently displaying as if it were calling for him. He shivered involuntarily as Rufus' words encircled his insides like a coiled snake.
"It is in our nature to know and have certain attachments to things we deem to be ours, such as the way children are possessive of their favorite toys. They don't like the idea of other children touching what they perceive as 'theirs'."
An involuntary laughter escaped his lips at Rufus' words. "I am not a toy, nor his favorite anything."
"Only you think so, Cloud."
"..."
Rufus leaned back in his chair, drummed his fingers on the armrest and stared at the man across from him. "That's why you're his favorite." And mine, he thought sinfully.
"You're being ridiculous. This and that are two completely different things," Cloud replied, moving to stand. "And don't touch me again."
At the mild threat, Rufus raised an eyebrow, watching Cloud retreat toward the elevators. "He went east."
- KABOOM! -
A Planet-shattering explosion jolted him from his thoughts and he skidded to a screeching halt, yards from Edge's entrance. Horrific screams and cries for help billowed in the air. Cloud's adrenaline shot through the roof with Fenrir's tires screeching ferociously once again as he raced into town.
"He went east."
"He went east."
"He went east."
Fury burned in his chest as he saw tall buildings collapsed upon themselves and crashing into large chunks. Citizens gawked at the chaos and scattered about in response to the destruction. Some were running in the direction of the falling debris, unaware of the looming shadows overhead.
"He went east."
Fenrir left rubber markings on the cement as Cloud raced to 7th Heaven. They should be fine, he reassured himself. They're capable of handling themselves!
Just as he watched a large piece of granite plunge mercilessly from the sky with helpless victims below, a ball of fire crisped the rock and crumpled it into fine ash in mid-air. Cloud slammed on the brakes and rushed over on foot to the scene. People were yelling and crying, screaming and pushing each other out of the way in the midst of all the chaotic noises of crumbling buildings. His eyes enlarged when he saw who had saved the people and was still busy getting people out of harm's way.
"Cloud!"
"Cloud!"
"W..." It was not something to be flabbergasted over at such a critical moment but he was struck speechless.
"We need to protect the people!"
"Daddy says we need to help!"
Nanaki's pups were ushering people away from danger as if they were grown military men. Just as the thought rolled around his mind that he had never imagined the pups as capable, one of them shot a firebolt into the distance, shattering a boulder of concrete.
"Don't just stand there!"
"Do something!"
Their hollering jerked Cloud from his uncharacteristic stupor and momentary awe of the pups. "Sorry! Where's everyone?"
"Somewhere we don't know!"
"Probably rescuing others!"
Cloud nodded once tightly. "You kids, come with me!"
"No! We have to help!"
"Have to h - "
Cloud bent down, hooked his arms around both puppies and ran back to his bike. "Get away from there and find shelter outside of Edge!" he yelled over his shoulders at the cowering humans.
"Stop! We have to save them!" one of the pups yelled over the calamity.
"We are warriors! We have to save them!" shouted the other.
Cloud wrapped both pups tightly in his left arm and kicked Fenrir into gear. He understood the pups but he could never forgive himself if anything happened to them. He wouldn't be able to face Nanaki or the rest of the gang. Hell, he'd rather die than know that he could have prevented such a thing from happening!
The little balls of red fur wriggled around in his arms but Cloud held them securely between his chest and his arm. He could feel one of them nipping at the exposed skin between his sleeve and his glove in an effort to grab his attention but he refused to give in. The pup knew not to actually bite, just irritate him but then, suddenly stopped.
"Cloud!"
"What happened?"
"Nothing!" he answered, swerving around people and debris. He knew the pups saw his injuries.
The rest of the winding trip to the bar was silent between the three. The pups had stopped struggling and instead, sat observantly in his lap, occasionally glancing at his bandages and obviously picking up the scent of blood fused with alcohol under the dressing.
"Nanaki!"
Both pups startled at Cloud's outburst. He swung the bike around to Nanaki who had run over, hearing Cloud call for him. They met in the middle and the pups hopped from Cloud's lap to their father's side.
"It's Sephiroth!" Nanaki reported, placing both front paws before his pups to shield them.
Cloud nodded and looked toward the center of town where most of the chaos was centered. The bar was that way. "Where are the others?"
Nanaki shook his head, the beads on his mane rattled over the noise. "I don't know. We were caught in the middle of this on our way to the stores!"
Cloud looked down to the pups and wanted to lecture Nanaki about placing the pups in danger on their own but he knew better than to teach someone else how to raise their own children. "Where is he?"
"I don't know either! I only caught a glimpse of him headed toward the center of town! Go, Cloud! I'll round up the others!"
Cloud sprung open all six pieces of First Ken that was stored in the bike and slapped the sword together effortlessly. With a short nod, he slipped the fully assembled blade into the holster on his back and spun back around, racing toward the center of chaos. His mind began spinning short of uncontrollable, imagining his friends possibly in the midst of a confrontation with the enemy or worse, brave citizens getting themselves more caught into a battle they had little to do with. There was always one or two 'normal' people who felt they had the balls to attack the offender instead of turning tail and retreating toward safety.
In-between several buildings, Cloud caught a glimmer of hope - flashes of crimson darted further and further into the distance.
Vincent!
He cranked up the speed of Fenrir, taking a less populated detour around the debris and alarmed residents, attempting to keep the fleeting red cape within eyesight. Cloud wasn't sure if Vincent was following Sephiroth or if Vincent was rushing to assess damages further in the destruction but for now, the man was his informational target.
Unfortunately, his suspicions were confirmed when he noticed the silent but bright flashes from under Vincent's organic, red cape. No, he's definitely shooting at something, something that Cloud couldn't see from where he was currently riding. He quickly rounded over a large pile of granite and hoisted himself and his bike over an equally large pillar, rode it over the blockage and sped down the opened streets to his left. It was then that it occurred to him: the havoc-wreaking path shot straight through the center of town.
The streets became less and less disturbed as he remained left of the main path. Here and there, he saw specks of Vincent fleeting toward the left as well. If timing was on his side, he calculated he'd be able to intercept the man and see for himself what Vincent was pursuing - and hopefully find the source of the destruction.
Fenrir groaned loudly below as Cloud kept his boots depressed all the way to the metal. The bike began to feel as though it couldn't carry Cloud any faster than the thunderous drumming of his heart wanted it to. He tsk'd impatiently, rounded a building and then all of a sudden, he saw Vincent leaping toward him from the distance. Before Cloud could slam on the brakes, a flash of black and silver crossed inches from the front of his bike. He instinctively swerved Fenrir to the right and disengaged, gripping First Ken tightly in his hand as both he and Fenrir skidded across the rough pavement. The bike smashed into a wall somewhere in the distance with a gigantic bang and with heat searing under his soles, he slid to a stop. There was no time or reason to watch his precious bike in those few short seconds as a series of gunfire rang through the air beside him. He took several swift leaps backwards and landed firmly on both feet. From his peripheral vision, he saw Vincent descend to his side and in the distance before him, the graceful, soundless landing of the man he constantly wished had never existed.
Vincent angled himself and stepped his right leg forward with Cerberus's barrels aimed at the silver-haired man's forehead. Across from him and Cloud, Sephiroth settled, the hair on his back fell like a soft cape and Cloud raised his sword defensively.
Cloud knew there was no time for words or the man would slip away to continue his rampage. It was engage in battle now, or risk chasing him.
"Cloud." Sephiroth smirked as he stated the name.
Cloud narrowed his eyes at the man. Just the simple call of his name made Cloud's chest burn. The old scar that Sephiroth had first pierced him with in the Nibelheim Reactor began to slowly throb.
"Don't listen to him, Cloud," Vincent advised from his side and placed a hand on Cloud's upper arm as reassurance. "Don't listen to him."
The right corner of Sephiroth's lips curved upward slyly. "You've been searching so hard for me, Cloud, and here I am."
"I..." Cloud blinked, his eyes wavered unsurely.
- BANG! -
Cloud flinched, startled from the shot Vincent fired which broke him from momentary confusion. Sephiroth twirled around once out of the bullet's way, a few strands of silver flickered onto the floor, grazed by Vincent's assault. He cocked Cerberus again.
"Oh, that was unexpected," Sephiroth taunted with a sneer. He locked eyes with Cloud again, who seemed to gradually become more and more confused in the eyes. "Come to me, Cloud."
Vincent felt Cloud relent a little to his left. The once firm grip on First Ken seemed to have visually softened.
"I know what you're doing, Sephiroth. Don't," Vincent warned. "or I will blow your head off."
Sephiroth looked at the pebbles next to his leather boots and shook his head. The undead ex-Turk was just like those pebbles on the ground - an annoyance, and Vincent could sense that from the man without him saying a word. Sephiroth whipped his gaze back onto Cloud, boring his mako-infused eyes at the blond.
"Cloud."
Cloud stirred uneasily. Something was happening to him and he wasn't sure. It was a familiar feeling yet, unfamiliar at the same time. It was like a long ago memory. He shook his head and released one hand of the hilt of his sword to clutch at the side of his head. Sephiroth was doing something to him - to his mind. There were minute fractions of his brain that wanted to listen to the man and go to him where he felt safest while other parts of his mind were screaming at him to snap out of it. He looked across the way at Sephiroth. Their eyes were locked and at the moment, Cloud found it extremely difficult to tear his eyes away. The relentless pounding of his heart sped up and his breathing became more and more shallow until he began hyperventilating by Vincent's side.
- BANG! BANG! BANG! -
All three barrels fired in succession, breaking the spell between the other two men. Vincent wasted no time in snatching First Ken from Cloud's fumbling hands and hooked his free arm around Cloud's waist, pressing the sword to the other man's body. He shot several more times, forcing Sephiroth to retreat, then wrapped his cape around the both of them, fleeing from battle for the second time in his life. It almost felt like a déjà vu.
The further they were from Sephiroth, the more Cloud's mind cleared. Vincent seemed to understand and stopped atop an untouched building standing amidst the chaos, dropping Cloud to his feet.
I have to go back... I have to go back! Cloud thought angrily. His mind was clearing and what had occurred back there was absolutely uncalled for. How could I have let that happen? He made ready to leave as quickly as he could to catch Vincent off guard but the other man knew, grabbing him roughly by the shoulder.
"Leave it alone," Vincent spoke with conviction. "You're incapable right now."
Cloud furrowed his brows in anger and slapped Vincent's arm off. "Let go, Vincent."
Vincent let go of Cloud's shoulder gruffly and turned away. "You won't accomplish anything with the way you are now."
He knew those were words that Cloud definitely won't want to hear with his inferiority complex but it had to be said. Cloud shuffled behind his back and went quiet for a moment. When Vincent thought Cloud had heeded his words, Cloud leaped into the distance and soon disappeared from view. Vincent whirled around to see the small figure evaporate in the distance and tsk'd. He flapped his red cape away from him and rushed in the opposite direction.