Shado: Well I finally finished it. It's rather long, possibly longer than the first chapter. But I really wanted this story to get to the ShinRa part. And just as a warning, this chapter has some angsty moments. However there's a few surprises, so hopefully everything's all even now.

Disclaimer: Does it look like I own FFVII? Sadly, no. I currently don't own a computer either.

Also, just to point out, I named the title of this chapter after one of the songs in Crisis Core. I happened to be listening to it while writing this chapter up, so the name stuck.

Chapter Two – Farewell Melody

"We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails."

Dolly Parton

=3=

"Father, I thought I was going to fly. So why am I only stretching my wings out? I want to fly!" Cloud pouted in disappointment. It was the morning after the successful assassination of the mayor of Kalm, and the blond had been eager for his first flying lessons.

So far Vincent had been drilling him with stretching and small flaps. The blond was frustrated to say the least.

"For a first timer it's critical that your wings aren't tense or they won't flap or develop properly for flight." Vincent replied as a matter of fact-ly.

"Well I guess that makes sense…" Still, that didn't settle with Cloud's disappointment.

Sensing this, Vincent decided to change things up a bit. He felt Chaos stir, silently agreeing without his host even asking the question. As Cloud tucked his wings closer to his body, he noticed with pure fascination as the red cape transformed into leathery wings. When he was younger, Cloud used to envy Vincent's wings.

But now he had his own wings, although he'd rather have the color of the feathers black. At night the white feathers shimmered and reflected the moonlight, which would give away their location if they were being hunted. There was nothing he could do with the plain white color, no matter how many times he wished. Now and then Vincent would give compliments on how beautiful the wings were, which helped him feel much better about himself.

The red wings stretched in the morning sun. Cloud watched the leathery limbs with awe. There was no doubt in his mind that any other person would cringe in fear at the bat like wings. However the blond thought the complete opposite.

He had always admired them, he had never been afraid at the sight of not so angelic wings. It could be because Cloud admired Vincent from the first day they met, although he could admit that he was only a tad bit afraid the first few minutes. When Vincent proved to be non – threatening, admiration took over the fear. The admiration and love for his father ran deep, although technically Vincent wasn't his biological father.

To Cloud's surprise, when their eyes met, they were not the bright amber signature of Chaos. In fact, Vincent's human body remained intact, only the wings of the strongest of the four demons residing within him revealed that he was there.

"Surprised, chocobo?" To the boy's shock, Vincent actually cracked a smile.

And he made a joke.

"…Who are you and what have you done to father?" Cloud answered playfully.

"I'm in a playful mood…now are you going to stand there, or are you going to show us what your wings are capable of?" The assassin questioned the boy, his red wings tensing, ready for flight.

With a smile of his own, Cloud began to flap his wings. The strokes of the ever growing appendages were hard, as they tried to adjust to carrying his weight and gain altitude. The blond managed to beat his wings up and feet off the ground for a few seconds before landing again.

"Jump, your legs should give you a launching advantage. Pay attention to the amount of air rushing into your wings, and use it to your advantage to lift yourself up." Vincent advised after Cloud failed a couple more times.

The blond was disappointed in himself about his failures. But he knew that he had to keep trying. It was good for him that he had someone like Vincent to guide him to use his wings properly. Although their wings were drastically different, they were built for the same thing: flight.

"Feel every muscle and every movement they make, feel your feathers grasp for the wind. For you, your feathers play an important key to what direction the wind blows, and at what speed. Think of your wings as extended arms built to glide and climb the skies." Vincent continued with giving advice, his patience for the young one was endless.

It was Cloud's first attempt in flying of course.

"What about your wings, father? They don't have feathers." Cloud's curiosity won him over as he landed to catch his breath.

"The leather membranes are sensitive to the heat and cold. I can sense warm or cold air currents, and take flight in that path to gain altitude. If there is none, however, my wings are strong enough to lift my body from the ground." The elder informed.

"Tired already, pupil?"

The white wings tensed, feathers ruffled at the taunting. Although Cloud hid his annoyance, his wings gave his emotions away. Sheer determination filled innocent blue eyes, and Cloud leapt off the ground and thrust his wings in a strong stroke. To Vincent the lift off was perfect, however after a few more beats with the wings Cloud began to fly awkwardly and swayed from one side to the other.

The young teen didn't know what to do, his eyes widened and heart rate increased as panic began to set in. As if sensing Cloud's panic, the elder assassin tensed his body, ready to take flight if the boy fell.

"Keep your body balanced. Move your body from side to side only if you want to turn or dive. If you want to go straight, then stay absolutely still. Your wings will know what to do." Vincent warned.

Panic ebbed away into concentration. Cloud's body relaxed and straightened himself out. Almost instantly his wings stopped flapping frantically. It took the blond a few moments to realize that he was gliding in a wind current some ten feet off the ground.

"Look, father! I'm flying!" Cloud shouted his excitement, nearly losing balance from his delight.

"Yes. Now let's see you turn left." Vincent was suddenly flying below him, leather wings riding the same air current as the pupil's.

Cloud did as his mentor instructed. Half the time he didn't know what he was doing, but he rode out on his instincts. And just as Vincent said, his wings knew what to do. They just needed to have a little practice.

The flying lessons had continued on for the rest of the day. Vincent taught the boy how to land, dive, even a few fighting sessions aiming the wings to strike at certain spots of opponent's body. But what Cloud loved most of all that day, was when the sun was just starting to set.

Vincent wanted to land before dusk settled in, or it'll be too dark to land safely. But for the last few minutes Cloud gazed at the land below, captivated at the sight. This was the moment the blond had dreamed about for years.

As he soared high above the ground, nearly touching the clouds, he never felt so free. It was as if all the stress of hiding, running, and hoping his world with Vincent would be safe, didn't matter anymore. Cloud felt so free, with the sight of the beautiful landscape below in the sunset. He was finally flying, and it felt so much better than what he had dreamed of for so long.

Tears silently fell, disappearing the moment they appeared. At this moment Cloud allowed himself to cry. For all the years he had been living with Vincent, the blond held back the tears. Not once had he cried, even when he had been plagued with nightmares of his hometown being torn to pieces by monsters.

Now at a moment of weakness Cloud let it all go. He didn't even notice Vincent flying closer, silently observing.

At first Vincent thought he was imagining things, but at closer inspection he knew he wasn't. The boy was crying. It came to such a shock that the ex–Turk didn't know what to think.

He remembered once, telling the boy that it was okay to cry. But the boy had been so stubborn that he refused to let the tears flow. Vincent didn't pressure Cloud, partly because he thought it was the boy's way of moving on, and partly because he knew one day it would all burst out.

Vincent didn't expect that a simple act of flying would help break the dam that Cloud had built for so many years.

The sunlight was almost gone. Vincent silently urged them downward, the boy obediently following. When they landed the elder man released a small sigh of relief as the wings transformed back into his red cape. Vincent had always feared that Chaos would take control of his body when the wings were out.

He watched as his pupil landed perfectly, his tired wings folded and disappeared into small shoulders. Vincent blinked in surprise as the tears still flowed. Cloud's lower lip trembled in fear and humiliation. He never wanted to appear weak in front of his mentor.

Sensing the new discomfort, Vincent motioned the boy to come closer. Still trembling, Cloud did so, staring fearfully at the ground. To their surprise the elder man pulled the boy to his chest, cape surrounding the small body in comfort. Vincent's human hand gently ruffled the blond spikes.

"It's okay to cry, Cloud. Crying is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength." Vincent spoke softly as they sat down.

Cloud's lower lip trembled even more, before he whimpered and let it all out. He didn't wail, or any other sound like a child would. The blond let out a few whimpers now and then, when the constricting pain in his chest became too much. The tears never seemed to be endless, and Vincent didn't seem to mind that his torso was currently being used as a pillow.

This felt a little awkward to Vincent. He'd never been in this situation before. However he wasn't one to turn the boy away when he obviously needed some comfort.

'You're such a good father.' Chaos commented with a chuckle that questionably sounded like a growl.

'Shut up, demon.'

'No, I mean it. The boy needed to let it all out. Better now before you send him off some place and have no one to turn to.' Chaos snorted unhappily.

The other three grumbled in agreement. Over the years each of them had grown to like the boy. Of the four demons Galian was the most protective, almost disturbingly so. If Cloud somehow found himself in trouble, Hell Masker makes a rather noisily request to tear apart whoever harmed or cornered the blond. Death Gigas was usually silent, but now and then the giant would grunt in agreement with one of the other demons, usually Chaos.

Chaos was a whole different matter, however. The demon had an interest in Cloud, and Vincent wasn't sure exactly what 'kind' of interest the demon had. From the beginning Vincent had to stay on his toes to prevent Chaos from doing anything that could traumatize the poor boy more than he had already been through. Eventually Chaos' attempts to take over died down, however the ex–Turk still kept a wary eye over the demon when strange events occur.

One can never put their guard down with Chaos, who was naturally sneaky and curious, not to mention he was an opportunist to the extreme. Somehow along the way the demon developed a strange sense of humor.

Vincent was brought out of his nostalgia when he realized that everything was quiet. Looking down he realized the boy had fallen asleep, curled up against him. The corners of the elder's mouth tugged in a small, but fond smile.

Even though he found Chaos annoying as hell, he still had his moments. Vincent knew that come by tomorrow the boy will feel much better. And although it pained him, Vincent will then have to search for a place to send the boy. It would only be for a couple of years or so, which wasn't all that long to the elder.

Vincent only dreaded one thing. He knew it was the time of year for new recruits in Shin–Ra, and he feared the idea of Cloud applying for SOLDIER. He knew for a long time the boy had the potential with swords, and despite his small body the boy could take on anyone twice his size and beat them to the ground with ease.

He didn't fear this path because of the popularity towards Cloud, and by some small chance a slip up would occur and his secret as an assassin pupil would leak out. No, it was not that. Vincent knew for a fact Cloud would rather die in order to keep the secret safe. Which of course he won't allow, but still, this was based on the boy's word.

He wasn't afraid that Cloud would be hurt, or bullied for his size, the boy could take care of himself. And although Vincent wasn't quite sure why, but Cloud's wounds never stuck around for very long, even the few serious ones he had over the years.

No, it was not any of the usual fears any father would have. Vincent dreaded this path because he knew, without a doubt, that that man would take an interest with Cloud. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Cloud was special in his own way. And the fact he has talent won't help matters either.

He was afraid Cloud would be used, experimented, and tortured in every way imaginable.

It'd be one more sin to burden this old man's heart, when it was already shrouded in darkness.

=3=

They didn't know why, or how, but Cloud's wings held a new surprise for them. Vincent questioned whether the boy was human. It wasn't the first time he pondered over this, however he never took it seriously until now. Meanwhile the blond was confused as how this had been possible.

It all started when they woke up to the sound of a monster that was roaming about in their supplies. Vincent was the first to wake up, immediately followed by the blond. Both sprang up with great speed, gathering their weapons at hand and began to take aim and fire.

There were four of them; the leader had been scavenging through their food supply while the others circled around the camp. Beast and Swan recognized these monsters within seconds.

These were the same type of monsters that destroyed and slaughtered Cloud's hometown.

For ten years they hadn't encountered any monsters that appeared similar to the creatures that haunted Cloud. This was the first time they've actually fought the horrible monsters, the last time they ran and hid in the dense forest that surrounded Nibelheim.

The creatures were roughly as tall as Vincent, who was considerably tall himself. They had the appearance of a wolf however they had sharp claws as opposed to paws, legs thin and bird like in appearance. Their tails were long with a poisonous dart at the tip.

At where snouts should be, instead were sharp beaks. When those beaks grabbed hold of someone, there was no chance of escape. There were only feathers at the top of the head and down the neck, where feathers met fur.

And for some odd reason their fur color was blue while the feathered head ranged from red or green, depending if they were male or female. At a certain light, the fur seemed a more blue violet. In the shadows they melted and blended in perfectly. And they were quick on their feet like cheetahs.

Vincent had just finished off one of the monsters and was about to go for the leader, when the alpha leaped over him. The gunman's heart stopped when he realized the alpha was going for Cloud. Vincent whirled around in time to see what he could only describe as a transformation.

The blond cried in fear, his wings burst out of his shoulders in reaction. In what seemed like slow motion the beautiful white feathers fell, leaving behind black feathers in their wake. Once all the white feathers were off, they stopped in mid air, surrounding Cloud in a white feathery veil.

Then the feathers were horizontal, now covered in ice. Vincent briefly realized that the boy had somehow casted blizzard on the feathers, turning them into ice shards that could pierce skin and possibly bone. With a beat of the black wings, the feathered shards soared through the air.

Vincent had to dodge with a roll to avoid a hit from a few of them. Most of the shards had been aimed at the monsters around them. One of the monsters was seriously injured, and the alpha had a limp in its right foreleg.

The elder tensed, ready to attack if the monsters were going to keep going. The alpha surprised him at the amount of intelligence it had, for it backed off with a call for the others to follow. It knew they couldn't win, and so the alpha took the chance and escaped with its remaining followers limping behind.

At one point the alpha paused, glancing over Vincent's and Cloud's forms, as if memorizing the ones held responsible for all this trouble. And with the snort, the alpha turned and leads his pack to safety.

Once he knew they were gone, Vincent turned his attention to Cloud. The boy was staring at his wings with wide eyes, confused and awe struck at the same time.

When the elder moved closer that Cloud finally looked up at his mentor, eyebrows furrowed and a frown was taking shape.

"Father…what just happened?"

For once in his life time Vincent didn't have an answer. His crimson gaze fixed on the black wings, as if they had sprouted for the first time.

=3=

All right, so, not only did they learn Cloud's wings could 'transform', the boy could also use magic. What struck Vincent was that there had been no evidence of Cloud having the capability of using magic. No matter how hard he looked back, there was no hint, no warning signs that Cloud can cast elementals. And it would seem that ice was his specialty.

Considering where the boy was born and raised, Vincent wasn't all the surprised about the ice part of this mystery.

Then something else seemed to have given Vincent a slap in the face. His thoughts were wandering about Cloud's magic, when he realized just how could he use magic without materia?

This was where Vincent seriously considered that Cloud was in fact, not human. But how? The boy was born and built like a human, only he had two extra limbs that happened to be wings and he can use magic without materia, when he had never even used or knew what magic was.

Oh, right. Vincent wasn't exactly human either. He hadn't been normal for the past twenty years or so.

But there were so many differences between him and Cloud, which Vincent wondered if the boy had actually been born this way. If so, then what exactly was he? The only answer the gunman could come up with was that Cloud is a Cetra.

He doubted it. Then again Vincent knew very little of the Cetra race. He'd have to dig up some research. However it'd have to be done while Cloud was training elsewhere. Speaking of, he'll have to come up with some sort of plan as to where to send Cloud to. Too much confusing things going on!

"Um, father? That alpha destroyed our food supply." The blond spoke nervously.

Vincent inwardly sighed.

"I suppose we'll have to get more. You'll have to head back to Kalm though."

"I'll fly there." Cloud nodded, gathering up their saved up gil and urging his wings out. They were back to their natural shimmering white.

In a heartbeat the blond took off, leaving Vincent to ponder over the confusing questions once more.

=3=

Within no time Cloud made it into Kalm. He landed a few miles away so he could tuck away his wings into his shoulders then safely walk the rest of the way. Somehow there had been no contact with any other monsters along the way. But when he arrived he came upon the scene of a few Turks and SOLDIER cadets roaming about.

They were here to investigate the mayor's murder, Cloud concluded.

Calming his heartbeat, the blond made his way towards the market. None of them seemed to have taken any notice of him, despite the fact his hair would make him stick out in a crowd.

As he was buying the food, collecting them in a little basket that somehow survived the ordeal with the monsters, Cloud felt a little more relaxed. Everyone thought he was part of the town, which the residents would assume for they had seen him a number of times over the years. Kalm just happened to be one of the few places Vincent liked to visit frequently.

However Cloud's relaxed nature was short lived. Just as he was about to head back to the where he walked into Kalm he was stopped by a smooth, alluring voice.

"Excuse me, but where exactly are you going, little chocobo?"

Cloud's heart froze. He looked up to meet a curious gaze. His deep ocean blue eyes met calculating blue grey. The other man had auburn red hair styled with an added flare about him, giving him a feminine yet deadly appearance. His red (in the sunlight it seemed a bit more pink to Cloud) leather jacket didn't help matters on the dangerous side. And neither did the black outfit of a First Class SOLDIER underneath the red leather.

This man was captivating, but at the same time he was deadly. The air about him screamed a mix of 'I am holier than thou' and 'You can look, but don't you dare touch. I have fangs and claws and I'm not afraid to use them'. Cloud certainly knew he wouldn't want to be caught on this man's bad side.

"I was just leaving. I'm a delivery boy, and an old lady wanted me to get her groceries." Cloud replied, hoping the other wouldn't ask just who he was getting the groceries for.

"Oh?" The man raised an elegant eyebrow.

"You don't seem the delivery boy type to me. Have you ever thought of applying for SOLIDER, little chocobo?"

'What's with the chocobo nickname?' Cloud wanted to ask, but he was afraid he'd be hacked to pieces if he did.

"I've thought about it, but it's all up to my father." The blond answered truthfully.

When he was growing up, Cloud heard whispers about a prodigy among the SOLDIER program. Ever since then he'd kept an ear out for any news related to the general, who in the public eye was considered a living god among men. But Cloud knew better, he knew the origins of the general all thanks to a certain demon who thought it'd be funny to tell him bedtime horror stories (which he later found out to be true about Vincent and how he came to be) when he was younger.

Cloud was curious, but due to his deep understanding and love for his father he dared not to ask anything related to Shin–Ra. But now that he thought about it, now was probably a good opportunity to bring up the SOLDIER program. So long as there wasn't a chance Vincent would shot him however…

"Your father has the last say on everything?" The First frowned disapprovingly.

"No, not always. He's just not particularly…fond of the idea of sending me off and get killed sometime later on." Cloud shifted his weight from one foot to the other nervously.

"Ah, so he's holding you back because he cares." The other concluded.

The SOLDIER paused, and Cloud caught a hint of jealousy. But as soon as the jealousy had come it disappeared in a flash.

"What if I hand over a recommendation then? You can't get any better than a recommendation from a top commander."

A commander, huh? That explained his outfit at least. And the incredible amount of ego. But something bothered Cloud.

"Um…may I ask, why me? You don't seem the type to randomly or willingly hand out a recommendation to some stranger."

The First shrugged. "I just happen to find you interesting. And…there's something about you that reminds me of someone. But I can't exactly put a finger on what, however. Tell me, have you ever heard of LOVELESS?"

Cloud recognized the title. It was one of the few poems/plays Vincent made him read. The first time through he didn't understand it, but after a few times over Cloud realized the poem had some sort of message about it that was some sort of great mystery. He didn't ponder over it too much since the poem lacked an official ending.

"I've read it, actually. The poem and the play, as a matter of fact. What about it?"

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess.

We seek it thus, and take to the sky.

Ripples from the water's surface

The wandering soul knows no rest."

A playful, knowing smirk made itself known on the handsome face. His eyes gleamed with a silent challenge at the blond, as if daring him to answer.

Cloud hesitated, thinking over the verse the SOLDIER just recited to him.

"I caught your interest. My appearance is unusual, however you notice something else. You won't tell me the entire reason why, either because you don't know the entire reason yourself or because you want me to think over the poem LOVELESS."

"Also, as you said, I remind you of something. I'm guessing it has something to do with the sky? I've often been told that my eyes reflect the sky. Or the ocean, but I'm guessing that by the verse you've recited to me was about the sky, the ocean wasn't in your mind."

The First stared in shock. Then after a moment his serious expression came back with a smirk. The auburn haired man crossed his arms across his chest.

"You read between the lines, young one. You've past the first test."

'That was a test? I'd hate to see what he'd consider an exam.' Cloud pondered.

The First pulled out what the blond guessed was an application forms and a pen and began to scribble down something at the very bottom of the last page. Once he was done the SOLDIER handed over the paper.

"That should do the trick. I'll be waiting for your entry, little chocobo." He smiled once more, and then walked away with careful strides, giving away that this man craved attention. His coat alone would make anyone walking by have a second glance at the daring figure.

"Wait, I don't even know your name. You don't even know mine." Cloud frowned in afterthought.

"You have my signature, little chocobo. And I'll learn yours when I get the call from the director concerning your application." The First chuckled, not even glancing back or pausing in his steps.

Hesitantly Cloud flipped through the packet to the last page. There at the bottom, was a signature with elegant and neat handwriting, it suited the man well. Upon reading his name however, Cloud felt that it had a certain ring to the man.

'Genesis Rhapsodos. Interesting name for an interesting man, suits him somehow.'

And with that, Cloud stuffed the application into the grocery basket and headed out of Kalm.

=3=

The next few days were hell for both Beast and Swan. Cloud had made the mistake of immediately bringing up the application paper, which set off a whole new level of protectiveness from Vincent. The blond hadn't thought about how to bring the application up, when he found himself talking about it.

And the next thing he knew, Vincent was all over him with questions. Who gave him the application? Why did a First Class SOLDIER of all people, hand him an application for free? And although he didn't say this, Cloud could tell the elder was asking in his head, what the hell were you thinking?

To tell the truth, Cloud didn't know. He honestly had no idea why he accepted the papers. Or even destroying them once he was far enough away from Kalm so the commander wouldn't witness their destruction.

Maybe it was because the blond secretly wished to meet Sephiroth. He didn't wish for it out of admiration, but out of curiosity. He wanted to know what the 'Great General' of Shin–Ra was like in person. Cloud had seen a few posters of the young man, and he knew then that Chaos' seemingly crazy horror stories were true.

However Cloud didn't expect such a dramatic dispute between him and the man he considered to be a father. They were simply too close for any kind of arguments. Cloud understood his father's fear, but he never thought the man would this protective.

Once they had enough of arguing after the first day, neither spoke to each other. There were few glances, but other than that there was no sign of either of them taking the hardest step of forgiving and giving in.

Cloud wanted so much to apologize, but he didn't want to give up this one chance. He was so torn inside that he didn't know what to do, or what mattered most. Use the only chance he could possibly ever have to meet Sephiroth, even if the chances were small when he applied, or drop down on his knees and beg his father to accept his apology.

The blond was currently tempted to do the latter. He didn't want this silent treatment to continue on any longer than it should. It felt as if he was being squeezed by a boa constrictor as each day passed without a spoken word between them. Cloud could just be over reacting, but this had never happened before.

When Cloud finally had the courage to follow through with his begging for forgiveness, he was surprised that Vincent made the first move.

"Cloud."

The blond blinked, unsure if he was finally going crazy and was hearing things.

"…I'm too selfish. If you really want to go, then you have my blessing. But only on one condition." Vincent's crimson gaze met the boy's uncertain blue ones.

Cloud's heart skipped a few beats. He was going? Vincent was allowing him to go?

"Y–yes?"

"…Whatever happens, if you're in a situation that you can't win, run. Just run."

It was then the blond realized that this was the hardest decision Vincent could ever make when it concerned his pupil. The gunman always weighed the pros and cons on what was best for Cloud, he was always there to help and decide what to do. It was only on the boy's persistence that Vincent finally accepted on taking the boy on as an apprentice at the tender age of ten.

With a curt nod, Cloud made his way to Vincent in three quick hops and threw his arms around him. Vincent planted a gentle kiss upon the boy's brow, his own fatherly way he had picked up the past few years. The blond smiled, eyes grew teary all over again.

Both Swan and Beast knew that this was farewell. Not forever, but far longer than two years, if the boy succeeded in making it to the SOLDIER program. Vincent's heart lurched at the thought. But whatever happens, Cloud will always have his full support.

=3=

Shado: Well, I feel that the whole Genesis part is a bit rushed. But I didn't know what else to add, so I guess this will have to do. I couldn't use the creatures, since Cloud had already encountered them before he made his trip to Kalm.

Speaking of, I haven't quite found a name for what these creatures should be called. I've drawn them out, I just need to finish inking them, scan 'em and post 'em up on deviantART, and then possibly color them. I just haven't decided whether to use colored pencil or photoshop. My photoshop skills aren't that great at the moment. And I'll be sure to add the links onto my profile, so that anyone can look at 'em and see if they can get inspiration for a name.

So, please leave a review! It could be a random comment, a few pointers, or if you have any thoughts of names of the creatures, it'll be much appreciated. Good reviews lead to good results, and this chapter is the perfect example xD