Life Long Forgotten: Oh fuck me...
Genesis froze, watching his lover before his eyes narrowed. "Sephiroth, I assure you that his skills are adequate."
Cloud watched as the two commanding officers of SOLDIER had a stare down; this was not good..If all the stories he had heard in the village were true then no matter what Genesis did he was fucked. Sephiroth was the epitome of stubborn, though Genesis was a very close second. If this situation wasn't going to turn into such a disaster for him he would laugh, run back to Tseng's office for a bag of popcorn and watch this fight unfurl.
"Commander, I will be testing his skills." Sephiroth's voice had dropped to a dangerous tone that instantly set Cloud on edge. Genesis saw this out of the corner of his eyes and growled, his legendary temper starting to rise. "Is that an order, General?"
Over the years knowing Genesis, Cloud had gotten a little 'Genesis warning' sense. Right now the Commander was about ten seconds from pulling out his beloved fire materia and lighting his lover's long silver hair on fire. Knowing how much Genesis had missed Sephiroth, and not wanting to be the reason the two had a falling out on Day One, Cloud quickly stepped between the two.
"Genesis.. It's alright."
Genesis looked down, startled that Cloud had stepped between them. Sephiroth also blinked at seeing the tiny blond standing between them, face blank of emotions "Cadet, I was speaking with..."
"Shove it, Sephiroth, you want to get your ass kicked so badly, then let's go... stop arguing with your lover like an old married couple and move your ass."
Both Sephiroth and Genesis could only stare open-mouthed as Cloud brushed past them and down the hall. Genesis came out of his shock first, stifling a laugh as he glanced at his lover. Sephiroth was watching Cloud with a strange look on his face, he was sure it was because no one had ever spoken to him like that, especially a cadet. Oh he was going to have to tell Tseng to review the video footage for this, no doubt the Turk would fall out of his chair after seeing what his lover had done.
Coming out of his shock, Sephiroth closed his eyes and started slowly counting backwards. Alright, the Cadet had his attention now...
'What the fuck am I doing!' That thought kept cycling through Cloud's head as he followed Sephiroth and Genesis towards one of the SOLDIER training rooms. How stupid could he be? Not only was he only a Cadet right now, he had just told the General to shove it. He knew he had the man's complete attention now, and he had a feeling it was going to come back and bite him in the ass hard core. He didn't even know what he was going to say if for some reason he found out he was Mako enhanced, he really didn't think he could use the Mako Poisoning shtick as he had the green ring in his eyes.
Deflating even more now, Cloud shuffled after them into the training room. Hearing clashing blades already Cloud looked up, blue eyes widening behind Rude's glasses. The training room was already occupied by none other than Angeal Hewley and Zack.
Cloud felt his heart slam to a stop seeing the much younger boy, noticing that he was only in the blues of a 3rd class. He really had to wonder exactly how far back in the past they had been brought back if Zack was only a 3rd class, when Cloud had first met him on the mission he had been First class.
Hearing the door sliding open, Angeal pulled back, allowing Zack to fly past him and fall flat on his face on the mats. Throwing a hand over his mouth, Cloud bit back a laugh watching his once best friend take a wonderful nose dive into the mat.
"ANNNGGEEEALLLL!"
Angeal pointedly ignored the puppy as he walked over to his two friends, though his dark blue eyes slid over seeing the cadet standing with them. "I see you found him, where was he?" Genesis had called him thinking for some reason the young cadet would be up with his puppy.
"He was up with the Turks, he was cleaning Reno and Tseng out of their money." Genesis smirked back at Cloud seeing him patting the pocket that had all the gil. "What can i say, While Tseng has a great poker face he has horrible luck."
Angeal shot his two friends a raised brow curious look, this whole thing was getting strange. He noted that Sephiroth looked a little on the perturbed side, wondering silently if that little red head had called him 'General Hotness' again.
"Angeal, we're going to borrow your room for a minute, Lazard has agreed to allow Genesis to train the cadet, but i wish to test him myself."
Chuckling softly Angeal watched the younger man, seeing the slight twitch in his jaw he knew all too well. This little cadet was getting under his skin, bringing forth that need to explain the unknown.
"Did you check to make sure that he was even advanced enough in the class to have any sword training?" Sephiroth shrugged slightly turning back to look at the young Cadet. "I would assume so, as he said.. 'you want to get your ass kicked so badly, let's go'." A single silver brow rose seeing Cloud blushing slightly under the glasses and digging the toe of his boot into the mat.
Zack pushed himself back up onto his feet, blue/violet eyes wide as he regarded the little cadet. "Did he seriously say that?" A bright smile crossed his lips and he dodged Angeal's grab for his harness and threw an arm around Cloud's shoulders. "Angeal, can we keep him?"
Angeal put a hand over his eyes resisting the urge to bash his head into the nearest hard surface. Startled, Cloud looked up at Zack, a small smile crossing his lips, instantly feeling that old connection once more.
Tilting his head slightly, Zack looked down being able to see behind the sunglasses and stopped short. Brilliant mako eyes with a green ring looked back at him.
Instantly pain raced across his brain and his vision blacked out.
Cliffs of white surrounded him, snow drifting down almost lazily around him. 'snow?' Twisting around rapidly Zack looked around him, he was on the side of a mountain out in the middle of nowhere. He knew what snow was but had never been around it in his life, he had come straight from the tropics of Gongaga.. he hadn't been on any missions outside of Midgar yet.
Curious and a little more than freaked out he bent down trying to pick up some of the snow, wasn't snow supposed to be cold? Seeing his hand pass right through it Zack started to freak out in earnest, what the hell was going on? This wasn't mako booster day, he shouldn't be hallucinating.
"Angeal! Commander Rhapsodos! General Sephiroth!" Hearing footsteps he ran forward relief flooding him, Angeal had to be out here as well. Turning a bend in the path, he stopped dead, eyes widening as he found himself looking at well.. himself.
A slightly older version of himself was walking up along the mountain path, in.. was that a First class uniform? Even freaked out he did a mental fist pump seeing the uniform on himself.
Walking beside him was a infantryman, a little farther back was obviously a Turk and even farther back was another infantryman.
The other Zack turned looking back and raised a hand. "Yo! don't fall too far behind." Smiling, he turned back to the infantryman by his side. "At least someone is keeping up"
He continued to watch the infantryman, the younger Zack blinking recognizing the voice of Cloud instantly. " Well, I'm a country boy, too."
The older Zack looked curious eyes widening slightly. "From where?"
The two slowed to a stop only a few feet in front of him, turning to look at each other even though you couldn't see Cloud through the ugly head gear the infantry were forced to wear. "Nibelheim." The old Zack arms crossed laughed loudly turning away from Cloud. " How about you?"
Zack watched on in the utmost confusion as the older version of himself turned back around poking a thumb into his own chest. "Me.. Gongaga." He sounded so proud when he said that too. Well he was! He was the first SOLDIER from Gongaga though he heard from some of the villagers that one of the Turks was also from there.
Cloud gave a small laugh causing both Zacks to raise their hackles so to speak. "Heeeyyy" Well at least even in his own imagination the older version of himself had the puppy whine to his voice. " What's so funny about that! You know Gongaga?"
Cloud lowered a hand from his mouth looking at Zack. "No, but it's such a backwater name."
"Ditto Nibelheim."
"Oh, like you've been there."
It was funny, they were arguing like they had been friends for years, but.. Where Cloud was from would have been one of the first things Zack would have asked if they were friends, yet this Zack so much older didn't even seem to know Cloud's name. What in Gaia was going on?
He watched his older counterpart turn back, "I haven't, but there is a reactor there, right?" Cloud nodded not saying anything. "A Mako reactor outside Midgar usually means..."
"Nothing else out there." The two finished at the same time, alright that was just downright creepy! Not even he and Angeal did that and he had been around Angeal for months now. The two laughed realizing what they had both done, the older Zack turning back to look down the pass where the Turk and other infantrymen were still walking. " Good news, Tseng!"
Wait, Tseng? That was the name of the Turk Sephiroth had been worried about earlier that day, saying he had collapsed. Zack hadn't actually met any of the Turks, he certainly hadn't even met Tseng, especially to the point he was on first name basis with the man.
"Me and..." the other Zack turned to look at the infantry man who pulled off his helmet revealing a younger looking Cloud. 'Wait a second.. there is no glow to his eyes! I could have sworn I saw a mako glow!'
"Cloud."
"Me and Cloud here are both backwater experts, OH YEAH!"
"Zack!"
Blinking rapidly Zack looking up seeing Angeal standing in front of him, worry etching his face. Sephiroth stood not far away, eyes narrowed as they flickered between Zack and Cloud. There was something going on, he was certain of that now.
Zack had completely blanked out for several minutes, Angeal shaking the young Third and getting no response from the normally hyperactive young boy. Angeal naturally had gone mother chocobo trying to get his young ward to answer him, Cloud and Genesis had simply looked at each other. While he could not see Cloud's eyes, he could easily read Genesis, he was worried, but it wasn't the same worried Angeal was exhibiting at the moment.
Shaking his head, Zack gave Angeal one of his brilliant puppy smiles, easily masking how shook up he was at the moment. "Sorry.. got distracted." Angeal made a noise, not really believing him at the moment, but he would press later when they were away from his fellow officers and the cadet.
Setting a hand on his shoulder he looked back at the three standing in the center of the room. "If you don't mind, I would like to see this as well." Out of the three of them he was the only one with any experience with mentoring a younger boy.
Seeing Angeal was trying to pull attention away from his student, Sephiroth nodded, looking back to Cloud. He wouldn't press the issue with Zack, that was Angeal's responsibility. Genesis and his reputation on the other hand was his responsibility.
"Cadet, take a weapon." He motioned towards the wall where a stand of standard issue broadswords was sitting.
Following the direction Sephiroth was pointing, Cloud tried not to show his disgust. He had been forced for a short while to use one of the SI swords when the Buster sword was being repaired during the chase for Sephiroth, he wouldn't wish those swords on his worst enemy. He wouldn't bring out First Tsurugi, hell he didn't even know if he could summon his beloved blade since it hadn't been made yet. He was already risking a lot just by doing this, summoning his sword would only make matters worse.
Sending a look at Genesis knowing the Commander would know it even without seeing it, and moved over almost reluctantly to the sword rack. Picking one up he tested out the weight, shitty, just as the other had been. Knowing the others weren't going to be much better as these were training swords, he moved back.
Catching a glint of metal from the corner of his eye, Cloud jerked slightly seeing Masamune gripped in a black leathered hand. Instantly blanking out his emotions, he tried not to let the panic at seeing the blade in its owner's hands once more over take him.
Now over by the racks Genesis tried not to fidget, he could feel the change in Cloud. While the blond had never really told him what happened during those times he faced off against Sephiroth, he could see it haunted him.
Twisting the blade in his hand, Sephiroth watched the young cadet closely. While it was not unusual for his opponents to be nervous and wary, he could feel the caution pouring off the cadet. If he looked hard enough he could almost see blue eyes behind the dark lenses watching his every move, like prey did a hungry hunter. Strange...
Not giving any warning, Sephiroth lunged, a silver brow raising as his attack was blocked and his blade shoved away almost effortlessly. He could feel the power in Cloud's arms the minute their blades had clashed, he was a lot stronger than he looked. Chalking it up to beginner's luck he brought Masamune around, ready for another attack when he blinked seeing the blond was gone.
Feeling a disturbance in the air behind him he whipped around just managing to catch the blade before it got close enough to do damage. His frown deepened, no cadet should have been able to move like that, Angeal and Genesis even had trouble getting the slip on him. Seeing this little blonde was more skilled than he originally thought he upped the ante.
Leaping back Cloud fell back into the familiar dance as his blade clashed with Sephiroth's. He flinched when a particularly vicious hit rattled the cheap SI sword, sending shock waves up his arms. He noticed instantly that his form was sloppier with this sword, the weight much lighter than what he was used to with the Buster sword and First Tsurugi.
Sephiroth had noticed this as well and was pressing it to his advantage.
On the sidelines Genesis watched anxiously, Cloud was amazing as always. Most First class couldn't last this long against Sephiroth and yet a 'cadet' was. He could see, though, that he was losing, the sword a hindrance to his fighting style.
Angeal saw this as well, but something else was standing out more. He had helped train many SOLDIER and they each had their own unique fighting style, while Zackary was still young in his training he had a style all his own... a style identical to this cadet. Seeing Cloud over-balance, having over compensated for the blade's weight, he flinched slightly. "It's over..."
Seeing the same thing Angeal did, Sephiroth pressed forward slamming the back of Masamune into Cloud sending the cadet flying across the gym, the SI sword flying from his hand clattering to the ground some distance away.
Grunting hard Cloud slammed into the ground, he really hated those swords. Opening his eyes he blinked seeing the world was much brighter. 'Shit, where did they go!' Rude's glasses must have slipped off when he hit. Feeling the hair on the back of his neck raise he turned slightly watching Sephiroth approach from the corner of his eye. "Just like a puppet that had his strings cut."
Instantly panic flooded Cloud's mind, puppet repeating over and over against in his head.
He sensed it before he saw it, power flowed around the blond, that strange feeling he had gotten when he first saw Cloud in Genesis apartment flaring up in him. Turning brilliant silver/green eyes down he barely had time to leap back before a massive blade cleaved him in two. Sliding back he raised Masamune, his brain stuttering to a halt as tried to process exactly what he was seeing.
Cloud stood before him, the last vestiges of green disappearing from a sword that looked very much like Angeal's beloved Buster sword. How... only he and Genesis knew how to summon their blades to them. Looking up seeing the glasses were gone from Cloud's face his brain slammed back into gear, his own eyes widening as he looked into brilliant glowing mako blue eyes ringed with green.
Cloud had the eyes of a First class...
AN: Sorry for the long delay, I have been suffering some of the worst writers block on the planet.. I have been staring at all three stories for the past month not able to get a goddamn word out. Sorry that this one is short, but this was the best place to leave it XD poor Cloud, cat is out of the bag now. And what is happening with the puppy? hmm i wonder...
Just to let you all know, this one might be slower in updating as I'm going to be focusing on Snowday trying to finish it off. In roughly 8 months it will be turned into a webcomic so I need to get it finished.
Also, If things go well in the next few weeks, when this story is finished there will be a special giveaway. I will be creating a one of a kind, hard bound copy of this story, Snowday and Donum deae that will be given to one lucky reader. I will announce it closer to the completion of the story.. and if i can successfully bind a book.