Chapter summary: After spending the weekend with Tifa, Cloud is about to go back on duty. And the timing couldn't be better when some troopers stumble across a hidden entrance to Shiva only knows what. Sephiroth and the rest of the SOLDIERs race to fight this new monster. But a single misstep by the General exposes him to worse than mere death, and Cloud decides to take the blow instead...
Chapter 7: The Battle
Genesis stood just inside the Seventh Heaven Bar, hand on the doorknob and an eyebrow arched nearly to his hairline. Exchanging glances with a giggling Tifa, he shifted his green gaze back to the stairwell behind the bar where a snarling voice still drifted down in snatches.
Whatever the language, none of the phrases sounded happy.
"Creative," he finally commented after Tifa's inquiring look. "Not grammatically or anatomically correct, but very creative."
Tifa had both hands clamped over her mouth to stifle the laugh, but her wine-brown eyes were twinkling in the dim light of the room. The bar wasn't open yet, but Cloud had asked Zack to drop off a spare uniform since he had spent the weekend with Tifa and her extended family. There hadn't been time for him to run by the barracks and grab a set himself.
Denzel and Marlene would not have let him out of their sight long enough to make the run even if there had been an opportunity, anyway.
But as fate would have it, Zack, Kunsel and Vincent had answered the frantic call from the principle to put down a nest of monsters found near the high school. Since he was joining Cloud in a meeting at the WRO Headquarters later in the morning, Genesis volunteered to deliver the clothing and wait while he changed.
But now he stood with his head cocked to one side, listening to the curses spat out in Wutaian and wondering where he so erred. Genesis hadn't been sure of Cloud's size, so had checked the files before requesting the uniform.
So what had sent Cloud into such creative profanity?
Really must remember that last one, Genesis thought with a smile as irate footsteps sounded from the second floor. It has the type of poetic grace typical of LOVELESS.
Tifa knew the reason for the snarled curses the moment Cloud stomped down the stairs. One of the things she most loved about the former General of Wutai was his modesty. He had the body of a god but was not in the least egotistical about it. In fact, he normally wore his clothing a bit large to help hide his excellent physique.
Obviously Genesis had not received that memo.
The planes and contours that uniform defined nearly put her on floor in a dead faint, although the angry glare in his incredibly blue eyes might have been the actual culprit for her sudden lightheadedness. Whichever the cause, Cloud looked hotter than Ifrit and twice as dangerous as the summons. He stopped in the middle of the room, eyes narrowed to slits of blue fire at his fellow SOLDIER.
Despite having seen him in a variety of temperaments, this was the first one that made her truly believe Cloud capable of all the deeds -impossible or improbable they might be- that he was credited with.
With an amused smile Genesis asked, "Not the right size after all, is it? That should teach me not to believe what the records say. I'm afraid there isn't time to change before the meeting so you'll just have to deal with it for today." Giving a shrug, he teased, "Meanwhile, your fan club is sure to dramatically increase its membership if any of them happen to catch sight of you in that outfit. Assuming, of course, they can retain consciousness after the first glimpse. I had no idea you were so fine a specimen, Cloud Strife."
That bit of information immediately stopped the scowl.
Confused, Cloud blinked a few times then echoed faintly, "Fan club? Membership? Genesis, what are you talking about? I know that you, Sephiroth and Angeal have fan clubs. But there's one for me? You're just kidding, right?" The almost panicked expression on his face was priceless to behold.
Genesis had to admit he was enjoying himself as he replied, "It's called the Blonde Chocobo. And don't look too surprised, it's been in existence for years now - first based in Wutai and now here. All sightings are religiously recorded on the group's website, and there's an archive of pictures dating back to when you first assumed command of Wutai's forces. I'm pretty sure some were donated from Zack and Kunsel, so you might want to have a few words with them."
Clearing his throat, he added, "There have been some comments about a certain barmaid taking up a lot of your time recently." He slanted a look down at Tifa. "General consensus is the two of you make a stunning couple, but most are withholding judgment at the moment."
She really didn't know what to say about that.
For some reason, Cloud's status as a celebrity had never occurred to her. Cloud was... well, he was just Cloud. He had no pretensions about popularity, had never affected an air of self-importance. And now she was on this group's radar because Cloud was spending time with her?
Tifa found herself blushing for no particular reason she could define.
Brushing his auburn hair out of his eyes, Genesis snorted. "The two of you are just so cute, and so completely clueless. Cloud, lose the glower and let's go. We'll be late for that meeting if we don't hurry."
Turning to open the door, they all became aware of the faint sounds of shouting outside that were quickly increasing in volume. "What in all Hades?" Genesis muttered, grabbing for the doorknob.
He should have left it closed.
A tremendous roar sounded, and the shock wave from an explosion near the building knocked them all down and cracked the large side window. Chairs rattled and fell from the tables, one hitting Genesis in a glancing blow that had him snarling some curses of his own.
Since he was closest to her, he shielded Tifa with his body as another blast sounded.
The second the quaking stopped he scrambled for the door.
Springing to his feet, Cloud rushed forward and tried to scoop Tifa up, but she pushed at him and declared, "I'm fine, Cloud. Now go!"
By the time the two SOLDIERs made it outside, absolute chaos reigned. People were screaming, racing by with shocked and terrified expressions. WRO infantrymen were everywhere, attempting to keep order while locating the injured and getting them to safety. Oily black smoke boiled from the nearby ruins of Midgar, and the sound of frantic shouts and sustained gunfire indicated continued hostilities.
Even as Genesis drew Rapier, Sephiroth appeared down the street and urgently gestured to follow him. Motioning Genesis on, Cloud took the time to step back and check Tifa.
There were only a few bruises on her elbows and lower arms where she hit the floor, which relieved him. "Be careful," she murmured quietly, standing on tiptoe to kiss him tenderly.
"I will," he promised, cupping her cheek as he leaned in enough to inhale her scent. "I love you."
Tears sparkled in her eyes as she gave him a little push, "And I love you, Cloud Strife. Now go!"
It was the first time she had admitted her feelings for him so bluntly, and he responded by snatching her up and nearly stopping her heart with a kiss so gentle, so loving it was all she could do to release him.
Neither was completely steady when they separated. "Hold that thought," he ordered, and dashed out.
When Cloud joined them, all six SOLDIERs were present, along with the former Turk. Gripping Cerberus, his three barreled pistol, Vincent gave his report as succinctly as possible. "Troopers found a sealed door in the ruins not an hour ago. Reeve ordered all to fall back until it could be investigated, but something inside must have detected movement and reacted. It emerged roughly ten minutes ago; that first explosion was the door being blasted open from the inside. Five infantrymen are already dead and at least nine more are missing."
"This monster is like nothing I have seen before," Sephiroth warned, shifting his hold on the Masamune sword. He had hesitated just long enough to replay the feeds sent in by the remaining troopers. "In figure it resembles a huge scorpion, but this thing throws webs and lines like a spider. All its attacks are poison-based and damn near lethal. Watch out for the stinger; it's lightning fast and seems to move independent of the body." Glancing at Cloud, the General said, "With your magic ability, I need you as medic and Kunsel will act as support. We have to get those infantrymen out of there as quickly as possible. Once they're safe, we'll go in as hard as needed to take it down. Zack will shadow Genesis, Angeal is with me. We have to move fast before it escapes the ruins and starts attacking the city itself."
Pausing, Seph looked grimly at Vincent and ordered, "I'm counting on you to stop it, Vincent, if it gets around us."
The crimson-eyed gunman nodded in acceptance.
Without another word they raced toward the thick column of smoke. As the fastest runner, Cloud skidding around a corner slightly ahead of the pack and found himself right in the middle of the battlefield. The creature facing him was huge, bigger even than a Behemoth, with black armored plates slimed by ichor and fangs dripping poison. Each time a drop hit the ground another small fire started. Crumpled figures looking like so many piles of debris surrounded it, but the infantrymen still standing kept right on firing their shotguns. Sticky webs littered the area, making footing treacherous.
Even as they watched, the monster flung out a line and ensnared a gun-wielding trooper to yank him off balance.
Zack dove forward in a blur of movement, grabbing hold of booted feet in a desperate attempt to save the man as Kunsel hurled an Ice attack to distract. Between the two they got the man to safety even as Cloud moved in to cover their retreat.
Ducking a clawed limb, Cloud whipped his Fusion Sword around in an attempt to decapitate the beast, but it jerked back and hissed. The tail stabbed out, narrowly missing the blonde swordsman as Kunsel cast Barrier to deflect the hit. Falling back into position behind the main assault, Cloud cast Esuna over and over to heal the troopers afflicted by Bio as Sephiroth and Genesis engaged the monster, Angeal and Zack behind them throwing magic attacks to keep it off balance.
It seemed to realize the General was to be avoided, for it pivoted and lashed out at the men still firing their weapons. Kunsel barely deflected the attack through the strongest casting of Wall he could manage, brandishing his sword menacingly at the monster as the troopers got out of the way. Sephiroth shouted an order to gather any of their comrades they could during the retreat as he charged in to distract the deadly creature.
The troopers streamed past Cloud, who stood guarding their backs, for they were moving slowly, burdened by whatever downed servicemen they could grab. The caliber of men the WRO attracted was proven when several of them actually risked going back to haul the rest to safety.
Once all the normal infantry was gone, the SOLDIERs kicked into high gear with magic and brutal attacks the monster seemed to absorb with little evidence of injury. Finally, Sephiroth's Masamune took off a leg. Black ichor spewed from the wound, and the ground beneath it turned black and released tendrils of smoke. Stabbing fiercely, Angeal severed another even as Zack pounded the creature with a Bolt3 so powerful all were staggered by the flash. The flaming red sword of Genesis pierced the side of the monster, causing it to spray poison in all directions.
Up swept the tail, poised to strike at whatever target it could find.
Cloud had just cast Esuna again to heal Angeal of a poison status when all hell broke loose.
In the midst of the mayhem, something shifted under the debris beneath Sephiroth's feet. Caught off guard, he slid to his left, fighting for balance on the uneven surface. Faster than thought, the monster struck. A gold and black blur streaked between the descending tail and the General, and the sickening sound of the stinger sinking into flesh echoed. A pained cry was the catalyst for several limit breaks, ending with Sephiroth's.
Blue fire blazing around him, he launched upwards, dealing several savage slices as the Masamune cleaved the creature nearly in half despite the thickness of the black armored plates covering the thing. As soon as the General was clear, everyone attacked, hacking inelegantly at whatever part was closest.
Angeal reeled back, blood pouring from a wound in his leg even as the monster finally expired.
Vincent clamped his hands over Angeal's wound to stop the bleeding until Genesis could turn to hit him with a Restore materia. Everyone started speaking at once as the General shook his head to clear the cobwebs generated by the Octaslash limit break.
"NO!" he screamed suddenly, startling them all as he tossed his sword aside and raced to a small huddle of dark cloth and... pale blonde hair.
What they realized was a man they all knew and admired lay amid the debris. Cloud wasn't moving, his blue eyes wide and vacant in his pale face.
By sheer instinct Kunsel and Zack both cast Esuna and Cure almost simultaneously, causing his body to glow green. Neither appeared to have any effect as Sephiroth snatched him up, cursing as he struggled to rip off his gloves so he could check for a pulse.
It was there, but faint.
The stinger had struck Cloud's left hand, disintegrating his glove and leaving a virtual crater in the back of it that smoked from the poison. Strange looking bruises marred his arm nearly to the elbow; they were layered one over another, making the skin look diseased and gray. When Sephiroth touched them oily black pus leaked out to sting his fingers and slide down Cloud's arm, leaving reddened streaks.
There was horror showing on his face as he looked back at his companions, eyes frantically searching for something to help him. "What can we do?" he demanded.
Then Cloud screamed.
It was inhuman, that cry, filled with such suffering even the SOLDIERs recoiled. His entire body writhed in agony as the bruises advanced up his arm to slightly past the elbow. Black liquid ran down his skin, striking the ground to leave smoking holes. Genesis fumbled out an elixir and poured the entire bottle directly onto Cloud's hand and arm. The crater filled in and healed, but there was no change in the strange bruises.
Since everyone seemed in shock, Kunsel acted. "Zack," he snapped. "You need to get Aerith - NOW!"
Without pause Zack snatched out his phone and hit speed dial.
Turning to Angeal, Kunsel asked, "Will you contact Reeve and let him know what has happened?" Receiving a nod, Kunsel bent down and touched Sephiroth's shoulder, "Seph, we have to get him back to Seventh Heaven. Aerith can get there within just a few minutes and time is of the essence. Will you carry him?"
Gathering him close, Sephiroth rose and accepted Kunsel's hand on his elbow as guide. Moving quickly, the group retraced their steps back to the bar, ignoring all the people shouting questions or crying out in horror at the sight of Cloud Strife -as pale as death- seemingly lifeless in the General's arms.
Infantrymen raced forward, opening up a corridor through the growing crowd for them.
The door to the bar was thrown open before they reached it, revealing a shaken and scared Tifa. She was nearly as pale as Cloud, but she didn't interrupt as they raced inside and gently placed the fallen swordsman on a table she had already cleared of chairs.
Aerith arrived only moments later, out of breath from the run from her shop. Taking just a precious second to catch her breath, she then rapped out, "Tifa, I need some of those metal bowls you use for peanuts and a razor sharp knife. Does anyone have an elixir?" When Angeal nodded and reached into his pocket, she pointed at Cloud and ordered, "Get it down him, now. Zack, Kunsel, Genesis, Vincent - you'll have to hold him down."
As she watched the SOLDIER carefully pour the elixir down Cloud's throat with Sephiroth's help, Aerith noticed his bangle and asked, "Angeal, do you have Restore materia? This is really going to drain him and he'll need a Cure every once in a while." Shrugging out of her red coat, she tossed it over her shoulder and motioned for Sephiroth to come closer. "I have the skill to heal him but not the strength; you have the strength but not the skill. Taking power from you will be very painful for both of us, but it's the only way to save him. Are you willing?"
"Yes," Sephiroth answered in a firm voice. "Anything it takes."
Taking the bowl Tifa held out, Aerith slid it under Cloud's hand then reached out and touched her friend's cheek gently, "Don't watch this part. Go on, turn your head. I'll tell you when you can look again." So saying, she stabbed the knife all the way through his hand. Black ooze dripped down the blade into the bowl and made sizzling sounds as it struck, sending up a horrifying kind of steam as it burned into the metal. "You'll have to keep changing the bowls as I channel the poison out of him," she started to explain when that horrifying scream sounded again.
It was all the four SOLDIERs could do to hold him still as the poison crept from just above his elbow to halfway up to his shoulder.
"What is it doing?" Sephiroth cried out as he framed Cloud's face with his hands. Incredibly, there were tears in his eyes.
"It isn't just affecting his body, it's also poisoning his blood, making it turn black," Aerith continued, unbuckling the strap for his pauldron and unzipping his shirt enough she could rest her hand on Cloud's shoulder. With the other she beckoned the General to her side. When her hand lay against the bare skin of his chest, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You have Jenova cells within you, and they're going to fight me every step of the way to keep me from using your strength. But your DNA is in Cloud, so his body will accept your power." Looking up, Aerith warned him, "It's going to burn like hellfire, and it will take hours to purge his system. Sure you want to do this?"
"DNA?" Genesis repeated. "Seph, what is she talking about?" Angeal looked just as confused as he finished changing out the materia in his bangle and hit Cloud with Cure.
Not really wanting to take the time to explain, Sephiroth tried to be as blunt as possible so there was no need for further questions as he took a few deep breaths to prepare himself for the ordeal to come. "Hojo injected my cells into Cloud. They altered his DNA to the point he is literally my son now."
Glancing at the unsurprised faces of Zack and Kunsel, Angeal guessed, "You've known all this time."
"Not until just before we came to Midgar," Kunsel admitted as he repositioned his hands to hold down Cloud's right arm. "We finally decoded enough to realize the S-cells mentioned were from Sephiroth." He gestured in the general direction of the WRO Headquarters, "Reeve was told so he would understand how important it was to Seph that Cloud be here."
Only a chosen few know of this, Tifa Lockhart. To all intents and purposes, I am Sephiroth's son, Cloud had told her over a week ago. Her mind reeled from the absolute truth of it even as Sephiroth's words echoed; He will never lie to you or try to evade your questions, Tifa. I'm beginning to realize he's incapable of it where you are concerned. The tears started as she looked down at him, lying there on that table surrounded by SOLDIERs.
Cloud's beautiful eyes were open and empty, with nothing of life or humor showing, and she wanted so badly to shake him, to make him wake up and smile at her.
He could die, she realized suddenly. This wasn't a nightmare, and she could lose him just when it seemed they might finally be coming together. The agony of that comprehension staggered her. "Aerith," she whispered, and felt not the hand of her friend but that of the General rest on her shoulder.
"I will not let him go so easily, Tifa. Aerith, we need to get started," Sephiroth ordered calmly, not wanting to hear Cloud scream again as the poison clawed its way closer to his heart.
His poise was but a front; inside he was screaming, wailing in terror at the price Cloud might pay for his selfless action. That he, Sephiroth, could mean so much that Cloud would risk his own life to save him was a stunning blow and he was still reeling from it.
"Right. Now brace yourself, because here we go," she warned grimly.
Resolutely ignoring the pain of wrestling with the Jenova cells inside him, she drew from Sephiroth and poured it back as healing energy into Cloud. Beneath her hand she felt the shudder ripple through Seph as white-hot agony shot into every fiber of his being. But the black goo stopped oozing from Cloud's skin and started sliding down the blade piercing his hand instead. And as that dark fluid flowed into the bowl, the bruises marring his arm began to fade and slowly retreat down toward his hand.
So focused on Aerith's attempt to save Cloud, Tifa didn't even know Barret had arrived until his good arm wrapped around her shoulders to pull her close. "It'll be okay, baby girl," he whispered against her temple. "And Elmyra has the kids for right now," he went on to assure her, speaking of Aerith's adoptive mother as he soothingly rubbed her back.
"Is this going to work?" she whispered, desperately clinging to hope even though she was terrified it might already be too late to help Cloud. His eyes remained open and were completely empty of any animation whatsoever.
And Barret looked at those clustered around the fallen warrior and asked her, "How can they possibly fail? For that matter, how can he," gesturing to Cloud, "possibly fail? The man's one of the most powerful I've ever met." Smiling at the stink-eye aimed in his direction, he admitted, "If ya repeat that, I'll deny I even said it. A mangy Chocobo is bad enough, don't want no puffed up one hanging round."
Minutes seemed to crawl by, occupied by the valiant fight to save the former General of Wutai. Despite all the chaos, Aerith and Sephiroth never moved as Tifa kept the bowls changed out under Cloud's hand. The sheer amount of that deadly fluid draining out of him stunned her.
Another of those inhuman screams echoed through the room as the poison in his system fought Aerith's healing. Angeal had to stop casting and throw himself across Cloud when Vincent went flying and Genesis lost his hold on the other leg.
"Gods," Kunsel gritted out, somehow keeping the right arm pinned. "Never knew he was this strong."
"Keeps it hidden," Zack gasped out as he struggled to keep Cloud's left arm perfectly still for his girlfriend. "Doesn't like to be feared."
Panting slightly, Genesis and Vincent resumed their places as Tifa reached in to change out the bowl again. It allowed her to see that the bruises were now down to Cloud's wrist and the liquid streaming from the knife blade was starting to turn dark red as clean blood began to mix with the black ooze.
But both Aerith and Sephiroth were beginning to falter. Would the poison prove stronger than their will?
Tears tracking down her cheeks, Tifa turned when the door opened to see Reeve hurry into the bar.
"Came as soon as I could get away," he said, motioning for those with him to assist the weary group around Cloud. "How long have they been working on him?"
Tifa glanced at her watch and shuddered. "Over two hours now, Reeve."
The curse was soft and heart-felt, "Ifrit." After arranging for the proper disposal of the still-steaming bowls of poison, he asked her, "Can you tell me what you know?"
Relating the story took just long enough for Cloud to have another screaming episode. Reeve paled so badly his skin looked pasty in the garish light of the bar. "Gaea," was his whispered prayer in the wake of that terrible cry.
Then Aerith collapsed...