Hope everyone enjoys :)
His head was fogged and thick, thoughts barely comprehensible through the black dream-like state in which he drifted. All sounds were distant, as if hearing them through a long tunnel, far off and
distorted. A dull throb coursed through his body- An obvious but dreadful realization- The pain had returned. He knew the mako injections Hojo had been giving him had something to do with it, but
why his body had so suddenly and so violently reacted to them, he was uncertain.
It had started with a minor nauseous feeling in his stomach. He waited for it to pass as it usually did, but instead, he weakened further. His temperature rose and fell rapidly, and the ugly
numbness he'd grown to detest washed over him in hot sticky waves, feeding on his strength, sapping him of all energy. He'd felt a violent pressure on his chest as it grew numb, and was unable
to breathe. His lungs screamed for air, but none came. He heard Zack's voice from far away, growing fainter and fainter. He began to fade... After what seemed like a lifetime, he was suddenly and
violently brought back by a heavy rhythm on his chest, and something or someone pushing air into his body. Cloud finally felt the pressure release, and with great difficulty, his chest rose.
The voices were back, thrumming in his ears, mumbling incoherent ramblings. Repeating themselves endlessly like broken records. Taunting him in an endless chant. He wanted to scream at
them. To tell them to shut up and let him sleep, but his thoughts were heavy, and too shattered to pull together and form a whole. The presence Cloud had been feeling for the last couple of days
was wavering, and his connection to the world of reality was slowly coming to a close. He held on to the real world by only a thread- but to that thread, he held on with every ounce of his remaining
strength. He didn't want to return to the endless cradle of darkness that awaited below him, it's jaws open and hungry, waiting until the thread broke, and sent him careening into a cold tumble,
down the eternal halls of shadow. He didn't want to lose any more memories. The memories that he'd so carefully pieced back together- fragile fragments of what was then a shattered whole. He
knew that this time, the darkness meant to take him forever. Chaining him to the wrists of the monster that waited to eat him, and swallowing the key, hiding it so it was forever lost in shadow.
At times, Cloud felt the thread fraying, his grip loosening.
"Hang in there buddy."
But the voice drove him on.
It was Zack's voice. A voice that to Cloud, represented hope and encouragement. The voice of ceaseless determination, of confidence and pride. None of which, at this point, Cloud had. Though
when Cloud heard the voice, it reminded him that there was more to life than darkness. Outside of his mind's asylum, was a world of light and colour. Sounds and smells. A world of beauty that he
was only a heartbeat away from. He had to keep holding on to that thread.
'Even if It means I get to see the world one last time before eternal darkness, I must succeed.'
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"Hang in there buddy."
Zack said as he fed Cloud his lunch, which he immediately puked onto the ground beside him.
"I guess if you can't keep it down, we'll have to feed you later." Zack said sympathetically, holding his friend steady as he expelled the remainder of his lunch.
The nausea had started just two hours after they'd departed, and Zack had been forced to hold Cloud over the side every time he started to heave.
"Don't worry Cloud. Once we get to Midgar, we can get you fixed up."
"Why not Costa Del Sol?" Flint asked when he'd returned from his bathroom break.
"If we ask for treatment there, we could be tracked. Mako poisoning doesn't happen in remote places like Costa Del Sol, but in Midgar, if we say it's for a SOLDIER that was too close to a
reactor or something, we could get lucky. Sometimes SOLDIERS even get addicted to Mako without knowing. Their bodies become accustomed to being near the fumes of the reactors
without protection, and they can get poisoning through skin cells."
"Damn. Mako is some pretty dangerous stuff. Even being near it can kill you."
Flint muttered, pouring water onto the fire and kicking dirt over it.
"Time to get going."
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"C'mon Fenrir, up we go." A voice muttered in the distance. 'Who's Fenrir?' Cloud wondered, and heard a familiar wark in reply. 'Chocobo.' He reasoned.
He vaguely recalled a black bird sniffing his jacket. "No Fen, Cloud doesn't have any food you greedy little mooch, you've already had your supper. He remembered he bird slowing when Cloud was
about to fall off, and even nudging Zack awake to realize his friend was slipping out off the side the saddle. He remembered the bird resting his chin on Cloud's lap, and staring up at him happily, as
if telling Cloud he was safe. He remembered shivering in the darkness, wishing Zack would realize the fire went out, and the black bird curling up beside him to offer some warmth.
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By sundown, the waters of the coast glimmered in the distance, and Costa Del Sol was a lump on the horizon. "We'll reach the coast by tomorrow morning at this rate." Flint said, taking a
long swig from the water skin. Zack nodded slowly, his eyes locked on the silhouette of their next destination. They set up camp under the cover of a copse of trees, shadowing them from
foreign eyes, and almost immediately fell asleep.
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"What do you suppose they are?"
Nanaki shrugged, peeking over the log where a group of strangers lay asleep.
"They smell awful." Atreyu muttered under his breath.
"Hush." Nanaki whispered, giving him a quick flick of his tail. Nanaki and Atreyu lowered their heads as one of the strangers shifted, but resumed sleep.
Atreyu jumped into the copse.
"Atreyu!" Nanaki whispered urgently, jumping in after him.
"What?" he prodded one of them with an orange paw, crinkling his nose.
"They're asleep- and what is that awful smell?"
Nanaki rolled his eyes, but took a cautious whiff, immediately stiffening.
"Atreyu- that's blood." Atreyu's amber eyes flashed.
"They're killers." He said, pausing with wide eyes.
Nanaki, being the more accomplished tracker shook his head, the beads and feathers that hung from his red mane jingling slightly.
"That's not foreign blood. That blood belongs to them."
Atreyu sniffed, making a mental note to memorize the smell.
"Are they hurt?"
Nanaki followed the scent to the strongest point.
"The younger one has the strongest scent." Nanaki nosed the blonde stranger's cloak, careful not to disturb him.
"He smells of blood, but mingled with the scent of Greenflow. It's strange, but I sense a connection-"
he turned swiftly just in time to see a shadow going towards Atreyu. "Atre-" he was cut off mid-growl when someone else grabbed him from behind, clapping a hand over his mouth. There
was a light scuffle, and the small encampment was filled with light. "What the hell? These ain't SOLDIERs, they're just- uh- what are they?" came the voice that held Atreyu.
It was an older human, brown fur lined with gray. He spat on the dirt as the grip was released.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Zack shrugged as he watched the cat give a rough shake of its mane, turning on Flint, a growl in his throat.
"We are an endangered species, far more intelligent than your own."
He growled, looking at Flint with fiery eyes.
"Calm yourself Atreyu." The other cat-like animal said in a cautious grumble when Zack released him. "You can talk?" Flint asked, eyebrow raised. "I am Nanaki." Said the older animal as
Atreyu rolled his eyes at Flint's comment. "We ask you to let us pass in peace, as we are only peaceful travellers."
Zack crossed his arms in front of his chest. "What are a couple of 'peaceful travelers' like yourselves doing in the middle of nowhere?"
Nanaki's gaze remained calm. "I would ask you the same question." He stated, his flaming tail gently swinging.
Zack smirked.
"You first."
Nanaki nodded. "Fine. But you must promise me you will not reveal our existence to anyone. To do so would mean the end of our race."
Zack nodded calmly. "My apprentice Atreyu and I, are making a sacred journey that has been a ritual within our dying clan since time began." He said quietly, still keeping eye contact with
Zack.
"It is the journey of Pyria Eternali- The Journey of Eternal Flame." Zack nodded.
"Every year, when a male cub is born, we must make the journey of Pyria Eternali when he comes of age, and light the flame at the tip of his tail, signalling eternal life and spirit."
With these words Atreyu looked at Nanaki's flaming tail enviously, flicking his own bare. "We are on our way to a sacred cave, deep in the mountains where the eternal flame is hidden."
He said, giving a small flick of his ear.
"And you?" Zack sat down, leaning back against the tree stump.
"It is also crucial that you keep our existences secret, as it could mean our lives and futures."
Nanaki nodded, his gaze now trailing over to Cloud, who still slept on.
"Flint, Cloud and I are travelling to Midgar." Zack began, explaining how Cloud had been captured, and of their journey since his rescue.
Nanaki nodded slowly, listening intently and sitting when Zack was done.
"You said something about 'Greenflow'" Zack mentioned, "Do you mean the Lifestream?"
Nanaki gave a nod.
"What you people call the Lifestream, is what we call Greenflow." He said, wrapping his tail around his feet.
"Our race is connected to Greenflow closer than any other species." He continued, watching the stars.
"We can hear the voices of the planet. The voices of all who join the Lifestream, all who die and return to Greenflow." He said.
"It is a gentle thrum in our hearts that connects us to the planet, and enables us to hear its calls."
He paused, his gaze trailing once more to Cloud. "It's strange. Your friend- Cloud smells much like the Greenflow. Is he related to our race?"
Zack chuckled. "No, I don't think so. Cloud was poisoned in Hojo's lab by Mako. It runs like blood through his veins, but I'm not sure as to if he has any special
connection to the planet."
Nanaki nodded. "Mako is the poison energy Greenflow releases when it is being drawn from. It is a sort of defence mechanism for the Mainstream of the
Greenflow, and unfortunately an excellent but terrible source of power. Better than coal, but dangerous and toxic."
He said in disapproval. "The planet is sickening Zack." He said quietly,
"And soon, it will collapse."
Zack frowned, "How soon?" Nanaki gave a slight shrug.
"Our time and yours is much different. In your years, I would be middle aged, almost an elder. In our time, I am an adolescent."
He said, flicking his tail. "I will not reveal any of the planet's secrets to a human such as yourself."
He said, bowing his head, "But for now, I must say farewell friend, as we must continue our journey of Eternal Flame."
He smiled, displaying a row of sharp teeth. "Fare well travellers, and may our paths meet again." He bounded over the logs.
"Come Atreyu." He growled, and Atreyu flicked his tail in goodbye, trotting off after his mentor.
Well, there ya go. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was interesting to write from Nanaki's point of view, looking at humans like strange creatures. I had fun writing this chapter:) Poor Cloud, trapped once again in his twisted dreams.
Any who, Goodnight
Lucifer