Disclaimer - I don't own Final Fantasy VII or its characters. Hope you'll enjoy this new chapter! Please review!


Good News or Bad News?

Beep... Beep... Beep...

The sound is annoying, very annoying. Kadaj reached out his hand to shut the stupid alarm clock off, but he couldn't find any button. He let a frustrated groan and opened his tired eyes to smash the worst invention in the entire world to bits, but seeing what he was about to smash isn't the clock, he stopped his strike in mid-air and he stared blankly at a heartbeat monitor.

He looked around and noticed he isn't in his bunker with Nii-san. The thought about not being close to the blond scared him, so he quickly jumped off of his bed, pulling off the needles on his arm and left the room as quietly as he could.

When he is in the corridor, he closed his eyes and concentrated on his sixth sense to search for his Nii-san. It's strange for him that he had this power to find the blond so easily, but whenever the blond was among nature, like the trees, he could barely catch his presence, as if the planet was shielding the blond from him.

Ah, found you! Kadaj thought happily when he sensed Cloud's presence in the last room of the corridor on his left. He quickly ran towards the room and entered silently. The silver-hair boy looked at the sleeping blond on the bed and smiled brightly as he closed the door gently before he sat on a chair next to Cloud.

The silver hair teen carefully placed his hand over Cloud's and rested his forehead over them. Don't ever leave alone Nii-san... Stay with me... Always and forever... Kadaj thought as he fell asleep.

***

While the two cadets are sleeping, a few floors below them, someone was in extremely foul mood. Professor Hojo, a middle-age man with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail wearing a small pair round glass, shouting dozen of curses at the scientist who are in charge of the health maintenance of the cadets.

'WHY DID NONE OF YOU FOULS CALLED ME WHEN YOU SAW THAT BOY'S PROFILE? YOU BLUTERING FOOLS!' The mad scientist yelled as he slammed down the file clipped with the photo of a young silver hair boy with a smug on his face. 'EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!'

'W-we just th-thought he blea-bleached his hair to just lo-look like General Sephiroth...' A frighten female scientist tried to explain, she immediately ducked under the table to dodge a flying book.

'BLEACHED HIS HAIR? DON'T YOU IDIOTS HAD EVER THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HIS NATUAL HAIR COLOR!' Hojo shrieked as he threw everything on his table at the scientists who bent down or hide behind something to block the dangerous projectiles.

This could have continued for another hour and a half, but the professor knew he had to act quickly before a certain General gets into his way. He is very interested by the appearances of this cadet, who looked just like when Sephiroth was younger, except he had shorter hair.

'WHERE IS THE BOY NOW?' He barked out his question and stared evilly at the trembling men and woman of science.

***

Wake up... Cloud, wake up...

Huh? Cloud found himself floating in the Lifestreams where glowing green threads turned and twisted around him.

Cloud you need to wake up, He is coming...

Who? The blond asked and a glowing green orb appeared before him.

An enemy of the planet...

What? Who are you? The orb started to glow brighter, which forced Cloud to use his hand to cover his eyes, but the light is so strong that he could make out the shadow a man with spiky short hair.

I'm...

Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep...

Cloud woke up sweat dropping, looking around him confusingly and wondering where did the man had gone, but when he saw the machines on his right side, he knew he was in Shinra's infirmary and not in the Lifestreams.

He was about to get up, but he stopped when he felt his left hand very numb, the blond looked down to see a peaceful silver hair teen sleeping next to him and holding his hand tightly, just like a child who was worry about his parent's health. Cloud hesitantly placed his hand over the soft silky hair of Kadaj and ran his fingers through it. It feels... Nice...

Sometimes he felt like Kadaj is acting a little too overprotective over him whenever he got bullied by some other grunts and it is kind of annoying the way he yelled at them, like he was part of his property or something, but then again, Kadaj is just Kadaj, he just doesn't want people to hurt what he holds dearly to his heart. After all, he is still just a kid in his mind.

He continued this action until the silver hair teen purred against his hand which the spiky hair boy had quickly withdrawn. Kadaj looked up at him with sleepy eyes and pouted: 'Nii-san, you don't need to stop you know, it feels pretty good.'

'Sorry, I -' Cloud quickly sat up and was about to explain for his strange actions, but he was cut off by a pair of soft lips pressed against his. Kadaj kissed him chastely before he pulled back and stared at him with an innocent look.

'Now you are forgiven Nii-san!' The young boy announced happily as he hugged a stupefied Cloud.

'Idiot.' The blond muttered under his breath as he turned his head away to hide his bright red blush. Kadaj released him from his hug to stick out his tongue playfully and giggled. 'How are you feeling?'

'Huh? What do you mean Nii-san? I'm feeling perfectly fine right now.' Kadaj told Cloud who is looking at him doubtfully.

'Don't you remember? When we were attacked by those things, you looked like your head is hurting you painfully.' Cloud asked worriedly.

The silver hair boy smiled brightly and said sheepishly: 'Oh that. With Nii-san close to me, it doesn't hurt anymore!'

The blond rolled his eyes in annoyance and then they heard a soft knock on the door, the teens turned their attentions towards the entrance just in time to see a man with short black hair came in with a young man who short spiky black hair.

'Cadet Strife and Novia?' The man asked as Cloud and Kadaj nodded at the same time. 'My name is Angeal Hewley, SOLDIER 1st Class. And he is my protégé, Zack Fair, SOLDIER 2nd Class.'

'Hi there!' The young man greeted them cheerfully.

Great, another Kadaj. Cloud thought sarcastically while studying Zack from head to toe with his big blue eyes before he turned his towards the older man and asked: 'Is something wrong, sir?'

'It's nothing very important, but Director Lazard asked me to tell both of you a little news, that's all.' Angeal explained gently.

Suddenly Kadaj's eyes narrowed and stood protectively in front of Cloud like shielding him from being attack by something. The blond and the two other occupants of the room looked at the silver hair teen in shock. Cloud, who being with Kadaj for more than six years, knew that his friend only reacted this way whenever he felt somebody was staring or throwing death glares at them, so he looked over Kadaj's side to see who is staring at them.

At the door, stood the man that all Shinra Inc. employers and SOLDIERs hate, Professor Hojo, smirking at them evilly. No wonder Kadaj reacted so fast. This guy's evil chart had definitely broken the record.

'Cadet Novia, the little copy of Sephiroth, I presume?' Hojo asked snickering as he entered the room. Now its Cloud's turn to narrow his eyes dangerously, because he doesn't mind what others thinks about him, but he won't allow someone as creepy as the professor to say some bad things about Kadaj.

'His name is Kadaj Novia, sir.' The spiky hair blond replied coldly at the professor's question. Hojo turned his head and glared at the blond angrily which Cloud countered with one of his own.

Then someone cleared his throat behind the professor, both glarer looked up at the newcomers standing at the doorframe. The great General Sephiroth and Commander Genesis Rhapsodos stared with a slight interest in their eyes at the glaring contest they had just witness.

'Professor Hojo, may I inquire what are you doing here, instead of in your laboratory?' The silver hair General asked calmly.

'I think as the Director of the Science Department, I had the right to visit any of the patients in the Infirmary.' Hojo answered turning around to face the General.

Kadaj was about to jump on the professor and beats him badly, but Cloud caught his wrist and held it tightly, looking into those green eyes, telling him to not act harshly. So the silver hair teen simply said: 'If you don't mind, Professor. Nii-san would want to rest right now, so could you visit later.'

'Nii-san?' The scientist repeated as he adjusted his glass and studied both teens intensely. 'Both of you don't bore any similarities to each other.'

'We are not related by blood.' Cloud explained with a hint of anger in his voice, for some unknown reasons, he felt very, very angry right now. This man, Hojo, presence made his body reacted violently. As if he had killed every single people he loved and cared the most in the world. 'But for me, he is and always will be a brother to me. Consider it as related by spirit.'

When Hojo was about to countered the words of the blond with scientific term, Sephiroth told the man that there is some problems in labs and that he had been asked to tell him to get back to the labs to sort the problems.

The scientist left the room grumbling under his breath. Cloud released his hold on Kadaj's wrist and let out a sigh of relief, while Kadaj asked to no one in particular what the problem with the mad scientist is.

'Let's just say, he is bad news.' Zack answered plainly.

'Angeal have you told them the news yet?' Genesis asked a little impatiently.

'I was about to, if Hojo didn't got in and caused a mess.' The black hair SOLDIER 1st Class answered.

'What news?' Cloud asked with a hint of worry in his voice, even though he tried to hide it. Please don't tell me that I could pack my stuff and leave Midgar.

'Well, Cadet Strife and Cadet Novia. I'm proudly announcing to both of you that you are now officially new Third Class SOLDIER!' Zack announced dramatically.

'What?' The blond asked puzzlingly.

'Really?' The silver hair adolescent asked excitedly. When the spiky black hair SOLDIER nodded his head, Kadaj immediately jumped onto the shocked blond and hugged him tightly as he chant "We did it! We did it! We did it!"

'KADAJ! GET OFF OF ME!' Cloud shouted as he tried pulled away the vice-grip arms over him and his blush was ten time redder the one he had a few minutes ago.

The other occupants of the room, except Sephiroth, chuckled at the same time, Angeal and Zack covered their little laugh with their gloved hands, Genesis simply turned his head away and let his long auburn locks covered his smirk, while the General stared at them with a questioning look that said what's-so-funny?

'I think we all get an idea what you might look like when you are a little younger.' Angeal explained quickly before he put his hand over his mouth again to muffle his chuckles.

Sephiroth looked at his fellow SOLDIERs and then at the struggling teens for a moment before he rolled his eyes and knew that at this very moment, that this boy, who resembles him, harassing another boy will the best joke for at least three years.

***

After the four SOLDIER and Kadaj, who had been drag out of his room by a rather irritated Sephiroth, left Cloud alone in his small ward, the blond let out a relieved sigh as he pulled out the red jewel around his neck and whispered: 'Moon?'

No answer and the crystal orb did not show a slight gleam. Cloud let out another sigh as he laid himself back on his bed. I must have been seeing things. Moon can't be inside the necklace. He had probably jumped out of the forest, instead of bursting out of the orb. What the hell are you thinking Cloud Strife?

You know talking to yourself is a first symptom of insanity. A distorted voice whispered near the boy's ears, which he knew that belongs to Moon. Cloud jumped up on his bed and looked around him frenetically, trying to find the source of the voice. Down here.

Huh? What? The blond looked down to see his necklace glowed faintly. Moon? Is it really you? You really talk?

Yes, I can. I have always been able to. The reply flared up the anger of the cadet. But some of my powers are still sealed. I have only got my voice back a while ago.

Your powers are sealed? You mean you are like the summon creatures the instructors talk about?

In a certain way, but unlike them, I can't grow more powerful. Whenever you got stronger, you will break some of the seals on this materia and unlock some of my strength.

Oh... I'm sorry... Cloud closed his eyes and thought back every single day he had spent with the other cadets, he was always the weakest among them, all of them could easily beat him up, if it wasn't because of Kadaj's protectiveness, he might have to visit the ward more often. Gaia, he hate being weak.

'"Wishing for tomorrow... My soul shatters. My pride is broke. My wing is broken. I am no longer able to fly..."' While listening to the strange sentence that Moon is quoting, Cloud felt the phoenix claws over his left shoulder and opened his eyes to see a wide-spread black wing with some of its feathers torn and tainted with small dry blood. 'Pain is something that every living thing on Gaia will feel one day or another, if you keep lingering on one single wound, you'll only be trying to ignore the other injuries and they will become infected and you'll be having more pain than you could endure.'

The young boy clenched his hand into fist as he struggled to hold back his tears and whispered: 'I'm sorry, I'm really sorry...'

The black phoenix wrapped its wings around the blond protectively, as if it is trying to shield him from every terrible and painful thing in the world, and whispered soft words to him: 'So let it go, leave your painful wound alone. Even if it will make scars that won't fade, at least they will no longer hurt...'

Maybe Moon was right, he should let go of his miserable past and move on. Cloud lifted his hand up and rubbed his watery eyes before he looked at the elegant bird with a bright smile, a smile without weariness or sadness anymore, just a carefree smile. Thank you Moon, or do you have another name?

Moon shook his head lightly. My name holds no longer much importance to me and beside, I like the name you gave me... It's better than my true name...

Upon hearing the sad tone in his winged friend, Cloud carefully reached for the injured wing with his hands and pulled it against him, burying his face in the soft feathers. Then let's heal our wounds together... So we could move on...