Disclaimer - I don't own Final Fantasy VII or its characters.
Recovery plus Active equals Party Part 1:
Operation G.A.S
Cloud, wake up...
Don't lose yourself...
Come back...
The young SOLDIER cracked his eyes open just enough to see a black silhouette of a bird hovering above him among the threads of the green Lifestreams. Moon? Is that you? Cloud asked mentally as he sat up rather painfully. What happen?
Don't you remember what happen? The dark phoenix asked. Then what happen in the lab came back to Cloud, his confused face turned into one in panic. Don't worry, Kadaj is fine. He isn't in shape for any type of training for now.
The blond sighed in relief as he ran his hand through his spiky hair. Sometimes he wondered if Moon could read his mind even without him thinking it aloud or he is just too expressive. Maybe if he could get stronger, then Moon-
Don't you ever think or say that! The black feather bird screeched, causing Cloud to jump in surprise. That certainly answers his pondering on if the phoenix could read his thought like an opened book or not. The winged creature pressed its head against his shoulder, looking weary and weak. You remind me of myself when I was younger...
The boy looked down at his winged friend whose eyes were closed and his heavy wings hanged loosely on his side, but Cloud ignored the weight on him, he was more interested on what Moon is about to say, because he never heard of a Summon creature considered itself weak or even young before.
Back then, I wasn't as strong as I am right now. Whenever I got injured, the wounds doesn't seemed to heal properly, they need a long, long time before they are mended, even when I got stronger. Just like you, I kept blaming myself about my weakness, because I hate being weaker than anybody. Moon took a deep breath and looked down at the small silver dagger he wore. When the degradation of my body started, I blamed others for my own misery, because the infected cells inside of me.
What? What do you mean? The blond asked.
JENOVA, her cells tainted part of Gaia. She is an alien life form who had crash-landed on Gaia thousands of years ago. The Ancients named her the Calamity of the Sky. She likes to use her power to manipulate other's minds and create illusions and she had almost destroyed the whole population of Ancients. The phoenix's red-orange eyes looked into the blue sapphire one. You have seen her powers on you, right? The voice, the dying Kadaj and the black monsters?
So everything I saw was only an illusion? Why and how did she get into me? Cloud asked, but then realization hit him like a Mega Flare from a Bahamut, the black liquid that Hojo had brought out must have been JENOVA cells, but the question is how did the man get it?
JENOVA's body was seal away by the Ancients, but it still remains intact after all these years, lock away by the scientists of Shinra. Moon answered the unasked question.
Then you know where it is. Why didn't you go and destroy it? The blond questioned rather furiously, but regretted his harsh tone immediately. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you for-
It's all right, Cloud. I know what you mean, but I simply can't right now, I can't fight her with my current power and if I do, she will manipulate those who had her cells in them... The phoenix turned its head away from him and averted his gaze.
The infected cells inside you, is it the JENOVA cells? The spiky hair SOLDIER asked hesitantly.
Yes. They had changed, but they still remain as her cells, so I'm not sure what would happen if I get too close to her. That's also why I want you to become stronger, to make sure you won't be affected by her power. I could only suppress the JENOVA cells in you for now. Moon explained as it removed itself from the blond, but before it could, Cloud wrapped his arms around it, preventing it to go.
'Thank you.' Cloud whispered. His voice soft and gentle. 'Thanks for being with me whenever I need you, for protecting me, teaching me, everything...'
The phoenix chuckled a bit and said sarcastically: 'I really wish you know how troublesome your gift of the Goddess was for me.'
'What do you mean "my gift of the Goddess"?' The blond asked as he loosens his hold on the bird.
'Your mood, it's quite contagious to everyone around you. We could easily feel what you are feeling. Some might even think it was their own feelings.' The black phoenix explained.
'Sorry, I didn't know.' Cloud apologized as he ran his fingers through the soft and almost silky black feathers.
'It's alright, but just remembers one thing though.' Moon enveloped him with its wide black wings. 'Enjoy everyday you have, no matter how bad they are, there are more people who care for you than just me and Kadaj, if you just let your eyes open and look a little further away, you'll see them.'
Then Cloud's vision was covered by the black feathers and he knew nothing more.
***
Sephiroth sat next to the unconscious blond in the same ward he had met him for the first time. It's only by pure coincidence, that Genesis and Angeal had gone down to the lab, to give back the sword that Cloud had forgotten in the forest, and got him and Kadaj out of there before Hojo worsen their situation. The Great General doesn't know why he decided to stay next to this boy who he had only met twice, but he felt like he should be here or more like a little voice in his head told him that. Maybe he just felt more comfortable next to him than anyone else. Since Cloud didn't look at him with fear like everyone who had first met him would show. He just looked at him like he was a normal person.
A coughing sound brought the silver hair man out of his thoughts and he looked at the boy's eyes opened a little as he said in hoarse voice: 'Kadaj?'
Sephiroth didn't answer. He took a water jug on the nightstand next to the bed and poured some water into a small glass, handing it to the blond as he said: 'Kadaj is fine, he is in the next room. Your body tried to expel the J-cells from your bloodstreams, so you might feel tired and disoriented every now then, but the doctors said that your body had always been in a healthy state, you should be able to recover completely in a few days.'
Cloud sat up to take the offered glass into his shaking hands and drank half of it before he said with a small smile: 'Thank you.'
'You don't need to thank me for giving you some water.' The silver hair General replied.
'Not just that, I mean thank you for being here.' The blond coughed a little bit before he added. 'It's nice to wake up and see someone beside you, then being alone.'
Sephiroth's lips tilted upward for minutely as the boy finished his drink before it vanished without a trace like it hadn't been there. The General had to admit that Strife had a contagious smile that could rival the grin of Angeal's apprentice. Now he kind of understands why his young look-alike clung on this boy so much that he named him his brother, because Cloud unconsciously acts like one, who cares and looks after others.
The silver hair man slowly stood up and placed his hand over the defy-gravity spiky hair of the boy who looked up at him questionably as he said: 'Rest now. I'll make sure Hojo won't do anymore tests on you and Kadaj for a while.'
Then he headed towards the door, but he stopped in his track when the boy thanked him again, he turned around to look at those faint glowing eyes and said softly: 'You don't need to thank me, it's my job to assure that every one of my SOLDIERs are in top shape.'
'I know, but I just felt like I need to say it, that's all.' Cloud replied as his smile widen a little before leaned back on the bed and closed his eyes. 'Good night.'
Sephiroth stared surprisingly at the sleeping blond for a moment and then he closed the door quietly as he bid Cloud good night and turned to the next room, where he placed his hand over the door and whispered another good night to the occupant of the room before he walked down the empty and silent corridor.
***
Three days later, Cloud and Kadaj were discharged from the Infirmary. The spiky hair SOLDIER thought he could spent some times to walk around the building, reading books and talks with Moon, but his plan was ruining when the hyper-active SOLDIER 2nd Class, Zack Fair with Kunsel, who Cloud dubbed as the raven hair teen's partner-in-crime, caught them in the corridor and told them that they were going to throw a party for their recovery.
'Zack, it's really not necessary. I really don't think we should bother to throw a party just because we were discharged from the Infirmary.' The blond tried to reason with Zack, even though he knew it was useless, because when the raven hair SOLDIER decided to do something, he will make sure that is done.
'Kunsel had already brooked us a place in a restaurant in Sector 8, it had a lot goodies there!' Zack exclaimed enthusiastically, ignoring the refusal of the blond. 'Oh, and we'll call Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis too!'
'HUH?! NO ZACK, THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. I MEAN GENERAL SEPHIROTH, COMMANDER HEWLEY AND RHAPSODOS ARE VERY BUSY, SO WE SHOULDN'T BORDER THEM FOR A SMALL PARTY!' Cloud yelled out in panic.
'That's a great idea! We could all go out and have a great time!' Kadaj said as enthusiastic as Zack.
'You're not helping me, Kadaj.' The blond hissed under his breath.
'So do we have an agreement?' The spiky raven hair teen asked as he extended his hand.
'AGREE!' Kadaj shouted cheerfully and shook the extended hand rather vigorously while Cloud groaned loudly.
'OK! OPERATION G.A.S BEGINS! AKA OPERATION GENESIS. ANGEAL. SEPHIROTH!' Zack yelled as he punched up in the air before he pointed at Kunsel. 'Kunsel! Make a safe passageway for our great General and Commanders!'
'Roger!' The SOLDIER 2nd Class saluted before he jogged away.
'Kadaj! You will go to the top floor with this card and convince Sephiroth or die trying to get his ass to the lobby of level 49!' The raven hair teen ordered as he tossed an ID card to the silver hair teen.
'Yes sir!' Kadaj saluted before he ran to the opposite direction of where Kunsel jogged to.
'Now, Cloud-'
'No, I'm not going!' Cloud interrupted as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the grinning SOLDIER.
'Come on, Cloud! It's going to be fun!' Zack said to the blond before he grabbed his arm and dragged him down the corridor towards the elevator, completely ignoring the loud protests and struggles of his friend.
***
When they reached the First Class level, Cloud was trying to pull Zack back into the elevator, but since his friend was taller and stronger than him, the chance of him pulling the bigger teen back is pretty slim.
'Cloud! Stop arguing with me and help me convince Genesis and Angeal to come with us to the party!' Zack sighed in exasperation when they arrived in front of the crimson Commander's office. 'Well, not that we really need to convince Angeal, he'll probably accept it if I ask, but Genesis will be a little harder.'
'No offense, Zack, but I want to live a long life, not a short one.' The young blond told his companion as he pulled his arm out of the vice-grip of Zack.
'What do you mean?' The black hair boy asked confusingly.
'One, from what I have heard of, Genesis doesn't like you. Two, he doesn't like party and three, I'm pretty sure that he'll kill us if you tried to annoy him to come with you.' Cloud explained.
'That's why I brought you with, while I handle Angeal, you will go and convince Genesis.' If looks could kill people, the one that Cloud is throwing to Zack will probably zapped, froze and burned him to death.
'You know, I will be very honor to die in your place if we're on the battlefield.' The blond told raven hair boy sarcastically, who thank him for the praise, which had caused the angry bubble of Cloud to burst. 'BUT WHAT YOU ARE ASKING ME TO DO RIGHT NOW CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT THAT! SINCE YOU ARE SENDING ME ON A ONE-WAY TRIP TO HELL ITSELF!'
A small chuckle in the back of Cloud's mind made him more furious than ever. AND I DON'T NEED YOUR HUMORLESS LAUGH IN MY HEAD!
Sorry, but the face that your friend is making right now is most certainly priceless. Now that Moon mentioned it, Zack does look funny with his half terrorized and shocked face. The blond quickly covered his mouth with his hand, trying to stop the giggling sound that's threatening to jump out of his throat in any seconds. In less than ten seconds, he couldn't held back any longer and let out a bark of laughter. After a few seconds, the raven hair teen joined him.
Their laughter stopped abruptly when the office doors creaked eerily opened to reveal Genesis Rhapsodos. Even though the auburn hair Commander had a great reputation on manipulating the Fire materia, the two teens felt that the whole level's temperature dropped more or less 50 degrees and the lights seemed dimmer.
'Hi there Genesis.' Zack greeted and tried to use his cheerfulness to brighten the place up, but it fails miserably with the almost haunting and heavy cold hanging around them.
'Five seconds.' The Commander said as he extended his five gloved fingers. 'After five seconds, if you could quote Loveless Act IV completely, I'll go, if not, both of you will suffer a grave consequence. One.'
Now Cloud and Zack are really in panic, mainly because none of them know the Loveless' poems by heart like Genesis does: the blond heard only pieces of the Act II and III, but he never read Loveless before and the raven hair boy had never even heard of the Loveless. One thing is clear for them, that their doom is unavoidable.
Loveless Act IV... Cloud heard Moon said in his mind as the auburn hair man counted to four. Then he cleared his throat which immediately drew the attentions of the two men before he recited at the same time as the black phoenix in his mind:
'My friend, the fates are cruel
There are no dreams, no honor remains
The arrow has left the bow of the goddess
My soul, corrupted by vengeance
Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey
In my own salvation
And your eternal slumber
Legend shall speak
Of sacrifice at world's end
The wind sails over the water's surface
Quietly, but surely.'
Zack stared at the blond disbelievingly as Genesis stared at him surprisingly in an awkward silence which was quickly broken when the crimson coat Commander asked them where they will meet up.
'You little clever bastard!' The SOLDIER 2nd Class shouted joyfully as he flung himself onto Cloud, squeezing the life out of him and ruffled his spiky blond hair.
When Cloud was able to pull himself back from the raven hair man, he said as his face changed into a ferocious one: 'We'll have a very serious conversation after tonight.'
Zack gulped and laughed uneasily while Genesis watched the two teens with amusement.
'Well, I'll go and get Angeal, so see ya!' Zack shouted as he ran away as fast as he could from the blond. 'Meet you guys at the level 49's lobby!'
Cloud held the bridge of his nose with a look of pure anger, cursing the black hair boy, while auburn hair man closed his door and headed towards the elevator. After a few steps, he looked over his shoulder and asked: 'Are you coming, SOLDIER?'
The question snapped the blond out of his mind cursing and he quickly answered with a "yes sir" before he rejoined the crimson Commander and headed towards level 49's lobby.
This is my first attempt of Humor, so please review and tell what do you think!
