Writer's Note: This chapter got some scenes rewritten, particularly Sephiroth's parts. Again, nothing major is changed, but enough that some re-readers may notice a difference.

Disclaimer: I make no money from this work. Anything recognizable to the Final Fantasy VII series and its associated parts belongs to Square Enix and affiliated companies.

Green Dreams

Chapter Twenty-Five: Country Roads, Take Me Home

"Congratulations, cadets, on passing."

Cheers erupted from the thirty cadets, all standing outside the building they'd been holed up in for the past two weeks. Everyone started shouting and laughing, throwing things in the air, patting each other on the back, and grinning until their faces hurt. The euphoria that welled up inside Cloud's chest was unimaginable, and all he wanted to do was sit down and cry, laugh and run, do everything and nothing at once. It was as a dream, long forgotten, he'd always harbored somewhere inside came true. It was a moment of Cloud's life he'd never felt he'd reach, and hearing those words from Sephiroth's mouth for him was enough to forget the past for a second and just relish the glory of the moment. He'd made SOLDIER.

All thirty of them came together in a group, jumping up and down, waving bandanas around, excitedly shouting about SOLDIER. Already there were cadets sharing stories of what had happened in the exam. Even Cloud, normally not one for those kinds of festivities, was in the group, his arm gripped by a beaming Reno whose face was red and his smile nearly splitting it as he congratulated everyone, even Maxwell, and people Cloud didn't even know.

The shoves, the pats on the back and even the ruffled hair didn't bother Cloud for once. He could hardly remember how he'd gotten here, what had happened, except that it was SOLDIER.

SOLDIER.

The dream he'd chased after across two lifetimes.

They'd partied that night. All thirty of them crashed a bar and drank until even the last of their rations were down the toilet when they inevitably vomited it all back up. Cloud, who typically had been unable to get drunk because of mako, now enjoyed the slight dizziness accompanying the handful of beers he'd drank. He was sitting on a barstool watching Dan make a fool of himself on the dance floor.

Zack had passed up on Cloud's admittedly shy invitation to join them, saying it was a celebration for them. The blond hadn't had time to be disappointed when Reno started to drag him down the street shouting about victory shots.

He could feel the silly grin threatening to spill across his face for the hundredth time that evening, when it hit him all over again. He was in SOLDIER.

Aaron took the barstool next to Cloud; his face lit a bright red from the booze and laughter they'd been sharing all night. "Hey Cloud," he slurred slightly. He still wasn't nearly as drunk as many of their compatriots. "What'll you do now?"

Cloud shrugged. He was still rational enough to know that 'saving the Planet' would sound strange, even from a plastered cadet.

"Well," Aaron, plowed on, seemingly uncaring that Cloud hadn't answered. "I'm going to find a nice guy. We can share an apartment, and I'll do the decorating since I've always wanted to do that, and he should be able to cook…"

Aaron continued to ramble on a bit as Cloud thought about what kind of sword he might get in SOLDIER. Double-edge buster sword like First Tsurugi? Did they make those? Even Zack's was only single-edged. Well, maybe he could design his own…

"Hey, when do we get to go home?" Aaron leaned over to him, almost going for a conspiratorial whisper but not quite able to pull it off.

"Leave?"

"Not forever, just to say hi to mum. She'd be real happy."

Cloud wondered what his mother would say. He couldn't remember telling her he hadn't made it into SOLDIER or what her response was, but now… She would be proud, he hoped.

"My mum, she's gone," Aaron said softly. He was a talkative drunk. "But, you know, I gotta put flowers down for her. And dad'll wanna hear the good news in person. He's tough like that, you know? And I've got a younger brother that'll love to know it, and…" Aaron murmured on a little longer before bursting into laughter as one guy spilled his drink, slipped on it, and still managed to chance a glance up a women's skirt. Aaron cheered the guy on when he got smacked by the woman, then turned back to Cloud. "A toast, Cloud, to SOLDIER."

"To SOLDIER," Cloud echoed.

Cloud tipped his head back as Aaron left and looked at the bottom of the wineglasses hanging from the top of the bar, smiling at them. He'd passed. He was going to be in SOLDIER. Already the future was looking brighter, and to Cloud it had always been a storm-front. He smiled into his glass before accidentally snorting in some of his beer as a fiery blonde woman slapped Reno upside the head.

Cloud sat down on his bunk with a low thump, wincing as the pounding in his head magnified and the dryness of his mouth. He could hardly remember last night, and he couldn't recall making it back to the bunker at was all a brilliant blur of bright colors, teary eyes, and beaming faces. He'd been so happy. Cloud couldn't remember the last time he'd been so euphoric. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever been that happy before.

He wished, for a somber moment, it could have been like this with AVALANCHE at the end of their journey.

Now, of course, the hangover settled in, and he still had duties. Popping two pain pills dry, he shuffled to the bathroom to shower off the sweat and alcohol. Reno and Dan, along with Aaron who had bunked for the night in their room, were still dead asleep.

He looked haggard in the mirror at first glance, and also infinitely younger. Some of the shadow in his eyes was gone, and despite the clear signs of a late-night party with no real sleep, he looked better than he had in years. The last time he'd had this much to drink he'd ended up in the cadet bathroom jerking off to another Sephiroth-fantasy. At least this time he hadn't needed that to get out of the brooding haze he usually ended up in when drunk.

By the time he was cleaned up his hangover had dimmed to a low throb he could easily ignore. Reno was just beginning to groggily wake as Cloud pulled on his cadet uniform one last time.

"Morning," Cloud murmured to Reno. The redhead's hair was sticking up every which way, his eyes were bloodshot, and he still had on the clothes he'd worn last night. The thick scent of women's perfume lingered over him, Cloud noticed as he passed him on his way out the door. Reno didn't seem to even register he was awake.

Out in the corridor, Cloud bounced in place a couple of times, feeling more energetic than he had in years despite the headache. Deciding to work it out of his system and get some fresh air, he wandered out of the cadet barracks and out on to the field.

He'd barely jogged a hundred yards before he saw a group of SOLDIERs clumped together on the far end of the field. Pulling to the edge of the field in the shadow of Shinra Headquarters, Cloud jogged quietly closer until he spotted seven helicopters, all emblazoned with the Shinra logo. There were sitting on the grass, quietly for now, and Cloud knew he must have been totally dead in his sleep to have missed the sound of that many choppers so close to the barracks. Cloud squinted at the group and spotted Zack standing by the lead helicopter, talking with several Second Class SOLDIERs.

Cloud couldn't make out what kind of mission the group was there for. Five helicopters, but only four Second Class SOLDIERs and Zack. Were they waiting for Thirds?

"You're up early."

Cloud whirled around in place, but remnants of his hangover made him wince and unconsciously touch his forehead when he spun too fast. The world looked a little fuzzy for a couple of precious seconds, seconds that counted if it had been a beast behind him. Of course, it was something much worse than a fiend sneaking up on him. It was the General, and those green eyes were locked on him.

Sephiroth didn't say anything more, just looking at him, his stare unreadable. It seemed to register with Cloud suddenly that the General was leaning against the back of the building staring at him, and there was tension in the man's shoulders hiding under that calm façade. There was no way the man had missed Cloud's debilitating seconds after he'd spun too fast, and Cloud internally winced at the show of weakness.

The General was dressed in full combat attire, with the shoulder pauldrons, leather pants and overcoat, and the harness for Masamune. It was something Cloud hadn't seen properly since the last reincarnation he'd fought. It brought back a strange mixture of memories that left Cloud feeling a little hollow and, weirdly, a little nostalgic. He snapped off a salute when he realized he was staring. "Good morning, General."

Cloud felt a trickle of sweat form on the back of neck, as Sephiroth seemed to take a long moment to measure him with his eyes before responding. Cloud was not at his best this morning and confrontation with Sephiroth could be disastrous. As usual.

"A rough morning, Strife?"

Sephiroth did not make small talk, and there was something sharp in his tone that said he wasn't talking about the blond's obvious hangover. The man was circling him with his words, waiting for the kill. Wit had never been Cloud's specialty, and he felt it keenly now. "Yes, sir."

"Admirable of you to show up early then. A trait that will save you from future punishment…" Cloud's whole body seized up as Sephiroth seemed to deliberately linger on that word, though the blond attributed it to his overactive imagination jerking awake, when Sephiroth continued on smoothly. "…unlike the Lieutenant General."

Cloud's mouth went dry and he wanted to swallow, but that little tell would be enough to show that he had no idea what the General was talking about, and he hadn't really been paying as much attention as he should have been. "Yes, sir."

Sephiroth was still leaning against the wall, his eyes narrowed slightly, but he was not angry. Just… looking at him. Hard. Masamune was nowhere in sight, for which Cloud was very thankful, but something about the predatory look behind the deceptively calm green eyes, coupled with the same outfit from Nibelheim, made Cloud instinctively want to hunch down or pick up his sword.

He didn't, because he wasn't the same teenager as before and he currently had no weapons on him, but that didn't mean that combat-ready Sephiroth looking like he wanted to finish the interrogation right now didn't make him feel that young for a second.

"Zack will have saved you a seat on the first helicopter, Strife. I am sure he wishes to extend his congratulations." Sephiroth swept some of his silver hair aside when the wind blew it a little forward, and the General's eyes flicked to the choppers then back. He looked straight at Cloud then, eyes narrowing slightly even more, and he seemed to loom a little larger. "Your performance was admirable, but curious. I will save my congratulations for a later conversation."

Cloud could feel his gut clench in trepidation at that promise, but he didn't want to show how intimidated he currently was. "Thank you, sir," he said clearly, trying to convey confidence and not his fears that Sephiroth was sinking his teeth in and he just didn't know how or where.

Sephiroth looked mildly surprised, but it slipped away into amusement tinged with something else. "You're welcome." Then he turned and strode off to the cluster of SOLDIERs.

Cloud could feel the automatic urge to overanalyze the conversation until he found some hidden meaning, but resisted when he saw two other cadets start to stumble over to the helicopters. He would just need to be ready the next time he ran into Sephiroth. Cloud had thought after the interrogation that Sephiroth was leaving all questions about the blond to Zack. The First had asked a bit about Cloud's background, but Sephiroth had seemingly backed off, even when Cloud had run errands and made deliveries to Sephiroth's office. Yet it was looking like the blond's grace period had run out and he hadn't even noticed. If the panther hadn't pounced yet, then what was he waiting for?

"Fuck, they did that on purpose!" Reno's outburst managed to make several Seconds standing to the side laugh. The cadets, huddled together by the five helicopters, were looking homicidal, upset, or barely determined. It was, all in all, a poor combination.

"We'd told you you'd passed," one of the Seconds said, stepping forward. "Not that you'd made SOLDIER."

Reno scowled angrily, spitting on the ground. "That's so cheap," he muttered under his breath mutinously.

Cloud wasn't looking at either the General or Zack, who were standing a short ways away with two other Firsts. He couldn't help feeling betrayed by his friend on a deep level, and he was trying not to glare across the way at him. He wasn't mainly because of the powerful stare he could feel from the General on the side of his head. He would "save his congratulations for later" indeed. Cloud stared at the ground and willed himself not to throw up, cry, or hurt someone. SOLDIER… How had he not known about the second test? How could they keep something that secret so well?

The First Class SOLDIERs walked over, including Zack and the General. As they approached Cloud was sure Zack was staring at him too, but Cloud didn't look up.

"Gentlemen, if you would," Zack said, indicating with flourish the five helicopters. "All will be explained when we land again. I'd suggest you take this time to consider what you're entering. SOLDIER is more than just an elite branch of the military. We are the best for a reason, and that means you might be sent out on a mission very suddenly," he waved at the helicopters and assembled men with a mocking smile, "in poor condition. You will also be expected to survive in places and situations you don't anticipate or know much about. Think about that now, because once you're on the ground you won't have time to."

He pulled himself into the nearest helicopter, and the cadets were divvied up into groups for each transport. Cloud was obviously pushed towards the first one that Zack was already in, and he could hear the First calling his name. He refused to glower, instead drawing on his tightly wound self-control as he headed towards it. It would be childish to ignore the direction and try to get into another helicopter, and Zack would take personal offense, which, though tempting now, would just be immature.

Just as he reached the helicopter, Zack spoke up. "Congrats on passing, Cloud. Seriously, you were awesome."

He sounded genuine, and Zack was smiling at him widely but gently, which did soften the edge of betrayal Cloud was still selfishly guarding. Before he could react though Zack grabbed the front of his uniform and all but dragged him into a seat. Cloud exhaled and pointedly didn't make eye contact. He didn't remove the offending hand though as he was pushed down into the seat, helping him buckle up the complicated harness.

"You know I would have told you if I could. Seph made me swear up and down on my mentor's grave I wouldn't tell you. It's why I had to avoid you all week. You know me! You bat those baby blues and I'd have spilled every secret I know," Zack joked. He nudged Cloud carefully. "I really am sorry Cloud. They do this every year though. Gotta set you up for disappointment and failure so you know what it feels like and how to overcome it. At least that's the drivel Seph told me."

Cloud could feel the walls of his anger at Zack melting at the First's heartfelt apology. As Zack went to sit down in his own seat Cloud grabbed his wrist and squeezed quickly before letting go. He wasn't good at this, trying to think of something to say to Zack, but the First patted him on the shoulder and gave him a blinding grin.

All might have been good between them now, but Cloud was still angry; he just wasn't mad with Zack but with himself. How could he have not seen this, not known? It was impossible to hide a whole second test from all of Shinra, even if they tried to disguise it as training new SOLDIERs or something. It started the literal day after the test, before even Shinra's famous bureaucratic red tape could even sort through a third of the paperwork. That should have set off some alarms at least. Had Cloud really been that self-absorbed before? Had he been that self-absorbed now?

With his face turned to the open side of the aircraft, he saw one other cadet get in and take the seat next to Cloud. Zack, with his back to the pilot, greeted him enthusiastically despite the slightly nauseous look on the kid's face. Two more Seconds joined them to fill the transport, quietly talking to themselves.

Cloud heard the footsteps coming up to the helicopter even over the sound of Zack's cheerful voice blathering on to the unsuspecting cadet next to him. Sephiroth had always been distinct in nearly every way, and he had a confident, unyielding stride that Cloud recognized from endless lulls in battle. Nothing was more terrifying than being stalked by a predator who didn't feel the need for stealth.

The General smoothly climbed into the helicopter and set Masamune down by their feet, locking it in place with a couple straps set on the floor. Cloud did not look at the General as he did this, but he listened closely as the leather of his outfit creaked as he crouched and the gentle swoosh of his long hair. When he settled into the seat next to the pilot the doors on the sides were shut and the rotors began to spin. Cloud heard the cadet by him gasp as they started to pick up speed before the sound drowned out all else. The cadet was staring out the window as the dirt was blown up and around, but Cloud's eyes were focused on the sheath for Masamune. It was a part of the sword that, Cloud realized with a jolt, he'd never seen before.

Sephiroth didn't wear the scabbard in combat, ostensibly because it would be difficult to remove a seven-foot sword from a seven-foot sheath quickly. It was made of a hard wood, with designs drawn into it that Cloud recognized as a battle scene of some kind. There were even words across the length of it, but he did not know the language.

He was snapped out of his reverie by Zack's foot kicking his shin playfully. "Come on Cloud, everything okay? You're not gonna try to hack my head off next practice session are you?" Zack had to yell over the sound of the helicopter's rotors spinning. The cadet next to the blond gripped the straps of his harness so tight his hands were white as bone. Cloud did feel a sickening lurch as they took off, but he'd ridden in enough of Cid's airships to be used to this sort of thing.

"Look, since we're airborne, I can talk about it a little, and you've got the home-court advantage here that I had nothing to do with! I swear, that decision was made long before we were even training!" Zack was smiling at him as he half shouted to be heard, but when Cloud didn't respond he frowned a bit. "Are you still mad at me?"

Cloud looked up at him finally, unable to hear most of what Zack was saying, but he'd heard the last bit as they'd flown off. He was still mostly lost in thought about Masamune and the future, not where they were going. "It's not you."

Zack looked confused now, but Cloud just glanced out the window at the desert around Midgar as they left Shinra and the city behind. He couldn't stop the mildly helpless feeling in his gut that was growing as they flew on. He knew that changing things would make his knowledge of the future less reliable, but he'd grown used to being semi-omniscient now. That was dangerous, Cloud knew, and now that he recognized it he was angry with himself even more.

"Don't worry, Cloud! It's going to be fine! You'll see!" Cloud offered him a half-smile as a sort of truce.

They flew for several hours, crossing the ocean to the next continent. Cloud had ridden many kinds of flying transports, from Cid's Shera and Highwind to several other dinky little planes. He could recognize the landscape from a plane almost as well as he could from the ground, and as the familiar mountains came closer and closer on the trip, Cloud began to feel a strange mixture of anticipation and dread inside.

Nibelheim.

The landing was smooth; a far cry from some of the crashes, wrecks, and near misses Cloud had had before. Zack was the first one out, helping Cloud and the other cadet out of their seats. He wasn't even a little wobbly from the flight, and Cloud envied him for that. The other cadet looked ready to throw himself at the ground, and the blond was feeling a little shaky too, his body not used to that kind of travel. At least he was until he lost his train of thought when he saw Sephiroth gracefully dismount from the helicopter and stride out to where the others were landing. Sephiroth against the background of the Nibel Mountains—cold, unmoving sheer cliffs of solid rock that had led many a man to his death—made something heavy and cold lay in his gut.

When they'd all regrouped and everyone with airsickness had emptied their stomachs, one of the First Class SOLDIERs stepped forward. "Cadets, the second and final examination of the SOLDIER Exam begins here, at the edge of the Nibel Mountain Range."

Everyone followed with the requisite awe of the mountains and grumbles of annoyance at a second exam, but it fell quiet after just moments after he'd spoken. They were still feeling the presence of not only so many gathered Firsts but also the top two people in SOLDIER, and it affected the crowd.

"Here your goal is singular: reach Rocket Town on the other side in one week. You'll be given one weapon, one materia, and this ration bag." The SOLDIER explaining this held up the bag to show everyone. Cloud noted how light it looked. Clearly they were expected to find their own food and water. "At midnight of the seventh day, if you have not reached Rocket Town, we return to Midgar without you. Those that are left behind," he had to raise his voice as several cadets murmured about that rule, "will be recovered at a later date."

It was a harsh proclamation, but not unexpected. Cloud could already feel the chill wind coming off the mountains and there was even a dusting of snow on the ground. He knew that Shinra had probably deliberately chosen the Nibel Mountains because it was winter and it was the most dangerous time to be up there. Cadets who couldn't make it to Rocket Town or another village would probably be the ones who were attacked by wildlife, couldn't navigate well enough, or survive in the harsh environment.

"You will begin in one hour. It's up to you how you get there, and whether to work in groups or alone. Those of you who survive will be inducted into SOLDIER."

As everyone began to talk again, Cloud felt a large hand descend on his shoulder and steer him out of the group. "See, home-court advantage." Zack put his arm around Cloud's shoulders and guided him around the helicopter to face the mountains, their back to the rest of the group who were scrabbling to get the heaviest ration bag and the sharpest weapon. No one seemed to have noticed Cloud and Zack sneaking away for a moment.

"I won't try to slip you an extra weapon or materia," Zack began, and Cloud kept his eyes steady on the mountains as he listened. "You grew up here didn't you? Too bad we can't see your hometown. Look, I just wanted to say good luck, not that you need it, and that I'll be waiting for you on the other side with some hot chocolate."

Zack squeezed his shoulders once, and Cloud felt a floundering urge for just a moment to hug Zack. The First would never have rejected it, but it wasn't in the blond's nature to be so affectionate, so he held back and the moment passed. Cloud murmured thanks softly, which Zack waved off as he walked away. He was about to go back around the aircraft and to get his own supplies when the General stepped in front of him from the other side of the helicopter, blocking his escape.

Fuck.

Cloud slid his foot back to balance himself better automatically. With the helicopter between them and the rest of the group and Zack gone, Cloud suspected Sephiroth might have planned this.

"Hello," his mouth curved up in an echo of a familiar wicked grin, "Cloud."

Something molten in Cloud's stomach jerked at the sound of his name coming off Sephiroth's tongue, but also something darker. His right hand twitched at the familiar phrase, looking for a weapon he didn't have.

"General," Cloud said, but it didn't come out smoothly at all. There was none of the casual authority Sephiroth normally adopted as he approached. The clothing and posture was reminiscent of his insane self, but instead of being manic he was like a coiled spring. It was obvious he was begging Cloud to try and fight his way out of this one; Sephiroth wasn't pretending like he had been this morning.

"You know what I'm here for."

The images that flashed through Cloud's mind would have made him blush if all the blood hadn't drained out of his face earlier. "I don't, no," but it was perfectly obvious he was lying because Cloud unconsciously took a step back. He was nervous because he didn't have a weapon and he didn't know what Sephiroth meant to do. A thousand ideas jumped to mind and then a thousand more. He took another step back, but he almost against the side of the helicopter and knew he had very limited room.

"The amount of inconsistencies that follow you around are, frankly, absurd. Did you think I would let that go?"

Cloud swallowed at the penetrating stare he was getting from Sephiroth, and he could almost feel his heart against his ribcage. The General didn't look prepared to back down at all, and Cloud was afraid to guess how far he would go.

Sephiroth took another step forward, this time coming perilously close to where Cloud was backed up into the chopper. The way the shadows made Sephiroth's whole expression turn a touch crueler forcibly pulled up a hundred memories of the Generals' face drawn in savagery. For a horrible moment Cloud was seeing double, and it didn't help how Sephiroth curled his tongue around Cloud's name. "I will find out Cloud."

Sephiroth's eyes flashed to the left suddenly, and then his whole posture and the intimidating aura reverted back to the normally tightly controlled leader who worked behind a desk. Cloud very nearly thought he had hallucinated the complete change from threatening to normal, and it took several moments for the déjà vu to fade.

"I wanted to personally congratulate you, Strife, on your performance."

Cloud couldn't think up a response, his brain still trying to cope that he suddenly was out of the danger zone—at least temporarily. What had pushed the General so far he would back him up into a helicopter? That wasn't exactly characteristic behavior of the normally collected General; in fact, it was the same behavior Sephiroth had shown when he'd first learned about the experiments.

"I expect," the General continued in that same, overly-calm voice, his eyes still cataloguing everything in a disturbing way, "that you'll be one of the first to return. I would like to speak to you about your performance and personal training then." Cloud didn't miss the obvious threat behind that: We'll continue this later.

With that, Sephiroth turned and nodded at Zack, who had just appeared around the chopper with a sword and ration bag in hand, unaware of how he'd interrupted Sephiroth's mood. Cloud wanted to slump boneless to the ground with relief as the General strode away, something clipped in his walk that said he wasn't entirely as composed as he had just been pretending. Zack handed Cloud the sword and a materia along with the ration bag, giving the blond a sympathetic look. "Sephiroth's brand of encouragement is a little intimidating, huh?"

Cloud just nodded, swallowing away any words. He didn't even know where to begin, but he didn't want to drag Zack into this anymore than he already was. He wanted to keep his friends for as long as possible.

"Well," Zack gave him a swift once over, obviously restraining his mother-hen instincts from what looked like an imminent bear hug. Cloud was wishing he didn't. "Good luck." With a pat to the back, Cloud heading back to joined the rest of the group waiting by the forest to enter, but for once SOLDIER was the last thing on his mind.

The forest that covered the Nibel Mountains was unforgiving and very much alive. Despite the cold weather and frequent snows, the trees were thick stalks of bark and sharp branches, and the ground was covered with layers of frozen leaves and dirt that were hard-packed and icy cold. Most of the trees had no acorns or food on them at all, and the thick leaf and pine cover protected most of the animals from would-be hunters.

Cloud had grown up in this world, and though he wouldn't say he was at home here—he had long forsaken the idea of Nibelheim as his home—he was far more knowledgeable here than the city and town boys that made up the rest of the cadets. He'd spent a lot of time in the wilderness with AVALANCHE, and he knew how to survive in pretty much any kind of environment.

Reno, meanwhile, looked distinctly out of his element. He was in the wilds where all his street smarts and tough talk were near useless against the infamous Nibel wolves and the icy winds that shot down from the peaks, blowing snow and pine needles into their faces. He didn't even look to have a thick enough coat, since winter in Midgar was pretty mild.

Cloud had intended to break off on his own, knowing that this second exam offered him the best chance possible to finish up business in Nibelheim long before that dreaded mission came around. As they had trudged off from the starting point into the forest—not near a path even, because that would be too easy—Cloud had been furiously considering everything he could do in Nibelheim in the few short days he had, anything to take his mind off the enigma that was Sephiroth.

Having Reno and Dan tag along would just be a complication. Of course, his attempts to shake them off were for naught. Reno knew he was from the area, and that was enough for his team from the first exam to regroup around him. They clearly believed if they stuck with him they'd survive this in one piece. Which was probably true, but Cloud also knew if they stuck together, they should be fine without him.

The first night out in the woods was a cold one, and Cloud forbade them to make a fire. The smell and light would draw the wolves and they were vicious, especially in the winter when food was scarce. No one had a blanket though, so Aaron was the first to push up into Dan's personal space to generate some warmth.

"How long do you think it'll take to get to the other side?" Dan was shivering in his military-issue flak jacket and boots, rubbing his arms for some semblance of warmth and slowly huddling closer to Aaron.

"Three days at most if they put us on the southwest side of the mountains." Cloud wasn't in the mood for talk. He needed to break from the group, but as their impromptu leader, he had to deal with his conscience saying not to abandon them, and the fact that they always had one eye on him for guidance.

"That's not that long then. I thought it would be farther." John had a thicker coat on than the others, and he hunched with his shoulders together and his hands in his pockets attempting to keep warm. He looked far better off than Reno, who had reluctantly curled into Aaron. Being warm beat being uncomfortable.

Cloud didn't respond, just leaned back against the tree and tried to figure out what he could do. He could tell John or Reno where the pass over the ridge was to reach Rocket Town, but they would want to know why he was leaving, and John might be satisfied with a simple answer, but Reno definitely would not. He spent most of his watch that night thinking about it.

The second day they struck the path that went to the ridge. Hunters and weathered hikers, Cloud explained briefly, used this to get to Rocket Town, but only in the summer when the elements weren't so vicious. It was very likely parts of the path would be covered with heavier snowfall or inaccessible, but so long as they didn't get completely turned around it would take them straight to Rocket Town.

That night they made camp just off the road, and Cloud volunteered for first watch. It wasn't fair of him to leave them during his shift, but the blond didn't feel he had much of a choice. After some deliberation, he wrote a quick note on the back of Reno's hand, saying to follow the road over the ridge, and at the fork take the right turn. Simple, and as long as they didn't run into wolves or eat the poisonous mushrooms, they would be fine. Cloud had to trust they would survive on their own, because there were bigger things had stake.

He shifted his bag on his back, adjusting the dull sword on his waist before setting off down the path. It was chilly tonight, and the trees creaked and moaned ominously in the wind. He followed the footpath until it began to curve, leaving it then to cut a straight line through dense forest. He was more likely to run into monsters this way, but he had a Lightning materia from Zack in case anything big showed up.

He fought off a number of small beasts as he trekked, aware that there seemed to be one or two following him, poorly shadowing where he went. Cloud wasn't worried about them though. The only challenge up in these parts of the woods was the wolves—the famous Nibel dragons didn't fly down this far when there wasn't any food.

Dan stumbled around a tree, trying to keep far enough away so that the wind and groaning forest would mask his footsteps, but close enough he could still see Cloud. Lying on the cold ground pretending he was falling asleep when really he was wide awake with every owl's call and little animal's scurrying feet, he'd been aware as soon as Cloud started packing up his stuff.

He didn't know what the blond thought he was doing, but Dan didn't believe for a second he could be leaving them. Maybe he was scouting? Or he'd heard something and was going to investigate?

Deciding it had to be the latter, maybe a monster or one of the wolves Cloud had mentioned, Dan had gotten up and followed after him. He wasn't sure why he didn't announce himself or didn't move the moment he heard Cloud packing up his bag. That wasn't like him and he knew it. Still, the cadet found himself falling behind Cloud, ducking behind trees and watching as the blond lazily swiped away the fiends that approached with his sword or even using a little flare of materiato banish the ones that were bigger.

Dan had gasped when the first group of monsters attacked Cloud and had almost run out to help the blond if he'd needed it. Cloud turned out to be more than fine; in fact he seemed annoyed the monsters had even approached. He was more shocked at how calmly Cloud was taking these real-life battles than how he blew through them.

Cloud left the path though, and that was when Dan had gotten lost. All the trees looked the same, and with the ground so frozen solid Cloud left almost no footprints. It was incredibly dark out and cold, and he was beginning to regret going so far after the blond. He obviously didn't mean to come back, but now Dan feared he wasn't going to be able to find his way back either.

Something snapped behind him, and Dan whipped around, blunted sword out and ready to attack. Cloud seemed to have no problem with these little monsters, but Dan had never fought one outside of simulations and the low level ones they brought into the Shinra compound. Out here in the wild—the wild!—Planet only knew what kinds of things were there.

What if it was a wolf? Or a dragon? What if it poisoned him? It might have huge fangs, or a spaded tail; it could kill him in one swing if it were strong enough. And who would find his body? Lost in the Nibel Forest to be eaten by whatever came by next? Dan's hands began to shake as his mind conjured up all the images he didn't want to see. Monsters with mouths so full of fangs they couldn't close them, acid dripping paws, wolves the size of boulders, his body broken and bleeding on the ground…

There was a shadow by a tree on his left, and Dan turned to meet it, sword out in front of him, hands trembling even as he held it. Dan could barely see it, but it almost looked like a figure was leaning against the tree, red eyes glowing.

As Cloud got closer to the town, the monsters began to give way and the trees began to thin out. He could now make out some of the star-studded sky, the velvet black so complete out here without the lights and smog of Midgar to block it.

Cloud breathed in the air, recalling the bitter tang of pine and the freshness of winter he had given up long ago. The acrid dryness of the desert his self-exile had left him in had nothing on this, though it brought back painful memories with it.

The land began to rise as he walked, and he knew he had to be close. Finally cresting the hill, Cloud put his hand on the trunk of a thin tree, still young compared to the ones deeper into the forest, and looked down. The town of Nibelheim laid stretched out before him: the little cozy houses nestled next to each other, the town hall, the inn where he remembered sleeping once.

He didn't look at the faces of the people in the evening light, or let himself reminisce on the bitter memories of his childhood home. He thought briefly of his mother, nothing more than a warm sensation. He felt love for her, but it wasn't a part of him, distant rather, because he could hardly remember her. Cloud didn't entertain the thought of seeing her. He wasn't ready yet, and he was almost afraid.

His eyes landed upon something else: the Shinra Mansion.