AN: Please send me feedback! You know it's healthy for you!
Warning: SPOILERS FROM THE GAME AHEAD! And, of course: AU, language and C/S.
The Complete Opposite
By Kaz
Chapter X
"Whenever you're ready."
At the nod, the machine was turned on.
"If you would like, we can record this session."
"That would be best," was the low reply.
A button was pressed before the black screen displayed lines of black and white, static filling the room.
"Is there a specific date you want to start at?"
"Right when he left his home."
"Yessir," was a worker's reply.
The screen lit up, showing from a third-person point of view Cloud's discussion with his mother before he left.
"Cloud?"
"Yeah?" Cloud said.
"Are you sure you're not going to change your mind?"
Cloud nodded. "I know you're not asking me this because you disapprove. I'll be fine, Mom."
The woman brushed back a lock of grey-tinted blonde hair, smiling a bit. "I know, I'm sorry Cloud, but it's hard for me to really believe that in just a week you're leaving."
He looked up and smiled back at his mother. "Don't worry, Mom, I'll make it okay."
"After this."
"Yessir."
The screen changed to show a truck filled with young boys, all crowded around, chattering, duffel bags either next to them or sat on.
"Ugh..."
"Hey, are you okay?"
Cloud looked up to see a boy with dark brown hair falling in his eyes. "Uh, yeah, I just easily get motion sickness."
The boy grinned sympathetically. "Sorry. But hey, we're almost there, so it'll be all right."
Cloud nodded in response.
"We can focus on the more definite clips if you would like."
"Go ahead."
Boys all around the age of fifteen or sixteen lined up in front of several desks, men and women in plain uniforms handing each boy papers stapled together after each short interrogation and the clacking and clicking of computer keys. When Cloud reached the front of the line, a woman greeted him.
"Welcome. Name please."
"Er, Cloud Strife."
"Age?"
There was a sign of hesitation, but the answer came as, "F-Fifteen."
The woman didn't even look away from the screen of the computer. "Hometown?"
"Nibelheim."
The woman looked up and smiled lightly, handing him the same packet she gave others before him. "Welcome to Shinra. Please read through the packet and fill out the needed information. The deadline for the information will be in five to seven days. Have it ready by that time. You may give your papers to one of the personnel in the office on your floor. Now, you will be assigned to a group where you will receive your next instructions and room."
With that, she handed him a piece of paper that just finished printing from the machine behind her. She handed him the paper and waited for him walk away before tending to the next person.
"...Why did he hesitate?"
"Must you be so blunt?" was a muttered reply.
The black-haired Ex-SOLDIER hissed before continuing. "Well, if I wanted to know, okay? When Cloud registered here, he said he was almost sixteen. In this man's memories, he states that he's fifteen, but sounds like he's hesitant in saying so. Was he lying? And why so?"
"Hush! Ask questions later," another growled.
Silence followed except for the noises from the memories.
Cloud looked around, spotting empty hall after empty hall, all identical. "Geez..."
A pair of older men came in his direction and he stopped them.
"Excuse me, but do you know where to find room 42 is?"
"On Floor 18? Just down that hall, to your left. It's the last door with no sign on it."
Cloud thanked the man who answered him and followed the directions to the room, opening the door at the end only to have a broom and mop fall on top of him.
"Ah!"
Having fallen on the floor, Cloud looked up to see that the room that he had thought was to be where he would stay, turned out to be the janitor's closet.
"No wonder it doesn't have a sign on it. It's not a real room," he grumbled and brushed himself off, standing up and shoving the equipment that fell on him back in the closet, shutting it before trying again to find the room he was assigned to.
It took him a while, but he eventually found someone to help him. Unfortunately, they were half dressed.
"Zack! What kind of man where you! Can't you be decent!"
The black-haired man shrugged, laughing as his cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
"Um... E-Excuse me," Cloud stuttered, unable to do anything but stare at the man who appeared with only draw-string pants around his waist, unruly black hair nearly falling to his waist. A blush crept up the boy's cheeks as he coughed and finally averted his gaze. 1
The black-haired man turned to the embarrassed blonde. "Yeah?"
"C-Could you help me find room 42?"
The man blinked and stared at the blonde before nodding. "Sure. I'm in room 42 as well." He gestured down the hall. "It's that way." When Cloud gave him a questioning look and glanced to the door he just came out of, he explained. "Oh, I was just visiting a classmate of mine." He grinned and slung an arm around the blonde's shoulders, oblivious to how the boy tensed under the touch, turning him around and starting down another hall. "C'mon, I'll show you to another roommate."
"Can we skip this? I do not wish to witness how embarrassing Zack can be."
Zack huffed. "Hey!"
"Yessir."
Cloud shut his eyes for a moment, smacking himself in the face several times as he muttered to himself. "Agh, c'mon, Cloud, think! He's gonna be there like Zack said and you'll finally be able to see him. But you can't make a fool of yourself!"
Cloud opened his eyes and stared hopelessly at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He leaned his head against the cold surface and sighed heavily before leaning back and tugging at the towel around his waist, exiting the bathroom to find his clothes in the trunk. He didn't bother in looking over at Zack who was lying back with a hand under his head, holding a book in at air.
"So, done giving yourself a pep talk?"
Cloud jumped, scowling at the older man. "And how would you know?"
Zack tapped wall with the edge of his book. "Walls are thin."
Cloud only narrowed his eyes more and returned to fishing through his trunk for something to wear.
"Just relax, it's not like the man will bite your head off."
Cloud looked up and straightened his towel as it started to slip. "When did you first meet him?"
"Ah, only a few years ago. It wasn't that bad."
Cloud smirked as he sat down on his bed opposite of Zack's, laying his clothes down on the bed. "Then why does your body say different?"
Zack shot the boy a look before returning to his book. "All right, I admit, he can whoop ass, but I'm trying to help you out here. If you don't want my help, that's okay, you can find out for yourself what he's like."
Cloud blinked several times, his face blank except for a hint of surprise and curiosity. After a moment's stare he stood up and started to undo his towel, about to let it drop to change when Zack sat up and waved his arms around in wide circles.
"Aah! Don't do that here!"
Cloud paused and looked up at the man. "What?"
"Go back in the bathroom!"
"Why? Why, when you are the one who walks out of a classmate's room half naked?"
Zack blinked at him and laughed a bit, scratching the back of his head to cover up his embarrassment. "Ah, well, that's different. At least I'm not about to flash a roommate."
Cloud lifted a brow and stared down at his feet for a moment before snatching up his clothes and heading back to the bathroom adjoined to their room.
"Why are we watching this, now?"
"I didn't know you would act like that around another male's body, Zack."
"I didn't! Remember, these are his memories, not mine! I didn't— We didn't— That never happened!"
"Shut up before a certain someone loses his patience and kills y'all!"
"..."
"... Please skip ahead. This time, past the Academy."
"Yessir."
Cloud groaned as the truck ran over a large bump in the road, his brain unable to comprehend most of what was happening. Someone was talking to him...
Who was it...?
Their voice sounded familiar, but a name didn't come to mind.
"Ugh..."
"You okay, Cloud?"
"Urgh..."
"We'll be okay."
Who was this person? ... Raven hair... Brown eyes... Jovial smile... Large metal thing by his side... Who...?
Cloud was pulled out of the truck just as it stopped, an arm coming around his waist to support him, a hand holding his wrist to keep him from slipping.
"We'll get there, Cloud, don't you worry."
"Nng..."
He was set down by a rock and was leaned against it, head titled to the side. Words were spoken to him before there was the sound of retreating footsteps. He sat still and turned his head to the other side, eyes slowly closing and opening again.
Suddenly, the sound of gunfire and a pain-etched scream filled his ears.
"Aaaagh!"
"Shoot him down!"
More gunfire... What was happening? He turned his head a bit to witness a man with black hair and dark brown eyes being sprayed with bullets, blood splattering the ground and even himself. Men in blue uniforms drew closer, firing until the man did not move, turning to Cloud next. They aimed their guns at his head, but one man came forward and bent over him, nudging him with his foot.
"Let's not waste bullets. This one won't make it."
"But, sir..."
"Don't worry, he's experienced mako poison. He won't live past a few hours. Let's go."
"Yes sir!"
They left him be to lean on the rock, staring at the man they shot down. Blood... Glorious red blood mixed with the man's features... His once light-toned face was covered in red. Cloud blinked slowly as he stared. Familiar... familiar... Who was this man?
"Errgghhh..."
He shifted and crawled toward him, eyes never leaving him. Blood coated his front and made his hands slip every now and then as he crawled forward, stopping to hover over the man.
"Z... Za..."
...? Who?
"Zaa... Zaaa..."
This name... It belonged to the man. Who was he? His eyes shifted to the large sword that had fallen and was splayed with blood on the ground by his feet. He reached over and picked it up, the weight odd but with a familiar feeling in his hands.
'This? Oh, it's called a Buster Sword. Probably the damn biggest sword you'll ever see! Well, if you don't count Sephiroth's long Masamune.'
He turned back to the dead man, a smiling face flashing in his mind's eye. "Zack..."
"Shit..."
"Damn, it's freaky to watch that, thinking it's me."
"Cloud!"
The blonde stopped, turning around slowly, an irritated expression on his face.
"Are you going to walk out of your childhood friend?"
Cloud froze, blinking twice before lowering his head, replying, "Sorry."
A woman with long brown hair that reached to her knees smiled gently. "It's okay. But... you forgot our promise."
Cloud looked up. "Promise?"
The woman frowned. "So you did forget." She looked away.
Cloud lifted a hand to reach out and comfort her and apologize, but stopped halfway. "Tifa..." he dropped his hand.
Tifa managed a smile. "Remember? That night? When you called me out to the well?"
Cloud nodded and stared up at the ceiling of the bar, imagining the night. "Yeah, I was waiting for a while and thought you wouldn't come." He paused to chuckle. "It was getting cold."
Tifa giggled. "Yeah, I'm sorry for that."
Cloud shook his head and continued to recall the memory. It was hard, but with some concentration, he was able to remember what 'promise' she was talking about.
"Remember now? Our promise?" Tifa asked after a while.
Cloud sighed and looked away. "I'm not a hero, I'm not famous, so I can't keep the promise..."
"But you were able to join SOLDIER and worked for Shinra. You got your childhood dream. C'mon, you have to keep the promise!"
Cloud only winced and kept his eyes averted.
"...She mentioned that promise to us. But to think that instead of saving her, he tried to kill her, and nearly accomplished it too."
"Hush!"
"...Sorry."
"Tifa?" Aeris said as she walked down the stairs.
Tifa walked over to Aeris, adjusting her mini skirt.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Aeris." Aeris smiled. "Cloud's told me a lot about you."
"...And you are?" Tifa said, frowning as she looked Aeris up and down. The flower girl was wearing a very flashy, rather skimpy red dress, her hair unbraided and pulled back into a high ponytail with her favorite pink ribbon. "Hey, you're the one with Cloud in the park..."
"Right, with Cloud."
Tifa looked away, looked rather dejected. "Oh..."
Aeris immediately noticed the look and shook her head. "Don't worry, we just met. It's nothing."
Tifa turned her attention back to the woman. "What do you mean, 'Don't worry'... about what?" She shook her head slowly. "No, don't misunderstand. Cloud and I grew up together. Nothing more."
"Poor Cloud, having to stand here and listen to both of us calling him nothing." Aeris giggled, sneaking a glance over at the blonde who stood a good few feet away from the both of them, trying to find interest in something else. "Right, Cloud?" she asked, turning toward him.
"Cloud?" Tifa repeated in confusion.
The blonde turned around and finally approached the two, a grim expression set on his face.
"HOLY SHIT! HE'S A DAMN TRANSVESTITE!"
"Shut up, Cid!"
A blonde man in his late thirties was kneeling on the king-sized bed, arms outstretched in a welcoming gesture, hips swaying from side to side, mouth set in a sickening grin. At the foot of the bed, well away from the man with a mohawk haircut, was a young blonde in a simple, lavender silk dress, a red sash with flower patterns on it around the blonde's waist. The blonde's hair was twisted into a braid, several locks falling out of place.
"All right, pussycat... Come to daddy!" the man cheered, jerking his hips once more.
The blonde tucked a lock of hair behind an ear and slowly approached the bed, stopping at the edge.
"You're so cute, I never get tired of looking at you."
The corner of the blonde's eye twitched, jaw locking.
"Do you... like me, too?" the man asked in false innocence.
The blonde growled inwardly. "Of course!" came a forced answer.
"You sure do know how to make a guy feel good!" the man named Don Corneo crowed. "Then, what do you want to DO?"
The blonde closed his eyes and gripped his hands behind his back in order to keep from punching the man, bending forward slightly. "Whatever YOU want, daddy," the blonde purred.
"Oh man! I can't stand it! All right, then..." He grinned stupidly and leapt forward, causing the blonde to back away slightly. "Give me a kiss! A KISS!"
That was the last straw.
"Nope, no can do."
"Why? WHY?"
Cloud stepped back and pointed a threatening finger at the man. "Because I'm gonna have to use that mouth of yours to give me some information!" Without a thought or chance for the man to comprehend what he said, he threw off the dress to reveal his SOLDIER uniform.
Don Corneo gasped and fell back onto the bed. "A man! You tricked me!"
"Shit... He did that?"
"Cid, shut up. No one cares about your homophobia."
Cloud walked away while Barret continued to mope. He didn't want to hear what the man was saying. Something else was occupying his mind...
He made his way out of the old park and back to the maze of rubble on broken streets, stopping only when he heard Tifa call him. He turned around and confronted them, agreeing to take Barret to Elmyra's.
"There's something I want to know... It's about the Ancients."
'In my veins flows the blood of the Ancients. I am one of the rightful heirs to this planet!'
Cloud suddenly keeled forward, eyes wide as he gripped his head. He groaned and sat back, shaking his head as if to shoo away a fly. Tifa kneeled beside him, asking him if he was all right. Cloud nodded and stood up, multiple feelings mixed on his face.
Sephiroth's eyes narrowed.
"I'm searching for you."
Cloud frowned as he turned his attention to the pink-clad brunette as she stared out the window of the Gondola. 2
"I want to meet you."
"I'm here," Cloud said.
Aeris shook her head. "No, I want to meet the real you."
Cloud only stared off to the side.
"My-my, such a secretive man, isn't he? ...Did you notice how he still looks young? And at this time he should be in his twenties, right?"
"Would you just shut up!"
"..."
Cloud waded deeper into the water until his feet couldn't reach the floor anymore. He slowly swam to the center and was amazingly able to keep the upper half of his body above the water. In his arms was the pink-clad brunette, a gap in her dress the only evidence of her being stabbed by Sephiroth's infamous sword. Her hands were clasped together, eyes shut. Some of her hair flowed in the water, having escaping Cloud's hold.
He stared down at her with sorrowful eyes, jaw clenched. He wasn't able to cry for he didn't know how to. He only knew sadness and striking anger. The sounds behind him on shore were silent to his deaf ears as he continued to stare down at the woman's heart-shaped face.
'Aeris...'
He slowly withdrew his hands from underneath her, watching her body sink below, her hair fanning out beneath her. As she continued to sink, her hands unfolded and spread to her sides, her image looking like she was trying to comfort him. But it would be impossible for her to do so, now that she was in an eternal sleep.
Something splashed on the surface of the water, disrupting the image of Aeris sinking to the bottom and becoming engulfed by darkness. Cloud touched his cheek and found it wet. With an inward growl he roughly wiped it away and made his way back to the group.
Once on shore, Tifa handed him a towel to dry off. Cloud took it absently, choosing instead to address them. "Everyone, listen to me. I am Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER, born in Nibelheim. I came to settle things with Sephiroth."
Tifa frowned. "What...?"
Cloud silenced her with a blank look. "I cam here by my own free will. ...Or so I thought. However..." He paused to turn away from them and glare at the lake before him. "To tell you the truth, I'm afraid of myself. There is a part of me that I don't understand. That part of me gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, continuing, "If you hadn't stopped me, Aeris might've been... That's why I should quit this journey—"
AVALANCHE started to protest, but Cloud lifted a hand.
"—before I do something terrible." He turned around and faced his comrades with a face set with well suppressed anger and great determination. "But I'm going. He destroyed my hometown five years ago, killed Aeris, and is now trying to destroy the Planet. I cannot forgive Sephiroth." The name of the Ex-General was spat out with great detest, the tone of the blonde's voice and the clenching of his hands their only sign of his struggle to keep from screaming out in anger. "I must go on. ...I have a favor to ask you," he added, his voice softening. "Will you all come with me?"
One by one, the AVALANCHE members agreed, causing a small smile of gratitude to appear on the blonde leader's face.
"Thank you. ... Thank you for being behind me the whole time and from now on. I trust you all will save me from doing something terrible. Well— we'll face it when it happens. I don't know how Aeris tried to save the Planet from Meteor, and I guess now we never will. But—" He stopped to grin, new excitement and determination welling in him, evident in his eyes. "We still have a chance! We must get that Black Materia back before Sephiroth uses it."
Yuffie grinned and whooped, jumping in the air and punching it. "Yeah! Let's go!"
"We all followed him... Amazing."
"I wouldn't follow that madman if my live depended on it!"
"Fucking right!"
"...So, here, Aeris was killed?"
Zack hugged the pink-clad girl. "I'm damn happy that didn't happen here! Shit, that's awful."
"I'm sorry, Zack..."
"Nah, it's okay. It's just— You looked so lifeless... I wouldn't be able to bear it if you died and left me all alone..."
Aeris hugged the man back. "I'm sorry, I won't leave you."
Cloud stood at the railing of the Highwind, leaning over it a bit. The airship was landing at the lip of the Northern Crater, AVALANCHE members gathering outside.
"This is it..." he muttered to himself.
When Highwind landed, they split up into two groups and started their way down.
"Uh, anyone got a fear for heights?" Barret questioned to no one in particular as he trailed behind the group, slowly making his way down.
Cloud resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he made it to the bottom first, estimating the length of the path that spiraled down to the center of the Crater. He knew it would be dangerous, so he split the team again, this time with a maximum of three people per group to make sure each person would be taken care of and assured they wouldn't fall. Cloud's group went first, consisting of himself, Vincent and Red,3 cautiously making their way down.
They worked their way through the cave, regrouping and splitting into two large groups. When they came to a fork, they changed around again, splitting down the paths. At the end, of each path, they waited for each other to make it and prepared themselves for what would be the greatest battle they would ever face.
Cloud emerged lastly from one of the paths, blood staining him and his weapon. Yuffie made a face while Tifa looked slightly shocked, wondering how he could've gotten so messy. But Cloud didn't pay attention to their expressions, simply wiping it with a cloth he pulled out from his bag and hefting it over his shoulder, back into its straps.
They prepped themselves, getting ready for the battle.
"Oh man, 'Materia Hunter Yuffie' sounds like the last chapter of 'Materia Forever'," Yuffie said to herself, switching hands to hold her Conformer.
Cait Sith bounced, the cat waving around the microphone in its hand. "I'm glad I decided to join your side. You guys are the best fighters out there..."
Cid snorted. "Ah, you're just kissing up to us."
Barret swallowed and rubbed his gun arm absently. "Well, looks like this is our last big job and we ain't getting any pay..."
Cloud stared ahead, down into the pit where they knew their enemy was waiting. "This will be the end of it. Judgment Day is here."
The screen went black.
"...Is that it?"
"...No, I believe I can get more. It will be after Judgment Day event, but still valuable information, I'm sure."
Sephiroth nodded. "Play it."
"Yessir."
Cloud kneeled down in the rubble, picking up the pale yellow flower he knew too well. "Aeris... You really did it. Holy saved the Planet."
"Cloud?"
The blonde didn't look up as he recognized the presence of the other. "Reeve."
A man with short black hair, glasses hooked on the collar of his navy button-down shirt, stood just feet away from the AVALANCHE leader. "We finally meet in person."
"Yeah."
Reeve watched as the blonde sat down and delicately hold up the flower. He frowned. "I..."
"I know," Cloud interrupted. "But an apology isn't necessary." He stood up and turned to the man. "But tell me, what're you going to do? Shinra is destroyed, Hojo's dead, Sephiroth's dead; everyone's gone but you still live. You're probably the only Shinra employee living that helped the citizens of Midgar escape. Kalm is probably crowded by now, huh?"
Reeve nodded. "I apologize for abandoning you in the very last battle, but since you were fighting alone, I needed to do something back here. I was able to evacuate the city, but I admit that there were a handful of people who refused to leave, probably perishing under the rubble." He stopped to sigh and shake his head. "...What are you doing here? I thought you would go with Barret to see how Marlene is, or perhaps even rest. Are you here to help sift through this mess for any survivors?"
Cloud shook his head and gripped the flower in his hand, lifting it up to his nose. "Actually, I came to visit the church where she grew her garden."
Reeve didn't need to ask who Cloud was talking about. He nodded and noticed only a handful were missed by the fallen debris. "What will you do with them?"
"Give them to her, maybe? I can't keep them forever, but I'd like to grow them or maybe..." He shook his head, cutting himself off. "Never mind."
Reeve shook his head as well, but not at the idea. "If you want, I can put them in special cases that'll preserve them for many years. It's not something common, these cases, but for you, I'd be happy to hand them over to you to use for the flowers."
"What about growing them? I could always try at Kalm or something."
Reeve shrugged, reaching out taking the flower from Cloud. "It's a possibility. These flowers are pretty, but only if you can produce the seeds for them. I've never seen these flowers before, mostly because of the obvious. But if you can grow more, that would be great. You might want to save what you can, though, while I retrieve the cases."
Cloud nodded and took back the flower, swallowing before laying it down by his sword, turning to the other flowers that were still intact, working hastily and carefully to pull out the flowers.
"Getting dirty for flowers?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"I find it damn weird. I mean, from what we know about him, our Cloud Strife would never mess over flowers."
The shift of clothing signified a shrug.
"Cloud? Are you going already?"
The blonde nodded, brushing back a lock of hair that had grown and fallen even more in his eyes. "Yeah. It's about the time, anyway."
Tifa nodded and sat down. "I know. But... It's still hard to realize that you will leave for so many weeks."
Cloud frowned at her worry. "It's only at the most a month and a half."
Tifa nodded and rested her chin in the palm of her hand as she propped her elbow up on the table. "Yeah, but that means so little time with you when you come back. It's already been a year and it seems like I haven't seen you since Nibelheim. How long ago was it?" Before he could answer her, she shook her head and continued. "It doesn't matter, time has melded together and it seems like yesterday was two years ago, and the past is really the present. Events concerning Judgment Day and Sephiroth had messed up our minds."
"I'm sorry..."
Tifa lowered her hand and smiled at Cloud. "It's all right. It's because you were poisoned and went through such horrible experiments by Hojo that your memory wasn't too great and you thought you were Zack. Nothing is your fault, Cloud, so don't apologize."
Cloud stared at the woman and sighed, sitting down. "I don't want to leave you here if you feel like you're..."
Tifa patted his arm. "Oh, no, I'm not lonely. I'm fine, I assure you. I have Barret and Marlene to keep me company." She paused to laugh. "Marlene is a doll, and Barret is enough to handle with. I'm more concerned about you, Cloud," she added on a more serious note, her brows knitting. "You're wearing yourself down. I know how you are. I know after so many trips that you don't sleep much or rest as your body needs. ...That's why when you finally DO come home, I don't bother you or let anyone push you into doing any activities besides sleeping and resting."
Cloud snorted in slight annoyance but didn't comment.
Tifa smiled again. "I want you to be happy, Cloud, and I have yet to see you smile. ...The last time I've seen you smile was back when you were talking about Sephiroth at the well, when we made our promise. You glowed like the innocent little boy you were. I couldn't help but smile back, even when I knew you would be gone for several years and might change once you left."
Cloud looked away. He didn't want to feel guilty, and knew she wasn't trying to make him feel that way, but it was hard not to feel a little remorseful.
"I know you feel like you have to do this for her, and I respect that. I won't get in your way, I assure you. After all, you made it clear that you weren't interested in me."
Cloud sharply turned back to her, opening his mouth to object. But Tifa only chuckled and waved it off.
"And I know you aren't interested in her either. Don't worry, I don't feel heartbroken. I have Barret, you know." She smiled heartily. "But my point is, you don't have someone who's really close to you, Cloud. I don't mean as I am being a friend to you. I mean as a..."
"Lover?" Cloud finished for her.
Tifa nodded. "That's exactly what I mean. You need someone to support you, emotionally and financially. You need someone who will keep you out of the gutter and will make sure to catch you when you fall. You need love, Cloud. Friendship is hardly enough. ...All I've seen from you these past few years is anger, sadness, rare excitement and determination (though that's not so bad). You are missing happiness, love and comfort. You have friends and allies, but only just that." She paused and laid a hand over his. "I don't mean to be rude or too bold, Cloud, but simply wish to show you the truth and help guide you. ...I'm sure she would try the same."
"She would want the same..."
"Of course she would," Tifa said.
Silence passed over them for a long moment until Tifa pulled away and stood up, walking over to the bar.
"You should probably start going..." she said over her shoulder as she ducked under the counter to get something.
Cloud stood up and gathered his things. "Yeah. ...I'll see you in a few weeks."
He walked to the front door and stopped a second to say over his shoulder, "Thanks, Tif'."
He walked out, hearing her call out to him a "You're welcome, Cloud!" before he was out of earshot, exiting Kalm and heading north, starting his journey to the City of Ancients.
"...That's as recent as I can extract, sir."
"Turn on the lights. If we can't get anymore, I'm sure that's all right."
The worker nodded and flipped the light switches. He paused and said hesitantly, "But, Sir Rufus, I feel that I need to say that though we cannot extract more, there are still a few memories that are fresh in his mind. But... we cannot get to them. Some kind of power is blocking our access."
Rufus frowned. "Is if that important?"
Sephiroth glanced at the sleeping blonde on the bed near them. "Is it his own powers that refuse to let you in?"
The worker shook his head. "No. It seems to be something different."
Rufus' frown deepened as he turned to the blonde as well. "Could it be done by JENOVA?"
"We can't tell through machinery."
"He'll have to tell us himself."
"What if it's life threatening?" Rufus questioned.
Sephiroth only shook his head, his gaze trained on the blonde. "At the moment, we can't do anything about what information he holds."
"...Y'know, though I doubt this, I think he's as Red and Bugenhagen said. ...He's different. Maybe he's even..."
"Don't say it."
Zack swallowed at the order but continued anyway. "You know I don't mean to..." He shook his head, cutting off. "It would just be nice."
"It's too optimistic."
"And you're too cynical," Zack shot. "If it's true, you should give it a chance."
Cold, piercing green eyes caught dark brown, a glare passing between them. The owner of silver-blue eyes interrupted the match by saying, "We can discuss this matter later. Rest would be good medicine for all of us right now, wouldn't you think?"
Zack was the first to look away and shrug at the suggestion. Sephiroth's head dipped just slightly in a nod to signal his agreement. Rufus was glad for the cooperation, even though it was a bit forced, and let everyone head back to their room, Sephiroth and Red remaining with him and a few Force members to bring Cloud to his shared room. Sephiroth didn't like how he would have to be in contact with his enemy, but endured it, lifting the blonde in his arms and carrying him back to their room. Red trailed behind him, a Force member behind them. The other Force members followed Rufus back to his own room, thus only one Force member.
The Force member left as soon as Sephiroth entered his room, assured that the man didn't need help in anything anymore (though the Ex-General didn't need help in the first place). Sephiroth was glad to have ridden the shadow and set the blonde down on the bed in the room next to his, not bothering in helping him get comfortable as he exited and locked the door, heading for his own room, Red trailing behind. The lion lied down by the foot of his bed and made no comment as he undressed and got ready for bed. His body ached and his hands and arms screamed to be washed and cleansed after touching Cloud.
As soon as he lied down, though, all his pain and worries vanished, the softness of the bed under his body and the sheets around him felt so good that he allowed himself to be put off guard just this once, closing his eyes for a restful sleep.
AN: ; So much for thinking I would or could explain the machine properly. .; But that's okay, with much typing, this well, extended chapter of Cloud's life at the Academy and in Shinra are revealed somewhat (with a bunch of comedy, of course). Tifa's talk on love, I'll admit, was a bit of a spoof, kinda made up at the last second. I hope you still like it though. Different events are played here in this chapter, and if any of you haven't witnessed it, or do not recognize the lines (which applies to even myself), please understand that I used a story that novelized the game to get some of these lines. And where the author found the script, is beyond me. And hey, if you're not going to do all that and read it (though I think it's a nice C/S story), please replay the game. I hope I got the lines accurate, and please know that recapping all this is kinda hard. In my mind, sometimes, I see Cloud as such a girl, and suddenly type down "she" instead of "he". sweatdrop
If you enjoyed the story, no matter what weirdness and twists I've done, please lick the review button and tell me so! I'd love to hear your opinions about this story and the oh-so-cuddlable couple Cloud and Sephiroth! Weeeh!
THANK YOU!
1 Poor, poor Cloud. But hey, this doesn't mean here, in Cloud's memories, that he's attracted to Zack. Merely, instead, that he's embarrassed that the one person to answer him honestly is his roommate, who just happens to walk around half naked like my brother does. --;; Stupid men. But it's acceptable if they got the figure. (Heehee!) Zax rolls his eyes. "Oh, shut up."
2 I had some help with references and information about the game, as well as came across a story that novelized the game with a major twist to it. It's a nice story, and I everyone will look into the Road to Damascus. I used it for lines and basic plot of the original game. ; Helps, ne?
3 My favorite trio to use in the game. ;; Just to let you know. And hey, up until this point, with the lines and such, I got off of RtD, and if anything's inaccurate there, don't blame me. And besides, I don't think someone would pay that much attention to the speech — would they?