Blehhh. I hope you're at least content with this chapter. I actually enjoyed writing it a lot more than the previous one. First chapter in Nibelhiem! Awesomeness!

Also, do you want them to discover Jenova or anything? Any recommendations need to be made now. I already had a recommendation on how to introduce Vincent into the pairing, but what else?

-o-o-

Their first impression of Nibelheim was not a good one. They had to abandon their helicopter at the base of the mountains and take an army truck up the mountains due to bad weather. They worried a bit over whether or not the town really had any place for travelers since it was such a small settlement. After being reassured that there was, in fact, an inn in the town, they brought their luggage with them.

Halfway up the mountain they had to fight a dragon and they realized Cloud hadn't been exaggerating. Those things were evil. And defensive.

Sephiroth was pleased with the challenge and he even took Zack along with him to finish it. They left Angeal and Genesis in the truck to keep Cloud, who was incapacitated by motion sickness, company.

It didn't take long to finish up the monster. Zack was back in the warm truck within ten minutes, quickly gulping down a hi-potion. He shook off the snow, shivering, as he threw the bottle to the floor and turned in his seat to look at the others.

"That thing had glowy eyes. It was possessed. We need to call the exorcist," Zack said quite seriously.

Cloud laughed and waved his hand weakly as if dismissing what Zack said, "Oh, that's normal. Dragons like to drink mako."

Sephiroth, who had just gotten back into the truck after hauling the dragon carcass off the road, looked back at him in disbelief. "Mako is deadly. And hard to get."

"Yeah, but they're exposed to it before their born. And dragons only drink natural mako from springs. They're picky like that," Cloud told them, happy to be more knowledgeable than them at least once.

"Springs?" Zack asked warily.

"Yeah, mako springs. Have you ever seen them?" Cloud asked, perking up a bit. "They're beautiful. Especially when it crystallizes."

"Mako is deep underground. Only reactors can get to it," Angeal pointed out.

"But there are said to be spots where the earth is thin," Genesis pointed out, excited by the prospect. "Cloud, can people touch the mako?"

"No, it's really deadly. But you can get all the way next to it. Breathe it in and all that just don't touch it," Cloud said sternly. "If there is crystallized mako, you can touch that though. They make some jewelry out of it. Sometimes there's enough to be considered a materia, but that's really rare."

"Angeal, just think of it," Genesis whispered, awed. "Naturally occurring materia. That's so cool. Do you have a mako tolerance then, Cloud?"

"Huh?"

"Well with all that mako around, there should be mako poisoning," Sephiroth reasoned out. "But since that's not the case, people from Nibelheim should have a rather high tolerance to mako. That will help when you become a SOLDIER."

"Really?" Cloud asked happily. "Cool!"

"Don't be so happy," Angeal cautioned. "Usually high exposure without controlled settings results in mutations and the like."

"I don't know about that," Cloud confessed. "I haven't known anyone that's mutated. Except for Zack, but that's not because of mako."

"Hey!" Zack laughed and tossed the empty potion bottle at his blonde lover, who ducked.

The truck quieted as each man went back to his own thoughts. Cloud actually was surprised to find that he was actually excited to be going home. Now that he was getting closer, he began remembering all the things he actually did like about the place.

"Oh, hey," he perked up suddenly. "Have I ever told you about how Nibelheim is haunted?"

Zack spluttered and Angeal had to hide a smile. Genesis looked at him with obvious interest.

"They say there are ghosts in the Shinra Mansion," Cloud explained. "So it's not really in Nibelheim, but it is on the edge. But still, those are just rumors."

"Shinra Mansion?" Zack asked. Since when did Shinra have a mansion in Nibelheim?

"Yeah. It was built a while back but it was abandoned before I was born," Cloud explained. "Supposedly there's a lot of valuable stuff left in there but it's too dangerous to go in. The place has fallen into disrepair and monsters have moved in."

"Wow, I never even knew it existed!" Zack exclaimed, bouncing a little in his seat at the thought. "Maybe we could sneak in? We're Shinra employees anyway!"

"Speak for yourself," Genesis grumbled.

"I've heard it was owned by the Science Department," Cloud commented.

Zack froze and Sephiroth's grip on the wheel almost crushed it before he had regained himself. Angeal and Genesis traded looks and Cloud didn't miss any of it.

"What?" he demanded.

"Well, kitten," Genesis stalled. "If it was owned by the Science Department then I seriously doubt it'll be harmless. They are sick and twisted people that do sick and twisted things to innocent victims."

"We can train there then," Cloud said thoughtfully. Turning so Cloud couldn't see, he rolled his eyes.

"What, suddenly the dragons aren't enough of a challenge?" he questioned without looking back at his young lover. He missed Cloud's brilliant smile.

"Of course they are but you've already told me no so that doesn't leave me with anything other than dorkey faces and bombs. The bombs are too easy to beat and the dorkey faces are in the mansion. Therefore, mansion," Cloud explained.

"Wait a minute," Zack exclaimed, finally turning in his seat. "Dorkey faces? What the hell?"

"They're monsters. They have jack-o-lantern like faces and white strips of what seem to be cloth on their bottom. They float, don't they, Cloud?" Surprisingly, it was Sephiroth who knew that surprising tidbit.

"Yeah. They disappear and reappear at will too," Cloud confirmed, looking at the back of Sephiroth's head in confusion. Sephiroth glanced up at the rear-view mirror and offered him a hesitant smile.

"If nothing else, I do know monsters. I took our brief intermission while we acquired this truck to learn a little about the monsters and the terrain. I like to know what is what when I'm otherwise out of my element," he explained, sounding a little embarrassed.

"What did you learn?" Angeal asked almost at once.

"I learned that there are dragons, Nibel wolves, dorky faces, bombs and, if you travel underground enough, sahagins. Mt. Nibel is mainly comprised of rough terrain. It's rocky and there is nothing but sparse vegetation to be found."

"But you didn't hear about the fountains?" Cloud asked, ignoring how Genesis began stroking his thigh.

"No, I was distracted by another topic," Sephiroth told them, frowning a bit. "Cloud, what do you know about the reactor in Nibelheim?"

"Besides the fact that it's old as dirt and the only important thing around for miles?" Cloud asked sarcastically. "Only that it was the first or one of the first and it still keeps up a constant mako output despite how long it's been draining the Planet. Also, it's left alone. There have never been any Shinra personnel out there."

"That's strange," Genesis said absently.

"The army men stationed at the bottom of the mountain seem to think it may be malfunctioning. They reported and increase in monsters. Perhaps we can check on it while we're here," Sephiroth reasoned.

"Seph, seriously," Zack laughed. "Don't work on a vacation. Call the Turks and let them sort it out or something. They'll know what to do better than we will anyway."

Sephiroth just shrugged and let the subject drop.

"Anyway, Cloud," Angeal spoke up suddenly. "Tell us about your mom. Sephiroth and Zack probably know about her from having you followed but we don't. What's she like?"

"She's awesome," Cloud said at once. "She's pretty too. And nice. She taught me how to cook. She's the best mom in the world. Except she wouldn't let me have a Nibel wolf as a pet."

"Seriously? You wanted a monster as a pet?" Zack questioned.

"Nibel wolves aren't monsters really... Just animals. And all dogs are descended from wolves somehow, Zack!" Cloud argued as everyone else just shook their heads.

"Whatever you say," Zack agreed, rolling his eyes again.

"Well it's either keep them for pets or eat them," Cloud challenged. "Lots of people in Nibelheim eat Nibel wolf."

"That is gross. I am not eating any meat once we get there," Genesis declared and Cloud nodded along.

"That's pretty..." Zack tried to find a word for it.

"Sick," Angeal offered up helpfully. Zack made a face at him but privately agreed. "Man's best friend becomes a side dish in Nibelheim. Nice to know. Zack, you aren't allowed anywhere near the kitchens."

"Huh?" That was pretty random, Zack thought.

"Puppy meat might be a delicacy there," Angeal explained with a completely straight face.

"ANGEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAL," Zack whined loudly as everybody else laughed.

Sephiroth rolled his eyes as he privately smiled to himself. He rather liked spending time all together like this with no interruptions. He glanced at the mirror and saw everyone smiling. Even Zack had a small smile despite his whining.

Sephiroth decided at that moment that no matter what he would never give any of them up.

-o-o-

It was late at night by time the small group of SOLDIERs and the cadet arrived. Cloud and Zack had long since fallen asleep and even Genesis was dozing off while cuddled near Angeal. Sephiroth quickly and quietly rented the only room in the inn and paid extra for privacy. He was given the only key to the door and he quickly transferred their belongings into the room with Angeal. Genesis, awakened from losing his Angeal-pillow, carried the younger ones up to the room. He made sure that the innkeeper and her husband didn't see Cloud.

They quickly decided that three small beds were going to be a problem. Angeal solved it by pushing the beds together and was pleased when Sephiroth didn't protest having them sleep with his younger lovers.

Cloud woke up long enough to help them pile on as many blankets as they could. He warned them that it just got colder as the night went on and the fire in the fireplace went out. They heeded his warning and cocooned themselves as best they could.

Sephiroth and Angeal, the least picky about sleeping conditions, decided to sleep on the edges so they could curl around and keep the others warm. Cloud slipped beside Sephiroth and Genesis lay beside Angeal with Zack in the middle. He was from the warmest climate and they expected him to be the coldest.

After a few hurried goodnights, they all finally slept.

-o-o-

Waking up was freaking awesome for Zack Fair. He was cradled between two very familiar bodies with a semi-hard erection poking him from Genesis and a warm, sinfully soft and wonderfully willing body in his arms. He could have died from happiness right then. But nature called. He cursed nature out for a good minute or so before realizing it was just getting more and more urgent. So he brushed the thick blankets off of his head in an attempt to free himself and he let out a very unmanly yell that woke both sides of the bed.

Angeal and Sephiroth had remarkably alike reactions. They both shot up began reaching for him while scanning the room for anything that could be considered a threat.

Genesis reacted by pulling Zack down and close to him, hands smoothing over his body. Checking for wounds or just calming, Zack wasn't sure.

Cloud's reaction was probably the most hilarious. He let out his own loud gasp and pushed himself as far as he could from the frigid air. He grabbed the blankets and threw them over Zack (and by extension, Genesis) and huddled next to Sephiroth in a state of semi-awareness.

When Angeal and Sephiroth found no sign of a threat and when Genesis found no injuries or even panic, they all turned to the lump in the covers that they thought resembled Zack.

"Why?" Sephiroth demanded. He wasn't one for wasting words, even on his lovers, and he was particularly upset about the abrupt awakening that almost gave him a heart attack.

The answer was muffled but they all could understand what was attempting to be said, "I-i-it's c-c-cold o-out there!"

Cloud face palmed and shook his head. He ignored Zack and climbed out of the bed, grumbling slightly. "Don't be such a baby Zack. I'll start the fire, okay?"

"Thanks," Zack sighed in relief, shedding some of the blankets. It was just enough so that his face could peek out. "It's so cold! Cloud, take a blanket, okay?"

Cloud gave him a carefully neutral look before shaking his head and wandering to the fireplace. Zack realized all Cloud was wearing was a t-shirt and boxers.

"What the hell, Cloud?" he had to ask, stunned.

"I grew up here, dummy," Cloud pointed out. He picked some kindling from the box next to the fire place and placed it in. With a match he found on the mantel, he lit it and fed larger chunks of wood to it as it grew. "It's not really that cold anyway. It's probably not even below zero."

"Mountain hick," Zack accused.

"Jungle bum," Cloud shot back.

Sephiroth sighed and gave up on returning to sleep. He kicked off the covers and noted that it did seem chilly. He didn't really care one way or the other really. Growing up, he was subjected to a great deal of conditioning from Hojo. Extreme temperatures didn't bother him.

As he watched Angeal get out of the bed as well and search the packs for the tea they brought along, he judged that they must have gone through similar treatments.

He shook the thoughts of his childhood from his mind and went to help Cloud start up the fire. Soon the room began to warm and Zack finally left the cocoon just long enough to zoom to the bathroom to do his business and zoom back.

Genesis laughed at him. "I guess it's good you're house-trained," he snickered. "Otherwise we would have had quite the mess to clean up."

"Shut up," Zack said, but his voice held little heat. It was hard to get a nice warm anger up in a cold place like this. "I'm hungry."

"I'd cook you something," Cloud announced, straightening from his crouched position. "But I really don't have to. And the innkeeper makes awesome breakfasts. Go bum some from her."

"Awesome! Do you think she'd cook enough for all of us?" Zack exclaimed.

"If you pay her, yeah," Cloud said, flopping down bonelessly on the bed made of beds.

"I'll go," Genesis announced. "Since the kitten doesn't want to be seen and the puppy is a delicate flower that can't stand a little cold air."

"If you wait a moment, I'll go with you," Sephiroth offered, pulling on new clothes. Genesis decided he wouldn't bother. His sleepwear was good enough. Not like he actually cared what any mountain hick thought of him (with the exception of Cloud, but Cloud probably liked him best casual anyway).

Genesis waited for Sephiroth to clothe himself. Sephiroth took more than a moment but (for once) Genesis didn't complain. Genesis knew that Sephiroth didn't like to be in public unless he looked good. It was a compulsion and Genesis wouldn't tease him for it, as he usually was like that.

When Sephiroth was finally ready, they let themselves out of the room and descended the stairs, almost knocking into the innkeeper. She blushed scarlet and gave them a nervous smile.

"I'm sorry, I was just coming to check to see if you needed anything," she babbled, wringing her hands nervously.

More like coming to get some gossip, Genesis wanted to growl out, but he controlled himself.

"Actually yes," Sephiroth answered for them. "We were looking for some place we could purchase breakfast."

"Ahh, well my husband and I usually serve breakfast to the town," she said quickly. "Nibelheim is so small that we double as a restaurant as well."

Sephiroth was immensely amused at the accent the woman had but didn't let it show on his face. He recalled Zack telling him that Cloud had an accent too. Zack had one at one time as well but he trained himself out of it just as Cloud eventually did.

"Yeah, then can we buy some breakfast?" Genesis asked when it seemed Sephiroth wouldn't.

"Of course!" the woman answered at once. Genesis motioned for her to continue walking and she hurriedly complied. "What would you like?"

The SOLDIERs moved into the small room and saw roughly half a dozen people at the tables scattered across the room.

"What do you have?" Sephiroth asked.

"We have pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls, oatmeal, sausage, and bacon," she rattled off.

"Is the bacon and sausage made of wolf?" Genesis had to ask. "Because I know someone who's from here and he swears that you eat wolf here."

"Uh, well," she stuttered awkwardly. "We usually make our bacon from the small amount of livestock that we can bring in from other places. Our sausage is made of any kind of meat that's available."

"So is it wolf?" Genesis persisted.

"Genesis, go away," Sephiroth had to sigh at the terrified expression on the woman's face.

"Seph?"

"Go to your room," he deadpanned. Genesis waited a moment, thinking.

"...What the hell, Seph?"

"Either go to the room or stop scaring out hostess," he demanded.

"I wasn't! I was asking questions!" he protested loudly. Sephiroth rolled his eyes and turned back to the woman.

"We'd like a little of everything except the bacon and sausage apparently," Sephiroth glared at Genesis, who held up his hands in surrender. He looked smug. "It should be enough to feed... twelve people."

Sephiroth estimated that Angeal, Genesis and himself could eat enough for three people. Zack wasn't quite as filled with mako so he would probably eat enough for two and Cloud would eat for one.

At the woman's doubtfully look, he sighed and decided to explain so that they wouldn't have to repeat it over and over to the town.

"We are SOLDIERs. We eat a great deal more than civilians," he said. "And we can pay well, if that's the problem."

"Oh!" she exclaimed and hurried to the back. "No problem at all!"

Sephiroth and Genesis traded looks, debating waiting where they were. They were aware that every word they said was noted by the entire room. But if they requested it to be delivered to their room there was a chance Cloud could be seen and the pushed together beds would definitely be a give-away. They didn't care but Cloud might.

They decided and took a seat at the only free table.

"Where are we off to after this?" Genesis asked, hoping it was a safe topic of conversation.

"Kalm," he answered quickly. "It seems as if it would make an excellent place to practice sword work."

"Seph," Genesis shook his head in mock disappointment. "No working on your vacation."

"I'm not the one who's going to be practicing," Sephiroth reminded him.

"Okay then, whatever," Genesis shrugged and leaned back in the chair. "Angeal is up there making tea, right?"

"I believe so," Sephiroth offered up.

"Food and tea. Couldn't be better if Kitten cooked for us," Genesis sighed happily.

"One of these days he's going to get tired of the nickname," Sephiroth warned with a small smirk. "And then you're going to find yourself in a great deal of pain."

"I think I can take him," Genesis claimed cockily.

"If he decides he's angry with you, a lot of people are going to be on his side," Sephiroth told him, smirking. "Like, say, everyone. And probably their mothers as well."

"Shut the hell up," Genesis mumbled. "Freakin' whore... Compensating with your sword."

"Not compensation," Sephiroth murmured. He decided to push his luck when he saw the food being set on the front desk. "It's advertisement."

Sephiroth could have laughed at the look on Genesis' face, but he was already at the front desk. He handed over the Gil and grabbed two trays.

"I'll send Zack and Angeal down to help you with the others," Sephiroth called to Genesis, who was still frozen in shock.

True to his word, Zack and Angeal came into the room not a minute later. Genesis was still frozen but they ignored him and grabbed the food instead. Zack took one took at the food and stuffed a cinnamon roll in his mouth before grabbing two trays himself and taking off. Angeal managed to grab three, leaving one for Genesis.

Forcing himself out of his shock he retrieved the last tray and followed his lovers, ignoring the similarly shocked people staring at him.