Demon's of Midgar Chapter Five - C, a final fantasy vii fanfic

Authors Note One: Well that's a new chapter (finally). Hope you all enjoy it, and though Cloud's in it again, Chapter six is the one that will be from his perspective should you have been wanting one of those. Ye'll have to stick around for it... when I write it.

Space...

Chapter Five - C

You Have One Week

Arrival date

Space…

Three Day's until the replacement's arrival.

Anger seethed under the surface of the calmly striding silver haired Wingly. While he could but head to his current destination, thoughts crashed around in his head like large boulders thrown from Catapults. Each time one would hit, a small twitch would besmirch the calm façade he had in place. He had been all but forced to cease the unending work that needed to be placed in order at the Castle. The Lord's… pet, Fenrir, had taken up his previous residence once more in the Lords office. While the creatures mere presence would in no way inhibit the silver haired Wingly's ability to work, it was what he DID while he was there that had forced Sephiroth to take care of another matter.

After, apparently, unceremoniously knocking the neatly organized parchments from their resting place on the Lord's Desk; the beast had proceeded to make a bed of that and a few of the pillows from the couches. Forcing the Spirit Wolf from the room was nigh on impossible without using extreme force. Since that would endanger most of the staff, not to mention Lord Strife and his already precarious standing, Sephiroth found himself at his current location.

The building before him was simple enough, though it's location and exterior amenities suggested the nature of its interior quite clearly. The Wingly Lord was finding it difficult to keep the distaste from showing as he moved silently to the door which was guarded by a Bull Demon and a much smaller frailer looking one. Judging a demon solely on looks was something a Human would do. No, the Bull Demon was most probably the weaker of the two in one aspect, if not most.

The building in question was called Seventh Heaven, as if there were six of them located elsewhere. It was apparently where his lord's brother had been… playing, over the course of the last few days. After having been given the name, Genesis had clued him in on a few things while ponderously stroking his chin the day before.

The conclusions his close friend had come to, and shortly thereafter convinced Sephiroth of; were but three. The first, and most likely at the time; was that Lord Strife's Brother was wholly incompetent and had chosen the building by accident. The Second, was that the fire haired Kitsune had been lured into the building in one form or fashion by its residents. The Turks ALWAYS got their information, whether it be from the clued in or clueless. They could have been milking the boy for information over the last few days, with him all the while oblivious to his situation and standing. The final, was that he knew ENTIRLEY where he was, and was using Turk intelligence for some purpose or other.

The last bore not a thought in his mind before he came across a sheet of parchment in his paperwork just before storming out of the Lords Office in a fit of rage the night before. The… Fox, had taken an entire two hundred and fifty gold pieces from Kaifeng's coffers. Then, as if to prove he had committed the heinous crime of theft he vanished entirely. Sephiroth, and a few handpicked guards, hadn't found the Kitsune at all in their many hours of searching. Such a fact could mean he was but one place. Here, in the Red Tile District, no doubt fornicating in this disreputable establishment. Why… the mere FACT he was here could have far reaching consequences with the other nobles Sephiroth couldn't even begin to factor.

The Bull Demon's head moved forward and down as he glared at the raven winged Lord, perhaps a vain attempt at being intimidating. "I am here seeking a Kitsune that has been seen entering this establishment on numerous occasions of recent days."

The Bull demon glanced over at the smaller one who merely nodded and turned back to face the street. The Bull demon's face moved back to face Sephiroth and puffed a large whiff of STRONGLY smelling air from his nostrils before replying. "Follow me."

The Silver haired Wingly lord complied glad to be out from under the beating sun… and gazes of passerby. He had na'er been to a place such as this, aside from the single time Genesis had talked him into coming after losing his position as a High Lord. The visit had merely added some form of insult to his injury. They had 'booked' him with many odd Demons of various ages… as if he were to pick from them like so many pieces of meat. All the while they referred to him as LORD Crescent rather than HIGH LORD Crescent. The experience had been… irksome, and he'd left long before his friend had.

The interior of the building seemed to be in good order, and though it was midday, had quite a few patrons of various race, sex, and other manor of things. The first floor was well worn, though it held an old fashioned look much as many of the old buildings from Kaifeng's early days (that didn't burn down in the fires). The second floor appeared newer, and was modeled much like a building in the capital before he was… assigned the task that was so nearing completion. Oddly enough the fox was on neither of these floors; that, or perhaps the Bull Demon was less competent than he would have assumed even from one of its race.

The third floor was as ornately decorated as the newest portions of the richest homes in the capital. Hardly a person would have seen this area should the guards below have anything to do with it. Highest end clients only he would expect.

The silence of footfalls that had surrounded them as they made their way down the hall was interrupted by a jubilant laugh. One he had heard often of late, it was rather annoying if truth be told. It seemed that his educated assumption was correct. Lord Strife's belligerent brother was in fact here in the Turk headquarters for Kaifeng. The laugh before he ever reached the door pushed his mind closer to the first two conclusions Genesis had made. One did not hatch plots of any sort and laugh like that while doing it. No, the boy was most likely 'enjoying himself' in the many pleasures this… 'Seventh Heaven' had to offer.

The Bull demon motioned to the door then brushed past him rather vigorously, and stomped down the stairs at the end of the hall. Sephiroth had watched him go before moving closer to the door, straightening his long black jacket with large silver birds flying up the sleeves. The black silk pants he wore tucked simply into the tops of polished turned down boots which also had a silver bird engraved into them. Once everything was in appropriate order he clicked the small clasp holding the door closed and let it open without making a sound.

The sight that greeted him was one he… had not expected to see. There on a bench sat Lord Strife's shirtless brother, and from what he could tell an all but naked single tailed golden fox straddling him. It appeared that the fire haired Kitsune was twirling a single golden coin between his fingers and holding it just out of the other boy's reach as he lightly jump/rubbed against him while trying to retrieve it.

"If you want it so badly then…" The boy spoke before pausing, "I'm afraid you'll have to fish for it." Aonather finished as he plopped the golden coin into his mouth. The golden haired Kitsune pouted a bit then set a firm look on his face as he moved in to do just that.

Sephiroth took that time to interrupt lest he see more of the spectacle he wished very little to have even seen in the first place. "Ahh, aahem," the silver haired war hero said aloud catching both of their attentions.

"Ahh, Lord Crescent, to what do I owe…" The boy stated before noting something and trailing off. After spitting the coin out into one hand and grasping it firmly at his side, He said instead.. "Why are you here?" The golden haired fox extracted himself from his position and walked in a way Sephiroth assumed was meant to be seductive, lashing tail and all that. Fox's were an odd breed of Demon, to say the least of their other tendencies.

"I have come to retrieve both you and the money you took from the treasury." Sephiroth stated.

"You can't, I already spent it." The boy said almost lazily while popping a chocolate treat into his mouth from a nearby tray.

He had already spent… two hundred and fifty… gold pieces? That amount could buy a small house in Kaifeng's Merchant district with ease. "What pray tell could you have spent that much money on in such a short time?"

"This place is very expensive," the boy said. While, rather than paying attention to the person speaking to him; continued to look over the chocolates as if deciding which of the all very similar treats he was going to eat next.

Something in Sephiroth snapped. He wasn't one prone to losing his temper, but the boy was driving a stake farther and farther past his mental defenses with each word that left that STUPID little mouth. His long legs carried him across the brief expanse quickly; where upon he unceremoniously yanked the boy up from his sitting position by his long fire colored hair, and held him before his face as the fox grimaced and fought in vain to find a foothold below. The Wingly Lord's voice came out in a growl as he spoke. "Listen to me BOY, you're idiotic actions are besmirching what little name your Brother currently has. Each time you make one of these foolish decisions, you give those that already hate the fact your brother has shown up an extra inch in the direction of deposing him before he can ever take his position in the first place! NOW!" Sephiroth all but yelled as he dropped the boy onto his rear with a thud, "Put your shirt and coat back on and meet me at the front door before I drag you out by what little you are currently wearing."

With that the Silver haired Wingly turned, long black coat flaring out behind him as he did, and strode to the door. His glaring dagger like greens turned and fixed themselves on the thoroughly frightened third occupant of the room who was clutching a silver embossed tray to his chest, golden eyes wide with fright. "And you, you will forget everything that was mentioned here. Because guardians help me, if I hear any of this conversation has made its way to others, I will return and paint the interior of this building with your blood."

Lord Crescent slammed the door behind him and headed for the entrance hall to await his Lord's Brother as… patiently… as possible.

()()()()()Transition()()()()()

Two Day's until the replacement's arrival.

Aon sat in the large chair in his office with a throbbing migraine. The pain had never really left from his mistreatment the day before. All be it, he had egged their abductor on more than just a little; though, in his defense, he hadn't quite expected the Wingly Lord to SNAP in that tiny bird brained head of his. Leave it to a one time high lord to snap over such a small slight. Being a 'high Lord' must mean the stick was shoved twice as far up their ass's. Damned fool birds were more ornery than you could plan for at times. Alas, the migraine was of little consequence in the end. It would be gone in a matter of hours if the medicine worked as it was supposed to. The Turks had finally delivered… in so many words, the last remaining portion of his… purchase.

Well, it was on the way anyways. The crimson haired cat was apparently more elusive than a human priest when people confronted him with his doctrines falsehoods. That was a good thing, he supposed. It wasn't like he DESIRED the cat in any way shape or form. He was merely a tool to be used, just another facet of his far reaching goals. The first step onto the stage… too many perhaps. Either way, it was fine that the guards knew not to question any package their Lord of War was sending or receiving. A leftover rule from Tehranoa's time apparently. Something he would have to address, Five forbid he receive something prone to sudden explosions.

An overtly loud knock at the door sent pain racing through Aon's head before he spoke up. "Enter," the hand gesture he'd made he noted only after the door began to creak loudly (painfully) open. With no one in the room it seemed a foolish action at the very least. A guard pushed a crimsoned haired young looking cat before him. The Nekomata glared back at the guard with the large spear in hand. "You may leave us." Aonather stated with a meaningful gesture that appeared far too much like some damned nobles dismissive hand.

"Sir?" The man questioned.

"Leave! Mr. Valkir," the Fire Haired Kitsune stated again this time in a stern tone. Yes, he'd already memorized the entire roster of his Guards and cross referenced that with the information he'd gotten from the Turks the day before. Such were the abilities of a genius when put to work.

"Yes Sir," the man said, saluted, then stiffly turned and left, closing the door behind him. A grimace passed across Aon's face as the loud creaking echoed through the room once more. He REALLY needed to get that fixed.

The Catboy glared at him from his position not far off. "You probably don't recognize me, but let's just pretend that you do and go from there." Aon stated as he moved to his feet behind the desk. "Are you aware of the punishment for stealing from a Noble?" Before the crimson haired cat could reply Aon continued. "Of course you are. I'm sure you've by now lost a few friends to such actions." A contemplative looked passed across Aon's face before he finished, "or… friend's appendages anyways."

The Fire haired Kitsune's stride had taken him to a nearby wall with a sword leaning up against it. Pulling the blade easily from its sheath he looked it over in the light. Out of the corner of his eye he noted the cat rubbing at his wrists one after another. "Of course," Aon started while placing the blade back into its scabbard and setting it down. "That's not why you're here."

"If I wanted your hands I would have merely had the guards do it, or requested that the Turks send them to me as a present. No, you have something else I want." The Kitsune strode over to the stiffened cat. He could almost see the Demon's hairs standing on end. The blue eyed glare was far more easily noted when in close proximity. "Before that though, I need you to strip."

The glare vanished replaced by confusion, then indignation. "Relax cat, I'm hardly interested in whatever it is you have to offer me on that front. I have to check you over and make sure you aren't… one of them."

"One of who?" The cat questioned

"Clothes first, we'll talk as you do so." The fire haired Kitsune replied with a wave of his hand before grabbing a nearby candle. "Of course, should you refuse, I could always just take a hand or two and send you on your way instead."

The cat glared at him as he pulled the ragged shirt over his head. Aon could merely smirk and wait for the boy to be finished with the task at hand. Most of the boy was as expected, quite boney and underfed. The Cat had the look Cloud and he'd had the time Allovoros was under the siege of bandits and could hardly find an ounce of food. It was the year Aon had finally caved in and gone to the Turks for assistance. Being a street Urchin had clued him into enough 'secrets' to get them by until things blew over.

When the cat was completely naked, Aon glanced him over and walked slowly around him, brushing his hair out of the way, having him crouch down as he scanned every nook and cranny he could before moving onto those he'd rather not. Kneeling down in front of the boy was odd enough before he was pushing aside his… nethers. The cat was outright bristling before Aon finished…

"Open your mouth," Aon said as he stood once more. The last request was easily complied with. "Not a single mark… odd." Aon stated as he sat the candle back down and turned back towards his desk.

"Can I know why that was necessary now, yo?"

"I was checking for a Turks marking." Aon said as he sat back down in the chair.

"So you had to check every single inch of me just for that?" The crimson haired cat questioned as he started to redress himself.

"You might just be surprised by where they place them to keep them hidden." The Fire Haired Fox Lord of War replied as he watched in contemplation. Without the mark is the way he wanted the boy. However, the fact that the Turks hadn't done anything with him over the last few days had to mean something. It couldn't have possibly taken them that long to catch a simple thief. Not if they were able to gather and compile all of the information he'd been given the day before.

"Why would they mark someone like me in the first place?" The Street kid questioned.

"Why wouldn't they? That's what I would have done." Aonather replied before going on. "A recently arrived noble requested to have you brought to him personally. Well, I would rather have met you in their abode, but… other things came up."

"So if yer not gonna cut off my hands, and assuming having me strip naked wasn't some twisted pastime of yours, why did you have me brought here, yo?"

Aon leaned forward and smiled. "I'd like to offer you a job actually. One that pulls you off the streets for good, and isn't too far from your current skill set. One that would keep you out of the pitiable life you currently lead and give you the money you may have only one day dreamed of having."

The cat's slanted blue eyes narrowed. "I'm listening."

"What's your name cat?" Aon questioned.

"Rezzie" the crimson haired demon said with a shrug.

"That's a horrible name," the Kitsune said while sitting back and pondering on things for a bit. "From now on Rezzie is dead. Hence forth, your name's Reno, got it?" Aonather questioned and waited till the cat either shook his head or nodded, of which, he did the later. "Well then Reno, This is what I have planned for your future."

()()()()()Transition()()()()()

Day of the arrival

"ANGEAL! I'm hungry, can't we stop at a stall or something before getting to the Castle?" Pleaded Zack over a loudly grumbling stomach from behind his mentor. It had been the plan to take things slowly after entering the City of Kaifeng, but something had Angeal all worked up. It was no doubt what the guards at the city's entrance had said to the Wolf Demon when he presented his pass. "Kunsel, you're hungry too right?"

"I'm fine." The other said easily from behind him. Chh, not even Kunsel was on his side on this one, the traitor.

"Quite and bear it Zack, we'll be to the castle before long." His mentor stated from ahead of him. Zack's head sagged as his nostrils were accosted with various more than appealing scents of food. His mouth was all but wandering… and leading his feet away before Kunsel grabbed his shoulders and turned him back onto the correct path.

"Did you hear about the arrests last night?" Someone beside them said and Zack glanced over… more for the smell of freshly grilled lamb than anything else.

"Ohh, I did, I heard-," the woman's voice cut off as they passed out of even his earshot. The city was abuzz over some large scale operation the city guard completed the night before. From what Zack had gathered from the numerous people they had passed, no one really knew what was going on. The only thing was that the City Guard had taken all the people arrested to the castle.

The rest of the hour, though it seemed longer to Zack, of their trip was spent with the raven haired young wolf asking Angeal to stop off here or there, wandering off the street to the smell of a street vendor or restaurant; only the have Kunsel pull him back to following Angeal who never seemed to stop moving forward. That hard lined look had taken hold of his face as his mind surely wondered about whatever it was he thought about when it got like that.

His mentor was mysterious at times, and while others found it a charming side to him, Zack found it oddly… difficult. "Are we there yet?" Zack asked as they came to another large gate.

This time Angeal turned to face him and smiled while nodding. "Yes Zack, we are finally here." The raven haired young wolf demon could have tossed his head back and howled to finally be at their destination. Since receiving the odd letter from Angeal's friend Sephiroth over a week ago, they had been travelling quickly, and almost non-stop, for Kaifeng. There was a brief pause at the edge of the Southern Province due to an incident in town that he still wasn't quite sure how he was responsible for. He was trying his best to forget about that, though Angeal was taking every opportunity to bring it up and give some 'words of wisdom' about it.

The guard at the gate stopped them and looked them over. "I'm afraid I cannot let you through right now sir. Express orders from the Lord of War and the Lord's Advisor before that." The man said while tipping his spear to the side and barring their path.

"I was told to present this at the gate and we would be given admission." Angeal said and handed the letter to the guard who briefly scanned it then handed it back. His face showed as that of a demon torn between decisions before finally nodding some minutes later. "Very well, Lord Crescent's Letter still stands above the Lord of War's order; you may pass. Please try to be mindful as you enter the main courtyard, should you not avoid it all together." The Demon said before raising his large spear and letting them through.

"What was that all about?" Zack asked Angeal when they were more than a few feet away.

"It appears whatever the commotion going on in the city is, it has the castle on high alert. Though Sephiroth will have to explain what is going on with this current 'Lord of War'." The man's step's picked up and the two following him had to do the same. It was not more than two minutes later that they moved into the main courtyard and stopped dead in their tracks.

Sitting on their knees were more than 100 male and female demons from races as varied as the city of Kaifeng allowed. "Umm… Angeal, what's going on?" Zack questioned again as his mind tried to wrap around what he was looking at. There were enough guards present to match two for every one of the men and women on the ground. "Are these the people that were arrested?"

"Yes Zack, they are," Angeal said with a nod before moving along the outside edge of the courtyard. "We need to find Sephiroth, and soon."

The elder Wolf walked steadily before him with that large sword strapped to his back as always. A sword he never used at all. It seemed more like the demon used it for a training weight to Zack than anything else.

The Trio stopped at a Castle entrance, and Angeal had a servant lead them to where Sephiroth was after once again showing off the letter. Zack REALLY wanted to know what that letter said now. It was obviously like a gold pass into anything this city had to offer. Think of all the food he could get with it!

Ears perked up two hallways from their destination as shouting reached his overtly wolfish hearing. There were two voices mingled with a snappy third every once in a while and an exasperated fourth. The smell of a large wolf clung about the halls like so much slime coated the sewer walls of the Capital. Angeal had mentioned the Great Spirit Wolf more than once and told Zack not to do anything that might offend the it in any way shape or form. As if Zack were some puppy that just lived to mess with things...

After the attendant that brought them here had left, and without a care for the situation inside, Angeal knocked loudly on the door. "Sephiroth!" Angeal's voice rang out down the hallway and surely through the door itself if not the solid slate gray brick walls.

"Come in Angeal," came the voice of another one of Zack's mentor's friends. Genesis, the odd one that always wore red. The elder wolf pushed the door open and stepped inside followed closely by Zack who had to pull an unwilling Kunsel along with them.

The air in the room made the hair on the back of Zack's neck stand on end. Tense was too weak a word for this feeling. His gaze fell first on the prominent figure of a man dressed in a black Kimono with LONG silver hair. A Wingly he'd seen on more than one occasion. He'd even had the 'privilege' of watching him fight Angeal and Genesis once. Thinking of Genesis, the Half Breed Wingly sat on one of the Office couches off to the side with a bottle and glass. He was drinking some form of alcohol that twisted Zacks' nose from clear across the room.

Next, was the smaller finely dressed twin tailed fox Demon that was standing across from Sephiroth. His gaze was… watchful of the group. As if he were sizing them up for some unknown reason. Zack had seen a lot of people do that to them over the years he'd traveled with Angeal. So he knew basically what was going on inside of the fox's head… he was admiring them for their greatness. (Not). The other Demon races had a tendency to envy the Wolf Demon's for many things.

Lastly, sat a small blonde kid of an age apparently close to his own… should you go only by appearances. Wingly and Wolves didn't age the same… chances are Zack was at the very least a few years older at 32. (1). From his smell… though mingled with the others in the room, he was a Wingly…with very odd gravity defying hair. And a large… Very Large, White Wolf off to his side staring lazily out the window as if the rooms current affairs were of no consequence to him. The Blonde seemed the most friendly of the bunch, what with what he knew of both Sephiroth and Genesis, and the calculating looks of the fox, the Blonde's smile was welcoming.

"I would desperately like to know what I'm interrupting." Angeal stated as the door closed behind them.

"Just a well organized and thought out plan coming to fruition is all." The fire haired Kitsune stated as he leaned back against the desk.

"A foolish waste of money that will not accomplish a thing in the short or long run of this city. A pitiful attempt at holding onto a position you are not qualified for in the least." Sephiroth rebutted.

"Ohh, forgive me, I thought that rounding up one hundred and thirty seven of Kaifeng's most notorious criminals and Gang lords while simultaneously allowing the Guilds; which are sanctioned by the Governing Body of our Kingdom, to move in and put down any stragglers was a noteworthy accomplishment. Not to mention something this city has needed desperately since my brothers predecessor vanished allowing such cretins to take hold, and squeeze the city of all manner of resources." The Fox stopped, then, like a knife they knew nothing about. "Including large amounts of Gold and other coin."

"The ends do not justify the means. We hardly have enough evidence to do anything TO these violent criminals brought into the Castle, let alone whatever ELSE you have planned and haven't mentioned yet!" The visibly angry Raven winged Noble replied.

"They've been at this for over an hour now." Genesis stated to Angeal in front of Zack as the two continued to bicker with the blonde sitting between them. "Drink?" The mix breed offered the young wolf's Mentor.

"Pass," Angel replied.

"Your loss, you'll need one before long." The red clad Wingly stated as he walked back to where he'd been sitting not so long ago.

Zack's attention was drawn back to the conversation at hand by the fox's next statement. "You are underestimating Turk Intelligence Lord Crescent, a foolish thing to do at best, and deadly at the worst. This pile of parchment here is more damning for every demon in that courtyard than 20 eye witnesses to each crime committed."

"And what if any corrupt guard's had been in the bunch and helped them escape? What would you have done then fox? You're marvelously expensive plan would have fallen down around you! If nothing else you could have culled the corrupt guards for a first order of business." Lord Crescent stated back calmly.

"Why would I do that? Then I risk bringing in MORE guards that would then be easily corrupted. The Information I have also gave out the names of guards and who they took money from. Who they were indebted to, and I assigned them accordingly. Lest you forget what I have to remind you all of on a seemingly daily basis, I. AM. A. GENIUS! The placement I used had them take to their task with zeal you could only begin to hope to get out any one of them on any normal duty. The majority of city guards are foolish and easily manipulated. You would know this had you ever been on the other side of their blades." The boy shouted back. "Now, if you don't mind. You have guests, and I have something very distasteful to get back to doing." The fox stated as he walked smoothly past them and out the door.

"That is the current Lord of War?" Angeal questioned as he apparently watched the boy leave. "He has my approval, what do you find wrong with him Sephiroth?"

"Uggh," Genesis stated while rolling his eyes from his position on the couch. "Do we have time for a list that long?"

"Then what does he have planned for them?" Angeal questioned.

"For the most part… branding, and then exile into human lands from what I've read in the dispatch." Sephiroth stated.

"I see, a death sentence in so many words." Angeal stated while nodding and staring at Sephiroth. Zack's gaze was pulled over to the blonde who was looking down at the desk he sat at sadly. He wondered what the small blonde Wingly could possibly be thinking about right then. Or… more importantly… who he was.

Space…

Footnotes:

(1): Zack appears (at age 32) like he does in Early Crisis Core; remember ages aren't easily determined based on looks. For Wolf Demons, think that they are double their appearance in age.

Authors Note Two: Hope you all enjoyed it! Leave yer reviews and hate comments in the review section! Thanks for reading and... that damn Golden fox is appearing to often... but I needed to get that scene out of my head... it just wouldn't leave. So, I'm glad I finally wrote this chapter section if not for that alone. I promise to those who... care, there aren't a lot of those... though all three parts of Chapter Five were RIFE with them.

Space...

Fun Facts (aren't easy to come up with)

The City of Midgar: Will be described in GREAT detail when they finally go there... a long time from now.

Seventh Heaven: Was twisted to fit my purposes... take its introduction how you will... I love making you speculate *insert evil laugh here*.