Chapter 8
"Man that hit the spot." Peringo said as he leaned back into the comfortable cushions of the booth. Cloud Zack, and Peringo went straight to Lebreau's to catch a bite before spending the rest of the day off. Zack and Cloud ordered a light meal of the local seafood special, where as Peringo went with a full rack of Ribs. Zack sat opposite of Peringo and sat in a comfortable position a leg over his knee as he left the unused tooth pick in his mouth. Not really picking at his teeth, just yet. Cloud on the other hand his drink in his hand, going for a sip only to realize his cup was full of ice.
'Huh I drank that pretty fast.' Sure enough Peringo eventually challenged Zack to a Shot contest. Zack always down for a bit of 'healthy' competition left the table with the Future warrior to the bar, leaving Cloud alone on the table.
Cloud just laughed to himself as he watched his best friend interact with the son of Fang. "Now that I think about it, she wasn't at the gym earlier. I wonder where she's been." Cloud said aloud as Lebreau came a refilled Clouds cup with ice tea.
"Who wasn't at the gym Cloudy boy?" Lebreau said. Cloud used to feel a little uncomfortable around the woman but ever since Lightning and Tifa have been fighting the woman chose to back of Cloud realizing that two of the most powerful women were already after him. Not wanting to go around with either of them at the same time she cut her losses and remained friends with Cloud.
"I haven't seen Fang in a while. It's just different because usually she tries to instigate things between me and Lighting. That or she forces me to treat her at a restaurant." Lebreau had a shocked expression on her face as she sank into the booth in front of Cloud.
"You mean you don't know?" She said like a schoolgirl ready to gossip.
"I guess i don't. What happened?"
"Get this Fang and that guy from your world, I believe his name is Vincent have been seeing each other quite a bit for the past few weeks. The others think they are serious."
Cloud was grateful he wasn't drinking when she said that, otherwise his drink would have sprayed out of his mouth. "Wait Vincent and Fang are dating!" Lebreau had a huge smile as she squealed.
"I know right. I thought that it might have been just a fling because Fang is a flirty woman, so when I heard that they were still together after a few nights of passion. I became quite surprised. I thought the only man that might be able to tame Fang would be you but you seemed to be overbooked." Cloud just rolled his eyes at her last statement before replying.
"Wow I would have never thought, I must have lost track of things trying to balance training and making things right between Tifa and Light." Who would have thought those two would be a good couple. Vincent was practically a professional loner while Fang was not one to have a date last more than three days.
"I was even more surprised when Fang got pregnant and the two still stuck by each other. In fact Vincent brought up marriage and Fang actually thought about it."
"Wait Fang is Pregnant!" Cloud looked towards the bar at Zack and Peringo who were already six shots in and neither of them looking dazed. The built up quite the crowed too. But Cloud focused more on Peringo and his eyes widened. 'His father is Vincent!'
"Yeah I wonder what they will name it.
Cloud took a nervous sip, "Yeah I wonder what his name will be."
"What makes you so sure it's a boy?"
"Just a guess Lebreau," Cloud said pulling out some money. "Here this should cover our meal. I'm heading back to the gym. Sephiroth is facing Lightning and I fear I already missed it." Lebreau just smiled at the money knowing that it was more than enough. Turning her head to the small group of people watching Zack and Peringo's drink contest, she noticed that they were already 12 shots in and still going. "I don't know what they are but I don't care that's a good amount of money."
Cloud made his way to the Gym ignoring the looks of awe as people saw the replay of the simulation battle. Apparently a fan recorded it from the gym and uploaded it; Cloud couldn't help but wonder would they record Lightning's fight as well since she is the home planet Hero. 'How would she compare to Sephiroth I never saw her in a real fight. Sure enough Sephiroth would find difficulty for Lightning focuses on speed and agility. Whereas Sephiroth is accuracy and efficiency. How would the savior of Cocoon fare against the top Soldier 1st class?'
Cloud final found the Gym and made his way through the entrance where a few people were already huddling around the screens watching with interest as one of the simulation rooms were in use. Cloud made his way to the top floor where he waited in the room just outside the simulation room. Turning to face the large TV screen built into the wall he selected the room that he knew Sephiroth and Lightning would be in and tuned into their match.
Sure enough Cloud recognized the surroundings as the two faced off fro, inside the Shinra headquarters, but what amazed him was the fact that Shinra grunts where actually assisting Sephiroth take down Lightning. 'Is the Scenario Lightning vs. Shinra?'
Sure enough though as the grunts tried to gun down the Pink haired warrior, Lightning managed to jump dodge and flip past them to get to Sephiroth who was merely watching from a distance. Cloud watched in awe as he saw Lightning maneuver past the grunts all while returning fire with her gun blade. But while her skills were impressive Cloud was in awe because he had never seen how beautiful Lightning was till now. He always found her pretty and of course he loves her, but something about seeing her fight all out made his heart skip. Somewhere deep in his mind Cloud thought 'Tifa surely can't compare.'
Lightning was acting before she could think. Her mind was blank as she tore through the Shinra grunts, ignoring their attempts to shoot her as she made the drop like flies. She flipped over the guard in front of her, weapon in gun mode and she shot him and five other guards effectively putting them out of the fight. Before landing on her feet and lunging towards Sephiroth with her weapon in blade form. And engaged Sephiroth in a blinding blur of strikes, but to her frustration the man simply blocked each strike a sign of strain on his face.
"Your speed is surely impressive but your strikes lack power." Sephiroth said only to regret it as Lightning shifted gears moving even faster she swung her sword at Sephiroth spinning to add momentum to her swings in such speeds that she pushed Sephiroth back. Finding a small opening Lightning parried aside Sephiroth's blade and back flipped sticking her leg out to kick Sephiroth's face. Only to feel nothing but air as Sephiroth managed to lean back Lightning's steel toed boots a fraction of an inch from his chin. Immediately Lightning switch her sword into gun mode, raising the barrel of it to fire a few shots at Sephiroth before she even landed onto her feet.
Sephiroth was still trying to recover, choosing to avoid the shots he fell to his side. Causing what would have been three fatal shots into near nuisances. The first shot ricochet of his shoulder pauldron, while the second missed completely and the third barely grazed his cheek. Drawing blood but it would hardly affect the highest ranked SOLDIER. Sephiroth landed onto his shoulder but used the momentum to roll his way back onto his feet in time to stop Lightning's next assault of sword strikes.
Cloud watched in a trance taking note of how Lightning fought both analyzing and admiring her style. All the Grunts in that hall way have been taken out of the fight in moments from the small openings Lightning created by avoiding and flipping over them like an acrobat. 'Whereas I would use my power to break past any defense, Lightning would create her own openings using the agility that makes a cat jealous. Even though she can't get past Sephiroth's defense she is always two steps ahead and has him on the defensive.
Lightning backed up as there was finally a pause in the exchange, sweat was glistening off the skin of Lightning while Sephiroth looks only slightly winded. It was right then where lightning realized, she was out matched. Sephiroth was quick enough to avoid her attempts and was strong enough to outlast her. 'How did Cloud kill this guy three times?'
"I must commend you Lightning, to last this long is impressive, but to force me on the defensive, and to get first blood. It's truly remarkable." The silver haired General said raising an arm to his cheek to whipe away the blood." Lightning's face was completely still, but on the inside she knew she was performing and fought better than Sephiroth did, but she also knows the man was not tired where it's taking her all she can to not show how exhausted she is.
"And to think you can keep up this intensity while facing off many of Shinra's Grunts. I can see why you are the best they got here on this planet." With that said Sephiroth snapped his fingers and the virtual world disappeared.
"Wait I can still continue!" Lightning said. Ignoring her bodies protest.
"Maybe you can but eventually you will slow down and then I can easily overpower you. You see when we started you where barely able to block and absorb the shock from my attacks directly." Sephiroth said as he typed a code on the wall the replayed a part in the fight Cloud missed when he was out.
It was the beginning of the fight where Lightning charged in for a diagonal overhead strike only to miss the agile Sephiroth and raised her blade in time to block the man's counter. Sure enough Lightning's lightweight frame was sent back flying a few yards, and from that moment the fight had sped up to the pace it was near the end. Lightning using her speed to stay away from the man until she found an opening to push him back. And things looked well until Sephiroth backed away and the Guards started to show up.
"You are truly frightening with your combat abilities but if one can prolong the fight against you well, a Mako infused Soldier like me, Zack, or Cloud would easily overpower you once you're tired. Peringo would have the same problem as you but he seems to have inherited a strange ability from his father that allows him to become faster and stronger. In fact if you where still a L'cie you could have lasted even longer and then we reach the ending the way you want. But alas you are simply human, and no regular human can match a Mako infused human when it comes to stamina."
Lightning frowned as she realized it is true. Ever since she completed her focus two years ago she was never able o reach the strength and stamina she had back then. It was only through intensive training that she recently matched the speed she once had.
"Oh and as your request to help test Cloud, I believe it would be a wonderful idea. Cloud would need to practice against the fastest warrior alive."
"I don't think I'm the fastest." Light said with a look of embarrassment from the praise.
"Lightning, no one has made me go on the defensive by speed alone, plus after the first strike you blocked I was never able to get a direct hit in, each time you parried and redirected my blade faster than I can blink. None of us can match your speed." With that said Sephiroth left the room leaving a tired but accomplished Lightning.
"You know he's right." Lightning looked up to see Cloud leaning on the entrance. "The only reason Zack, Peringo, and I manage to push Sephiroth back is due to our strength. Sephiroth is the fastest swordsman I have ever encountered. The closest thing to him I ever saw was my friend Yuffie hyped up on sugar."
Lightning suppressed a laugh as she remembered the young ninja woman after eating sweets with Vanille. Never has she seen anyone make the bubbly red head worn out before. Lightning smirked out Cloud, "So… when were you going to tell me you found a sense of humor."
Cloud smirked in return, "It comes and goes." Cloud awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
'I hate it when he does that, I can't help but find him cute.' Lightning thought.
"So ugh… do you want to, I don't know, go to the park or something." This shocked Lightning for a second. (PUN NOT INTENDED)
"Cloud Strife are you asking me out. After what has happened these past weeks?"
Cloud straightened up a bit and looked Lightning straight in the eyes, "Yes, I love you Claire, and no matter what happens I promise I won't ever leave you. Tifa may be the my fiancé, once upon a time, but I have never been so sure of the fact that you are the only woman I want, no, need in my life." Lightning looked at Cloud finding nothing but truth in his words, and seriousness in his eyes.
There was a pregnant silence in the room as Lightning thought about it. But Cloud remained just as serious and still waiting for a moment. "Cloud I don't know what to say… What about Denzel."
"It would take time and Tifa would have to agree but I would like for you to take custody of him with me…..as a family."
"Cloud you can't mean."
"But I do, what do you say?"
Claire looked into Clouds eyes her own starting to water up as she struggled to find her voice. "Claire would you take me back?"
"Cloud I…"