Ch.11

"So what's it like with a wing? What does it feel like?" Zack asked.

"It's something that we gain by the age of seven, and from there it is just a part of us. Another appendage that we can move."

As Zack used the little electric pump to inflate the air mattress. "Oh yeah, guess that would make sense. But then uh, what was it like when you first got the wing? It couldn't just magically pop into existence, right?"

Sephiroth crossed his arms. "I thought I said we'd start with one question."

"What? You mean like I only get one question per day?"

With a smirk, Sephiroth nodded. "I think that sounds like a grand idea. We'll do that."

"Aw come on! That's not fair!"

"Well I could answer some questions," Cloud said, stepping closer to Zack. "I won't limit you to one question a day."

"Aw you're great, Cloud! Thanks man!"

Sephiroth walked over to the corner of the barn, staring down at the two of them. "Do what you please, but I'll be watching."

Cloud just shook his head. He appreciated Sephiroth's protective mood, but Zack didn't feel like any of the humans back at the facility. He was actually outgoing and kind, and Cloud really wanted to trust in him.

"So you asked what it was like when we got our wing? It's um, it's weird but it just kind of showed up one day shortly after I turned seven. But not like just popping out of thin air or anything, but kind of um… grew rapidly?"

"And did it hurt? You'd think having a wing burst out of your back would hurt like hell."

Cloud hadn't thought back to that moment in forever. He had tried so hard to wash away those memories as everything that happened after his wing came out just spiraled. Being taken from his mother and having the town look down upon him was a faint memory, but it was still haunting deep in the back of his mind.

"It hurt a little, but it all happened so fast that the pain came and went before I realized it. Then it just took a little to get used to moving it and flying," Cloud explained.

"Wow. That just sounds so cool. The flying part I mean, not the other."

"Does it really sound that cool?"

"Totally! Like I said before, if it wasn't for the government locking you guys up, you could fly wherever you wanted. It just seems like such a dream to fly. Being able to soar above the trees, touch the clouds… heh hey Cloud have you ever gotten to touch a cloud?"

Cloud started to laugh. "No, I haven't, but now I want to. Maybe when Seph and I get far enough away from here I can do that."

"Don't give too much away, Cloud. Even if we are trusting him for now, let's not tell him too much," Sephiroth interrupted. "And now let me ask you this Zack… you are quite a young man. Surely you couldn't be running this farm all by yourself. Are your parents around?"

"Actually I am running it myself!" Zack said proudly. He closed the tab on the air mattress now that it was finished and stood up to face Sephiroth. "My parents are traveling usually, so they trained me to know how to handle everything. So you don't have to worry about them finding you. It's just me, my chocobo Mercury, and the plants!"

Sephiroth gave a disgruntled grumble. "I suppose we'll have to take your word for it. But if I find that you are lying, we will be out of here before you know it."

"Hey I'm serious when I promise you that I want to help you guys. I wouldn't lie. When I am serious about something, I don't lie about it."

"Hmph, headstrong like Angeal," Sephiroth muttered.

"Guess that's one of your friends? The other winged people? Are they… you know, back at the facility?" Zack asked.

Cloud nodded. "Only Seph and I got away. I don't even think he told them and we escaped during the storm."

"Cloud-"

"Well we can talk about that can't we? It's obvious that we escaped! No surprise there. We just left so quickly, everyone is going to wonder what happened."

"And it is a sacrifice that we have to make for now. Perhaps when the time comes, they too will escape or we can return to release them," Sephiroth answered.

Zack smiled as he looked at the two of them. "I think it would be great if all the winged people could be free. People shouldn't be afraid by all the garage propaganda that's always spread around. It's really stupid."

Cloud smiled again at the positivity that Zack had. There was no chance that Zack could be a bad human. There was just too much goodness in his smiles and the way he talked. It was pretty inspiring to Cloud, knowing a human could be that caring and considerate to Winged Ones.

With Zack being as nice as he was, it made him wonder how many more humans were like him. There had to be more than just Zack, but so far Zack was already enough to cheer Cloud up.

Zack stretched his arms a moment later and started walking to the door. "Well since it's getting late, I'll let you guys get some sleep. Hopefully Mercury behaves himself and doesn't bother you guys too much. I'll check in by morning, but come up to the house if you need anything. Just give a knock."

After that, Zack left them alone, closing the barn door behind him. Cloud finally took the time to sit down on the air mattress, feeling how different it was from the beds back at the facility. It wasn't soft as it was rubber and full of air, but he could tell it would already be way more comfortable.

"So what will we do now?" Cloud asked.

Sephiroth sat down next to him and pulled him in close. "We shall gather our strength through rest. Tomorrow, we shall determine which direction we should go."

"You mean we can't stay?"

"We are far too close to the facility. While it is miles outside of the facility, it totters on the edge of being too near. We must make strides."

"And what about your wing? It still needs to heal, right? We shouldn't go off until we know it's perfectly alright to fly again," Cloud protested.

"It isn't as severe as you would think."

"Don't lie Seph," Cloud huffed. "We can hide here for at least a few days, can't we? Give them time to think we headed further and pass by this place?"

Sephiroth sighed. "But we can't say for sure they will overload this place. They could easily come here to search for us as they would in any other place. But fine, we shall remain a day, but then we must hurry off. Is that okay with you?"

With a grin, Cloud gave his older brother a hug. "Yeah that's good! Plus we can spend more time with the chocobo and get to know Zack."

"I wouldn't say getting to know Zack is a priority. He is here for now supplying us a place to stay, but I don't want it to be anything beyond that. Be careful with what you answer with him," Sephiroth replied before he got up to get the bed sheets out of the box, laying them down across the air mattress.

Cloud let out a yawn as he laid down once everything was set. "But what if I like talking to him? He's a good human."

"I still will hold back. There isn't any reason to trust him in my mind," Sephiroth replied, causing Cloud to frown. He took in a breath and shook his head slightly. "But I will give him the benefit of the doubt. What he has done for us so far has been helpful, but we shall see if he can keep that up."

"Okay. Well goodnight Seph," Cloud said as he closed his eyes.

"Goodnight Cloud," Sephiroth whispered back, doing his best to fall asleep for himself.

There were still so many factors running around in Sephiroth's mind, he wasn't sure if he would even get any sleep at all. He needed to make sure Cloud was safe, and being in a strange new place already bought way too many concerns. They may have escaped, but if they wanted to remain free and out of Hojo's clutches it would be a long while before any peace of mind could be had.

But somehow, despite all of those thoughts festering in Sephiroth's mind, he was able to fall asleep. Morning came, with light shining through the sky lights of the barn, waking Sephiroth up first.

He looked to his side, seeing that Cloud was still fast asleep. It made Sephiroth smile, knowing that he had made it this far and brought Cloud to the outside world again. Together they could rediscover all that they had been taking from. Never again would Sephiroth allow them to be taken back underground to live out the rest of their lives as prisoners.

They were going to be free from now on, and that was all that Sephiroth wanted.

With a light knock on the door, Sephiroth watched carefully as it opened and Zack slipped in. "Hey, good morning. Hope I didn't come too soon and wake you guys."

"I had just woken up myself, but Cloud on the other hand is still asleep."

"Aww he must be pretty tuckered out after last night," Zack whispered as he sat down next to the air mattress.

"And you are sitting down here because…?"

"I have more things I wanna ask and talk about. Nothing wrong with that right? Plus, I'll have to start on my chores soon enough here."

Sephiroth sighed. "Fine, what is it you wish to ask now."

"Okay first off, what's between you and Cloud? Like what are you to him?"

"I am his older brother. When Cloud was brought to the facility, I was the one who looked after him. And he looked up to me as a brother, so it became as such."

Zack started grinning. "Aw, that's really sweet. Always good to have an older bro looking out for you. I always wanted an older brother, but I grew up an old child sadly. I don't even have older cousins that could be brother-like. I am just utterly alone here."

"That's too bad," Sephiroth replied. "But surely you must have some friends, regardless if they are older or younger than you."

"Oh yeah totally do. I got friends here and there, plus my wonderful girlfriend Aerith! Oh! She also is in support of you guys too. Sometimes it feels like we are the only ones who don't hate you guys in this town."

Though Sephiroth still didn't want to fully trust Zack, there was something about the way he spoke that did feel sincere. It still could have been an act, but he was going to try, as he knew Cloud would want him to do so.

"I would assume a town so close to the facility would be easily influenced to listen to the rumors spread by Hojo."

"Yeah well all those rumors are stupid. I know you guys can't be threats just cause you have wings. It's all stupid and I wish people would just give you guys a chance."

Humming, Sephiroth moved up from the mattress, to the box that Zack had brought in last night. He picked up one of the water bottles and began to drink it, all while he kept his eyes locked on Zack.

Zack just smiled back at him. "So can I ask some more questions?"

"Very well. If you insist. I doubt you'll let it go otherwise."

"So I've asked what it's like having a wing and what it was like when you first got it. But now I wanna know what it's actually like to fly. You guys were allowed to fly in the faculty, right? It would seem so messed up if you couldn't even fly at all."

"We had space to fly. There were caverns below the facility where we had space to fly. It was really all we had if we wanted to practice our flying abilities."

"Wow and I guess there was no exit to these caverns?"

Sephiroth shook his head. "No. Besides, there were cameras down there. If anyone were to try anything, we'd be found out. But it was at least a space to fly."

"And what's it like? The actual flying part?"

Moving back to the mattress, Sephiroth sat down next to it to not disturb Cloud. "It would be hard to describe such things. It's natural to Cloud and me at this point. But the feeling of it… the wind rushes against your face and you feel lighter than usual."

"Man, that just feels so freeing. You know, besides the whole living in an underground facility part. But at least you can get a chance to fly."

"You really think the premise of flying is so grand to a human like you," Sephiroth stated.

Zack grinned and nodded. "Yup! As I said before, it just seems so cool to be able to soar around like that. Like I said, it just sounds freeing. What I would give to have a wing like that and fly."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up. As you know it isn't anything you can gain later in life."

"Yeah yeah. I know the whole deal. Seven children every seven years from each other. I'm two years older from that cycle so I already know it's impossible. But hey, I can dream at least. Oh! You think maybe one of you guys could fly me around?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes, not very amused by Zack's energy. "That wouldn't be wise. We could be spotted if we did that."

"Oh.

Guess that would make sense…" Zack sighed.

Suddenly, Cloud slowly sat up, running his eyes. "Couldn't we fly a little in the barn? The ceiling is high enough that we could just hover a bit?"

"Hey yeah! That could work!" Zack agreed excitedly.

Pitching his nose, Sephiroth let out another sigh. Sometimes he wished he didn't have to deal with the energies that some teens had. Cloud was the expectation of course, but he seemed even more cheerful than usual now that he was around Zack.

"I am not flying anyone," he deadpanned. "And you wouldn't be strong enough to carry his weight, Cloud."

"Aw can't I at least try? I won't ask you though, cause your wing still needs to recover. But I think I could do it. Please Seph?" Cloud pleased.

"Yeah! Let Cloud try Seph!" Zack also pleaded, pressing his hands together and tilting his head.

"I said not to call me Seph," Sephiroth scowled at Zack. "And I still say no. I don't want you to hurt yourself, Cloud. It's not worth the risk."

Signing, Cloud laid back down on the mattress. "You're being lame."

"I'm trying to be reasonable here. Now in terms of food, I noticed the box you brought us only has water bottles and a few packets of pretzels. Would it be possible that you have anything else you can offer?"

"Yeah, I can cook something up," Zack replied as he jumped to his feet. "Want toast or eggs or something? I can cook up whatever."

Cloud and Sephiroth thought for a moment before giving their choices to what they wanted to eat. Then, after Zack went to set up some feed for his chocobo, he ran back to the house to cook up the food for them.

It wasn't long before the three of them were eating some freshly made french toast that Zack had whipped up. Cloud was humming in delight at every bite he had, and even Sephiroth had to admit the taste was far better than anything he had in years.

Maybe staying the extra day wouldn't be the worst for the two of them. Sephiroth knew that he could still keep a keen watch out for anything and anyone. If it meant they could get tasty meals made for them without having to resort to finding money to pay or stealing, then he would take it. He wanted things to still go as smoothly as he could in their escape to a better place, and now all it was going to take was just a few extra steps.

More moments with everyone's favorite loveable Zack! But how long can these two really stay and is Zack trustable? (of course he is lol what a silly question!)