Once More, With Feeling... – Chapter 11: A Surprise Engagement

Summary: Cloud is dealing with the aftermath of Zack's assault, not many people are happy with him these days.

Author: Illusor Meaneld

Rated T: for Descriptive violence and injuries, No Adult Situations, No Cussing.

Disclaimer: I did not create, and do not own the characters from Final Fantasy 7, They are owned by Square-Enix, and I am simply borrowing them for my own (and hopefully your) enjoyment.

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Cloud trudged through the hallways, his newest class was "Strategic Geography" but even that had failed to hold his attention, Zack's class had been an absolute disaster! He could remember it in agonizingly precise detail, actually, it had been like a switch, ever since the moment Zack had shouted "You're my fan", Cloud had remembered EVERYTHING. His memory exercises seemed suddenly superfluous. He remembered being frozen in horror, more than that he recalled with agonizing clarity the looks on his class-mates faces as Zack ran from the room with Cloud in his arms. Some of them may have disparaged the SOLDIER 3rd behind his back, but it was painfully obvious they all admired or envied him to some extent, and Zack Fair had just shown Cloud Strife the Squad RUNT favoritism.

Cloud groaned aloud, of course, that wasn't HALF as bad as being man-handled into a private meeting between Angeal and SEPHIROTH. Cloud hadn't seen the General since their SOLDIER Prep. presentation. During that mess-hall meeting there had been nothing to distinguish Cloud, he'd been just one Cadet among a hundred. But Zack had… planet! Why did Zack have to be such a spazz? With a sigh Cloud allowed himself a smile, Zack was Zack, It was just a little bit worse when he was the younger and more immature version.

Cloud flashed back to the fateful meeting with the two SOLDIER 1st's he'd stood there frozen to the spot at his first up-close meeting with Sephiroth, the blazing, slitted green eyes were exactly as he'd remembered, but the words that came from the man's mouth had snapped Cloud out of his initial daze, Overtly friendly? It had been so different from what he'd have expected from the Sephiroth he knew, that Cloud's mind had become rational once more. Zack had KNOWN Angeal would be in that room, why? … Angeal had held a wooden carving in one hand, a puppy? Sephiroth had been reading a book, an activity which still gave Cloud slight chills, … but what he hadn't figured out was why Sephiroth had been reading THAT book… He'd heard it was 1st Class SOLDIER Genesis Rhapsodos that liked LOVELESS, maybe they were both fans? He thought he'd heard contrary, but he hadn't actually paid all that much attention to the rabid-looking fan clubs.

Gavin had been intensely curious when Cloud had mentioned the whole "LOVELESS" book thing, Cloud had been rather shaken at the time, and hadn't thought much about it, … at least not until 3 other boys he'd never really met before came up to confirm that he'd seen Sephiroth reading it. Cloud couldn't possibly fathom why they'd care, but he told them, yes, … he had seen Sephiroth with the book, ….no, … he didn't know for certain that he'd been reading it, but it had been opened about mid-way through when Cloud had seen him.

It was all a puzzle, and his nerves were still completely on end, what would Zack do now? He'd ferreted out Cloud, he knew it was Cloud who'd claimed to be a "fan". What would this mess up? He wasn't ready yet! Cloud heaved a sigh and rubbed his forehead, wincing as he brushed against the bruise there. At least he'd managed to get out of there before either SOLDIER could ask any weird questions, he'd been in such a rush he'd forgotten about the doors, certain that Zack would be right behind him and try to drag him back. In his haste he'd used the one route he was most familiar with, he'd been on that floor before, the bathrooms had an interesting air-ventilation shaft, He'd dashed in the right stall, up through the vents, and popped out in the mirror vent in the restroom directly below a scant minute later. He almost laughed, what kind of irony that it would be THAT floor?

Cloud forced himself to take a deep breath, fretting wouldn't do any good, this new development, … if it even was anything serious, would do what it would. Worrying would help nothing, acting on what little knowledge he had concerning the situation could very likely make things irreparably worse. He shook himself and glanced around, he was supposed to be heading for lunch but he didn't feel like staying. He ducked into the crowded mess-hall and snagged a fruit and bread-roll. Jogging back out just as quickly, with no further thought on Monday's fiasco, he made his way to Employee Services. For the first time since he'd gotten there Cloud pulled out all of the money that had been accumulating in his account from his pension payments. After several months it was actually a decent chunk. Now he proceeded to the library, having investigated earlier he knew he had enough to rent out a Camcorder, and also knew that once rented, it would be in his possession for 3 days. Once he was done with it, the Library would make a disc of his recordings and the exchange would be made. It was perfect! Three whole days to try out every single move he might have problems with.

Cloud had just finished locking the rented Camcorder into the locker at the foot of his bunk when the other boys began filtering back in from Lunch. Logan was the first one to step in the room, and his face immediately pulled into a sneer,

"Well, well, if it isn't the SOLDIER's PET."

Cloud looked up once, resisting the urge to sigh, and quickly turned back to his trunk. Best not to give them any attention, that's what most bullies wanted. He quickly changed his mind when the large teenager stepped up next to him and grabbed a fist-full of Cloud's blonde hair, He barely managed a yelp before his face was slammed into the top of the very trunk he'd just locked.

"You paying attention now Runt?" Logan snarled, the tall brunette next to him snickered, Cloud glared at Fisk and the boy slowly ceased laughing, this was going too far! He opened his mouth to growl at his antagonists and found the trunk rush up to meet him once more, his vision flickered, and pain lanced through his head. His hearing buzzed for several seconds as he fought to focus his eyes. Logan was saying something else and the gathered boys laughed, NO MORE OF THAT! Cloud mentally snarled, both of his hands whipped up and grabbed Logan's, in a practiced motion he had yet to practice, he yanked his attacker's pinky finger backwards just shy of breaking. Logan yelped and his fist loosened. Cloud grabbed the boy's wrist firmly in both hands and whirled spinning the arm with him. The green-eyed youth gasped as the motion forced him to turn as well, pain dragged the taller boy to one knee, and Cloud placed one foot against his back and pushed, He remembered to release the arm just a moment before he would have dislocated it, and without a second thought he bolted, the other boys, stunned for a moment reached after him just a second too late, fingers brushed his shoulder and face, scratching his ear but thankfully missing him.

He didn't stop running until he reached his "Advanced Calisthenics" class. He stood in his own place, noting the teacher who was setting up in front of the class. When Cloud's squad-mates finally filed in Logan glared hate, and most of the other boys, looked resentful. Gavin just looked confused, but Cloud hadn't seen him in the room so he must not have witnessed the attack, maybe the others returned early? When Cloud thought about it he realized that must have been what happened, they'd noticed that Cloud hadn't stayed for lunch, they'd come back to intercept him. Well… Cloud certainly wasn't going to give them THAT chance again! He matched glares with Logan, a slow smile of his own crossing his face, No More!

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After that first real 'attack', Cloud changed his habits, he raided the mess-hall for materials and began constructing pepper bombs in his spare time. He carried them with him everywhere, stashed in the small "amenities" bag he'd been carrying since the thieving had started. He was far more careful when he left at night, and he moved very quickly between his classes. Any moment he used spare time for a project, he never returned to his room unless he was almost running LATE for class.

It was a very strange coincidence that, the very day Cloud decided on his new schedule pattern, he met up with the one person who had the ability to completely destroy it. Cloud now took to taking the longer routes to get to places, or rather, he took the more Populated routes, which as it would turn out, were the same routes that Zack Fair took. The first time Cloud laid eyes on his once-friend, he cringed, anticipating another psychotic episode, … indeed the SOLDIER 3rd had taken one look at Cloud and his face had lit up like early Christmas. But much to Cloud's surprise, right when the black-haired youth had opened his mouth to speak, his face had scrunched up in the strangest expression. He glanced pointedly away from Cloud and kept walking. Cloud was absolutely stunned, … was Zack doing what he thought he was doing?... was he?... when Cloud stopped and stared, Zack looked even further away, it wasn't until he tripped on one of the trash-cans that littered the halls and collapsed to the floor that Cloud snapped out of his daze, Zack was ignoring him! … Forgetting his earlier misgivings Cloud stepped up to the teen, who rubbed his knee mournfully,

"You okay?" Cloud said before he could stop himself, … had Zack really been this clumsy?

"Oh I'm fine… I …" Zack's eyes darted in sudden alarm to Cloud, and he deliberately looked away again.

"What are you doing?" Cloud couldn't help it, Zack's attempted Cold-shoulder looked so forced… and well… silly.

"Um… I'm not supposed to talk to you." Zack muttered, looking sheepish,

Cloud bit back a smile, "Oh? Why not?"

"They told me so!" Zack's eyes flickered to Cloud and back to the wall several times, By the Planet! Cloud missed his friend!

"Got Scolded huh?" Cloud couldn't help the chuckle this time, Zack rubbed his head in embarrassment, before slowly nodding.

"yeah."

"Ah, … well okay then, I guess I'll see you in class eh, Zack?" the SOLDIER brightened, his face splitting into the grin Cloud missed so much,

"really?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll see ya in Class then Spikey-head!"

It might be a mistake, Cloud reflected, but watching Zack stand and run off grinning and waving behind him was absolutely worth any later repercussions.

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Tseng once again found himself in the observation room overlooking the young blond Cadet's late night training. This time he sat, alternating between watching the boy and studying the information he'd pulled up on the youth. The laptop set before him scrolled through the boy's files, he was from Nibelheim, should be 14 years old, a rather uneventful home life, nothing out of the ordinary that Tseng had found, … nothing so far that explained where a young teenager might have learned Wutaian Ninjitsu. Tseng took a sip of his tea and turned to watch the boy again, Cloud Strife was his name… The boy was swinging a practice sword with enthusiasm, he'd really improved since the first time Tseng had seen him, his skills were noticeably better. The Turk carefully noted the video-camera Cloud had set up before him, he completed one set of moves before turning and repeating them from another angle. The idea was quite a clever one, record his training for later reviewing, it was intelligent, well thought out…. Resourceful…

Tseng took a moment to glance over the boy's records once more, his tests all showed a high aptitude for intellectual pursuits, but evidence pointed in a less than desirable physical disposition for a SOLDIER Prep. Cadet. … Why hadn't the boy gone into Special Ops? Tseng wondered, he was exactly the kind of Trainee they looked for, quick and clever, with strong determination. Tseng returned his gaze to the room below, taking a sip from his tea-cup as he watched. Cloud was muttering to himself as he worked. Tseng could read lips, but Cloud's face was obscured by his hair, the blonde locks looked ill-kept, and reached well past his shoulders all around, spiking out in every direction. If the youth had bothered to comb it backwards he'd look rather like a short, blonde, Zack Fair. As it was it was just a mess, and it prevented Tseng from discerning what the boy was saying.

With another sip of tea, Tseng decided that he still needed more information, tomorrow during one of Cloud's classes he would install listening devices in the room below. … Perhaps that would give him some insight as to where Cloud Strife had learned things he shouldn't know…

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