Once More, With Feeling... – Chapter 46: A Game of Twenty Questions
Summary: Cloud offers a more detailed explaination.
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.
There was a sudden uproar of questions following Lieutenant Genesis' proclamation. Cloud caught only pieces of discernable comments in the ruckus. Reno jumped up to claim that Cloud was 'the most awesome partner ever!' and proceeded to gleefully ask for 'lottery numbers'. Zack looked strangely perturbed and blabbered about 'his theory not being wrong!' whatever that meant. Angeal appeared torn between intense amusement and exasperation. Tseng's face was neutrally blank. And Genesis remained smugly superior. One glance at the General sent shivers up the blond's spine as the intensely interested gaze resembled the Sephiroth he was more familiar with a little too much for comfort.
Feeling a little overwhelmed, Cloud threw his hands up in protest. "Whoa, Whoa! Hold on! I'm willing to answer questions!... just only one at a time please." The room quieted with remarkable alacrity though that might have been in large part to the strategic placement of Lieutenant Angeal, between Zack and Genesis. Once the room calmed, Cloud cocked his head slightly in thought, "Though I honestly didn't expect you to believe me this quickly…" he admitted in bemusement.
"Well, … if we being equally frank, Cloud, we have been cataloging your knowledge of 'things you shouldn't know' for some time now." Tseng murmured with his unflappable calm.
Things he shouldn't know? Cloud wondered for a moment where he'd slipped up… and then further paused when his mind processed the 'plural' in Tseng's comment, … how much HAD he screwed up? And how often?! "Erm… like what, precisely?" He asked rather sheepishly.
"Your knowledge of Royal Wutaian, … for example." The older Turk returned.
Cloud paused again, "Royal Wutaian? … is that different from 'Regular' Wutaian?"
It was Tseng's turn to hesitate, and after a moment with narrowed eyes he asked, "where did you learn Wutaian?"
The blond frowned, before sudden understanding dawned, that little BRAT! He heaved an exasperated sigh, "From Yuffie Kisaragi… in the future… I get the feeling I'm the butt of a long joke…"
Tseng did not respond verbally, but a smile slowly spread across his normally stoic face.
Dang it! Cloud growled to himself.
"Yuffie Kisaragi…" Sephiroth's rich timbre rolled out from behind Cloud, causing the fine hairs on the back of his neck to rise. "Wouldn't she be - about seven right now?"
Cloud suppressed another shiver, "Well,… she was fifteen when I first met her." He admitted with a slight shrug.
"Wait, Kisaragi? As in the Royal family Kisaragi? You know a Wutaian Princess?" Reno interjected.
"You're not REALLY a Wutaian spy, … are you, Cloud?" Zack whined, almost simultaneously. Angeal put out a hand towards each of them before Cloud could answer.
"I'm sure we all have questions." The large man placated smoothly, "how about we go in turn? Perhaps two questions each, … clockwise?" he posed this suggestion while glancing between the General and the Senior Turk bracketing the door. Cloud did a quick double take when he realized his only exit was blocked by the two highest ranking officers here… he took a moment to appreciate how well this confrontation had been set up.
While he was musing, Tseng and Sephiroth each nodded their affirmation of this idea, much to the quiet dissatisfaction of the two sixteen year olds present.
The General gestured at the older Turk, "Tseng, would you like to begin?"
Tseng nodded in return, his gaze intense in its concentration. The room's silence was broken only by the rustle of cloth and the occasional loud breath. After several long seconds the Wutaian finally posed his first question.
"Your claim of time-travel makes disturbing sense, Cloud. However, I would ask if you are capable of proving it."
Cloud simply smiled, "I wouldn't be a good time-traveler, if I weren't ready to answer that one." Once said, his smile faded a little, "Now, keep in mind, that the purpose of traveling back, was for me to change certain events… so some of my proof, might be rendered useless, but I should have enough prepared even for you." His blue eyes darted to Genesis. "If you don't mind, Lieutenant,… I have some spoilers for you."
The auburn-haired SOLDIER raised one skeptical eyebrow. "Oh really?" he sneered.
"I can tell that some things have already changed, Now don't freak out, I know how to fix this! but the process Professor Hollander used to make you and Angeal into SOLDIERs was flawed. And the both of you by this time should no longer be healing properly from injuries."
Genesis' face paled, and he rubbed one shoulder absently, while Angeal frowned in consternation.
"I haven't really noticed anything different." The dark-haired Lieutenant started to say, but he was quickly interrupted,
"No, I've been noticing." The other SOLDIER murmured.
"Have you mentioned this to anyone? Hollander perhaps?" Tseng queried quickly.
"I only started putting it together last night," Genesis admitted, still looking uneasy.
Cloud nodded in sympathy to the poetically inclined Lieutenant before turning back to Tseng.
"That's very convincing, Cloud, I'm impressed." the Turk murmured after a moment. "I'll need time to consider that, I'll pass on my second question for now."
The blond nodded amiably, before turning with a smile, to Zack, who at this point had nearly vibrated out of his chair in sheer suppressed energy.
"What did you come back to change?" the young SOLDIER second blurted anxiously,
Cloud coughed a laugh, "Ah, … the difficult question." He sighed, "the short version, … is a horrific event happened, and a lot of people died… plan 'A' was to try and prevent, said horrific event. … plan 'B'..,. is to try and mitigate the damage."
Zack looked horrified, "Who died?" he cried unhappily, "Did I die?"
"That was three questions!" Reno objected loudly, only to quiet quickly under Tseng's warning glare.
Cloud just smiled briefly before addressing his old friend. "Well,… yes Zack, you died… that's one of the things I wanted to prevent! …. In fact, most of the people in this room died." He paused briefly, "Except the Turks," he mused with a slight frown, turning to Tseng, "We thought you died… like… twice."
Tseng shrugged noncommittally, still smiling.
Cloud shook his head and huffed, turning back to Zack only to be confronted by the worst puppy eyes he had ever seen. The blond hastened to assure his friend, "It'll be alright! I'm here to fix that!" he patted the young mans knee earnestly.
Angeal stepped in smoothly, wrapping one around Zack's shoulders as he did so. "What's your plan your plan, and how can we help?" he asked both of his questions simultaneously.
"That's complicated, and I can get into the details later, but mostly my plan was to get high enough in Shinra to have enough influence to make a difference, before it is too late. There are also some people who need to be stopped before they do too much damage. As for your second question, Angeal, … If you guys really do believe me, then there are definitely some parts of my plan that I would be happy to have your help with, but I dare not reveal too much until I'm sure you're willing to help." He shrugged helplessly, somewhat surprised when the enormous man reached out to pat his shoulder with a warm smile.
"I can accept that." He said simply, giving a gentle squeeze, before releasing him. Cloud turned to the SOLDIER he knew the least.
Genesis leaned forward intensely, his lip curled derisively in a way that the blond instantly disliked, "What kind, of 'horrific event'," the Lieutenant sneered, complete with air-quotes. "could possibly take out most of the people in this room?"
"The same Calamity that took out the Ancients." Cloud snarked right back, crossing his arms over his chest.
Genesis eyes narrowed in challenge, "What was the single most powerful Materia you ever found?"
"Found or Made?" Cloud countered with a smirk,
"Either."
"Do I have to have used it?"
"Yes."
"The 'Knights of the Round' Summon, was the single most powerful Materia I ever used… however, with at least three 'Mime' Materia, a small team of fighters can be almost unstoppable." Genesis sat for a moment, before nodding thoughtfully and gesturing Cloud on to where Reno sat at his left.
"I almost dunno what ta ask…" the young red-head complained in mild distress, "Okay… I jus' gotta know … which were you, a Turk or a SOLDIER?"
Cloud winced, "Well, technically… I was neither a Turk, … nor a SOLDIER… not for lack of trying,… I guess you could say I was mentored a bit in both?"
"What? … but then… who were your mentors? Did I at least mentor you?"
Genesis rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, mouthing the words 'Three questions' where Reno couldn't see it.
"No, Reno, Sorry,… Zack was kind of my SOLDIER mentor," A quick glance behind him, taught Cloud that 'smug' was a very strange look on his proclaimed 'mentor', but Reno on the other hand looked devastated. "My Turk mentor was Vince-eh… er"
"Vincent Valentine?" Zack chimed, "But Tseng said he was dead!"
Ah, Cloud was suddenly seeing what they meant about his slip-ups. "Well…. He's not really… er… very dead,… but we'll get to that later," He mumbled with a cringe. "It's all kind of a very long story."
Reno still looked dejected, "But what about-" The red-head began, only to be interrupted by a very pointed throat clearing.
"For my two questions." Sephiroth said, holding up two fingers in the young Turks direction, sending him back into his seat with a sullen grumble. "Firstly, … why were you sent back specifically?"
Cloud rocked back on his heels, scratching the back of his head as he put together his answer. "I suppose there were really three main reasons." He fixed his eyes on the General, "Firstly, I was there… I helped fight it, and helped prevent it from killing everyone. … I have knowledge of the … 'enemy' so to speak. Secondly, some of the other capable fighters were already dead. and lastly, … since I joined the SOLDIER Prep. Program so young,… I was the only candidate who could come back in time far enough, and get into Shinra in time to make enough of a difference."
Sephiroth simply nodded, "Next Question." He paused his eyes focused intently on Cloud, as he asked almost in a whisper, "How did I die?"
Cloud couldn't have looked away if he'd wanted to, "You went insane. And I… I had to kill you."
"Insane?" Sephiroth's head cocked slightly, his eyes narrow.
"Third Quest-mphrfr" Cloud glanced over to see Genesis hand clamped firmly over Reno's mouth.
"A Clarification." Sephiroth countered, his gaze never leaving Cloud.
"You were possessed, … you lost all rational thought, and free will… you became a mindless killing machine."
"I would like a further clarification." Genesis interjected, "why were YOU, the one kill him?"
"Truthfully, at the time… I was the only one left who was capable… also, by then, it was personal: Sephiroth had killed my family."
"All of that," Cloud said, locking gazes with the General once more, "I am planning to prevent."
Sephiroth blinked, "Very well." He said in tense, quiet voice. He then tipped his head silently in Tsengs direction.
Cloud obligingly turned once again to the presiding Turk.
"Are you loyal to Shinra?" the Wutaian asked without preamble.
The blond sighed, "First and foremost, I am loyal to my mission. Keep in mind, … that 'the event', caused Shinra to fall. I would like to be as loyal as possible to Shinra,… but if I cannot, then I will have to resort to Plan 'B'… as I do believe it will be completely preventable if Shinra is not on my side." He smiled a bit wryly, "That's the most honest answer I can give right now. You'll have to decide what that means to you."
"You have been far more straight forward than I could have anticipated." Tseng admitted, "I think, perhaps… another round of questions would benefit."
Cloud nodded agreeably.
"For my next question," Tseng continued, "Were you involved in the security breach in Hojo's lab."
Cloud cringed a little, mentally… he'd been hoping they wouldn't ask about that… he shook his head, chuckling a little "Only you would connect those dots… yes, that was me… coincidentally, I was returning a favor to the same friend who gave me that code." He gestured in the laptop's general direction. "Of course… she's only about seven right now, and has no clue what kind of a computer hacker she might have become under Hojo's treatments."
Before the Turk could continue, a very indignant voice interrupted. "Clarification." Angeal all but snarled, "Did you just say, that Hojo had kidnapped and experimented on, a seven-year-old girl?"
"Yes I did." Cloud admitted, a little startled at the large man's ferocity, who has now staring back in stunned horror.
"Further Clarification" Tseng added, "Was your friend also responsible for the virus plaguing Hojo's computers?"
Cloud laughed, "Ah, … yes, that was her… took me months to memorize it line-by-line… she never told me what it did… just said it was her 'personal revenge'."
"I can understand that." The Turk allowed. "For my second question of this round," He said quickly in Reno's direction… who lowered his hand sulkily.
"What do you know of the break in to the Storage Facility, shortly thereafter."
The what? "Storage facility?" He blurted aloud in confusion, "I didn't do any…" and then he paused… idly counting back the years on his fingers, searching through the dusty archives of his memory, "Couple months ago… this year…" He found himself muttering… "Shinra Storage…That would be AVALANCHE, I think… I remember reading a report about that." He mused aloud.
"So you weren't involved?"
"Nope!" Cloud returned firmly,
"Interesting." Tseng said… begrudgingly turning his time over to Zack.
The young SOLDIER was still bouncing in place when the blond turned to him, he couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.
"So if I was your mentor… what was the coolest thing I ever taught you?"
Cloud paused for a moment as he mentally shifted gears from the seriousness of the previous questions and the one he was now fielding from Zack. He smiled helplessly.
"The Sword Fanfare of course." The blond said in all seriousness. He slid smoothly back into a familiar stance once mimicked from his old friend and pulled his slender sword from where it was concealed beneath his jacket, twirling it expertly four times above his head before snapping it back into it's sheath.
Zack looked positively star-struck, "are you gonna teach it to me?"
"Don't worry, you'll invent it soon enough." Cloud consoled. He tried not to notice Genesis snickering softly into his gloved hand, or Angeal biting his lip.
"Do I ever get a girlfriend?" Zack continued earnestly.
With equal severity Cloud told him, "Don't worry, you get the best girlfriend… but," Cloud whispered gravely, "If you die on her again,… I will have to kill you."
"Oh." Zack whimpered with wide-eyed alarm.
Cloud heard a suppressed sigh from Tseng, and strangled from Genesis. Angeal patted Zack's shoulder comfortingly, while his own face turned quietly pink. In fact, it took several moments for the large SOLDIER to compose himself enough to ask his two questions with a straight face.
"I already know there are some things you can't tell us yet. So for my two questions, what are the two most important things you CAN tell us… that we most need to know."
"Right," Cloud said shifting gears once again, "Firstly, I have to reiterate, that I need you and Genesis to remain calm about your conditions, and know that Hollander cannot help you. Sephiroth will need you both in the trials to come." Angeal looked taken aback as if doing otherwise had never occurred to him. "Secondly, under no circumstances, should anyone trust Hojo." Angeal blinked, both eyebrows rising slightly, but said nothing, conceding his turn to his fellow Lieutenant.
"If what's happening to Angeal and myself is so pertinent - How do you plan to address it?"
Cloud took a deep breath, sighing before he answered solemnly, "I know how to synthesize a cure for your ailment… unfortunately, I do not yet have the tools in my possession, I know where to get them, and I know who I need to have help me."
Genesis sat for a moment, lips pursed unhappily. "How,… not WHY, but HOW… did you, defeat Sephiroth?"
"Well,… he was insane and had lost his ability to reason." Cloud shrugged, but the Lieutenant before him leaned forward abruptly, cutting off his train of thought,
"No, … I want to know how you defeated him, specifically! You said he was a 'mindless killing machine', how did he not kill you?" He asked pointedly.
"Well, although I never got into the SOLDIER program, I did have the SOLDIER enhancements at that point. I was good enough with a sword to hold him off until I could out maneuver him, because his strategic thinking had been severely compromised." Cloud paused a beat, "I'm not giving you a play-by-play, that was… grueling. We'd be here all day." Genesis looked minutely disappointed. But with an exaggerated sigh, allowed Cloud to move on.
His vibrant, red-headed partner wasted no time in barking out his first question. "How did you go back in time? Is there like a Time Machine somewhere or something?"
Cloud hesitated, "Well, only my mind went back in time, my physical body was already here, and it was all really,… rather more mystical than technological."
"I have a Clarification!" the young Turk snapped, glaring around the room accusingly. "What happened to younger you?"
Cloud froze, "I …" he'd never really considered that question, and admitted as much rather shakily to his audience, "I just really don't know." All the possibilities he could come up with were rather disturbing. "I think… I'm going to have nightmares about that now." He grumbled sourly. "Thanks Reno."
"You're welcome." The youth accepted, "Now really, in all seriousness, for my second question," he emphasized, pointedly ignoring the coughed 'Fourth question' from the Lieutenant on his right. "The most IMPORTANT question … yet… Lottery numbers, fork 'em over yo."
"Uh… what?" Cloud mentally staggered,
"C'mon Cloud, it's standard protocol for all time-travelers, you memorize the lottery numbers, the winning chocobos, and where all the treasure is buried."
Cloud simply gaped at him, "I… Had slightly more important things to memorize than gaia forsaken lottery numbers!"
"no seriously, Cloud, money greases the wheels, so c'mon, share the wealth man!"
The blond was momentarily flabbergasted, "I, … really didn't memorize lottery numbers, I have to keep a low profile and lottery winners can't do that… and I really don't have any time to win any chocobo races right now-"
"Wait, wait, wait… I didn' say anythin' 'bout RACING the chocobos… jus' bettin'."
"Racing is much more lucrative" Cloud shrugged, "the prizes can be very nice."
"Ya can race?" Reno looked very intruiged at the idea,
"Yeah, …" Cloud paused before grinning broadly, "Though if we're talking about treasure, I know where to find A LOT of Materia!" He leaned forward conspiratorially, stage whispering in the red-head's ear "And I earned enough money selling Mastered Materia to buy the former Shinra Villa in Costa Del Sol!"
"Materia?" the young Turk inquired, eyes wide and greedy.
"Hey!" Genesis interjected, "Enough 'Clarifications', it's Sephiroth's turn." Reno sat back with an angry huff, while Genesis muttered disparagingly of Reno's misunderstanding of the word 'clarification'.Cloud hid his own snicker at their antics, turning to face his old rival, once more.
"You have referred to this 'horrific event' as more of an entity than a natural disaster." Oops, Cloud winced, but the General continued, "Judging by the low number of potential survivors in this room, I do not think you should begrudge us details of 'the enemy' as you put it."
Cloud huffed at the weight of that dangerous question. "That's a very tricky issue, … but you're not wrong… I think I'd best tell you how the Ancients described it: 'the enemy approached disguised as friends and family, poisoning their hearts and minds, and turning brother against brother. Its influence spread like a disease, and it took all the might they could muster to fight and finally subdue it. In the end the cost was so great, that it destroyed their civilization.'… What you should watch for," Cloud continued soberly, "Is something new and unknown claiming to be your closest friend or family."
Sephiroth stared at him in unblinking silence for several long seconds. "You were adamant, that Professor Hojo cannot be trusted. Do you have anything to back this rather bold statement?"
Cloud's smile turned feral, his lip curling, "In Icicle Village, On the North side, just off the main road there is an abandoned house, with an observatory on top. Inside you will find a laboratory; the password to the computer is Cetra, 'C-E-T-R-A'. Download the last security feed video file… There you will find proof, that Hojo murdered Professor Gast."
((Author's Note: Rather surprisingly, I finished this chapter mere days after finishing the previous one… spent about 9 hours straight just writing… way into the early morning hours! Felt good… and exhausting… but mostly good. Hope you guys enjoy!
… On a separate note, I've had a few people complain that I write my Zack Fair to be too 'stupid'. Or 'Idiotic'. … To be honest, I consider him rather Naively Idiotic more than anything, he CAN be smarter, but he doesn't really put in the effort at this age…
MORE than that though… I can't think of him as very smart for ONE PARTICULAR REASON… Crisis Core… Zack… Hojo's Tank, during the attack on Shinra (Genesis Wars) where Zack is assigned to 'protect Hojo'. … 'NUFF SAID.
For those of you who have NOT played Crisis Core… watch?v=M4gZS_nSTKc
For those of you in the So-Cal area… I'll be at the Anime Expo Artist's Alley, AND the Califur Dealer's Den! Feel free to come see me! Look for the Star Dragon Studios Booths. ;)
-Jianre M. A.K.A … Illusor Meaneld.))