Once More, With Feeling... – Chapter 48: Learn Something New
Summary: Cloud's up for some extra training, but everyone around Cloud seems to be learning more than he is.
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.
It had now been almost two full days since the potentially world-changing revelation of Cloud's Time-Traveler status. Angeal was expecting Sephiroth and Tseng to return from their secret mission to Icicle at any time, … but in the interim to further keep tabs on the tiny blond, the black haired Lieutenant had wrangled a training room and locked the four of them inside. That by itself was a fine idea, but when he'd opted to have Cloud join Zack in his training routine he had no idea what he'd really been suggesting.
He just couldn't stop… staring.
Despite a significant size difference in nearly every way, the two young men proceeded through the same sets of exercises like particularly expensive mirroring marionettes. When Zack dropped into a series of his signature squats, Cloud matched his timing perfectly. The motion was so identical, down to the odd arm flourishes Zack favored that Angeal was rubbing goosebumps on his own arms.
"That is just, extraordinarily creepy." The SOLDIER murmured softly to his companion. The only response was a sigh, and the sound of turning pages. One glance at the auburn-haired Lieutenant beside him showed that Genesis was completely relaxed and absorbed in his book where he leaned beside the single door to the training room. "It's completely identical." Angeal insisted when his friend failed to share in his urgency.
"I cannot possibly describe to you how very little I care right now." Glowing blue eyes barely spared a flick of irritation away from the precious much-read book.
"It's not natural!" the black-haired SOLDIER hissed.
"I really don't care."
"But Gen!"
With an irritated huff Genesis shifted smoothly away from the wall, he tossed one derisive glance at Angeal, and with no other warning stretched his left hand towards the two training teenagers, A ball of magical fire lunged from the Lieutenant's palm. Angeal had no time to do more than shout in wordless warning as the pyromantic sphere shot at their unsuspecting students.
Cloud whirled before Angeal's cry even seemed to finish echoing off the back wall, Zack turned a moment behind, his face full of innocent confusion. The tiny blond whipped out a hand to wrap around the wrist bracer of his companion and suddenly the room filled with clouds of white, a hissing crackling noise almost disguising the explosion that rocked one of the side walls, the thick haze smothering the ensuing cries of bafflement.
"Zack!" Angeal yelled, lunging forward through the dissipating vapor. He skidded to a halt just as fast as he caught sight of a large white-blue wall looming in his path.
"Angeal?" his student's timidly bewildered voice echoed oddly past the barricade.
"Are you alright?" the Black-haired Lieutenant continued as he stared at the strange barrier. As the mist cleared further, he blinked in astonishment, the structure was a massive wall of ice, arcing up like a wave from the ground almost to the ceiling, with a large half-melted gouge coursing from the middle to the far edge of one side. Past which Angeal could see a black scorch tracing the wall. Damaged wires still sparking and destroyed wooden weapons scattered from their demolished racks.
"We're both fine." Cloud answered. Angeal huffed in relief, and knocked lightly on the barrier, his eyebrows raising at the sheer thickness of it, at least a foot thick if not two. The furrow, which he surmised came from Genesis' Fireball was almost six inches in. Though, speaking of the devil,
"I must say, I am no longer bored." The Red-Lieutenant drawled next to him, having stepped up to examine the frozen wall himself.
"Genesis!" Angeal snarled, "How could you-what were you thinking! You…you!"
The Auburn haired SOLDIER simply smirked, "May I infer you are no longer disturbed by their indistinguishable demeanors?"
"You're psychotic!"
Genesis just laughed softly. "If I may inquire, Cloud, how did you create this little marvel?"
"You mean the ice?" Cloud responded
"The rampart made thereof" The Lieutenant clarified.
"Didn't I make the ice?" Zack questioned in puzzlement.
Angeal sighed in exasperation. "No, Zack, you didn't make the ice." His student, unfortunately, had not been nearly reactive enough, and his Materia competency left something to be desired. The black haired Lieutenant turned a glare on his companion. "That is NOT important right now,"
"It is of paramount significance." The red-head smirked, then gestured to the wall in question. "This is not a conformation of magic that I could accomplish."
Angeal's thoughts stuttered for a moment at the uncharacteristic admission, but then he frowned further, "You certainly 'conformed' your magic well enough at my student!" He hissed,
"Your student is a SOLDIER Second Class, if he is inefficacious enough to take injury from that meager pyre, perhaps we should oblige to demote him."
His vocabulary is getting more obscure, the Black-haired SOLDIER mentally cringed, He's enjoying this… "And what about Cloud? He's just a cadet!"
"Fallacious." Genesis snorted, "We have antecedently established that Cloud possesses a Time-Traveling consciousness which only presently inhabits a cadet's body."
"Huh?" Zack's bemused voice echoed. "I don't know what Genesis is saying, but, um… if I didn't make the ice… why is my Materia broken, er… again?"
Angeal's thoughts screeched to a halt. "What? Broken? … what do you mean again!?"
"Yeah, I was wondering about that myself." Cloud mused, "Ah… not about the ice, but why his Materia broke, er… shattered really, but that makes no sense! Materia doesn't break."
"Um, … well it does sometimes…" Zack fumbled,
"Zack! What did you mean AGAIN?" Angeal snapped.
"Well he is learning from you," Genesis snarked,
"Not now, Gen!"
"But more critically, how did Cloud construct this barricade, when he has no equipped Materia?"
"He… what?" Again Angeal's thought process crashed, Cloud doesn't have any Materia… Angeal knew that! They'd made certain as part of the precautions against the cadet making a break for it. Then how did he…?
"Erm, … I used Zack's Materia,… but that should not have broken it! I've done this before and it's NEVER shattered a materia! That is absolutely not normal!" came Cloud's indignant explanation.
"So you invocated a paltry Blizzard Materia equipped on Zack into this unique composition?" Genesis clarified,
"Yes, I created the ice wall, with Zack's Materia, equipped on Zack. Turn off your thesaurus Genesis, it's getting tedious." Cloud's exasperated reply echoed over the barricade. "Now that that's established, can someone explain why Materia apparently breaks sometimes?"
"Shinra manufactures facsimi-… Knock-off, Materia." The auburn-haired Lieutenant replied, Angeal found himself stunned into silence, had… had Genesis actually toned himself down? … for a cadet? And, wait… knock-off? what other Materia was there? He could distantly hear Zack effusing compliments at the blond across the wall, blabbing about how 'cool' and 'awesome' the structure in question was, but the black-haired Lieutenant could only stare at his peer in shock.
"Knock-off…? Those cheapskate, spend-thrift little… I didn't even know you could…!" Cloud's initially outraged sputtering trailed off. "Actually, … that makes so much sense now."
One of Genesis eyebrows rose skeptically, "What exactly does that clarify?"
"Why SOLDIERs never seemed able to hold their own in spell casting."
Ouch! Angeal winced sympathetically as it was Genesis turn to stiffen in affront.
"I possess authentic Materia!" the red-headed Lieutenant hissed.
"That's good!" Cloud praised serenely, "but why doesn't everyone else? It's not even all that expensive!"
Not expensive? "You can buy real Materia?" Genesis voiced Angeal's thoughts almost perfectly.
"Yeah, absolutely, they're only like, six-hundred gil."
"Where?" Genesis growled demandingly
"The Slums," Came the blond's bemused reply, "Why don't you know this?"
"We don't really travel to the Slums much, except on missions." Angeal finally managed to re-enter the discussion.
"The Slums?!" Genesis entire demeanor dripped indignation, "I have to commission treasure-hunters for mine!"
"Somebody is fleecing you." Was the blond's smooth repartee, the red-head actually choked audibly in response. Angeal quivered with hastily suppressed laughter, he struggled to keep his face straight, as he knew Genesis would murder him if he saw his amusement. In a bid to prevent potential bloodshed, the black-haired SOLDIER hastily redirected the conversation.
"Hey Cloud, how do we take down this wall?" He accentuated his question with a loud knock on the ice.
"Anyone else have an Ice?" Cloud counter-queried.
"An Ice?" Zack asked, bemused.
"An Ice Materia?" the blond clarified.
"Don't you mean a Blizzard?"
"… What? No I mean an Ice… unless the fake ones are called Blizzard?"
"Uh, well mine was called Blizzard."
"Blizzard? Really?" The blond started cursing Shinra quietly under his breath. Angeal's keen SOLDIER hearing picking out words he cringed to think of Zack ignorantly repeating.
"I don't believe the Turks appreciate such disparaging remarks about their beloved employers, Cloud." Sephiroth's smooth baritone interrupted from the abandoned doorway. Angeal whirled around, spotting the General's impassive face observing the spectacle in the center of the room. Beside him Tseng stood with his head cocked, and a slightly perturbed expression that led the black-haired Lieutenant to suspect he couldn't hear the blond's comments. "Someone care to explain?" the Silver-haired SOLIDER gestured to the frozen partition with one gloved hand.
There was an awkward moment of silence.
"Training exercise, obviously." Genesis finally quipped with a characteristic smirk. One Silver eyebrow rose at that comment, before green slitted eyes landed on Angeal in silent demand for a more honest interperetation.
"Cloud made that," Angeal gestured a thumb at the wall behind him. "After Genesis threw a fireball while they were training. Now we need an Ice or a Blizzard or something to get it down? I think?"
"That would be the least messy option." Cloud offered stiffly.
"I have an Ice." Sephiroth offered, "How shall I proceed?"
"It's difficult to explain…" the blond trailed off.
"I have a thesaurus if you need." Genesis snickered. Angeal would swear he heard Cloud mutter "teenagers" under his breath in exasperation.
"I heard that." Sephiroth remarked drily,
"Oh," Cloud sounded abashed, "Good ears." He then sighed heavily, "Basically you have to reverse-cast, pulling the Ice magic back into your Materia."
"Reverse-cast?" Sephiroth repeated, the three ranked SOLDIERS shared an intrigued glance.
"Yeah, instead of letting the magic flow from the inside out through your hand, you have to grab the existing magic essence present in the ice wall and reel it into yourself… metaphorically."
Looking thoroughly fascinated by the idea, the General stepped up to the frosty barrier, placing one hand on its surface. A moment later a crack loudly split the surface of the wall.
"Less force!" Cloud sharply reprimanded, "More finesse! You need to pull the magic at a steady, even pace."
Sephiroth's face rippled through several expressions, finally settling on vaguely offended. Genesis cackled.
"Is it gonna explode?" Zack asked warily,
"If he yanks too hard." The blond answered easily. "Hey Zack, do you have a Barrier?"
The red-head laughed harder. With a quiet huff, Sephiroth closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in concentration.
Angeal watched with interest as the white frost coating the surface of the wall began lifting gently as if disturbed by wind. Then the ice seemed to quiver, the blue slowly turning white in a radius around the Silver General's hand. The black haired Lieutenant watched in astonishment as the entire barrier slowly turned from ice, to soft snow. It took another moment for him to realize the furthest edges were slowly 'shrinking' into itself, gently contracting with barely a whisper. As the barricade finally began disappearing, Angeal caught his first glimpse of the two students on the other side since Genesis' initial fiery assault. Zack was standing, blinking slowly in bafflement at the vanishing wall, one of Cloud's hands stretched up awkwardly to clap firmly over his mouth.
That explains the quiet… the Lieutenant thought in amusement. The small blond's other hand was clasped loosely over the Second Class' bracer, wise blue eyes locked on the progress Sephiroth was making with the ice-turned-snow. Ready to act at the first sign of danger. The black-haired SOLDIER realized, everything about the cadet's form reminded him of a cat, coiled and watching. Following his gaze, Angeal watched Sephiroth once more, noting that the resentful expression had faded along with the wall and the more familiar thoughtful introspection had taken its place. When the last tiny snowflake had faded away, the General stepped back, slowly lowering his extended hand to his side.
"That was… odd." He mused.
"Well done." Cloud said softly, when Angeal glanced over he had relaxed from his ready-stance, standing at ease once more. Zack, on the other hand, had started fidgeting nervously. Like an eager puppy… he couldn't help but think.
"So… how did the mission go?" the antsy Second Class segued awkwardly.
"Congratulations Cloud," Tseng's cultured voice interjected from the doorway. "You've been officially reinstated into the Turk Internship program."
Cloud smiled softly, "Thank you, Tseng." Then his lips twisted into amusement, "I was officially removed?"
"Unofficially." Tseng smoothly bantered. The blond chuckled.
"Congratulations Cloud," Genesis mimicked smugly, "On your Official instatement into the SOLDIER mentorship program."
"What?!" Angeal found himself shouting in shock. The cry was echoed by his student, except the younger teen sounded significantly more elated.
"Who is mentoring him?" Sephiroth frowned,
"I am." Smirked the Auburn-haired Lieutenant, oozing with self-satisfaction.
Genesis is WILLINGLY mentoring someone? GENESIS? Angeal knew he was gawping unattractively, but even Sephiroth was staring wide-eyed at their mutual friend. That's it, I'm just done with today. Maybe tomorrow will make more sense.
One would think after a hundred years of life, and more than one world threatening catastrophe, that Cloud would be used to having his plans thrown forcibly off-rail. But even as experienced as he was it was still surreal to be following a simple daily routine after such a massive upheaval. That could have gone really badly Cloud realized. He wasn't sure what would have happened if Tseng had decided to make him disappear instead of confronting him. Ah well, one more learning experience to add to the list.
He was finally cleared from light duty, and was starting his new set of classes. A message passed on through Reno advised him to report to one of the empty debriefing rooms. Upon walking through the door he found himself standing before Squad Sehkmet for the first time in weeks. The boys had been standing at attention facing a man who was so tall Cloud thought for a moment he was looking at Angeal. But a second glance cleared that misconception quickly. The uniformed giant was what Cloud could only describe as 'tidily hirsute'. With a thick, but neatly groomed beard, dense curly hair and a fur-like coating even over the backs of his hands.
"Cadet-Captain Strife" the Mountainous Officer acknowledged him before Cloud could even nod a greeting. "If you would join me here." One paw-like hand gestured in the empty space at the man's right. Cloud unhesitatingly moved to stand where indicated. Though the height difference between them made him feel particularly midget-y. "Squad Sehkmet. Welcome to Leadership Training. As you have been briefed, Cadet-Captain Strife has been designated as your superior officer. My name is Sergeant McMahon, you may also address me as 'Sergeant' or 'Sir'. I will be in charge of your training for the forseeable future. I will also be the one to decide who among you is not fit for the SOLDIER program. For the next few months my goal is to weed out as many weaklings as possible. If I have no cadets left at the end of your Training, well, that's just less paperwork for me."
Cloud was almost glad he had no memories of this class the first time around, this Sergeant was really laying on the intimidation tactics. What he remembered of his teenaged self had been a bit on the timid side.
"So if all you little girls are ready, let's get moving, there will be no hand-holding and no hair-braiding in this class. Cadet-Captain Strife, get your squad into the truck."
"Alright Squad, let's uh…" For a split-second Cloud had to resist the urge to say 'Let's Mosey'- "Let's Move Out!" He had barely started to turn before one of the boys, 'Ethan' by name, grumbled behind him,
"I heard him the first time."
Cloud didn't even have time to wince before the brunette youth was snatched out of his standing position by one massive hand. "Your Commanding Officer gave you an order Cadet!" The Sergeant yelled into the boy's face. Ethan's legs dangling over a foot off the ground as the front of his uniform was fisted in one hairy hand.
"B-but I thought-"the brown-haired teen yelped.
"You don't join SOLDIER to think unless your commanding officer TELLS you to think! Now if you want to think I can have your dismissal papers signed before you can sit your butt back down on your transport home! Is that understood Cadet?" The massive man snarled from a bare inch away, Wide-eyed and pale, the young boy nodded frantically.
"I'm afraid I didn't hear that." The Sergeant growled lowly.
"Sir! Yes Sir! Loud and Clear Sir!" Ethan squeaked. He was unceremoniously dropped back to his feet, where he hastily staggered back to formation. Cloud didn't wait for McMahon's gaze to drop back on him, but repeated his command without prompting.
With those 'inspiring' words, the squad marched out of the room and continued out of the Shinra Building entirely. In short order they found themselves packed into the back of a military transport truck, they rumbled their way out of Midgar in near silence. The rest of Cloud's squad unusually subdued under the gaze of the massive Sergeant. The sounds and smells of Midgar streets slowly gave way to the crunch of rough dirt and rocks, So Cloud wasn't surprised when the back of the transport vehicle opened to the dusty landscapes of the Waste, judging by the wide-eyed looks on the other teenage boys however, he was the only one.
"Alright little boys, welcome to the Wastes. From now on, this is your playground." Their Sergeant gestured widely to the near empty expanse around them. Cloud could see the walls of Midgar about a half mile away, but much closer was another transport vehicle, this one outfitted with several large cages instead of the troop benches and canopy. Inside of the closest one Cloud could just see the silhouette of a pacing black shape with four legs. The blond also noted four figures each placed at one of the cardinal directions. SOLDIER 3rds, if Cloud was any judge. As if reading his thoughts McMahon gestured to the men in question.
"These fine and upstanding gentlemen are SOLDIER Third Class. They are here to take your sorry selves to the hospital when you screw up." His hand moved to the cages. "This here is your date for the evening boys. You have two minutes on my mark to make any and all plans for engagement, or your funeral at your discretion. Each of you should have your own weapons, and I don't want to hear a peep about Cadet-Captain Strife having his own Materia, you got that?" Cloud blinked, he hadn't realized that anyone in the SOLDIER Prep. knew about those, considering that he'd gotten them from Genesis only the day before.
"Sir! Yes Sir!" the boys chanted,
The Sergeant demonstrably lifted his hand now grasping a stopwatch, "Mark."
Cloud immediately turned to the other boys. "For some of you, this will be your first battle," He flicked his gaze and took note of the most nervous of the faces. "but all of you are combat-trained. In a fight like this one, the most important thing is to keep your head, and hit the monster instead of each other. So I want all of you to spread out, semi-circle formation! If the monster comes at you, go on the defensive, and the Cadets next to you are to immediately engage from the sides. If the monster shifts its focus, back off and re-engage. I repeat, DO NOT HIT EACH OTHER!" He spent the rest of his scant 'planning' time, arranging the cadets in formation to hopefully cover each other's weaknesses. He placed himself in the back-center, and before McMahon could release the beast from its cage the blond made an effort to lock his eyes with the glowing yellow ones behind the bars, silently adjusting his body language and stance to scream 'challenging' to the best of his ability. He knew he'd succeeded when the creature stopped pacing and instead stared back with a low continuous growl.
With a click of the latch, Sergeant McMahon threw the door open, and like Cloud had been trying to orchestrate the Monster inside lunged out, immediately rushing straight for him. A Guard Hound, Cloud finally put a name to the muscular black shape, even as he drew his Turk issued sword, bringing it about in a flash to brace against the pouncing forelegs of this common Midgardian monster. His stance was solid, and even though he was a tiny figure the beast only managed to slide him backwards instead of bowl him over with the momentum. "Attack now!" He shouted to the Cadets on either side. Spurred into action they both jumped forwards, slashing out with their simple SOLDIER Prep. Blades.
The Guard Hound roared angrily, causing many of the teens to flinch, before the beast whirled to attack one of the Cadets who'd landed a blow. The boy flung himself backward with a startled yelp, not quite dodging the swiping paw, and also stumbling out of the formation.
"Kyle! Hold your ground!" Cloud shouted, instinctively activating the lowest level of the Restore Materia in his bracer.
Shaking with nerves the strawberry blond Cadet managed to bring up his sword in time to deflect the next blow. Cloud directed the two closest Cadets to attack while the Guard Hound was distracted. The beast snarled and whirled again. This time it's snapping teeth were deflected by Cyril's skilled blade, and the Hound yelped, it was short order after that for the Cadets to catch on to the wolf-pack strategy. In what seemed like no time, the group of teenagers was standing over the downed Monster, most watching in astonishment as it slowly merged with the Life Stream.
"Congratulations on defeating your first Monster, pathetic though it may have been." Sergeant McMahon's voice boomed from beside the truck. "Now don't go patting yourself on the back, My grandma coulda taken that one in her sleep." The burly man's gaze locked onto Kyle, "Cadet McKinzie, you flinch like that in a real battle, and you could cost yourself and your comrades their lives. Now I want you to think about that next time you'd rather back off when you're ordered to Stand Your Ground." To Cloud's surprise the dark gaze swept to him next. "Cadet-Captain Strife, excellent job commanding your troops. My only critique is in your use of Materia, I know it's all nice and shiny, but you shouldn't waste such resources on a minor injury, when you may need it for something more life-threatening."
Oh, Cloud nodded thoughtfully, I've been so busy training up my physical stamina, I forgot I don't have extra magic reserves to burn… "Yes Sir, I will remember that. Thank you, Sir." The Sergeant blinked once slowly, and Cloud realized he'd probably not been thanked for criticism before.
"Well, since you're all fresh as daisies thanks to Cadet-Captain Strife. This time you have the lovely privilege of a Double-date, with two more minutes to plan." He lifted his stop-watch again. "Mark."
Cloud felt a private thrill at the challenge of strategizing with fresh green troops. He rolled his shoulders to loosen them even as he turned to his squad mates with a confidence he now knew belied his apparent age.
((Author's Note:
More Long waits, sorry guys. Life was kinda throwing me curve-balls for a while there, lots of changes, Job changes, availability changes, and my two best idea bounding-boards were almost worse in schedule changes than me. Things have settled a bit at the moment, so we'll see if I can keep up some more regular momentum. At the very least you can trust that my friends and family are just as eager to see me write more as you guys. (at least they mention it often enough XD )
On another note: I really appreciate all of the offers for Beta Readers, (really, thanks!) but my writing style at the moment involves reading my story aloud to my siblings/friends and bouncing ideas/beta reading simultaneously. The OTHER problem with Beta Readers, is I'm usually so excited once I have a chapter done, that I'm too impatient to wait to post it. So again, much appreciated! Even if I can't take you up on the offer at present.
So here's another chapter for you guys to enjoy! I'll try to keep working on more to the best of my ability/availability. ;)
-Jianre M. A.K.A … Illusor Meaneld.))