[FFVII] Roundabout: Chapter 1
Jan. 3rd, 2006 11:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bard_linnTitle: Roundabout
Summary: No one had used that image for years. Cloud and Sephiroth had worked for decades to completely wipe out every trace of ShinRa, including the logo. So why was it here?
Pairing: CloudxSeph
Rated: R (overall)
Disclaimer: Sadly, they aren't mine. I really wish they were but you know how it is. Please don't sue. Then I can't buy Advent Children!
Many thanks tozalia and kiraya for betaing this chapter too! *sends love to both*
Prologue
Chapter 1
This couldn’t be happening.
Cloud stared in shock as Sephiroth’s body sank slowly to the ground and the creature flashed over to his fallen lover’s side. Their eyes met briefly before the sickening crack of Sephiroth’s neck being snapped sounded through the air. Even as he watched, the body of his friend turned to dust. “SEPH!”
Rage flooded through him, a kind of madness cause by loss and a feeling of aloneness. Compounding it was the shattering of the bond forged by Hojo years ago that had only strengthened with time. He didn’t care anymore; all that mattered was vengeance. “You…” He remembered how to do this too, though he hadn’t in so long. Last time, he had nearly died… but concern for his own safety never even crossed his thoughts. Cloud seized the power beneath his feet and yanked it into his mind. The energy of the Planet was bright and powerful; he could not contain it.
He didn’t want to.
The power flowed over his sword, ripping through him. “You will not get away!” He adjusted his stance and flashed forward, his sword making quick work of the beast. It lashed out, catching Cloud with his claws and fatally poisoning him.
Cloud did not feel it.
The sword cut into the beast’s flesh, spilling hot blood to the ground and drenching the warrior.
Cloud did not feel it.
Tears ran down Cloud’s face as the beast at last crashed to the ground, its life expended.
Cloud did not feel them.
The blond collapsed to the ground, lying beside his defeated enemy. He was dying, and knew it… but the thought brought him only joy. It had been a very long trip and he was glad to finally go home. “See you soon, Seph.” His body felt very heavy. Cloud closed his eyes and felt his soul separate from his body.
PAIN
Cloud gasped and let out a scream. How could he hurt this much after he was dead? The pain only increased, becoming more powerful by the second.He felt as if he were being twisted in two, yanked in opposite directions. Suddenly, one force let go and he found himself flying towards some unknown destination. Unable to handle the strain, he lost consciousness.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Cloud groaned, suddenly aware that his entire body ached with pain. He blinked his eyes open slowly, trying to remember what he had done to get himself in this state. Normally the mako would have handled this, especially if he was asleep.
Then he remembered.
‘Gods, Seph…’ Cloud felt his grief overtake him like a wave. Not only had the other man been his lover but Sephiroth had also been the one constant in the blond’s life. Now he was adrift without any anchor.
But how had he survived? Without help, he should have died… and no one was on the Planet to save him. Even so, all of Cloud’s senses told him he was in a hospital bed. The general feeling of these types of rooms hadn’t changed, even in all of these years. And with how often he'd needed to use them in the past, Cloud had become something of an expert in hospital furnishings.
Still, the doctors here couldn’t cure the worst of his wounds. He closed his eyes again and poked the bond that had once tied him to Sephiroth. Like picking a scab, he couldn’t help but prolong his own misery…
Except the bond wasn’t broken.
If Cloud had been standing, he would have fallen over. Weaker, yes, and it felt twisted, strange, but it was still there, and that meant Sephiroth was… alive.
But he had seen Sephiroth die before his very eyes! What was going on here?
Slowly the warrior began to take stock of himself, noting how odd his body felt. Still, it didn’t worry him; he had felt this before. It was normal after being separated from his body for some time. He needed to pull himself together as quickly as possible to find out what had happened and meet back up with Sephiroth.
“Sinclair!” A rough hand shook his shoulder. Without thinking, Cloud reached over and grabbed the offending appendage. “I’d suggest you let go, if you don’t want to lose your arm. You’re in enough trouble as it is.”
Cloud barely heard a word the man said. His eyes settled on the insignia adorning the man’s sleeve, his heart nearly stopping at the sight. No one had used that image for years. Cloud and Sephiroth had worked for decades to completely wipe out every trace of ShinRa, including the logo.
So why was it here, wherever ‘here’ was?
“Oy! SINCLAIR!”
Cloud blinked as the man said the name again. He definitely knew it, though he couldn’t remember where he had heard it…
“Is there a problem? We expected you some time ago.”
“Sinclair’s being uncooperative.”
Cloud had to stop himself from staring at the figure that had entered the room. The distinctive uniform, unforgettable glowing eyes, and most importantly, the unique mental echo caused by mako exposure were all present. This man had to be a SOLDIER.
But that was impossible! He and Sephiroth were the only SOLDIERs left in existence. This had to be a trick. Blue eyes narrowed. “Who are you?” The sound of his own voice startled him, so different from what he recalled. Had his vocal cords been damaged?
The figure frowned. “You don’t know who I am?”
“No.”
“Do you recognize him?” The SOLDIER pointed to the man who had attempted to wake him. Cloud shook his head. “Either you’re lying or….” The man turned and gestured to his subordinate. “Go find the doctor. I want him looked at again.” The SOLDIER left for a moment and then returned, carrying a small object. “Recognize yourself?”
Cloud took the mirror carefully, mentally rolling his eyes. Of course he would recognize himself; he had looked the same for more years than this imposter had been alive. He turned the mirror upwards, peering into the small reflective surface.
Only through great force of will was he able to hold back the scream that came to his lips as he saw the face of his dead best friend.
===========================
So. Anyone confused? >3
If anyone sees any errors please let me know so I can fix them. And let me know if you like it! Remember, free time x writer's motivation x expressed reader interest = more fic!
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Summary: No one had used that image for years. Cloud and Sephiroth had worked for decades to completely wipe out every trace of ShinRa, including the logo. So why was it here?
Pairing: CloudxSeph
Rated: R (overall)
Disclaimer: Sadly, they aren't mine. I really wish they were but you know how it is. Please don't sue. Then I can't buy Advent Children!
Many thanks to
zalia and kiraya for betaing this chapter too! *sends love to both*Prologue
Chapter 1
This couldn’t be happening.
Cloud stared in shock as Sephiroth’s body sank slowly to the ground and the creature flashed over to his fallen lover’s side. Their eyes met briefly before the sickening crack of Sephiroth’s neck being snapped sounded through the air. Even as he watched, the body of his friend turned to dust. “SEPH!”
Rage flooded through him, a kind of madness cause by loss and a feeling of aloneness. Compounding it was the shattering of the bond forged by Hojo years ago that had only strengthened with time. He didn’t care anymore; all that mattered was vengeance. “You…” He remembered how to do this too, though he hadn’t in so long. Last time, he had nearly died… but concern for his own safety never even crossed his thoughts. Cloud seized the power beneath his feet and yanked it into his mind. The energy of the Planet was bright and powerful; he could not contain it.
He didn’t want to.
The power flowed over his sword, ripping through him. “You will not get away!” He adjusted his stance and flashed forward, his sword making quick work of the beast. It lashed out, catching Cloud with his claws and fatally poisoning him.
Cloud did not feel it.
The sword cut into the beast’s flesh, spilling hot blood to the ground and drenching the warrior.
Cloud did not feel it.
Tears ran down Cloud’s face as the beast at last crashed to the ground, its life expended.
Cloud did not feel them.
The blond collapsed to the ground, lying beside his defeated enemy. He was dying, and knew it… but the thought brought him only joy. It had been a very long trip and he was glad to finally go home. “See you soon, Seph.” His body felt very heavy. Cloud closed his eyes and felt his soul separate from his body.
PAIN
Cloud gasped and let out a scream. How could he hurt this much after he was dead? The pain only increased, becoming more powerful by the second.He felt as if he were being twisted in two, yanked in opposite directions. Suddenly, one force let go and he found himself flying towards some unknown destination. Unable to handle the strain, he lost consciousness.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Cloud groaned, suddenly aware that his entire body ached with pain. He blinked his eyes open slowly, trying to remember what he had done to get himself in this state. Normally the mako would have handled this, especially if he was asleep.
Then he remembered.
‘Gods, Seph…’ Cloud felt his grief overtake him like a wave. Not only had the other man been his lover but Sephiroth had also been the one constant in the blond’s life. Now he was adrift without any anchor.
But how had he survived? Without help, he should have died… and no one was on the Planet to save him. Even so, all of Cloud’s senses told him he was in a hospital bed. The general feeling of these types of rooms hadn’t changed, even in all of these years. And with how often he'd needed to use them in the past, Cloud had become something of an expert in hospital furnishings.
Still, the doctors here couldn’t cure the worst of his wounds. He closed his eyes again and poked the bond that had once tied him to Sephiroth. Like picking a scab, he couldn’t help but prolong his own misery…
Except the bond wasn’t broken.
If Cloud had been standing, he would have fallen over. Weaker, yes, and it felt twisted, strange, but it was still there, and that meant Sephiroth was… alive.
But he had seen Sephiroth die before his very eyes! What was going on here?
Slowly the warrior began to take stock of himself, noting how odd his body felt. Still, it didn’t worry him; he had felt this before. It was normal after being separated from his body for some time. He needed to pull himself together as quickly as possible to find out what had happened and meet back up with Sephiroth.
“Sinclair!” A rough hand shook his shoulder. Without thinking, Cloud reached over and grabbed the offending appendage. “I’d suggest you let go, if you don’t want to lose your arm. You’re in enough trouble as it is.”
Cloud barely heard a word the man said. His eyes settled on the insignia adorning the man’s sleeve, his heart nearly stopping at the sight. No one had used that image for years. Cloud and Sephiroth had worked for decades to completely wipe out every trace of ShinRa, including the logo.
So why was it here, wherever ‘here’ was?
“Oy! SINCLAIR!”
Cloud blinked as the man said the name again. He definitely knew it, though he couldn’t remember where he had heard it…
“Is there a problem? We expected you some time ago.”
“Sinclair’s being uncooperative.”
Cloud had to stop himself from staring at the figure that had entered the room. The distinctive uniform, unforgettable glowing eyes, and most importantly, the unique mental echo caused by mako exposure were all present. This man had to be a SOLDIER.
But that was impossible! He and Sephiroth were the only SOLDIERs left in existence. This had to be a trick. Blue eyes narrowed. “Who are you?” The sound of his own voice startled him, so different from what he recalled. Had his vocal cords been damaged?
The figure frowned. “You don’t know who I am?”
“No.”
“Do you recognize him?” The SOLDIER pointed to the man who had attempted to wake him. Cloud shook his head. “Either you’re lying or….” The man turned and gestured to his subordinate. “Go find the doctor. I want him looked at again.” The SOLDIER left for a moment and then returned, carrying a small object. “Recognize yourself?”
Cloud took the mirror carefully, mentally rolling his eyes. Of course he would recognize himself; he had looked the same for more years than this imposter had been alive. He turned the mirror upwards, peering into the small reflective surface.
Only through great force of will was he able to hold back the scream that came to his lips as he saw the face of his dead best friend.
===========================
So. Anyone confused? >3
If anyone sees any errors please let me know so I can fix them. And let me know if you like it! Remember, free time x writer's motivation x expressed reader interest = more fic!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 04:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:12 pm (UTC)Now THAT would be telling, wouldn't it?
(no subject)
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Date: 2006-01-06 07:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-01-04 04:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 07:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-01-04 07:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 07:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 07:57 am (UTC)*repeated headdesk*
I hate and love you so much at the same time, now please please post more soon because I'm so confused right now!
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:09 pm (UTC)Soon enough, soon enough. : )
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 08:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 09:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:13 pm (UTC)You'll see, you'll see.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 10:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 10:50 am (UTC)they're alive *happy dance* and now? =P
i'm very curious about the story development, since up to now it's very intriguing.
*patiently settles for waiting*
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:17 pm (UTC)I'm glad it's intriguing!
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 11:48 am (UTC)At least this time I won’t yell “they’re dead!!” to all the people I’ll see today.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:02 pm (UTC)~Miri
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 02:57 pm (UTC)Interesting nontheless!
But... but... Wah. It better have be alright in the end! :D
(And, omg. You know how strange it was to read Butterfly Effect and realize I had something like it? xD; It's only a short thing, and probably won't go anywhere, but it's been lying on my comp for a while... So strange... xD;)
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 03:10 pm (UTC)Depends on your definition of "right"....
(The concept of Cloud finding Vin isn't exactly original. XD I do think some of the things we have planned for later are though...)
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From:ONE MORE TIME!
From:Re: ONE MORE TIME!
From:Re: ONE MORE TIME!
From:Re: ONE MORE TIME!
From:no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 03:50 pm (UTC)(Certainly would. *nod*)
no subject
Date: 2006-01-04 03:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-01-05 03:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 04:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
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From:no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 07:22 am (UTC)Hope you can post the next part soon.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-07 11:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-17 08:37 pm (UTC)Bard Linn of Wow. Yeah. That's your title. You have a title now. ^__^;
no subject
Date: 2006-01-17 09:36 pm (UTC)I'm glad you like it. I was working on chapter three in the dentist today. ^.^
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Date: 2006-02-11 06:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-24 07:12 am (UTC)