Butterfly Effect: Chapter 12
May. 20th, 2006 08:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bard_linnAuthors: Bard Linn and Kiraya
Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: None, at the moment.
Rating (Overall): PG-13
Summary: His eyes turned farther up the path, focusing on something only he could see. “Even so, I still have a lot to learn.”
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all associated characters and symbols are the exclusive property of Square Enix and its associates. We’re just borrowing them for a while.
Chapter 12
“So, we’re going to split up our group today. One pair will go up to investigate the reactor; the other will be interviewing the townsfolk. To be absolutely fair on deciding who goes where, we’ll draw straws. Cloud?”
Cloud kept his amusement to himself, both at Zack’s cheerful attitude despite the time (the sun had yet to rise) and his little ‘drawing straws’ antic. He was surprised, however, that General Sephiroth wasn’t intervening to stop Zack’s little showman act. “I couldn’t find any straws, but I did get some slips of paper. Blue-colored ends stay in the town, and white ends will go to the reactor. Arthur?”
The trooper pulled one of the papers from Cloud’s closed hand, coming away with a blue-tipped strip. The youth visibly relaxed; clearly he was glad not to be going up the mountain, though that was unsurprising, considering the local monster population. Cloud continued around the room clockwise, stopping in front of Sephiroth next. The General did not roll his eyes, though Cloud got the distinct feeling he wanted to. He pulled a slip free — another blue one. In contrast to Arthur, Sephiroth did not look relieved; instead, he appeared to be trying to hide his irritation. Also not surprising, since the man probably would have liked to hunt down some of the aforementioned monsters. Zack went next, coming away with a raggedy white strip, as did Cloud.
“Well, that’s settled, then! Cloud and I will go up the reactor. Get your stuff together; our guide will be here shortly,” Zack instructed his partner.
“Yes, sir.” Cloud grabbed his helmet and gun, then nudged Arthur. The other teen looked as white as a sheet, undoubtedly because he was paired with the General. Well, Cloud couldn’t honestly say that he wouldn’t have felt the same if it had been him… especially with the elite SOLDIER frowning like that. “Why don’t you go get some breakfast? They make good omelets here.” Arthur nodded weakly and headed downstairs. Cloud followed, leaving the SOLDIERs behind.
The minute the regulars had closed the door behind them, Sephiroth turned to Zack. His friend beat him to speaking. “No, Seph. We aren’t switching.”
The General didn’t bother trying to hide his annoyance anymore. “Zack—”
“I’m perfectly capable of handling anything we may meet on the way up there, and you know that. Cloud is hardly an untried greenie either, and Vincent will be coming as well.” Well, considering what had happened yesterday, he supposed that wasn’t exactly reassuring, but… at least having Cloud around might help with the man’s demons, should there be trouble again. “And before you think about it — if you order me to switch with you, you’ll be demonstrating a lack of confidence in my abilities.”
Damn him. Sephiroth resisted the urge to grind his teeth. “You’re far better at interviewing civilians than I.”
“It’ll be good practice for you,” Zack replied, eyes twinkling. “Low-pressure environment, too; you’ve got a pretty small audience.”
“Zachary—”
“Everything will be fine, Seph. Trust me.” Zack grinned, clasping Sephiroth’s shoulder. “Now, we better get going before our compatriots get in trouble.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sadly, Zack didn’t know how right he was.
Arthur was safe inside the inn, eating his omelet almost happily, but Cloud was already outside, having grabbed a quick breakfast before Zack had split them up. He had been waiting rather patiently… until he spotted the inn’s current man-of-all-work rounding the corner.
Jack Maynard.
Cloud groaned. What were the odds? He briefly considered ducking back inside, but the man spotted him just as the thought crossed his mind. Lugging a rather large bundle of firewood, the man swaggered over to the youth. “Hey… I remember you. You’re that punk who came by here before.”
Cloud sighed. Apparently two years wasn’t enough to make Maynard forget; this was the third time the bully had targeted him. Of course, they always said the third time was the charm…
“So, I guess you were a ShinRa spy last time, eh? Dragged those money-grubbing bastards out here, huh?” Cloud inwardly groaned at the man’s stupidity. He could understand Maynard’s dislike of ShinRa — the company hadn’t done a lot lately to make those out in the farthest reaches of their control very happy — but last time the man had thought Cloud was a kid! How stupid could he be? “…You know, we don’t take kindly to spies here.” Firewood crashed to the ground with a thud as Maynard advanced menacingly. Cloud shifted into a offensive position, finally glad to have the chance to give the bully a taste of his own medicine—
“Yo, Cloud!”
Maynard stopped, fear flashing in his eyes as he caught sight of Zack coming up behind his would-be victim. The man may have been stupid, but even he knew better than to mess with a SOLDIER. Shooting the blond a dirty look, he retrieved his load and continued around the side of building to the inn’s back entrance. Cloud yanked his helmet on, all the while wondering what deity out there decided he or she liked to mess with one teenage boy’s life so much.
“Ready to head up?” Zack asked, looking utterly confident, materia and Buster Sword glinting in the dawning sunlight.
Cloud suppressed a quick flash of envy. Someday he’d get to be a SOLDIER, too, on his own merits. “Yes, sir!”
“Good. Now all we need is our guide.”
As if on cue, a young woman came out of a house down the street and sprinted over towards them. Many would say that Tifa Lockhart’s beauty had only grown greater over the years, that she was well on her way to becoming a lovely young woman. Cloud’s eyes, however, weren’t focused on her hair, face, or her other physical attributes. He was watching her smooth movements, the subtle signs of her training. Two years had forged her into an even better fighter; the blond could tell that much just from watching her move.
“Good morning! I’m Tifa Lockhart, and I’ll be your guide up the mountain.”
“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Lockhart. I must admit, I’m surprised the mayor would let his daughter go on this trip.” Zack smiled appreciatively. “You must be an extraordinary young woman.”
Tifa blushed a little. “Well, I’m the best fighter this town has, so…”
“I see! Beautiful and deadly — quite a combination! Oh, by the way… We will have another company agent joining us; he’s already in the mountains, though, so we don’t have to wait for him. We’re ready to go when you are.”
The brunette nodded. “General Sephiroth isn’t coming with us?” she asked, glancing around.
“Due to some of the signs we saw yesterday the General is going to do a bit of investigation around town here,” Zack lied smoothly. He gestured extravagantly toward the path leading into the mountains. “After you, Ms. Lockhart.”
“Don’t flirt on the job,” Cloud hissed softly as they walked out of town, following Tifa.
Zack glanced over at him, amused. “Don’t pretend you’re Sephiroth,” the man teased. Cloud was suddenly glad for his helmet, which hid his furious blushing. What was he supposed to say in reply to that?
The SOLDIER chuckled a little, stretching and clasping his hands behind his head. “But really, Cloud… if you’re interested in her, just let me know and I’ll knock it off, all right?”
Cloud was startled into silence for a moment before firmly shaking his head. “I don’t like her like that, Zack; I hardly know her. Anyway… she’s a year younger than me. You really shouldn’t lead her on like that. Odds are pretty high you’ll never see her again after this mission.”
“True.” Zack sighed dramatically, but his smile showed he was only joking. “You have to be annoyingly logical, don’t you?” They walked in silence for a long moment, letting Tifa gain a significant lead that allowed her to scout out the trail and gave them privacy to talk. “So, anyway… how long have you been training with Vincent?”
The blond was surprised by the question, but answered it truthfully. “Since I was five— well, closer to six, really. It was late spring, early summer when we started with the basics, and I kept working with him until I left for Midgar.”
Zack whistled, impressed. “Eight years? That’s a long time.”
“I guess.” Cloud spread his hands and shrugged, a gesture he had picked up from the SOLDIER. “It’s not like there’s much else to do around here. And even so…” His eyes turned farther up the path, focusing on something only he could see. “Even so, I still have a lot to learn.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vincent Valentine silently watched the trio climb the mountain from the shadow of a rocky outcropping. He briefly glanced at the Lockhart girl (she was a good fighter, as he knew from his observations over the years; he had even integrated some of the style she used into his own hand-to-hand), then focused his gaze on the two uniformed figures walking a short distance behind her. Cloud appeared to be rather… happy. It was difficult to tell for sure without being able to see his face, but he moved with ease next to the lieutenant, completely lacking the stiffness he generally adopted when in an uncomfortable situation. He was certainly talking to Sinclair with far more openness than Vincent would have expected. Generally his pupil was only that outspoken with him.
The gunman ruthlessly squished the tiny flare of jealousy that appeared at that thought.
Still, Vincent wondered if the SOLDIER realized just how remarkable the boy was. He had been shocked himself when Cloud had stood up to Hellmasker. It was one of the most intimidating of the monsters that dwelt within him, but the blond had faced it despite his obvious fear… had even gone so far as to order his lifelong idol, of all people, not to hurt the thing Vincent had become, despite it being armed, dangerous, and obviously mentally unstable.
For a moment, the former Turk was humbled by the young man Cloud had become. He had changed a great deal from the inquisitive youth who had freed him years ago, and yet… and yet he was still very much the same.
At the same time, though, the gunman couldn’t help remembering Hellmasker’s unexpected reaction to Cloud’s presence. That all-consuming rage, that need to get to Hojo at any cost, had become edged with sharp irritation when he had refused to help them, soured by the knowledge that things would be infinitely more difficult if the boy stood in their way. Hellmasker had easily dismissed the two SOLDIERs as potential casualties in the accomplishment of their goal, but… the issue of possibly hurting Cloud as well had never even entered the equation.
Vincent wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or worried that his inner demons seemed to have become, in their own peculiar way, nearly as protective of his student as he was.
Rousing himself from his thoughts, the former Turk straightened as the approaching fighters finally came within earshot.
“…still have a lot to learn,” his protégé admitted.
“Indeed. Well, that’s what I’m here for!” His SOLDIER companion grinned.
“And Vincent,” Cloud interjected. “It never hurts to have multiple teachers, you know—”
“Well said, Cloud,” Vincent said smoothly as he stepped into the light.
Zack jumped, stifling a yelp of surprise. “Don’t do that!” he commanded, glaring at Vincent, who had a strange twinkle (could it have been amusement?) in his wine-red eyes. A quick look at Cloud showed the trooper to be completely at ease. “How do you always know he’s there?”
“I generally have a pretty good idea of when he’s around, even if I don’t know exactly where he is.” The blond smirked a little. “You try having somebody jump you on a regular basis at least a few times every day for several years, and see if you don’t develop that kind of ‘radar.’”
Zack’s eyebrows rose in surprise, and he cast an inquiring glance at Vincent, who, not particularly inclined to explain his methods, simply shrugged before addressing his student.
“Leave the helmet behind; it hampers your vision too much. And… I believe you would be better armed with these.” He held out the staff Cloud had left at his mother’s house and the gun he had rescued from the wreckage of the shack.
Cloud’s fingers lingered on the weapon’s smooth metal surface as he carefully secured it to his belt. More than anything else, the return of this weapon was his teacher’s way of showing his forgiveness and a renewal of trust. “Thank you, Vincent.”
His mentor nodded briefly before turning to the lieutenant. “Sinclair, I believe you have never been in these mountains before?”
“Not since before yesterday, anyway,” Zack replied.
“Then I suggest you follow me for now. Ms. Lockhart will certainly wish to use the old bridge; I doubt she fully realizes the extent of the deterioration of its structural integrity.”
Zack shot Cloud a confused glance. “The bridge broke a few years ago,” the blond explained. “It was pretty big news in town, actually. I wasn’t there, but I heard some kids got hurt. They did repair it, but… I’m really not sure how good of a job they did. Not many people use it, anyway.”
“Ahh.” Zack nodded, moving ahead to flag down Tifa.
Cloud changed his pace to match his mentor’s stride step for step. “I’m glad you’re coming with us,” he said honestly.
“This is hardly an area I would let you travel alone, Cloud.” Vincent’s lips quirked slightly, recalling a trip that had nearly ended in disaster. “And I believe I owe you a trip to a certain materia cave, no?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sephiroth watched from the window as Zack greeted his young guide, and the slightest smirk graced his lips as he observed his aide’s behavior. He hoped Strife knew what he had gotten himself into when he had been partnered with Zack. The dark-haired man was a notorious flirt, though he was usually pretty good about not letting it interfere with his missions… too much.
Half of the time Sephiroth thought Zack did it just to annoy him.
Once the group had vanished up the path into the mountains, hidden from his enhanced eyesight by the thickly forested slopes, Sephiroth headed downstairs. He glanced carefully around the common room, completely empty except for the innkeeper and Dennett, who sat at one of the tables eating breakfast. With a sigh, the General ordered a cup of coffee. While he did not necessarily need the caffeine — with his enhanced metabolism, it didn’t tend to actually do much unless he drank it in ridiculous quantities — he did enjoy the taste when it was well brewed (something he enjoyed only rarely; unfortunately, most of the coffee back in Midgar, particularly the brew the company used, was either too weak for his liking or had very poor consistency, though every once in a while someone, usually Zack, managed to scrounge up a decent cup for him at one of those pretentious little cafés scattered around above the Plate). Taking a sip of the dark liquid the innkeeper brought him, Sephiroth found himself pleasantly surprised. It was very good, rich and just as strong as he liked it. A shame he couldn’t take some back to the city…
The silver-haired man settled in with his blessed cup, feeling Dennett staring nervously at him from the corner of his eye. The General wished he could leave this town already and go back to his office, where he only had to deal with a handful of people on a regular basis. Dennett was bad enough, but the townspeople would be even worse. Unfortunately most of them would not be up for some time, and until they rose he couldn’t hurry along this little investigation. So for now he waited, glancing at the inn’s clock every few minutes. Finally he noticed movement outside. “Dennett.”
The regular started in surprise. “Y-yes, sir?” he asked, practically quivering in his boots.
“We’re moving out.”
“Yes, sir!” Dennett quickly grabbed his helmet and shoved it on, his regulation rifle in his hands a moment later. Sephiroth chose to ignore the boy’s nervous stride as they left the inn for the town’s main square. He also ignored how everyone froze at his appearance.
Silence reigned for several minutes as the residents of Nibelheim stared at the living legend who had entered their lives. Finally, one stepped hesitatingly forward, wielding a camera almost defensively. “Excuse me, sir… could I have a picture?”
Sephiroth blinked, rather taken aback. No one had ever really asked for his picture before; his earliest photographs had been taken for scientific documentation, and later pictures were taken by the press at conferences or whenever the media hounds could get the chance. Even with civilians it was usually “Please, General, look this way!” and several bright flashes followed by hurried scurrying away as if they feared his wrath, cameras cradled close to their chests like treasured children.
Unfortunately, he hesitated a moment too long; the man grinned, apparently taking his lack of refusal as acquiescence, and raised the camera. A quick flash left Sephiroth blinking quickly, trying to disperse the spots floating before his eyes.
A young girl ran up and stood next to Sephiroth, looking at the photographer in entreaty. “I want a picture with the General, too! Will you take my picture?”
“Sure!”
“I’m next!” A teenager cried.
His friend elbowed him. “No, me!”
“Will you hold my son, General? He’s a big fan of yours.”
Sephiroth forcefully reminded himself that killing civilians without sufficient justification (or at least orders from ShinRa’s upper echelons) was against company policy. And no matter how comforting the Fire materia in the Masamune’s hilt was, nothing these people had done justified torching the town.
“Can you please sign my photo, sir?”
Really.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Zack could remember the results of Cloud’s SOLDIER exam rather well. The boy’s physical talents had been marked as average for his age level, but over the months they’d trained together Zack had been forced to wonder if those results were truly accurate. Watching Cloud fight in the little skirmishes they ran into as they traveled up the mountain only confirmed his suspicions. With the secret of his teaching revealed, the kid apparently felt it unnecessary to hide his abilities any longer… and what showed was impressive. The blond’s hand-to-hand ability was formidable, and his gun skills were no joke either. Cloud was a damn good shot, even if he was nowhere near Valentine’s level. His greatest strength, though, was obviously with the staff; Zack wasn’t sure he could have beaten Cloud in a staff duel without drawing on his SOLDIER-enhanced abilities.
The more Zack watched Cloud, the more he was convinced the youth had deliberately hidden his skills, though why was beyond him. If the blond had worked to his full potential, he would have had a much better chance of making it into SOLDIER. His Mako tolerance results hadn’t been extraordinary, but he’d passed, and his mental acuity had been above the average. Really, the worst of it had been the kid’s social adaptability. Cloud actively avoided interacting with his peers most of the time, and was rather inept when forced to do so, a major disadvantage for someone in an outfit whose members usually worked in groups.
Having met Vincent, Zack could see where Cloud had acquired that little handicap. The former Turk could’ve given Sephiroth a run for his money in a contest for “most anti-social individual of the year.” However, the kid’s interaction with Vincent proved he still could develop the skills he needed to excel in SOLDIER. The student and his mentor had a relationship on the highest level; they rarely even needed words to communicate. Zack could easily see the parallels between their relationship and his own with Sephiroth. It was a rare thing indeed, being able to forge such bonds… and in the army, a commander who could connect like that with his subordinate officers was easily worth his weight in mythril.
Zack silently vowed he would get Cloud into SOLDIER, one way or another. Sure, the kid might want to kill him by the time the lieutenant let up on the training he had planned, but it would be well worth it.
By now Tifa had long exhausted what little knowledge she had of where they were going. However, none of her companions mentioned this, content to allow Cloud to subtly direct the girl, sparing her any embarrassment. The blond was having difficulties as well, trying to dig up memories that had long ago been buried in the furthest corners of his mind, but after what seemed an eternity of following the winding mountain paths, the four found themselves inside a very unusual-looking cavern.
“What is this place?” Tifa asked, staring at the smooth, almost glowing walls in wonder.
“A materia cave,” Zack replied softly. He had never seen one before, but he recognized it from descriptions he had read.
“Wow.”
The quartet stayed quiet for a long time after Tifa’s whisper. Finally, Vincent moved forward to address their guide, bringing up the issue Zack and Cloud had been avoiding. “Ms. Lockhart, am I correct in assuming you do not know the way from here?” Tifa reluctantly nodded, face slightly flushed in embarrassment. “Then we had best take our next steps carefully. I will take the left tunnel. Sinclair, go with Ms. Lockhart to the right. Cloud, stay here. We’ll come back when we discover the correct path.”
“All right,” the boy replied.
Noting the odd tone in Cloud’s voice, Zack shot him a sharp look. He kept his question quiet so only Vincent could catch it. “Is that a good idea? The kid doesn’t look so hot…”
“This place is home to one of Cloud’s last memories of his father. I suspect he would like a few minutes alone,” the gunner replied, keeping his voice at the same level.
“Oh.” Zack immediately felt guilty, though he wasn’t quite sure why. Glancing once more at his friend, he sidled up next to Tifa. “I guess it’s just you and me then, Ms. Lockhart. We’ll see you in a bit, Cloud!”
“Behave, Zack,” the blond admonished as Tifa blushed.
“You know me, kid. I’m always good!”
“Ha! I’ll believe that when I see it!” he shot back as the pair of them disappeared down the tunnel, flashing a grateful look at his mentor. Vincent said nothing, but gave a nod before vanishing into the shadows himself.
Cloud approached the fountain at the center of the cave, staring at its crystalline slopes. Mako rippled slowly below the surface, its soft glow mesmerizing. Pulling off his glove, he touched the hard, crystalline surface at its edge; it was cool and oddly soothing.
“Hello, Dad.” The blond immediately felt more than a little foolish, but pressed on anyway. “I’m sorry… I haven’t been doing as much for Mom as I should have. And I don’t remember you very well.” The youth paused, attempting to swallow his tears around the lump that had abruptly appeared in his throat. Was it because he missed his father, or because he had never really known the man? “I wish you were here,” Cloud continued, his tone wistful. “It’s been hard sometimes, but I’m doing the best I can. I’ll try to take care of Mom, and… and Vincent and the others, too.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I hope you’d be proud of me.”
“Cloud! We found it!”
“Coming!” the trooper called back. He turned away from the fountain, but stopped when a small flash of color caught his attention. Bending down, Cloud scooped up the small materia at the edge of the fountain, marveling at its vivid blue hue. He’d never seen one like this before. “Thanks, Dad.” Somehow no longer feeling foolish at all, the youth slipped the materia into his pocket before going after his mentor so they could rejoin their companions. Maybe Zack or Vincent could tell him what his father’s gift could do.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It wasn’t long before Cloud and Vincent met the rest of their group where they waited just outside. “Everything all right?” Zack asked, looking slightly worried as he examined the blond.
“Yeah,” Cloud replied. His fingers drifted towards his pocket momentarily only to change course halfway and land on his gun instead. “Are we ready to go?”
“You bet.” Zack visibly brightened at Cloud’s collected response, grateful his friend was okay. “We have to start being a little more careful, though; the monsters around this area seem stronger, probably due to high Mako exposure. I’ll take point. Valentine—”
“I will be rear guard.”
“Good. Ms. Lockhart, Cloud, stay together and make sure you’re ready to fight. Let’s move out.”
The trek wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Through careful scouting they managed to avoid many of the monsters. Still, Cloud found himself growing rather edgy. The way Tifa’s eyes constantly followed him was rather unnerving. Finally, he turned his head and asked, “Something bothering you?”
“You’re Elanor Strife’s son, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Cloud confirmed, a bit surprised by the question.
“I thought so!” she exclaimed triumphantly. “Wasn’t quite sure, though — I mean, I never saw you much before you left for Midgar, and I was busy yesterday when you guys came into town, but… I’ve never seen anyone else who has hair like yours.”
Cloud flushed and self-consciously ran a hand through his gravity-defying locks. “I guess it is kind of recognizable.” He wasn’t particularly fond of his hair, but usually he just ignored it. It wasn’t like he was some girl, obsessing over his appearance all the time.
He had to admit, though, that he really liked the illusion of height it created.
“I think it’s cute, actually.” Tifa tilted her head to the side. “It looks good on you. Certainly better than Lieutenant Sinclair’s! I’m surprised he doesn’t get his sword all tangled up in that shaggy mess.”
Cloud was surprised by the compliment, and not quite sure how to respond. Finally he decided to just continue with the Zack teasing. It wasn’t like the man didn’t deserve a little payback. “Or cut it off with that little victory routine of his,” he countered, recalling the complicated series of spins Zack seemed so fond of indulging in when he had vanquished an enemy. His lips quirked slightly at the memory.
Tifa snickered. “He reminds me of Amanda when he does that. She’s knocked over her mother’s loom a few times while trying to pull off some tricks.” She received a blank stare from her companion. “Amanda Pierce, Robert and Mary Ann’s daughter.”
Cloud shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever met them.” He picked up his pace a little, wishing they were at the reactor already. He might not have been as bad as Vincent was, but social interaction was definitely not his forte.
“Well, Amanda is rather obsessed with tossing sticks around. I think she’s trying to teach herself to juggle, but I’ve never really been able to figure it out. Her mother keeps trying to get her to learn how to weave, but she won’t sit still long enough.”
“Ah.” As they passed under the shadow of a rocky overhang, Cloud rolled his eyes. Girls yammered on about the strangest things; why couldn’t they talk about something sensible?
“Where were you all of those years anyway?”
Oh, just finding a former Turk lying in a coffin under the haunted mansion, and then getting training in a great deal of things that would probably have given Mom a heart attack if she’d known about it. While his mother had supported his dream to join SOLDIER, Cloud had the distinct feeling she would’ve greatly disapproved of her son learning some of the things Vincent had taught him as young as he had. “Um… here and there,” the blond replied evasively. “I did a lot of exploring in the mansion and the mountains, though I never came up this far. Too dangerous.”
“The mansion?” Tifa raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Most of the village boys like to brag they’ve gone into the Shinra Mansion. It’s always pretty obvious who’s lying, though, and the few who are telling the truth… well, I’ve seen most of them do it. Turns out that ‘in’ is usually just sneaking through the gate and crossing the garden to touch the front door.” She cocked her head at him. “And you say you’ve actually gone inside in? Well, tell me, then… is it as creepy as it looks from the outside?”
“A little,” Cloud conceded, though for him the mansion held several very happy memories. He doubted anything could ever happen to make him genuinely hate the place. “It’s really just an abandoned house full of dust and old furniture. There are a few monsters, and lots of secret passages, but it’s not like it’s haunted or anything.”
“Hmm.”
“We’re here!” Zack announced as they climbed one final rise. There stood the reactor, a gigantic metallic beast looming menacingly against the dark Nibelheim mountains. “Ms. Lockhart, I’m afraid you’ll need to stay outside; we’re likely to be working with classified information in here. I’m confident in your ability to handle whatever sort of monsters might show up.” He smiled charmingly at their guide, who blushed a little at the compliment, then nodded to the others. “Valentine, Cloud… let’s get this over with.”
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Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: None, at the moment.
Rating (Overall): PG-13
Summary: His eyes turned farther up the path, focusing on something only he could see. “Even so, I still have a lot to learn.”
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all associated characters and symbols are the exclusive property of Square Enix and its associates. We’re just borrowing them for a while.
Chapter 12
“So, we’re going to split up our group today. One pair will go up to investigate the reactor; the other will be interviewing the townsfolk. To be absolutely fair on deciding who goes where, we’ll draw straws. Cloud?”
Cloud kept his amusement to himself, both at Zack’s cheerful attitude despite the time (the sun had yet to rise) and his little ‘drawing straws’ antic. He was surprised, however, that General Sephiroth wasn’t intervening to stop Zack’s little showman act. “I couldn’t find any straws, but I did get some slips of paper. Blue-colored ends stay in the town, and white ends will go to the reactor. Arthur?”
The trooper pulled one of the papers from Cloud’s closed hand, coming away with a blue-tipped strip. The youth visibly relaxed; clearly he was glad not to be going up the mountain, though that was unsurprising, considering the local monster population. Cloud continued around the room clockwise, stopping in front of Sephiroth next. The General did not roll his eyes, though Cloud got the distinct feeling he wanted to. He pulled a slip free — another blue one. In contrast to Arthur, Sephiroth did not look relieved; instead, he appeared to be trying to hide his irritation. Also not surprising, since the man probably would have liked to hunt down some of the aforementioned monsters. Zack went next, coming away with a raggedy white strip, as did Cloud.
“Well, that’s settled, then! Cloud and I will go up the reactor. Get your stuff together; our guide will be here shortly,” Zack instructed his partner.
“Yes, sir.” Cloud grabbed his helmet and gun, then nudged Arthur. The other teen looked as white as a sheet, undoubtedly because he was paired with the General. Well, Cloud couldn’t honestly say that he wouldn’t have felt the same if it had been him… especially with the elite SOLDIER frowning like that. “Why don’t you go get some breakfast? They make good omelets here.” Arthur nodded weakly and headed downstairs. Cloud followed, leaving the SOLDIERs behind.
The minute the regulars had closed the door behind them, Sephiroth turned to Zack. His friend beat him to speaking. “No, Seph. We aren’t switching.”
The General didn’t bother trying to hide his annoyance anymore. “Zack—”
“I’m perfectly capable of handling anything we may meet on the way up there, and you know that. Cloud is hardly an untried greenie either, and Vincent will be coming as well.” Well, considering what had happened yesterday, he supposed that wasn’t exactly reassuring, but… at least having Cloud around might help with the man’s demons, should there be trouble again. “And before you think about it — if you order me to switch with you, you’ll be demonstrating a lack of confidence in my abilities.”
Damn him. Sephiroth resisted the urge to grind his teeth. “You’re far better at interviewing civilians than I.”
“It’ll be good practice for you,” Zack replied, eyes twinkling. “Low-pressure environment, too; you’ve got a pretty small audience.”
“Zachary—”
“Everything will be fine, Seph. Trust me.” Zack grinned, clasping Sephiroth’s shoulder. “Now, we better get going before our compatriots get in trouble.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sadly, Zack didn’t know how right he was.
Arthur was safe inside the inn, eating his omelet almost happily, but Cloud was already outside, having grabbed a quick breakfast before Zack had split them up. He had been waiting rather patiently… until he spotted the inn’s current man-of-all-work rounding the corner.
Jack Maynard.
Cloud groaned. What were the odds? He briefly considered ducking back inside, but the man spotted him just as the thought crossed his mind. Lugging a rather large bundle of firewood, the man swaggered over to the youth. “Hey… I remember you. You’re that punk who came by here before.”
Cloud sighed. Apparently two years wasn’t enough to make Maynard forget; this was the third time the bully had targeted him. Of course, they always said the third time was the charm…
“So, I guess you were a ShinRa spy last time, eh? Dragged those money-grubbing bastards out here, huh?” Cloud inwardly groaned at the man’s stupidity. He could understand Maynard’s dislike of ShinRa — the company hadn’t done a lot lately to make those out in the farthest reaches of their control very happy — but last time the man had thought Cloud was a kid! How stupid could he be? “…You know, we don’t take kindly to spies here.” Firewood crashed to the ground with a thud as Maynard advanced menacingly. Cloud shifted into a offensive position, finally glad to have the chance to give the bully a taste of his own medicine—
“Yo, Cloud!”
Maynard stopped, fear flashing in his eyes as he caught sight of Zack coming up behind his would-be victim. The man may have been stupid, but even he knew better than to mess with a SOLDIER. Shooting the blond a dirty look, he retrieved his load and continued around the side of building to the inn’s back entrance. Cloud yanked his helmet on, all the while wondering what deity out there decided he or she liked to mess with one teenage boy’s life so much.
“Ready to head up?” Zack asked, looking utterly confident, materia and Buster Sword glinting in the dawning sunlight.
Cloud suppressed a quick flash of envy. Someday he’d get to be a SOLDIER, too, on his own merits. “Yes, sir!”
“Good. Now all we need is our guide.”
As if on cue, a young woman came out of a house down the street and sprinted over towards them. Many would say that Tifa Lockhart’s beauty had only grown greater over the years, that she was well on her way to becoming a lovely young woman. Cloud’s eyes, however, weren’t focused on her hair, face, or her other physical attributes. He was watching her smooth movements, the subtle signs of her training. Two years had forged her into an even better fighter; the blond could tell that much just from watching her move.
“Good morning! I’m Tifa Lockhart, and I’ll be your guide up the mountain.”
“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Lockhart. I must admit, I’m surprised the mayor would let his daughter go on this trip.” Zack smiled appreciatively. “You must be an extraordinary young woman.”
Tifa blushed a little. “Well, I’m the best fighter this town has, so…”
“I see! Beautiful and deadly — quite a combination! Oh, by the way… We will have another company agent joining us; he’s already in the mountains, though, so we don’t have to wait for him. We’re ready to go when you are.”
The brunette nodded. “General Sephiroth isn’t coming with us?” she asked, glancing around.
“Due to some of the signs we saw yesterday the General is going to do a bit of investigation around town here,” Zack lied smoothly. He gestured extravagantly toward the path leading into the mountains. “After you, Ms. Lockhart.”
“Don’t flirt on the job,” Cloud hissed softly as they walked out of town, following Tifa.
Zack glanced over at him, amused. “Don’t pretend you’re Sephiroth,” the man teased. Cloud was suddenly glad for his helmet, which hid his furious blushing. What was he supposed to say in reply to that?
The SOLDIER chuckled a little, stretching and clasping his hands behind his head. “But really, Cloud… if you’re interested in her, just let me know and I’ll knock it off, all right?”
Cloud was startled into silence for a moment before firmly shaking his head. “I don’t like her like that, Zack; I hardly know her. Anyway… she’s a year younger than me. You really shouldn’t lead her on like that. Odds are pretty high you’ll never see her again after this mission.”
“True.” Zack sighed dramatically, but his smile showed he was only joking. “You have to be annoyingly logical, don’t you?” They walked in silence for a long moment, letting Tifa gain a significant lead that allowed her to scout out the trail and gave them privacy to talk. “So, anyway… how long have you been training with Vincent?”
The blond was surprised by the question, but answered it truthfully. “Since I was five— well, closer to six, really. It was late spring, early summer when we started with the basics, and I kept working with him until I left for Midgar.”
Zack whistled, impressed. “Eight years? That’s a long time.”
“I guess.” Cloud spread his hands and shrugged, a gesture he had picked up from the SOLDIER. “It’s not like there’s much else to do around here. And even so…” His eyes turned farther up the path, focusing on something only he could see. “Even so, I still have a lot to learn.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vincent Valentine silently watched the trio climb the mountain from the shadow of a rocky outcropping. He briefly glanced at the Lockhart girl (she was a good fighter, as he knew from his observations over the years; he had even integrated some of the style she used into his own hand-to-hand), then focused his gaze on the two uniformed figures walking a short distance behind her. Cloud appeared to be rather… happy. It was difficult to tell for sure without being able to see his face, but he moved with ease next to the lieutenant, completely lacking the stiffness he generally adopted when in an uncomfortable situation. He was certainly talking to Sinclair with far more openness than Vincent would have expected. Generally his pupil was only that outspoken with him.
The gunman ruthlessly squished the tiny flare of jealousy that appeared at that thought.
Still, Vincent wondered if the SOLDIER realized just how remarkable the boy was. He had been shocked himself when Cloud had stood up to Hellmasker. It was one of the most intimidating of the monsters that dwelt within him, but the blond had faced it despite his obvious fear… had even gone so far as to order his lifelong idol, of all people, not to hurt the thing Vincent had become, despite it being armed, dangerous, and obviously mentally unstable.
For a moment, the former Turk was humbled by the young man Cloud had become. He had changed a great deal from the inquisitive youth who had freed him years ago, and yet… and yet he was still very much the same.
At the same time, though, the gunman couldn’t help remembering Hellmasker’s unexpected reaction to Cloud’s presence. That all-consuming rage, that need to get to Hojo at any cost, had become edged with sharp irritation when he had refused to help them, soured by the knowledge that things would be infinitely more difficult if the boy stood in their way. Hellmasker had easily dismissed the two SOLDIERs as potential casualties in the accomplishment of their goal, but… the issue of possibly hurting Cloud as well had never even entered the equation.
Vincent wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or worried that his inner demons seemed to have become, in their own peculiar way, nearly as protective of his student as he was.
Rousing himself from his thoughts, the former Turk straightened as the approaching fighters finally came within earshot.
“…still have a lot to learn,” his protégé admitted.
“Indeed. Well, that’s what I’m here for!” His SOLDIER companion grinned.
“And Vincent,” Cloud interjected. “It never hurts to have multiple teachers, you know—”
“Well said, Cloud,” Vincent said smoothly as he stepped into the light.
Zack jumped, stifling a yelp of surprise. “Don’t do that!” he commanded, glaring at Vincent, who had a strange twinkle (could it have been amusement?) in his wine-red eyes. A quick look at Cloud showed the trooper to be completely at ease. “How do you always know he’s there?”
“I generally have a pretty good idea of when he’s around, even if I don’t know exactly where he is.” The blond smirked a little. “You try having somebody jump you on a regular basis at least a few times every day for several years, and see if you don’t develop that kind of ‘radar.’”
Zack’s eyebrows rose in surprise, and he cast an inquiring glance at Vincent, who, not particularly inclined to explain his methods, simply shrugged before addressing his student.
“Leave the helmet behind; it hampers your vision too much. And… I believe you would be better armed with these.” He held out the staff Cloud had left at his mother’s house and the gun he had rescued from the wreckage of the shack.
Cloud’s fingers lingered on the weapon’s smooth metal surface as he carefully secured it to his belt. More than anything else, the return of this weapon was his teacher’s way of showing his forgiveness and a renewal of trust. “Thank you, Vincent.”
His mentor nodded briefly before turning to the lieutenant. “Sinclair, I believe you have never been in these mountains before?”
“Not since before yesterday, anyway,” Zack replied.
“Then I suggest you follow me for now. Ms. Lockhart will certainly wish to use the old bridge; I doubt she fully realizes the extent of the deterioration of its structural integrity.”
Zack shot Cloud a confused glance. “The bridge broke a few years ago,” the blond explained. “It was pretty big news in town, actually. I wasn’t there, but I heard some kids got hurt. They did repair it, but… I’m really not sure how good of a job they did. Not many people use it, anyway.”
“Ahh.” Zack nodded, moving ahead to flag down Tifa.
Cloud changed his pace to match his mentor’s stride step for step. “I’m glad you’re coming with us,” he said honestly.
“This is hardly an area I would let you travel alone, Cloud.” Vincent’s lips quirked slightly, recalling a trip that had nearly ended in disaster. “And I believe I owe you a trip to a certain materia cave, no?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sephiroth watched from the window as Zack greeted his young guide, and the slightest smirk graced his lips as he observed his aide’s behavior. He hoped Strife knew what he had gotten himself into when he had been partnered with Zack. The dark-haired man was a notorious flirt, though he was usually pretty good about not letting it interfere with his missions… too much.
Half of the time Sephiroth thought Zack did it just to annoy him.
Once the group had vanished up the path into the mountains, hidden from his enhanced eyesight by the thickly forested slopes, Sephiroth headed downstairs. He glanced carefully around the common room, completely empty except for the innkeeper and Dennett, who sat at one of the tables eating breakfast. With a sigh, the General ordered a cup of coffee. While he did not necessarily need the caffeine — with his enhanced metabolism, it didn’t tend to actually do much unless he drank it in ridiculous quantities — he did enjoy the taste when it was well brewed (something he enjoyed only rarely; unfortunately, most of the coffee back in Midgar, particularly the brew the company used, was either too weak for his liking or had very poor consistency, though every once in a while someone, usually Zack, managed to scrounge up a decent cup for him at one of those pretentious little cafés scattered around above the Plate). Taking a sip of the dark liquid the innkeeper brought him, Sephiroth found himself pleasantly surprised. It was very good, rich and just as strong as he liked it. A shame he couldn’t take some back to the city…
The silver-haired man settled in with his blessed cup, feeling Dennett staring nervously at him from the corner of his eye. The General wished he could leave this town already and go back to his office, where he only had to deal with a handful of people on a regular basis. Dennett was bad enough, but the townspeople would be even worse. Unfortunately most of them would not be up for some time, and until they rose he couldn’t hurry along this little investigation. So for now he waited, glancing at the inn’s clock every few minutes. Finally he noticed movement outside. “Dennett.”
The regular started in surprise. “Y-yes, sir?” he asked, practically quivering in his boots.
“We’re moving out.”
“Yes, sir!” Dennett quickly grabbed his helmet and shoved it on, his regulation rifle in his hands a moment later. Sephiroth chose to ignore the boy’s nervous stride as they left the inn for the town’s main square. He also ignored how everyone froze at his appearance.
Silence reigned for several minutes as the residents of Nibelheim stared at the living legend who had entered their lives. Finally, one stepped hesitatingly forward, wielding a camera almost defensively. “Excuse me, sir… could I have a picture?”
Sephiroth blinked, rather taken aback. No one had ever really asked for his picture before; his earliest photographs had been taken for scientific documentation, and later pictures were taken by the press at conferences or whenever the media hounds could get the chance. Even with civilians it was usually “Please, General, look this way!” and several bright flashes followed by hurried scurrying away as if they feared his wrath, cameras cradled close to their chests like treasured children.
Unfortunately, he hesitated a moment too long; the man grinned, apparently taking his lack of refusal as acquiescence, and raised the camera. A quick flash left Sephiroth blinking quickly, trying to disperse the spots floating before his eyes.
A young girl ran up and stood next to Sephiroth, looking at the photographer in entreaty. “I want a picture with the General, too! Will you take my picture?”
“Sure!”
“I’m next!” A teenager cried.
His friend elbowed him. “No, me!”
“Will you hold my son, General? He’s a big fan of yours.”
Sephiroth forcefully reminded himself that killing civilians without sufficient justification (or at least orders from ShinRa’s upper echelons) was against company policy. And no matter how comforting the Fire materia in the Masamune’s hilt was, nothing these people had done justified torching the town.
“Can you please sign my photo, sir?”
Really.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Zack could remember the results of Cloud’s SOLDIER exam rather well. The boy’s physical talents had been marked as average for his age level, but over the months they’d trained together Zack had been forced to wonder if those results were truly accurate. Watching Cloud fight in the little skirmishes they ran into as they traveled up the mountain only confirmed his suspicions. With the secret of his teaching revealed, the kid apparently felt it unnecessary to hide his abilities any longer… and what showed was impressive. The blond’s hand-to-hand ability was formidable, and his gun skills were no joke either. Cloud was a damn good shot, even if he was nowhere near Valentine’s level. His greatest strength, though, was obviously with the staff; Zack wasn’t sure he could have beaten Cloud in a staff duel without drawing on his SOLDIER-enhanced abilities.
The more Zack watched Cloud, the more he was convinced the youth had deliberately hidden his skills, though why was beyond him. If the blond had worked to his full potential, he would have had a much better chance of making it into SOLDIER. His Mako tolerance results hadn’t been extraordinary, but he’d passed, and his mental acuity had been above the average. Really, the worst of it had been the kid’s social adaptability. Cloud actively avoided interacting with his peers most of the time, and was rather inept when forced to do so, a major disadvantage for someone in an outfit whose members usually worked in groups.
Having met Vincent, Zack could see where Cloud had acquired that little handicap. The former Turk could’ve given Sephiroth a run for his money in a contest for “most anti-social individual of the year.” However, the kid’s interaction with Vincent proved he still could develop the skills he needed to excel in SOLDIER. The student and his mentor had a relationship on the highest level; they rarely even needed words to communicate. Zack could easily see the parallels between their relationship and his own with Sephiroth. It was a rare thing indeed, being able to forge such bonds… and in the army, a commander who could connect like that with his subordinate officers was easily worth his weight in mythril.
Zack silently vowed he would get Cloud into SOLDIER, one way or another. Sure, the kid might want to kill him by the time the lieutenant let up on the training he had planned, but it would be well worth it.
By now Tifa had long exhausted what little knowledge she had of where they were going. However, none of her companions mentioned this, content to allow Cloud to subtly direct the girl, sparing her any embarrassment. The blond was having difficulties as well, trying to dig up memories that had long ago been buried in the furthest corners of his mind, but after what seemed an eternity of following the winding mountain paths, the four found themselves inside a very unusual-looking cavern.
“What is this place?” Tifa asked, staring at the smooth, almost glowing walls in wonder.
“A materia cave,” Zack replied softly. He had never seen one before, but he recognized it from descriptions he had read.
“Wow.”
The quartet stayed quiet for a long time after Tifa’s whisper. Finally, Vincent moved forward to address their guide, bringing up the issue Zack and Cloud had been avoiding. “Ms. Lockhart, am I correct in assuming you do not know the way from here?” Tifa reluctantly nodded, face slightly flushed in embarrassment. “Then we had best take our next steps carefully. I will take the left tunnel. Sinclair, go with Ms. Lockhart to the right. Cloud, stay here. We’ll come back when we discover the correct path.”
“All right,” the boy replied.
Noting the odd tone in Cloud’s voice, Zack shot him a sharp look. He kept his question quiet so only Vincent could catch it. “Is that a good idea? The kid doesn’t look so hot…”
“This place is home to one of Cloud’s last memories of his father. I suspect he would like a few minutes alone,” the gunner replied, keeping his voice at the same level.
“Oh.” Zack immediately felt guilty, though he wasn’t quite sure why. Glancing once more at his friend, he sidled up next to Tifa. “I guess it’s just you and me then, Ms. Lockhart. We’ll see you in a bit, Cloud!”
“Behave, Zack,” the blond admonished as Tifa blushed.
“You know me, kid. I’m always good!”
“Ha! I’ll believe that when I see it!” he shot back as the pair of them disappeared down the tunnel, flashing a grateful look at his mentor. Vincent said nothing, but gave a nod before vanishing into the shadows himself.
Cloud approached the fountain at the center of the cave, staring at its crystalline slopes. Mako rippled slowly below the surface, its soft glow mesmerizing. Pulling off his glove, he touched the hard, crystalline surface at its edge; it was cool and oddly soothing.
“Hello, Dad.” The blond immediately felt more than a little foolish, but pressed on anyway. “I’m sorry… I haven’t been doing as much for Mom as I should have. And I don’t remember you very well.” The youth paused, attempting to swallow his tears around the lump that had abruptly appeared in his throat. Was it because he missed his father, or because he had never really known the man? “I wish you were here,” Cloud continued, his tone wistful. “It’s been hard sometimes, but I’m doing the best I can. I’ll try to take care of Mom, and… and Vincent and the others, too.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I hope you’d be proud of me.”
“Cloud! We found it!”
“Coming!” the trooper called back. He turned away from the fountain, but stopped when a small flash of color caught his attention. Bending down, Cloud scooped up the small materia at the edge of the fountain, marveling at its vivid blue hue. He’d never seen one like this before. “Thanks, Dad.” Somehow no longer feeling foolish at all, the youth slipped the materia into his pocket before going after his mentor so they could rejoin their companions. Maybe Zack or Vincent could tell him what his father’s gift could do.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It wasn’t long before Cloud and Vincent met the rest of their group where they waited just outside. “Everything all right?” Zack asked, looking slightly worried as he examined the blond.
“Yeah,” Cloud replied. His fingers drifted towards his pocket momentarily only to change course halfway and land on his gun instead. “Are we ready to go?”
“You bet.” Zack visibly brightened at Cloud’s collected response, grateful his friend was okay. “We have to start being a little more careful, though; the monsters around this area seem stronger, probably due to high Mako exposure. I’ll take point. Valentine—”
“I will be rear guard.”
“Good. Ms. Lockhart, Cloud, stay together and make sure you’re ready to fight. Let’s move out.”
The trek wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Through careful scouting they managed to avoid many of the monsters. Still, Cloud found himself growing rather edgy. The way Tifa’s eyes constantly followed him was rather unnerving. Finally, he turned his head and asked, “Something bothering you?”
“You’re Elanor Strife’s son, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Cloud confirmed, a bit surprised by the question.
“I thought so!” she exclaimed triumphantly. “Wasn’t quite sure, though — I mean, I never saw you much before you left for Midgar, and I was busy yesterday when you guys came into town, but… I’ve never seen anyone else who has hair like yours.”
Cloud flushed and self-consciously ran a hand through his gravity-defying locks. “I guess it is kind of recognizable.” He wasn’t particularly fond of his hair, but usually he just ignored it. It wasn’t like he was some girl, obsessing over his appearance all the time.
He had to admit, though, that he really liked the illusion of height it created.
“I think it’s cute, actually.” Tifa tilted her head to the side. “It looks good on you. Certainly better than Lieutenant Sinclair’s! I’m surprised he doesn’t get his sword all tangled up in that shaggy mess.”
Cloud was surprised by the compliment, and not quite sure how to respond. Finally he decided to just continue with the Zack teasing. It wasn’t like the man didn’t deserve a little payback. “Or cut it off with that little victory routine of his,” he countered, recalling the complicated series of spins Zack seemed so fond of indulging in when he had vanquished an enemy. His lips quirked slightly at the memory.
Tifa snickered. “He reminds me of Amanda when he does that. She’s knocked over her mother’s loom a few times while trying to pull off some tricks.” She received a blank stare from her companion. “Amanda Pierce, Robert and Mary Ann’s daughter.”
Cloud shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever met them.” He picked up his pace a little, wishing they were at the reactor already. He might not have been as bad as Vincent was, but social interaction was definitely not his forte.
“Well, Amanda is rather obsessed with tossing sticks around. I think she’s trying to teach herself to juggle, but I’ve never really been able to figure it out. Her mother keeps trying to get her to learn how to weave, but she won’t sit still long enough.”
“Ah.” As they passed under the shadow of a rocky overhang, Cloud rolled his eyes. Girls yammered on about the strangest things; why couldn’t they talk about something sensible?
“Where were you all of those years anyway?”
Oh, just finding a former Turk lying in a coffin under the haunted mansion, and then getting training in a great deal of things that would probably have given Mom a heart attack if she’d known about it. While his mother had supported his dream to join SOLDIER, Cloud had the distinct feeling she would’ve greatly disapproved of her son learning some of the things Vincent had taught him as young as he had. “Um… here and there,” the blond replied evasively. “I did a lot of exploring in the mansion and the mountains, though I never came up this far. Too dangerous.”
“The mansion?” Tifa raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Most of the village boys like to brag they’ve gone into the Shinra Mansion. It’s always pretty obvious who’s lying, though, and the few who are telling the truth… well, I’ve seen most of them do it. Turns out that ‘in’ is usually just sneaking through the gate and crossing the garden to touch the front door.” She cocked her head at him. “And you say you’ve actually gone inside in? Well, tell me, then… is it as creepy as it looks from the outside?”
“A little,” Cloud conceded, though for him the mansion held several very happy memories. He doubted anything could ever happen to make him genuinely hate the place. “It’s really just an abandoned house full of dust and old furniture. There are a few monsters, and lots of secret passages, but it’s not like it’s haunted or anything.”
“Hmm.”
“We’re here!” Zack announced as they climbed one final rise. There stood the reactor, a gigantic metallic beast looming menacingly against the dark Nibelheim mountains. “Ms. Lockhart, I’m afraid you’ll need to stay outside; we’re likely to be working with classified information in here. I’m confident in your ability to handle whatever sort of monsters might show up.” He smiled charmingly at their guide, who blushed a little at the compliment, then nodded to the others. “Valentine, Cloud… let’s get this over with.”
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