Butterfly Effect: Chapter 18
Aug. 23rd, 2006 06:26 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: It was nice to have something to look forward to.
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 18
Tifa clutched Cloud’s letter in her fist, more than a little intimidated by the door in front of her. Still… she had to do this. Cloud’s letter had sounded rather upset — though it had oddly been a little formal for a teenager — but his demands had been pretty reasonable. It was amazing he understood how she felt at all, really. The young fighter considered herself lucky Cloud hadn’t written to her father… though he probably wouldn’t have believed it anyway.
With a heavy sigh, the young woman finally knocked.
“Just a minute!” The door opened to reveal Cloud’s mom, Elanor Strife. Tifa took a moment simply to study the woman. It was clear Mrs. Strife had been rather beautiful when she was younger; even now her blonde hair had but a few streaks of gray in it, and her face held only smile lines. “Tifa! How good of you to stop by. I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to you since I heard the happy news. Please come in.”
She couldn’t have asked for a better opening. Tifa followed Elanor in, took a seat and looked down at her feet. “Actually, that’s what I came to see you about.” Elanor nodded and waited. “You see, um… CloudandIaren’treallyengaged.”
Elanor blinked as she tried to decipher Tifa’s sentence. “You… aren’t engaged?”
Tifa nodded, feeling awful at the sight of Elanor’s disappointed expression. “No.”
A pause; then, the other woman sighed. “I think you need to explain to me what exactly is going on, then.”
Tifa knotted her fingers together nervously, unable to look directly at the other woman. “It… It was all my doing. I started the rumor because… well, you know Dad wants me to get married, and I—”
“I see.” Elanor frowned. “And my son agreed to this?”
“…No.” Tifa shook her head. “I didn’t even tell him. I didn’t think he would go with it, but… I don’t want to get married!” she burst out, frustrated. “I don’t want to settle down with anyone, not yet anyway, but Dad will make me and I won’t be able to do anything about it until I’m eighteen!” She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “And… and somehow Cloud found out. He’s… not happy.”
“I wrote to him,” Elanor explained. “I was rather surprised when I first heard the news from your aunt.” She gestured towards Tifa’s clenched hands. “May I see his letter?”
The brunette started, having almost forgotten she was holding it; guiltily, she smoothed the wrinkles out of the paper as best she could and handed it over, watching the older woman nervously as her pale blue eyes read it over.
“I see.” There was silence as Elanor stared at her young guest for a long moment. “Tifa… I have never really approved of our town’s young people marrying as early as they do, and I most certainly disapprove of unwillingly arranged marriages.” She folded her hands in her lap. “If Cloud is willing to play along with this little charade, I’m willing to help you both. Now…” Rising to her feet, she gestured for Tifa to follow her. “Why don’t you help your future mother-in-law take care of spring cleaning?”
Tifa blinked in surprise as Cloud’s mother led her upstairs. “Wait… what?”
“We have to keep up appearances, don’t we?” The blonde chuckled. “It’s hard to move the heavier furniture by myself, so why let the extra pair of arms go to waste? And you’re a strong young woman, as I understand, so you should be able to help out quite nicely.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud blinked in uncertainty as he gazed around the door at his mentor. “Vincent…?”
The former Turk glanced up at his student, right hand pausing in its dashing over the computer keyboard in front of him. “Cloud,” he acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. “Are you finished with Sinclair today?”
The blond nodded, stepping inside. “Yeah. He said you wanted to see me?”
Vincent nodded, gesturing for Cloud to take a seat. “Now,” he began, his voice taking on that lecturing tone, “what is the most valuable weapon in one’s arsenal?”
It was an old question, one Cloud could answer in his sleep. “Information,” he replied immediately.
“Indeed. As you know, there are many ways to gather information. I’ve already taught you about several, but now I feel it’s time you learn a method that will serve you well, with computers growing more and more common as time goes on.”
Cloud’s eyes practically shone with excitement. “You mean… hacking? You’re really going to teach me…?”
Vincent nodded. “It’s a skill Turks are expected to learn, and I feel it would be wise for you to learn it as well. It can be useful not only in creating defenses, but also in telling when someone else has accessed your information. Now then… pay attention. This can be rather complicated.”
The teenager listened intently as Vincent explained the basics, though his attention was drawn several times to a long series of numbers and letters stretching across the top of the screen. “What are those?” he finally asked.
“Nothing important,” his mentor told him. “Sometimes you can create new password combinations for a certain level.” He erased the coding with a quick series of clicks. “Now, I want you to try.”
Cloud took the former Turk’s place in front of the keyboard, carefully typing under Vincent’s direction. He did not, however, forget what he had seen. As soon as he got a chance he would have to write those numbers down. Vincent was up to something, and his student intended to find out what.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
5 June 468.
Dear Mom,
I’m glad Tifa talked to you. I hope everything goes okay. Don’t get in over your head, though. I don’t want Tifa’s dad to find out and take it out on you.
Things are going pretty well here in Midgar. I’m back in the SOLDIER program, only now I’m apprenticed to Lieutenant Sinclair. You met him when we came to Nibelheim. It’s been great — Zack is a big help, and I’ve learned a lot from him.
Actually, I wanted to ask you a favor. I know you have some seeds stored up from the garden last year. Could you send some to me, please? A friend of mine grows the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen here in Midgar, and I thought she might like some.
I’ve got to go now, but I’ll write again soon.
Love,
Cloud.
Cloud looked over the letter one more time and nodded in satisfaction. He carefully addressed the envelope and slid it inside. Hopefully his mom would send him some new seeds for Aeris. He was sure she’d like them; she probably wouldn’t even recognize most of them, considering they were from the western continent.
The blond grinned, thinking about the look of surprise and happiness that’d appear on Aeris’ face when he gave them to her. Knowing he was responsible for it… that’d be the best feeling in the world.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Most days Reeve was not fond of his job.
He had spent a number of not-unpleasant years outside his native Midgar, working on various construction projects — mostly in Junon, though he had been to other places. When he’d finally returned to Midgar after his promotion, however, the new Head of Urban Development found himself all but strapped to his desk by all the paperwork he had. All too soon Reeve felt like he was going crazy from lack of natural light and social company. Never before had he felt so… isolated.
So he’d begun a little project.
Building Cait Sith was the realization of a childish dream. As a boy, Reeve had always wanted to be a spy in a secret disguise, ferreting out the bad guys and saving the world. While saving the world seemed to be a bit out of his league at the moment, his creation did allow him to spy successfully on more than a few people, including some of his fellow board members.
Mostly, however, zany Cait bounced through the slums of Midgar, observing people’s lives there. Even stuck inside the ShinRa Building, Reeve grew more and more disgusted at the conditions forced on those who lived under the Plate. The people there deserved so much better than what ShinRa gave them. If only he could actually do something, instead of spending hours in his office with paperwork that was rarely more than bureaucratic red tape for projects that’d likely remain unfinished…
Cait Sith could not go outside the city yet, so Reeve had no idea how the rest of the world was faring under ShinRa’s iron-fisted rule since he had been trapped in his office. The worst thing was he couldn’t even do anything for those he could see; most of the proposals he had tried to put forward ended up conveniently “lost” in interoffice mail, or eternally stuck in limbo waiting for the completion of obscure forms nobody could find.
Still, it was maddening to have to sit here with his hands tied. Reeve wasn’t surprised that most of the higher-ups of ShinRa were either ruthlessly cold-hearted or ended up committing suicide. It was not a healthy work atmosphere.
Cait Sith was wandering around the slums as usual, while Reeve skimmed and signed more of the endless forms and reports on his desk. He sighed. Sometimes it was difficult to keep track of time, full of paperwork and the same dreary conditions in the slums day after day…
It was the flash of color that attracted Reeve’s attention. The solid pink that passed across Cait’s view was far different from the tawdry neon lights common under the Plate. Reeve’s pen paused above the page before him as he watched a teenaged girl sell a bright flower to a young couple. Intrigued, he ordered Cait Sith to follow her.
She wandered the crowds for quite some time, clearly a regular here from the greetings she received. Reeve quickly learned her name: Aeris. Finally the flower girl left the marketplace and headed off into the gloomier sections of the slums, Cait Sith on her heels in the shadows. It wasn’t long before she came to an area long abandoned, even many of the thieves having moved on to better areas.
Reeve took control away from the AI, carefully directing the moogle as it skirted its way around piles of rubble and followed Aeris into an ancient church. It was not an easy task, but the robot’s computer would have found it far more difficult.
“Hello there.”
Back in his office, Reeve nearly jumped out of his chair as Cait’s vision was suddenly filled with Aeris’ smiling face. “You’ve been following me for a while, now. Did you want a flower?”
Reeve smacked the AI button, and Cait Sith came to life. “Would ye like a fortune?” he asked, cocking his head.
Aeris blinked, studying the robot closely. Reeve had the uncomfortable feeling she knew at least some of what it was made to do. “I guess.”
“Okay!” The little cat promptly danced on top of his moogle and produced a piece of paper. “Do not live for the things of the past,” he read. “Hope instead for the future.”
The young woman’s green eyes dimmed slightly at that. “…Of course,” she said softly. “But, if you’ll excuse me—”
Reeve felt guilty immediately. The AI’s fortunes were completely random, but it seemed this one had genuinely upset the flower girl. He switched back over to manual. “Do ye grow your own flowers?”
Aeris’ eyes flickered back to the cat. “Yes.” She reached into her basket, still half-full despite the late hour, and touched the blossoms gently. “Sometimes it feels like very few people appreciate them, though.”
I appreciate them. “I’ve never seen anyone manage to grow flowers in this city before,” Reeve replied, studying the garden through Cait Sith’s eyes with awe. “Ye must have quite a green thumb.”
“Maybe,” Aeris allowed with a strange little smile.
“Well, lass,” Cait chirped, “I have to go, but mayhap next time I see ye I’ll have the gil on me for a flower!”
“I’ll look forward to seeing you then,” Aeris replied, still smiling. Reeve shivered a little, unable to shake the feeling she meant him and not Cait Sith (though what were the chances of that?). Shaking his head, he had Cait perform a florid bow before the moogle backed out and bounced off, carrying its burden away from the church.
Finally laying down his pen, Reeve took a moment to simply think about the life he had seen down in the church. Even just looking at the flowers had made him feel more relaxed, more hopeful. Perhaps…
The executive pulled out a new file folder and some paper and quickly scribbled down some notes, keeping them encrypted in his own code out of sheer habit (because really, the odds of anyone wanting this information were so slim he probably needn’t have bothered). Carefully labeling the file “MMG”, he put it away and went back to his work. Maybe, someday, he just might be able to get this project off the ground… especially if he could enlist a little extra help.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The long string of commands and numbers he had seen on Vincent’s computer had been sitting in the back of Cloud’s mind for nearly two weeks before he finally decided to try to find out what they did. The blond was a little reluctant to actually do it, both because it was clearly something in which Vincent did not want him involved and because he did not want to bring ShinRa’s quite extensive security network crashing down on his ears.
Of course, his curiosity won out in the end.
It took him a while to gather up the nerve to do it, and a few panicked minutes to find the little scrap of paper he’d hastily scrawled the codes on as soon as he could after that lesson (it was tucked into the jacket of one of the books Vincent had given him). Once he’d sat down in front of the computer, he found himself pausing after each line with his heart in his chest, desperately hoping he’d remembered everything right when he’d written it down. When he took a deep breath and hit ‘Enter’ for the final time, though, Cloud was surprised at what he saw (though perhaps, he reflected, he shouldn’t have been):
The codes were a route right into Hojo’s files.
Cloud had been very, very careful. Many of the recent files (and some of the older ones as well, including a rather large one entitled “project_s”) had been protected with encryption schemes far beyond Cloud’s ability to crack. Those he left alone, instead rooting through the system for older files with weaker encryption. He had managed to crack a file that seemed to be about Vincent, but left it unread. His mentor was a very private person; he would tell his student what he wanted him to know when he wanted him to know it, and Cloud would respect that. Reading that file, even if Vincent would never know, would feel like a violation of trust.
Cloud had found a file in the same directory, though, that more than made up for the pang of curiosity unsatisfied. He hadn’t had much of an opportunity to investigate further since then, but still it sat there in the back of his mind, waiting for the right time.
The right time hadn’t shown up anytime in the past week or so, though, and those thoughts were the furthest thing from his mind as Cloud made his way through the corridors. His steps were quick and nervous, and he held the keycard in front of his chest like a shield. Zack had relegated certain duties and chores to his apprentice before (and had in fact become notorious for doing so), so Cloud wouldn’t be stopped, but still… these were the living quarters of the highest-ranked SOLDIERs in ShinRa. Most cadets wouldn’t even dream of setting foot in these imposing halls.
He managed the access code fine, even if he did drop the keycard, and the door opened easily. Stepping inside, Cloud let out an uneven sigh as it clicked shut behind him. Despite having permission to be here, he’d still been nervous about running into someone.
Allowing himself to relax just a little, Cloud stared with wide eyes at the room he’d entered. One would expect General Sephiroth’s quarters to be cool and austere, just like the SOLDIER himself was, but there were several small touches that made this place feel… personalized, a little more lived-in. There were pegs he guessed were for the Masamune on the near wall, and a beautifully painted Wutaiian wall scroll opposite; a shelf unit stocked with books in several languages stood near what looked to be the entrance to the apartment’s kitchenette, and… was that a tiny rock garden in the far corner?
Cloud shook his head. He wasn’t here to gawk; Zack had sent him to fetch a number of half-finished reports he’d left sitting on the coffee table, though he’d had to reassure his friend several times that no, Sephiroth was not going to be there, and maybe if he’d just hurry up and go already he wouldn’t have anything to get so worked up over, for Gaea’s sake.
While the General may have been out, however, Vincent was in — and sleeping soundly on the couch.
Cloud watched him carefully as he stepped closer. It was rare for him to be able to see his mentor like this, asleep and unguarded. The sternness of his face was gone in rest, making him look even younger than usual… though even “usual” was more like a man just under thirty than his almost fifty years. The thing the blond found most surprising, however, was that the former Turk didn’t even stir at his presence.
Maybe Vincent trusted him enough that his subconscious did not wake him…?
One eyelid flickered open. Cloud silently cursed, realizing his thought had come too soon. “Vincent?”
The man didn’t reply. Cloud studied the open eye and realized… it didn’t look quite right. Something was off — in a way he had seen once before. “No… Lord of Mayhem.”
One slender eyebrow rose as Chaos shifted his host’s body so he could better view Cloud. “And just where did you learn that name, boy?”
“Hojo’s files,” Cloud replied boldly, crouching beside the couch. “Vincent really shouldn’t keep his codes out where other people can see them.”
“No, he shouldn’t,” Chaos agreed, a touch of humor in his not-Vincent voice (and it was so very strange for Cloud to see that little smile on those lips when his mentor kept his rare amusement confined to his eyes). “Why are you here?”
“Zack sent me to get some files for him.” The blond’s hands smoothed his fatigue pants. “I’m glad we could talk, though,” he admitted truthfully. “When I managed to crack your file, I couldn’t help wondering…”
The demon made a noncommittal noise. “Your curiosity may well kill you someday, you know,” he informed the boy.
“It might.” Cloud shrugged a little. “I think sometimes it’s better to know than not to know, though — and I really doubt Vincent would answer my questions about you, considering he generally doesn’t like to talk about any of you.”
“True enough.” Chaos studied the teenager thoughtfully, tilting his host’s head to the side. Those few who knew of him rarely acknowledged him as a sentient entity of his own merit. To Hojo he had been merely a specimen (though to Hojo, everything was a specimen, including himself). His host tried to ignore his unwanted guest as much as possible. This young human, though, seemed quite determined to not only recognize him for himself, but to talk with him as well. A most intriguing youngling indeed… “In any case,” the demon finally said, “I do hope your curiosity is satisfied. Your mentor is likely to awaken soon, and you have an errand to complete, no?”
Cloud nodded a little, rising. Retrieving the documents Zack had sent him for, he padded softly back across the room, as silent as he could. Chaos watched him go, then withdrew his control, allowing Vincent to awaken normally. The former Turk would not know of their little talk for quite some time, the spirit wagered. And perhaps… there might be others like it in the future.
Surprisingly, Chaos found himself looking forward to the possibility.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If it had been in Sephiroth’s nature, he would have sighed in exasperation.
As it were, a frown hovered about his lips as he read the report. Everyone in SOLDIER knew that putting Michael Allen and John Lockley in the same room together — unless it was a very large room with lots of innocents standing between them — invariably resulted in blood on the floor. Their inexplicable, seething hatred of each other did not extend to anyone else, so their skill and excellent Mako scores had admitted both of them into the SOLDIER program.
Allen had recently been sent on a disciplinary mission in the Kalm area after a starting drunken brawl with his fellow SOLDIER. Unfortunately, his direct superior, Marius, had been called away to Costa del Sol by a family emergency — some illness his brother had picked up during the war had flared up again, and things didn’t look good this time.
This put Allen in charge of his squad… which just so happened to be working on eliminating a nasty contingent of monsters in the region Lockley’s unit was patrolling this month.
It wouldn’t take long for their tempers to flare completely out of control. There was only one person who could possibly talk the pair down, or handle them if necessary, who Sephiroth could actually trust. “Zack…?”
“I’m on my way.” He filed away the last of his reports and locked his desk. “I’ll call you when I have news,” he told his superior, and with that gave a jaunty salute and left the office.
Sephiroth shook his head, yet again bemused by his friend’s efficiency and ability to read him. He returned to his paperwork, trying to ignore the sudden silence that marked Zack’s departure. The General glanced at the clock. Come to think of it, Zack was usually gone during this time. For a moment Sephiroth couldn’t recall why… and then it came back to him. Of course. Zack was normally training Strife during this hour.
The silver-haired man frowned at the thought, stood, and walked over to his friend’s desk. Sure enough, there was a quickly-scribbled note stuck to the desktop.
Seph—
Tell Cloud where I went. He’ll be waiting for me in the gym. Don’t work too much!
—Zack
Rolling his eyes at the last line, Sephiroth retrieved the Masamune from its place against the wall and walked quickly down to the gym. Strife was standing in the middle of the room, dutifully going through his exercises as he waited for his instructor. It took him a few minutes to realize Sephiroth was there, but once he did the cadet immediately straightened, turning to face the General. “Sir!”
“Lieutenant Sinclair has been sent out on a mission.” Straight and to the point.
“Thank you for telling me, sir,” Cloud replied, offering a textbook-perfect salute before returning to his drills.
Interesting. From what Zack had told him, most cadets would have simply stood at attention until his departure, then taken the absence of their instructors to be a sign to slack off and party.
…Then again, Strife was not ‘most’ cadets.
The General watched the blond with a critical eye. Nearly every SOLDIER spent at least some time teaching the younger ones, and Sephiroth was well used to assessing an individual’s performance. Usually he observed only the most skilled members of SOLDIER, but the process was still the same.
For an untried cadet, the boy was good, he thought. Very good. Still, he had a long way to go, and— “Strife, your feet are out of position. Watch your left side, and keep the flourishes to a minimum.”
The cadet jerked at his voice, casting a startled glance in his direction as if surprised the General was still there, but complied.
Sephiroth continued watching. Strife appeared to be picking up several of Zack’s bad habits — those unnecessary flourishes being one of them — along with his virtues. A problem, and not one Zack was likely to fix. The General continued to observe and occasionally correct until the clock on the wall proclaimed it to be 2100 hours — the usual time Zack stopped the cadet’s training. “I’ll see you here at the same time tomorrow, Strife.”
“…Sir?” Strife’s voice was just a touch uncertain. He had good control of his emotions, it seemed… Probably a side effect of Valentine’s instruction.
“While Sinclair is away, I will oversee your training,” Sephiroth elaborated. “Make sure to run through your exercises once more today.”
“Yes, sir!” Strife saluted sharply.
Without another word, Sephiroth turned and walked away, returning to his office. Zack would probably only be gone for a week or two, so he had to be certain to make the most of the time available to him. Ordinarily the General never would have worked with a cadet, even one of Strife’s ability, but after seeing the boy’s potential, he knew that if those bad habits could be corrected now, and the cadet kept up his training… chances were good he’d someday have another sparring partner worthy of his time.
It was nice to have something to look forward to.
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Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: None, at the moment.
Rating (Overall): PG-13
Summary: It was nice to have something to look forward to.
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 18
Tifa clutched Cloud’s letter in her fist, more than a little intimidated by the door in front of her. Still… she had to do this. Cloud’s letter had sounded rather upset — though it had oddly been a little formal for a teenager — but his demands had been pretty reasonable. It was amazing he understood how she felt at all, really. The young fighter considered herself lucky Cloud hadn’t written to her father… though he probably wouldn’t have believed it anyway.
With a heavy sigh, the young woman finally knocked.
“Just a minute!” The door opened to reveal Cloud’s mom, Elanor Strife. Tifa took a moment simply to study the woman. It was clear Mrs. Strife had been rather beautiful when she was younger; even now her blonde hair had but a few streaks of gray in it, and her face held only smile lines. “Tifa! How good of you to stop by. I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to you since I heard the happy news. Please come in.”
She couldn’t have asked for a better opening. Tifa followed Elanor in, took a seat and looked down at her feet. “Actually, that’s what I came to see you about.” Elanor nodded and waited. “You see, um… CloudandIaren’treallyengaged.”
Elanor blinked as she tried to decipher Tifa’s sentence. “You… aren’t engaged?”
Tifa nodded, feeling awful at the sight of Elanor’s disappointed expression. “No.”
A pause; then, the other woman sighed. “I think you need to explain to me what exactly is going on, then.”
Tifa knotted her fingers together nervously, unable to look directly at the other woman. “It… It was all my doing. I started the rumor because… well, you know Dad wants me to get married, and I—”
“I see.” Elanor frowned. “And my son agreed to this?”
“…No.” Tifa shook her head. “I didn’t even tell him. I didn’t think he would go with it, but… I don’t want to get married!” she burst out, frustrated. “I don’t want to settle down with anyone, not yet anyway, but Dad will make me and I won’t be able to do anything about it until I’m eighteen!” She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “And… and somehow Cloud found out. He’s… not happy.”
“I wrote to him,” Elanor explained. “I was rather surprised when I first heard the news from your aunt.” She gestured towards Tifa’s clenched hands. “May I see his letter?”
The brunette started, having almost forgotten she was holding it; guiltily, she smoothed the wrinkles out of the paper as best she could and handed it over, watching the older woman nervously as her pale blue eyes read it over.
“I see.” There was silence as Elanor stared at her young guest for a long moment. “Tifa… I have never really approved of our town’s young people marrying as early as they do, and I most certainly disapprove of unwillingly arranged marriages.” She folded her hands in her lap. “If Cloud is willing to play along with this little charade, I’m willing to help you both. Now…” Rising to her feet, she gestured for Tifa to follow her. “Why don’t you help your future mother-in-law take care of spring cleaning?”
Tifa blinked in surprise as Cloud’s mother led her upstairs. “Wait… what?”
“We have to keep up appearances, don’t we?” The blonde chuckled. “It’s hard to move the heavier furniture by myself, so why let the extra pair of arms go to waste? And you’re a strong young woman, as I understand, so you should be able to help out quite nicely.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud blinked in uncertainty as he gazed around the door at his mentor. “Vincent…?”
The former Turk glanced up at his student, right hand pausing in its dashing over the computer keyboard in front of him. “Cloud,” he acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. “Are you finished with Sinclair today?”
The blond nodded, stepping inside. “Yeah. He said you wanted to see me?”
Vincent nodded, gesturing for Cloud to take a seat. “Now,” he began, his voice taking on that lecturing tone, “what is the most valuable weapon in one’s arsenal?”
It was an old question, one Cloud could answer in his sleep. “Information,” he replied immediately.
“Indeed. As you know, there are many ways to gather information. I’ve already taught you about several, but now I feel it’s time you learn a method that will serve you well, with computers growing more and more common as time goes on.”
Cloud’s eyes practically shone with excitement. “You mean… hacking? You’re really going to teach me…?”
Vincent nodded. “It’s a skill Turks are expected to learn, and I feel it would be wise for you to learn it as well. It can be useful not only in creating defenses, but also in telling when someone else has accessed your information. Now then… pay attention. This can be rather complicated.”
The teenager listened intently as Vincent explained the basics, though his attention was drawn several times to a long series of numbers and letters stretching across the top of the screen. “What are those?” he finally asked.
“Nothing important,” his mentor told him. “Sometimes you can create new password combinations for a certain level.” He erased the coding with a quick series of clicks. “Now, I want you to try.”
Cloud took the former Turk’s place in front of the keyboard, carefully typing under Vincent’s direction. He did not, however, forget what he had seen. As soon as he got a chance he would have to write those numbers down. Vincent was up to something, and his student intended to find out what.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
5 June 468.
Dear Mom,
I’m glad Tifa talked to you. I hope everything goes okay. Don’t get in over your head, though. I don’t want Tifa’s dad to find out and take it out on you.
Things are going pretty well here in Midgar. I’m back in the SOLDIER program, only now I’m apprenticed to Lieutenant Sinclair. You met him when we came to Nibelheim. It’s been great — Zack is a big help, and I’ve learned a lot from him.
Actually, I wanted to ask you a favor. I know you have some seeds stored up from the garden last year. Could you send some to me, please? A friend of mine grows the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen here in Midgar, and I thought she might like some.
I’ve got to go now, but I’ll write again soon.
Love,
Cloud.
Cloud looked over the letter one more time and nodded in satisfaction. He carefully addressed the envelope and slid it inside. Hopefully his mom would send him some new seeds for Aeris. He was sure she’d like them; she probably wouldn’t even recognize most of them, considering they were from the western continent.
The blond grinned, thinking about the look of surprise and happiness that’d appear on Aeris’ face when he gave them to her. Knowing he was responsible for it… that’d be the best feeling in the world.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Most days Reeve was not fond of his job.
He had spent a number of not-unpleasant years outside his native Midgar, working on various construction projects — mostly in Junon, though he had been to other places. When he’d finally returned to Midgar after his promotion, however, the new Head of Urban Development found himself all but strapped to his desk by all the paperwork he had. All too soon Reeve felt like he was going crazy from lack of natural light and social company. Never before had he felt so… isolated.
So he’d begun a little project.
Building Cait Sith was the realization of a childish dream. As a boy, Reeve had always wanted to be a spy in a secret disguise, ferreting out the bad guys and saving the world. While saving the world seemed to be a bit out of his league at the moment, his creation did allow him to spy successfully on more than a few people, including some of his fellow board members.
Mostly, however, zany Cait bounced through the slums of Midgar, observing people’s lives there. Even stuck inside the ShinRa Building, Reeve grew more and more disgusted at the conditions forced on those who lived under the Plate. The people there deserved so much better than what ShinRa gave them. If only he could actually do something, instead of spending hours in his office with paperwork that was rarely more than bureaucratic red tape for projects that’d likely remain unfinished…
Cait Sith could not go outside the city yet, so Reeve had no idea how the rest of the world was faring under ShinRa’s iron-fisted rule since he had been trapped in his office. The worst thing was he couldn’t even do anything for those he could see; most of the proposals he had tried to put forward ended up conveniently “lost” in interoffice mail, or eternally stuck in limbo waiting for the completion of obscure forms nobody could find.
Still, it was maddening to have to sit here with his hands tied. Reeve wasn’t surprised that most of the higher-ups of ShinRa were either ruthlessly cold-hearted or ended up committing suicide. It was not a healthy work atmosphere.
Cait Sith was wandering around the slums as usual, while Reeve skimmed and signed more of the endless forms and reports on his desk. He sighed. Sometimes it was difficult to keep track of time, full of paperwork and the same dreary conditions in the slums day after day…
It was the flash of color that attracted Reeve’s attention. The solid pink that passed across Cait’s view was far different from the tawdry neon lights common under the Plate. Reeve’s pen paused above the page before him as he watched a teenaged girl sell a bright flower to a young couple. Intrigued, he ordered Cait Sith to follow her.
She wandered the crowds for quite some time, clearly a regular here from the greetings she received. Reeve quickly learned her name: Aeris. Finally the flower girl left the marketplace and headed off into the gloomier sections of the slums, Cait Sith on her heels in the shadows. It wasn’t long before she came to an area long abandoned, even many of the thieves having moved on to better areas.
Reeve took control away from the AI, carefully directing the moogle as it skirted its way around piles of rubble and followed Aeris into an ancient church. It was not an easy task, but the robot’s computer would have found it far more difficult.
“Hello there.”
Back in his office, Reeve nearly jumped out of his chair as Cait’s vision was suddenly filled with Aeris’ smiling face. “You’ve been following me for a while, now. Did you want a flower?”
Reeve smacked the AI button, and Cait Sith came to life. “Would ye like a fortune?” he asked, cocking his head.
Aeris blinked, studying the robot closely. Reeve had the uncomfortable feeling she knew at least some of what it was made to do. “I guess.”
“Okay!” The little cat promptly danced on top of his moogle and produced a piece of paper. “Do not live for the things of the past,” he read. “Hope instead for the future.”
The young woman’s green eyes dimmed slightly at that. “…Of course,” she said softly. “But, if you’ll excuse me—”
Reeve felt guilty immediately. The AI’s fortunes were completely random, but it seemed this one had genuinely upset the flower girl. He switched back over to manual. “Do ye grow your own flowers?”
Aeris’ eyes flickered back to the cat. “Yes.” She reached into her basket, still half-full despite the late hour, and touched the blossoms gently. “Sometimes it feels like very few people appreciate them, though.”
I appreciate them. “I’ve never seen anyone manage to grow flowers in this city before,” Reeve replied, studying the garden through Cait Sith’s eyes with awe. “Ye must have quite a green thumb.”
“Maybe,” Aeris allowed with a strange little smile.
“Well, lass,” Cait chirped, “I have to go, but mayhap next time I see ye I’ll have the gil on me for a flower!”
“I’ll look forward to seeing you then,” Aeris replied, still smiling. Reeve shivered a little, unable to shake the feeling she meant him and not Cait Sith (though what were the chances of that?). Shaking his head, he had Cait perform a florid bow before the moogle backed out and bounced off, carrying its burden away from the church.
Finally laying down his pen, Reeve took a moment to simply think about the life he had seen down in the church. Even just looking at the flowers had made him feel more relaxed, more hopeful. Perhaps…
The executive pulled out a new file folder and some paper and quickly scribbled down some notes, keeping them encrypted in his own code out of sheer habit (because really, the odds of anyone wanting this information were so slim he probably needn’t have bothered). Carefully labeling the file “MMG”, he put it away and went back to his work. Maybe, someday, he just might be able to get this project off the ground… especially if he could enlist a little extra help.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The long string of commands and numbers he had seen on Vincent’s computer had been sitting in the back of Cloud’s mind for nearly two weeks before he finally decided to try to find out what they did. The blond was a little reluctant to actually do it, both because it was clearly something in which Vincent did not want him involved and because he did not want to bring ShinRa’s quite extensive security network crashing down on his ears.
Of course, his curiosity won out in the end.
It took him a while to gather up the nerve to do it, and a few panicked minutes to find the little scrap of paper he’d hastily scrawled the codes on as soon as he could after that lesson (it was tucked into the jacket of one of the books Vincent had given him). Once he’d sat down in front of the computer, he found himself pausing after each line with his heart in his chest, desperately hoping he’d remembered everything right when he’d written it down. When he took a deep breath and hit ‘Enter’ for the final time, though, Cloud was surprised at what he saw (though perhaps, he reflected, he shouldn’t have been):
The codes were a route right into Hojo’s files.
Cloud had been very, very careful. Many of the recent files (and some of the older ones as well, including a rather large one entitled “project_s”) had been protected with encryption schemes far beyond Cloud’s ability to crack. Those he left alone, instead rooting through the system for older files with weaker encryption. He had managed to crack a file that seemed to be about Vincent, but left it unread. His mentor was a very private person; he would tell his student what he wanted him to know when he wanted him to know it, and Cloud would respect that. Reading that file, even if Vincent would never know, would feel like a violation of trust.
Cloud had found a file in the same directory, though, that more than made up for the pang of curiosity unsatisfied. He hadn’t had much of an opportunity to investigate further since then, but still it sat there in the back of his mind, waiting for the right time.
The right time hadn’t shown up anytime in the past week or so, though, and those thoughts were the furthest thing from his mind as Cloud made his way through the corridors. His steps were quick and nervous, and he held the keycard in front of his chest like a shield. Zack had relegated certain duties and chores to his apprentice before (and had in fact become notorious for doing so), so Cloud wouldn’t be stopped, but still… these were the living quarters of the highest-ranked SOLDIERs in ShinRa. Most cadets wouldn’t even dream of setting foot in these imposing halls.
He managed the access code fine, even if he did drop the keycard, and the door opened easily. Stepping inside, Cloud let out an uneven sigh as it clicked shut behind him. Despite having permission to be here, he’d still been nervous about running into someone.
Allowing himself to relax just a little, Cloud stared with wide eyes at the room he’d entered. One would expect General Sephiroth’s quarters to be cool and austere, just like the SOLDIER himself was, but there were several small touches that made this place feel… personalized, a little more lived-in. There were pegs he guessed were for the Masamune on the near wall, and a beautifully painted Wutaiian wall scroll opposite; a shelf unit stocked with books in several languages stood near what looked to be the entrance to the apartment’s kitchenette, and… was that a tiny rock garden in the far corner?
Cloud shook his head. He wasn’t here to gawk; Zack had sent him to fetch a number of half-finished reports he’d left sitting on the coffee table, though he’d had to reassure his friend several times that no, Sephiroth was not going to be there, and maybe if he’d just hurry up and go already he wouldn’t have anything to get so worked up over, for Gaea’s sake.
While the General may have been out, however, Vincent was in — and sleeping soundly on the couch.
Cloud watched him carefully as he stepped closer. It was rare for him to be able to see his mentor like this, asleep and unguarded. The sternness of his face was gone in rest, making him look even younger than usual… though even “usual” was more like a man just under thirty than his almost fifty years. The thing the blond found most surprising, however, was that the former Turk didn’t even stir at his presence.
Maybe Vincent trusted him enough that his subconscious did not wake him…?
One eyelid flickered open. Cloud silently cursed, realizing his thought had come too soon. “Vincent?”
The man didn’t reply. Cloud studied the open eye and realized… it didn’t look quite right. Something was off — in a way he had seen once before. “No… Lord of Mayhem.”
One slender eyebrow rose as Chaos shifted his host’s body so he could better view Cloud. “And just where did you learn that name, boy?”
“Hojo’s files,” Cloud replied boldly, crouching beside the couch. “Vincent really shouldn’t keep his codes out where other people can see them.”
“No, he shouldn’t,” Chaos agreed, a touch of humor in his not-Vincent voice (and it was so very strange for Cloud to see that little smile on those lips when his mentor kept his rare amusement confined to his eyes). “Why are you here?”
“Zack sent me to get some files for him.” The blond’s hands smoothed his fatigue pants. “I’m glad we could talk, though,” he admitted truthfully. “When I managed to crack your file, I couldn’t help wondering…”
The demon made a noncommittal noise. “Your curiosity may well kill you someday, you know,” he informed the boy.
“It might.” Cloud shrugged a little. “I think sometimes it’s better to know than not to know, though — and I really doubt Vincent would answer my questions about you, considering he generally doesn’t like to talk about any of you.”
“True enough.” Chaos studied the teenager thoughtfully, tilting his host’s head to the side. Those few who knew of him rarely acknowledged him as a sentient entity of his own merit. To Hojo he had been merely a specimen (though to Hojo, everything was a specimen, including himself). His host tried to ignore his unwanted guest as much as possible. This young human, though, seemed quite determined to not only recognize him for himself, but to talk with him as well. A most intriguing youngling indeed… “In any case,” the demon finally said, “I do hope your curiosity is satisfied. Your mentor is likely to awaken soon, and you have an errand to complete, no?”
Cloud nodded a little, rising. Retrieving the documents Zack had sent him for, he padded softly back across the room, as silent as he could. Chaos watched him go, then withdrew his control, allowing Vincent to awaken normally. The former Turk would not know of their little talk for quite some time, the spirit wagered. And perhaps… there might be others like it in the future.
Surprisingly, Chaos found himself looking forward to the possibility.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If it had been in Sephiroth’s nature, he would have sighed in exasperation.
As it were, a frown hovered about his lips as he read the report. Everyone in SOLDIER knew that putting Michael Allen and John Lockley in the same room together — unless it was a very large room with lots of innocents standing between them — invariably resulted in blood on the floor. Their inexplicable, seething hatred of each other did not extend to anyone else, so their skill and excellent Mako scores had admitted both of them into the SOLDIER program.
Allen had recently been sent on a disciplinary mission in the Kalm area after a starting drunken brawl with his fellow SOLDIER. Unfortunately, his direct superior, Marius, had been called away to Costa del Sol by a family emergency — some illness his brother had picked up during the war had flared up again, and things didn’t look good this time.
This put Allen in charge of his squad… which just so happened to be working on eliminating a nasty contingent of monsters in the region Lockley’s unit was patrolling this month.
It wouldn’t take long for their tempers to flare completely out of control. There was only one person who could possibly talk the pair down, or handle them if necessary, who Sephiroth could actually trust. “Zack…?”
“I’m on my way.” He filed away the last of his reports and locked his desk. “I’ll call you when I have news,” he told his superior, and with that gave a jaunty salute and left the office.
Sephiroth shook his head, yet again bemused by his friend’s efficiency and ability to read him. He returned to his paperwork, trying to ignore the sudden silence that marked Zack’s departure. The General glanced at the clock. Come to think of it, Zack was usually gone during this time. For a moment Sephiroth couldn’t recall why… and then it came back to him. Of course. Zack was normally training Strife during this hour.
The silver-haired man frowned at the thought, stood, and walked over to his friend’s desk. Sure enough, there was a quickly-scribbled note stuck to the desktop.
Seph—
Tell Cloud where I went. He’ll be waiting for me in the gym. Don’t work too much!
—Zack
Rolling his eyes at the last line, Sephiroth retrieved the Masamune from its place against the wall and walked quickly down to the gym. Strife was standing in the middle of the room, dutifully going through his exercises as he waited for his instructor. It took him a few minutes to realize Sephiroth was there, but once he did the cadet immediately straightened, turning to face the General. “Sir!”
“Lieutenant Sinclair has been sent out on a mission.” Straight and to the point.
“Thank you for telling me, sir,” Cloud replied, offering a textbook-perfect salute before returning to his drills.
Interesting. From what Zack had told him, most cadets would have simply stood at attention until his departure, then taken the absence of their instructors to be a sign to slack off and party.
…Then again, Strife was not ‘most’ cadets.
The General watched the blond with a critical eye. Nearly every SOLDIER spent at least some time teaching the younger ones, and Sephiroth was well used to assessing an individual’s performance. Usually he observed only the most skilled members of SOLDIER, but the process was still the same.
For an untried cadet, the boy was good, he thought. Very good. Still, he had a long way to go, and— “Strife, your feet are out of position. Watch your left side, and keep the flourishes to a minimum.”
The cadet jerked at his voice, casting a startled glance in his direction as if surprised the General was still there, but complied.
Sephiroth continued watching. Strife appeared to be picking up several of Zack’s bad habits — those unnecessary flourishes being one of them — along with his virtues. A problem, and not one Zack was likely to fix. The General continued to observe and occasionally correct until the clock on the wall proclaimed it to be 2100 hours — the usual time Zack stopped the cadet’s training. “I’ll see you here at the same time tomorrow, Strife.”
“…Sir?” Strife’s voice was just a touch uncertain. He had good control of his emotions, it seemed… Probably a side effect of Valentine’s instruction.
“While Sinclair is away, I will oversee your training,” Sephiroth elaborated. “Make sure to run through your exercises once more today.”
“Yes, sir!” Strife saluted sharply.
Without another word, Sephiroth turned and walked away, returning to his office. Zack would probably only be gone for a week or two, so he had to be certain to make the most of the time available to him. Ordinarily the General never would have worked with a cadet, even one of Strife’s ability, but after seeing the boy’s potential, he knew that if those bad habits could be corrected now, and the cadet kept up his training… chances were good he’d someday have another sparring partner worthy of his time.
It was nice to have something to look forward to.
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