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Butterfly Effect: Chapter 19
Authors: Bard Linn and Kiraya
Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: None, at the moment.
Rating (Overall): PG-13
Summary: “I really do think you’re overreacting, though.”
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 19
Zack sauntered off the train and into the military compound station with an artificial bounce in his step. In truth, though, he was dead beat. Trying to keep Lockley and Allen from killing each other for three weeks while Marius had made funerary arrangements for his brother had severely taxed both his reserves and patience, but it wouldn’t do to appear anything less than his usual energetic self. The actual reason he had left Midgar wasn’t widely known; he ran plenty of little errands like these for Sephiroth. It was part of being the man’s aide and having his trust.
The SOLDIER First took a quick detour through the observation deck of the gym, trying to cut a bit of time off the trip to his room. He’d have cut through the gym proper, but then he’d have had to wend his way through sparring groups.
Only thing was, the usual shortcut didn’t seem to be working, as the observation deck was packed.
“Oi, Sinclair!” A Second Class called him over. “How’d you talk the General into it?”
“Into what?” Zack asked, making his way through the crowd towards the other SOLDIER. He thought the guy’s name might’ve been Winters, but he wasn’t quite sure.
“Taking on your protégé.”
Zack had never been more grateful for his control of his facial expressions. Without missing a beat, he grinned. “Well, it wasn’t easy, that’s for sure.”
“You must be doing something good with the kid, though. He’s actually managing to stay on his own two feet!” possibly-Winters commented.
Zack moved up next to the other SOLDIER and followed his gaze. Sure enough, there stood Sephiroth, instructing Cloud on an advanced kata, one Zack himself didn’t know very well and thus hadn’t taught the blond. Amazingly, the little guy was standing there with an intense look on his face, not shirking away from his idol. As Zack continued to watch critically, he was surprised and pleased to note no signs of uneasiness or tension in the postures of either. “So, how long did it take for Sephiroth to get out of his office?” he asked the other SOLDIER.
“They started the day you left, believe it or not.” The Second Class shook his head. “I still can’t believe he hasn’t killed the kid yet!”
Privately Zack agreed, though he was far more surprised Sephiroth had actually reached out to Cloud on his own, and had continued working with him for the entire three weeks the dark-haired man had been away. Zack smiled to himself. He seemed to have made quite some progress; the Sephiroth he had first known would never have done such a thing.
The First Class made his way down the stairs and out onto the practice floor, exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the face of his discovery. “Stealing my apprentice, Seph?” he called out as he approached them, waving. “Who’ll I make run my errands if you take him away?”
“Sinclair.” Sephiroth lowered his sword, nodding at his aide. “Since you have returned, I will take my leave.” With that the General abruptly turned and left the gym.
Well used to his superior’s ‘public’ face, Zack didn’t let Sephiroth’s distant brusqueness deter him in the slightest, instead turning to his worn-looking apprentice and clapping a hand on his shoulder. “You look ready to drop, Cloud. Let’s call it a night.” It was a measure of how exhausted his friend was that he didn’t even argue, merely nodded. Sephiroth must have been running him ragged… something Zack was secretly grateful for; he wasn’t really in any condition to offer further instruction at the moment. “Come on,” he said softly, steering the blond towards the door. “I got some stuff for your bruises in my room.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elanor smiled as she wrapped up the last package of seeds. Her son’s letter had not openly said he was interested in the girl he’d mentioned, but she suspected as much. It wasn’t likely that Cloud would’ve asked her to ship something all the way to Midgar for a mere “friend.”
Like so many other parents, Mrs. Strife had to admit to a certain longing for grandchildren. She had tried to encourage Cloud to at least start dating, even if he didn’t find someone to settle down with just yet, several times in the past, but her son had insisted he wasn’t interested. Now, though, there might be two possible candidates for his spouse — Tifa, should they ever come to care for each other, and this unknown girl in Midgar. Of course, if Cloud married a girl from outside the village while still “engaged,” there would be all sorts of trouble, but… then again, with how focused he seemed to be on his training, it probably wouldn’t happen for some time. And it wouldn’t have been completely unexpected for Cloud to marry an outsider; after all, it ran in his blood.
Elanor hesitated before returning once more to the jars housing her seeds, removing a small amount from a tiny one on the end. These were spring gentians, a rare wildflower that grew on the slopes of Mount Nibel. As far as Elanor knew, she was the only one in the area who had coaxed them to bloom in her garden. This was unsurprising, really; they had no great healing power or use in seasoning, and many of the older folk in particular were suspicious of their brilliant color. She had grown them herself for nearly two decades, though.
“They match your eyes,” Fastred had once claimed, holding a tiny bunch of the vibrant flowers out to her. He had found them in an isolated alpine meadow on one of this customary treks through the mountains. Amazingly, he had managed to gather up enough not only for her marriage bouquet but also a coronet, which she wore with pride on their wedding day.
Wrapping the seeds in paper, she tucked the tiny parcel into the box with the rest. “May these flowers bring you as much luck as they brought me,” she murmured, smiling slightly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud was being completely unfair, and he knew it.
As much as training under Sephiroth’s direction had been intimidating at first, Cloud quickly found himself enjoying it. Providing clear and succint instructions, the General demanded a student give him everything he had. He did not engage in any of the silly antics Zack was so fond of, instead delving right into the heart of the matter at hand.
In so many ways, it had felt like training with Vincent again.
Even better, the other training, the social interaction Zack deemed so necessary, had been quietly overlooked. Cloud had had three weeks of nothing but swordswork and strategy, and he had loved it.
But then Zack came back.
And, of course, Sephiroth had left.
Zack had started training with him again the day after his return, but it felt distinctively… easy. Cloud wasn’t really learning much anymore, at least as far as forms were concerned. He knew he needed to work on his drills, and the sparring practice was absolutely necessary, of course, but he felt like he was coming up against a brick wall as far as Zack’s teaching went. Sephiroth had pushed him so much harder, but Zack insisted on taking time out to talk, eat, and (“most importantly,” he always said) mingle. Cloud could appreciate the reason behind it, but still… it didn’t make things any less frustrating.
“Now,” Zack began, drawing the Buster Sword with a signature flourish, “it is important for— Seph, is something wrong?”
Cloud followed his friend’s gaze over to the door. The General of SOLDIER shook his head minutely to indicate there was no problem, and settled into the shadows of the practice area to watch, as he had taken to doing recently.
“Suit yourself.” Zack shrugged a little, turning back to his apprentice. “Now, as I was saying…”
Cloud did his best to pay attention as Zack continued to instruct him, but slowly began to recognize the signs of tension in the black-haired man’s posture. Unconsciously, he bit his lip.
This could be bad.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sephiroth was well aware of how poorly Zack reacted to criticism. Perhaps one of the SOLDIER’s greatest faults was his subconscious tendency to ignore the fact that he had faults — hardly uncommon in members of their outfit, but something Zachary’s mentor had complained about often enough. It certainly didn’t help that, as he had advanced through the ranks, Zack’s often… unconventional practices had succeeded more often than not, boosting his ego and self-confidence even further.
It was a trap Sephiroth knew intimately himself. As a man not only became powerful but excelled, people rarely questioned him, especially if he had the deadly finesse of a SOLDIER. Scoggins made it a point to drop by every now and then to take the General down a few notches himself, and was often helped by none other than Zack. His aide, on the other hand, had no such authority figure in his life to provide that service. His mentorship had been a rocky one, a clash of personalities that at the time had been epic, a favourite topic of gossip among the troops. It didn’t last, though; strict old Aleong had died in Wutai only a few months after receiving the position, and by that point they had needed as many SOLDIERs as they could take without leaving Midgar undefended. So it was that, like so many of his comrades, Zack’s training had been turned over to his direct superiors and the harsh conditions of the war front.
No, Zack was certainly not without his flaws… and Sephiroth was quietly pleased to see that Strife seemed to be picking up on several of those in his mentor’s technique. Since the General’s own time with him, the cadet had developed a tendency to ever-so-slightly alter the things Zack taught him, removing some of the flourishes and being a little more conservative in his movements. Yes, they were minor corrections at most, but still… it was a step in the right direction.
If only Zachary would see it that way.
“Zack,” Sephiroth began as he entered his outer office.
“What?” the dark-haired man returned brusquely, looking up from his work, his shoulders oddly tense. He’d been like this, short-tempered and close-mouthed, for about a week and a half now… and Sephiroth was quite sure he knew why.
“Have you completed the activity summaries for last month? Heidegger is becoming quite insistent.”
The other SOLDIER looked a little surprised, as if he had been expecting Sephiroth to say something else. “Oh. Yeah, they’re just about done.” Pulling up a file on his computer, he made a few cursory changes before sending the document to the printer.
The General paused. “Zack…”
“Yes, Seph?” The response was cool, curt.
The silver-haired man took a moment to collect his words before continuing. “Please stop this… sulking nonsense. You do realize you’re being most irrational—”
“Am I?” The other man wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Yes.”
“Do you trust me?”
Sephiroth blinked. “…What?”
“I said, do you trust me?” His voice hardened. “Or maybe what I should ask instead is do you lack confidence in my ability?”
“No—”
“Then why in Odin’s name have you been shadowing every training session I’ve had with Cloud these past two weeks like I’m some wet-behind-the-ears rookie who’s never taught anyone before?” Zack snapped, rising from his chair.
Not every session, Sephiroth nearly countered; only those during the times he could leave his work for a little while. Instead he replied, a little distantly now, “I am merely interested in his progress. You certainly speak of him often enough.”
“Why start now, then? You never stopped by before, not even once.” Zack struggled with his temper. “Cloud didn’t mean a damn thing to you before you taught him!”
The words stung badly, the truth in them undeniable… but more than that, Sephiroth felt a touch of concern at his friend’s rapidly deteriorating cool. This was highly unlike him. “Zachary, you’re getting far too emotional about this. This sort of attitude will only hamper Strife’s progr—”
“Yes, sir.” The SOLDIER First abruptly turned away from the General, stepping smartly over to the printer and very nearly ripping the last page of his reports out of it. Sephiroth, meanwhile, retreated through the open door to his own desk in the inner office, surprised how much Zack’s cold shoulder had… hurt him. For the one person he trusted, the one person he could honestly call a friend, to act in such a way felt acutely like a betrayal.
The silver-haired man narrowed his eyes, shaking his head as he closed the door behind him. He had a few extra reports to work on; maybe he’d just stay late at the office tonight.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Zack threw a glare over his shoulder at Sephiroth’s closed office door, and went back to work on the papers in front of him. His prolonged absence had left him with more than enough to work on for the moment, and gave him the perfect excuse to nurse his anger. As if Seph had any right to call him irrational, considering how stupidly stubborn he could be about the most ridiculous things—
But what if he’s right?
The raven-haired man frowned dismissively. Yeah, right. He wasn’t the one hounding all of another SOLDIER’s apprentice’s practices like some overzealous stable manager all excited about the racing prospects of a promising young chocobo.
Maybe… but then you’re the one acting like the nervous trainer, afraid that they’ll take your favorite chocobo, who you care for as if he were your own chick, away from you.
He shook his head at the absurdity of the simile, fighting down a smile. It was kind of funny how his ‘voice of reason’ always managed to sound like Aeris at times like this…
Oh, stop dancing around and admit it already: you are being irrational, because you’re afraid he’ll steal Cloud away from you.
…so maybe it was right, at least a little. He loved teaching Cloud, loved working with him, but he’d always been aware of the depth of Cloud’s hero-worship of Sephiroth. Surely the kid would want to transfer if given the option, especially since he had done so well under the General’s tutoring…
Zack sighed. Maybe he should let him go with Sephiroth. They were fast approaching the limits of what he could teach Cloud that didn’t require SOLDIER enhancements to pull off…
His gut, however, loudly protested the idea. Cloud would suffer socially without Zack’s constant nudges, and besides, he had to admit he’d grown attached to the kid. Even so, though… none of this was any excuse for how he’d lashed out at Sephiroth. He really should apologize.
If I’m lucky, he’ll let it slide. If not… I might have just undone years of work.
Zack stifled a groan at the thought. It would not be fun to have to chip through Seph’s defensive walls all over again, slow and careful and constantly aware that one wrong move could screw it all up.
He stood and rose, walking over to Sephiroth’s closed door — these days a rarity that spoke volumes about the rift he had caused — and knocked lightly. When he received no response, he sighed. “Seph, I… I’m sorry, okay? Sometimes I just… I act without thinking. You know that…”
Zack waited. Still nothing from within the office. Sighing again, he returned to his chair, vowing to speedily finish his paperwork. He needed to get out of here and clear his head.
Maybe if he gave Seph a couple days…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“One might observe, if he had the opportunity, that Sephiroth has recently been returning to his quarters late, and leaving for the office far earlier than usual.”
Cloud looked up at Vincent’s words, startled. The odd sentence was Vincent’s way of probing for information without asking questions. Coming right out and asking “What is going on between Sinclair and Sephiroth?” like some gossipmonger just wasn’t something he’d do.
“I’m not quite sure, but… I think he might have had a fight with Zack,” Cloud told him, looking rather depressed. Even if his protégé had been schooling his expression to hide his distress, Vincent would have been able to discern his mental state; Cloud’s work was suffering in quality, an unusual thing for the steady and studious youth. He must truly be distraught. “Sephiroth started watching our training sessions after Zack got back, and Zack seemed a bit… well, less than comfortable with that. I just wish I could help them, but… I really don’t know what I could do…”
“I see.” Vincent was suddenly reminded of Lucrecia, of her belief that all things were interconnected. Sinclair and Sephiroth’s dilemma was upsetting Cloud, whose worry was influencing him in turn… Why was it only now, after her death, that he truly began to understand her?
The former Turk quickly banished those thoughts from his mind, returning his focus to his student. “That’s enough for tonight,” he said “You’d best return to your quarters. It’s getting late.”
Cloud nodded slowly, looking slightly suspicious… as well he should, since it was over an hour earlier than when they normally stopped. Still, he obediently gathered his things, rising.
“And Cloud…”
The blond turned back, one hand on the doorknob, shifting his books under his arm. “Yes?”
Vincent hesitated for a moment, carefully considering what he wanted to say. Words had never been his best weapon. “If you are uncertain how to proceed, perhaps you should seek advice from someone who is more versed in these matters.”
A thoughtful look appeared on Cloud’s face. “Thanks, Vincent,” he said quietly as he turned and walked away.
The former Turk nodded to himself. Hopefully speaking to his apprentice would alleviate his concern… though somehow, it didn’t feel like he’d done enough. The only other plausible course of action he could think of was so utterly absurd, though…
But if it could help, he owed it to his student to try, at least.
Vincent silently rose and, proceeding in his usual stealthy manner, returned to Sephiroth’s quarters. Once there, he settled smoothly onto the couch, patiently awaiting the arrival of his host.
It was not long before he heard the click of the lock, the General stepping inside as he closed the door behind him. “Valentine,” Sephiroth said simply, a single raised eyebrow the only thing conveying his surprise at Vincent’s presence. For all that they had shared quarters for nearly a year now, they still rarely saw each other.
Vincent saw no point in wasting words with this man, though part of him still insisted this idea was completely preposterous. “Cloud has been very distracted as of late. He suspects you have had a falling-out with Lieutenant Sinclair.”
Sephiroth’s eyes went cold. “I see,” he said crisply.
I truly am a fool, giving advice on matters of the heart. Vincent met the SOLDIER’s gaze squarely. “I had something I treasured once. I waited too long and lost it forever.” Don’t make my mistake.
A short nod was the only reply he received, but the General’s glowing green eyes were thoughtful as he hung the Masamune in its place on the wall before retreating to the bathroom. Vincent leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes with a sigh. I’ve done what I can, Cloud. The rest is up to you.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aeris smiled as she dug into the earth, carefully pulling up a weed so the flower beside it could grow freely. No feeling really compared to having her hands in Gaea’s soft soil; it calmed her in a way nothing else could. It was a good feeling, one any gardener, working with green and growing things, quickly learned to cherish.
Her smile only grew as she ‘heard’ the gentle murmur of voices where there were none. It was hard to discern anything from her Voices unless she was really trying, but she did manage to catch a name. Thus the opening of the door behind her didn’t surprise her at all. “Hello, Cloud,” she greeted her visitor, looking up from her work.
The blond smiled, walking towards her with unusual grace for his age, betraying his extensive training. Zack — her heart twisted — had moved much the same way. “Um, I asked Mom for some seeds from her garden. I thought you might like them, especially since they’re from the western continent, stuff you’re not likely to find around here…” He held out the package almost shyly.
“Oh Cloud, thank you!” Aeris gratefully took it as she rose, beaming at her dear friend, who grinned back. She hated to think of the inevitable day when they would have to stop meeting, once he became a SOLDIER and ShinRa began to keep him on a tighter leash, but until then the young woman intended to enjoy every minute of it. She’d never admit it, but she liked to imagine this was what having a brother would be like. “I’m always looking for more seeds. These will look wonderful in my garden.”
“Here?” Cloud asked, looking around.
Aeris shook her head. “No, at home. I have a very large garden, full of all types of flowers…” She smiled, a little sadly. “Hopefully I can show it to you someday. But…” The Voices spoke again, quietly pointing out the signs of worry and fatigue beneath the youth’s current, fleeting joy. She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward a little, tilting her head to the side. “You’re upset about something, aren’t you?”
Cloud nodded, his smile falling from his face as if it had never been there. “Yeah,” he said soberly, his gaze lowering.
Gesturing for him to join her, Aeris sat down in the closest pew. “What is it?”
The blond took a deep breath. “Two friends of mine— that is, two people I know, had…” He shrugged helplessly. “I guess it was an argument. I don’t know, I wasn’t there. But… they haven’t been talking to each other since, and every time I see them they’re… stressed. Upset. Sometimes almost… almost guilty.”
Aeris lightly touched his shoulder. “You may just need to let them settle it between themselves,” she told him softly.
“I know, but… It’s already been almost a week, and, well—” Cloud looked absolutely forlorn “—I’m afraid I might’ve something to do with it.”
“Why?” the young woman asked, quite surprised. Cloud hardly struck her as the kind to cause an argument.
He sighed. “They were fine until I started… getting to know one of them better. The one had been a good friend of mine for a while, but I had only met the other a few times,” the blond replied, obviously choosing his words carefully.
Aeris kept her curiosity to herself, but something told her this was more than simply an argument between friends. Something deeper ran here… Perhaps Cloud had become the lover of the other friend?
The flower girl nearly snorted aloud at that thought. If there ever were a person almost completely ignorant of sex, Cloud had to be it. He’d certainly seemed pretty oblivious to some of the raunchier things going on in Sector 6 when they had visited Wall Market together!
Aeris shook her head. “If you truly feel you have done something to disrupt their relationship,” she said, “the only thing you can do is apologize and ask that they make an effort to resolve their differences.” She smiled a little. “I really do think you’re overreacting, though.”
“I’ll do it,” Cloud replied firmly, nodding. “I have to try, at least.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud stared warily at the door in front of him, not quite believing he was actually here. He had tried to talk to Zack about what had happened between the General and his aide, but the dark-haired man had brushed it off, never letting the conversation linger on the subject. If Zack wasn’t going to listen, there was only one other person he could go to if he wanted to follow Aeris’ advice.
The blond smiled a little as he remembered the expression on her face when he’d given her the seeds his mother had sent. She had looked so happy! And his visit giving him the knowledge Vincent had suggested he seek out was a perfect bonus. Normally he would have gone to Zack with an issue like this, but since Zack was part of the problem…
The SOLDIER candidate shook his head and knocked on the door before he could lose his nerve. He tensed as he heard a voice from within. “Enter.”
Cloud opened the door and slipped inside. The desk in the outer office was unoccupied, as he had expected. Zack had a weekly meeting with some of the higher-ranked SOLDIER Firsts during this time, which was precisely why the blond had come now.
The door to the inner office beckoned; taking a moment to compose himself, he quickly crossed over to it.
He was surprised to see how… stark the office was, recalling his impressions of the General’s quarters the one time he had briefly been there. Then Cloud reminded himself how silly he was being. This was the General’s public face, and it showed as little about what he treasured as the man himself did. The room, clean, well-ordered, and unadorned, matched his initial expectations of the elite SOLDIER’s quarters.
The head of SOLDIER sat at his desk in the middle of the room, looking at Cloud expectantly. The blond quickly gave his best salute. “General Sephiroth.”
“Cadet Strife,” the silver-haired man replied, just as formal.
Cloud swallowed. “I’m sorry to bother you, sir, but I feel that the recent… difficulty between you and Lieutenant Sinclair might have been partially my fault. I wish to apologize.”
Sephiroth didn’t move.
Cloud shook his head. “I didn’t want this to happen, really. I didn’t want to… to come between you.”
Still no reaction from the General; Cloud fervently hoped that the man was just waiting for him to finish, like Vincent would have done. He knew this was really not the right setting for this talk, but he could hardly hope for another chance to talk to the General alone like this, so he plunged onward. “I value everything both you and Lieutenant Sinclair have taught me. I wanted—” He took a deep breath. “More than anything I wanted to be a part of this, of SOLDIER, of, of everything, not… not just something to cause problems…” He trailed off lamely, his hands making an aborted gesture of helplessness. I hope that sounded better to him than it did to me…
Sephiroth remained quiet for a long time; when he finally spoke, Cloud started. “I do not believe the fault is yours,” he said smoothly, “but I will let Zachary know what you said.”
Cloud nodded, relief flooding his being as the weight of anxiety lifted from his shoulders. “Thank you, sir!” Hopefully the General and his aide would work things out now…
“Wha— Cloud? What are you doing here?”
The blond blinked; he hadn’t anticipated Zack’s return this early — or, more accurately, had expected him to be noisier about it. Deciding retreat was the best course of action, Cloud quickly snapped off another perfect salute, leaving when Sephiroth nodded in dismissal.
The General shook his head as his aide moved to talk to the cadet. “Zack… we need to talk.”
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Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: None, at the moment.
Rating (Overall): PG-13
Summary: “I really do think you’re overreacting, though.”
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 19
Zack sauntered off the train and into the military compound station with an artificial bounce in his step. In truth, though, he was dead beat. Trying to keep Lockley and Allen from killing each other for three weeks while Marius had made funerary arrangements for his brother had severely taxed both his reserves and patience, but it wouldn’t do to appear anything less than his usual energetic self. The actual reason he had left Midgar wasn’t widely known; he ran plenty of little errands like these for Sephiroth. It was part of being the man’s aide and having his trust.
The SOLDIER First took a quick detour through the observation deck of the gym, trying to cut a bit of time off the trip to his room. He’d have cut through the gym proper, but then he’d have had to wend his way through sparring groups.
Only thing was, the usual shortcut didn’t seem to be working, as the observation deck was packed.
“Oi, Sinclair!” A Second Class called him over. “How’d you talk the General into it?”
“Into what?” Zack asked, making his way through the crowd towards the other SOLDIER. He thought the guy’s name might’ve been Winters, but he wasn’t quite sure.
“Taking on your protégé.”
Zack had never been more grateful for his control of his facial expressions. Without missing a beat, he grinned. “Well, it wasn’t easy, that’s for sure.”
“You must be doing something good with the kid, though. He’s actually managing to stay on his own two feet!” possibly-Winters commented.
Zack moved up next to the other SOLDIER and followed his gaze. Sure enough, there stood Sephiroth, instructing Cloud on an advanced kata, one Zack himself didn’t know very well and thus hadn’t taught the blond. Amazingly, the little guy was standing there with an intense look on his face, not shirking away from his idol. As Zack continued to watch critically, he was surprised and pleased to note no signs of uneasiness or tension in the postures of either. “So, how long did it take for Sephiroth to get out of his office?” he asked the other SOLDIER.
“They started the day you left, believe it or not.” The Second Class shook his head. “I still can’t believe he hasn’t killed the kid yet!”
Privately Zack agreed, though he was far more surprised Sephiroth had actually reached out to Cloud on his own, and had continued working with him for the entire three weeks the dark-haired man had been away. Zack smiled to himself. He seemed to have made quite some progress; the Sephiroth he had first known would never have done such a thing.
The First Class made his way down the stairs and out onto the practice floor, exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the face of his discovery. “Stealing my apprentice, Seph?” he called out as he approached them, waving. “Who’ll I make run my errands if you take him away?”
“Sinclair.” Sephiroth lowered his sword, nodding at his aide. “Since you have returned, I will take my leave.” With that the General abruptly turned and left the gym.
Well used to his superior’s ‘public’ face, Zack didn’t let Sephiroth’s distant brusqueness deter him in the slightest, instead turning to his worn-looking apprentice and clapping a hand on his shoulder. “You look ready to drop, Cloud. Let’s call it a night.” It was a measure of how exhausted his friend was that he didn’t even argue, merely nodded. Sephiroth must have been running him ragged… something Zack was secretly grateful for; he wasn’t really in any condition to offer further instruction at the moment. “Come on,” he said softly, steering the blond towards the door. “I got some stuff for your bruises in my room.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elanor smiled as she wrapped up the last package of seeds. Her son’s letter had not openly said he was interested in the girl he’d mentioned, but she suspected as much. It wasn’t likely that Cloud would’ve asked her to ship something all the way to Midgar for a mere “friend.”
Like so many other parents, Mrs. Strife had to admit to a certain longing for grandchildren. She had tried to encourage Cloud to at least start dating, even if he didn’t find someone to settle down with just yet, several times in the past, but her son had insisted he wasn’t interested. Now, though, there might be two possible candidates for his spouse — Tifa, should they ever come to care for each other, and this unknown girl in Midgar. Of course, if Cloud married a girl from outside the village while still “engaged,” there would be all sorts of trouble, but… then again, with how focused he seemed to be on his training, it probably wouldn’t happen for some time. And it wouldn’t have been completely unexpected for Cloud to marry an outsider; after all, it ran in his blood.
Elanor hesitated before returning once more to the jars housing her seeds, removing a small amount from a tiny one on the end. These were spring gentians, a rare wildflower that grew on the slopes of Mount Nibel. As far as Elanor knew, she was the only one in the area who had coaxed them to bloom in her garden. This was unsurprising, really; they had no great healing power or use in seasoning, and many of the older folk in particular were suspicious of their brilliant color. She had grown them herself for nearly two decades, though.
“They match your eyes,” Fastred had once claimed, holding a tiny bunch of the vibrant flowers out to her. He had found them in an isolated alpine meadow on one of this customary treks through the mountains. Amazingly, he had managed to gather up enough not only for her marriage bouquet but also a coronet, which she wore with pride on their wedding day.
Wrapping the seeds in paper, she tucked the tiny parcel into the box with the rest. “May these flowers bring you as much luck as they brought me,” she murmured, smiling slightly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud was being completely unfair, and he knew it.
As much as training under Sephiroth’s direction had been intimidating at first, Cloud quickly found himself enjoying it. Providing clear and succint instructions, the General demanded a student give him everything he had. He did not engage in any of the silly antics Zack was so fond of, instead delving right into the heart of the matter at hand.
In so many ways, it had felt like training with Vincent again.
Even better, the other training, the social interaction Zack deemed so necessary, had been quietly overlooked. Cloud had had three weeks of nothing but swordswork and strategy, and he had loved it.
But then Zack came back.
And, of course, Sephiroth had left.
Zack had started training with him again the day after his return, but it felt distinctively… easy. Cloud wasn’t really learning much anymore, at least as far as forms were concerned. He knew he needed to work on his drills, and the sparring practice was absolutely necessary, of course, but he felt like he was coming up against a brick wall as far as Zack’s teaching went. Sephiroth had pushed him so much harder, but Zack insisted on taking time out to talk, eat, and (“most importantly,” he always said) mingle. Cloud could appreciate the reason behind it, but still… it didn’t make things any less frustrating.
“Now,” Zack began, drawing the Buster Sword with a signature flourish, “it is important for— Seph, is something wrong?”
Cloud followed his friend’s gaze over to the door. The General of SOLDIER shook his head minutely to indicate there was no problem, and settled into the shadows of the practice area to watch, as he had taken to doing recently.
“Suit yourself.” Zack shrugged a little, turning back to his apprentice. “Now, as I was saying…”
Cloud did his best to pay attention as Zack continued to instruct him, but slowly began to recognize the signs of tension in the black-haired man’s posture. Unconsciously, he bit his lip.
This could be bad.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sephiroth was well aware of how poorly Zack reacted to criticism. Perhaps one of the SOLDIER’s greatest faults was his subconscious tendency to ignore the fact that he had faults — hardly uncommon in members of their outfit, but something Zachary’s mentor had complained about often enough. It certainly didn’t help that, as he had advanced through the ranks, Zack’s often… unconventional practices had succeeded more often than not, boosting his ego and self-confidence even further.
It was a trap Sephiroth knew intimately himself. As a man not only became powerful but excelled, people rarely questioned him, especially if he had the deadly finesse of a SOLDIER. Scoggins made it a point to drop by every now and then to take the General down a few notches himself, and was often helped by none other than Zack. His aide, on the other hand, had no such authority figure in his life to provide that service. His mentorship had been a rocky one, a clash of personalities that at the time had been epic, a favourite topic of gossip among the troops. It didn’t last, though; strict old Aleong had died in Wutai only a few months after receiving the position, and by that point they had needed as many SOLDIERs as they could take without leaving Midgar undefended. So it was that, like so many of his comrades, Zack’s training had been turned over to his direct superiors and the harsh conditions of the war front.
No, Zack was certainly not without his flaws… and Sephiroth was quietly pleased to see that Strife seemed to be picking up on several of those in his mentor’s technique. Since the General’s own time with him, the cadet had developed a tendency to ever-so-slightly alter the things Zack taught him, removing some of the flourishes and being a little more conservative in his movements. Yes, they were minor corrections at most, but still… it was a step in the right direction.
If only Zachary would see it that way.
“Zack,” Sephiroth began as he entered his outer office.
“What?” the dark-haired man returned brusquely, looking up from his work, his shoulders oddly tense. He’d been like this, short-tempered and close-mouthed, for about a week and a half now… and Sephiroth was quite sure he knew why.
“Have you completed the activity summaries for last month? Heidegger is becoming quite insistent.”
The other SOLDIER looked a little surprised, as if he had been expecting Sephiroth to say something else. “Oh. Yeah, they’re just about done.” Pulling up a file on his computer, he made a few cursory changes before sending the document to the printer.
The General paused. “Zack…”
“Yes, Seph?” The response was cool, curt.
The silver-haired man took a moment to collect his words before continuing. “Please stop this… sulking nonsense. You do realize you’re being most irrational—”
“Am I?” The other man wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Yes.”
“Do you trust me?”
Sephiroth blinked. “…What?”
“I said, do you trust me?” His voice hardened. “Or maybe what I should ask instead is do you lack confidence in my ability?”
“No—”
“Then why in Odin’s name have you been shadowing every training session I’ve had with Cloud these past two weeks like I’m some wet-behind-the-ears rookie who’s never taught anyone before?” Zack snapped, rising from his chair.
Not every session, Sephiroth nearly countered; only those during the times he could leave his work for a little while. Instead he replied, a little distantly now, “I am merely interested in his progress. You certainly speak of him often enough.”
“Why start now, then? You never stopped by before, not even once.” Zack struggled with his temper. “Cloud didn’t mean a damn thing to you before you taught him!”
The words stung badly, the truth in them undeniable… but more than that, Sephiroth felt a touch of concern at his friend’s rapidly deteriorating cool. This was highly unlike him. “Zachary, you’re getting far too emotional about this. This sort of attitude will only hamper Strife’s progr—”
“Yes, sir.” The SOLDIER First abruptly turned away from the General, stepping smartly over to the printer and very nearly ripping the last page of his reports out of it. Sephiroth, meanwhile, retreated through the open door to his own desk in the inner office, surprised how much Zack’s cold shoulder had… hurt him. For the one person he trusted, the one person he could honestly call a friend, to act in such a way felt acutely like a betrayal.
The silver-haired man narrowed his eyes, shaking his head as he closed the door behind him. He had a few extra reports to work on; maybe he’d just stay late at the office tonight.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Zack threw a glare over his shoulder at Sephiroth’s closed office door, and went back to work on the papers in front of him. His prolonged absence had left him with more than enough to work on for the moment, and gave him the perfect excuse to nurse his anger. As if Seph had any right to call him irrational, considering how stupidly stubborn he could be about the most ridiculous things—
But what if he’s right?
The raven-haired man frowned dismissively. Yeah, right. He wasn’t the one hounding all of another SOLDIER’s apprentice’s practices like some overzealous stable manager all excited about the racing prospects of a promising young chocobo.
Maybe… but then you’re the one acting like the nervous trainer, afraid that they’ll take your favorite chocobo, who you care for as if he were your own chick, away from you.
He shook his head at the absurdity of the simile, fighting down a smile. It was kind of funny how his ‘voice of reason’ always managed to sound like Aeris at times like this…
Oh, stop dancing around and admit it already: you are being irrational, because you’re afraid he’ll steal Cloud away from you.
…so maybe it was right, at least a little. He loved teaching Cloud, loved working with him, but he’d always been aware of the depth of Cloud’s hero-worship of Sephiroth. Surely the kid would want to transfer if given the option, especially since he had done so well under the General’s tutoring…
Zack sighed. Maybe he should let him go with Sephiroth. They were fast approaching the limits of what he could teach Cloud that didn’t require SOLDIER enhancements to pull off…
His gut, however, loudly protested the idea. Cloud would suffer socially without Zack’s constant nudges, and besides, he had to admit he’d grown attached to the kid. Even so, though… none of this was any excuse for how he’d lashed out at Sephiroth. He really should apologize.
If I’m lucky, he’ll let it slide. If not… I might have just undone years of work.
Zack stifled a groan at the thought. It would not be fun to have to chip through Seph’s defensive walls all over again, slow and careful and constantly aware that one wrong move could screw it all up.
He stood and rose, walking over to Sephiroth’s closed door — these days a rarity that spoke volumes about the rift he had caused — and knocked lightly. When he received no response, he sighed. “Seph, I… I’m sorry, okay? Sometimes I just… I act without thinking. You know that…”
Zack waited. Still nothing from within the office. Sighing again, he returned to his chair, vowing to speedily finish his paperwork. He needed to get out of here and clear his head.
Maybe if he gave Seph a couple days…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“One might observe, if he had the opportunity, that Sephiroth has recently been returning to his quarters late, and leaving for the office far earlier than usual.”
Cloud looked up at Vincent’s words, startled. The odd sentence was Vincent’s way of probing for information without asking questions. Coming right out and asking “What is going on between Sinclair and Sephiroth?” like some gossipmonger just wasn’t something he’d do.
“I’m not quite sure, but… I think he might have had a fight with Zack,” Cloud told him, looking rather depressed. Even if his protégé had been schooling his expression to hide his distress, Vincent would have been able to discern his mental state; Cloud’s work was suffering in quality, an unusual thing for the steady and studious youth. He must truly be distraught. “Sephiroth started watching our training sessions after Zack got back, and Zack seemed a bit… well, less than comfortable with that. I just wish I could help them, but… I really don’t know what I could do…”
“I see.” Vincent was suddenly reminded of Lucrecia, of her belief that all things were interconnected. Sinclair and Sephiroth’s dilemma was upsetting Cloud, whose worry was influencing him in turn… Why was it only now, after her death, that he truly began to understand her?
The former Turk quickly banished those thoughts from his mind, returning his focus to his student. “That’s enough for tonight,” he said “You’d best return to your quarters. It’s getting late.”
Cloud nodded slowly, looking slightly suspicious… as well he should, since it was over an hour earlier than when they normally stopped. Still, he obediently gathered his things, rising.
“And Cloud…”
The blond turned back, one hand on the doorknob, shifting his books under his arm. “Yes?”
Vincent hesitated for a moment, carefully considering what he wanted to say. Words had never been his best weapon. “If you are uncertain how to proceed, perhaps you should seek advice from someone who is more versed in these matters.”
A thoughtful look appeared on Cloud’s face. “Thanks, Vincent,” he said quietly as he turned and walked away.
The former Turk nodded to himself. Hopefully speaking to his apprentice would alleviate his concern… though somehow, it didn’t feel like he’d done enough. The only other plausible course of action he could think of was so utterly absurd, though…
But if it could help, he owed it to his student to try, at least.
Vincent silently rose and, proceeding in his usual stealthy manner, returned to Sephiroth’s quarters. Once there, he settled smoothly onto the couch, patiently awaiting the arrival of his host.
It was not long before he heard the click of the lock, the General stepping inside as he closed the door behind him. “Valentine,” Sephiroth said simply, a single raised eyebrow the only thing conveying his surprise at Vincent’s presence. For all that they had shared quarters for nearly a year now, they still rarely saw each other.
Vincent saw no point in wasting words with this man, though part of him still insisted this idea was completely preposterous. “Cloud has been very distracted as of late. He suspects you have had a falling-out with Lieutenant Sinclair.”
Sephiroth’s eyes went cold. “I see,” he said crisply.
I truly am a fool, giving advice on matters of the heart. Vincent met the SOLDIER’s gaze squarely. “I had something I treasured once. I waited too long and lost it forever.” Don’t make my mistake.
A short nod was the only reply he received, but the General’s glowing green eyes were thoughtful as he hung the Masamune in its place on the wall before retreating to the bathroom. Vincent leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes with a sigh. I’ve done what I can, Cloud. The rest is up to you.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aeris smiled as she dug into the earth, carefully pulling up a weed so the flower beside it could grow freely. No feeling really compared to having her hands in Gaea’s soft soil; it calmed her in a way nothing else could. It was a good feeling, one any gardener, working with green and growing things, quickly learned to cherish.
Her smile only grew as she ‘heard’ the gentle murmur of voices where there were none. It was hard to discern anything from her Voices unless she was really trying, but she did manage to catch a name. Thus the opening of the door behind her didn’t surprise her at all. “Hello, Cloud,” she greeted her visitor, looking up from her work.
The blond smiled, walking towards her with unusual grace for his age, betraying his extensive training. Zack — her heart twisted — had moved much the same way. “Um, I asked Mom for some seeds from her garden. I thought you might like them, especially since they’re from the western continent, stuff you’re not likely to find around here…” He held out the package almost shyly.
“Oh Cloud, thank you!” Aeris gratefully took it as she rose, beaming at her dear friend, who grinned back. She hated to think of the inevitable day when they would have to stop meeting, once he became a SOLDIER and ShinRa began to keep him on a tighter leash, but until then the young woman intended to enjoy every minute of it. She’d never admit it, but she liked to imagine this was what having a brother would be like. “I’m always looking for more seeds. These will look wonderful in my garden.”
“Here?” Cloud asked, looking around.
Aeris shook her head. “No, at home. I have a very large garden, full of all types of flowers…” She smiled, a little sadly. “Hopefully I can show it to you someday. But…” The Voices spoke again, quietly pointing out the signs of worry and fatigue beneath the youth’s current, fleeting joy. She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward a little, tilting her head to the side. “You’re upset about something, aren’t you?”
Cloud nodded, his smile falling from his face as if it had never been there. “Yeah,” he said soberly, his gaze lowering.
Gesturing for him to join her, Aeris sat down in the closest pew. “What is it?”
The blond took a deep breath. “Two friends of mine— that is, two people I know, had…” He shrugged helplessly. “I guess it was an argument. I don’t know, I wasn’t there. But… they haven’t been talking to each other since, and every time I see them they’re… stressed. Upset. Sometimes almost… almost guilty.”
Aeris lightly touched his shoulder. “You may just need to let them settle it between themselves,” she told him softly.
“I know, but… It’s already been almost a week, and, well—” Cloud looked absolutely forlorn “—I’m afraid I might’ve something to do with it.”
“Why?” the young woman asked, quite surprised. Cloud hardly struck her as the kind to cause an argument.
He sighed. “They were fine until I started… getting to know one of them better. The one had been a good friend of mine for a while, but I had only met the other a few times,” the blond replied, obviously choosing his words carefully.
Aeris kept her curiosity to herself, but something told her this was more than simply an argument between friends. Something deeper ran here… Perhaps Cloud had become the lover of the other friend?
The flower girl nearly snorted aloud at that thought. If there ever were a person almost completely ignorant of sex, Cloud had to be it. He’d certainly seemed pretty oblivious to some of the raunchier things going on in Sector 6 when they had visited Wall Market together!
Aeris shook her head. “If you truly feel you have done something to disrupt their relationship,” she said, “the only thing you can do is apologize and ask that they make an effort to resolve their differences.” She smiled a little. “I really do think you’re overreacting, though.”
“I’ll do it,” Cloud replied firmly, nodding. “I have to try, at least.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud stared warily at the door in front of him, not quite believing he was actually here. He had tried to talk to Zack about what had happened between the General and his aide, but the dark-haired man had brushed it off, never letting the conversation linger on the subject. If Zack wasn’t going to listen, there was only one other person he could go to if he wanted to follow Aeris’ advice.
The blond smiled a little as he remembered the expression on her face when he’d given her the seeds his mother had sent. She had looked so happy! And his visit giving him the knowledge Vincent had suggested he seek out was a perfect bonus. Normally he would have gone to Zack with an issue like this, but since Zack was part of the problem…
The SOLDIER candidate shook his head and knocked on the door before he could lose his nerve. He tensed as he heard a voice from within. “Enter.”
Cloud opened the door and slipped inside. The desk in the outer office was unoccupied, as he had expected. Zack had a weekly meeting with some of the higher-ranked SOLDIER Firsts during this time, which was precisely why the blond had come now.
The door to the inner office beckoned; taking a moment to compose himself, he quickly crossed over to it.
He was surprised to see how… stark the office was, recalling his impressions of the General’s quarters the one time he had briefly been there. Then Cloud reminded himself how silly he was being. This was the General’s public face, and it showed as little about what he treasured as the man himself did. The room, clean, well-ordered, and unadorned, matched his initial expectations of the elite SOLDIER’s quarters.
The head of SOLDIER sat at his desk in the middle of the room, looking at Cloud expectantly. The blond quickly gave his best salute. “General Sephiroth.”
“Cadet Strife,” the silver-haired man replied, just as formal.
Cloud swallowed. “I’m sorry to bother you, sir, but I feel that the recent… difficulty between you and Lieutenant Sinclair might have been partially my fault. I wish to apologize.”
Sephiroth didn’t move.
Cloud shook his head. “I didn’t want this to happen, really. I didn’t want to… to come between you.”
Still no reaction from the General; Cloud fervently hoped that the man was just waiting for him to finish, like Vincent would have done. He knew this was really not the right setting for this talk, but he could hardly hope for another chance to talk to the General alone like this, so he plunged onward. “I value everything both you and Lieutenant Sinclair have taught me. I wanted—” He took a deep breath. “More than anything I wanted to be a part of this, of SOLDIER, of, of everything, not… not just something to cause problems…” He trailed off lamely, his hands making an aborted gesture of helplessness. I hope that sounded better to him than it did to me…
Sephiroth remained quiet for a long time; when he finally spoke, Cloud started. “I do not believe the fault is yours,” he said smoothly, “but I will let Zachary know what you said.”
Cloud nodded, relief flooding his being as the weight of anxiety lifted from his shoulders. “Thank you, sir!” Hopefully the General and his aide would work things out now…
“Wha— Cloud? What are you doing here?”
The blond blinked; he hadn’t anticipated Zack’s return this early — or, more accurately, had expected him to be noisier about it. Deciding retreat was the best course of action, Cloud quickly snapped off another perfect salute, leaving when Sephiroth nodded in dismissal.
The General shook his head as his aide moved to talk to the cadet. “Zack… we need to talk.”
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