Butterfly Effect: Chapter 30
Aug. 30th, 2007 03:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bard_linnAuthors: Bard Linn and Kiraya
Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: That'd be telling!
Rating (Overall): PG-13
Summary: Cloud was attracting enough attention already without moving up the ranks.
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 30
Cloud flopped down on his bed with a sigh. He supposed he meeting with the President had gone pretty well, all things considered. It could have been a lot worse — execution worse. Guess it’s true what they say about friends in high places.
“So, looks like our esteemed roommate has finally returned.”
Cloud opened one eye to see one of the new SOLDIER Thirds staring down at him, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Matt had written him about their new roommates shortly after Scott and Paul’s promotion, and he hadn’t had much good to say about this one. Luke Patterson had been the best of the spring cadets in his year, but as far as SOLDIER went, his skills were only slightly above average; even so, the kid enjoyed acting as if he were the hottest thing on two legs. Not entirely surprising, really, considering he was a younger son of one of the wealthier Plateside families, but still annoying.
Personally, Cloud couldn’t wait until someone took the kid down a few notches.
“So, the General have you on your knees or on your back this time?” the bleached-blond inquired with a nasty smirk.
It took Cloud a few seconds to understand exactly what Patterson was implying, but when he did he felt anger spike hot in his chest. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” Patterson replied coolly. “Everyone knows—”
“Well, everyone is wrong,” Cloud retorted, rolling off his bed and to his feet in a smooth, seamless motion. He was shorter than the other SOLDIER by a good two inches, but he managed to gather himself enough to give a reasonable impression of looking down on the upstart. “I suggest you keep your damn mouth shut. You’re lucky the General doesn’t allow duels between SOLDIERs, or I’d wipe the floor with you for daring to make that kind of crass insinuation about him.”
The blond glared until Patterson finally looked away, silently seething. Cloud remained standing until the other Third stalked out of the room, then flopped back on his bed with a sigh. He desperately wanted a nap — he was on late duty tonight and it hadn’t exactly been an easy day — but he couldn’t stop running through the conversation in his head. He was thankful none of the others had been around to witness it, but… at the same time, Cloud really wanted to talk to someone about it. He wasn’t entirely sure why Patterson’s insult had made him so angry… except that Sephiroth had always been fair and, in his own way, kind in his tutoring.
Finally admitting defeat, Cloud picked up his PHS and punched in a familiar number. It rang three times before he got a response.
“Hello?”
“Hey Zack, it’s Cloud. I’m sorry, is it a bad time?” Zack’s PHS was rarely more than three feet from him, and he almost always answered it before the second ring.
Cloud could hear the rustle of cloth as Zack shifted slightly. SOLDIER hearing really was an amazing thing sometimes. “Not really. What’s up?”
“Just wanted to talk about something. In person.” Cloud hesitated and then added, “Look, if you’re busy… it’s not really that important. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Zack chastised him. “Tell you what: drop by my place in ten minutes or so. I’ll even make some of that gods-awful Wutaian tea you like so much.”
Cloud felt a smile split his face. “Thanks, Zack. I owe you one.”
“I’ll put it on your tab. See you in a few.” With that, Zack closed the connection. Cloud pulled on his boots, taking a few minutes to make sure he had everything he needed for duty ready. After a little while he began the short walk from Third Class housing to the Firsts’. The door opened soon after his knock, revealing a smiling Zack with a cup of steaming tea. Taking a sip of the greenish liquid, Cloud felt himself relaxing. As annoying as the dark-haired man could be sometimes, there was just something about his presence that was extremely calming during troubled times.
“So, what’s up?” Zack asked, sitting down with a mug of his own, filled with coffee. Cloud quickly relayed the exchange he’d had with Patterson, and the other SOLDIER sighed. “Damn. Was afraid that’d happen at some point. Any time Seph ever pays attention to anyone for longer than two seconds, these rumors start up.” He shook his head. “But the two of you are so well suited to each other… He’s really enjoyed teaching you.” Apparently oblivious to Cloud’s incredulous look, Zack took another sip of his coffee. “Want me to talk to him?”
“Who, Patterson?”
“No, Sephiroth.”
Cloud blinked in honest surprise. “Why? It’s not his problem.”
“A dispute between SOLDIERs is always his problem, kiddo. Comes with the job, you know, the whole ‘General of SOLDIER’ thing and all,” Zack pointed out. “And trust me, you wouldn’t be the first to have issues with Patterson; I’ve had more than a few complaints show up on my desk with his name on ‘em.”
“Even more of a reason not to bother him with it,” Cloud insisted. “He’s got enough work as it is. I can handle Patterson just fine; he’s still wet behind his ears.”
The dark-haired man kept silent his amusement that a guy who hadn’t even been a SOLDIER for a full year was calling one of his peers a novice, but Cloud did have a point. He’d been through a lot that Patterson probably couldn’t even imagine, and had been trained a lot better, too. Zack personally found it somewhat refreshing to see Cloud consciously taking pride in his skill for once — in a one-on-one fight he’d totally waste Patterson, and he doubted there was a SOLDIER who’d disagree. “If you’re sure…”
“I am.” Cloud smiled at him, the expression on his face transforming him from the usual stern SOLDIER to a — well, an attractive young man. It startled the SOLDIER First a bit; Cloud was rarely so openly, genuinely happy. While Zack had seen him like this more often than most, and it was a far, far more common expression on Cloud’s face than it was on Sephiroth’s, it never ceased to draw an answering smile from him. “Thanks for listening, Zack.”
“Anytime,” Zack replied. He privately wished all of his problems were so easily solved. “But anyway, you better scat. Late duty tonight, right? Gotta get to the mess if you want anything before your shift.”
“If I survive the food to make it that far,” Cloud teased, blue eyes sparkling with mirth. He drained the last of his tea and stood. “See you soon, Zack.”
Zack nodded to his friend as the blond showed himself out. Only after the door had slid quietly shut did he speak again. “You know, I still think you could’ve come out. It’s not like he was going to bolt out the door the minute he saw you. I don’t think he’s ever been that intimidated by you.”
“Somehow I have the feeling things would have proceeded quite differently had I done so,” Sephiroth replied, leaning against the doorframe of Zack’s bedroom. Green eyes locked on the door Cloud had just left through. “He truly is remarkable.”
“Got the damnest sense of priorities, though. Sounded like he was more upset about the insult to you than the slur on his own name.” Zack’s lips twitched as he suppressed a smile.
“You realize what is causing this,” Sephiroth murmured quietly, walking over and taking the seat next to his aide.
“Had a feeling Patterson would’ve said something regardless,” Zack said. “Kid’s damn good with a spear, but boy is he a pain in the ass. As far as Cloud goes, though… Most of the others figured out a while ago he wasn’t going to stay a Third long, even if Cloud hasn’t yet.” He hesitated. “Problems with the Science Department aside, we won’t be able to keep from promoting him for much longer. Not with seven recommendations in his file.”
“Eight,” Sephiroth corrected. “I received another one from Kaplan for the Rocket Town mission.” He frowned; it was extremely difficult to be objective with Cloud. “I was hoping to have him wait at least a year.”
“Probably should’ve moved him right into Second. Sure had enough training for it.” Zack sighed. “Well, we can hold out a while longer… as long as we can get away with it.”
Sephiroth nodded in agreement. Cloud was attracting enough attention already without moving up the ranks. Still, sooner or later it would come out. They’d just have to be ready for when it did.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud was not the most observant individual in the world when it came to human behavior. He could spot a threat from a mile off and catch a monster in a matter of minutes most days, but when it came to interpreting his own species he was… well, not so skilled. It was all but infamous among the SOLDIERs, who used it occasionally to tease the young Third Class. While his (unfortunate) ability to block out all but the most pressing issues not related to his immediate goals could be a pain, it did have its benefits, so Cloud wasn’t going to complain.
Still, even he began to notice when over a dozen SOLDIER First and Seconds started dropping in on him after his return from a brief monster hunting mission, two months after Hojo’s defection from ShinRa. The constant inquires about his “current status” were enough to drive the blond mad. “What is going on?” Cloud finally demanded when John Kaplan, the SOLDIER Second who had commanded the Rocket Town mission, asked the same damn question.
Kaplan blinked. “You haven’t taken the physical yet?”
“For what?”
“Second Class.”
Cloud stared at him. “But… the recommendations…” He trailed off, uncertain.
“I can think of six people off the top of my head who have recommended you, including myself,” Kaplan replied. “We were expecting you to get the news when you got back to Midgar.” He frowned, looking thoughtful. “Wonder why they haven’t notified you yet…”
I bet I know what happened, Cloud thought with a touch of irritation. He didn’t expect — or want — any special treatment where Zack and Sephiroth were concerned, but it looked like he’d gotten some anyway. Much to his surprise, he found himself more than slightly hurt at the thought. He didn’t like being held back; suddenly the blond realized he truly wanted to be a First Class, just like Zack if he could make it that far. Somehow his dream to be a SOLDIER had shifted from merely joining to becoming one of the best — someone Zack, Sephiroth, and Vincent could be proud of.
But how the hell was he going to do that if they weren’t letting him get better?
“I’ll look into it,” Cloud promised Kaplan. “It probably got lost in the shuffle after the whole mess with the President.” Kaplan nodded; the army had been pretty busy the last two months, barely having any time to sleep, much less deal with the normal routine things. The President had a lot of new ideas he wanted implemented, and it kept all of them hopping day and night.
Still, he didn’t intend to confront Zack and Sephiroth about this until he was fully armed. It should be pretty easy to schedule an appointment to see a specialist and get the testing done on his own; the online Wutaian basic proficiency test would be even easier. Cloud didn’t doubt he could pass it, between his own studying and his work in Wutai. The test was supposed to be ridiculously easy, anyway — yet another instance of ShinRa ostensibly valuing something they cared little about.
Three days later Cloud had his clearance for Second Class treatments and confirmation of his aptitude in Wutaian in hand as he entered the General’s office. Papers in hand, he casually came up to Zack’s desk.
“Cloud! What are you doing here?” Zack said by way of greeting, grinning up at his friend.
“Report for the General,” Cloud replied.
“Don’t tell me they’re still using you as an errand boy!” Zack complained. “I mean, you aren’t even my apprentice anymore! What is with these people?”
Cloud rolled his eyes and didn’t answer, walking into the inner office where Sephiroth waited, having heard the conversation between his aide and the younger SOLDIER. The General took the papers from Cloud’s hands, skimmed the top page, then looked at him. “I did not request these.”
“With all due respect, sir, perhaps you should have,” Cloud returned evenly. Catching Sephiroth’s tone, Zack rolled his chair closer to the door to listen.
“Strife, I appreciate the… skills you have acquired, but to use them in this fashion—”
Cloud looked hurt. “I found out because over half a dozen SOLDIERs have asked me about it in the last week and a half,” the Third Class told him. “They did everything except dye my uniforms. Even I’m not that thick.”
He had done his best to keep resentment from seeping into his tone, but Zack seemed to pick up on it anyway. “You’re just… difficult to evaluate, Cloud.” The black-haired man looked apologetic. “We didn’t want to move you up too quickly. I know the others think you’re ready, but…”
“Then test me,” Cloud replied. “If I fail, I’m not ready.”
Zack and Sephiroth exchanged a glance, the General’s face thoughtful. “…Very well. Your abilities in the field have been well documented, but we haven’t been able to evaluate your sword skills personally in several months. Zack, get your Buster Sword. Strife, bring your own weapon and meet us in training room 253.”
“You can’t be serious…” Zack looked dumbfounded.
“If you manage to defeat Zachary, I’ll put the promotion through,” Sephiroth continued, as if his aide hadn’t interrupted.
Cloud nodded, looking resolute. He quickly returned to his own quarters and pulled his sword from the weapon’s locker. His hand caressed the metal as he carefully checked it over for any imperfections. There were none, despite the number of monsters he’d killed in his three months out of Midgar. Smiling, the youth swung it over his back, securing it. The weapon had cost him a boatload of money, and he wasn’t done paying for it yet, but it was worth every gil.
SOLDIER weapons were expensive; unlike regular army members, Turks and SOLDIERs received a small stipend to purchase arms that suited their individual styles, rather than being supplied with standard weapons. Each SOLDIER and Turk had different strengths, and most had custom weapons made to suit them. The money wasn’t much, and Cloud, like most SOLDIERs, had ended up dipping pretty heavily into his personal funds to buy his sword. Zack had been a little upset when he heard Cloud had already commissioned a weapon — he’d wanted to buy his former student a copy of his own — but Cloud personally preferred his choice, even if it had been three times the cost. It was simply more versatile, though most didn’t realize that when it was in its standard form — a slightly smaller version of the Buster Sword.
The trip to training room 253 was a short one. One of the upper-level training facilities, it was smaller than the large gym or the rooms directly attached. Cloud thought he might have an advantage here; his weapon was lighter and slightly shorter than Zack’s. He should be able to move faster.
Sephiroth and Zack were already waiting for him when he stepped through the door. Cloud’s sharp eyes caught sight of two green materia on Sephiroth’s wrist. Good; even if things did get out of control, which could happen all too easily when SOLDIER strength combined with oversized weapons, the General was ready to take care of it.
“Ready to go down, Cloud?” Zack was grinning, twirling the Buster Sword in his hand. “I know your style inside and out!”
Cloud saluted Sephiroth briefly then pulled free his own sword. “Not today, Zack.”
Neither spoke again. Zack rushed forward, closing the distance between them. Cloud raised his sword and easily blocked the blow, turning the blade so Zack lunged past him. The blond didn’t wait for Zack’s next attack but instead took the offensive, blade flashing in a series of quick, sharp movements that blended together a number of the different styles he had been working with since he had begun to study the sword, all the while driving his opponent towards the wall. Cloud saw respect growing in Zack’s eyes as the First countered every attack, though not all of his blocks were completely effortless.
Realizing Cloud’s attempt to back him into a corner, Zack gracefully somersaulted over his friend’s head, landing with the Buster Sword coming towards Cloud’s unprotected back. Cloud swung and met the attack without even looking then slipped to the side, eyes tracking Zack. The black-haired man grinned, feinting before once again attempting to land a blow.
Cloud felt an answering grin spread across his face as he parried the attack. This was fun. Last time he had sparred with Zack, he hadn’t as much experience as he did now; he might not be the older man’s equal yet, but he was much better than the poor, unskilled sixteen-year-old boy who had begun studying under him.
They broke apart to size up their opponents and take stock of themselves. Cloud’s breathing was elevated, though he wasn’t really tired yet. Have to do something soon, though — can’t keep this up forever. Zack was further enhanced, had more skill and more experience, but being devious might get him what a fair fight might not; Vincent had taught him that a long time ago.
So when Zack attacked again, Cloud transferred his sword to his left hand, shifting the hilt and pulling the blade as he did so, and—
Zack’s eyes went wide as he realized that the Buster Sword was firmly blocked by the sword in Cloud’s left hand while another, smaller blade hovered close at his throat. “How the hell did you do that?!”
Cloud smiled as he pulled the blade back. “Special sword, Zack. It’s actually several parts in one. Sure, I haven’t been able to afford to finish all the pieces yet—”
“Pieces? It’s a weapon, not a puzzle!”
Cloud shrugged. “It’s versatile.” Lowering his weapons, he fitted the smaller, hollow blade against one of the larger sword’s edges, sliding it into place snug against the massive handguard with a soft click. He looked over at Sephiroth; he was no expert on the General’s feelings, but he got the impression the man was hiding amusement.
“It appears you’ll be needing new uniforms, then, Strife. I’ll see to it when we get back to the office.” He turned. “Come on, Zack. It isn’t polite to drool.”
“I am not drooling!” Zack insisted, tearing his eyes from Cloud’s sword. “Who needs a puzzle sword—”
“It’s not a puzzle sword!” Cloud interjected.
Slinging the Buster Sword into position on his back, Zack folded his arms. “Okay, so what would you call it, then?”
Cloud blinked. “Well, it’s… my sword.” What else would he call it?
Zack shook his head. “No, it has to have a name. A cool name, something that stands out!”
Sephiroth raised a gloved hand to his temple and sighed.
All the way back across the military compound to the SOLDIER administrative offices, Zack kept offering suggestions for naming Cloud’s sword — all of which were quickly shot down by its owner, who finally turned to the dark-haired SOLDIER as they entered Sephiroth’s office and snapped, “Does it really matter?”
Zack nodded firmly. “Yes!”
Cloud simply looked at him in a mixture of frustration and disbelief. “Why?”
“Because…” Zack paused for a second, then pressed on. “Well, it’s a SOLDIER thing, yanno? You gotta name your favored weapon. I mean, even Seph’s sword has a name—”
“I didn’t name it,” the General pointed out, not looking up from the form he was filling out.
Zack waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, I know, but that’s beside the point.” He looked steadily at Cloud. “So, either pick out a name—”
“Zack—”
“—or I’ll pick one for you.” The southerner frowned thoughtfully. “Let’s see… how about—”
“Shiranui,” Sephiroth murmured, the scratching of his pen across the paper resuming.
Zack blinked. “Shiranui,” he repeated, as if tasting the word. “Huh, sounds kinda familiar…”
“Sounds better than ‘Puzzle Sword’ and all the variants you kept throwing at me, at any rate,” Cloud noted.
Zack ignored him, lost in thought. “Where have I— Aha!” He snapped his fingers. “It’s some Wutaian mystical thingummy, right? Mystery fire or something.” Without waiting for a reply, he continued, “It’s perfect. They’re a crazy bunch over there — you’d probably fit right in, Cloud. ‘Sides the whole ShinRa bit, of course.”
“And the fact that I don’t look Wutaian at all.”
“Yeah, well—”
Sephiroth, standing beside his desk, cleared his throat, and almost immediately both SOLDIERs turned towards him, straightening.
“Cloud Strife,” the General began, moving towards him, “as the representative of SOLDIER I wish to extend to you the congratulations of the command staff on your promotion to Second Class.” He shook Cloud’s hand firmly. “We hope you will continue to perform as you have in the past, excelling in your duties.”
Cloud couldn’t help the huge smile on his face. “I’ll do my best, sir.”
Zack was shaking his head, though he, too, grinned. “You don’t have to be so formal, Seph — it’s not like the kid’s a total stranger. I mean, you’re one of his teachers, for Shiva’s sake—” He paused as a thought occurred to him. “Speaking of teachers, who’d you learn the two-weapon fighting deal from, anyway? Or did you pick it up from a friend — whatsisname, Scott Coyle uses that style, right? And how exactly—”
Cloud’s smile turned mischievous as he took the forms requisitioning his new uniforms from Sephiroth. “If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think you were jealous,” he teased. “If you want, I can give you the name of the smith I commissioned it from, see if he’d be willing to make you something similar…”
“Jealous? Me? No way,” Zack said vehemently, crossing his arms over his chest. “And I don’t need a trick sword, anyway. The Buster’s good enough for me.”
Sephiroth merely shook his head; Cloud, who knew from past experience that Zack hated to lose, especially when it was because a situation got out of his control, just grinned.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aeris smiled, listening to Red XIII’s enthusiasm. The catlike creature’s manner was seldom childlike, though he had told her he was only a cub by his people’s standards. “Cosmo Canyon sounds like a lovely place.”
“Oh, it is,” he assured Aeris, watching as the young woman tended her garden. “You should visit someday. The people there all care for the Planet deeply. You’d fit right in.”
Aeris sighed. “My mother doesn’t like traveling very much, I’m afraid. And it’s difficult to get out of Midgar...” Transportation out of the city — or at least the necessary passes for it — was difficult to come by for all but ShinRa workers and Plate dwellers. It really wasn’t hard to get into the city; leaving, however, was another matter entirely. Still... “I really would like to go there someday, though.” The flower girl stiffened abruptly, eyes flickering towards the entrance of her garden. “Red—” Her guest had gone stiff next to her, stepping between her and their unwelcome visitor.
“Please, Miss Gainsborough. I do not wish you harm.”
“Pardon me if I don’t believe you, Tseng,” Aeris replied, watching him warily.
“I’m here on different business today.” The Turk moved far enough into the garden so he was fully visible in the light and then stopped, far enough away that he was not an immediate threat… though judging such a distance was guesswork at best with Turks. “I thought you would wish to know that Professor Hojo is no longer with us.”
Aeris froze, shock washing over her. “…What?”
“Professor Hojo has left ShinRa and is now on the run, wanted for misuse of company materials and personnel. The President has declared an end to all of the Science Department’s superfluous investigations, particularly since the recent… upheaval in the labs.”
“Upheaval…?” Aeris stared at Tseng in confusion. “What’s going on?”
“I’m afraid that’s classified information.” The stiffness in Tseng’s posture eased a little. “Miss Gainsborough… I only wanted you to know that the Turks, at least, will no longer disturb you.” He paused, adding, “And… I apologize for the discomfort we’ve caused you these past years.”
“Tseng…”
He inclined his head. “Be well, Aeris.” And with that he left.
Aeris stared unseeing at the spot her friend and terror had left. She didn’t know how to feel about this. Part of her was suspicious; it seemed far too plausible that this was just a trap to get her to let her guard down. On the other hand…
Zack… Green eyes closed as emotion overwhelmed her. She had missed him so very much, but… could she really trust this to be true?
“Aeris?” Red XIII gently nudged her hand.
“I’m okay, Red.” She buried her hand in his fur. “I’m okay.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Bright the day, sleepy head.”
Cloud groaned and buried in head in his pillow. “Go ‘way.”
But the voice continued. “Not often I see you sleep in…”
“Zaaaaack—”
The SOLDIER First Class sat down next to the newly promoted Second, silently comparing the current Cloud to the one who had been a new Third Class. This time, it seemed, the treatments had gone much better. Zack ran his hand through the blond’s hair. “How you feeling?”
“Better than I was.” Cloud rolled over enough to watch Zack with one blue eye.
“Well, you didn’t have to have that promotion...” Cloud whacked Zack with his pillow. “You deserved it, don’t worry. I’m just a little surprised you managed to get your enhancements so fast, what with the mess in the Science Department and all…”
“Apparently the SOLDIER enhancement formulas weren’t as well-kept a secret as Hojo thought they were,” Cloud replied, stretching. “Morgan said her dad’s had it for years. Supposedly it was something of a test of worthiness, being able to reproduce the formula and keep it hidden from Hojo. Dr. Matheson’s adapted the formula somewhat, though — something about not breaking down the Mako so quickly, so we don’t need so many boosters. ”
“And how are you on a first-name basis with the daughter of the head of the Science Department?” Zack teased.
“If you don’t know by now…” Cloud shook his head. “Specialist, one of the members of Arthur’s unit, remember? You have gone out to eat with us more than a few times…” Arthur had been a little quiet the first time they’d all gone out together, but his friendship with Morgan seemed to be a pretty strong one… and it seemed to keep him from being too hung up on Cloud, for which the SOLDIER was grateful.
“I know, I know.” Zack grinned. “Anyway, when do you think you’ll be up and about? Knowing you, I’m sure you’re dying to get back to the gym.”
“Hmmmhm,” was Cloud’s only response, though the corners of his lips twitched slightly.
“So, feel up to a bit of sparring? You’ve been cleared by medical…”
Cloud shoved himself out his bed and to his feet. “You’re on. I need to get back into shape again.”
“I should think so, if you wanna be able to wave that Sheela-wossname thing around.”
“Shiranui, Zack. It’s not that hard to say…”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud didn’t get a lot of mail in general. Most of the stuff he received was ShinRa-related, save the occasional letter from his mother or Tifa. Still, those occasional letters were a bright spot in his day. Tifa had become all but his unofficial penpal in the eight months it had been since he’d made Second Class. They had a surprising amount in common, despite their difference in gender and location. It was almost like having a distant cousin or sibling he’d rarely met, but still had a strong connection with. So when Cloud returned from a two-month assignment in Junon to find a letter addressed to him in Tifa’s now-familiar handwriting, he was quite happy to see it.
Dear Cloud,
I hope your trip went well and you’ll be back in Midgar soon. I know you don’t exactly like the city, but it sounds like a much more interesting place than Junon. I can’t believe that you still haven’t left the base there — don’t you think you should go see something else sometimes?
Cloud had to smile at that. Tifa sounded a lot like Zack some days. Maybe that’s why he had come to like her so much, despite her deception.
Things have actually been changing around here, believe it or not. Zangan says the monsters around the town have been getting a lot stronger than they used to be, and no one can figure out why. There doesn’t seem to be any reason for it. Dad should probably put together a request for assistance, but he gets all stubborn every time I try to talk to him about it. Maybe, if I ever get around to convincing him, you’ll be one of the ones they send out. It’d be great to see you in person again. I can’t wait to spar with you now that you’re enhanced.
The other odd thing is the Shinra Mansion. Some of the boys swore that they saw someone break in there.
Cloud felt his eyebrows rise at that. The Shinra Mansion was more or less off limits. While many of the “boys” around his age, the ones Tifa had played with as a child, had told exaggerated tales about venturing into the forbidden building, most of them had become more or less honest about the entire thing by now. Soon enough it would be their children telling tales about the mansion, and them playing the parts of the parents forbidding them to enter it.
It was funny how things worked out, sometimes.
I did a little investigation of my own, and it really does seem like someone’s been there recently. There are some of the signs you told me about — less dust on the doors, things like that. There was a group from ShinRa out here a while ago, and they looked around the mansion, but it’s still been several months since then. I’d think there’d be more dust building up than there has been…
I also noticed it looked like the power lines were connected to the reactor feed. I can’t remember if they were before. Do you?
I’m going to keep looking around when I can. I’ll let you know what I find.
Tifa
Cloud put the letter down, feeling more than slightly unsettled. The mansion was where he had found Vincent. It had a lab that Hojo had used before. It had been one of the first places investigative teams had looked for the scientist, but they had found no sign of him.
Perhaps they had been too hasty. Perhaps… perhaps Hojo had gone to ground someplace else for a while and then moved back to the mansion. It would make sense, considering what was in the reactor. The team sent out there hadn’t investigated that area because as far as Sephiroth knew, there was nothing unusual about the reactor — and Zack hadn’t done anything to change that, which Cloud certainly understood. None of them wanted any other SOLDIERs taken over by that… thing.
Cloud pocketed the letter and headed up to Sephiroth’s office, deep in thought. It’d likely be hard to arrange a mission to Nibelheim based on just one letter, but they might be able to swing it. And he couldn’t shake the feeling this was important.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aeris was beginning to wish she had a gate across her garden so people couldn’t just walk in. First Tseng, now these two… Both were dressed in civilian wear, and they didn’t feel like military the way Zack and Cloud did, but there was still something about them that suggested that they weren’t ordinary civilians. Company workers, perhaps?
She knew it had been too good to be true when Tseng told her ShinRa had given up on her.
“Miss Gainsborough,” the one on the left began, “I’m Reeve Tuesti and this is Robert Matheson. We’ve come to ask for your help.”
“I have no interest in working for ShinRa—” Aeris began.
“Please, Miss Gainsborough, you’re the only one who can help us,” Matheson begged. “We’re looking at trying to restore the city to what it used to be.”
Aeris gave him a blank look.
“Miss Gainsborough, the reactors are steadily polluting Midgar. We are investigating alternative power sources, but we have to do something about Mako byproducts in the environment.” He leaned over, almost pleading. “There are certain types of plants that can break down Mako byproducts in the air and soil. Plants are supposedly impossible to grow in Midgar, but…” He gestured around them.
In spite of her wariness, the young woman found herself intrigued. It would be a great undertaking, she knew, but the possible benefits were staggering. If only she knew if she could trust these people… “I don’t want to work for the company.”
“I understand. You wouldn’t have to work Plateside,” Tuesti assured her. “We’re looking at adding parks and other areas below the Plate as well, where plants should, in theory, do well. We’d like your input on where they would best be placed, and if possible, occasional visits on your own time to check on the plants. We’re willing to pay you under the table, if you’ll accept it.”
Definitely ShinRa. They didn’t hesitate to break their own rules when it suited them. Aeris felt a smile steal across her face despite herself. “I admit, it sounds like a nice plan… but, supposing I were interested, how would you get in contact with me?”
Tuesti opened a bag at his feet. “If you don’t mind dealing with this rascal occasionally, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Oh! It’s the fortune-telling cat!” Aeris recognized the odd-looking creature immediately as the one she had encountered before, though it was lacking its moogle mount.
“My eyes and ears below the plate,” Tuesti explained. “Meet Cait Sith.”
“An interesting way to see the world, Mr. Tuesti.”
The man shook his head, smiling ruefully. “Please, just call me Reeve. No need to be so formal.”
The brunette nodded, pondering her options for a moment. If she weren’t going Plateside, and her dealings with company personnel would be through Reeve’s cat, the risk was minimal… and she might be able to help the city recover from ShinRa’s actions, as her ancestors would have done. “I’m willing to try it,” she admitted finally.
“Thank you Miss Gainsborough.” Reeve’s smile broadened. “I’d like to welcome you, unofficially, to the MMG Project.”
“MMG?” Aeris echoed.
“Make Midgar Greener,” Reeve elaborated.
“We’re very glad you’re willing to try this, Miss Gainsborough,” Matheson added. “I only wish we were further along on finding energy sources other than Mako…”
Aeris smiled slowly. There was something about these two that made her want to trust them — and her gut feelings like that tended to be right, so… “I think I know someone who could help with that… Red?”
After a moment’s pause, the large, catlike creature stepped out from behind a nearby bush, and Matheson’s eyes widened. “So this is where you went…! Hojo wasn’t too happy.”
“Aeris has been kind enough to allow me to stay with her until I am able to return to my own home,” Red XIII replied.
“Red, why don’t you tell Dr. Matheson what you were telling me earlier?” Aeris suggested. “About the windmills in Cosmo Canyon — I think he’d be interested.”
“Certainly.” The lab escapee settled to his haunches beside her and began, “At Cosmo Canyon we obtain our energy from the wind, not from Mako. My grandfather told me several years ago that they are part of the reason we don’t need a reactor…”
Previous Chapter | Archive | Author's Notes and Outtakes | Next Chapter
Read Comments | Leave a Comment
Genre: General/Drama
Pairings: That'd be telling!
Rating (Overall): PG-13
Summary: Cloud was attracting enough attention already without moving up the ranks.
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 30
Cloud flopped down on his bed with a sigh. He supposed he meeting with the President had gone pretty well, all things considered. It could have been a lot worse — execution worse. Guess it’s true what they say about friends in high places.
“So, looks like our esteemed roommate has finally returned.”
Cloud opened one eye to see one of the new SOLDIER Thirds staring down at him, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Matt had written him about their new roommates shortly after Scott and Paul’s promotion, and he hadn’t had much good to say about this one. Luke Patterson had been the best of the spring cadets in his year, but as far as SOLDIER went, his skills were only slightly above average; even so, the kid enjoyed acting as if he were the hottest thing on two legs. Not entirely surprising, really, considering he was a younger son of one of the wealthier Plateside families, but still annoying.
Personally, Cloud couldn’t wait until someone took the kid down a few notches.
“So, the General have you on your knees or on your back this time?” the bleached-blond inquired with a nasty smirk.
It took Cloud a few seconds to understand exactly what Patterson was implying, but when he did he felt anger spike hot in his chest. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” Patterson replied coolly. “Everyone knows—”
“Well, everyone is wrong,” Cloud retorted, rolling off his bed and to his feet in a smooth, seamless motion. He was shorter than the other SOLDIER by a good two inches, but he managed to gather himself enough to give a reasonable impression of looking down on the upstart. “I suggest you keep your damn mouth shut. You’re lucky the General doesn’t allow duels between SOLDIERs, or I’d wipe the floor with you for daring to make that kind of crass insinuation about him.”
The blond glared until Patterson finally looked away, silently seething. Cloud remained standing until the other Third stalked out of the room, then flopped back on his bed with a sigh. He desperately wanted a nap — he was on late duty tonight and it hadn’t exactly been an easy day — but he couldn’t stop running through the conversation in his head. He was thankful none of the others had been around to witness it, but… at the same time, Cloud really wanted to talk to someone about it. He wasn’t entirely sure why Patterson’s insult had made him so angry… except that Sephiroth had always been fair and, in his own way, kind in his tutoring.
Finally admitting defeat, Cloud picked up his PHS and punched in a familiar number. It rang three times before he got a response.
“Hello?”
“Hey Zack, it’s Cloud. I’m sorry, is it a bad time?” Zack’s PHS was rarely more than three feet from him, and he almost always answered it before the second ring.
Cloud could hear the rustle of cloth as Zack shifted slightly. SOLDIER hearing really was an amazing thing sometimes. “Not really. What’s up?”
“Just wanted to talk about something. In person.” Cloud hesitated and then added, “Look, if you’re busy… it’s not really that important. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Zack chastised him. “Tell you what: drop by my place in ten minutes or so. I’ll even make some of that gods-awful Wutaian tea you like so much.”
Cloud felt a smile split his face. “Thanks, Zack. I owe you one.”
“I’ll put it on your tab. See you in a few.” With that, Zack closed the connection. Cloud pulled on his boots, taking a few minutes to make sure he had everything he needed for duty ready. After a little while he began the short walk from Third Class housing to the Firsts’. The door opened soon after his knock, revealing a smiling Zack with a cup of steaming tea. Taking a sip of the greenish liquid, Cloud felt himself relaxing. As annoying as the dark-haired man could be sometimes, there was just something about his presence that was extremely calming during troubled times.
“So, what’s up?” Zack asked, sitting down with a mug of his own, filled with coffee. Cloud quickly relayed the exchange he’d had with Patterson, and the other SOLDIER sighed. “Damn. Was afraid that’d happen at some point. Any time Seph ever pays attention to anyone for longer than two seconds, these rumors start up.” He shook his head. “But the two of you are so well suited to each other… He’s really enjoyed teaching you.” Apparently oblivious to Cloud’s incredulous look, Zack took another sip of his coffee. “Want me to talk to him?”
“Who, Patterson?”
“No, Sephiroth.”
Cloud blinked in honest surprise. “Why? It’s not his problem.”
“A dispute between SOLDIERs is always his problem, kiddo. Comes with the job, you know, the whole ‘General of SOLDIER’ thing and all,” Zack pointed out. “And trust me, you wouldn’t be the first to have issues with Patterson; I’ve had more than a few complaints show up on my desk with his name on ‘em.”
“Even more of a reason not to bother him with it,” Cloud insisted. “He’s got enough work as it is. I can handle Patterson just fine; he’s still wet behind his ears.”
The dark-haired man kept silent his amusement that a guy who hadn’t even been a SOLDIER for a full year was calling one of his peers a novice, but Cloud did have a point. He’d been through a lot that Patterson probably couldn’t even imagine, and had been trained a lot better, too. Zack personally found it somewhat refreshing to see Cloud consciously taking pride in his skill for once — in a one-on-one fight he’d totally waste Patterson, and he doubted there was a SOLDIER who’d disagree. “If you’re sure…”
“I am.” Cloud smiled at him, the expression on his face transforming him from the usual stern SOLDIER to a — well, an attractive young man. It startled the SOLDIER First a bit; Cloud was rarely so openly, genuinely happy. While Zack had seen him like this more often than most, and it was a far, far more common expression on Cloud’s face than it was on Sephiroth’s, it never ceased to draw an answering smile from him. “Thanks for listening, Zack.”
“Anytime,” Zack replied. He privately wished all of his problems were so easily solved. “But anyway, you better scat. Late duty tonight, right? Gotta get to the mess if you want anything before your shift.”
“If I survive the food to make it that far,” Cloud teased, blue eyes sparkling with mirth. He drained the last of his tea and stood. “See you soon, Zack.”
Zack nodded to his friend as the blond showed himself out. Only after the door had slid quietly shut did he speak again. “You know, I still think you could’ve come out. It’s not like he was going to bolt out the door the minute he saw you. I don’t think he’s ever been that intimidated by you.”
“Somehow I have the feeling things would have proceeded quite differently had I done so,” Sephiroth replied, leaning against the doorframe of Zack’s bedroom. Green eyes locked on the door Cloud had just left through. “He truly is remarkable.”
“Got the damnest sense of priorities, though. Sounded like he was more upset about the insult to you than the slur on his own name.” Zack’s lips twitched as he suppressed a smile.
“You realize what is causing this,” Sephiroth murmured quietly, walking over and taking the seat next to his aide.
“Had a feeling Patterson would’ve said something regardless,” Zack said. “Kid’s damn good with a spear, but boy is he a pain in the ass. As far as Cloud goes, though… Most of the others figured out a while ago he wasn’t going to stay a Third long, even if Cloud hasn’t yet.” He hesitated. “Problems with the Science Department aside, we won’t be able to keep from promoting him for much longer. Not with seven recommendations in his file.”
“Eight,” Sephiroth corrected. “I received another one from Kaplan for the Rocket Town mission.” He frowned; it was extremely difficult to be objective with Cloud. “I was hoping to have him wait at least a year.”
“Probably should’ve moved him right into Second. Sure had enough training for it.” Zack sighed. “Well, we can hold out a while longer… as long as we can get away with it.”
Sephiroth nodded in agreement. Cloud was attracting enough attention already without moving up the ranks. Still, sooner or later it would come out. They’d just have to be ready for when it did.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud was not the most observant individual in the world when it came to human behavior. He could spot a threat from a mile off and catch a monster in a matter of minutes most days, but when it came to interpreting his own species he was… well, not so skilled. It was all but infamous among the SOLDIERs, who used it occasionally to tease the young Third Class. While his (unfortunate) ability to block out all but the most pressing issues not related to his immediate goals could be a pain, it did have its benefits, so Cloud wasn’t going to complain.
Still, even he began to notice when over a dozen SOLDIER First and Seconds started dropping in on him after his return from a brief monster hunting mission, two months after Hojo’s defection from ShinRa. The constant inquires about his “current status” were enough to drive the blond mad. “What is going on?” Cloud finally demanded when John Kaplan, the SOLDIER Second who had commanded the Rocket Town mission, asked the same damn question.
Kaplan blinked. “You haven’t taken the physical yet?”
“For what?”
“Second Class.”
Cloud stared at him. “But… the recommendations…” He trailed off, uncertain.
“I can think of six people off the top of my head who have recommended you, including myself,” Kaplan replied. “We were expecting you to get the news when you got back to Midgar.” He frowned, looking thoughtful. “Wonder why they haven’t notified you yet…”
I bet I know what happened, Cloud thought with a touch of irritation. He didn’t expect — or want — any special treatment where Zack and Sephiroth were concerned, but it looked like he’d gotten some anyway. Much to his surprise, he found himself more than slightly hurt at the thought. He didn’t like being held back; suddenly the blond realized he truly wanted to be a First Class, just like Zack if he could make it that far. Somehow his dream to be a SOLDIER had shifted from merely joining to becoming one of the best — someone Zack, Sephiroth, and Vincent could be proud of.
But how the hell was he going to do that if they weren’t letting him get better?
“I’ll look into it,” Cloud promised Kaplan. “It probably got lost in the shuffle after the whole mess with the President.” Kaplan nodded; the army had been pretty busy the last two months, barely having any time to sleep, much less deal with the normal routine things. The President had a lot of new ideas he wanted implemented, and it kept all of them hopping day and night.
Still, he didn’t intend to confront Zack and Sephiroth about this until he was fully armed. It should be pretty easy to schedule an appointment to see a specialist and get the testing done on his own; the online Wutaian basic proficiency test would be even easier. Cloud didn’t doubt he could pass it, between his own studying and his work in Wutai. The test was supposed to be ridiculously easy, anyway — yet another instance of ShinRa ostensibly valuing something they cared little about.
Three days later Cloud had his clearance for Second Class treatments and confirmation of his aptitude in Wutaian in hand as he entered the General’s office. Papers in hand, he casually came up to Zack’s desk.
“Cloud! What are you doing here?” Zack said by way of greeting, grinning up at his friend.
“Report for the General,” Cloud replied.
“Don’t tell me they’re still using you as an errand boy!” Zack complained. “I mean, you aren’t even my apprentice anymore! What is with these people?”
Cloud rolled his eyes and didn’t answer, walking into the inner office where Sephiroth waited, having heard the conversation between his aide and the younger SOLDIER. The General took the papers from Cloud’s hands, skimmed the top page, then looked at him. “I did not request these.”
“With all due respect, sir, perhaps you should have,” Cloud returned evenly. Catching Sephiroth’s tone, Zack rolled his chair closer to the door to listen.
“Strife, I appreciate the… skills you have acquired, but to use them in this fashion—”
Cloud looked hurt. “I found out because over half a dozen SOLDIERs have asked me about it in the last week and a half,” the Third Class told him. “They did everything except dye my uniforms. Even I’m not that thick.”
He had done his best to keep resentment from seeping into his tone, but Zack seemed to pick up on it anyway. “You’re just… difficult to evaluate, Cloud.” The black-haired man looked apologetic. “We didn’t want to move you up too quickly. I know the others think you’re ready, but…”
“Then test me,” Cloud replied. “If I fail, I’m not ready.”
Zack and Sephiroth exchanged a glance, the General’s face thoughtful. “…Very well. Your abilities in the field have been well documented, but we haven’t been able to evaluate your sword skills personally in several months. Zack, get your Buster Sword. Strife, bring your own weapon and meet us in training room 253.”
“You can’t be serious…” Zack looked dumbfounded.
“If you manage to defeat Zachary, I’ll put the promotion through,” Sephiroth continued, as if his aide hadn’t interrupted.
Cloud nodded, looking resolute. He quickly returned to his own quarters and pulled his sword from the weapon’s locker. His hand caressed the metal as he carefully checked it over for any imperfections. There were none, despite the number of monsters he’d killed in his three months out of Midgar. Smiling, the youth swung it over his back, securing it. The weapon had cost him a boatload of money, and he wasn’t done paying for it yet, but it was worth every gil.
SOLDIER weapons were expensive; unlike regular army members, Turks and SOLDIERs received a small stipend to purchase arms that suited their individual styles, rather than being supplied with standard weapons. Each SOLDIER and Turk had different strengths, and most had custom weapons made to suit them. The money wasn’t much, and Cloud, like most SOLDIERs, had ended up dipping pretty heavily into his personal funds to buy his sword. Zack had been a little upset when he heard Cloud had already commissioned a weapon — he’d wanted to buy his former student a copy of his own — but Cloud personally preferred his choice, even if it had been three times the cost. It was simply more versatile, though most didn’t realize that when it was in its standard form — a slightly smaller version of the Buster Sword.
The trip to training room 253 was a short one. One of the upper-level training facilities, it was smaller than the large gym or the rooms directly attached. Cloud thought he might have an advantage here; his weapon was lighter and slightly shorter than Zack’s. He should be able to move faster.
Sephiroth and Zack were already waiting for him when he stepped through the door. Cloud’s sharp eyes caught sight of two green materia on Sephiroth’s wrist. Good; even if things did get out of control, which could happen all too easily when SOLDIER strength combined with oversized weapons, the General was ready to take care of it.
“Ready to go down, Cloud?” Zack was grinning, twirling the Buster Sword in his hand. “I know your style inside and out!”
Cloud saluted Sephiroth briefly then pulled free his own sword. “Not today, Zack.”
Neither spoke again. Zack rushed forward, closing the distance between them. Cloud raised his sword and easily blocked the blow, turning the blade so Zack lunged past him. The blond didn’t wait for Zack’s next attack but instead took the offensive, blade flashing in a series of quick, sharp movements that blended together a number of the different styles he had been working with since he had begun to study the sword, all the while driving his opponent towards the wall. Cloud saw respect growing in Zack’s eyes as the First countered every attack, though not all of his blocks were completely effortless.
Realizing Cloud’s attempt to back him into a corner, Zack gracefully somersaulted over his friend’s head, landing with the Buster Sword coming towards Cloud’s unprotected back. Cloud swung and met the attack without even looking then slipped to the side, eyes tracking Zack. The black-haired man grinned, feinting before once again attempting to land a blow.
Cloud felt an answering grin spread across his face as he parried the attack. This was fun. Last time he had sparred with Zack, he hadn’t as much experience as he did now; he might not be the older man’s equal yet, but he was much better than the poor, unskilled sixteen-year-old boy who had begun studying under him.
They broke apart to size up their opponents and take stock of themselves. Cloud’s breathing was elevated, though he wasn’t really tired yet. Have to do something soon, though — can’t keep this up forever. Zack was further enhanced, had more skill and more experience, but being devious might get him what a fair fight might not; Vincent had taught him that a long time ago.
So when Zack attacked again, Cloud transferred his sword to his left hand, shifting the hilt and pulling the blade as he did so, and—
Zack’s eyes went wide as he realized that the Buster Sword was firmly blocked by the sword in Cloud’s left hand while another, smaller blade hovered close at his throat. “How the hell did you do that?!”
Cloud smiled as he pulled the blade back. “Special sword, Zack. It’s actually several parts in one. Sure, I haven’t been able to afford to finish all the pieces yet—”
“Pieces? It’s a weapon, not a puzzle!”
Cloud shrugged. “It’s versatile.” Lowering his weapons, he fitted the smaller, hollow blade against one of the larger sword’s edges, sliding it into place snug against the massive handguard with a soft click. He looked over at Sephiroth; he was no expert on the General’s feelings, but he got the impression the man was hiding amusement.
“It appears you’ll be needing new uniforms, then, Strife. I’ll see to it when we get back to the office.” He turned. “Come on, Zack. It isn’t polite to drool.”
“I am not drooling!” Zack insisted, tearing his eyes from Cloud’s sword. “Who needs a puzzle sword—”
“It’s not a puzzle sword!” Cloud interjected.
Slinging the Buster Sword into position on his back, Zack folded his arms. “Okay, so what would you call it, then?”
Cloud blinked. “Well, it’s… my sword.” What else would he call it?
Zack shook his head. “No, it has to have a name. A cool name, something that stands out!”
Sephiroth raised a gloved hand to his temple and sighed.
All the way back across the military compound to the SOLDIER administrative offices, Zack kept offering suggestions for naming Cloud’s sword — all of which were quickly shot down by its owner, who finally turned to the dark-haired SOLDIER as they entered Sephiroth’s office and snapped, “Does it really matter?”
Zack nodded firmly. “Yes!”
Cloud simply looked at him in a mixture of frustration and disbelief. “Why?”
“Because…” Zack paused for a second, then pressed on. “Well, it’s a SOLDIER thing, yanno? You gotta name your favored weapon. I mean, even Seph’s sword has a name—”
“I didn’t name it,” the General pointed out, not looking up from the form he was filling out.
Zack waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, I know, but that’s beside the point.” He looked steadily at Cloud. “So, either pick out a name—”
“Zack—”
“—or I’ll pick one for you.” The southerner frowned thoughtfully. “Let’s see… how about—”
“Shiranui,” Sephiroth murmured, the scratching of his pen across the paper resuming.
Zack blinked. “Shiranui,” he repeated, as if tasting the word. “Huh, sounds kinda familiar…”
“Sounds better than ‘Puzzle Sword’ and all the variants you kept throwing at me, at any rate,” Cloud noted.
Zack ignored him, lost in thought. “Where have I— Aha!” He snapped his fingers. “It’s some Wutaian mystical thingummy, right? Mystery fire or something.” Without waiting for a reply, he continued, “It’s perfect. They’re a crazy bunch over there — you’d probably fit right in, Cloud. ‘Sides the whole ShinRa bit, of course.”
“And the fact that I don’t look Wutaian at all.”
“Yeah, well—”
Sephiroth, standing beside his desk, cleared his throat, and almost immediately both SOLDIERs turned towards him, straightening.
“Cloud Strife,” the General began, moving towards him, “as the representative of SOLDIER I wish to extend to you the congratulations of the command staff on your promotion to Second Class.” He shook Cloud’s hand firmly. “We hope you will continue to perform as you have in the past, excelling in your duties.”
Cloud couldn’t help the huge smile on his face. “I’ll do my best, sir.”
Zack was shaking his head, though he, too, grinned. “You don’t have to be so formal, Seph — it’s not like the kid’s a total stranger. I mean, you’re one of his teachers, for Shiva’s sake—” He paused as a thought occurred to him. “Speaking of teachers, who’d you learn the two-weapon fighting deal from, anyway? Or did you pick it up from a friend — whatsisname, Scott Coyle uses that style, right? And how exactly—”
Cloud’s smile turned mischievous as he took the forms requisitioning his new uniforms from Sephiroth. “If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think you were jealous,” he teased. “If you want, I can give you the name of the smith I commissioned it from, see if he’d be willing to make you something similar…”
“Jealous? Me? No way,” Zack said vehemently, crossing his arms over his chest. “And I don’t need a trick sword, anyway. The Buster’s good enough for me.”
Sephiroth merely shook his head; Cloud, who knew from past experience that Zack hated to lose, especially when it was because a situation got out of his control, just grinned.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aeris smiled, listening to Red XIII’s enthusiasm. The catlike creature’s manner was seldom childlike, though he had told her he was only a cub by his people’s standards. “Cosmo Canyon sounds like a lovely place.”
“Oh, it is,” he assured Aeris, watching as the young woman tended her garden. “You should visit someday. The people there all care for the Planet deeply. You’d fit right in.”
Aeris sighed. “My mother doesn’t like traveling very much, I’m afraid. And it’s difficult to get out of Midgar...” Transportation out of the city — or at least the necessary passes for it — was difficult to come by for all but ShinRa workers and Plate dwellers. It really wasn’t hard to get into the city; leaving, however, was another matter entirely. Still... “I really would like to go there someday, though.” The flower girl stiffened abruptly, eyes flickering towards the entrance of her garden. “Red—” Her guest had gone stiff next to her, stepping between her and their unwelcome visitor.
“Please, Miss Gainsborough. I do not wish you harm.”
“Pardon me if I don’t believe you, Tseng,” Aeris replied, watching him warily.
“I’m here on different business today.” The Turk moved far enough into the garden so he was fully visible in the light and then stopped, far enough away that he was not an immediate threat… though judging such a distance was guesswork at best with Turks. “I thought you would wish to know that Professor Hojo is no longer with us.”
Aeris froze, shock washing over her. “…What?”
“Professor Hojo has left ShinRa and is now on the run, wanted for misuse of company materials and personnel. The President has declared an end to all of the Science Department’s superfluous investigations, particularly since the recent… upheaval in the labs.”
“Upheaval…?” Aeris stared at Tseng in confusion. “What’s going on?”
“I’m afraid that’s classified information.” The stiffness in Tseng’s posture eased a little. “Miss Gainsborough… I only wanted you to know that the Turks, at least, will no longer disturb you.” He paused, adding, “And… I apologize for the discomfort we’ve caused you these past years.”
“Tseng…”
He inclined his head. “Be well, Aeris.” And with that he left.
Aeris stared unseeing at the spot her friend and terror had left. She didn’t know how to feel about this. Part of her was suspicious; it seemed far too plausible that this was just a trap to get her to let her guard down. On the other hand…
Zack… Green eyes closed as emotion overwhelmed her. She had missed him so very much, but… could she really trust this to be true?
“Aeris?” Red XIII gently nudged her hand.
“I’m okay, Red.” She buried her hand in his fur. “I’m okay.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Bright the day, sleepy head.”
Cloud groaned and buried in head in his pillow. “Go ‘way.”
But the voice continued. “Not often I see you sleep in…”
“Zaaaaack—”
The SOLDIER First Class sat down next to the newly promoted Second, silently comparing the current Cloud to the one who had been a new Third Class. This time, it seemed, the treatments had gone much better. Zack ran his hand through the blond’s hair. “How you feeling?”
“Better than I was.” Cloud rolled over enough to watch Zack with one blue eye.
“Well, you didn’t have to have that promotion...” Cloud whacked Zack with his pillow. “You deserved it, don’t worry. I’m just a little surprised you managed to get your enhancements so fast, what with the mess in the Science Department and all…”
“Apparently the SOLDIER enhancement formulas weren’t as well-kept a secret as Hojo thought they were,” Cloud replied, stretching. “Morgan said her dad’s had it for years. Supposedly it was something of a test of worthiness, being able to reproduce the formula and keep it hidden from Hojo. Dr. Matheson’s adapted the formula somewhat, though — something about not breaking down the Mako so quickly, so we don’t need so many boosters. ”
“And how are you on a first-name basis with the daughter of the head of the Science Department?” Zack teased.
“If you don’t know by now…” Cloud shook his head. “Specialist, one of the members of Arthur’s unit, remember? You have gone out to eat with us more than a few times…” Arthur had been a little quiet the first time they’d all gone out together, but his friendship with Morgan seemed to be a pretty strong one… and it seemed to keep him from being too hung up on Cloud, for which the SOLDIER was grateful.
“I know, I know.” Zack grinned. “Anyway, when do you think you’ll be up and about? Knowing you, I’m sure you’re dying to get back to the gym.”
“Hmmmhm,” was Cloud’s only response, though the corners of his lips twitched slightly.
“So, feel up to a bit of sparring? You’ve been cleared by medical…”
Cloud shoved himself out his bed and to his feet. “You’re on. I need to get back into shape again.”
“I should think so, if you wanna be able to wave that Sheela-wossname thing around.”
“Shiranui, Zack. It’s not that hard to say…”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cloud didn’t get a lot of mail in general. Most of the stuff he received was ShinRa-related, save the occasional letter from his mother or Tifa. Still, those occasional letters were a bright spot in his day. Tifa had become all but his unofficial penpal in the eight months it had been since he’d made Second Class. They had a surprising amount in common, despite their difference in gender and location. It was almost like having a distant cousin or sibling he’d rarely met, but still had a strong connection with. So when Cloud returned from a two-month assignment in Junon to find a letter addressed to him in Tifa’s now-familiar handwriting, he was quite happy to see it.
Dear Cloud,
I hope your trip went well and you’ll be back in Midgar soon. I know you don’t exactly like the city, but it sounds like a much more interesting place than Junon. I can’t believe that you still haven’t left the base there — don’t you think you should go see something else sometimes?
Cloud had to smile at that. Tifa sounded a lot like Zack some days. Maybe that’s why he had come to like her so much, despite her deception.
Things have actually been changing around here, believe it or not. Zangan says the monsters around the town have been getting a lot stronger than they used to be, and no one can figure out why. There doesn’t seem to be any reason for it. Dad should probably put together a request for assistance, but he gets all stubborn every time I try to talk to him about it. Maybe, if I ever get around to convincing him, you’ll be one of the ones they send out. It’d be great to see you in person again. I can’t wait to spar with you now that you’re enhanced.
The other odd thing is the Shinra Mansion. Some of the boys swore that they saw someone break in there.
Cloud felt his eyebrows rise at that. The Shinra Mansion was more or less off limits. While many of the “boys” around his age, the ones Tifa had played with as a child, had told exaggerated tales about venturing into the forbidden building, most of them had become more or less honest about the entire thing by now. Soon enough it would be their children telling tales about the mansion, and them playing the parts of the parents forbidding them to enter it.
It was funny how things worked out, sometimes.
I did a little investigation of my own, and it really does seem like someone’s been there recently. There are some of the signs you told me about — less dust on the doors, things like that. There was a group from ShinRa out here a while ago, and they looked around the mansion, but it’s still been several months since then. I’d think there’d be more dust building up than there has been…
I also noticed it looked like the power lines were connected to the reactor feed. I can’t remember if they were before. Do you?
I’m going to keep looking around when I can. I’ll let you know what I find.
Tifa
Cloud put the letter down, feeling more than slightly unsettled. The mansion was where he had found Vincent. It had a lab that Hojo had used before. It had been one of the first places investigative teams had looked for the scientist, but they had found no sign of him.
Perhaps they had been too hasty. Perhaps… perhaps Hojo had gone to ground someplace else for a while and then moved back to the mansion. It would make sense, considering what was in the reactor. The team sent out there hadn’t investigated that area because as far as Sephiroth knew, there was nothing unusual about the reactor — and Zack hadn’t done anything to change that, which Cloud certainly understood. None of them wanted any other SOLDIERs taken over by that… thing.
Cloud pocketed the letter and headed up to Sephiroth’s office, deep in thought. It’d likely be hard to arrange a mission to Nibelheim based on just one letter, but they might be able to swing it. And he couldn’t shake the feeling this was important.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aeris was beginning to wish she had a gate across her garden so people couldn’t just walk in. First Tseng, now these two… Both were dressed in civilian wear, and they didn’t feel like military the way Zack and Cloud did, but there was still something about them that suggested that they weren’t ordinary civilians. Company workers, perhaps?
She knew it had been too good to be true when Tseng told her ShinRa had given up on her.
“Miss Gainsborough,” the one on the left began, “I’m Reeve Tuesti and this is Robert Matheson. We’ve come to ask for your help.”
“I have no interest in working for ShinRa—” Aeris began.
“Please, Miss Gainsborough, you’re the only one who can help us,” Matheson begged. “We’re looking at trying to restore the city to what it used to be.”
Aeris gave him a blank look.
“Miss Gainsborough, the reactors are steadily polluting Midgar. We are investigating alternative power sources, but we have to do something about Mako byproducts in the environment.” He leaned over, almost pleading. “There are certain types of plants that can break down Mako byproducts in the air and soil. Plants are supposedly impossible to grow in Midgar, but…” He gestured around them.
In spite of her wariness, the young woman found herself intrigued. It would be a great undertaking, she knew, but the possible benefits were staggering. If only she knew if she could trust these people… “I don’t want to work for the company.”
“I understand. You wouldn’t have to work Plateside,” Tuesti assured her. “We’re looking at adding parks and other areas below the Plate as well, where plants should, in theory, do well. We’d like your input on where they would best be placed, and if possible, occasional visits on your own time to check on the plants. We’re willing to pay you under the table, if you’ll accept it.”
Definitely ShinRa. They didn’t hesitate to break their own rules when it suited them. Aeris felt a smile steal across her face despite herself. “I admit, it sounds like a nice plan… but, supposing I were interested, how would you get in contact with me?”
Tuesti opened a bag at his feet. “If you don’t mind dealing with this rascal occasionally, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Oh! It’s the fortune-telling cat!” Aeris recognized the odd-looking creature immediately as the one she had encountered before, though it was lacking its moogle mount.
“My eyes and ears below the plate,” Tuesti explained. “Meet Cait Sith.”
“An interesting way to see the world, Mr. Tuesti.”
The man shook his head, smiling ruefully. “Please, just call me Reeve. No need to be so formal.”
The brunette nodded, pondering her options for a moment. If she weren’t going Plateside, and her dealings with company personnel would be through Reeve’s cat, the risk was minimal… and she might be able to help the city recover from ShinRa’s actions, as her ancestors would have done. “I’m willing to try it,” she admitted finally.
“Thank you Miss Gainsborough.” Reeve’s smile broadened. “I’d like to welcome you, unofficially, to the MMG Project.”
“MMG?” Aeris echoed.
“Make Midgar Greener,” Reeve elaborated.
“We’re very glad you’re willing to try this, Miss Gainsborough,” Matheson added. “I only wish we were further along on finding energy sources other than Mako…”
Aeris smiled slowly. There was something about these two that made her want to trust them — and her gut feelings like that tended to be right, so… “I think I know someone who could help with that… Red?”
After a moment’s pause, the large, catlike creature stepped out from behind a nearby bush, and Matheson’s eyes widened. “So this is where you went…! Hojo wasn’t too happy.”
“Aeris has been kind enough to allow me to stay with her until I am able to return to my own home,” Red XIII replied.
“Red, why don’t you tell Dr. Matheson what you were telling me earlier?” Aeris suggested. “About the windmills in Cosmo Canyon — I think he’d be interested.”
“Certainly.” The lab escapee settled to his haunches beside her and began, “At Cosmo Canyon we obtain our energy from the wind, not from Mako. My grandfather told me several years ago that they are part of the reason we don’t need a reactor…”
Read Comments | Leave a Comment
