FFVII: more on the n00b
Here's more on the new Coup de tat fic. More pieces for you to enjoy.
Title: Untitled as of now
Fandom: FFVII
Pairings: Nothing super definite right now; ZackxCloud and ZackxAeris implied
Words: Depends on the chapter
Summary/Author's Notes: Hojo has managed a Coup de tat on the Shinra Electric Co.; he now, more or less, rules the world. With the last Ancient captured, Cloud will do anything to free Aeris, but Zack is unaware of the blond's plans. Will his will be strong enough to survive and get back what's been taken from him? With the help of friends cast off from high places, Zack and Aeris search The Planet for a specific blond...and to kill Hojo. Like I said, this isn't done yet and I have no idea how I'm going to format it yet when I do have it written. Here's a piece of the puzzle for your enjoyment.
WARNING: THESE ARE IN NO SPECIFIC ORDER
I guess you could consider them one-shots right now since I haven't "connected" them together yet. :D
Part IX: Sephiroth cetric
Words: 352
Sephiroth had found it by accident in a pod in the cryogenics lab. Startled, but damned if he’d show it, the General of Soldier watched what appeared to be a mirror image of himself float aimlessly in the mako solution. The body was a bit shorter; the hair more grey than his silver, and the half-mast lids betrayed blue, almost purple, eyes. Sephiroth didn’t know if he should be fascinated or horrified.
Something in the back of his mind purred.
Examining the figure in the tank again, Sephiroth could see how the sentience could want that body or itself. NeedHaveWant whispered from the recesses of his mind with the purring noise. Having been in the labs long enough to hold some experiments of his own, Sephiroth examined the settings before tweaking a few.
“Let’s keep this between ourselves,” Sephiroth spoke to no one. “Who knows how the good doctor would react otherwise.”
Acquiescence floated through his mind and Sephiroth continued on his shortcut back to his suite. He opened the door to find Cloud curled up in a ball on one of the couch cushions. Sephiroth vaguely remembered ordering someone to do something, but what they had brought back remained hidden behind layers or surgical scars.
He did remember the screaming.
Removing his armour and leather coat, he had divested himself of his boots at the door, Sephiroth made himself comfortable next to the blonde on the couch. The boy had disappeared for a few days and Sephiroth could only speculate-he had probably been in the lab with Hojo if the new scars were anything to go by-and everything he came up with wasn’t good.
I should hack the kid’s file just to see what Hojo did, Sephiroth thought as he stroked the soft golden locks. Then again, I’m not sure if I want to know what happened to him…but Cloud has the right to know what Hojo did…
Despite the horrors that would no doubt be reveled, Sephiroth was curious; had always been curious. This morbid curiosity of the secret to Cloud’s scars was most puzzling, indeed.
Part X: Sephiroth and Cloud
Word Count: 219
Sephiroth was surprised that Cloud hadn’t come looking for him. He had spent more time talking to Zack than he had intended and had then stayed, hidden, to make sure Zack, Aeris and Reno went on their way with as little resistance as possible; if that meant slaying a few extra monsters and a handful of shady individuals, then so be it. He didn’t, however, plan on Cloud curled up as tight as humanly possible clutching his head.
“Cloud?” Sephiroth called curiously.
The blonde didn’t answer.
“Cloud?” Sephiroth called, genuinely worried now. Oddly enough, the sentience in the back of his head was worried too.
The blond managed to whine pitifully.
“Cloud?”
“Hurts,” he managed to get out in a small, pained voice.
Sephiroth was momentarily confused before realization dawned on him and, despite the circumstances, couldn’t help but smile. Sephiroth had always morbidly wondered which series of tests had stolen the blond’s memory from him. How something about Zack had them fighting against science for their rightful place.
Cloud whined again and tried to curl up tighter; a physical attempt to hide from the pain.
“Let’s get you home,” Sephiroth said, picking up the distraught blond. The General knew, however, it was going to be a sleepless night, what with Cloud as he was.
Perhaps…perhaps he’d call Zack.
Part XI: Cloud and Sephiroth
Words Count: 273
“No matter what happens, I’ll always remember you; always love you.”
Cloud jolted awake, breathing erratic and heartbeat fast. Raising a shaking hand to his face, he was surprised to find no tears-tears he remembered shedding when had spoken those words.
His head gave a massive twinge. He was about to massage away the ache when it exploded. He couldn’t help but cry out as visions-memories-assaulted him.
“Spike! When are you free this afternoon? I need your help with something…” Purple eyes and messy dark hair asked him.
“Don’t go too far,” a golden haired woman warned. “The dragons are mating.”
“I just made a pie!” a girl with curly brown hair and expressive green eyes informed them. “What amazing timing you have!” Her smile lit up the Slums.
“Step back a little more and shift the grip on your sword; you’ll flow into the next form easier.”
Image after image, all in fast forward, until finally he was aware of a presence behind him; disoriented and in pain, he was about to ask Zack what he was doing when a bright sheen in his peripheral vision caught his eye. Silver-white hair. There was only one person he knew who had that specific shade of silver.
“Sephiroth,” Cloud breathed as he relaxed against the body behind him.
“I’m glad to see you return to yourself,” was his deep reply
Cloud was curious about the statement the man mad, but at the moment he didn’t’ really care. Snuggling further unto hard abs, Cloud fell asleep. Unbeknownst to him, Sephiroth was smiling as he dialed a number to a well watched PHS.
Part XII: Zack and Reno
Word Count: 264
The warking of a chocobo had Zack awake and thinking in a matter of seconds. Groaning, the dark haired man groped for the PHS. It took his mind a minute to realize that he was seeing numbers instead of a message.
“Hey Reno,” Zack started, bothering the man to wakefulness. “What’s this?”
Reno snarled something that sounded suspiciously like “fucking dumbass” before his eyes glared at the screen and his fingers flew across the key pad. When he closed the devise he rammed it under his pillow.
“Uh…Reno?”
“Fucking coordinates, Fair, coordinates,” Reno said. “How the fuck do you-you of all gods-forsaken people-not recognize coordinates?”
Coordinates? Zack thought. Something was niggling the back of his mind, and Zack knew it was important.
“Go to Nibeliheim,” Sephiroth’s voice suggested. “You have friends in high places.”
“Shiva!” Zack swore. “Reno! Get up!”
“Fuck off!”
Zack paused.
“What would you say if I told you I’d give you a helicopter if you flew us to Nibelheim?”
“…You’re shitting me.”
Zack smiled that smile that said he got the canary and the cream and got the dog to serve it to him. Reno looked at his pillow when it started warking again. Zack’s smile brightened.
“Just what did you send him?” Zack asked as Reno fished out the device. He laughed. Zack looked confused.
“It’s in Turk-shorthand, babe,” Reno told Zack. “You read it you’d think we were talking about breakfast.”
Zack still looked confused.
Reno rolled out of bed and started pulling on pants and clothes. “Come on! You promised me a helicopter.”
Zack smiled.
Part XII: Zack and Reno and Aeris; Sephiroth and Cloud
Word Count: 711
They had been ambushed. In the process of moving Aeris from one sage house to another, Hojo and Shin-Ra had got wind of their movements; the three of them were the leaders of most resistance and anti-Shin-Ra groups. Aeris was secure behind a Barrier spell, casting healing spells when needed. Reno and Zack were ridding themselves of the stubbornly dogged troops.
“Dammit!” Zack heard Reno curse.
Even though it wasn’t funny, Zack couldn’t help snickering to himself. It was when he saw the shock of blonde hair that had him pausing and his eyes widening. There was only one person who he knew of who had that particular shade of blonde. His assumptions were justified as a huge sword obliterated the person that was before him.
“Cloud?” Zack breathed, stunned into astonished silence.
The individual before him who couldn’t be anyone but Cloud looked up, confused. The lack of recognition and the confusion cut Zack deeper than any blade could. Yet when Cloud spoke, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Why are you so familiar??” Cloud breathed among the chaos. “Your eyes…your smile…why?”
Zack was about to answer when a shouted “Cloud!” was heard above the masses. The blond’s head snapped towards the voice to which Zack mimicked. The owner of the voice remained unchanged; the same as he was frozen In Zack’s memory: imposing, black leather everything; long-ass sword; long, silvery hair. Zack didn’t know he could feel physical pain from such longing…such need. He longed to cuddle Cloud, make out with Sephiroth…it was agony being apart from the ones that felt like such an integral part of himself. HE couldn’t help the whine that escaped him.
Sephiroth’s oh so green eyes flickered to him before focusing their attention on a rather distraught Cloud. Zack frowned. Why was Spike so upset?
“Why you so upset, Spike?” Zack couldn’t help but to ask. He noted that Clouds eyes became wilder; latent with confusion, incomprehension and frustration. He whined; the utterance sounding feral coming from the blonde when compared to his own.
“Cloud.” Eyes snapped back to Sephiroth. “The targets managed to escape before we arrived,” he explained, eyes locked with Zack’s violet eyes before returning back to Cloud’s. “Is this understood??”
“Yes.”
“Did you see them at all when you were fighting insurgents??”
“No.”
“Let’s return to Headquarters,” Sephiroth intoned. “Meet me at the transport.”
“Understood.”
Cloud turned and padded silently in the direction Sephiroth had come. Zack looked on, uncomprehendingly. Was Seph giving them an out?? The man in question dug in his coat producing a PHS. “I can’t stay long; if I don’t leave soon no matter how I ordered him, Cloud will come looking for me.”
He tossed the PHS to Zack who caught it deftly. “That’s a secure line; I have its sister phone. I’ll give you a call when it’s safe.”
And with that, the General of Soldier turned and followed Cloud. Zack watched him go; completely and utterly dumbstruck. When his mental and physical capacities were working again, Zack opened his mouth to comment, but the words that came out weren’t the ones he had intended to say.
“What the fuck?”
“’What the fuck’ indeed, yo,” Reno echoed, cigarette smoke curling round his head.
“We should be going, guys,” Aeris spoke up.
“Yeah,” Zack finally said after a long silence. “Let’s get moving.”
But Zack’s mind wasn’t on the recent fight or the prospect of a nice home cooked meal; his mind was consumed by confused and bewildered eyes the colour of the summer sky in Wutai…and what made them that way.
He didn’t notice the furtive looks Reno shot him or the worried glances from Aeris as he picked at his food at dinner that night. Zackary Fair with no appetite; the lad must be sick! He smirked at his wry, humour before devouring his plate and heading to the washroom. Waking up with flaked off dried blood and visceral was not comfortable no matter how exhausted you were the night before.
Plus, you ended up grinding the stuff into the linens and permanently staining them. Zack winced as he stepped under the spray of the shower remembering the following lecture he had once endured from Aeris when she discovered the stains wouldn’t come out.
Part XIV: Zack and Sephiroth
Word Count: 600
Zack was in the middle of wolfing down some wonderful chicken pot pie that Aeris had made earlier that day when his pants started singing.
Loudly.
Choking on a biscuit, Zack returned the entrée to the fridge before frantically searching said pants for the music. His hand came up with a particular PHS. Unsure if he should answer it or not, when the ringtone repeated itself Zack felt obligated to answer it.
“Where on Gaia did you find that Bahamut-forsaken song?”
“Hello to you too, Zackary,” A deep voice replied.
Zack grimaced.
“Don’t call me that.”
Zack could hear the rustle of leather though the PHS. HE sighed and couldn’t hide the longing note that escaped. “Who’s the kid?” he finally asked.
“Unconscious I suspect,” Came the straightforward reply.
Zack blinked.
“Wait…what? Unconscious?” Zack queried uncomprehendingly.
Sephiroth sighed a sigh of long suffering. “When Hojo had Cloud in his…care,” Zack could see the face Sephiroth was making by his tone of voice. If the situation had been different he’d probably would have laughed. “One set of tests the man did blocked off Cloud’s memory. I’m thinking seeing you today probably triggered something that will alleviate his…amnesia.”
“Amnesia?”
“When I…gathered him from the labs, he didn’t even recognize me.”
Ouch.
“He always remembered us, Zack,” Sephiroth said softly when the melancholy was almost too much to bear. “He kept muttering about ‘purple eyes’ and ‘moonlight hair’ in his sleep.”
Zack smiled. “That’s Cloud.”
There was an uncomfortable silence again before Zack tentatively asked, “So do I want to know Cloud’s file?”
“Probably not,” Sephiroth replied. Zack heard the rustling of paper before his long-time friend spoke again. “Hojo was trying to make Cloud into somekind of Solder; however he has more mako than any First Class. He got interested in gene-splicing and infused Cloud with various strands of genetic material from an entity called Jenova and…a Nibel Wolf?"
“What?”
Zack waited in silence as a page slowly turned; Sephiroth was apparently reading Hojo’s notes.
“He wanted absolute loyalty so he had something called The Beast retrieve a Nibel Wolf and a girl…don’t know what he did with her.”
Zack didn’t like the sound of that. Another page turned.
“Hojo figured that the nature of Nibel Wolves, how they respect authority and establish such intricate hierarchies, would help Subject C know his place and follow orders-anything really-implicitly.”
“…huh.”
“Indeed.”
“When did you get a hold of Cloud’s files?” Zack absently wondered.
“When I Confused a few of his men and he had to put down an uprising.”
Zack chuckled. “Sounds like something I would do.”
“Indeed.”
Zack ran his hands through his hair in irritation. “Shiva you know that I hat ie when you do that.”
“Indeed.” It was amused this time.
Zack made a strangled sound.
“Zack,” Sephiroth’s tone was business again. “There’s something in the basement of the Shin-Ra Mansion in Nibelheim that will…aid…your cause…if you can be convincing enough.”
“How in Frigga am I going to get to Nibelheim.?”
“You have friends in high places,” was Sephiroth’s reply before the phone went dead.
“DA~ammit!” Zack swore. He wanted to know more about Cloud. Was the kid okay? He didn’t look hurt. His eyes burned and reaching a trembling hand to his face, found hot tears running down his face. The gaping hole Zack thought he had cauterized with purpose throbbed and bled as it was rent anew. Chocking off a sob, Zack made his way to the living room where he curled up on the couch to try and keep himself together.
It’s where Aeris found him.
Part XV: Zack and Reno; Sephiroth (implied ZackxReno)
Word Count: 257
Zack was awake, across the room with sword in hand before his eyes were open and his mental faculties were properly functioning. Reno groaned and rolled over, pulling the blankets over his head in a poor attempt to block out the hideous ringtone. Blinking owlishly, the filter between brain and mouth wasn’t properly in place at the time of day…night…whatever, so naturally the first coherent thought that entered Zack’s mind left by way of mouth.
“Is that the chocobo racing theme for the Gold Saucer?”
“I don’t care what the fuck it is!” Reno’s snarl was muffled by the blankets. “It could be Shiva’s frozen tits for all I care, yo, just TURN IT THE FUCK OFF!!!”
Zack, chuckling, picked up the singing piece of technology and flipped it open.
“Seriously; that ring tone was hideous. Where did you find it?”
“It came standard with the model,” Sephiroth’s voice informed him.
The look of abject horror on Zack’s face had Reno falling off the bed in laughter.
“That’s…uwaa…that’s just wrong man,” Zack spat in disgust.
“Considering I had them custom made in expedited circumstances…I’ll deal with the music.”
Zack made a face.
“So, why’d’ya call?”
“Cloud remembered. I have a plan in motion; I’ll call you later with more details.” He paused before adding in an amused voice, “give my regards to Reno,” before hanging up.
Zack just stared at the PHS before looking over to Reno. He could just barely see the redheaded Turk’s nose over the edge of the bed.
“That’s just fucked up.”
“Indeed.”
Part XVI: Reno and Zack; Vincent
Word Count: 1273
Nibelheim looked the same as it always had. Quaint little houses nestled near each other for protection against the elements, animals and monsters. There was one house, however, that was just a little bit apart from the rest. Zack pointed it out to Reno.
“Cloud’s House,” Zack mouthed. Reno nodded. Maybe…maybe they could visit her. He’d have to talk to Reno.
There was a landing pad-rather a large clearing-behind the manor for Reno to land the chopper. Reno muttered about the pad being overgrown, which it probably was, but Zack saw some scuff marks that indicated relatively recent use. Shutting everything down to ‘standby’ the two jumped out and headed towards the dilapidated building.
“Ya know what we’re lookin’ for?” Reno drawled as he lit a cigarette. Zack made a face.
“Nope.”
He turned after a few steps when he realized Reno wasn’t next to him. “What?”
“You dragged me all the way to this forsaken town and you don’t know what we’re looking for?”
“Sephiroth only said it was in the basement, and I can’t fly a chopper to save my life.”
Reno looked at him, his angry muttering renewed.
The inside of the mansion, despite it’s poor condition was eerily clean. Wary, the two fighters dispatched several monsters and a more than enough tonberries. Joking good naturedly, Zack was all for solving the puzzle but Reno shook his head, beckoning for Zack to follow. They went down a hallway and at a fork in the corridor Reno messed with a sconce in the wall. There was an echoing click and Reno turned and headed back the way they came.
“Wanted us ta be able ta check onna projects with out messing with’ the planted monsters n’ traps,” Reno explained around his cigarette with a wave of his hand. He led Zack through maze-like corridors before the two finally made it to the library; one of the bookshelves was open.
Dark, creaky stairs led to a dirt corridor that led to several doors. Opening one, Zack shuddered. The room was dark, but one stubborn light bulb valiantly lit the cavern. Coffins and spider webs were strategically placed around the room, the latter more so. Reno walked among the coffins until he came to the one in the middle; back beautiful and terrible.
“I think this is the right one,” Reno muttered as he examined the casket.
“You ‘think’?” Zack repeated.
“Hey!” Reno replied, defensive. “None of us were going to open it and face ‘the good professor’s’ wrath.”
Zack muttered something. “What’s in here anyway.?”
“If my memory is right, and it usually is, yo,” Reno said with a smirk as his fingers found the release to the casket’s lid, “The Chaos Project.”
Zack wanted to say, “Chaos what?” but the lid thudded loudly to the floor.
“This is the second time I’ve been woken up,” a deep, velvet voice stated. “I refuse.”
When the dist settled, Zack’s eyes could do naught but stare at the figure sitting-lounging really-in the black coffin. His hair was long and dark; black as ink with a silky sheen in the low light. His eyes, instead of the usual colours people sported, were a burnished red colour that glowed eerily golden in the low light. Zack’s attention was abruptly switched to Reno when the man began swearing blackly.
“Shiva’s frozen tits! Ifrit’s fiery balls! Dammit! Ramuh damn it! Shit, shit, shit! Fuck, fuck, fuck…”
Both men watched as Reno swore the filthy room clean, chanting well known words and making up some of his own. Zack glanced sideways at the person who they had ‘woken up’; he seemed amused. Finally fed up with Reno’s swearing, Zack snapped.
“Reno, quit your swearing and explain, dammit!”
Reno’s heated glare met Zack’s before he turned to regard the coffin man.
“My sincerest apologies,” Reno said, regret heavy in his tone. The deference the authority shirking Turk was showing floored the ex-Soldier. “If I had known you were here, I would have let you out sooner.”
“Reno?” Zack was very confused. Reno was talking like he knew the guy in the coffin. “Do you know him or something?”
Reno looked at him like he was crazy.
“Dude, like, it’s Vincent Valentine!”
Vincent Valentine? Zack thought. He’d heard stories…but...wait… “Isn’t he dead?”
With a wry smile in his eyes the man motioned about the room. “Who among the living would sleep among the dead?”
Zack shuddered. The man couldn’t be normal…then again, most things Hojo got a hold of didn’t remain normal for long. Zack’s happy demeanor visibly wilted. Cloud~…his mind whined.
“Don’t look like the chocobo that was picked last,” Reno muttered to Zack. “We’ll save Spike.”
Vincent cocked his head curiously; asking without speaking.
“Lookin’ fer a kid,” Reno replied. “Seph’s got ‘m an’ he ain’t tellin’ us where he is, but directed us to you instead.”
A gloved hand rose to tap on a well defined soft featured face. If there was a stereotypical build for aristocracy, Vincent Valentine fit the criteria with flying colours. Reno’s evaluation was skewed when the man gracefully leapt out of his coffin with all the lines of the perfect predator. It made the hair on his neck stand up on end.
“Sephiroth?” Vincent queried. “Lucretcia’s son?”
Zack and Reno were confused.
“Uh…sure,” Zack responded.
Those red-gold eyes fixed on the Soldier with all the focus of a hunting predator.
“How old is Sephiroth?” the ex-Turk asked in his deceptively dulcet tones.
“He’s going to be twenty-seven this year,” Zack quickly responded.
Vincent looked confused. Deep in thought, his eyes were more red than anything. His lips moved, but the enhanced hearing of both Reno and Zack couldn’t pick out his utterances.
“Vincent?”
“I’ve been awakened before,” Vincent intoned, “Rather, Chaos was invoked.” The man now calmly leaning against his own coffin, informed them.
“What’s Chaos?” Reno asked.
“You,” Zack replied. “Entropy, disorder and death.”
I pray that you never have to witness the Beast of Chaos.”
Zack and Reno shuddered at the finality of the statement. Vincent rubbed at the side of his head with a scowl on his face. His muttering began again in earnest. Zack and Reno just watched Vincent as the minutes ticked by. They were at the point where they were trying to figure out what next to do with sticks-they had already poked themselves out of fun-when Vincent lunged back into his coffin; startling Zack and Reno into holding their sticks like their respective weapons several feet back.
“Ramuh’s beard!” Reno breathed out the curse. Zack just breathed. “What the fuck man?!”
Vincent just stilled, his frantic searching coming to an abrupt stop. He came back out of his coffin with a wrinkled letter; as if someone had put in it there pocket and had sat down forgetting it was there…or if it had been slept on.
“Vincent?” Zack queried. The ex-Turk ignored him and ripped the envelope open, red eyes scanning the contents. The slightly strangled noise that came out of Vincent surprised them both. Before either could ask the man about his distress he thrust a photo of a curious looking blond with unforgettable blue eyes. On the back of the photo was a few simple words that went straight to Zack’s heart.
~Please help Cloud.~
“So are you going to help?” Zack finally asked when he felt he could speak again.
“If it’ll lessen my sin to help this child Chaos wronged, I will help you,” Vincent finally intoned.
“Great,” Reno drawled. “Let’s leave this Hel hole.”
“Couldn’t’ agree with you more,” Zack seconded, gathering their gear.
Title: Untitled as of now
Fandom: FFVII
Pairings: Nothing super definite right now; ZackxCloud and ZackxAeris implied
Words: Depends on the chapter
Summary/Author's Notes: Hojo has managed a Coup de tat on the Shinra Electric Co.; he now, more or less, rules the world. With the last Ancient captured, Cloud will do anything to free Aeris, but Zack is unaware of the blond's plans. Will his will be strong enough to survive and get back what's been taken from him? With the help of friends cast off from high places, Zack and Aeris search The Planet for a specific blond...and to kill Hojo. Like I said, this isn't done yet and I have no idea how I'm going to format it yet when I do have it written. Here's a piece of the puzzle for your enjoyment.
WARNING: THESE ARE IN NO SPECIFIC ORDER
I guess you could consider them one-shots right now since I haven't "connected" them together yet. :D
Part IX: Sephiroth cetric
Words: 352
Sephiroth had found it by accident in a pod in the cryogenics lab. Startled, but damned if he’d show it, the General of Soldier watched what appeared to be a mirror image of himself float aimlessly in the mako solution. The body was a bit shorter; the hair more grey than his silver, and the half-mast lids betrayed blue, almost purple, eyes. Sephiroth didn’t know if he should be fascinated or horrified.
Something in the back of his mind purred.
Examining the figure in the tank again, Sephiroth could see how the sentience could want that body or itself. NeedHaveWant whispered from the recesses of his mind with the purring noise. Having been in the labs long enough to hold some experiments of his own, Sephiroth examined the settings before tweaking a few.
“Let’s keep this between ourselves,” Sephiroth spoke to no one. “Who knows how the good doctor would react otherwise.”
Acquiescence floated through his mind and Sephiroth continued on his shortcut back to his suite. He opened the door to find Cloud curled up in a ball on one of the couch cushions. Sephiroth vaguely remembered ordering someone to do something, but what they had brought back remained hidden behind layers or surgical scars.
He did remember the screaming.
Removing his armour and leather coat, he had divested himself of his boots at the door, Sephiroth made himself comfortable next to the blonde on the couch. The boy had disappeared for a few days and Sephiroth could only speculate-he had probably been in the lab with Hojo if the new scars were anything to go by-and everything he came up with wasn’t good.
I should hack the kid’s file just to see what Hojo did, Sephiroth thought as he stroked the soft golden locks. Then again, I’m not sure if I want to know what happened to him…but Cloud has the right to know what Hojo did…
Despite the horrors that would no doubt be reveled, Sephiroth was curious; had always been curious. This morbid curiosity of the secret to Cloud’s scars was most puzzling, indeed.
Part X: Sephiroth and Cloud
Word Count: 219
Sephiroth was surprised that Cloud hadn’t come looking for him. He had spent more time talking to Zack than he had intended and had then stayed, hidden, to make sure Zack, Aeris and Reno went on their way with as little resistance as possible; if that meant slaying a few extra monsters and a handful of shady individuals, then so be it. He didn’t, however, plan on Cloud curled up as tight as humanly possible clutching his head.
“Cloud?” Sephiroth called curiously.
The blonde didn’t answer.
“Cloud?” Sephiroth called, genuinely worried now. Oddly enough, the sentience in the back of his head was worried too.
The blond managed to whine pitifully.
“Cloud?”
“Hurts,” he managed to get out in a small, pained voice.
Sephiroth was momentarily confused before realization dawned on him and, despite the circumstances, couldn’t help but smile. Sephiroth had always morbidly wondered which series of tests had stolen the blond’s memory from him. How something about Zack had them fighting against science for their rightful place.
Cloud whined again and tried to curl up tighter; a physical attempt to hide from the pain.
“Let’s get you home,” Sephiroth said, picking up the distraught blond. The General knew, however, it was going to be a sleepless night, what with Cloud as he was.
Perhaps…perhaps he’d call Zack.
Part XI: Cloud and Sephiroth
Words Count: 273
“No matter what happens, I’ll always remember you; always love you.”
Cloud jolted awake, breathing erratic and heartbeat fast. Raising a shaking hand to his face, he was surprised to find no tears-tears he remembered shedding when had spoken those words.
His head gave a massive twinge. He was about to massage away the ache when it exploded. He couldn’t help but cry out as visions-memories-assaulted him.
“Spike! When are you free this afternoon? I need your help with something…” Purple eyes and messy dark hair asked him.
“Don’t go too far,” a golden haired woman warned. “The dragons are mating.”
“I just made a pie!” a girl with curly brown hair and expressive green eyes informed them. “What amazing timing you have!” Her smile lit up the Slums.
“Step back a little more and shift the grip on your sword; you’ll flow into the next form easier.”
Image after image, all in fast forward, until finally he was aware of a presence behind him; disoriented and in pain, he was about to ask Zack what he was doing when a bright sheen in his peripheral vision caught his eye. Silver-white hair. There was only one person he knew who had that specific shade of silver.
“Sephiroth,” Cloud breathed as he relaxed against the body behind him.
“I’m glad to see you return to yourself,” was his deep reply
Cloud was curious about the statement the man mad, but at the moment he didn’t’ really care. Snuggling further unto hard abs, Cloud fell asleep. Unbeknownst to him, Sephiroth was smiling as he dialed a number to a well watched PHS.
Part XII: Zack and Reno
Word Count: 264
The warking of a chocobo had Zack awake and thinking in a matter of seconds. Groaning, the dark haired man groped for the PHS. It took his mind a minute to realize that he was seeing numbers instead of a message.
“Hey Reno,” Zack started, bothering the man to wakefulness. “What’s this?”
Reno snarled something that sounded suspiciously like “fucking dumbass” before his eyes glared at the screen and his fingers flew across the key pad. When he closed the devise he rammed it under his pillow.
“Uh…Reno?”
“Fucking coordinates, Fair, coordinates,” Reno said. “How the fuck do you-you of all gods-forsaken people-not recognize coordinates?”
Coordinates? Zack thought. Something was niggling the back of his mind, and Zack knew it was important.
“Go to Nibeliheim,” Sephiroth’s voice suggested. “You have friends in high places.”
“Shiva!” Zack swore. “Reno! Get up!”
“Fuck off!”
Zack paused.
“What would you say if I told you I’d give you a helicopter if you flew us to Nibelheim?”
“…You’re shitting me.”
Zack smiled that smile that said he got the canary and the cream and got the dog to serve it to him. Reno looked at his pillow when it started warking again. Zack’s smile brightened.
“Just what did you send him?” Zack asked as Reno fished out the device. He laughed. Zack looked confused.
“It’s in Turk-shorthand, babe,” Reno told Zack. “You read it you’d think we were talking about breakfast.”
Zack still looked confused.
Reno rolled out of bed and started pulling on pants and clothes. “Come on! You promised me a helicopter.”
Zack smiled.
Part XII: Zack and Reno and Aeris; Sephiroth and Cloud
Word Count: 711
They had been ambushed. In the process of moving Aeris from one sage house to another, Hojo and Shin-Ra had got wind of their movements; the three of them were the leaders of most resistance and anti-Shin-Ra groups. Aeris was secure behind a Barrier spell, casting healing spells when needed. Reno and Zack were ridding themselves of the stubbornly dogged troops.
“Dammit!” Zack heard Reno curse.
Even though it wasn’t funny, Zack couldn’t help snickering to himself. It was when he saw the shock of blonde hair that had him pausing and his eyes widening. There was only one person who he knew of who had that particular shade of blonde. His assumptions were justified as a huge sword obliterated the person that was before him.
“Cloud?” Zack breathed, stunned into astonished silence.
The individual before him who couldn’t be anyone but Cloud looked up, confused. The lack of recognition and the confusion cut Zack deeper than any blade could. Yet when Cloud spoke, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Why are you so familiar??” Cloud breathed among the chaos. “Your eyes…your smile…why?”
Zack was about to answer when a shouted “Cloud!” was heard above the masses. The blond’s head snapped towards the voice to which Zack mimicked. The owner of the voice remained unchanged; the same as he was frozen In Zack’s memory: imposing, black leather everything; long-ass sword; long, silvery hair. Zack didn’t know he could feel physical pain from such longing…such need. He longed to cuddle Cloud, make out with Sephiroth…it was agony being apart from the ones that felt like such an integral part of himself. HE couldn’t help the whine that escaped him.
Sephiroth’s oh so green eyes flickered to him before focusing their attention on a rather distraught Cloud. Zack frowned. Why was Spike so upset?
“Why you so upset, Spike?” Zack couldn’t help but to ask. He noted that Clouds eyes became wilder; latent with confusion, incomprehension and frustration. He whined; the utterance sounding feral coming from the blonde when compared to his own.
“Cloud.” Eyes snapped back to Sephiroth. “The targets managed to escape before we arrived,” he explained, eyes locked with Zack’s violet eyes before returning back to Cloud’s. “Is this understood??”
“Yes.”
“Did you see them at all when you were fighting insurgents??”
“No.”
“Let’s return to Headquarters,” Sephiroth intoned. “Meet me at the transport.”
“Understood.”
Cloud turned and padded silently in the direction Sephiroth had come. Zack looked on, uncomprehendingly. Was Seph giving them an out?? The man in question dug in his coat producing a PHS. “I can’t stay long; if I don’t leave soon no matter how I ordered him, Cloud will come looking for me.”
He tossed the PHS to Zack who caught it deftly. “That’s a secure line; I have its sister phone. I’ll give you a call when it’s safe.”
And with that, the General of Soldier turned and followed Cloud. Zack watched him go; completely and utterly dumbstruck. When his mental and physical capacities were working again, Zack opened his mouth to comment, but the words that came out weren’t the ones he had intended to say.
“What the fuck?”
“’What the fuck’ indeed, yo,” Reno echoed, cigarette smoke curling round his head.
“We should be going, guys,” Aeris spoke up.
“Yeah,” Zack finally said after a long silence. “Let’s get moving.”
But Zack’s mind wasn’t on the recent fight or the prospect of a nice home cooked meal; his mind was consumed by confused and bewildered eyes the colour of the summer sky in Wutai…and what made them that way.
He didn’t notice the furtive looks Reno shot him or the worried glances from Aeris as he picked at his food at dinner that night. Zackary Fair with no appetite; the lad must be sick! He smirked at his wry, humour before devouring his plate and heading to the washroom. Waking up with flaked off dried blood and visceral was not comfortable no matter how exhausted you were the night before.
Plus, you ended up grinding the stuff into the linens and permanently staining them. Zack winced as he stepped under the spray of the shower remembering the following lecture he had once endured from Aeris when she discovered the stains wouldn’t come out.
Part XIV: Zack and Sephiroth
Word Count: 600
Zack was in the middle of wolfing down some wonderful chicken pot pie that Aeris had made earlier that day when his pants started singing.
Loudly.
Choking on a biscuit, Zack returned the entrée to the fridge before frantically searching said pants for the music. His hand came up with a particular PHS. Unsure if he should answer it or not, when the ringtone repeated itself Zack felt obligated to answer it.
“Where on Gaia did you find that Bahamut-forsaken song?”
“Hello to you too, Zackary,” A deep voice replied.
Zack grimaced.
“Don’t call me that.”
Zack could hear the rustle of leather though the PHS. HE sighed and couldn’t hide the longing note that escaped. “Who’s the kid?” he finally asked.
“Unconscious I suspect,” Came the straightforward reply.
Zack blinked.
“Wait…what? Unconscious?” Zack queried uncomprehendingly.
Sephiroth sighed a sigh of long suffering. “When Hojo had Cloud in his…care,” Zack could see the face Sephiroth was making by his tone of voice. If the situation had been different he’d probably would have laughed. “One set of tests the man did blocked off Cloud’s memory. I’m thinking seeing you today probably triggered something that will alleviate his…amnesia.”
“Amnesia?”
“When I…gathered him from the labs, he didn’t even recognize me.”
Ouch.
“He always remembered us, Zack,” Sephiroth said softly when the melancholy was almost too much to bear. “He kept muttering about ‘purple eyes’ and ‘moonlight hair’ in his sleep.”
Zack smiled. “That’s Cloud.”
There was an uncomfortable silence again before Zack tentatively asked, “So do I want to know Cloud’s file?”
“Probably not,” Sephiroth replied. Zack heard the rustling of paper before his long-time friend spoke again. “Hojo was trying to make Cloud into somekind of Solder; however he has more mako than any First Class. He got interested in gene-splicing and infused Cloud with various strands of genetic material from an entity called Jenova and…a Nibel Wolf?"
“What?”
Zack waited in silence as a page slowly turned; Sephiroth was apparently reading Hojo’s notes.
“He wanted absolute loyalty so he had something called The Beast retrieve a Nibel Wolf and a girl…don’t know what he did with her.”
Zack didn’t like the sound of that. Another page turned.
“Hojo figured that the nature of Nibel Wolves, how they respect authority and establish such intricate hierarchies, would help Subject C know his place and follow orders-anything really-implicitly.”
“…huh.”
“Indeed.”
“When did you get a hold of Cloud’s files?” Zack absently wondered.
“When I Confused a few of his men and he had to put down an uprising.”
Zack chuckled. “Sounds like something I would do.”
“Indeed.”
Zack ran his hands through his hair in irritation. “Shiva you know that I hat ie when you do that.”
“Indeed.” It was amused this time.
Zack made a strangled sound.
“Zack,” Sephiroth’s tone was business again. “There’s something in the basement of the Shin-Ra Mansion in Nibelheim that will…aid…your cause…if you can be convincing enough.”
“How in Frigga am I going to get to Nibelheim.?”
“You have friends in high places,” was Sephiroth’s reply before the phone went dead.
“DA~ammit!” Zack swore. He wanted to know more about Cloud. Was the kid okay? He didn’t look hurt. His eyes burned and reaching a trembling hand to his face, found hot tears running down his face. The gaping hole Zack thought he had cauterized with purpose throbbed and bled as it was rent anew. Chocking off a sob, Zack made his way to the living room where he curled up on the couch to try and keep himself together.
It’s where Aeris found him.
Part XV: Zack and Reno; Sephiroth (implied ZackxReno)
Word Count: 257
Zack was awake, across the room with sword in hand before his eyes were open and his mental faculties were properly functioning. Reno groaned and rolled over, pulling the blankets over his head in a poor attempt to block out the hideous ringtone. Blinking owlishly, the filter between brain and mouth wasn’t properly in place at the time of day…night…whatever, so naturally the first coherent thought that entered Zack’s mind left by way of mouth.
“Is that the chocobo racing theme for the Gold Saucer?”
“I don’t care what the fuck it is!” Reno’s snarl was muffled by the blankets. “It could be Shiva’s frozen tits for all I care, yo, just TURN IT THE FUCK OFF!!!”
Zack, chuckling, picked up the singing piece of technology and flipped it open.
“Seriously; that ring tone was hideous. Where did you find it?”
“It came standard with the model,” Sephiroth’s voice informed him.
The look of abject horror on Zack’s face had Reno falling off the bed in laughter.
“That’s…uwaa…that’s just wrong man,” Zack spat in disgust.
“Considering I had them custom made in expedited circumstances…I’ll deal with the music.”
Zack made a face.
“So, why’d’ya call?”
“Cloud remembered. I have a plan in motion; I’ll call you later with more details.” He paused before adding in an amused voice, “give my regards to Reno,” before hanging up.
Zack just stared at the PHS before looking over to Reno. He could just barely see the redheaded Turk’s nose over the edge of the bed.
“That’s just fucked up.”
“Indeed.”
Part XVI: Reno and Zack; Vincent
Word Count: 1273
Nibelheim looked the same as it always had. Quaint little houses nestled near each other for protection against the elements, animals and monsters. There was one house, however, that was just a little bit apart from the rest. Zack pointed it out to Reno.
“Cloud’s House,” Zack mouthed. Reno nodded. Maybe…maybe they could visit her. He’d have to talk to Reno.
There was a landing pad-rather a large clearing-behind the manor for Reno to land the chopper. Reno muttered about the pad being overgrown, which it probably was, but Zack saw some scuff marks that indicated relatively recent use. Shutting everything down to ‘standby’ the two jumped out and headed towards the dilapidated building.
“Ya know what we’re lookin’ for?” Reno drawled as he lit a cigarette. Zack made a face.
“Nope.”
He turned after a few steps when he realized Reno wasn’t next to him. “What?”
“You dragged me all the way to this forsaken town and you don’t know what we’re looking for?”
“Sephiroth only said it was in the basement, and I can’t fly a chopper to save my life.”
Reno looked at him, his angry muttering renewed.
The inside of the mansion, despite it’s poor condition was eerily clean. Wary, the two fighters dispatched several monsters and a more than enough tonberries. Joking good naturedly, Zack was all for solving the puzzle but Reno shook his head, beckoning for Zack to follow. They went down a hallway and at a fork in the corridor Reno messed with a sconce in the wall. There was an echoing click and Reno turned and headed back the way they came.
“Wanted us ta be able ta check onna projects with out messing with’ the planted monsters n’ traps,” Reno explained around his cigarette with a wave of his hand. He led Zack through maze-like corridors before the two finally made it to the library; one of the bookshelves was open.
Dark, creaky stairs led to a dirt corridor that led to several doors. Opening one, Zack shuddered. The room was dark, but one stubborn light bulb valiantly lit the cavern. Coffins and spider webs were strategically placed around the room, the latter more so. Reno walked among the coffins until he came to the one in the middle; back beautiful and terrible.
“I think this is the right one,” Reno muttered as he examined the casket.
“You ‘think’?” Zack repeated.
“Hey!” Reno replied, defensive. “None of us were going to open it and face ‘the good professor’s’ wrath.”
Zack muttered something. “What’s in here anyway.?”
“If my memory is right, and it usually is, yo,” Reno said with a smirk as his fingers found the release to the casket’s lid, “The Chaos Project.”
Zack wanted to say, “Chaos what?” but the lid thudded loudly to the floor.
“This is the second time I’ve been woken up,” a deep, velvet voice stated. “I refuse.”
When the dist settled, Zack’s eyes could do naught but stare at the figure sitting-lounging really-in the black coffin. His hair was long and dark; black as ink with a silky sheen in the low light. His eyes, instead of the usual colours people sported, were a burnished red colour that glowed eerily golden in the low light. Zack’s attention was abruptly switched to Reno when the man began swearing blackly.
“Shiva’s frozen tits! Ifrit’s fiery balls! Dammit! Ramuh damn it! Shit, shit, shit! Fuck, fuck, fuck…”
Both men watched as Reno swore the filthy room clean, chanting well known words and making up some of his own. Zack glanced sideways at the person who they had ‘woken up’; he seemed amused. Finally fed up with Reno’s swearing, Zack snapped.
“Reno, quit your swearing and explain, dammit!”
Reno’s heated glare met Zack’s before he turned to regard the coffin man.
“My sincerest apologies,” Reno said, regret heavy in his tone. The deference the authority shirking Turk was showing floored the ex-Soldier. “If I had known you were here, I would have let you out sooner.”
“Reno?” Zack was very confused. Reno was talking like he knew the guy in the coffin. “Do you know him or something?”
Reno looked at him like he was crazy.
“Dude, like, it’s Vincent Valentine!”
Vincent Valentine? Zack thought. He’d heard stories…but...wait… “Isn’t he dead?”
With a wry smile in his eyes the man motioned about the room. “Who among the living would sleep among the dead?”
Zack shuddered. The man couldn’t be normal…then again, most things Hojo got a hold of didn’t remain normal for long. Zack’s happy demeanor visibly wilted. Cloud~…his mind whined.
“Don’t look like the chocobo that was picked last,” Reno muttered to Zack. “We’ll save Spike.”
Vincent cocked his head curiously; asking without speaking.
“Lookin’ fer a kid,” Reno replied. “Seph’s got ‘m an’ he ain’t tellin’ us where he is, but directed us to you instead.”
A gloved hand rose to tap on a well defined soft featured face. If there was a stereotypical build for aristocracy, Vincent Valentine fit the criteria with flying colours. Reno’s evaluation was skewed when the man gracefully leapt out of his coffin with all the lines of the perfect predator. It made the hair on his neck stand up on end.
“Sephiroth?” Vincent queried. “Lucretcia’s son?”
Zack and Reno were confused.
“Uh…sure,” Zack responded.
Those red-gold eyes fixed on the Soldier with all the focus of a hunting predator.
“How old is Sephiroth?” the ex-Turk asked in his deceptively dulcet tones.
“He’s going to be twenty-seven this year,” Zack quickly responded.
Vincent looked confused. Deep in thought, his eyes were more red than anything. His lips moved, but the enhanced hearing of both Reno and Zack couldn’t pick out his utterances.
“Vincent?”
“I’ve been awakened before,” Vincent intoned, “Rather, Chaos was invoked.” The man now calmly leaning against his own coffin, informed them.
“What’s Chaos?” Reno asked.
“You,” Zack replied. “Entropy, disorder and death.”
I pray that you never have to witness the Beast of Chaos.”
Zack and Reno shuddered at the finality of the statement. Vincent rubbed at the side of his head with a scowl on his face. His muttering began again in earnest. Zack and Reno just watched Vincent as the minutes ticked by. They were at the point where they were trying to figure out what next to do with sticks-they had already poked themselves out of fun-when Vincent lunged back into his coffin; startling Zack and Reno into holding their sticks like their respective weapons several feet back.
“Ramuh’s beard!” Reno breathed out the curse. Zack just breathed. “What the fuck man?!”
Vincent just stilled, his frantic searching coming to an abrupt stop. He came back out of his coffin with a wrinkled letter; as if someone had put in it there pocket and had sat down forgetting it was there…or if it had been slept on.
“Vincent?” Zack queried. The ex-Turk ignored him and ripped the envelope open, red eyes scanning the contents. The slightly strangled noise that came out of Vincent surprised them both. Before either could ask the man about his distress he thrust a photo of a curious looking blond with unforgettable blue eyes. On the back of the photo was a few simple words that went straight to Zack’s heart.
~Please help Cloud.~
“So are you going to help?” Zack finally asked when he felt he could speak again.
“If it’ll lessen my sin to help this child Chaos wronged, I will help you,” Vincent finally intoned.
“Great,” Reno drawled. “Let’s leave this Hel hole.”
“Couldn’t’ agree with you more,” Zack seconded, gathering their gear.