Chapter 09 - Crisis of Condor, Part 2

[mancha_sama]

Part 1

[ μ ] - εуλ 0002 (January 16th)

Cloud was struck by a sense of déjà vu, as he followed Sephiroth up the slope toward Fort Condor's entrance. The presence of the two troopers and their journey to a reactor mixed with his muddled memories, and for a moment he was sure he felt the biting cold of Nibelheim's wind. The phantom chill passed, and Cloud shook his head slightly to dismiss the fanciful daydream. The presence of the white-coated doctors was putting him more on edge than even Sephiroth, at this point.

The fact that they were going to a reactor did worry Cloud. It was a lot like the Nibelheim mission, without the threat of Jenova at the end. Or hopefully no Jenova. Surely Cloud's pseudo promotion wasn't enough to change things that badly, that Hojo would move her from her long-time prison of Nibelheim. It was odd, however, that the General had been dispatched to a routine escort mission, although if Sephiroth's words were anything to go by not that abnormal. Cloud couldn't help but remember how the man explained so simply how the situation stood. His power? Deployed? Sephiroth had made it sound as if he were merely a weapon, used when necessary and forgotten until then. It was…sad, in a way. Sephiroth didn't have anyone who was willing, or brave enough, to keep him from getting lost. By Nibelheim, even Zack's efforts to get through proved worthless, as Sephiroth had believed himself to be better than everyone, relying only on himself and Jenova's lies.

He could feel his own dark feelings abate slightly in the near universal avoidance the rest of the army had for Sephiroth. Was Zack really the only one to reach out to Sephiroth? Even now he could remember the tension and space between the infamous General and the troops beneath him during the ride out. He'd tried to keep his mind on the mission, on the threat Sephiroth represented, but all Cloud had been able to focus on was those damnable inches of space that separated Sephiroth from the Third that had been beside him. Cloud's own side had been warm from the body he was forced to press against, the nearness an uncomfortable necessity. While he couldn't be expected to know, Cloud had wondered if the trooper had known what Cloud was, if he too would have left a gap between them.

It had hurt, in a way, and still did. Here in front of him was the man Cloud had dreamed of, had aspired to become like, and yet because of the history that he didn't even know about, Sephiroth was further than ever from Cloud. There was no way for Cloud to offer any comfort, not when the man's mocking laugh and mad eyes still haunted his thoughts. Even if he could find the words, was there anything in him that wanted to give them?

Cloud shook off the cloying thoughts and the nausea they brought with them. One of the scientists-a woman who had introduced herself to Sephiroth as Doctor Penning-was hiking the trail at a determined march just ahead of Cloud, and behind Sephiroth. She had sensibly not worn heels, but her shoes were certainly not meant for this sort of terrain as she slipped on a loose patch of dirt. Sephiroth didn't pause, but one of the other troopers stopped to help her catch her balance, receiving a curt nod in thanks. Cloud sighed softly, then had to catch himself as well when Viri darted under his boots.

The little chick had been more than ready to stretch his legs when the vehicle had stopped, and not even Cloud could coax him back into obedience. Now he was running all over the place, darting from Sephiroth's heels to examine a bush with great interest, then trotting off as an insect caught his attention, to racing around everyone's feet and try to trip them up. Cloud wondered mildly if Sephiroth wasn't allowing this out of some sort of petty revenge for being dragged all the way out here.

At the base of Fort Condor a man stood, arms crossed over his chest and looking less than inviting. Sephiroth came to a halt a few feet away from him and said, “You will show them up.” He turned toward them and Cloud tensed as usual, his stomach twisting under Sephiroth's overwhelming stare. “Escort Doctor Penning and her colleague through Fort Condor to the reactor.”

Masamune's tip hit the ground, the sheath making a sharp sound at the connection, and Viri skidded to a halt to keep from running into the sword. Sephiroth reached down and slipped his hand under the chocobo, scooped him up, then fetched Masamune up. Viri finished clambering up into position on Sephiroth's shoulder as the man strode away toward the steep slope at the side of the promontory. With little effort he jumped off the ground and propelled himself up to one of the rocky protrusions jutting out of the slope, then jumped to the next, making his way easily up toward the reactor.

"Well," Doctor Penning said in a huff, as Sephiroth vanished up the slope. "General that man may be, but he's extremely inconsiderate of his charges. Come on Steward. We have to complete the diagnostics as soon as possible so we can get out of this shit-house of a reactor." The woman didn't bother addressing even a look to the troopers as she strode imperiously toward the guard at the entrance. The other scientist followed silently, obviously used to the woman's brash nature.

"I'd rather follow the General up that," one of the troopers said under his breath, grunting as his partner elbowed him sharply in the ribs. The helmeted head turned toward Cloud, the pair unsure how to address him as he wasn't a trooper, and yet not a SOLDIER either. Cloud didn't give them the chance to decide, as he followed silently after the departing scientists. It wouldn't have mattered to him if the scientists were full of charm and smiles; he still didn’t trust them not to report anything back to Hojo.

The guard at the entrance stopped each of them to examine their IDs, his frown never faltering. Cloud could sense his displeasure at the invasion of ShinRa personnel, and noted that it wasn't just the imminent hatching of the egg in the future that caused these people to rebel against the company. There was already an air of quiet unease among the residents, who watched the scientists and troopers pass with suspicious eyes.

There was a lift inside the Fort, which lead up to the reactor high above. Cloud remembered the run-down hole from the future; it made sense to cut off all access to the heights, as it was what the men had been protecting. The lift wasn't big enough for all of them, so Cloud waved the pair of troopers to remain behind, which they did with thinly veiled relief.

As the machine chugged slowly up the shaft, Cloud was aware of eyes on him, and saw Doctor Penning examining him closely. She'd been the same one who'd been watching him before they'd boarded the vehicles back in Junon, and her interest was beginning to grate on Cloud's fraying nerves.

"You…what rank are you?" Penning asked abruptly, tapping her foot a couple times in impatience. Cloud turned to face her, his helmet as always obscuring her from seeing his narrowing eyes.

"I am under special assignment with SOLDIER 1st Class Fair," he said after a pause that was just long enough to be uncomfortable.

"I don't see him here. Skipping out on his assignments? How unprofessional. What if we were to be attacked, I'd like to know," Penning scoffed, displeased at his attitude.

"SOLDIER Fair was called away by his superiors. You have the General guarding you. Should any threats arise, he is more than capable of handling them," Cloud said monotonously. While her words had the potential to be biting, he couldn't bring himself to care what an opinionated scientist thought. The elevator ride seemed interminably long, though, with the silent company of the other scientist and Penning's abrasive attitude.

"Yes…the General. You can be sure I will report his negligence when we return," she said, turning abruptly as the lift came to a stop at the top of the shaft. Cloud scoffed internally. As if ShinRa would reprimand their idol over an employee's disgruntlement.

The woman came to a halt with a startled gasp as she found Sephiroth standing directly in her path. Sephiroth stared down at Penning, face unreadable. Cloud was sure he saw the faintest grin on the other scientist's face, and had to admire the timing himself. It was surely unintentional, but Sephiroth could make even an accident seem impressive and threatening. Cloud thought the Sephiroth looked completely disinterested, though.

(If you want to fall prey to an ambush, do it on your own time.) The thought was there and gone in a flash, and Cloud could only put it down to his own dislike of the woman's attitude and too much time spent with Zack though it had sounded far too catty even for his friend.

Sephiroth's gaze slipped away from Penning a second later and focused on him. “Strife, remain here and wait for the others to join you. Have one remain here on guard by the lift. You and the other should proceed to stand guard at the entrance to the reactor.” Sephiroth made to turn, then paused. He stepped around Penning as if she were merely an inconvenient piece of furniture . “I trust you'll be able to keep him occupied.” Cloud was startled at Viri being shoved so abruptly in his arms, but compensated as the chick's clawed feet scrabbled at his sudden displacement. Sephiroth performed an abrupt turn on his heel and stalked off, coat and hair flaring behind him and obviously expecting the scientists to follow him.

Viri let out a sad warble as Sephiroth walked away, and Cloud absently pet him soothingly on the head, settling himself to wait as the lift rattled downward. Penning shot one last scathing look over her shoulder as if to warn him never to mention this again, before scuttling after Sephiroth with Steward close behind. The wait as the lift returned with the two troopers was peaceful, Viri cooing and chirping in his arms, and Cloud let his attention wander over the landscape he could see.

The reactor loomed above, a foreboding presence that screamed everything ShinRa used to stand for, did stand for now. Power, control over nature, wealth…and death. It was a relief for Cloud to not have to brave the inside of the reactor, as he had no desire to experience the cloying scent of mako again, but he did wish he could have gone in with Sephiroth. While it was unlikely anything had changed drastically, Cloud couldn't help but worry. All he'd need was for a maddened Sephiroth to come out of the reactor, blood on his sword and fire in his eyes.

The lift arrived, and the two troopers stepped out, helmets turning as they tried to spot the missing scientists. Cloud straightened from his spot on the wall, and gestured with one hand at the nearest one. He didn't even know their names, he realized, yet couldn't bring himself to care right now.

"Come with me to guard the entrance. You, stay and guard the lift. Sephiroth has escorted the scientists to the core," he explained, turning and walking away before either could reply. Viri began to wriggle in his arms, and after a quick survey of the area, Cloud let the chick drop to dodge at his heels. One pair of footsteps followed him, so they must have accepted that he was supposedly in charge. Cloud blinked to himself, wondering exactly when that had happened.

The trooper remained silent, and Cloud did not offer any opening for conversation. Once they reached the entrance, they stationed themselves to either side of the stairs that led up to the doorway, and Cloud tuned his senses to the reactor. The only thing that could be a threat wouldn't come from the outside. Viri, realizing Cloud wasn't going to either move or play, began running around the area. Luckily, not too far to make Cloud worry for his safety as the sure footing his color was known for made the potentially dangerous area a wonderful playground for the small bird. Occasionally Viri would look back up at the reactor's entrance, but would then turn to explore again.

After a few minutes, Cloud noticed the surreptitious glances the trooper was giving him. The helmeted head would turn just enough that the trooper could look at him out of the corner of his eyes, then snap back to attention if it looked like Cloud was about to notice. It was rather comical, though slightly depressing in that he had no idea what had caused the estrangement.

A shift in the air caused Cloud to bring his attention back to the reactor, though he didn't bother turning around. He could hear boot steps clanging against the metal of the stairs. There was no blood lust in the air, so obviously nothing had happened despite Cloud's paranoia. “Report to the reactor. I want you to join Doctor Penning in the core,” Sephiroth's voice cut through the air, audible even over the constant wind that plagued the heights of the Fort, and Cloud turned to see him addressing the remark to his phone. The snap as the device closed made Cloud's hand twitch at his side, indicating how on edge he really was.

It had all seemed to happen so fast, and yet felt like it had lasted for ages; Zack's abrupt departure, Sephiroth's confusingly sane behavior, all the fears and expectations that were falling flat in the reality Cloud was forced to face. Now Sephiroth's attention was once more on him, and Cloud felt more confused than ever. His mind screamed that this was his enemy, had been screaming it for weeks now, and yet there had been no real antagonism from Sephiroth.

Cloud silently prayed for Sephiroth to move on, to leave him alone so they could finish this mission quickly and with no issues. At least if Zack had been there, he would have been able to buffer Cloud and Sephiroth's interactions. Without his friend, Cloud felt stripped bare in the focus of that cat-like gaze. He pushed the feeling down as best he could, knowing it was just his own paranoia making him tense. Cloud regarded Sephiroth silently as he waited for the man to make the next move.

A sharp click sounded in the air, making the tension in him kick up another notch. “Strife,” Sephiroth said smoothly. Then, without flourish he drew Masamune from its sheath, which hit the ground with a clatter, and brought the blade up, poised for a millisecond before he lashed downward in a sudden, swift attack.

Cloud's heart was pounding in his ears, the adrenaline kick making him feel lighter than air, and yet somehow the normal terror that came with Sephiroth's assaults was not there. It was such a small thing, but amidst the confusion the sudden attack had caused, the fact that Sephiroth had used 'Strife' instead of the ever mocking 'Cloud' came as an enormous relief. Whatever had caused Sephiroth's attack, there was no madness behind the actions.

All of that passed through Cloud's mind in an instant, as his body reacted and his sword met the swing of the Masamune. If Sephiroth expected Cloud to be thrown back, he was disappointed as Cloud adjusted his stance to absorb the blow, then pushed back. The surprised yelp of the trooper was an insubstantial background noise, though Viri's anxious warble caused Cloud to pause.

In the moment of respite, Cloud leapt up and back, landing on the steep slope that lead to the Condor heights. His feet slid under him due to the decline, sending him backward until his back leg came up against a rock and gave him leverage. There was no more time to think as Sephiroth was suddenly there eyes narrowed with calculating guile. Masamune whipped through the air as Sephiroth brought it down toward Cloud, using his own momentum to put more speed and power behind it. “I wonder if the skill you showed before was a nothing more than desperation.”

Cloud pressed his lips tightly together against the retort that he longed to express. He couldn't let anything slip despite the poisonous words that filled Cloud's mouth with bile. It was hard to remember, with the voice a familiar purr, the Masamune's sharp edge threatening his life once again. If Cloud made a mistake here, it could jeopardize the future. His skill could now be explained away by Zack's tutelage, the boost in strength from the mako pool, but Cloud's words could be the downfall of the delicate web of lies he was living now.

Instead Cloud relaxed his grip, letting the Masamune push forward as he twisted around the blow and aimed a knee at Sephiroth's gut. After he was driven to madness, Sephiroth had never initiated any hand to hand combat, preferring the long reach and deadly skill of his blade. Cloud had never been able to determine if it was because he chose not to, or if he had less skill in that area. It was insane, but Cloud wanted to find something, anything that he could cling to that was different about this Sephiroth, and since he knew the man best through combat, this seemed to be the best way to learn. While he couldn't comprehend the human reactions, the lack of malevolence, Cloud knew he could read Sephiroth's battle stance with his eyes closed.

Sephiroth's boots hit the uneven ground and he crouched slightly, taking the blow of Cloud's knee against a forearm. The contact was bone jarring, and a second later Sephiroth shoved forward sending Cloud further down the steep slope.

Sephiroth kicked off the incline after Cloud and reached out. His hand grabbed the smooth curve of Cloud's helmet and Sephiroth shoved, and propelled himself into the air, dragging Cloud with him for a moment before he let go. The helmet dug into Cloud's skull, throwing him off balance even as Sephiroth's weight left him. His vision was partially obscured, and he hastily pulled the headgear off and tossed it to one side. It would only hinder him, and he needed all his senses when it came to battling the silver-haired man.

The hum of magic in the air had Cloud twisting, one boot pushing off awkwardly against the ground as he tried to regain his center and avoid the fireballs Sephiroth had sent at him. A few were deflected by the sturdy blade, and Cloud bit back the ache as he wished for his trusty First Tsurugi again. The ability of the blade to break into pieces would have been invaluable against the magic.

Somehow he managed to dodge the rest of the fireballs, but immediately had to contend with Sephiroth's attack again. As always, the man was on a constant offense, not leaving Cloud a moment to breathe. Cloud frowned slightly, even as he deflected the blow, the momentum lifting him off his feet and sending him back up the slope further. He used the brief seconds to regain his balance, landing much more sure footed before leaping forward again. Cloud knew Sephiroth's patterns, and while they were not exact to his memory, Cloud did have the advantage that Sephiroth had never fought him.

With a burst of power, Cloud swung his sword hard a few feet from Sephiroth, causing the ground in front of him to explode in an expanding rip. He'd used it before on this Sephiroth, but instead of attacking in the concealment it provided, Cloud landed just in front of the dust, one of Zack's borrowed materia already glowing in the sword's slot.

He let out a rapid fire of thunder spells, attempting to encircle Sephiroth and force him up into the air. That done, Cloud leapt up, sword high over his head as he prepared another powerful swing. The two blades slammed together for a second, locked midair as Sephiroth rose to meet him. Then the stalemate snapped as Sephiroth twisted and whipped Masamune through a series of lashing slices. He broke off his final swing and kicked out in midair. His boot heel hit the cross tree of Cloud's longsword.

The blow knocked Cloud back up the slope again, and to his advantage that meant he didn't fly very far before he could get his feet back under him. Cloud noted that Sephiroth had yet to land, and initiated a rush before the man had time to collect himself. He braced one hand on the flat of the blade as he collided with the Masamune again, his downward momentum causing Sephiroth to slide backward. Cloud used the brief seconds to dart to the side, coming in for another blow that was also blocked.

For once the terrain was to Cloud's advantage for the moment. Sephiroth didn't seem to be able to stop his downward slide, leaving him mostly on the defensive as Cloud broke off and darted in for another blow. With the ease of long practice, Cloud let off a series of swings, chest heaving from both exertion and excitement as he realized this was very different from all his previous battles with Sephiroth.

Knocked back again by a defensive blow, Cloud let lose an earth spell just to the side of Sephiroth's path, causing the ground to explode. He used the distraction for another attack, sword coming around in a blur of metal. For a moment the world stilled, a glint of silver caught the air as a few pieces of Sephiroth's hair drifted past Cloud's face. Cloud stared, slightly dumbstruck, at the line of red across Sephiroth's cheek. He hadn't really expected to hit the man, and from the narrowing of those green eyes, neither had Sephiroth.

Sephiroth kicked off the ground to put some distance between himself and Cloud. He landed lightly atop a rocky protrusion around which a thick pipe half wrapped, humming with energy from the mako reactor above them. Slowly, he lifted his right hand upward and touched his gloved fingers to his cheek. For a moment he stared at his fingertips before lifting his gaze back to Cloud. “Hmm...” Sephiroth gave a faint chuckle, and slashed Masamune through the air challengingly. “I see.”

He jumped off the rock and darted up the slope to bring Masamune swishing through the air. The eerie song of blade rang around them. Cloud's legs burned as he was forced backward up the hill, and his arms were humming from the heavy blows from Sephiroth's blade. The silver-haired man's chuckle echoed mockingly in his ears, and Cloud was unprepared for the blast of energy that sent him slamming into the ground, breath knocked out of him. A shadow passed over, and Cloud looked up to see the Masamune descending rapidly.

He twisted just enough so the blade struck the ground instead, and sent a pulse of power into his materia at the same time. The dirt exploded at the earth attack, winding Cloud again as he was knocked away, but he hoped the blast had sent some nasty vibrations into Sephiroth.

There was no time to catch his breath as he flipped to his feet, sending a few thunder spells at the last place he'd seen Sephiroth in the hopes of distracting him. A further back flip had Cloud landing on a boulder, sword at the ready as he wheezed in a desperate breath of air.

The air sparked with electrical discharge as Sephiroth landed lightly on a rocky outcrop directly across from Cloud. The ground between them was torn asunder from spells and blades, the air thick with dust. He stood lightly poised, an errant breeze swirling his bangs and the edges of his coat. Sephiroth had just lifted Masamune back into position over his shoulder, knees bent slightly to renew his assault when the air was rent by the shrill ring of a phone. He straightened slowly, then fished the phone from his pocket and flipped it open. Sephiroth said nothing, simply listened to whoever was on the other end of the line.

Sephiroth frowned. “I'm not a messenger, Zack.” Cloud could only stare across the intervening space in bewilderment. Sephiroth was quiet for another moment, clearly listening to whatever Zack was saying to him. “As he's under your command you should have rectified that.”

With a faint sigh, Sephiroth looked back toward Cloud then tossed the phone across the gap to him. Cloud freed a hand from his sword to catch the phone, staring blankly at Sephiroth's relaxed form. His breath was slowing, but his head felt fuzzy from the sudden end to the adrenaline charged battle. Shaking his head slightly, Cloud slid his sword back into its holder on his back, and brought the phone up to his ear.

"SEPHIROTH! ANSWER ME!" Zack's voice hollered in Cloud's ear, accompanied with a static pop as the phone protested the volume. Cloud winced and brought the device away, frowning down at it in annoyance and consternation. Zack yelled at Sephiroth? It didn’t help his ringing ears or his muddled thoughts.

"Zack," he said flatly, keeping the earpiece a distance away until he was sure his friend had calmed down.

"Cloud!" came the immediate response, Zack's voice infused with surprise. "Wait...you're actually hanging around close enough to Sephiroth that he gave you the phone. ...Is everything okay?"

"…Fine," Cloud said after a moment's pause. Was everything okay? The slope was a pitted mess, there was at least one witness to the General attacking the not-SOLDIER, Cloud's mind was racing as he tried to figure out what exactly Sephiroth had been thinking, and Zack was asking if everything was okay? Still, there was nothing his friend could do from a distance, and Cloud didn't want him to fret unnecessarily. If it became necessary, Cloud would tell Zack about it later.

"Yeah, okay. Fine. I hope you're enjoying the nice southern weather, because I'm freezing up here," came the petulant response, and Cloud could just imagine the pout on Zack's face.

"It's just a bit of cold," Cloud said mildly, mouth quirking slightly since he'd already heard Zack complain at length about his more chilly assignments. His eyes drifted back to the silver-haired man, aware he was not only talking in front of Sephiroth, but on the man's own phone at that. "Do you need something?" It was as close to a reprimand Cloud could manage at the moment.

He wasn't sure if he was thankful or not that Zack's timely phone call had halted the fight. Cloud had never done anything like that before, just fought against another person in a test of skill. That seemed to have been Sephiroth's goal, as far as Cloud could tell. It had been frightening in a different way than Cloud's other battles, but it had also been oddly exhilarating. The only sour note was that it had been against Sephiroth, whom Cloud still held so many conflicting emotions for.

"Bit of cold...? Cloud it's the north continent in January, there's nothing diminutive about it," Zack sniffed. "Nah, I was just wanting to check in on you and see how you were managing. If everything's fine I should probably go. Might take a nap.... It's pretty boring waiting for things to get moving up here." Cloud let out a silent sigh. Zack was unbelievable; out of boredom, he called up Sephiroth to bug Cloud. It was so ridiculous, and yet something Cloud had no trouble believing Zack could and would do often.

"Zack…you know what, never mind. I'll talk to you later," Cloud said shortly, pressing the button to end the call without giving Zack a chance to respond. He blinked as the screen cleared, and the background picture displayed before the display went dark in power save mode. "Loveless…?" he mumbled under his breath.

“Genesis,” Sephiroth said, voice smooth and faintly amused. He jumped lightly down from his perch and began to close the distance between them to, no doubt, retrieve the phone. “He constantly quoted that poem, and was insistent that I needed to expand my horizons.” He paused, head tilted back to look upward at Cloud as he extended his hand for the device. “He changed it before-” Sephiroth cut his words off abruptly, face going stony. He frowned down at the phone in the palm of his hand, and snapped it closed with a little more force than was probably necessary before sliding it back into a pocket.

Cloud felt an odd pang of regret. He felt there was something he should say or do, some way to bring back the more relaxed expression the man had been wearing earlier, and the feeling surprised him. He was used to feeling inadequate when it came to reassuring or comforting his friends, but somehow Cloud found he didn't want to be shut out again from Sephiroth's attentions. It was infuriating; Cloud didn't want to be near Sephiroth, but hated it more when he was ignored. He dreaded being alone with him, yet always found his mind wandering back to the silver-haired enigma.

Sighing, Cloud looked around the torn up landscape, wondering if the redecoration would affect ShinRa's efforts later when they tried to take the Fort back from its defenders. Another scan didn't turn up what he was searching for, and Cloud ran a hand tiredly through his hair. "I think…my helmet's gone," he said quietly. There was no way Cloud could ask further about Genesis, not when his own relationship with Sephiroth was made up of a handful of interactions, half of them fights. Cloud did wonder what Sephiroth had been like, when he was with his friends.

A tiny warble made Cloud look further up the slope, where Viri was determinedly hopping and sliding down the steep incline, warbling and flapping his tiny wings for balance. In short order the bird had come to a sliding stop against Sephiroth's boot, chirping in complaint as he regained his feet on the new surface and shook his feathers out.

“It can be replaced,” Sephiroth said dismissively. His gaze dropped to the chocobo chick as Viri peered up at him, looking oddly wounded at being left behind. The two stared at each other for awhile before Sephiroth sighed, and reached down to pick the bird up. He sent another glance toward the top of the slope. Setting Viri against his side, Sephiroth began the ascent, stepping carefully around cracks, gouges, and loose soil as he went.

The wind ruffled Cloud's hair, still full of the scent of the dust they had disturbed. The only other sound was Viri's faint complaints, and the snapping of Sephiroth's coat. Closing his eyes, Cloud made an effort to relax his tense muscles, trying to tell his protesting body that the fight was over already. The attack had come out of the blue, but in a way Cloud had been expecting it all this time. It hadn't turned out the way he had expected, but he was getting used to even that.

He still didn't know why Sephiroth had decided to attack so suddenly. The man hadn't really demanded any information, his questions more of a taunt than a dig for answers. He hadn't fought seriously, his blows only becoming heavier after Cloud had managed to get through his guard. It made no sense to Cloud that Sephiroth would need to test himself against Cloud at all.

“Strife.”

Cloud glanced up at the sound of his name, then carefully picked his way up until he could see what had caught Sephiroth's attention. The other man didn't wait for him to catch up, continuing up the hill with effortless grace in counterpoint to Cloud's stumbling progress. His lost helmet was wedged tight in between a pipe and a rock, and as Cloud tugged it free he wondered how it had managed that when he'd discarded it much further up the hill. There was a large dent in one side, making it completely unwearable unless Cloud went through extensive cranial trauma. He tucked it under one arm in resignation as he began picking his way up the slope again.

-

Fort Condor after dusk wasn't much different than Fort Condor at noon. With the majority of the town located inside the warren-like system of caves and tunnels that threaded up the rocky promontory little to no natural illumination could be found within. It was instead lit completely by artificial means. The lamps were a warm yellow that created deep pockets of shadow outside of the glow they cast, and with the more rounded and natural quality of the stone rooms created a comfortable sort of atmosphere. The caves given over to a sort of inn were situated below what served as the local bar and restaurant. The 'inn', a former barracks when Fort Condor had been an actual fort, was run by the barman and his wife, who had been agreeable to housing the troops for the quantifiable sum of ShinRa money. It was made up, simply, of a single central common area off which tunnels sprouted to a number of rooms.

Cloud swayed slightly as the lift rattled to a halt on the 'ground' floor of the Fort. 'Basement' would be a more accurate description as it was underground, but since that was true for almost all of it, it was a meaningless detail. He stepped out into the warm glow, eyes slitting a bit against the comparatively bright light.

After returning from their fight, Cloud had immediately gone back to standing guard at the reactor entrance. Sephiroth had already left the area, to Cloud's relief. He recognized he was just trying to avoid Sephiroth and all the confusion he brought, but stubbornly pushed the thought back. He was certain he had the right to feel off balance. He wasn't the only one shook up by the recent event either. The other trooper hadn't even bothered to hide his gawking, though Cloud hardly noticed the constant staring as he was too lost in his own thoughts and trying to figure out Sephiroth's motives.

Despite the long, dull hours, the trooper had only braved conversation once, breaking the silence with an awestruck query. "Did that...really happen? You just took on the General."

Cloud had looked at the Trooper, at a loss as to how to answer the question. Of course it had happened, though even Cloud was having trouble wrapping his mind around it. In the end, he hadn't said anything at all, and the Trooper hadn't tried to push the issue.

When one of the Thirds had come to relieve them of their watch duties, Cloud had gone straight for the elevator, filled with an exhaustion that only came from mental stress. He vaguely heard the trooper say something to the Third, but the words were lost in the wind as the elevator doors closed behind Cloud. Now he was back in the common room, empty at this time of night as most of the residents had retired to bed. Almost empty, he amended as he spotted the silver hair on the other side of the room.

Cloud paused in the doorway, staring blankly at Sephiroth for a moment. The man looked relaxed, a book held open in one hand while the other rested in his lap. Once again the confusion welled up inside Cloud as his mind fought against what he knew to be true-that this man was his hated enemy, and would cause him endless grief-and what his eyes were telling him. It was not a madman sitting there, a barely discernible lump of feathers at his side indicating Viri's sleeping presence. It was just a man, the one Cloud had once looked up to as a hero, someone who, despite all odds, was sparking Cloud's interest to learn more, to find out what had driven Sephiroth so far from humanity that there was no hope of redemption.

He found his feet moving across the floor without conscious thought, stopping at the edge of the couch opposite from where Sephiroth was sitting. Cloud gingerly sat down, more out of a desire not to disturb Viri than out of deference to Sephiroth. A cursory glance confirmed that the chick hadn't even twitched, and Cloud raised his gaze to look at the silver-haired man. Sephiroth wasn't looking at him directly, his attention seemingly devoted to the book in his hand.

For a moment Cloud sat silently, wondering what he was trying to accomplish here. There was no Zack encouraging him, so it was just his own feelings that had brought him voluntarily into Sephiroth's presence. The confusion drove Cloud on, and he finally spoke, voice quiet even in the stillness of the room. "Why…did you…?" There was no need to explain what he was asking about. Cloud wasn't really expecting an answer, but somehow couldn't just leave things as they were.

The book tilted downward slightly, and Sephiroth lifted his head. He didn't look at Cloud, and instead appeared to consider the far wall. “A test,” he said simply. “You attacked me in Mideel. I was...curious.”

Cloud looked down at his tightly clasped hands, considering the answer. It shouldn't have been surprising, but Cloud was still taken aback at the simple explanation. Curious…like a child pulling an insect's wings off. There was cruelty through ignorance, the simple desire to understand no matter the cost to the subject, and somehow Cloud was unable to begrudge Sephiroth the opportunity to try to find out more.

It sent all sorts of warning bells through his mind, that Sephiroth might discover exactly why Cloud was so different, but on the other hand if he was so distracted with Cloud, maybe it would be enough to keep him from going over the edge. If Sephiroth knew there was someone willing to stand up against him, at the very least it would bring him straight to Cloud each time. As difficult as he knew it would be, Cloud would make sure history did not repeat itself.

"…Ah," he breathed in response, loosening his grasp as he relaxed his shoulders. Closing his eyes, Cloud's attention wandered to the faint pull between him and Sephiroth. After their explosive contact, most of the buzz of the connection between them had died, the slimy feel of Jenova vanishing almost completely. Now there was just the faintest of tugs that was a familiar feeling to Cloud. He was always drawn back to Sephiroth, even across time.

He worried about the connection, sometimes. There should be no logical reason for Cloud to still be feeling the pull toward Sephiroth, since the experiments had never happened to this body. Not yet, at least. The Lifestream worked in mysterious ways, and Cloud knew he had no hope of understanding the complexities of his situation.

There was also a chance that this Sephiroth could still force his control over Cloud, bending him into becoming a puppet once again. That thought sent chills through Cloud, as he remembered the overpowering presence, the helplessness as his body moved against his will. Cloud had learned to fight it to some degree, and Sephiroth's hold over him had weakened when he was returned to the Lifestream. Was that still true here, or was it possible for Sephiroth to exert that sort of control over him again?

Realizing his attention had wandered, Cloud blinked slowly, coming back to the quiet glow of the common area. It was late enough for him to retire, though he doubted he would sleep with how much his thoughts were jumbled.

There was a faint sound as Sephiroth closed the book he held. “I won't underestimate you again,” he said. “The next time our swords cross we'll test each other's skills without reservation.”

Sephiroth glanced down at the chocobo chick sleeping at his side then lowered his hand to undo the single clasp holding his coat shut. With practiced ease he was able to slide the coat off without disturbing the chick. He stood carefully, draped his coat on the cushions alongside the armor he must have removed earlier. The book he'd been reading was placed on a nearby end table before he plucked Masamune from where it rested. He slid the blade from its sheath with a light hiss of metal. He tilted his head in the barest amount of acknowledgment to Cloud, set Masamune's sheath back against the wall, then turned away.

Cloud followed Sephiroth's movement as the man exited the room, staring unseeingly at the doorway. Sephiroth's words rang ominously in Cloud's mind, the promise sending tendrils of disquiet through him. Of course Sephiroth had been underestimating him; that had always been his downfall, that he could not believe Cloud an equal to him, able to defeat him.

Cloud knew he was not the man's equal. He'd relied on his friends, on luck, and on his own stubborn determination in the past, and it had been just enough to overcome. Would Sephiroth be able to keep his own determination, to treat Cloud seriously? The thought was both frightening, and sent a thrill through Cloud. He wasn't sure he wouldn't disappoint even those expectations, wasn't sure he wanted the chance. Hadn't Cloud wanted to avoid fighting Sephiroth? To somehow change things so that he never had to cross swords with the man again? Here, he'd already done so three times, though once was by accident, and another a mere copy.

Sinking against the cushions, Cloud closed his eyes in fatigue. "I don't…want…to fight him," he whispered to himself, willing himself to believe it. Sleep would be a long time in coming, and for now the couch seemed too comfortable to leave. Viri's quiet breathing from the depths of the discarded coat was comforting, and Cloud relaxed as the lamps continued to burn through the night.

Next time on Counter Crisis it's a Crisis of Composure!

Part One
Masterlist