"Urgh... I feel sick... must go on... whole crew needs me... overlord is doing fine. He's the only one who's doing good... Unicron... well I've suggested burning radiation instead of energon to escape him... but then newly made ship council has still to make a decision..."
Summary so far: Cloud is sent back in time by the calamity, and is now half squid that constantly spews ink that carries Geostigma. Zack and Sephiroth finally told the other firsts everything that has happened since they captured the creature about two months ago. The creature made two drawings: a waterfall and the Nibelhiem Reactor. The Firsts flipped a coin to decide who would go to which location. Where are they going? More importantly, Where is Sephiroth going?
Based on the prompt by @im-totally-not-an-alien
Please Enjoy!
Chapter 23: The Central Ocean
Two and a half weeks passed, as per the extended deal the martial arts instructor made with the Director of SOLDIER after his student broke into the main research lab, and both research missions for the western continent were approved by President Shinra himself. The cure hinged on the creature’s emotions, and, since Sephiroth returned the creature to its tank, the only words it spoke were phrases it already said, and Reunion. It said ‘reunion’ at least once an hour, whether or not anyone else was present. It was speaking to everyone that passed its tank now, only speaking of reunion. Sephiroth and Zack were the only exceptions to this bizarre rule it gave itself, but it did not tell them anything new. They often found it staring at the carvings it made in the floor with its odd wounds glowing bright until its eyes inevitably moved and the light dulled.
The visits from Firsts never stopped, in fact they stuck to a strict schedule of once every ninety minutes from the moment they left the room to returning. The testing for geostigma cure increased dramatically, doing wonders for Shinra’s public image along with the martial arts master. And now Angeal, finally, is cured. His tests went well, and his strength has been returning for the past week and a half. Now all four of the Firsts (well, three plus Zack) are approved for the mission. The SOLDIERs, however, convinced Lazard to allow both Tifa, Zangan’s student, and Human Cloud (he hates that they call him ‘Human Cloud’) on the mission to Nibelhiem because it is both their hometown surrounded by powerful monsters and a first mission to test out Human Cloud’s abilities. Tifa’s training with Genesis, to everyone’s surprise, went exceptionally well, so her skill was not questioned by the director. However, upon notice, R&D absolutely tried to convince the Firsts to change their decision for who would depart to which location, listing every possible advantage and disadvantage each SOLDIER would have depending on the mission, but, no matter what they listed, the Firsts countered their arguments as skillfully as they did in battle. R&D had no choice but to surrender to their wills.
Now finally, finally, all of them are on board a shinra carrier from Junon with no land in sight, only the large, ink darkened ocean they discovered the creature in over a month and a half before, four hours into their day-long journey. The scientists and basic security were scattered on all floors of the vessel. Each of the SOLDIER party split off into groups after checking in on the mission assignment and hearing any relevant or irrelevant updates about the terrain. Now here they were, the first pair, Human Cloud and Tifa at the edge of the deck, leaning on the safety bars and looking out over the dawn reflecting water.
“So…” Tifa started, adjusting her arms upon the railing. “How is it? Finally making SOLDIER?”
Cloud looked away in embarrassment. “Wish it happened under better circumstances. But now is really a chance to prove myself.”
She gave him a soft punch to the arm then a small smile. “Hey, you finally made it. I thought you’d be happier.”
He chuckled reluctantly. “I think you have more SOLDIER training now than I do.”
“You promised you’d be in SOLDIER, you never said I couldn’t be there next to you.”
“...You said you’d wait for me.” His eyes moved from the horizon down to the dark wakes of the ship.
“...You promised to save me when I was in danger,” She spoke so softly, he almost didn’t recognize her by her tone. “What kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t do the same?”
He huffed softly.
Tifa turned her crimson gaze to his blue eyes, but before she could say what she wanted, she was distracted. “Your eyes…”
Now he glanced towards her. “Hm?”
“Your eyes, they don’t have mako yet.”
“Ah,” Cloud’s eyes went back down and away to try to hide them from her gaze. “They didn’t give me mako treatment yet. No one’s had it since the stigma broke out.”
“Why?”
“Something about mako carrying parts of the infection. I can’t find any accurate proof though.”
“Hm.” Tifa nodded then turned her gaze back to the ocean.
Cloud did too.
After a small silence, Tifa spoke in a voice that he could only perceive as a plea. “Cloud… I’d like to try something. If you’d let me.”
He gave her a small look of confusion. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”
Tifa didn’t explain with words, but slowly moved her hand closer to Cloud’s.
He didn’t push her away.
From a wall on the other side of the deck, Zangan watched as his student and the boy held hands awkwardly but showed no signs of stopping with a smile.
But it only lasted a few minutes as Cloud let go and nearly stumbled away with hot red cheeks.
“I uh…” He stuttered as he frustratedly remembered he had a task to do. “I have to check on the others. See if I’m needed below deck.”
Tifa looked a little sad but did not reach for him, only whispering under her breath. “Will you come back?”
Cloud nodded immediately, “I’m coming back.”
She smirked, but kept her eyes down to protect him from her own flustered demeanor. “Then I’ll be here.”
Cloud turned away so quickly and dashed past Zangan to get to the door to the lower deck.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Genesis asked with a lilt in his tone.
He immediately turned to attention. “Sir, I have to report to SOLDIER Fair every two hours while on board. R&D’s orders.”
The red head nodded. “Well, don’t let me stop you. Just make sure the creature stays in place.”
Shoot. The creature. Cloud almost forgot they had to bring it. Again, R&D’s orders. “Gotcha- Yes, Sir.”
Genesis gave him a small wave, although he was probably just waving him off, as he ran down the stairs.
The storage chamber below deck was different than when they arrived. Some of the researchers decided to take some of the boxes off of their condensed towers to use as extra desks. Even on a mission to the other side of the world, they kept working hard. Cloud was impressed. But that didn’t matter, what mattered was that they moved the creature. He walked down the singular path to the door on the far end of the room. When he opened it and walked through, he realized it was the engine room, and then he saw the creature in a tank much smaller than the lab. It scarcely had enough room for its tentacles as it floated as if it was standing among the two Firsts in front of its container. Its purple limbs lined the edges of the square by the ground, nearly filling the corners entirely. To Human Cloud’s surprise, the creature was the first to speak when he entered the room, even though the SOLDIERs noticed him first.
“Cloud…” The creature spoke softly, its eyes locked on the other blonde.
Cloud hesitated for a second before nodding softly in response. “Hi, Cloud.”
“Hey, Human Cloud. Anything to report?” Zack asked his apprentice.
He grimaced softly at the nickname. “Nothing since last time. R&D converted storage into an office, everyone else is on the deck, and I guess the creature’s tank moving.”
“Oh that was us,” Zack explained, and at Cloud’s confused look, the silver haired SOLDIER nodded in confirmation.
Cloud didn’t voice his question, but Sephiroth answered anyway.
“If it breaks out, they want as much time as possible to catch it.”
Another outbreak from the ocean would be devastating, cure or not, Cloud realized immediately.
“Well, if that’s all,” Zack started with a specifically timed pause for any other questions.
“Has the other Cloud said anything new?”
They shook their heads, even the creature did too.
“We’re trying,” Zack sighed. “A few more words can't hurt if we can get them. Believe me, if there’s an update, we’ll let you know.”
Cloud nodded.
“You’re dismissed, SOLDIER: Third Class, Cloud Strife.”
He immediately flushed with embarrassment and saluted then left the room, closing the vault-like door behind him.
Sephiroth looked at Zack with small confusion. “Why did you do that?”
He smirked. “Human Cloud wanted to be in SOLDIER for a long time. I’m just giving him the SOLDIER treatment.” The small smirk he got out of Sephiroth in response did not go unnoticed before he spoke again. “And now that gives us two hours before the next report. Now’s the time to ask.”
His inhuman eyes immediately glared in Zack’s direction with sharp warning. “If I get a vision-”
“I’ll stop you.”
“You couldn’t stop me last time.”
“I wasn’t prepared last time.”
“And you are now?”
“How resistant are you to materia?”
Sephiroth nearly scoffed. “Which type?”
“Sealing?”
He stared at the apprentice. “Really? In a state where I can’t control myself, your defense is casting Sleep?”
“Technically if you can’t control your mind either you might not be able to stop me,” Zack explained his thought process with a hand on the back of his neck and his eyes pointed anywhere else.
“We can’t let it leave this tank or this ship turns around,” Sephiroth scolded. “If I’m the one who breaks it-”
“R&D wouldn’t make you guard it if they couldn’t trust you.”
“Hojo would,” He felt his response leave so quickly and regretted it the moment the words left his mouth. Why did he say that outloud? Why the hell was he showing so much emotion now?
But Zack didn’t address the comment, much to his mentor’s relief. “It still listens to you when you lose control. Maybe tell it to stay in the tank for the next two hours. It might listen and at least not leave the glass.”
“That’s a very big risk, with little reward.”
“You wanted answers, right? Why didn’t you ask?”
“The same reason.”
“Sephiroth,” Zack practically groaned with a sigh, putting one hand to his forehead with a sigh. “You didn’t attack him when you kidnapped him. Nothing’s happened since. Come on.”
His eyes reached the creature in the tank, watching as its mako blue eyes fixed on him for a response as it had been looking back and forth at each of them throughout their conversation.
“Do you trust me?” He asked it.
It nodded, moving its hands mindlessly as they rested at its sides like a cat kneading into soft cloth, the same calm never ending movement of its tentacles.
His inhuman eyes went back to the ground. He didn’t show it, but he was genuinely afraid of himself, afraid of losing himself again, afraid of never finding my mother. He removed his sword from the magnetic sheath at his right side. “Zack.”
The apprentice held out his hands to hold the blade carefully, to rest on his palms as he took it away, but Sephiroth shook his head, adjusting his grip to the very top of the hilt and arching the remainder to him.
“...Are you sure?” Zack couldn’t believe this was happening, but Sephiroth nodded, and he finally, hesitantly held the hilt of Masamune more like an artifact than a sword.
“If I do anything unexpected-”
“I got you,” He cut the general off, and the silver general nodded in confirmation before turning to the creature whose eyes followed him.
Zack kept Masamune in his right hand and held the sealing materia in his left.
Then there was a pause.
“Cloud.”
The creature tilted its head. It was already at attention, and seemed to know that he wanted to ask questions.
“...Why do I want a new planet?” Gods, how he tried to disconnect his emotions as he spoke, but the phrases from the creature always made more leak through and infect his words.
It knotted its brows in confusion.
He sighed. “Is it another thing I’m already supposed to know?”
The creature gave a slight nod, then spoke softly, “Future. Jenova.”
This time there was no vision, but the name got his attention.
“Do you not know the word?” He tried to confirm.
It shook its head.
“You meant to say that?”
It nodded. “Future. Jenova.”
“Be careful,” Zack warned.
Sephiroth nodded before he asked, a disturbed accent in his voice, “What does my mother have to do with my future?”
“Everything.”
Both SOLDIERs took a step back.
What the hell was that tone?
“What…?” Zack mumbled first.
“What does that mean.” Sephiroth didn’t ask it like a question. He ordered it.
But the creature’s eyes were dark, barely carrying any spark of life. It still stared at them, but its breathing slowed. Its body slowed. It didn’t respond.
“What does that mean, Cloud?”
Now it gave him a sad look, but it shook its head and did not answer.
Come to me.
They both heard it, Sephiroth could see it in the way Zack now stared at him, completely frozen and unknowing of what to do next.
“Jenova…” It mumbled, but not with the nearly innocent, curious tone it used when it spoke to them, only lifeless and robotic.
Sephiroth winced, a dull pain beginning to throb in his heart, but he didn’t stop. “Cloud, what will happen at this reunion?”
It shook its head, staring at the ground, despite the way its white and green wounds glowed in hot pain. “Reunion…”
“Cloud.”
It closed its eyes. “Reunion…”
“Cloud.”
“Sephiroth!” Zack yelled.
Then the large vault slammed open, and the red haired First dashed through the opening. “What did you do?”
Sephiroth quickly shook his head as if to shake away the dark thoughts invading his mind, but the ache in his heart remained. “I talked to it…”
Genesis grabbed his arm and forced the silver general to look at him. “We are not half way into the journey and you risk having this ship turned around? It’s my turn to watch this creature.”
“You can’t watch it alone.”
“Then get Angeal. But you need to get away from this creature and rest.”
Rest? Did he look more tired than before? Zack didn’t mention anything. But when he looked at his apprentice for confirmation, Zack gave a reluctant nod.
“I’ll stay with Genesis until Angeal gets here.”
Sephiroth gave a small sigh before leaving the engine room. Once on deck, he noticed Human Cloud as he walked by to the main cabin, the one who lifted him up when impaled by his sword. Despite being Zack’s apprentice, he rarely interacted with the boy for that exact reason. If he lost control… that poor child. Whatever this Reunion was, he hoped it would fix whatever was wrong with him. But he’s not naive enough to believe that when all of the signs point to disaster, and his mother.
As he made it to the captain's cabin, the door opened before he pressed the button.
“Just the guy I was looking for,” Angeal spoke first as he stepped through the door so it could close.
“I could say the same. You’re needed below deck.” They both began walking towards the stairs as they talked.
“Because of the voice?”
He nodded. “I… can’t be trusted with the creature. SOLDIER Fair certainly isn’t helping.”
Angeal chuckled. “The kid has a lot of energy, he absolutely needs this mission.” He turned to his silver haired friend. “How’s your headache?”
“Persisting,” he answered instantly, slight frustration in his voice. “The same since the coin flip.”
“Do you think we made the wrong choice?”
“Absolutely not.” The headache sharpened. “If the creature claims that both paths lead to my mother, it shouldn’t matter which one I go to first.”
Angeal hummed. “Whatever this ‘Reunion’ is seems to disagree with that.”
“This is a petty way of telling me when it can talk,” venom leaked through his words by accident.
Despite the anger, Angeal chuckled. “Whatever it is, it won’t be getting to us for much longer. Let’s keep that in mind.”
Sephiroth nodded with a soft sigh as they made it to the door. “I’ll try.”
Both the current SOLDIER guards and the creature stared at them instantly when they walked into the room.
“Welcome back,” Genesis spoke first before flicking his head. “Now take your puppy and don’t come back-”
“For the next ninety minutes,” Zack cut him off, getting a razored glare in response. “R&D still needs ink. There’s nothing we can do to stop that.”
He scoffed. “Fine. Ninety minutes. See you both then.”
Both the silver general and the First in training left the room.
Angeal looked to Genesis, seeing straight through him. “You’re worried about them.”
Genesis closed his eyes and let out a frustrated breath. “He’s losing himself. He’s triggering that voice again, never listens to Zack, and refuses to let either of us accompany him instead.”
“Zack was there when all of this started,” Angeal reminded him. “No matter how much they explain to us, we’ll never have as much detail as they do.”
“Apparently the same is true of how much this creature tolerates us.” He gestured to the tank, where the creature watched them both with disappointment rather than curiosity as it did when the other Firsts were there.
“...Are you worried you’ll never defeat him?” Angeal questioned without judgment.
Genesis paused. “There’s no joy in victory when your opponent has lost their mind. The fates are cruel.”
Angeal nodded in understanding. They both turned to the creature, whose movements were slower as ink began to cloud at the bottom of its coffin-like tank. Its eyes flicked away from them as it subconsciously searched for the silver general’s inevitable return.
* * *
The pair of Firsts broke off soon after leaving the engine room, to entirely different sections of the ship when they were not with the creature. Sephiroth was observing and conversing with the crew in the captain’s cabin, while Zack was jogging around the edge of the deck to kill time. He did not say anything to his apprentice when he noticed him on the other edge of the ship, hand in hand with Tifa Lockheart. Though as he continued his laps, he saw the blonde notice him and panic, letting go of the girl’s hand and crossing his arms awkwardly close to his body. Zack smirked and rolled his eyes at the attempt to casual but approached them nonetheless, so Tifa would know why he was suddenly more reserved.
“Hey, Human Cloud,” Zack spoke specifically because it made Tifa hide laugher every time he said it. “How you doin’?”
Cloud glared at him a bit, both for the nickname and making Tifa laugh. “Judging by ‘human’ you’re off the clock?”
“For the next hour or so. You don’t have to call me ‘Sir’ or anything if that’s your concern.”
Cloud nodded then glanced at Tifa, who nodded solemnly, then turned back to Zack.
Zack absolutely noticed the weird stares. “What’s happening?”
Cloud looked down to his feet. “I have a question, but if you don’t want to answer that’s fine.”
Where was this coming from?
“Ask away.”
He looked at Tifa again for help, but also a silent plea for her to leave.
“I’ll check in with Zangan and Genesis. You boys take your time.” She gave a soft wave to the Second Class SOLDIER. “See ya later.”
“See ya.”
“See ya…” Cloud mumbled almost inaudibly as his childhood friend left them alone on the railing to the black ocean.
Zack gave the cadet (well, now SOLDIER in training) a soft look of confusion.
“...Am I doing something wrong?” He asked suddenly, but kept his eyes and face away from Zack’s.
His mako blue eyes squinted. “Not at all. What do you mean?”
Cloud sighed softly. “I know I didn’t earn my way into SOLDIER-”
“That is not true,” He cut the younger man off. “Angeal took a liking to you before he ever saw what you looked like. We’ve talked. He truly believes you have what it takes to be a SOLDIER.”
He nodded like he was trying to process the words. “So Angeal did believe in me…?”
“Absolutely,” He confirmed. “But that’s not why you’re asking me this.”
“Angeal and I have only talked a few times since I moved into your apartment,” The boy started to explain. “You’ve been so welcoming. Genesis is well… Genesis. I didn’t expect much else after that meeting with Lazard. But Sephiroth…”
Oh no.
“We don’t talk, but he gives me these looks… Did I do something wrong? Why does he look at me like that?”
“Cloud,” Zack warned, “I need you to be very careful when you answer this: What look does he give you?”
“It’s nothing I can go to HR about, if that’s a concern… but he… I don’t know. The best word I can find is ‘angry’. Extremely, utterly angry. But then he’ll shake it off and look away and it’ll be like nothing ever happened”
He doesn’t know, Zack remembered. Cloud doesn’t know about the visions or the messages, and Tifa never saw anything the two times she was in the lab.
“It’s…” He had to explain this carefully, if at all. “It’s complicated.”
He turned back to the railing and stared down at the black water. “That’s why I didn’t ask…”
“After this mission, things will be different.”
“Why is this mission so important? I understand the stigma creature is something we need to understand, but why is it affecting all of us…?”
Zack shook his head softly. “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you yet. Once this mission is over, everything will change. I can feel it.”
Cloud moved his gaze to the horizon. “Let’s hope it's for the better.”
.
.
.
.
Thanks for reading!
Hopefully this makes the story easier to navigate!
Chapter 1 - Thinking
Chapter 2 - Testing
Chapter 3 - Orders
Chapter 4 - [Mis]understa
The closer we get to September, the more excited we are to get to know you! This week's question is:
Have you started writing any of the Sicktember Prompts yet? How far along are you?
We'll go first!
@yes-i-am-happyaspie
I'm almost there! 9.5/10 are written edited and ready to go! I can't wait to post them!!
@obsessionoftheday
I have written 3.5 fics, covering 10-15 prompts so far! I’ve definitely realized I need to lower my expectations a bit for what I will be able to get done by September, but that’s okay, I’m just happy to be able to participate as much as I can. So, if you too are struggling with the fact that you won’t be able to get through every prompt, don’t let that stop you from participating and having a good time, it certainly won’t be stopping me!
