Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Ashen Skies ❯ Chapter 10

“Ashen Skies”

Chapter 10

~**********************************~

Warnings: Yaoi (implied), Het (very mild)

~****************************************~

*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can't get enough of this world and the characters.*

~***********************************************~

 

Sephiroth watched as his lover sparred with Zack outside the Modeoheim bathhouse. Cloud's fighting skills were improving each day. Sephiroth sometimes dueled him too and perhaps it was his imagination, but he thought the blond's strikes and deflections were being carried out with greater force, lately. He enjoyed the sight of him in action and waited patiently for the sparring match to end so that he could give him the news about SOLDIER recruitment opening up again. He'd already told Angeal and Genesis and they were both making their respective lists of potential candidates.

 

“Good block,” Zack called to his friend as Cloud's sword crossed his. He grunted in surprise when the blond managed to push his sword back a little instead of just blocking it. “Hey Spike, I think you're getting stronger. Have you been working out more or something?”

 

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the observation. Zack noticed the increased strength too, then.

 

“Just my regular routine,” answered Cloud. He jumped away as Zack made another pass at him, this time choosing to dodge instead of deflect.

 

“Heh…maybe I'm just getting old then,” Zack said with a grin.

 

“Thought you were only two years older than me,” Cloud replied. He spun and swung his weapon in a low arch, forcing his opponent to dive hastily away.

 

“I am,” Zack agreed, “so I guess that mean's you're turning into an old fart, too.”

 

Cloud snorted. Zack lunged at him and this time the blond wasn't quite fast enough. He blurted a frustrated curse as his sword clattered away on the cracked cement and he put his hands out in defeat. Zack lowered his weapon and gave him a friendly pat on the back.

 

“Good fight, Cloud. Let's call it a day and get cleaned up, all right?”

 

Cloud nodded in consent and went to retrieve his weapon. As he sheathed it, he noticed Sephiroth for the first time and his sapphire eyes softened even as he straightened and gave him a professional salute. “General, Sir,” Cloud greeted.

 

Sephiroth favored him with a brief, subtle smile before Zack could turn to see it. “At ease, Private.”

 

Zack wasn't as formal, since it was just the three of them. “Hey, Seph. I didn't notice you coming.”

 

“You were both fairly absorbed in your sparring match,” Sephiroth said with a shrug. “I have news for both of you.”

 

“Oh? Zack came up beside Cloud and listened with interest. “What's up?”

 

“They're going to start recruiting for SOLDIER again. Those who make the cut will receive Mako enhancements and a rank according to their recent performance and skills.” His eyes went to Cloud and he couldn't fully hide the pride in them. “You're already on the list, Private. You'll be amongst the first to get Mako infusions and once the treatment begins, you'll be officially classified as a Soldier, fourth class. Further advancement depends on how your body takes to the Mako and how you perform afterwards, of course.”

 

Cloud looked stunned. “I…I made it? I made the cut?”

 

Zack beamed at him and clapped him on the shoulder. “Doesn't surprise me at all, buddy. You already fight like a beast and remember, Hojo did the blood tests on you while he was looking you over.” He looked at Sephiroth and smirked. “What's all this `Private' business, Seph? Nobody's around, Cloud's your sweetheart and we've got something to celebrate! Call him by his first name, man.”

 

Cloud lowered his eyes modestly. “It's okay.”

 

Sephiroth scratched his jaw. “I suppose formalities can drop, when it's just us. Congratulations, Cloud.”

 

“Sir, I'm on duty,” Cloud reminded softly. “You don't have to—“

 

“We agreed we wouldn't use titles with one another in private,” interjected Sephiroth calmly, “and our present company is Zackary, after all. He has a point.”

 

Cloud seemed to relax and he gave Sephiroth a little smile and a nod. “Okay.”

 

“Well, now that we've got that settled, let's hit the bath house,” Zack suggested.

 

Sephiroth wasn't in love with the idea of stewing in the old spas. The last time he'd had a look in there the pools and tubs were filthy. Zack evidently read his expression because he stepped closer and shot a conniving look Cloud's way as he spoke to Sephiroth.

 

“Reeve got the whole place cleaned up and disinfected, man. Aerith and I come out and clean it every couple of days, too. Besides, there's private bath rooms in there with tubs just big enough for two, if you catch my drift.”

 

Sephiroth met Cloud's eyes and the blond gave him one of those soft, endearing little smiles. “I suppose it's worth a try,” Sephiroth conceded, too intrigued by the thought of having a leisurely soak and perhaps more with the blond.

 

Zack noticed the direction of Sephiroth's gaze and he chuckled. “If all else fails, a pair of blue eyes wins you over.”

 

“Quiet, Zackary.”

 

~**********************************~

 

Zack returned underground before his two companions, of course. He passed by the room they'd chosen to bath in and he could hear Cloud's passionate moans and Sephiroth's more reserved gasps of pleasure. By the sounds of it, they could be in there for some time before they came out for air.

 

“Dude…I didn't want to hear that,” Zack muttered as he quickened his pace and left the bathhouse. It was snowing again when he made it outside and he pulled the hood on his coat up as he hurried for the underground entrance. He wasn't as susceptible to catching colds and flues as ordinary men but running around in the snow with a damp head of hair was a sure way to test his constitution.

 

The first thing he did when he got inside was go to his bunk to retrieve his mirror, hair gel and comb. He sat down on the bunk, propped the mirror on the nightstand and went to work on his hair. He didn't need to use much gel to hold his hairstyle anymore because he'd worn it spiked for so long it was trained. It would have been easier if he had a blow dryer but he'd learned to make due without one. He applied a little of the gel to his roots and worked the comb through thick locks of his hair, twisting the ends to points. His bangs stubbornly tried to hang over his eyes and he realized he was going to need a trim soon if he wanted to keep his favorite style.

 

When he finished with that, he put the hairstyling accoutrements away and went looking for Aerith. He checked the crafting area first and he winced at the sound of the huge tunneling drill when he reached it. They were opening up new tunnels and rooms to accommodate the growing population. Nobody was in the crafting area, unsurprisingly. Who could concentrate on sewing or making shoes with this racket?

 

Imagining how spooked the noise would probably make his girlfriend, he decided she was probably somewhere on the other side of the fort, away from the ruckus. He could hear the complaints of the livestock as he went back the other way and he guessed she wouldn't be in the gardens, since they were close to the construction too. Maybe she was in the den? Or she could be helping in the kitchen, since it was close to dinnertime. He started asking people he passed by and just when he was getting a little worried, a little boy told him he thought he saw a woman matching his description heading toward the nursery.

 

Zack thanked him and moved along. He was surprised with himself for not considering the nursery when he made his mental checklist of possible places she could be. It was near the civilian sleeping quarters, far enough away from the construction to offer solitude…well, except for crying babies. Aerith loved kids though, so he imagined she'd prefer the sound of infants whimpering over the noise of a drill.

 

When he reached the nursery, he was brought up short by the sight of her. She had her hair tumbling loose around her shoulders and down her back and she was wearing the white sweater and cream-colored broom skirt she'd finished tailoring the other day. She was holding a baby in her arms and humming to it while an older woman and a young couple took care of three other infants.

 

Zack almost approached but he held back for a moment, watching her soothe the baby. She looked so peaceful and…and natural. He wondered if his infatuation with her and his own dreams of starting a family some day were romanticizing his perception of her. He felt an odd combination of desire and warmth for the Cetra that reminded him his feelings for her went much deeper than infatuation.

 

Aerith suddenly looked up from the tiny bundle in her arms and saw him watching her. She gave him a little smile and stopped humming, walking over to him while still gently bouncing the infant in her arms.

 

“I thought I'd help the nursemaid and the parents for a while,” she explained softly. “Some of the little ones in here are orphans now.” She sighed and looked over her shoulder at the rows of cribs, her eyes settling on one of the sleeping babies.

 

Zack nodded, gathering his wits before speaking. “Looks like you've got a way with them.”

 

“I can handle the little ones,” Aerith agreed with a smile, “but the bigger ones seem to be your department.” Her eyes met his and something private and special passed between them.

 

Zack nodded at the infant in her arms and smiled crookedly. “So I guess you want one of these someday, right?”

 

She looked down at the baby boy, who was regarding both of them curiously. “I do now,” she admitted softly. “I didn't think of it much before, when I was alone in the Forgotten City. I…I guess I thought I'd be alone forever, except for the spirit voices.”

 

Zack swallowed, empathizing with her even though he hadn't suffered the isolation she had. He knew something about living with the supposition that he'd be alone for the rest of his days…at least when it came to a partner and a family. Meeting Aerith changed all of that though. Now he thought he might have something to look forward to besides the hope that the planet would stop trying to exterminate his species.

 

He looked down at the baby and gave the little fellow his finger when the tiny, chubby hands grasped at air. The infant squeezed it and Zack smiled. “So what's this rugrat's name?”

 

“Talib,” answered Aerith. “His mother's still recovering from his birth and…well, his father passed away.”

 

“It's really sweet of you to help out with these kids,” Zack murmured, looking her in the eyes again.

 

She shrugged gently and stroked Talib's cheek with her fingertips. “Some day I might need help watching over my own.”

 

All this talk of babies and the future made Zack want to push things a little further with the Cetra. Hell, Cloud and Sephiroth were already doing the bump and grind and they'd only known each other for as long as he'd known Aerith. Would it be so crazy for him to propose or at least, ask her to consider getting engaged in the near future? He opened his mouth but he had no idea how to word what he wanted to say and licked suddenly dry lips and tried again.

 

Aerith tilted her head at him, her green eyes curious and a little concerned. “Is something the matter?”

 

Zack shook his head. “No. I'm just…I want to say something and…” He was chickening out. Even back when he was the big “ladies' man” he never moved to second base until at least the second week of dating and the two times he'd thought about asking a romantic interest for a steady commitment, he'd known and dated them for months.

 

~Just tell her you love her, dumbass!~ The mental voice he'd conjured sounded suspiciously like Genesis'. ~You know she feels the same way.~

 

Did she? Zack wanted to think so but Aerith was such a sweet-natured, generous soul. He knew she liked him, knew she was attracted to him despite his disfigurement, but she was so much more giving with her comfort and affection than others. He didn't want to scare her off. He sighed, deciding to wait at least another week before confessing that he was in love with her.

 

Just as he was about to make something up, an announcement came over the speaker system. Thankfully, none of the speakers were in the nursery to keep from jarring the ears of the infants and scaring them, but he could hear Director Lazard's voice come through from the corridor quite clearly. “All SOLDIER and military field personnel assemble for immediate deployment. A target has been identified to the east, coming this way. Interception before its arrival is important. Drop whatever you are doing.”

 

Aerith looked up at Zack with veiled fear in her eyes, as she always did whenever he was called to action. The baby she was holding whimpered and other infants also began to fuss, disturbed from their sleep by the announcement and the sounds of activity that immediately followed.

 

Knowing that every mission he went on carried the threat of death, Zack felt an irresistible need to at least be open with her about his feelings. He looked at the baby boy in her arms and gave him a smirk. “You be good for your auntie Aerith, kid. She'll take good care of you.”

 

He looked around furtively and when he saw that the other adults in the nursery were too busy caring for the offspring and speculating over what was going to happen, he leaned in closer to Aerith and lowered his mouth to hers for a quick, soft kiss on the lips. He brushed his mouth against her ear before pulling away and he murmured into her ear. “I love you.”

 

He pulled away after saying it and he gave her a smile as he started backing away. She was staring at him with tender eyes and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something in return but couldn't find the words.

 

“See you when I get back, Aerith.” He felt his cheeks warming up so he took his leave then, before she could see him lose his cool.

 

~********************************~

 

Aerith watched him leave and when he was out of sight, she hugged the baby gently and berated herself for failing to speak up and return the verbal confession. She already knew he loved her—he'd proved that with his actions. Hearing him admit it out loud to her was different from reading it in his eyes or sensing it in his kisses, though. She couldn't chase after him to declare her love in return…not with a baby in her arms and the corridor filling up with military personnel hurrying to deploy.

 

“I'll tell him when he comes back,” she whispered to the baby, gently bouncing him to settle him down again. “He has to come back safely, don't you think?”

 

The planet's cries returned and Aerith grimaced as they grew louder and louder in her mind. She began to hum again, as much for her own comfort as the baby's.

 

~*****************************~

 

“Hey Cloud!”

 

The blond slowed his momentum as he recognized the voice calling out to him and he looked over his shoulder to see Zack heading his way. The one-eyed Soldier caught up with him and sprinted beside him through the tunnels.

 

“So it's your first real mission,” Zack said with a crooked grin. “You nervous?”

 

“A little,” admitted the blond. In truth, he had a stomach full of butterflies and more than a few were put there by fear. His adrenaline was pumping and a sense of exhilaration tempered that fear, however. This was it. He was finally going into action and fighting alongside warriors that were practically legendary in his hometown.

 

Suddenly, he felt like he could piss his pants.

 

“Hey, you'll do fine,” Zack soothed, evidently noticing his attack of insecurity. He clapped Cloud on the shoulder encouragingly, as was his habit. “Just listen to Reeve's orders and concentrate on the target. That's all you've got to think about, buddy.”

 

Cloud managed a little smile. “Thanks. I'll do that.”

 

Taking a deep breath, he entered the huge garage with his friend and superior, mentally fortifying himself as he parted ways with Zack and headed for the transports he saw other regular militia boarding. He looked over his shoulder as he was about to climb in behind Reeve and he saw Sephiroth standing near the deployment exit with Angeal and Genesis. All three of them had their wings out, waiting to take to the air and scout ahead of the convoy.

 

Sephiroth adjusted the communication headset he wore and tested it before meeting Cloud's eyes across the distance. For a moment, the two of them just stared at one another, conveying feelings they weren't willing to put to words yet. Sephiroth inclined his head in an encouraging nod at Cloud and the blond favored him with a little smile and nodded back. Somehow, that small, silent exchange gave Cloud confidence and he boarded his designated vehicle without further hesitation.

 

~**********************************~

 

Reeve felt like throwing the tracking device out the window. Once again, it seemed to be glitching on him but he tempered his annoyance with a mental reminder that the last time it seemed to be giving false readings, it was because the target was beneath ground level. He pulled his mic to his mouth and warned the convoy that something was fishy.

 

“Keep a sharp eye out, everyone…especially you and your fellow scouts, General. The readings tell me we're closing in on the target but something is off. The blip isn't situated quite right on the horizontal scanner. Do you have a visual yet?”

 

After a moment, Sephiroth replied. “Negative. There's nothing visible on the ground ahead. Shall we assume this one is practicing Ivory WEAPON'S burrowing technique?”

 

“The reading is above the horizon line, not below it,” answered Reeve with a growing sense of dread. “Either something's wrong with the scanner or—“

 

“It's in the air,” Sephiroth interrupted in a shout.

 

“Scatter!” Angeal's voice hollered over the frequency.

 

Reeve looked out the window and Cloud joined him. Far up ahead, Angeal was being pursued by a creature that strongly resembled a dragon, but the large red gem in the center of its chest gave it away as a WEAPON. Genesis and Sephiroth were chasing the creature, trying to get within range to attack it and drag its attention away from Angeal.

 

“Stop the convoy and engage the target,” Reeve ordered as calmly as he could. The SOLDIER operatives weren't going to be much good in this fight unless they could ground the creature. Missiles and summon spells were going to be their primary mode of attack while it was in the air.

 

~*********************************~

 

Cloud rushed to help his fellow troops get the cannons and launchers armed and set up. He kept glancing up to assure himself that Sephiroth and the others weren't injured. So far, it looked like a bizarre game of “keep away” between the three winged officers and the creature. Genesis struck it with a volley of flaming darts, affectively getting its attention and setting himself up as the new target. As it swooped past him in pursuit of the redhead, Sephiroth slashed at it with his masamune and opened a gash along its side. The WEAPON's roar of pain shook the very air.

 

As soon as he finished loading one of the cannons, Cloud swiveled it on its base and took aim at the creature. He saw Zack on the ground up ahead and he almost smiled at the Lieutenant's efforts to taunt the WEAPON into landing. He was jumping up and down, waving his arms and shouting obscenities at the oblivious creature. Other Soldiers were taking shots at it when it passed overhead, but their bullets hardly troubled it. Cloud waited until Genesis was safely out of range before firing the cannon at the WEAPON. The concussive force of the blast nearly knocked him off his feet, but his aim proved true and the creature roared as one of its back legs took the hit. Pieces of its foot broke off and it turned angry, glowing red eyes to the new threat.

 

“Nicely done,” Reeve complimented over the noise, “but I think we'd better move, now.”

 

The WEAPON opened its maw and a telling glow began to illuminate it. The creature was about to return fire and Cloud guessed it was going to be a lot stronger than his cannon blast. He didn't hesitate as Reeve shouted an order for everyone to scatter. Cloud hopped off the cannon platform and ran for his life as an ominous humming sound filled the air. He glanced over his shoulder and up, trying to gauge how much time he had to get away. He stopped impulsively when he saw Sephiroth dive at the WEAPON and shout a challenge.

 

“Don't…” Cloud gasped, but Sephiroth couldn't hear him and even if he had, the blond knew he wouldn't listen. The WEAPON saw him coming and it lashed out with one of its front claws. Sephiroth wasn't quite fast enough and he grunted in pain as his right thigh was slashed open. Still, he struck back and severed one of the claws before tumbling to the ground. The snow broke his fall but he lay unmoving, possibly blacked-out.

 

Cloud immediately started toward the fallen General but Reeve grabbed his arm and urged him to keep running. Sephiroth's attack had delayed the blast but the creature was still powering up to fire it. He'd be no good to his lover if he got blown to bits, so he ran alongside Reeve to get out of range. A hot beam of energy struck the ground by the cannon and there was an explosion of earth, snow and shrapnel as it demolished the firearm. A couple of people got caught in the debris but most of the team got away safely.

 

Cloud and Reeve stopped and the engineer lifted his right wrist to reveal a bangle equipped with several various materia orbs. “Sometimes, it takes a dragon to fight a dragon,” muttered the older man as he activated one of the red materia. There was a crack of thunder overhead and a vortex of clouds materialized in the sky. Out of it came a creature not unlike the WEAPON in appearance, except it was obviously a true dragon.

 

“Go get him, Bahamut,” Reeve said in satisfaction. He turned to Cloud and patted him on the shoulder. “That should at least distract the beast long enough for us to take care of the General. Let's go.”

 

~******************************~

 

Sephiroth fully expected to die. He lay in the cold snow and fought to stay conscious as his wound throbbed painfully and his blood turned the snow around him crimson. He heard not one, but two challenging roars above him and he struggled to roll over and look up.

 

“Bahamut?” Sephiroth spoke the dragon's name weakly, recognizing it. Someone must have decided it was time to start using summon materia. The summoned dragon attacked the WEAPON viciously and the noise of the embattled beasts was deafening. Angeal and Genesis joined in, fighting alongside the powerful ally with renewed vigor, attempting to ensure that the WEAPON didn't get any ideas about finishing Sephiroth off. To the east, a beautiful, heroic-sized female appeared and she soared though the air towards the action. Her skin was icy blue and her hair glittered in the dull light of day. Someone had brought Shiva into the fray as well.

 

Sephiroth nearly lost consciousness then but the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow behind him made him lift his head. He expected to see one of his allies approaching but instead, he saw a tall humanoid figure with glowing purple eyes and smooth features. He struggled to reach for his sword, lying in the snow a few feet away from him.

 

“You must be one of Zack's mystery WEAPONS,” Sephiroth coughed conversationally to the creature as it approached with a decidedly unfriendly look in its eyes. It raised a chitin-armored hand and a panel opened in its palm. Sephiroth knew he didn't have the strength to defend himself but he continued reaching for his weapon anyway.

 

“Sephiroth!” The familiar voice shouted his name and he turned to see Cloud Strife running towards him with his broadsword drawn. Reeve Tuesti followed behind and the engineer drew his gun and took aim at the threat. The new WEAPON looked up at the two men, distracted by the shout. Cloud took a stunning leap and he came down swinging at the creature, hollering a string of curses in his native tongue.

 

Sephiroth could only understand a little of the Nibel tongue but it was enough for him to comprehend the gist of Cloud's ragged shouts. He raised an eyebrow, uncertain whether he was more surprised by his lover's potty mouth or the way he was handling himself. Cloud's sword struck the creature again and again, ringing in the cold air with each blow. He even managed to cut a gash in the small WEAPON's chest…a feat that few normal men could have accomplished. Reeve fired a couple of shots and one of them penetrated, drawing the creature's attention to him for a moment before another strike from Cloud reminded it of the more immediate threat.

 

Sephiroth tried to get to his feet but his leg wouldn't support his weight and he collapsed again. Someone else leaped over him and he looked up to see Zack joining Cloud in the fight. The rest of the fighting force was still concentrating on the large WEAPON overhead but Sephiroth was confident that with Zack's help, Cloud could take out the little one.

 

“Oh hell…there's another one!” Reeve's dismayed shout put a dent in Sephiroth's confidence and he followed the engineer's pointing finger with his eyes to see another one of the strange humanoid WEAPONS approaching from behind the one Zack and Cloud were fighting. With a grunt of exertion, Sephiroth dragged his sword close and used it as a crutch to help him get to his feet. He felt a wave of dizziness and he staggered, nearly falling again.

 

“Sit tight, General,” Reeve advised, “You'll make yourself bleed out and we can't have that!”

 

“They can't handle two on their own,” Sephiroth informed him stubbornly.

 

“No, but even I could take you on in your present condition and win,” Reeve pointed out in his “uncle” voice. “There's another way.” He reached into his long coat and fished something out of an inner pocket. It was one of the odd little spheres equipped with a surprisingly strong explosive device and a limited artificial intelligence. Reeve activated it and the red lens in the center lit up. The tiny propellers emerged from the top of the sphere and it lifted off his palm.

 

“Target?” the robotic bomb inquired in its tinny little voice.

 

Since he didn't have a name for these new WEAPONS, Reeve had to improvise. “That tall fellow trying to sneak up on my friends, over there.” He pointed at the approaching WEAPON, which was already taking aim at Cloud with one of its hand panels.

 

“Affirmative,” cooed the sphere, almost sounding happy. It raced away from its master and settled comfortably on the target's shoulder. The WEAPON glared balefully at it and tried to swat it away, but the sphere had already drilled into the thick armor and couldn't be easily dislodged.

 

“I think those little fellows enjoy their jobs a bit too much,” Reeve said contemplatively, scratching his beard. He looked to his friends, who had brought the first WEAPON to its knees. They were dangerously close to the blast that was soon to occur with the second one. “You might want to duck, lads. You too, Sephiroth.”

 

Cloud and Zack paused to give him identical looks of confusion, while Sephiroth collapsed without argument. A loud beeping noise came from the sphere on the second WEAPON's shoulder and the blond and brunet shared a look of dread with each other before taking Reeve's advice and ducking, throwing their arms over their heads protectively. The bomb went off and pieces of its victim when flying as it blew away the entire upper half of its body.

 

“You're crazy!” Zack hollered in the aftermath as he narrowly avoided getting hit by a piece of flying chitin.

 

“You're welcome,” Reeve said calmly. He pointed at the creature as it fell in the snow and lay still.

 

Zack regarded it and shrugged grudgingly. “Whatever works, I guess.”

 

Cloud recovered and continued to attack their original opponent. “It's almost down…come on!”

 

Zack joined in and within moments, the first WEAPON joined its fellow in death. Once it lay still, Cloud wasted no time getting to Sephiroth's side again. He bit his lip as he examined the wound and gazed at his lover with worried blue eyes. “Reeve, do you have a cure materia?”

 

“No,” answered the engineer as he activated his communication gear, “but I'm calling for medics to come now. Put pressure on the wound to staunch the blood flow until they get here.”

 

Zack joined Cloud at Sephiroth's side and he tore off a piece of his own shirt to use it as a makeshift tourniquet. “Hang in there, Seph,” he grunted as he tied the material around the General's thigh. Missiles streaked overhead as the combined forces sought to bring down the big dragon-like WEAPON. Further summon spells were unleashed and Zack caught sight of Ifreet joining the fray before he turned his attention back to his pale, stricken friend.

 

Sephiroth lost consciousness and Cloud was stroking his silvery hair with a look of such worry and love that Zack's heart clenched. “Don't look so scared, kid,” Zack advised gently, squeezing his blond friend's shoulder. “Sephiroth's taken worse hits than this. He'll pull through.”

 

Cloud nodded wordlessly and he embraced Sephiroth and pressed his body against him in an attempt to keep him warm. “Are the medics coming?”

 

Reeve looked up and saw a group of said personnel hurrying their way through the snow. “They're coming. Rest easy, son. You probably saved Sephiroth's ass.”

 

He shared a suspicious look with Zack. Both of them had noticed how uncommonly powerful the blond's attacks against the WEAPON had been. While some of that could reasonably be attributed to anger and adrenaline, Cloud's ferocity had bordered on super-human. Reeve chose not to ask questions for the moment but he could tell that Zack was equally suspicious. Perhaps it was time to consider investigating Hojo's supplies more thoroughly.

 

~**********************************~

 

The medics examined Sephiroth's wound thoroughly before cleaning it and using a cure materia to close it. They had to be sure there weren't any foreign particles lodged in the flesh before closing the wound—otherwise he could get an infection. After patching him up, they brought a stretcher and transported him to one of the armored vehicles. By then, the WEAPON was weakened enough to drop to the ground and Zack commanded his operatives to move in and finish it off.

 

It was an ugly, drawn-out battle and they lost two more SOLDIER operatives and four regular militia before the WEAPON finally went down. Reeve ordered a cleanup and arranged for the smaller weapon that Cloud and Zack had taken down to be loaded for transport and study.

 

“Why didn't they show up on the scanners?” Genesis asked as he and Angeal joined the engineer, Cloud and Zack.

 

“I didn't have a bio signature for them,” answered Reeve with a distracted frown. “I need to collect data about them and enter it before I can start tracking these new ones.”

 

“At least they aren't that tough to bring down,” Zack said brightly.

 

“But they're obviously being created at a more accelerated rate than their big brothers,” said Reeve. He looked at the covered stretcher being loaded onto one of the transport units and shook his head. “They don't have the same firepower as the big ones, but they're still too strong for ordinary militia to handle easily. If the planet creates enough of them, they could raid our shelters and slaughter the survivors.”

 

Genesis inclined his head toward Zack. “Our puppy came up with similar thoughts, the first time he fought one.”

 

When Reeve raised his eyebrows, Zack snorted. “Don't look so surprised. I've got a brain, you know.”

 

Angeal chuckled and ruffled his hair in a brotherly fashion. “Yes, you do. If only you'd use it more often.”

 

“Don't you guys have better things to do than pick on me?” Zack griped, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Indeed, we do,” Reeve agreed as he entered some figures on a data device he held. “I think we should bump up the recruitment program. We're losing Soldiers too fast.”

 

Zack looked at Cloud and his expression warred between pride and concern. “Yeah, when we get this guy fully of the juice, he's going to turn the odds in our favor all on his own.”

 

Cloud shrugged modestly, not understanding why everyone seemed so surprised. He was just acting to protect Sephiroth and it wasn't unheard of for adrenaline to give a body super strength. “I just want to get Sephiroth back to the fort and in bed.”

 

Zack snickered behind his hand. “Yeah, I'm sure you're ready to give him a little `TLC' to fix him up.”

 

Cloud flushed and lowered his eyes bashfully.

 

~****************************************~

 

After returning to the fort, Reeve immediately began to study the small WEAPON they'd procured. Hojo joined him, much to his dislike, but the scientist's input was important even if his presence was offensive to the engineer. Genesis and Angeal supervised the study under orders from Lazard, to ensure that Hojo wouldn't ferret away any body parts for his own use.

 

As he studied the eerily human-like creature, Reeve came to a frightening conclusion. “They're becoming us,” he murmured. He spread his right hand and examined the circuits grafted to the pads of his fingers. “They're becoming us and we're becoming them.”

 

“Don't be so dramatic,” Genesis scoffed. “I hardly think a single man implanting computer chips into his body indicates a change for our whole species.”

 

Reeve sighed and rubbed tired eyes. “Know your enemy,” he murmured, sharing a thoughtful look with Hojo. He might hate the man but their thoughts often worked in conjunction.

 

“And when you know him,” finished Hojo, “you can infiltrate and destroy.”

 

Angeal looked at his lover and he thought he saw a brief flash of fear in the aqua gaze. “How can we be sure these new WEAPONS aren't just accidental creations…defects?”

 

“Because the planet is smarter than that,” said Genesis before either of the older men could respond. “Minerva knows us…knows that to rid herself of us, she has to try and think like us.”

 

Hojo and Reeve both nodded in agreement. “You would have made a decent scientist, my boy,” Hojo said.

 

Genesis snorted. “I'll pass.”

 

Angeal decided to change the subject before Hojo could start arguing with his lover. “Reeve, I don't remember you naming the big WEAPON we took down.”

 

Reeve sighed again. “I don't know…let's call it Ultimate WEAPON. It was superior to most of the others we've fought and it didn't seem gem-like to me.”

 

Angeal nodded, his gray eyes going to the dead specimen on the table. “And these? It seems they're all the same `breed'. What should we call them?”

 

“Let's go with `Alpha' for now,” suggested the engineer. “Something tells me these fellows are still in a testing phase and before long, they're going to oust their brethren as our biggest concern.”

 

~*************************************~

 

Zack held Aerith tight and breathed in the scent of her hair. She'd gained a little weight—in a good way. Now her soft, feminine curves weren't dominated by an unhealthy amount of protruding bones and her slight frame was gently rounded in all the right places. He felt like he could give her a proper hug without breaking her and he laughed when she planted several soft, tickling kisses along his jaw.

 

“You spoil me,” he said between chuckles. “Everybody's jealous of the homecomings I get from you, sweetheart.”

 

“I just,” she said between kisses, “feel so relieved every time you come back safely. I try to be brave for you but…” Instead of finishing verbally she kissed him passionately on the mouth.

 

Zack totally forgot himself and he lifted her in his arms and deepened the kiss. He remembered they had an audience when one of the older women gardeners cleared her throat in polite disapproval. Blushing, the Soldier set his girlfriend back on her feet and broke the kiss, shooting an apologetic, sheepish grin at the older woman. She smiled tolerantly at him and winked before returning her attention to the plants.

 

“Young love,” the older woman sighed with amusement.

 

Aerith shared a bashful smile with Zack, properly contrite. She took his hand and urged him to come with her. “Let's get out of everybody's hair,” she suggested softly, her green eyes twinkling.

 

Helpless to even think about arguing, Zack followed her. They went to the barracks and entered the bunker they shared. Zack shut the screen for privacy and sat down beside her on the bed, sharing the warm smile she gave him. She seemed like she wanted to say something to him and he tilted his head questioningly.

 

“You okay, honey?”

 

Aerith nodded. “I'm better than okay,” she agreed. “I just…this morning before you left, you said something to me…”

 

Zack cringed inwardly and hoped he hadn't confessed his feelings too soon. “Um…about that,” he began awkwardly, scratching his head.

 

“It was the most wonderful thing I've heard in a long time,” Aerith interrupted with a soft, loving smile. “Zack…I love you too. So much, it hurts sometimes.”

 

He couldn't breath for a moment. He swallowed and forced himself to speak. “You…you do? Are you sure about that?”

 

Aerith giggled softly. “Don't be silly! Of course, I'm sure.” She leaned closer to him and combed her fingers through his spiked hair. “I've never been more sure of anything. You took off before I could say it back, but it's true. I love you.”

 

Zack felt like he could fly. He took her hands in his and impulsively brought one of them to his lips, kissing the top of it several times. “You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that, Aerith.”

 

An idea came to him then. He knew it was reckless, knew it was probably too soon to make such drastic plans for the future, but his instincts were rarely wrong when it came to romance so he went for it. Zack got off the bed and released Aerith's hands so that he could drag his trunk out from under the bunk. While she watched in puzzlement, he opened the container and sifted through the clothes and belongings in it until he reached the bottom and found a leather drawstring bag. He pulled it out and opened it, relieved to find the cherished item still inside. He got down on one knee and gazed up at Aerith with a completely sober expression as he withdrew his mother's ring from the bag and took Aerith's hand.

 

“This might sound crazy,” he began nervously. Shit…his hands were shaking. He pressed his lips together with determination and slipped the antique, diamond ring over Aerith's left ring finger. “I know you haven't known me for very long honey, but I can't fight how I feel. This was my mother's engagement ring. I want you to have it.”

 

“Zack?” Questioned the Cetra with wide eyes.

 

Zack took a deep breath and smiled at her. “You don't have to answer right away but I'd be the happiest guy on Gaia if you'd think about marrying me, some day.”

 

Aerith stared at the lovely old ring, then at him. Her mouth worked as she struggled to respond and Zack waited with baited breath for her answer. Finally, she nodded and a smile grew on her lips. “I don't have to think about it, Zack.” She swallowed and leaned forward to kiss him on the mouth. “I'd love to marry you.”

 

“Really?” Zack's ecstatic exclamation was muffled against her lips. He pulled back and cupped her face, searching her eyes with his. “You mean it?”

 

Aerith nodded. “I wouldn't lie about this. I want to be your wife.”

 

Zack sat down beside her on the bed and hugged her tightly. His chest ached and he could hardly believe he'd dared to propose so soon, or that she'd accepted it. When everything started going to hell in a hand basket, he'd been sure he'd never know the pleasure of starting a family of his own. Now that dream seemed possible and all he had to do was find someone with the credentials to do the ceremony for them.

 

~*****************************~

 

Cloud got Sephiroth settled into his bunk with a bit of difficulty. The General wanted to fly to his secluded nest and Cloud had to put his foot down and refuse him. Standing up to the man hadn't been easy…not only because of his respect for him as a fighter but because he was the dominant one in their relationship. Cloud's stubborn determination won out in the end and Sephiroth grudgingly agreed to rest in his designated bunk until he was strong enough to fly safely again. He fell asleep after a while and Cloud kissed his lips softly before getting up to find something to occupy himself with. He was just about to call Tifa and tell her of the day's events and their findings when he was nearly run over by Zack from behind.

 

“Whoa, sorry there, Chocobo,” Zack said breathlessly as he steadied the blond. “I was just on my way out to find you! Come here!”

 

Cloud opened his mouth to reply but his friend grabbed hold of his wrist and practically dragged him out of the barracks before he could get a word in edgewise. “You seem awfully excited,” the blond observed once they were in the hallway.

 

Zack was grinning from ear to ear. He nodded so enthusiastically that his bangs swished over his eyes. “While you were nursing Seph, I was doing something stupid.”

 

Cloud's golden brows furrowed in confusion. “Uh…okay. What stupid thing were you doing?”

 

Zack leaned in and spoke into his ear. “I asked Aerith to marry me.”

 

Cloud blinked. “Really? This soon?”

 

Zack nodded. “Yuh-huh. But guess what? She said yes! Dude, I'm gonna be married!” Before Cloud could respond Zack swept him up in a tight hug, laughing with glee. “I'm marrying the woman I love! How fucking great is that?”

 

“It's…wonderful,” Cloud agreed breathlessly. He chuckled as his friend released him and he gazed up at him with a smile. “Congratulations, man. I knew you were falling for her, but I didn't realize how much until now. Do you have a date planned?”

 

“As soon as possible,” Zack said. He glanced around and whispered, “I don't know how much longer I can be a gentleman, you know? Now that she's said yes…I…well, it's really hard to wait, if you catch my drift.”

 

Cloud shrugged. “Lots of people do it before they're married and you can't tell me you're a virgin and expect me to believe it.”

 

Zack chuckled self-consciously and shifted in a boyish gesture. “Well no, but Aerith is special. Plus, things are different, now. We don't have a lot of birth control options, you know? I don't want to get her pregnant until we've made the vows, man.”

 

Cloud smiled, warmed by Zack's chivalrous nature. He'd grown almost as close to Aerith in their time together as he was with Tifa and it made him feel good to know she'd be taken care of. “That's really noble of you. I don't know if I'd be so considerate, if it were me.”

 

Zack shrugged. “She deserves the best I can give her and I'm going to do this the way my parents would have wanted me to. Hey Cloud…I know we haven't known each other for very long but would you be one of my best men? I can't just pick one so I figured you ought to be in there too.”

 

Cloud felt an unusual urge to hug the other man. He'd never been asked to do something like this and it was beyond flattering to him. “I'd love to be one of your best men,” he answered with a smile. “Just let me know when you've got a date set up.”

 

“Great!” Zack was practically bouncing with happiness. “I'll get working on that right away. `Scuse me, kiddo…I've gotta go find Angeal and Gen-Gen to let them know too!” He patted the blond on the arm before hurrying away, leaving Cloud shaking his head and grinning at him.

 

His smile faded as an uncomfortable thought occurred to him. He didn't have to worry about sexual protection. He and Sephiroth were both clean of diseases. What about Tifa, though? She'd told him some guy was flirting with her and she sounded like she was warming up to him.

 

“Shit.”

 

Cloud had faith that his old friend had a good head on her shoulders but women had needs, just like men. He couldn't logically expect her to hold back forever. He could only hope they had more access to contraception in Cosmo Canyon than they did here…otherwise he might end up partaking in an old-fashioned “shotgun wedding” to save Tifa's honor.

 

~*********************************~

 

Reeve stared up at the creature floating in the tank, at war with himself. Things were getting worse and he knew that Vincent and Chaos could make a difference in the fight to survive the planet's attacks on his species. He'd promised them both that he would respect their choice, but things had changed. If he woke the sleeping demon, would he be unleashing something unstoppable on his own people? Was Vincent even still there? Hojo didn't think so, but Hojo had good reason to object to reviving him.

 

Reeve reached up and traced the glass surrounding Chaos's sleeping features. Deny it though he tried, he loved the demon as much as he loved the host. Living day by day, knowing they were both trapped in this self-induced coma was torture on him. He carefully weighed his thoughts and considered his reasons for contemplating this. He knew he could easily be flirting with the idea of releasing Chaos for his own selfish reasons and he knew that once he did so, there was no turning back. He'd have to make a deal to keep others safe from the entity's hunger, while at the same time taking a gamble that Vincent was still even in there.

 

The engineer's face took on a determined expression as he regarded the control panel at the bottom of the tank with contemplative, dark eyes. He looked up at Chaos again and nodded, making his decision.

 

“I think it's time that you both woke up,” Reeve murmured. “We need you.”

 

Damn the consequences. He would deal with them himself. His hands reached out toward the control panel and he began to push the numbered buttons in the correct sequence to drain and unlock the stasis tube. The first order of business would be convincing Chaos to accept his deal. The second—if Vincent were still in there—would be convincing the gunman not to murder Hojo.

 

Reeve finished punching in the code and he stood back with his arms crossed over his chest and waited while the liquid drained from the capsule. If this turned out to be a mistake…but no, he couldn't think of that now. It was too late to hesitate, too late to take it back. Chaos eased gracefully to the floor of the capsule as the liquid drained from it and Reeve felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation as the demon's left hand twitched.

 

Soon, he'd find out whether his choice could mean salvation or destruction.

 

~********************************~

 

-To be continued