Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Hateful Transformation ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

Hateful Transformation

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Characters, places………… aren't mine. Plot, however, is.

Zax stood there blankly; stunned. "What? You're not………….?" His pale blue eyes suddenly began to glisten with spite and distrust, as he pulled his Buster Sword out of its sheath on his back. "Who are you then?" He ordered coldly, holding the gigantic sword in front of him in an attack position.

"I'm……………. Cloud. Cloud Strife." Cloud answered coolly, hands folded behind his back. "I'm twenty-one years old, and……………." He hesitated, not sure of what else he could say that would make sense to the first class SOLDIER.

"Cloud Strife? Don't give me this shit. I know the real Cloud……………… he's a lowly guard, and looks nothing like you. He happens to be one of my friends. Tell me the truth, dammit, or I'll force you to." Zax threatened, edging the Buster Sword up higher.

Cloud sighed, wishing that his old friend would have believed him. "I am telling the truth. I -am- Cloud Strife……………"

"…………..But he's Cloud from the future." Aeris continued for him, tiny smile on her face.

"From…………. The future? What the hell's wrong with you today Aeris?" Zax asked, staring blankly at her. "This is sounding like some science fiction book now! All I want to know is the -truth-, not some story."

"I am from the future, and so is she, Zax." Cloud answered. "You know Aeris. She wouldn't lie to you…………… to me……………... Sure, she might neglect to say something, but I've never heard her say an outright lie………… well, maybe I've heard a few, but she's a sorry liar anyway, so it's not that big of a deal."

Zax rolled his eyes, and said impatiently, "Okay, let's say you -are- Cloud. How come you look like Seph?"

"……………….I think I better start……………… at Nibelheim……………… tell him…………. Everything. Even things he might not like to hear……….. So he'll believe me………….Right Aeris?" Cloud said quietly, looking at the flower girl in anticipation.

"Yes…………. That would be best." She responded, watching her former boyfriend intently, desperately hoping he would believe them. She had always thought that Zax was understanding, and how he was acting now was upsetting her……………

"From………… Nibelheim? If I remember correctly, that's your hometown……….." Zax said quietly, lowering his Buster Sword.

"Yes……………It was……….before………." Cloud mumbled, not quite sure how to begin his whole story.

"My story…………. Will take place in a year or two, going by what you told me. I was still a guard………." Cloud began. "I was sixteen. ……………."

And so, Cloud began his story, beginning at the decisive mission at Nibelheim…………. And ending with the final battle.

~~

The story took many hours, although Zax only asked a few questions. Cloud omitted a few things that he didn't think he really needed to know……………… replacing Zax from his past with an imaginary SOLDIER named Anton. He also changed Aeris's name…….. Changing it to Alexis. Cloud deemed these changes necessary, fearing Zax would not believe him if he said he had been killed. Zax's only reaction to Sephiroth losing his mind-was that he bent forward somewhat, in deep thought. However, both of them knew that underneath the optimistic exterior, was a complex and intelligent person, one that could hide his true feelings as well as Sephiroth could, if need be.

"Well," Zax said thoughtfully after it was over, arms crossed, Buster Sword long ago put back into its sheath. "You're either telling the truth………………… or one awesome storyteller. Either way…………. I believe you now."

Cloud smiled, relieved. "Thanks for believing me Zax."

"Eh, it's nothing. You know me; I don't stay pissed for long. So, Cloud, how'd you meet my Angel Aeris here?" Zax asked, leaning against the brick wall.

"You introduced me to her…………. A few days before I left to go to Nibelheim." Cloud replied, feeling guilty about lying.

"Oh, I did? Well, I do like showing her off, so I'm not surprised. So……………. You're not sure how you're here, exactly? As Seph?" Zax said casually, taking off one of his gloves to let the air cool it down.

"No idea. I hope I get home soon though, I miss……….. Everyone." Cloud responded quietly. Right beside him, Aeris flinched, guilty gaze appearing on her generally cheerful face.

"What's wrong Aer?" Zax questioned, surprised at her reaction to Cloud's words.

"………Noth………Nothing. Zax……………."

"Yes, my darling angel?"

"Will you please leave?"

"Of course. But………….. You're still loyal to me in the future, right? I don't want Cloud here `messing' with you."

"Zax! I wouldn't do THAT!"

"Heheh………. Just kidding. I better leave anyway, I need to go to the library and research some things for my upcoming SOLDIER test. Well, see ya both later then!" He walked over and gave Aeris a peck on the cheek, and then turned and left the room, slamming the door closed behind him. Cloud and Aeris both heard loud footsteps clumsily hitting the wood floor, so they both knew he was really leaving, and not snooping around outside.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Cloud asked, his tone pleasant, apparently in a good mood. Aeris vacantly stared into his turquoise eyes, she felt sorrow…………..pity, for she knew what she would soon have to say would -definitely- spoil his mood.

"Cloud…………….." She murmured, gazing intently at the floor…………….. Not wanting to see him………….. To see what she had brought onto him. "Cloud………………. You're………….. You can't turn back…………. To your normal self………….." As she finished, tears started to flow out of her emerald eyes, self-hatred burning within her.

"What?" Cloud said softly, no anger or frustration apparent in his tone. "I……………..Have to be Sephiroth……………… forever?"

"………………Yes…… 230;…. You see," Aeris started, voice clear, perfectly calm…………… for once, hiding all of her emotions, to try and hope Cloud to not break down. "That bit of magic that was used…………… to transform you into Sephiroth……………… that's called `Permanent' magic. The kind you can only use once in your entire existence. And………………… I didn't know that at the time…………………"

Cloud's only reaction to it all was that he began to examine himself, not believing it possible that he was going to be -him-. After all, the moment he saw Aeris, he had subconsciously thought she would somehow get him to transform back.

"I'm sorry Cloud………………………" Aeris murmured, no longer able to hide her emotions. "I'm sorry…………. I shouldn't have……….. I'm……………"

"Aeris…………Be quiet. Just……………let me be alone." Cloud told her, voice hollow, empty. "I want………to be alone………"

Aeris briefly nodded, but before she left, she walked up to him, and gazed into his eyes…………… seeing `him'………… Cloud. "Cloud…………… Don't worry, okay? Everything's going to be fine………." She said, attempting to reassure him.

"I'll be……….…. fine. Just please go. I……….. Want to think this over…………. Alone……………" He whispered to her.

"…………..I understand. But………….. Just so you know, the Sephiroth you fought against at the end…………… was the real Sephiroth, not you, so…………… don't think it was you……………" She explained to him, and then slowly started to disappear, leaving Cloud standing there, alone……………

He stared down at himself……………. Feeling sick. He hadn't wanted to upset Aeris………….. He just…………. Felt so……….. Ashamed of himself. She was, after all, looking at her own murderer. How come she hadn't reacted when she saw him? Flinched, frowned………….. Anything. But…………. All she had done was…………….smile.

He had slowly, over his whole journey with AVALANCHE, begun to think of her as an angelic being………… but this changed things. He still admired her………… but in a tainted sort of way.

"Well," He mumbled under his breath, "Now that I know I'm going to be this way forever, at least I know I'll have to take a shower." Though it was dry humor; it was far better than silence…………….

~~

A little while later, the door creaked open…………… and a red haired, very casual Turk, came waltzing in, hands in pockets.

"Well well, if it isn't the great General Sephiroth." He said, and then did a mock salute. "So, what are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Cloud replied irritably, and tapped his foot. "I'm standing!"

Reno chuckled, "Jeez man, you need to chill sometimes. You're way too uptight. Anyway……………. I heard about where you're going tomorrow……………. The mission they assigned you. You wanna know where?"

Cloud glanced at him curiously. "Yes. I do."

Reno smirked, grabbed his rod from his back pocket and twirled it around his finger. "It's a tiny place………. called `Nibelheim.' Have you ever heard of it?" As he saw a glimpse of recognition flash across Cloud's face, he continued. "I guess you do. Anyway, the mission part of it sounds rather easy. All you have to do is kill off some monsters and try to `neutralize'-Shinra's words, not mine-the problem. Sounds like easy pay to me. Any guard could do it." He paused, and his hand went up to his chin, attempting to remember something. "Oh…… yeah…………. Hojo was the one who gave you this one. His signature was at the bottom."

"Hojo? He's behind this one?" Cloud muttered attentively, interested at this piece of information. What if he had planned something to happen from the beginning? Reno nodded, and twirled his rod again. "Where do you get all of this information anyway?"

Reno in reply, began to laugh. "I, as a Turk, know all the computer passwords. I access their files almost everyday, when I don't have anything to do. Why do you want to know?" He asked, suspicious look in his eyes, as he smiled evilly. "Oh…………… I get it. You want to find something out, don't you? Ha! I would have never suspected an uptight general like you to do something behind Shinra's back."

"No, I was curious. That's all. I think I better go now anyway……………… And……………. Thanks for telling me of my mission ahead of time." Cloud said, and stood up straight, and saluted Reno in the same way as he had done a few minutes before. Reno rolled his eyes, and sat down at a table, and immediately fell asleep. Cloud raised his eyebrows, wondering how anyone could fall asleep that easily, but did nothing but start to go upstairs to rest……………..

Even if he did have another one of Sephiroth's memories enter his mind.

After all, he would have to sleep eventually anyway. He figured he would need the restoration of strength………… for appearance. Even if he knew what the mission was about, and where he was going to so he would be able to hide his emotions well then……………. He still had to be presentable.

Cloud desperately hoped everything would go his way, for once in his life………..or rather Sephiroth's.………………

~~