Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Hateful Transformation ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )

Hateful Transformation

Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I think, by this time, you know I don't own FFVII.

"General?"

"Uh……………………. Sephiroth?"

"Ungh……………..?" Cloud sat up, rubbing his eyes. So he -had- fallen asleep. That surprised him…………….. A little.

"So, Sephiroth, are you ready to leave?" Young Cloud Strife asked impatiently, tapping his foot, obviously eager to leave.

"………………Huh? Yeah, whatever…………….." Cloud grumbled sleepily, standing up. He ran a hand through his tangled hair. "But first, I need to clean myself up a little, okay?"

"All you really need to do is comb your hair, right?" Young Cloud said mischievously, half of a smile on his face.

"Well, I kind of wanted to brush my teeth too………………" Cloud muttered curiously, staring blankly at his younger alternate self.

"Well then, here you go," Young Cloud said grinning widely, while tossing a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, and a hairbrush in his direction. Cloud caught them both easily in one hand, and smirked.

"You're excited about this mission, aren't you? It's not like they're going to leave without us. Also…………. We need for two Shinra guards to accompany us. You can pick who." He said, and began to absently brush his hair back, and heading for the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"I'll be waiting outside then," Young Cloud told him, and went in the opposite direction of Cloud, out the two main glass doors.

Cloud opened the bathroom door, and flipped on the light. He brainlessly walked over to the sink, and began to squeeze some toothpaste on the toothbrush. He closed his eyes, and began to brush his teeth.

When he was done going about his mouth, he poured fresh city water into his hands, and drank it slowly. It felt cool and refreshing to his dry throat. He sighed in pleasure, then opened his eyes and looked at the cheap mirror located above the sink.

His reflection no longer bothered him………………… much.

But there was something else that showed itself in the mirror that did.

"Tifa…………………….? " Cloud said softly, staring at the mirror, at her. She was a few feet behind him, judging by what the mirror showed. Her eyes seemed to be full of intense sorrow, and weakness. The area around her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying. Her mouth was moving, but no sound came from behind him. She seemed to be saying, "Cloud, Cloud," though he wasn't sure.

He finally turned around, slowly, but…………………

No one.

"I must be tired…………………" Cloud mumbled, but turned back to the mirror anyway. This time, it was just him.

Rubbing his eyes one last time, he left the building, the Masamune at his side.

~~

Young Cloud was waiting outside, as he said he would be. He was leaning against a cold metal pillar, fiddling mindlessly with his thumbs.

"Ready to go?" Cloud asked, tone and expression serious. He really wasn't in the mood for joking at the moment.

"Yeah! Of course!" Young Cloud said excitedly, his act of boredom gone. He pushed himself off the pillar, and saluted him in a mocking way, smiling.

"Let's go to the barracks then…………………"

~~

The barracks were empty, as all of the Guards were at breakfast. Young Cloud automatically led them both to Mess Hall.

"Will you wait here Seph?" He asked, outside of the large doorway. "I'll go in and find the two people I want to come by myself……………….."

"Go ahead." Cloud said calmly, slightly shocked that he had called him `Seph'.

"I'll be back in a minute then!" Young Cloud said, and started strutting into Mess Hall.

~~

A few minutes, he came back out, followed by two Guards. Cloud wasn't able to see their faces; being as their helmets was covering it completely from view. However, a few seconds later, both removed them, revealing a black haired, crimson eyed fellow, whom looked a little like Vincent. The other was a tall brown hair person, with green eyes. All three were whispering amongst themselves.

The three stopped right in front of Cloud, standing straight, grinning. "Reporting for duty sir!" The two Guards shouted, as they saluted. This finally forced a smile to come out of Cloud's lips, albeit only a small one.

"Shall we go now?" He asked them, knowing their answer.

"Sir yes sir!" They replied, and they immediately dropped the salute, arms falling to their sides with extreme casualness.

"I suppose we're supposed to go to Shinra headquarters, and then to a place of transportation……………………" Cloud muttered, speaking mostly to himself. He absently began to leave the barracks, and to Shinra headquarters, a SOLDIER and two Guards tagging behind him.

~~

Walking carelessly in the gigantic building, Cloud automatically commanded them, "Do whatever you want. Just stay near by."

"Yes sir." The two Guards shouted in unison, and then went to explore some. Young Cloud stayed where he was, head down, thinking.

"Hey, Sephiroth?" He said quietly, obviously planning to ask him something.

"Huh?" Cloud said absentmindedly, examining the Masamune and the Materia within it.

"Why did you make me a SOLDIER? I haven't really done anything heroic……………….." The teenager asked, staring up at his hero.

"I thought you had potential," Cloud replied without a thought. In his subconscious mind, he had predicted that his younger self would eventually question why he was promoted to such a high rank.

"You…………………… 230; think I have potential………………………?" Young Cloud said, grinning pride fully. He stood silently, pondering what else he could say. "Well……………………… Thanks!" He finally managed, then went to talk to the two guards.

Cloud chuckled, and shook his head. After examining his sword for a moment longer, he put it to his side once more, and went to a large plant pot, and sat down on the edge.

~~

Hours later, Cloud felt a familiar presence descending down one of the broad staircases. It was Hojo, hunched over, as usual.

"So you're ready, Sephiroth?" He asked, stressing the letters, making the name sound like `Seephireth'.

"Yes, Professor, everything is ready." He said coolly, pushing himself off of the cement pot. "You three! Come on!" He ordered, and all of them ran up to his side.

"He isn't a SOLDIER." Hojo said coldly, inspecting the teenage Cloud.

"He hasn't had the injections……………………… Yet. I promoted him yesterday. There hasn't been time to stop by…………………." Cloud answered emotionlessly, arms crossed, alert.

"You managed to have time to get his uniform, but you didn't have enough time to get the injections? The most important part to becoming a SOLDIER? Oh…………….. Ha ha……………….. I get it………………….. You don't think he would be able to take it, do you?" The scientist cried, laughing insanely, shoulders shaking.

"Of course I think he could-" Cloud began, but his younger self began to shout……………… for his own sake.

"I can do anything it takes! Anything! You hear me?!" He yelled, his not-quite developed voice edged in extreme fury. "Anything! At all! I'll prove to everyone I'm better than they think I am!" He started to slow down, anger slowly vanishing. "………………….I'll show everyone……………………….." The sixteen year old muttered, with great finality, and hope. He began to look at the ceiling, slight flush appearing on his face from embarrassment.

"Very well…………………. We'll see if what you say is true. Now we better hurry, or the train I arranged for shall leave without you all." Hojo told them, obviously humored by the new SOLDIER's outburst. Without another word exchanged between any of them, Hojo lead the way to the train station.

~~

"This is your ride," Hojo explained, gesturing to a ancient black cargo train. "This is the best we have for cross continent journeys." He said, and laughed. "I believe all of you know about discomfort anyway, so I suppose this won't matter. The total traveling time should take about two or three days, maximum." In reply, all four nodded. Hojo nodded back, and then began to leave the station.

"Darn it…………………" Young Cloud groaned, glaring hatefully at the train.

"What's wrong?" One of the guards asked, before Cloud was able to say anything.

"I get motion sickness………………………" He sighed, and walked in through the small entranceway, shoulders sagging. The guards waited patiently for Cloud to go in before them, but Cloud mouthed `Go in', and they obeyed.

They all sat on wooden crates, being as there was nothing else that could be used as chairs. Teenage Cloud and the two Shinra guards sat on the right, and Cloud begrudgingly sat on the right, not willing to recreate the scene from his journey to Nibelheim.

"So, what are we going to do when we get there?" Young Cloud asked, wishing to get his questions answered before the train began to move.

"Well, it depends what time we get there really. If we get there after……………… let's say five-thirty……………. We'd prepare some, and then get some rest, or, if you want to, explore the town. If we get there in the morning, we'd prepare, go ahead and get the journey to the reactor over with, and then explore the town. It's easy either way really." Cloud answered, tone light, now in a decent mood, mirror incident from the morning pushed back to the farthest part in his mind.

Right after those words escaped his lips, the train lurched forward sluggishly, and, slowly, began to slowly go faster. Young Cloud's expression automatically transformed to a look of extreme nausea, and to try and prevent vomiting, he leaned forward and closed his eyes, and didn't say another word.

Now not expecting any more questions from any of them, Cloud laid down on the crate, and closed his eyes, maybe to rest, as there was nothing else to do over the long monotonous ride.

However………….. Before sleep could overcome him, a cold feminine voice interrupted his thoughts:

"Come save me from this horrible race of failures…………………….. My son."

~~