Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Hateful Transformation ❯ Chapter Twelve ( Chapter 12 )

Hateful Transformation

Chapter Twelve

Disclaimer: Most of this stuff, like the characters and towns, belong to Square Enix. The plot (Sort of.) comes from me.

"Why is this place so green?" Young Cloud asked curiously, gazing at the walls of the cave. Tifa and Kuno both shrugged in reply, and turned to Cloud for an answer.

"It's from the amount of Mako in the mountain," Cloud said clearly. "There's obviously a lot here, since the whole cave seems to glow."

Young Cloud and Kuno both nodded, and went back to explore the luminescent cave. Vincent waited for a moment, and then followed. Tifa, however, continued to watch to Cloud. "Is it true, General," She asked meekly. "That Shinra injects Mako into……………………. People's veins?"

Cloud sighed softly, and stared down at the ground. "…………………….Yes. It supposedly raises our strength."

Tifa bit her lip, and then turned her head towards young Cloud. "……………..Oh." She said seconds later. "…………………Do you have……………………..?"

Cloud nodded slowly. "Yes………………….. I do." He mumbled, and stared at his now-crossed arms, his eyes giving off a turquoise light that reflected on his leather jacket. As he noticed it, he vaguely wondered what the guard had meant two days before, about his eyes looking `different'. Unfortunately, though, the guard that had said it, Aurel, was missing, probably to never be found. Anyway, his eyes were far from normal-they seemed catlike almost, besides the obvious fact of their rare color.

"How come……………………… Cloud's eyes are still normal then?" Tifa asked, now watching her teenage friend intently.

Cloud closed his eyes, and sighed deeply. "I promoted him only a day before this mission. He hasn't had the time to have the……………….. Injections."

Tifa flinched slightly, and bit down on her lip. "You mean……………………." She whispered. "Cloud……………………Hasn't been a SOLDIER for long?"

Cloud shook his head a little, and answered coolly, "No."

Tifa glanced up at him, and sighed. "He didn't tell me he had just been promoted……………………… I naturally thought he had been for a little while, at least…………………….."

Cloud shrugged, and then thought of something to restore her cheerfulness. "Even if it takes a little while, becoming a first class SOLDIER is a great honor………………….. A lot of people look up to them when they do make it. Two years is not a long time in the military."

Tifa smiled weakly. "Really? So he did well?" When Cloud nodded, she laughed. "You know, you're right. A lot of guys look up to people like that……………" She stopped, and was silent for a moment. You know," She said faintly. "Cloud really looks up to you."

Cloud winced, and said nothing. He turned in the opposite direction of Tifa, and gazed mindlessly at the green wall.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked quietly, walking up to him, laying her left arm on his shoulder. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Cloud shook his head rapidly. "No, no, I'm okay," He lied, his voice hiding any emotion.

Tifa immediately turned back around, her hands wringing themselves together. "Oh," She said tonelessly. "If you need anything just----"

"Call you, I know, and I will." Cloud said, completing her sentence. Tifa grinned, and though her face seemed stretched with it, it seemed genuine. "Well……………….. We should get going……………….." Cloud said quietly, and began to look for the others. Tifa followed, calling their names out every so often.

The two found Vincent first, and they found young Cloud and Kuno soon after. Young Cloud had found various accessories over his little `exploration', and was showing them off proudly. Among his findings, was a small diamond. Tifa seemed to adore it-and so, young Cloud gave it to her as a `really late birthday present'. Tifa tried not to accept it at first, but young Cloud finally forced her to.

"Thanks Cloud!" She said cheerfully, and put it in a small bag that she was carrying, that held other items she had found from the mountains. "……………….I'll get you something, too," She said thoughtfully. She then began to grin mischievously, and mumbled quietly, "I have a -great- idea………………" Young Cloud simply laughed, and then gestured for her to come. "I think we better go," He whispered to her. "Or else Seph'll get mad." Tifa chuckled insanely. Neither of them thought Cloud had heard.

"Come on," He ordered, pretending he hadn't. Young Cloud and Tifa looked at each other and grinned manically.

Cloud led the way out of the cave, down the main, rather straightforward path. Behind him, in a line, in order, was Tifa, young Cloud, Kuno, and lastly, Vincent, whom hadn't said a word in a long while-even to young Cloud and Kuno, whom he had been watching earlier, as if expecting them to misbehave.

As they walked out, they all spotted the Mako fountain at about the same time. "I miracle of nature…………………." Cloud mumbled under his breath. Vincent's gaze fell on him, and then went back to the fountain.

"What is it…………………………?" Tifa asked, walking warily up to it. "It's………………. it's…………….. So beautiful……………………… 230;……"

"It's a Mako fountain. It's very rare to see one like this……………………….." Cloud answered, following behind her. After him, Vincent and young Cloud went up to it. Kuno paused before finally going up himself-he had an intense fear of it.

"It's a………………….. Mako fountain? But……………………. Won't it dry up because of the reactor?" Tifa said, leaning over the emerald fluid, her reflection staring right back at her.

"If it continues to run, yes, it will eventually disappear." Cloud answered seriously, looking at the Materia at the top that had formed all by itself over the years.

"It'll……………………& #8230;…. Be a shame when……………………. It does…………………….." Tifa whispered, gazing hauntingly at it.

"How come we can use Materia?" Young Cloud asked, walking up to them.

"We……………………." Cloud stopped, then thought back to the Sephiroth from his own past's explanation. "Er………………… Summon the power of the Ancients……………………. And it calls up magic." He said, and continued to watch the fountain.

"Magic……………………. A mysterious power………………………… ." Young Cloud said quietly, to himself. Cloud stared awkwardly at him for a moment, remembering that Zax had said the exact same thing. However, he said nothing, and then walked away from the fountain.

"How much farther?" Young Cloud asked Tifa, glancing at the next cave they would have to go in.

"Not much…………………………& #8230; I think. I've never had to come this way before………………………… ;…. Remember?" She answered; examining the diamond he had given her.

"Well, maybe we should go ahead and go………………………" Kuno said quietly, and blushed as Tifa's gaze fell upon him.

"Yes. I believe we should also." Vincent said, after his long silence. "It seems to already be getting late."

Cloud nodded. "Let's---" He then suddenly stopped. He was about to say one of his most infamous phrases-`Let's mosey', but knew that attract attention from them. "Move out!" He finally finished. Before seeing their reaction, he turned and walked towards the new cave.

~~

"This cave's a lot bigger………………….." Young Cloud said faintly, touching his hand on the wet wall. "A lot more paths too. Who's going to lead?"

"I will, of course," Cloud answered, and then grinned. "If the guide can't lead, I suppose the highest-ranking does………………………… And that would be me. Unless Vincent wants to. I trust his judgment of direction." Cloud twisted around a little, and watched Vincent's reaction. All the former Turk did was shake his head no, and that only a little. "Is that fine with all of you then?"

They all nodded, and waited for him to start moving. He did so, and went down several dead-ends, attempting to act like he had never been here before, so he wouldn't raise their suspicion. To raise their suspicion for what, he wasn't sure, but he knew it would be best if he did small things like that.

Cloud eventually led them out of the cave, and as they emerged from the small exit, they realized it was already night. It was pitch-dark, and they could hardly see the path.

"Maybe we should rest in the cave for the night," Tifa said, whimpering as she watched a snake that was ominously nearing them.

"No, we'll be fine. We're almost to the reactor anyway," Young Cloud assured her, then grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly. "And I'll help you, if you need it," He added with a confident grin.

Cloud didn't say a word as he watched them, and after a complete silence came over the small group, he continued down the narrow path…………………………. .

Towards the reactor.

~~

As they stood at the reactor's entry staircase, Cloud turned towards Kuno.

"Watch the girl," He ordered quietly, into his ear, so only he and Tifa herself could hear.

"What?! Why can't I go in……………………?" Tifa said, placing her arms on her hips. "I deserve to go!"

"Sorry, Teef, but that's the orders from Shinra," Young Cloud answered for Cloud. "There's a lot of things in there that Shinra wouldn't want normal………………………. Civilians to see…………………… That's……………………… the policy." He turned to Cloud, whom nodded. "See?" He added.

"Well, fine, but still………………………" Tifa grumbled, turning around, and then falling flat down on her back, and stared blankly up at the sky. "Well go!" She said with great finality.

Young Cloud turned towards Vincent and Cloud, and then shrugged. "Wanna go then?" He questioned carefully, and went to the bottom stair and turned around to look back at them.

Cloud grinned, and then ran and jumped on the stair before him. "Yes," He answered, then strolled slowly inside. Young Cloud laughed merrily, and ran after him. Vincent, on the other hand, sighed softly and marched on in.

~~

Inside the reactor, they all stood on the small railing that held them up. This was used as an anti-civilian measure. Many people had waltzed right on in without a care-but when they saw the railing they would have to walk on, they usually left right on the spot.

However, this was not the case with Cloud, Vincent, and young Cloud. They all stood calmly, one foot planted on each rail.

Cloud went down first; on the `ladder' of sorts that led down to the humongous `pipe' that went to the core of the reactor. Vincent soon followed, and young Cloud came down last.

~~

Whenever they all had their feet firmly on the titanium pipe, they walked down it, in the same fashion that they had gone down with the ladder.

~~

Before they were able to walk the full length of the pipe, Cloud, suddenly, without warning, tripped, holding the side of his head with both hands, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Leave me alone!" He screeched, still clutching his head. His eyes were closed, and he was whimpering. Vincent and young Cloud both ran up to him, and knelt down on their knees. Neither of them knew what was going on.

Then, as soon as it had come, Cloud became normal again. He stood up slowly, his face away from young Cloud and Vincent. He seemed to look about himself interestingly, doing odd little things that normal people wouldn't do if they fell-such as taking off his gloves---and that was something he was known for not doing.

"Are…………………… 230;. You all right?" Young Cloud asked warily.

Cloud looked up slowly, his bare hands held out in front of him. He gradually turned around, to where he was looking at both of them. He was smirking.

"I'm fine," He answered, and then laughed insanely.

~~