Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Revival of the Departed ❯ Chapter 2

Title: Revival of the Departed

Author: J'dee

Series: Final Fantasy VII - this part based after Dirge of Cerberus

Rating: Mature - NC-17

Pairs: Jenova X Zack (soooo don't like this pairing)

Story: Zack survived thanks to Hojo, but after Hojo's death he left Zack floating in a tank infested with Jenova cells for three years in hopes of creating a new son for Jenova… Will Zack succumb to Jenova? Will Cloud try to redeem his personal guilt of Zack's death by trying to save him this time around?

Disclaimer: Make no money yadda yadda yadda, not my characters ect ect

 

 

Chapter Two

 

Cloud's instructions were to go to the northern end of the hall. Elena had been stern and thorough telling what was required of him and where to go. She had informed him it could have been just a Zack clone and they were trying to do tests to confirm it. He was not to get excited, and he was not to use Zack's name in the presence of the supposed clone.

“Northern end of the hall.”  Cloud repeated to himself walking down the hall.

 

Tifa had been instructed to wait with Elena in the car. It had taken some convincing, but considering Tifa's last works to Zack was hating on ShinRA and SOLDIER it was decided Zack probably wouldn't be able to deal with her just yet.

 

Cloud had stood in the lift with a blonde haired Turk, they had exchanged words. Cloud was annoyed at the blonde for trying to start up a conversation, but he said something familiar to Cloud about getting stronger for someone he cared about it was why he was in the Turks… To Cloud that was no excuse, but he wasn't going to interfere in their lives if they left his alone.

The deal though was Cissnei would greet Cloud at the northern end of the hall she would get him through that security clearance. He would meet up with Rude who would take him east bound down the following hallway. At the end would be a large ShinRA security door where Tseng would wait for him, then let him inside to see Zack. He had been informed Zack had not been removed from the tank or unshackled. He was also deemed to dangerous to approach. So Cloud was called a familiar face to let him out. He was the muscle hired to protect them from Zack.

“He's going to be mad.” Cloud muttered.

Cissnei pushed herself up off the wall and she looked at Cloud. “He's not the same as he was.” She looked saddened.

“Tell me what do you know?” Cloud looked at the red brown haired female Turk.

She looked down as she walked. “You both spent four years in Hojo's lab in Mako tanks and had Jenova infused in to your system making you both exceptional fighters… Add three years inside a tank of purely Jenova cells, with mako infused in your system. Hojo's notes… they say he was trying to turn Zack in to Jenova's son.”

 

Cloud spun on her grabbing her suddenly slamming her against the wall. “And he's still in there?! Then why the hell haven't you let him out?!”

“We can't he won't let us!” Cissnei gasped startled by Cloud's sudden anger.

Cloud let go. “He… won't… let you.” He was confused.

“We want to let him out Tseng wants him out of there as soon as possible, but he won't let me or Tseng near him. Only Reno managed to touch the tank and even then he's claiming Zack glared at him. We had to move him without touching the tank.” She sighed. “He looks like Zack but…”

“But.” Cloud looked at her.

She turned round walking down the hall. “We think Jenova won. He needs you Cloud. Whether it's a clone or not he should know you either way.”

“You know as well as I do clones or copies shouldn't have those memories.”

“Lazard was turned in to an Angeal copy he spoke with Zack. Zack left a note behind for Tseng telling him that though he was essentially Lazard. He had Angeal's dreams, wishes, feelings run by a need to help Zack.” Cissnei explained. “Zack thought it would help Tseng in the end even though he was running from us. So that's why we need you. He died protecting you. You were the last living person he saw before he died.” She kept her head low as she walked and swiped her card.

Cloud watched the door open and he saw Rude waiting for them.

“He's here.” Cissnei stated.

“Of course…” Rude stepped to the side and Cloud walked through the doors looking back at Cissnei.

“Tell Zack I let his mother know he was okay… I couldn't tell her he…” She trailed off and looked to the side sadly. “She thinks he went missing on a mission.”

 

Cloud blinked as the door swished shut leaving her on the other side. He turned round looking at the long white hallway; it was empty devoid of anything.

“Is it true…” Cloud began. “That Zack won't let anyone near him?”

Rude was silent for a few seconds contemplating the question. “Yes. He apparently has Materia somewhere in the tank and he activates it. We can't find them though.”

Cloud nodded his head slowly.

 

All these years, haunted by guilt of not being able to save him were filled with a new guilt. A guilt that he could have saved him from this by at least staying by Zack's side and burying him. Instead of walking off in a Mako infected daze.

 

Rude stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to a wall where there was no door. He held his card up there was a quick flickering a flash of a red light scanning the card before the wall opened up.

Cloud blinked. “That's a bit extreme.”

“It's Zack.” Came the statement.

 

Cloud looked up seeing Tseng standing there. “Though we were enemies in the end he was still a good SOLDIER. He earned my respect.”

Cloud nodded his head. “He was the best.” He dared Tseng to state anything else with his look Tseng just nodded.

“He was loyal to the SOLDIER name to the end.” Tseng stated stepping aside.

Cloud walked in to the area and the door shut leaving Rude out in the hallway.

“Follow me one more set of doors.”

Cloud followed he watched as there was a card, hand, and eye scan before the doors opened.

 

The room was pitch black, a single chair in the blackness. “Stop that.” Tseng scolded the dark room like it was a child. “We brought Cloud.”

There was a faint glow of green and Tseng nodded. “I'm not going any further. You talk to him, see if he won't get out of there. It must be one hell of a dream if he wants to stay in there.”

 

A dream?

 

“Remember don't say his name.” Cloud watched Tseng leave the door shutting after him. Cloud turned round and he jumped there was no faint glow anymore, there was what looked like a Mako tank sitting in the middle of the room the single chair sitting at its base.

Walking up to the tank Cloud stopped keeping the chair between himself and the tank. He looked up Zack was floating there, hands and feet shackled, large white wings protruding from his back. His face softened at the sight.

Swallowing Cloud pulled the chair back. “I wanted to see you again. I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I tried to live for the both of us… it's not that easy. People expect so much from you… yet it's like they don't expect anything at the same time.” He slipped in to the chair sitting there looking at his mentor and friend. “Why won't you let them take you out of there?”

 

Silence greeted his question; Cloud moved his hand to the tank touching it slightly. Kadaj had been some kind of vessel for Sephiroth. Cloud hoped against hope that Zack clone or not wouldn't suffer that same fate.

“Please… Zack.” He whispered.

 

Eyes shot open and Cloud fell over backwards rolling back and on to his feet he looked back. The warm blue eyes were gone. Pupil-less purple eyes glared at him, like they didn't even know who he was.

“Zack… It's me.” He spoke. “Cloud.”

Cloud watched his body as it began to thrash wildly. “ZACK!” he ran up to the tank his hand thumping the button on the bottom to open the tank. “Open let him out!” He drew the sword ready to cut down the machine.

 

A flash of light slammed Cloud back in to the wall, he heard the sparking sound and he looked up Zack was thrashing pulling at the chains.

 

“CLOUD! RUN!”

 

Zack's words to him, struck him hard those words he remembered Zack shouting them. Before diving over him sheltering him from the sniper, pulling Cloud's Mako poisoned body amongst the rocks off the cliff face looking over Midgar.

Cloud's head spun, he was sure he was stunned or something similar, his hand moved to the back of his head touching it gingerly. He looked at Zack waiting for the daze to leave. He would save him this time round he would succeed.

 

~*~*~*~

 

“Zack… it's me. Cloud.” The voice was clear, it sounded hurt, pained.

 

Cloud…

 

“Shhhhh…” Hands moved over his body in a slow tormenting caress.

He thrashed trying to pull away from them. “Come back to me Zack, or would you like him to take your place?”

No! He thought panicked and he let out a cry. “CLOUD! RUN!” He tried to pull away again thrashing against the shackles.

Jenova would not get to those he cared about. Cloud. Cissnei. Tseng. He wouldn't allow her to torture them like she had him. But she was settled so deep in to his mind fighting her was becoming harder and harder by the moment.

“He can't save you… you're mine…” She hissed.

 

There was a flash of something and he heard Cloud grunt in pain as he hit something.

Zack gasped as hands moved in to the depths of his trousers. She enticed his neither regions with direct hand contact in swift strokes. It caused him to react willingly in to full hardness.

“S-Stop…”

“Zack!” He felt something shake like Cloud was pounding on some kind of Mbarrier, the vibrations shook where he hung.

“He can become your new brother…”

“NO!” Zack pulled at what was restraining his wrists.

Her hand firmly grasping him, it caused him to gasp. He felt tremors move through his body as her strokes became demanding as if she gripped a part of him that she could use to control the rest of his body.

“Don't deny me, my son… I know you care for him, his well being, what better way to make sure he doesn't stray again.” She purred in to his ears.

“Zack!” The barrier prevented Cloud from reaching him. “Fight it Zack fight it!”

 

Jenova was imbedded so deep in. It was like she was a part of him as much as an internal organ. He felt she was more like a cancer attached to that needed organ though. Infection so bad even surgery wouldn't remove her.

“Cloud… please…” Zack's voice was desperate. “Save yourself.”

“NO! Zack not again I'm not loosing you again!”

Zack felt the sting between his legs, his back arched at the pull as if he was being drawn in to a soft feminine body. He sucked in a breath, thighs wrapping around his waist.

“Hnnn… no…” He kept his eyes squeezed shut as the mental body of Jenova continued to violate his physical one.

“Shhhh.” He felt a finger touch his lips.

Zack let his head drop as he felt lips by his ear working down his neck as the unseen entity took his body over riding him into an unwilling passion.

“ZACK!!”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Cloud banged on the glass the tube just shook. “Zack!” he shouted.

Once again those purple eyes glared at him and he heard Zack's voice.

“NO!” Zack struggled in those chains shaking. It tore at him to witness him suffering. He'd had enough suffering they both had.

“Zack! Fight it Zack fight it!” Cloud shouted he pounded on the glass desperate to break through he hit every button on the bottom desperate to free his friend from what ever torment he was suffering but nothing freed him.

“Cloud… please…” Zack's voice was desperate. “Save yourself.”

“NO! Zack not again I'm not loosing you again!” Cloud placed his gloved hand on the glass watching as Zack fought what ever it was but he wasn't winning. He was loosing badly. Cloud blushed stepping back. The way Zack's body moved it was like something was taking his body by force.

`Rape… Gaia… Please don't let her be-' Cloud thought watching Zack's back arch.

“Hnn… no…” Zack groaned.

It wasn't a physical rape but a mental one yet she made his body react like it was physical. `That sick… bitch…'

Zack's head dropped defeated his body jerking with spasm's of sexual nature.

“ZACK!” Cloud slammed his hands against the glass. “ZACK! ZACK! ZACK!” He drew his sword out and ramming it in to the glass tube.

 

Then came the crack of the glass and Cloud pulled his sword back stepping back. Zack's eyes opened slowly. Mako blue eyes looked dazed, before those eyes met his own.

`Did I stop her?' He thought.

“Cloud…” Zack spoke softly. There was a hint of a smile, defeated but still a smile. He'd take that smile.

The glass shattered, the contents of the container splashing out on to the floor. Zack winced in pain like something had hit him.
Cloud pulled a smaller blade out of the larger one and sliced Zack's chains off in two swift strikes. Zack slumped and Cloud caught him as he fell forward.

“Easy I got you.” He snapped the blade back in to place flinging it back in to its low sheath. Zack was free, at a cost but free. He helped Zack away from the tube slipping an arm round his shoulder. “Tseng! Some help here!”

 

~*~*~*~

 

There was the sound of something cracking and he fought the dazed world of darkness. Eyes flittering open, he saw the glass in front of him cracked.

Cloud stood there blade in hand looking him in the eyes.

“Cloud…”

The glass shattered the liquid falling to the floor. Zack could hear Jenova screaming in his ear. The scream caused him to wince in pain. The high pitched screech was like a banshee going off in his head.

Cloud took a step forward walking through the liquid that contained her essence. He pulled the blade apart using a smaller one making two swift cuts and Zack fell forward right in to Cloud's arms his head dropping to Cloud's shoulder.

“Easy I got you.” Cloud snapped the blades back together sheathing the blade in to its case. He grabbed one of Zack's arms slipping it round his shoulder. He turned to the door shouting. “Tseng! Some help here!”

 

Zack looked up dazed as the door swished open and he blinked looking at Tseng. The Turk had his hair out and it was slicked back.

“Tseng…”

Tseng walked up to him. “Zack.” He spoke cautiously.

“Jenova… she… was threatening your lives, I couldn't… let you… near.”

“Understood.” He turned to Cloud. “Follow me we'll get a stretcher and take him to the medical bay. She could still be in there… somewhere.”

Cloud nodded and he looked at Zack. Zack managed a smile. “You got stronger spiky.”

“Your memory helped me.”

Zack's eyes closed. “We'll catch up… when I have the energy.”

“That's fine.” He heard Cloud shift him and he felt Tseng on the other side helping Cloud move him. “Tseng. About Tifa.”

“We'll have Elena escort her in and meet outside the Medical bay…” Tseng paused. “We did really want that tank in one piece though.”

“Trust me… you don't… Jenova and Sephiroth their spirits… were strong in there.” Zack sighed. “More than just a memory…”

He was sure he head Cloud suck in a breath.

Tseng's voice was calm and reassuring. “Hold on Zack we'll get you fixed up.”

“Hojo… he isn't coming back… is he?”

“He'd be stupid to even try.” Cloud mumbled.

Zack nodded his head slowly letting the world of unconsciousness take him over, he'd spent too long fighting `mother' and `big brother' in that world he just wanted rest.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Cloud stood outside the room of the medical bay leaning against the wall. He looked up as Tifa jogged up the hall.

“Cloud. Is he-?” She began.

“Alive… he's alive and for the past three years it seems like he's been fighting Jenova's infection of his body…”

 

Tifa looked in to the room at Zack lying unconscious in the bed Cissnei by his bed holding his hand. “Is it safe for him to remain here?” She asked.

“Are you questioning our medical facilities?” They looked over at Rufus walking down the hall towards them.

Tifa raised a brow at him. “Why didn't you get him out, why didn't you prevent this from happening?”

“Like you we thought he was dead. It seems Hojo wouldn't let him die.” Rufus handed Cloud some papers. “When he's well we want you to watch over him, if Jenova awakens inside him while he's here. The damage she could cause…” He trailed off.

“I'm not killing him.” Cloud stated.

“I'm not saying that. Jenova, Sephiroth both hate ShinRA and I can imagine Zack isn't too fond of most of us either… to keep him as Zack, he needs to be away from us.” Rufus looked in to the room. “With people he trusts.”

Tifa nodded. “We can do that.”

Cloud looked at Tseng down the hall. Rufus nodded. “Good when he's well enough to move we'll grab some samples and he's free to go.”

 

Cloud watched the president walk off, he turned back to Tseng as he approached and he placed a box in Cloud's hands. “These are letters… Eighty-eight of them. From Aerith.”

Cloud gasped and looked at the box. He caught Tifa's concerned look in his direction.

“She wrote them to Zack while you both were trapped in the Mako tanks she didn't know where to send them. I was watching over her so in the end I got a hold of them… he doesn't know about Aerith Cloud…” Tseng explained. “It's going to hurt him finding out she died, we don't think its safe telling him.”

“So you want him left in the dark? I can't do that to him.” Cloud shook his head. “I won't keep him in the dark.”

“We don't expect you to, best to hear from your mouth, the mouth of the one who defeated Sephiroth. If Jenova uses Zack as a vessel for Sephiroth's revival… she'll think twice if you're around.” Tseng stated. “He's safe with you.”

“Safe with me…” Cloud repeated.

“We'll make sure he's alright.” Tifa looked at Tseng. “He's in good hands.”

Tseng nodded. “I know he is.”

 

 

To Be Continued…