One Last Story ( part 1)

Note: sorry for the long delay but the story vanished from sight. I'm glad to see its back.















Chapter 11







Zack felt as if he is floating while surrounded by a gentle light.  It holds him like a mother does her baby.  He can see some people inside the light with him.  One is the real Aerith and another Zack?   No, this is The real Zack who smiles rather amused at his clone.



Real Zack, “ I am so damn handsome, it kills me! “



Aerith, “ Zack, I worry your ego might make you float away. “



Zack, “ If you are Zack then..  what or who am I?”



Aerith, “ You are whoever you want to be.  Hojo thinks he gave you life.   Someday, his arrogance is his own undoing.  “



Zack feels depressed, “ What am I?  Just a copy? “



Real Zack, “ Didn’t you like being Zack? “



Zack has to smile a little, “ Actually, its a blast. “ 



Real Zack, “ Hojo didn’t program you with all you know.   Don’t you remember?  The memories that came to you? “



The clone nods, “ Yeah, I felt more and more complete.  So, you really don’t mind me pretending to be you?“



Real Zack only shrugs, “ I don’t mind.  Its like having a Twin!   Well, you will never be as awesome as I am but at least you have my handsome face!” Aerith rolls her eyes, “ I have a favor to ask.  Can you take care of my parents?  I wish...  well, I wish I could been there myself but I have my own job here. “



The clone Zack laughs some, feeling little better again, “ Wow do we have an ego?   Yeah, I promise, when this is all over, I’ll take good care of them.  “



Aerith, “ Its time to go back. You still have a job to do.  “



With that they lay their hands upon him.  The light gets so bright its blinding.  Then the warmth goes away.  He is back in the water again, pulling himself out.  The cavern is empty except for a black smudge next to him. Outside is also deserted. Only the signs of a huge battle show that anyone was there at all.



Zack knows they left without him, “ Great...  now I have to walk.  “  



---



Cid hates running.  Not that he has much much choice, rushing back to the airship.  Cloud is in shock, Zack is dead, and Fianna might be in the hands of a sick pervert.  Not one of his best days.     Being the Chief, its his job to keep things together. 



Cid upon his arrival on the bridge, “ I need those monsters tracked! “ Briefly distracted by Cloud pacing to the side, Cid for a moment feels a bit of pity for him.  He has no idea how it went down.  



Crewman, “  The group is heading southward...  toward the ocean. “



Cloud, “ ...  Maybe we can stop them.   Only place left is the bone village...  “  



Cid, “ Fuck the diggers will be killed! “ Knows there will be people this time of year.



Now racing the best they can ahead of the mob of monsters, they are lucky enough to arrive first but not by much.  Not going to be enough time to clear them.   Cloud still in a haze of guilt.  Cid decides someone still needs to give orders and might as well be him, “ Vincent, have them  get into some shelter and guard the entrance.  You can at least snipe and swipe or whatever makes you happy.  “  pointing at the lower shelter that looks the most stable.   “ Cloud, are you up to helping? “  gets no response, “ Cloud! “  



Cloud seems to snap back to reality, “ Oh yeah, whatever. “



Cid just doesn’t have the time to baby anyone with people’s lives in danger, “ Need me to send your ass back to the fuckin airship?  Cause I have a job to do here. “



Cloud gets a little angry, which is what Cid hoped for, “ I’m fine.  Just tell me where you need me to go. “



Cid, “ We’re going to stand at the entrance of the woods.  If they do come here, they’ll have to pour through that point. “  



The diggers go into hiding with Vincent guarding their position.  Either way, if the majority of the monsters come this way, its going to get ugly.  For a few minutes nothing seems to happen. Then sound of rumble that gets closer.   The monsters start to come through the entrance of the dig as if they were pouring through like water. It’s enough to keep both men busy.   Vincent shoots from his position. Not all of the monsters seem interested in the people. They are the ones who seem to go around the site.  



Cid swinging his spear, crashing monsters into each other.  He looks out the corner of his eye to see Cloud is not doing as well.  As if his heart isn’t even in the fight.  The younger man falls over the edge to the next level, some of the monsters following him down for they can smell his blood.   Cloud, bleeding from minor wounds, tries to slice at them.  The circle around him is too small for Cid to easily jump next to his friend.   A Monster’s  bites into Cid’s leg reminds him that he is not exactly in a safe place either.   For a moment, the monsters ease around Cloud with the skilled shot of Vincent’s gun, it buys Cloud a few seconds.   Cid can only think the kid is going to die...  die infront of him.  Like hell he is going to let that happen!



Cid drops down ontop of Cloud, who is still trying to fight and rather pathetically so.  The pilot, too busy now  with the monsters around them, to care if Cloud is comfortable being stood on.  Lets the anger just sweep through him, shoving the fear off.  How dare these things try to hurt someone he cares for!  The adrenaline pumping through he blood, Cid finally makes  some headway. The monsters not killed lose interest and rejoin the others in their migration towards the ocean.  Cid finally lets Cloud up as he had the blond pinned on the ground during the last part of the battle.



Cloud yells, “ You almost broke my neck! “  



Cid whirls on his friend, the rage over this, the fear for what could of happened,  he was truly scary right now, “ Get your fucking ass back to the airship now! “  



Cloud goes pale and mute, never seen Cid this angry before and he backs away.  Almost afraid to turn his back to Cid.  The pilot, who is a mess from his blood and the blood of monsters, can only stand there panting.  Not till Cloud is gone, does the anger leave his body which starts to shake from exhaustion.  His leg finally gives out and he crumbles to the ground.  Vincent’s arm catches him before he falls too far.



Vincent clearly worried, “ Cid! “  



Cid looks over to his friend, “ Minor injuries.  Just tired.  “



Vincent’s voice soft and soothing, “ The men are safe.  We can rest now. “ 



Cid, “ Better be! Fuck, I really need a beer. “  Letting Vincent help him back to the airship.



----



While Cid is left with an attending crew member, Vincent goes to check on Cloud.  The younger man is in one of the bunk rooms, attending his own wounds.  Cloud got away lucky with only some bites and scraps.  It is not surprisingly.   Vincent doesn’t ask permission, proceeds to help Cloud with the bandages.



Cloud protests a little, “ I’m fine. “



Vincent ignores his protest, “ Hmmm...  “  He has a way of ignoring Cloud when it suits him.



Cloud wisely decides to give up and let Vincent do his thing, “ Thanks. “  



Cloud is quiet while Vincent finishes with cleaning the lighter wounds with disinfectant and only winces a little at the sting.  Clearly the blond is lost in unpleasant thoughts.  The last time guilt racked Cloud this bad, Aerith just died.  



Cloud finally speaks, “ Cid hates me now. “



Vincent, “ No.  You scared  simply scared him.  “



Cloud, a little surprised, “ I scared him? “  



Vincent grips Cloud’s arm, “ Cloud, you scared us both.  What happened in the city?  “



Something inside Cloud finally seems to break, “ I killed him!  I stabbed Zack in the back!  “  That is when he finally began to weep. Tears that wanted to run back then flow freely. Pain that he usually can’t express gushing from his chest. Vincent doesn’t interrupt it.



So Cloud tells him all.  About Aerith’s visits and what she told him.  How he thought she was so real.  Zack tried to save him and how he had to choose between the two.  He didn’t mean to strike that hard, that deep.  The blade seem to almost fly from his grip. Cloud, “ It wasn’t even Aerith,   but something Legion created. “



Vincent, “ Yes, you did screw up but you are not entirely at fault.  Legion  can make people do terrible. things.  Do you think Zack wants you to be killed so pointlessly?  Need to focus on the real person who did this to him.  “



Cloud sighs with that expression saying he is having trouble accepting some of what Vincent said.  Vincent knows, he would if their places were switched, but they aren’t and he needs Cloud to not give up.



Vincent, “ I heard that the monsters are throwing themselves into the ocean.  Its some cruel joke.  I doubt most of them will survive it. “



Cloud closes his eyes, “ Legion’s a cruel bastard.  We don’t even know where to look now. “ 



Vincent, “ You should rest.  Perhaps something will come up. “



Vincent leaves Cloud alone for now.  Goes to check on Cid before making his report to Reeve.   The medical bay is very quiet.  Cid is sleeping peacefully inside, a well deserved rest after pushing himself too hard.  Despite his skills, Vincent is reminded that the pilot is still a normal man.  Then the Ex-turk feels the hairs on the back of his neck prickle; hearing the echo of snide chuckling.  

 

Hojo, on the other side of the room, standing in that superior the thou manner of his , “ Amusing....  could have been used for better purposes then an airship medical room.  “



Vincent isn’t certain if Hojo is real or not.   His first impulse is to shoot him.   Yet, Hojo is in some ways, reasonable for Legion.   There maybe a way to find legion still. Vincent, “ I was unaware you were visiting. “



Hojo, “ I hear  project Delta is giving you problems.  “  Smirks proudly  “  Am I right? “

  

Vincent, “ I need to find him.  He might have Fianna. “



Hojo, “ Might? “  Something about that almost makes Hojo giddy.  “  IT would be s shame if I couldn’t be there.  Ah!  You want me to give you a hint? “



Cid stirs a little in his sleep.



Vincent cool but polite, “  If you can humor us with one. “



Hojo, “ Very well, Delta or you call Legion, likes the nostalgic feels of others’ memories.  He will eventually head for the place so many stories began and ended.  A place close to Cloud’s heart.  “



Vincent doesn’t wish to wake Cid but his patience is fading rapidly, “ Please, stop with the damn riddles. “ 



Hojo, “ Not in the mood to play? “  Walks over and looks Cid over.  If only he knew how close Vincent is to shooting him, real or not, “ Nibelhiem. “ And then  Hojo is gone again.  That's if Hojo was even here in the first place.  Perhaps he is losing what's left of his mind.  Sanity might be a little over rated these days.   At least they have some location to consider.  







TBC







Note 2: Next chapter I actually do have some form of torture. Its rather an interesting mind fuck.