Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The propeller’s swatting of air trapped the SOLDIER’s enhanced hearing to the range of the helipad. Soon he would be in the air and dropped at the coordinates sent by the P0s. Soon he’d exterminate every citizen on the island to make way for Shinra’s construction team and begin development of a new reactor. Soon… he'd enter his first mission, unbeknownst to the public that believed him to already be a hero with hundreds of easily won battles under his belt.

This was real. He was not permitted a single mistake.

A lone cadet entered the cabin as the co-pilot followed closely behind with panicked breath. Clearly this small departure delay worried the co-pilot with future reprimands, rushing into the front and yelling a small command to close the door and strap in now. 

The cadet seemed less worried, but worried nonetheless, following the command swiftly and taking his seat against the far side of the craft. 

The SOLDIER couldn't help the small crease of his brow in confusion. His orders were to arrive on Rhadore alone. 

As if the cadet knew what he was thinking, the cadet shrugged, pointing up and shaking his head. 

Ah. A decision from the higher ups then. It was possible. Somewhat. The soldier turned to the window, his snake-like eyes containing the cadet in his periphery, his left hand itching at the ready for his blade. 

His first mission hadn't begun and already he sensed a threat. An uneasiness. Why wasn’t he informed? Was this how normal missions were? Sudden changes at the last second before lift off? Maybe he was just overthinking the small inconvenience, but he was desperate to do this right.

Considering the coordinates were barely in the airwaves for a second. The team that sent the signal was most likely in danger. Not a single other reason justified the sudden cut off. His arrival was necessary both for protection and for experience in true combat. 

The soldier stayed hidden in his thoughts, occasionally sparing a glance at the cadet next to him. Mainly his gaze scanned the landscape, the real one before him. The real world. No simulations. No projections. It was nearly the same, but the imperfection and limitless sky could never be copied by a few camera tricks. 

Soon the lands shifted from mountainous and dry plains to the deep blue ocean reflecting the sky. 

The cadet at his side unstrapped while they were still in the air, the clicks instantly drawing his reptilian gaze. But once the cadet stood, the helmet turned to him before shaking side to side, a hand raised ever so slightly as a silent request to remain in his seat. 

Something was off, but he could not act unless he was certain. 

The cadet walked into the cockpit, asking general updates about their arrival time, their distance from Midgar, how the helicopter is operating, if autopilot was active or even possible in such a craft. Then both pilots were swiftly knocked unconscious by the cadet’s quick elbows. The soldier shot to his feet and launched at the traitorous cadet. 

But the cadet expected that, he must have. 

A wide blade suddenly appeared in the traitor’s hand and met the Shinra branded katana. The silver haired hero chose to lock their blades in a cross, allowing neither to move in such a confined vehicle. He foolishly believed he could release one hand and take the attacker down with materia, but the strength he required when the faux cadet leaned into their blades forced his entire grip. Both of them struggled as the attacker released one hand and allowed the remaining grip to shake. In a swift movement, the thick blade became two and the soldier was sent stumbling back. 

While the boy regained his balance, the traitor disconnected any communication with HeadQuarters and grabbed hold of the controls, turning the craft away from the sea. But once he was back on his feet, the traitor turned back to him, and for a moment all they attempted was reading each other.

It finally hit the golden child, realization hidden under a stone facade. This wasn’t a traitor before him; it was a spy. A spy he failed to identify before hijacking the craft. His first mission hadn’t begun and he already failed. Shinra needed him. The P0s at Rhadore needed him. But here, in a vehicle he did not know how to operate, two men were going to die for his failure, and though he could jump and risk damage from the water below, he didn’t know if he would make it to shore before he drowned.

This spy was going to kill him either way.

“Whatever you’re thinking, you’re not right,” came the first words this fake cadet spoke since they entered.

The soldier only hardened under the assumption. 

“I’m trying to help you, Sephiroth.”

Confusion shattered Sephiroth’s expression. 

The spy moved one of the unconscious bodies and took control of the craft completely, throwing the basic troop helmet to the side. “It’s impossible to see in that thing…” An annoyed mutter hit the air. Now with the full countenance visible, the sorrow this traitor felt for the pilots was obvious. The spy was probably only a couple years older than he was. 

“How?”

There was a pause before mako blue eyes turned to meet the boy. “By getting you out of Shinra. And if all goes well, keeping them away from you.”

Sephiroth steeled once more and held his blade to the side of the spiky blond’s throat. Unlike before, the spy did not retaliate. “Why me?”

Another deep pause, eyes trained on the sky in front of them. “...Do you really want what Shinra has planned for you?”

“It is my duty.” The blade pierced a single drop of blood, crimson slowly trailing the pale neck, but the blond didn’t move.

“Do you want to be a hero?”

The teen’s breath caught in his throat, the page in his pocket suddenly burning and an ache in his heart begging for his answer to this stranger to be true. “I…”

The pilot waited, forcing silence over the rapid strumming of propellers. 

Sephiroth removed his blade as his eyes fell. “...Who are you?”

“I’m Cloud.” There was no hesitation. “And if you trust me, here’s the plan.”

The soldier stood at attention. 

“I’m gonna get us back to the mainland.”

“The P0s-”

“Are not likely to survive without your aid, I know. But trust me when I say saving your life will save so many more. And if those P0s play their cards right, they’ll be fine. In trouble at HQ but fine.”

Sephiroth didn’t understand what Cloud meant.

“Once the beach is in sight, I’m going to get us as low as I can. Then I’m going to activate autopilot and we’re going to jump.”

If they were high enough, the autopilot should prevent the two unconscious pilots from dying in a crash. They might even have enough fuel for them to wake up and at least crash without casualties. All they needed to do was land on the sand, and they’d… The golden child stepped back. Shinra… He’d be running away from Shinra, from his duty, from everything he knew.

From his training. From his president. From the people that believed him to be a hero through Shinra’s lies.

From his life.

From Hojo.

For now, he’d take his chances. If he decided to change his mind, he’d claim he was captured by the enemy, and that the security department failed. Not him. Would that work? How would he even-?

He didn’t know how much time had passed when Cloud grabbed his arm softly. 

“We’re here. We have to jump. Are you ready?”

The golden child didn’t answer, swiftly opening the side door and jumping without another thought.

Cloud was stunned for only a moment before running back to the cockpit, activating autopilot, and retrieving his helmet before he followed. As they fell, white doves flew through the air, and the purity of those feathers landed at Sephiroth’s perfectly safe target in the sand, small rings formed from the miniscule manipulation of energy to land without a scratch. 

They both waited until the helicopter disappeared over the land before speaking. 

“What now?” The teen demanded.

Cloud looked him over and then himself. “First, we need to trade uniforms.”

Sephiroth was too recognizable. Dressing as a cadet would certainly deter any onlookers, and they were roughly the same height. If anything, they were roughly the same age as well. However, Sephiroth grimaced as he scanned over the uniform he was never forced to try.

“What’s wrong?”

“...do I have to wear the helmet?”

“Yes, Sephiroth.” 

The small pout in response surprised Cloud, but he tried- and failed- not to show it.

“We don’t need to trade everything but we should at least change shirts and armor.”

Sephiroth sighed. It made sense. Too much sense. He just…wasn’t expecting it. “...Very well. Agreed.”

He hoped he made the right choice. For now, he had the option to go back, to turn in this cadet as an enemy of Shinra. But to have even the chance to live a life other than Shinra’s control would be a waste to throw away without attempting, even if it was with this blond stranger.

Chapter Text

The blond donned the iconic black coat and silver pauldrons while the golden child blended in with every Shinra Security recruit at the company, with the exception of his black pants and armored boots. Once settled, Cloud looked over the katana at the Silver Soldier's back. At first glance, it seemed acceptable. The red sash at the hilt was certainly fine. The blade itself was unassuming. But the hilt guard…

It was Shinra's logo, the symbol on every device developed by the dreaded company. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that simple detail was another way to brand the boy. It was a dead giveaway of who they were to any passerby daring to look close. A symbol of death and governing the planet until the very last Gil bled from its wounds. 

“What is it?” Sephiroth questioned without emotion. A teenage warrior. A child, glancing between the sword and the look on the other teen's face. 

“...We have to get rid of your sword,” the answer came hesitantly. Mako blue eyes met through the helmet. 

“My blade isn't known to the public.”

“It has Shinra's logo. We can't risk someone spotting and reporting it as a stolen weapon.”

“Who would spot it?” 

“Well, we need to go through the Southern Mountains before we have a chance of being safe. Junon's always an issue to get through…”

There was a pause as the boy looked away. “We have some time. What's the plan?”

Cloud nodded, but he couldn’t shake his concern of the weapon. “We should bury that sword first.” Sephiroth's expression of confusion went unnoticed as the blond removed one of the many blades that built his sword. “Here. This one should be your size.”

The silver haired boy scanned him and his sword again, trying to count the slits that symbolized a new blade.

“Five,” Cloud answered as if reading his mind. “My sword is made of five smaller swords.”

Sephiroth's cat-like eyes widened. 

“It's more practical than you think.” Cloud gripped the flat end of the blade and held the hilt toward the soldier. “You never know when a second blade will be useful. Trust me.”

He hesitantly grabbed the offered handle, testing the balance of the blade with a few quick swings.

“Think you can get used to it?”

“Of course,” came his instant response as he continued to adjust to the new tool. A trained response. As if any other answer was simply unacceptable.

Cloud gave a soft hum and a nod, but nothing more as he began digging a channel in the sand. “We need to get to Western Continent. I have a friend there that can help us. Right now, that’s the plan.”

“You said ‘can’. Not ‘will’.” Sephiroth caught the precautious choice of words immediately.

The blond cringed, scooping slowly as he explained. “Well…he will help when he understands what's going on. He's one of the few people on the Planet that would help without wanting anything in return.”

“I don't understand.”

He sighed. “...he feels guilty about what happened to you.”

He stared hard, pressing for more information. 

“Shinra. SOLDIER. Especially Hojo.”

Hojo. The name echoed in his mind, slimy and weighted as his comment left his lips, dark and reserved, “You know Hojo?”

Cloud audibly grunted at the memory. “I know him. He experimented on me. For five years. Ruined my life. He won't remember me here, but I'll never forget him.” Now he met the teen's gaze with an outstretched hand. “Your sword.”

Sephiroth hesitantly reached for his blade with his off hand, the blade he was never allowed to name for concern of connection to a piece of metal. He looked it over one last time, scanning every detail before snapping off the red strap at the hilt and placing it in his pocket, but his gaze lingered for a bit too long. “...No.” He decided.

“‘No’ what?”

“I’m not giving you my sword.”

Cloud closed his eyes for a moment as if he took a physical blow, but sighed before he answered, “...Okay. Not yet. That’s fair.”

Sephiroth was taken aback.

The blond stood and brushed the sand off his pants. “Once Junon’s in sight, we won’t have a choice. It has to go. But for now, it’s unlikely anyone will spot it.”

His cat-like eyes sharpened. “You’re… serious.”

“Yes. Absolutely. In fact, keep both so you can get used to them. I don't want you to be vulnerable- Get back!”

Sephiroth leaped to Cloud’s side with both the blades drawn. The ground suddenly shook and a circle of coral spikes pierced through it, biting down on the thankfully vacated area with the red teeth and deep blue skin. Its spiked, tube-like body shot into the air and the massive worm met the sand with a crash and an angry growl.

A sea worm.

Here? Now?

There was no time to think. It was angry and they had no place to run. Without speaking they dashed to separate sides of the creature, keeping its teeth away at the cost of being in range of its tail. It launched its body up before slamming back down, the earth quaking beneath their feet. 

Sephiroth adapted quickly as Cloud watched the monster’s moves. The silver teen dashed and stabbed its skin with his blade. It cried out and whipped his tail. Sephiroth expected this and jumped away, but not far enough. Its tip crashed down on his shoulder and he slid across the ground. 

The blond didn’t make a sound before throwing one of his blades through its neck, simultaneously slicing and stabbing the creature in a single blow. Thick blue blood poured from its open artery and the creature quickly thrashed before falling to the ground.

They waited a moment, listening and watching for any signs of played death. However the monster remained silent as its cooling blood seeped into the powder below.

“Those guys are jerks. They only move when the wind picks up. They’re really hard to hear. Don't beat yourself up if you didn't notice.” Cloud approached the boy and held out a hand. “You okay?”

Sephiroth nodded before ignoring the offering and pulling to his feet. He kept his thoughts silent, his eyes down in self depreciation, but the hiss from the other teen’s lips caught his attention.

“Your armor’s dented.” Standard troop uniforms were not exactly equipped for battling monsters. They were strictly effected for person to person combat. No more. “Let me check for breaks.”

“Barely cracks,” the golden child corrected. “They will heal within the day.”

“I don’t care if they will heal. There’s no reason to suffer through pain if we’re not actively in battle.” Cloud surrounded his hand in emerald magic before showering it over Sephiroth, instantly mending the wounds of his shoulder without discomfort. Only after did the blond return to the dead monster with a puzzled expression. 

“A sea worm,” Sephiroth observed. 

“I can see that. But what is it doing so far from Mideel?”

His silver brows knotted. He didn’t have an answer.

Cloud couldn't hide the smallest concern glistening in his eyes. This creature meant something and he did not know what. He shook his head to avoid releasing the questions in his mind before removing his thinnest blade and slicing and carving into the corpse. 

Sephiroth only watched as the other teen created two sacks from its skin, filling one with muscle and fat and the other with horns and teeth. 

“The skin should preserve the meat through the night. Hopefully we’ll find a merchant before that.”

“There are no towns nearby,” Sephiroth stated coldly. 

“But there’s always someone trying to sell goods wherever they can, and that means we have a chance of buying some supplies. Maybe even a tent or two.” Cloud gathered his blades and sheathed his weapon to his back before grabbing both sacks and walking. “First thing we gotta do is to get away from shore. If we take the mountains, we should be able to make it to Junon largely undetected.”

The boy only nodded, his silver hair bobbing. He quickly followed. The rolling green plain laid before them as an obstacle between them and the mountains to the port city. They would be lucky to make it to the mountains or encounter one of these supposed traveling merchants before sundown.

* * * 

Luck smiled upon them. 

Though not a full-time merchant, they crossed paths with an employee of the chocobo farm with a bit of a side gig. This dark haired man simply did not care for small talk and never even attempted to step out of the blue truck as they commenced their transaction. Well, ‘they’ meaning Cloud and the man. Sephiroth stayed silent, scanning the truck and its contents for any dangers and listening carefully for any approaching monsters. The low rumble of the truck and the weather station playing through the radio only served as small annoyances to distract him. 

“And it’s looking to be another beautiful week from Upper Junon to the old Mythril Mines. The chocobos in Chocobo Bill’s farm will certainly be happy about that. Catch them doing their amazing dance any time you visit. Well, after repairs are complete.”

The employee huffed, “Might finally get some time off…” Then he glanced at Cloud again. “How many potions did you want again?”

Cloud focused on trading the parts from the sea worm either Gil or supplies, thankfully keeping the man busy.

“Earlier today, a Shinra Security helicopter crash landed at the entrance of the chocobo farm. Though no chocobos were harmed, the owner went ahead and gave their statements to the station.”

An old voice took over the broadcast. “Those pilots were terrified! They said some SOLDIER and cadet were supposed to be with them but attacked them during the flight? Then they call their boss or somethin’ and they weren’t supposed to have a cadet in the first place? Somethin’ fishy’s goin’ on here. Shinra needs to get its act together. And somebody’s gonna pay for these damages, and it ain’t gonna be me!”

Sephiroth’s breath hitched.

“Shinra’s currently investigating the disappearance of the SOLDIER and apparently rebellious cadet. The head of security stated all hands are on deck to find this missing SOLDIER, though they refuse to release any names just yet. However, a few leaks have made it to the public sector claiming the new and improved SOLDIER models are being held on indefinite hiatus until this situation is resolved. And speaking of resolving, the Migar Major Soccer Tournament is reaching its semi-finals! Be sure to keep up with the action at-”

A fabric bag was pressed up against Sephiroth’s arm, snapping him back to reality as he grabbed it and threw it over his shoulder.

“Be sure to get some new armor when you can,” the merchant warned as he passed the rest of the products. “The monsters around here have been really weird lately.”

The blond nodded, taking the two larger bags. “We’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”

In less than a moment, the truck was down the road, a dust cloud disturbing the perfectly calm scenery of the eastern continent.

“Okay, we have an hour before sundown. Let's get to those mountains and try to find a cave. Then we set up camp, get a little rest, make a meal and then we’re back on the road before dawn. Sound good?”

Sephiroth nodded. “First we’re heading to Junon. Then the Western Continent. Where’s this friend of yours going to be?”

“Nibelheim. I’ll explain more when we get closer.”

“Like who you really are?” The venom in his voice did not fall upon deaf ears.

Cloud sighed slowly. He knew that broadcast was bad news. “I know it’s unfair to ask you to trust me. But if I told you the whole truth without any proof, you’d think I’m insane. And to be honest, if I were in your shoes, I would too.”

“So you’re lying to me.”

“I’m not lying, but…” Now mako blue eyes stared into their incomplete mirror. “I know what Shinra does. I know how they think. I have more experience than I can possibly explain looking like…” He glanced down at his form, small and innocent, unprepared and untrained, “this…” His eyes returned to the boy. “I promise I will tell you everything once we get out of Nibelheim. You have my word.”

Sephiroth exhaled. “...Fine. Until Nibelheim, then.”

Chapter Text

After hours of searching in the dark, the pair finally found a decent arc in the mountains. Its walls barely dented the surface of the base, but it would have to do. Both of them placed all supplies on a single pile inside the deepest corner possible. Cloud opened one of the packs and emptied every support beam, fabric cover, and anchor of the tent. 

“The tent is unnecessary,” Sephiroth explained. “We’re more likely to be spotted in something man made.”

“We’ll have to take that chance, because sleeping in those helmets is hell on your neck,” Cloud countered as he laid out the cover.

“It won’t affect my abilities.”

“What did I tell you before?” The blond assembled the support poles and matched them through their slots. “‘There’s no reason to suffer through pain if we’re not actively fighting’.”

“There’s no reason to waste resources during our first night in unknown terrain either.”

“I’m gonna pack it back up.” He almost chuckled before cringing a bit as he attached the rain fly, “Well, as long as no monsters attack it before I get the chance.”

“What’s the likelihood of that?”

Cloud shrugged.

Sephiroth said nothing before he sighed and assisted in jamming stakes into the ground.

“Thanks. Now it’s your turn.”

His knotting brows went unseen from under the helmet.

The blond rose and returned with the other tent pack.

“That’s more of a waste of resources.”

Cloud sighed. “Sephiroth, not everything needs to be efficient. I may have hijacked that helicopter but you’re not a prisoner.” There was an awkward pause before he continued carefully, “...for now, the least I can give you is some personal space.”

“...You’re doing this for my benefit?” The golden child regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, but it raised another, far more important question. “You never told me why you did this in the first place.”

They both began setting up the second tent as Cloud deflected, “I told you I would explain everything after-”

“If you still cannot provide the full explanation, then explain how taking me away from the battlefield benefits you directly or indirectly.” Sephiroth debated giving examples. Did he live in a country denying the expansion of mako energy? Did he sympathize with the enemy? Was this a way of getting back at Hojo? No matter the suggestions, the silver soldier needed to hear the truth without giving the blond an easy and falsified tale.

Cloud took a deep breath, thinking carefully about what he could reveal, about what possible angle he could take as a half truth. 

Thankfully, the boy did not push and waited in silence. 

“A powerful SOLDIER went insane and killed nearly everyone in my village, including me. Hojo showed up with security forces to clean up the mess and experimented on me and my friend, despite the fact that we both worked for Shinra and both did nothing wrong. I woke up in a mako tank. He’d take us out for these surgeries and tests and injections and gods know what else. I was barely conscious from the pain and mako poisoning. The friend broke us out and died protecting me.” The blond did not look at the boy, focusing solely on the task at hand. “That SOLDIER went crazy because of the stress Shinra put him under since the day he was born and the lies they told to keep him under control completely collapsed. I don’t want you to become that SOLDIER and do that to anyone else. I just hope that with all your battles you still have a chance to be saved…”

“Are you saying Shinra is lying to me? Why would they do that?”

“Between Hojo and everything else at Shinra, you’d be lucky to be getting half truths.”

The second tent finally stood tall. Cloud brushed the dust off his hands as Sephiroth reached for something in his pocket.

“Then tell me… Did they lie about her?” He held the small slip in front of Cloud carefully.

It was a photo of a woman with long brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a lab coat, a silver necklace, and a purple blouse. Her lips were curled in a soft smile, but her eyes were sad and empty.

Cloud couldn’t hide the look of absolute shock on his face as he supported the photo with both of his hands. Even Sephiroth saw the conflict in his eyes. “Wha… h-how did you get this?” His mako blue orbs didn’t hide this time, they stared straight into the helmet of the slitted ones.

“Professor Hojo gave it to me.”

“Who do you think this is?”

The direct accusation had Sephiroth’s lips parting in hope. “Do you recognize her? Do you really recognize her?”

Cloud nodded but continued to insist. “Yes. I do. But Sephiroth, who do you think this is?”

The boy allowed the teen to hold the photo as he removed the helmet to look at the photo clearly, a fond but pained expression in his eyes. “She’s my mother…” He spoke softly. “Her name is Jenova.”

The blond shook his head quickly, not in denial of the admission but of the dissonance with his memories. “If you knew what she looked like then why-?!” He cut himself off with a snap of his jaw.

“What are you talking about?”

He swallowed his emotions hard, scraping deep into his body with everything he had. “A half truth then…” Looking into Sephiroth’s large, innocent eyes nearly burned him. “They told you a half truth. That is your mother but her name is not Jenova.”

“But Hojo gave me the photo-”

“Her name is Lucrecia Crescent.”

Sephiroth silenced and listened to every coming detail. 

“She was a scientist at Shinra many years ago and during that time, she and Hojo had you.” Cloud plowed through his explanation without a single pause. He couldn’t slip up again but neither could he stop his rapid thoughts. “Hojo stole you away when you were born and never let her see or hold you. She tried to get to you but he never gave her the chance.”

“Where is she? Do you know where she is?” 

The naive desperation stung. “She’s…” He couldn’t hide everything from the boy. “She’s in a self induced coma.” 

Sephiroth’s heart sank.

“After all attempts to get to you failed, she fell into a deep depression. She… never got out of it.” Why couldn’t Sephiroth look away? Why didn’t he direct that despair somewhere else? Why couldn’t he keep that stupid helmet on to hide his emotions?! 

“...Can I at least see her? If you know where she is, can I at least see her? Just once?”

Cloud found himself nodding slowly. “I promise I will take you to her…” He sharply inhaled. “But we need to get to Nibelhiem first.”

“Does your friend know her too?”

Another nod. 

Another look of pained hope in response.

“And he knows how to wake her up. I can’t do it by myself.”

Sephiroth held his hands to his heart and looked down. Hopeful. Broken. Too many opposing emotions ran through his mind. There was a long moment before something constricted him tenderly.

Cloud had hugged him. 

The boy slowly moved his hands to the teen’s arms and Cloud tightened his hold. 

He felt and heard a tear splash onto the black leather of his jacket.

“...how do I know you’re telling the truth…?”

The blond rubbed his back. “Because I have nothing to gain from lying to you. But the only way I can prove it is to take you with me.”

Sephiroth slowly nodded in agreement, but he never broke the hug. Cloud decided on his own what enough comfort was before patting his back twice and releasing him from his hold.

“Come on. Let’s eat something. It’ll help.”

Sephiroth didn’t have the will to argue. He sat in the open door of his tent and wiped his eyes as Cloud went back to the supply pile. 

The blond returned with the remaining sack of sea worm skin and a few thin wooden sticks. He opened the sack and skewered three long pieces of meat. “Shoot…” Cloud glanced at Sephiroth. “Can I borrow your fire materia for a few minutes?”

Silver brows knotted. “Why do you need it…?” His voice still needed time to recover from the emotion.

“To cook the meat.”

“You can eat sea worm raw.”

“Yes you can, if you’re desperate or you hate yourself. But if you want it to actually taste okay, you have to cook it. Grilling is usually best too.”

“But you’re getting the same nutrition. There’s no benefit in eating something that tastes good.”

Cloud chuckled softly. “For all of Hojo’s research, he never looked this up?” Again, all he gained was a look of confusion. “Your body absorbs more nutrition from food you enjoy than food you don’t. An old friend always reminded me about the Wutaian food study. They made a group of Wutains the same meal, but half of them got the real meal, and the other half got this mashed up mush of the exact same meal. Same nutrition, right?”

The silver teen nodded.

“But the Wutaians that ate the mush absorbed less than half the iron of the Wutains that ate the normal meal.”

“They would need to run a control trial with the original meal first…” 

The blond smirked at his correction. “They did. Everyone absorbed the same amount of iron at first. But with the mush, they absorbed less. What changed?”

He shrugged sluggishly. “...their enjoyment…?”

“Correct.”

Sephiroth glanced down. “That seems foolish…”

The blond shook his dandelion hair. “Call it what you want, but you can’t prove me wrong until you try it.”

A sigh left the child’s lips before he reached into his blade’s materia slots and tossed over the green orb.

Cloud immediately got to work, carefully turning the meal in one hand as the other held a steady flame below. Since the pieces were thin, they cooked fairly quickly. 

The young soldier found the stick being pressed into his hand far sooner than he expected. “You want me to eat first?”

“I promise it’s not poisoned. But last time I tried to cook multiple skewers at once like this, I set the tent on fire.”

“Cooking in a tent is a bad idea.”

“Agreed. But I wasn’t in the tent and it still went up in flames.”

Sephiroth hesitantly gripped the skewer as Cloud returned to his own tent and began assembling another for himself. The boy took the slightest nibble of the cooked creature, barely a crumb reaching his taste buds and teeth. His eyes suddenly went wide and he devoured the meal before Cloud began cooking again. He licked the remaining stick clean almost possessively, not a single speck remaining after his task was complete. 

Cloud glanced up and saw the boy staring intensely at the small spear. “Do you want another one?”

“...If we have enough, yes please.”

The blond smirked and nodded, making the golden child another simple meal without hesitation. A spark of hope fluttered in his chest that this might actually work. That this half baked, nearly impossible plan might actually go through. 

* * * 

All actions had consequences. SOLDIER’s failure to arrive on Rhadore was no exception. Whether or not the signal they sent to HeadQuarters made it was irrelevant. Rhadorans pinned the Shinra employees between the monster infested caves and their own forces in their forgotten temple. There was no escape. There was no effective last stand. The three P0s were dragged into windowless cells, the wooden gate somehow more than enough to keep them all trapped. Passive models. Project Zero. Zero loss if they died. And zero strength to escape.

Timeless hours of interrogation passed. Timeless torture for information. Timeless spills of truth, that they truly did not know what Shinra would do next.

And without any aid, why were they still blamed?

Each of the three sat against the stone walls with their hands and feet tied. 

“Well, Team… look on the brightside. If I die, I’m no longer in debt!” The blond man joked despite the cough that followed, a small splash of crimson staining his sweater. “Ah damn…”

“Easy for you to say,” A bald man countered, his tone ever serious, “you’re not the one you owe money to.”

“Does it work if I send it in my will?”

“To my family?”

“Can you two just not right now?” The one woman with them argued, glaring at them both with sharp exhausted eyes. “This isn’t funny…”

“Gotta lighten the mood somehow,” The leader argued. 

“Maybe the mood will lighten if they set us on fire next, Glenn.”

Glenn cringed but the other man spoke up.

“Lucia, don’t.”

“See what I mean?” Lucia sassed. “We can’t lose hope yet…”

“Team,” Glenn grabbed their attention with his suddenly grounded, serious tone. “...Matt. Lucia. Whatever happens to us, I’m sorry. I’m the leader and this is my responsibility. I never meant to walk you straight into danger.”

Matt closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. 

“It’s not your fault, Glenn. We got the coordinates HQ wanted but I don’t think they went through…”

A dark sigh claimed the room and silence followed. More timeless ticks of the invisible clock passed before the cell door rose and three warriors entered, each one covered head to toe in white cloaks and gray armor. 

“This is your last chance to tell the truth,” The first Rhadoran spoke coldly. The other two simply followed behind and guarded the door.

“We really know nothing else…” Glenn muttered before wincing as his hair was grabbed tightly and the Rhadoran pulled up his head.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Believe whatever you want. It is the truth.” He glared harshly at the eyes staring daggers back, but he felt himself fall behind as he thought back on his time on these islands. “But before you kill us, tell me, is there still smoke coming from the other island?”

Their expressions dropped.

“That’s all I ask… please…”

“Why do you care about the smoke?” their captor countered. 

“Just-! Is the kid okay?”

“What kid?”

“Do you think I’m making this up? The kid. The Eye of Rhadore.”

Another look of shock. The man grabbed Glenn by the collar. “What did you do to them?”

“Nothing. In fact, he helped us.”

He raised a fist, but one of the other men stopped him. “If you’re telling the truth, what’s their name?”

Glenn took a breath. “Rosen.”

At the sound of the name, they all stepped back. They glanced at each other, silently communicating what to do next. When they finally came to an agreement, they left through the door they came through, and the team was left without new wounds for the first time since their capture.

Chapter Text

The wooden gate clattered open, pulleys activating with the same inserted key the trio had seen multiple times now. Three Rhadorans in white entered their cell fiercely, blades and firearms at the ready. 

“Wait wait wait- if this is it it, can you tell Rosen to make a cup for me? Since we're not going anywhere for a while… haha…”

“Glenn, why are you like this…?” Lucia huffed as the first soldier lifted her by her arm. 

“Get up.” Not a shred of mercy threatened existence in that voice. Each P0 struggled and involuntarily winced as they were pulled to their feet, some even coughing from their shifted weight alone. 

“The elders have a proposition for you.” A fourth Rhadoran stood in the open gateway, the only visible difference being the slight gray of the very same cloth all their people bore. Worn down. Used. Experienced. Another silent threat if they attempted escape.

Before Glenn opened his mouth, Lucia glared and shook her head. Thankfully, he actually listened this time.

“You took mercy on Rosen and Refu. Would you be willing to help him and our people?”

“Why would we help a people that leave a child to live on an island alone?” 

“Rosen decided that fate himself,” Matt interrupted and gained all the eyes in the cell. “It was his choice and his duty.” 

Glenn grumbled, though the Rhadorans clearly agreed with the statement.

“Shinra is planning to exterminate us. Rosen will be the last to die once those greedy bastards spot the smoke.”

“Exterminate?” Lucia couldn't contain her confusion. 

Matt shook his head. “Our orders were to find suitable land for a mako reactor and clear the area. Nothing more.” 

“And what did you think would happen when your company attempted to build a reactor in our sacred temple?”

“Sacred?” The leader countered. “Those ruins are abandoned! They’re falling apart!” 

“Those ‘ruins’, as you call them, mark the land of the greatest mana source on the island.”

“The mako concentration…” The ‘professor’ mumbled in realization.

“Precisely. And your company has no more use for you. You will die here for their greed, or you can take your chances with our word.”

It made sense. Perfect sense. Everything Rosen spoke of was true. And every assumption about Shinra wasn't far enough off. 

“...What’s this proposition?” their leader questioned. 

The gray Rhadoran held his hands behind his back. “We have reason to believe Shinra is developing a bioweapon, since they failed at creating a brute force weapon.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We have a few scouts on Shinra ships. They heard rumors of a new SOLDIER class. Why do you think we sent so many of our warriors to combat three of you?”

Their eyes widened. 

“You thought they would send him… the golden child. The boy hero. The one man army. To save us?” 

“To silence us.” The gray warrior made a small gesture, and the guards restraining the P0s loosened their grips. “SOLDIER failed. We’ve turned Shinra’s former weapons against them. The next logical step is to use their so-called science department and create a weapon no one has seen before. But that’s only an assumption and a rumor. We ask you three to find out if this assumption is true and report back to us. That is all.”

“...that’s it?” The woman’s voice broke the silence. 

“Think it over.” Another gesture and the three P0s were slowly lowered to the ground. “We'll return tomorrow. Have an answer by then.” The superior glanced up to his men. “Bring bread and water. They will need their strength regardless of their answer.”

* * * 

Three nights had ended. Three suns had risen. Three days had passed since Sephiroth put his faith in this mysterious blond stranger, the man who claimed to know the location of his mother. To know a name he never heard. To know a past painful and impractical. Impossible. 

But he wouldn't deny the chance to see her. He needed to know. 

“We'll be in Junon tomorrow,” Cloud mentioned, observing the final mountain between them and the port city. The remaining hilly plains would be a breeze to traverse. The sun hung low, bathing the land in sparkling orange light. “We'll rest tonight and enter during the day. Then we'll stop for new clothes, change in a public bathroom, and bribe our way onto the ship.”

“Would Shinra notice our change of clothes? Our odd uniforms will bring enough attention.”

“Unless they know exactly which camera to look at, they won’t know what we did until we're near Cosmo Canyon. …I hope.” Shinra must have been searching for Sephiroth by now. The effectiveness of that search would be tested in the port city as well as vacation town across the ocean.

“We take the chance. If our gamble fails, can we hijack the airship in Upper Junon?”

“Do you know how to fly it?”

“...No. Nevermind then.”

“What if we jump down from the cannon?”

“If we're on the cannon, it's already too late. All of Shinra will know we are there. ”

Cloud hummed. He knew this was a risk long before beginning this task, but with their enemies so close, they could not afford a single mistake. 

“There's a cave half way up.” Sephiroth gestured. “We shouldn't risk a fire tonight.”

“...We have to be ‘very efficient’ tonight.” Cloud didn't want to say exactly what that meant. The teen knew anyway. “And we must hide your sword before we leave tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

The forested valley between the two and their shelter held many breeds of monsters. They remained deathly silent the moment any creature dared attack them for their presence, fighting fiercely and fluidly. Close but untouching, their even strength and speed felled every threat between them and their next campsite. 

Cloud saved all edible meat and useful leather. Sephiroth waited without fidgeting as he scanned the immediate area. After packing everything away, they entered the crevice. 

No fire. No light. One tent. One bedroll. No new meals. Leftovers only. 

“Sephiroth.” 

There was a pause. The Golden Child stood close to the mouth of the cave, staring ahead. He did not speak, slowly unsheathing his sword. 

Cloud understood and allowed the child as long as he needed. 

Inhuman eyes scanned every inch of the manufactured blade, manufactured specifically for him. Unique. Alone. Just like him, even within the dozens of other blades Shinra made him test. Mythril Type-0 Katana. Prototype Crimson Blade. CC Alloy Sword. Shinra Blade: Model I. Some enhanced materia potency. Some were thinner for precise critical damage. However, the weapon in his hand was simple. No special gimmicks. No secret ability. Only his own skill and his own expertise. His nameless blade could be replaced by anything, and the sword Cloud gifted him was undeniably well made. He would show his skill in other ways.

“I’ll bury this and return in a moment.”

The blond did not stop him. “Go ahead. I’ll watch your back and whistle if I see anything.”

Sephiroth nodded before leaving the cave. 

Cloud let out a soft sigh as he surveyed the area. Did Sephiroth feel joy in any moment of his life? As a child, Cloud made the incredibly wrong assumption that Sephiroth’s entire existence was filled with the joy propaganda implied it to be. How could someone be sad after a thousand victories? Of course Cloud understood now.

When the silver soldier returned, they ate their meal, the tent’s fabric door zipped closed to give the slightest perception of shelter from the wilderness. Through the noise of animals calling came the chopping of helicopter blades, most likely air traffic from Junon. Hopefully. Hopefully it wasn’t a search party for them. Cloud finished his piece first, watching as the teen took uncharacteristically small bites. The silence was deafening this evening.

“What’s on your mind?”

Sephiroth held the piece away, not daring to take another bite until he answered. “...you once said you did this to save me.”

“I did.”

“You assumed to know my life.”

“Well… I know certain things, but-”

“Did you know this was to be my first real mission?”

Cloud’s mouth snapped open in confusion. 

“I was to exterminate the people of Rhadore to make way for mako engineers. Everything needed to be perfect. Fast. Efficient. Effective. No lives lost on our side, even the P0s already on the archipelago.” He lowered his head, but Cloud couldn’t focus on his apparent grief.

“What are you talking about?”

“Shinra manufactured my achievements to sell the SOLDIER program and change their recruitment policy. Rhadore was going to be my first field assignment and they would promote everything I did there to push the program through.”

“Wait, if this is your first assignment then what about-?”

Sephiroth shook his head, cutting him off. “All lies. Every last one of them.”

Cloud stared with large mako blue eyes, bewildered and frustrated and desperate for answers to a question he didn’t mean to allow escape. “What did they do to you…?”

The silver teen turned away. 

The blond did the same.

“...I’ll take the first shift.” Sephiroth made his way out of the tent.

“Are you sure?” 

“Positive. Get some rest, Cloud.”

He nodded and zipped the tent closed behind the golden child. Guilt ate at Cloud’s mind as he attempted to rest. He was wrong. He was so wrong. He should’ve kept his stupid mouth shut. But if this was truly before Sephiroth’s first mission, then that severely increased his chances to save everything. And Sephiroth gave that information up without prompting. Was the boy… What was he trying to do?

Outside the tent, Cloud heard the softest whisper, the softest chant leaving Sephiroth’s lips, one he wouldn’t be able to hear without his mako and SOLDIER enhancements. He glanced up and tried to discern Sephiroth’s stance from the shadow against the tent wall. The silver soldier was holding something delicately in front of his face.

“Lucrecia Crescent… Lucrecia Crescent…”

Only one night until Junon.

Chapter Text

Dark clouds intercepted the sun’s magnificent rays an hour before they reached the mighty city. Water began falling just as they entered Old Junon, the lower level abandoned by Shinra with the exception of the guarded elevator. The quaint nature of the remaining fishing town stirred curiosity in Sephiroth's heart along with an odd buzzing in his mind, but they had no time to waste on passive ailments. 

They entered the first store on the right, a backwater name not worth remembering. The youngest spotted the hooded cloaks they absolutely needed. The elder collected two shirts, pairs of pants, pairs of socks, and even pairs of shoes. 

“Is that all?” 

Cloud nodded. “This is everything. We’d also like to sell.”

“Let’s see what adds up first. No point in handing you gil just to give it right back.”

Sephiroth lifted the large leather bag onto the counter. He vaguely heard a mumble of ‘good gods’ before the shopkeeper dared to open it, shifting both dull and sharp spoils with a ruler: untreated leathers, monster claws, horns, teeth, and even edible meat saved in its own sealed sack.

She rocked her head as she calculated quickly. “Deducting the price of those… ten thousand eight hundred gil. Take it or leave it.”

That wasn't nearly the number they hoped for, but this town was poor and the monsters weren't too difficult to kill.

“Thank you.” 

She placed the gil in Cloud's gloved hand and he pocketed it immediately. 

“Do you know where the nearest restroom is?”

“There're a few stalls two allies away on your left. The signs are worn down but the water works. If you don't mind me asking, why are you guys dressed like that? I heard you're not allowed to alter your uniforms.”

Cloud gave a small chuckle. They prepared for this question. “Because this guy,” he wrapped an arm around the helmeted teen and pulled him off balance. According to the blond, this was usual behavior for ‘buddies’. It still felt weird though. “Forgot all his civilian clothes back in Corel and didn’t want everyone assuming he’s on duty.” 

Sephiroth looked away, hoping the shopkeeper would perceive it as shame. 

“Why not take the helmet off?”

“Oh… Can I tell her?” His voice suddenly dropped to a whisper. 

The helmet nodded. 

“He has a horrible scar on the left side of his face. A nasty accident in a mako reactor. He's alright, but he doesn't like the looks he gets.”

“Oh that’s horrible. Hey,” the woman suddenly placed her hand on his shoulder. The supposed cadet instantly went rigid. “I totally get that. My husband kept his face bandaged for a year after he got fish hook stuck in his cheek. It took less than half the time to heal, but he was terribly afraid of the looks. Oh! Here.” She let go of him and slipped a pair of cheap sunglasses off a small rotating shelf on the counter. “It's on the house. One scar bearer to another.”

The boy took them and nodded. This must be that ‘small town kindness’ Cloud once explained to him. Cloud explained a lot to him. “Thank you for your kindness…” He kept his voice low and airy. 

She didn't recognize it. Thank gods. They collected the bag of their clothes and swept into the alley. Without speaking, Cloud handed Sephiroth his portion and they slipped into the stalls. 

Discarding his sword was by far more difficult, but discarding his armor affected him as well. It was, however, far easier to stuff the remainder of his armor and uniform into the helmet than to bury his weapon in the middle of nowhere. He heard Cloud exit first, swiping the helmet from under the stall as Sephiroth finished putting on the new pants. He heard Cloud continue the next step of their plan, shoving both uniforms and the helmet to the bottom of the trashcan near the sink. Then he heard the constant spinning of the paper towel roll as Cloud covered up the evidence. 

For a brief moment, he wondered what Hojo would think if he saw him right now. Then it hit. 

The buzzing in his mind spiked just before he unlocked the stall door, suddenly falling to his knees and holding his head. 

“Seth! Are you okay?!” Cloud called his simple alias, but it muffled against the internal shatter. 

Endure the pain, Sephiroth. You have yet to reach your threshold. 

The more you endure, the greater the power that will awaken within you. 

The laugh echoing in his mind nearly made him shutter. He didn't even notice the small grunt of pain that left his lips. 

“Hey.”

He felt a hand on his arm under the stall door. 

“Breath slowly. Deep breaths.”

The teen obeyed unconsciously before the weakness drained and he stepped to his feet, opening the lock. The buzzing lessened to the same intensity he entered the city with. “Sorry. I suddenly felt… uncomfortable.”

Cloud seemed to ignore him as he scanned his face for the truth. 

“I'm fine now. Let's go.”

“We can come back tomorrow. We can turn back right now and no one would know.” 

“The ship won't return for two days. It’ll be too risky circling the city. We need this done today. I'm fine.”

Cloud hated this. Sephiroth could see it. But he also saw there were no other logical options. The longer they waited on this continent, the greater risk of Shinra finding them. Gods forbid the company captured them. Sephiroth shuddered at the thought of the discipline waiting in the lab. He couldn't claim he was taken prisoner anymore. He actively aided in their travel to find his mother. 

“Once we get on that elevator, there’s no turning back. This is the last chance we have to get proper rest.”

Sephiroth looked at Cloud with calculating slit eyes but ultimately landed on the same conclusion. “Let's go.”

The blond handed him the sunglasses. 

He had forgotten, taking them and shielding his inhuman eyes.

At the base of the elevator, Cloud simply paid the ten gil and they left without issue. Cloud explained on the ride up that it was probably the end of the man’s shift. No one cared about anything at the end of a shift, especially two teens that looked like mako addicts with their baggy clothes and cloaks. 

* * * 

The bustling upper city was a nightmare. Cloud’s hand itched with instinct to protect the freed soldier behind him. He knew their luck wouldn’t last forever. He only prayed there was enough left over to get them on that passenger ship. 

Banners he once saw decorate the city with celebration now begged for action. Every inch of available banners and advertising boards were covered in the image of the golden child with the title ‘we miss you’ . Posters begged for accurate information with the promise of reward. Every shop tuned into the same news station, an eerie lull under all activity constantly updating the city on whereabouts and progress made in the search, fusing with the constant blare of air traffic above. Television screens silently displayed President Shinra's speech, the captions claiming the soldier was like a son to him and they were searching every corner of The Planet to find him. 

Messages in apartment windows read ‘Sephiroth come home’, some written in large colorful crayon with unpracticed hands . 

The silver haired teen unconsciously tucked his head further into his hood as they began their trek through the crowded sidewalk. The blond led the way and snaked through the crowd, the teen trailing close behind. Ten blocks. They just needed to walk ten blocks and they'd be halfway there. 

But with the eighth block completed, Sephiroth collapsed. They had no time for questions. Cloud quickly threw the boy’s arm over his shoulders and guided the soldier to a dirty alley, not a single stranger offering their aid or concern as they walked around the two. The teen grunted and groaned, trying to hide the noises under his breath even now. 

“What happened?” The blond asked as he slowly lowered them to the ground, Sephiroth's back sliding against the brick wall. “What's happening?”

His hands were on his head, pulling his hood down to avoid reaching for his hair or knocking off the sunglasses. “I-I don't know. Ah…” the strength in his voice wavered with each word leaving his lips. 

Why did this new problem have to start today? “We have time. We can wait it out. Breath.” He kept a hand on the black cloaked shoulder, trying to ground this invisible ache. 

Time only worsened the phantom pain, each tick of the clock raising its power. Sephiroth’s groans only grew sharper and louder despite his strength. “We need to go…!”

Cloud opened his mouth to argue.

“They’ll spot here… We need to leave now…!”

Damn it. He helped Sephiroth stand without another word. He hoped the teen's debilitated state would at least keep Shinra’s eyes away. After all, why would Sephiroth ever need help? Side by side, the horde of people tried less to avoid them, bumping into both of them as they tried to sneak by. The teen desperately grasped the hood in his fist, praying no one saw his face or his hair. 

Cloud led them to the cargo bay, the path thankfully familiar enough. He found an exhausted sailor by the loading dock and offered his aid loading the ship in exchange for passage for him and his sick ‘brother’. The cadet agreed with a bribe of five thousand gil, claiming security was tight thanks to the golden child’s disappearance. Thankfully the ‘brother’ comment prevented the need to see the other hooded boy’s face. Cloud sat the soldier in against one of the many stacks within the hanger. He only returned when the task was complete and the ship was moments from leaving port.

“Are you any better?” He kept his voice low, careful of any sailors that weren’t willing to stay quiet for a few thousand gil. 

Sephiroth shook his head as Cloud took a seat next to him, both of them stuck between two containers for the next twenty four hours. He rested his head on his arms and knees, but nothing soothed it.

The blond breathed softly. “Here. Lean on my shoulder.”

He clearly didn’t understand because he didn’t answer, only muffling long cries of pain. 

“Just try it. It might help.”

Sephiroth shifted slowly, turning and resting his forehead on the brown cloaked shoulder. The slightest bit of tension left his body.

“Better?”

“A little… nh…”

Cloud had absolutely no idea what was happening, and Sephiroth didn’t either. The silver soldier suffered even as the ship began moving. Ten minutes passed at sea before his small grunts finally stopped. The blond waited, but the soldier did not speak or move, remaining exactly where he was.

“...did it stop?” Cloud prompted after another moment.

Sephiroth looked away before slowly sitting up, freeing Cloud from his touch. “...Yes.”

“Do you know what it was? Any ideas?”

He shook his head. “Sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. You’re better. That’s what matters.”

The teen removed his sunglasses before glancing at the ground, his face stone but his eyes revealing. 

“Do you want to lean on me again? I didn’t say you had to stop.” The glare he gained was full of distrust. That Cloud could identify. “Really. I mean it.” He tapped his open shoulder. “We’re not going anywhere for a while.”

“Why do you do this?”

His yellow brows knotted. “Do what?”

“Why do you…” He trailed off, holding his head in his hands in frustration.

“...I don’t want to push anything on you. I just know you’re not used to putting yourself first. I’m offering. If you really don’t want it, you don’t have to take it.”

“...no ulterior motives?”

Cloud’s heart broke at the idea alone. How many times was the boy offered comfort as a test and punished for taking it? “None.”

With a question like that, he was surprised when Sephiroth gave in and rested the exact same way as before, not a shred of extra contact taken. Cloud slowly, carefully wrapped an arm around the boy not out of necessity but of comfort. The silver soldier’s body started shaking, but he did not make a sound. 

Cloud knew of the pain, but only Sephiroth knew the memories that ruthlessly attacked him until the headaches finally stopped and the deep twist of the knife that needed time to heal.

Chapter Text

The Rhadoran war room was far different than the P0s expected. It wasn’t a war room at all. It was another simple room of bed rolls and lanterns. The only difference was the table with maps at the center, and the various torches on the walls prioritizing said tables rather than the injured resting nearby.

“We are grateful you chose to join us.”

“Didn't give us much of a choice…”

“If you choose to leave, we would send you on a boat with enough gasoline to reach the mainland. We do not wish any more death than necessary.”

Lucia shook her head. “If we find out you're lying, the deal's off.”

The elder hardened his gaze. “You'll find we know more truth about the company than you ever could've imagined.”

“How did you find this information?” Matt asked curiously. “No commercial vessel travels here from the mainland.”

“We were sent word by those fearing Shinra's greed. They claim to be on the brink of war. I have no doubt this island was only a test of their new SOLDIERs.”

“So what's the mission, Pops?” The leader placed his hands on the map. “Blow up a mako reactor? Kill the president?”

The elder lowered his eyes to the map. “You will enter Shinra Tower and find evidence of the science department's and weapon development's next objective. However that is accomplished is up to you. Meet up with the one who lends us information and you will be relieved of your crime against us and Rosen.”

“How will we know who?” The professor asked. 

“If the information is useful, they will make themselves known to you.”

“...And if we find nothing?” The woman countered. 

“You are free to go. But lying will only lead to more lost lives.”

“Before we go.” Glenn stepped forward. “We want to see Rosen. Then we'll help you.” 

“Understood. We'll try to compensate you for your trouble.”

* * * 

Time hid from the two teenagers. Stuck in the cargo hold, no windows showed the sky and no clocks hung on walls to reveal their secrets. The changing shifts of sailors were the closest tells of how much longer they were stuck within, squished between two containers with no room to truly relax. 

Cloud couldn’t help the small sigh. Last time he was on a ship like this, it was anything but quiet despite the mission. The two women playfully fell into their roles as nearly every member of their crew was dressed in the Shinra security uniforms. The largest of their group was forced into a sailor uniform, the only clothing on the entire ship that fit. Their four legged friend struggled to keep up appearances as a human, especially with the rocking of the sea that forced him to move constantly. The memory glowed in his mind.

Between sleep, only silence remained now. The Silver Soldier that, starting with his offer, occasionally used him as a pillow rarely started a conversation. 

“We have a lot of time to kill,” Cloud spoke softly, quietly.

“...We do.” Sephiroth confirmed, not an ounce of exhaustion in his voice.  

“Do you have any ideas to pass the time?” He tried giving the boy a choice. 

“We should spend our boredom planning our next move.”

“We'll have plenty of time for that later. What did I tell you about efficiency?”

The boy tugged his hood further over his face. “...how else do you spend time? It's a resource not to be wasted…” 

Cloud closed his eyes, controlling the anger in his breath. “Did Hojo ever teach you about mental health?”

“I trained in mental fortitude.” 

“Did he teach you the value of play as a child?”

Silver brows knotted. 

“What about mental rest?” 

“...do you mean sleep?”

Cloud shook his head. 

“...or a spell?”

He almost laughed. “Not by spell or by drug. Though sometimes I wish it was that easy...”

Sephiroth didn't find it amusing, shifting slightly as he glanced away. “Then… no, I do not.”

“Mental health means a lot of things, but to oversimplify it, it means people need to relax. You need to release stress by doing something active or fun. It's to keep you from losing your mind.”

“How so?”

“Well, beyond exercise, it depends on the person. Some people read, write, draw, play games. Spending time with friends is a big deal. Humans are social creatures. We're not meant to live in isolation. Not like I'm one to talk…”

Sephiroth stared skeptically. 

“I'm not kidding.”

“That doesn't make any sense. If that was scientifically true, Hojo would've allowed it.”

Cloud shook his head. “Being with other people means learning new ways of thinking.”

“Like how you can't change someone's belief with logic?”

“Kind of. Let's say we both try to describe that container.” He gestured to the top of the stack. “We won't use the same exact words. We won't notice the same details at the same time. People notice different things. People learn different things throughout their life that change their perspective. But isolation is an easy way to control someone. Isolating yourself from other ideas keeps you compliant...” 

Sephiroth watched Cloud's expression grow hollow. “What is it?”

Another shake of his head. “...Nothing. Just, being a bit of a hypocrite…”

Sephiroth adjusted his cloak, a silent pause passing. “...I've never interacted with anyone my own age before.” 

“I'm not the best place to start, but we'll make it work.”

“Why not?”

“I'm twenty six.”

Sephiroth stared hard at the visibly teenage boy beside him. 

“I'm serious.” 

“You can't possibly be that old.”

“It's complicated. Nibelheim.” 

He sighed. “Understood…”

Silence passed through them once again. Cloud adjusted, settling his feet against the container in front of them, shifting and wincing to adjust the ache in his body. 

“Assuming I believe you…” Sephiroth took a breath, “what does Hojo gain by giving me the name ‘Jenova’?”

Cloud froze. His eyes slowly creaked to the soldier beside him. His hands itched for his sword before he composed himself. “I… can't understand that bastard's intentions…”

“...try…?”

Round mako blue eyes met the back of silver hair. He sighed, staring at the metal in front of them. “...you would never find her if the name and the photo didn't match. Even if someone recognized the photo… they'd assume she was someone else.”

A tight grip into the black cloak. “...why ‘Jenova’...?” Now mako eyes returned. “And do not say Nibelheim.”

Cloud leaned his head back against the container with a small bang. “That's easy. Hojo's crazy. He wanted Jenova to be your mother.”

“Why?”

The blond went silent, completely still. 

Sephiroth sighed. “Nibelheim,” He answered for him. 

“Yeah.”

They turned away from each other. It was a long way to landfall.

Chapter Text

The ship rocked deeply as it neared land, tilting drastically with every wave. Thank the gods loud speakers in the cargo hold broadcasted updates from the bridge. Shifting cargo that merely slid in defiance on the open sea now flopped and rolled within the various containers, slamming against the walls and doors and destroying the minimum rest the two stowaways attempted to gain. 

Storms only formed for a few weeks a year at Costa del Sol. They were greeted by the first storm of the season. 

Both stowaways silently glanced at each other when the other wasn’t looking, a sudden health check as they neared land. Cat-like eyes analyzed the brown cloak with the slightest turn of silver hair, barely perceptible to an ordinary citizen. Round eyes were a bit more obvious, a full turn of the body to look over the black cloak. 

Something was different about Cloud. Even through the dim light barely breaking between the shadows of containers, the visibly teenage skin paled and blond hair rocked slowly. 

“Are you alright?” Sephiroth felt himself ask. 

Cloud held up his fingers in an open pinch, his head turned away as he spoke. “Tiny bit of motion sickness. I'll be fine.”

“Your body can’t adapt to the movement?”

He shook his head. “Not in a storm like this-” he cut himself off by covering his mouth as his body jerked forward reflexively. 

Sephiroth scanned from the covered blond hair to the used boots, eyes settling on the hooded face. “What can I do? Would Recovery help?”

Cloud, to Sephiroth’s dismay, shook his head again. “If materia did anything, I would’ve used it already.”

Sephiroth leaned back and thought deeply. Hojo rarely taught him how to aid a teammate in simulation beyond materia. If he recalled correctly, he barely learned how to properly apply a bandage. 

A soft groan came from Cloud. 

His eyes closed tightly in thought. The movement of the ship caused this. Without internal or external damage, restoration materia wouldn’t help. What about an antidote? Esuna materia? He should have something. He glanced down at his blade and-

Right. This was one of Cloud’s swords. A third of his own materia was currently buried in the mountains north of Junon. Sephiroth reached for his pauldrons, but again realized every material thing handed to him by Shinra was currently on another continent. 

It didn’t feel right to be so disconnected from Shinra. Not wrong, necessarily. Just…different. Yet now the weapon in his hand held no solution in its slots.

“Let me see your materia,” He asked aloud.

Cloud sighed, holding blond locks between pale fingers. “It won’t-”

“If I see what we have to work with, I may be able to help.”

The dandelion hair thunked against the metal container behind them. 

Sephiroth scanned for injuries. “Cloud?”

The man sighed again with a groan. He hesitantly revealed his weapon, his right hand never leaving the hilt as he placed it on the ground to be investigated. 

Reptilian eyes searched, catching the blue enhancements, the yellow commands, and the green elementals. Plus a Cure for safe keeping. But the small glow beneath metal forced another request. “Can you separate them?”

Cloud tentatively obeyed, revealing the last three weapons hidden within his blade. 

Sephiroth investigated each blade and orb, drifting his fingers along each hilt to focus. Within the elemental and mending materia awaited a new idea to solve Cloud’s problem. He reached in and ejected the green materia into his palm. He glanced at Cloud, deciding for a quick moment it may be easier to ask for forgiveness if it solved the ailment faster. 

Which ‘faster’ was exactly the goal. 

With a flick of his wrist, glowing gears surrounded the man at his side, spinning and glowing and rapidly ticking. 

Cloud recoiled, snatching one of the weapons and holding it up to his neck. 

But Sephiroth didn’t move as the gears faded, and Cloud’s every move accelerated. He watched for sudden movements, but it seemed to only be a silent threat. “Give it some time, and tell me if it helps.”

Cloud instantly shook his head in realization before pulling the blade away. “Don’t cast spells on me without warning!”

Sephiroth turned away, swallowing his emotion. “...Haste increases evasion and attack speed. It may force the mind to process the rocking of the ship slower and negate your motion sickness.” 

Metal clicked and snapped into place until silence claimed them again. Among the shifting cargo, the out of place sounds were hidden. 

Cloud didn’t say anything, yet Sephiroth felt mako blue burning into his back. A moment passed in tense quiet, the ship creaking under their feet. 

Sephiroth inhaled, tightly closing his eyes. “...Cloud?”

The blond took one emphatic breath. Inhale. Exhale. “Yeah?”

“I apologize for casting spells without warning. I didn’t know…-” What didn’t he know? Was it rude? Was he wrong? Did Cloud have a medical condition- 

“You are forgiven.”

His anxiety shattered in a second. He turned to Cloud, meeting surprised mako eyes. Not surprised like unexpected. Surprised like every preperceived notion didn’t match. 

They didn’t speak on the ocean again. 

* * * 

On land, the two stowaways scattered, the turncoat soldier heading straight out of the city as the remaining passenger ran through the rain to a hut-like restaurant close to the dock. 

Cloud ordered two large fish and chips and two bottles of water to go. At the inevitable questions from the cashier, he claimed he had someone waiting for him at home. Which was half true, at least. As he looked around at the leaking shutters and stubborn vacationers in bathing suits during the storm, he caught a glimpse of a fine, dark suit. 

A full pant leg suit in one of the hottest places on the planet. 

Cloud continued to scan but couldn’t hide his worried expression. He kept an eye on the hallway and any available exits for the person to return. He even asked the hostess, who claimed that the hallway led to the bathroom. 

He didn’t see the suit again by the time his order arrived. He made quick work of a few of their last Gil in the tip jar and a quick wave as he left, mumbling a small ‘no problem’ to the grateful staff. 

Then it was simple: get to the shoreline and follow until Sephiroth found him. 

Fear and anxiety ate at Cloud as he walked along the grass closest to the shore, rain falling onto him through the massive leaves of palm trees. His cloth cloak did nothing to protect his now drenched skin. 

A whistle pierced through the air. Cloud took a breath and followed the single short sound all the way to the source. 

Sepiroth approached him with a hand on the sword he had given the teen. 

“The Turks are onto us,” They spoke at the same time. 

“How does that change our plan?” Sephiroth asked. Cloud was almost relieved to hear the soldier say ‘our’ plan. 

Then he was forced to think of the consequences. He had been hunted by the Turks before. His greatest friend and who birthed the living legacy he persisted in keeping alive. A mistaken visit to a hometown nearly had them captured. Too close to their original location and a trail of broken mechs had the same effect. 

His friend was an acquaintance of the Turk. Him and Sephiroth didn’t have that luxury. 

To think of that time as any bit of a luxury was its own hell. 

“...We have to go straight to our goal. No stops in local towns. If we are absolutely desperate, maybe, maybe a travelling merchant for potions or an absolutely necessary tent.”

Silver hair nodded. “Through the mountains then.”

“Through the mountains.”