Chapter Text
Cloud really shouldn’t have gone. Should have let consequences finally bite Rufus Shinra in the ass after all these years, but despite his best attempts to appear as a cold, uncaring asshole, his heart was soft to those who asked him for help and Rufus had asked him for help. A lot of help, with a lot of begging on Reno’s part, and that had to be the explanation as to why he was even bothering with this. Looking around at the rubble before him, he sighed.
Going out into the middle of nowhere Wutai to check on an abandoned lab Shinra had set up during the war wasn’t what he had planned on doing today, but Rufus had insisted they were getting really large readings of spilled mako in this location and well, who else was stupid enough to listen to him?
“Shall we begin?” Vincent asked, not looking at him.
“Let’s get this over with. Maybe we can get back before dinner.” Cloud replied.
Vincent nodded as the two of them started to shuffle their way inside. The collapsed lab was too dangerous for most people to explore, but Cloud and Vincent weren’t most people and this was just another Tuesday for them because they could handle just about anything they found. But Cloud would admit, the area was very dark, even with his enhanced vision.
“Watch.” Vincent called, pointing to a low beam.
Cloud ducked his head, causing his spikes to gently brush against it.
“Thanks.” he replied.
Vincent just hummed in acknowledgement and that’s why Cloud liked hanging out with Vincent. They didn’t have to talk, they could just exist in the same area and still get shit done. As much as he loved his friends, sometimes they wanted to fill the silence (Yuffie) and insisted on talking the entire time (Yuffie) when Cloud would prefer not to or needed to focus (Yuffie).
“This place…” Cloud shook his head as his eyes landed on a row of broken containment tubes.
“It must have been one of Hollander’s.” Vincent stated.
“What makes you say that?” Cloud asked, eyebrow raised.
Vincent pointed to a dartboard that was still somehow hanging up. On the board was a picture of Hojo with a dart through his forehead.
“Oh.” Cloud muttered as Vincent shot him an amused look.
They kept going, deeper and deeper into the broken down lab when they heard dripping. They glanced at each other before following the sound. What they found made Cloud hiss.
“That mako pool is huge.” Cloud muttered, leaning over the edge to look down the hole at the large pool of mako, apparently leaking from a nearby storage area.
“This is worse than Rufus said.” Vincent stated, arms crossed.
“Shocker. Rufus lied.” Cloud replied with boredom.
“Whether he lied or had bad information to start with, that is not our concern. We need to make note of this and see what we can do to fix it.” Vincent stated easily.
“Right.” Cloud sighed.
The smell of mako was heavy and Cloud was starting to get a headache. He reached up to rub his forehead, which Vincent noticed and immediately decided it was time to head back.
“Well, now we know for sure this place is the cause of all those mutated creatures. Let us leave and we will let the Turks know. We can regroup and figure out next steps from there.” Vincent stated.
“Good idea. Let’s get out of here.” Cloud replied.
Vincent nodded and started heading back the way they came. As Cloud turned, he faintly heard something crack under his foot and then the floor gave away. Cloud yelped, making Vincent turn quickly.
“CLOUD!” Vincent yelled, reaching for him as Cloud fell backwards.
Cloud, without thinking, grabbed him and dragged him down too. Vincent tried to grab something to stop their fall, but there was nothing to grab. The floor continued to crumble under them and so, the two of them tumbled into the pool below with a splash. The surface rippled and then stilled.
—sSs—
Cloud gasped as he burst out of the pool. Startled, panicked and completely disorientated, Cloud stumbled out of the pool and tried to figure out what happened to him. When he did so, he heard people yelling around him. Coughing and hacking, unable to focus on what was going on, Cloud was startled when people started to grab him.
“NO! STOP! LET GO!” Cloud screamed, struggling to escape.
The more he fought, the more hands tried to grab him. He felt his sword being removed from his back and panicked even more. His footing slipped and his knees hit the ground. This allowed the group to surround him.
“NO! NONONONO!” Cloud yelled, thrashing violently.
“Knock him out, you fools!” a horribly familiar voice yelled.
Cloud stopped, his head snapping up to see Hojo standing above him. Cloud’s shock and fear allowed the group around him to overwhelm him. Cloud found himself pinned to the floor, struggling weakly as Hojo moved towards him, a large needle in hand and a nasty grin on his face.
“I don’t know how you got in here, but today is truly my lucky day.” Hojo said cruelly before Cloud’s head was jerked to the side and Hojo stabbed him in the neck with the needle.
Cloud gasped as the liquid in the needle disappeared into his body before Cloud could feel himself going numb.
“Now… let’s see what makes you tick.” was the last line Cloud heard before the world went back.
—sSs—
Aerith looked up from where she was tending to her flowers. Her eyes stared at the sky above her before she stood up and dusted off her dress.
“Something has happened. Something has changed.” Aerith said softly.
Shaking her head, she grabbed her basket and headed for the front doors. She would need to keep her eyes open. Everything was about to change.
—sSs—
Zack Fair’s shoulder slammed into the door before it finally burst open and he stumbled inside, somehow managing to keep on his feet before chuckling.
“Whoa! Haha! Told you I could do it!” Zack said, rubbing his shoulder before shooting a grin behind him.
“That you did. However, I thought we agreed not to do that because we didn’t want you to harm yourself, puppy.” Genesis Rhapsodos stated as he stepped inside.
“I’m fine! I told you before, I’m like a brick wall! Indestructible!” Zack said before banging his fist on his chest, only to groan.
“Even walls can be destroyed, darling. You just proved that yourself.” Genesis replied with a smirk.
“Yeah well, we got inside. So what are we looking for again?” Zack asked, looking around.
The room was really dark and even with the light from the doorway, Zack could barely make anything out. He hoped there were no monsters in here.
“You didn’t read the report, did you?” Angeal Hewley asked as he stepped inside next.
Zack chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Ummm no? But it’s because I knew you guys would! So… what are we looking for?” Zack asked.
“Anything.” Sephiroth’s voice said as he also entered the room.
“That’s… broad.” Zack mumbled.
“It’s because Shinra doesn’t know what to expect. Shinra is mostly interested in what Professor Hojo was working on under their noses with their funds without their permission. Any experiments or testing that doesn’t seem to be on the up and up.” Angeal explained as Genesis started to walk deeper into the room.
“So anything morally or ethically illegal.” Genesis added.
“Well, we found all those documents and stuff. Isn’t that enough?” Zack said, looking at the files Sephiroth was carrying.
“This is fine, but we need to make sure we don’t leave anything behind. So turn this entire room upside down. Leave nothing alone.” Sephiroth replied shortly as he followed Genesis.
Zack frowned, looking at Sephiroth in concern before Angeal placed a hand on his shoulder. Zack turned to him, worriedly.
“Is he ok?” Zack whispered.
Angeal gave him a sad smile.
“He is… trying. Just give him some grace, ok?” Angeal asked.
“Right, got it.” Zack nodded.
Angeal patted him on the shoulder before he followed the other two with Zack bringing up the rear. The room, which was actually a lab, was huge and they soon spread out.
“I have a desk over here.” Sephiroth called.
“Anything inside?” Angeal asked as he found a filing cabinet.
“Locked.” Sephiroth replied.
There was some rattling and then the sound of something breaking.
“Not anymore.” Sephiroth stated before the sound of papers shuffling were heard.
“Has anyone found a light switch yet? It’s dark as hell in here and I can’t see anything.” Zack called.
“I think so, but nothing is happening.” Angeal replied, finding a switch next to the filing cabinet.
Zack could hear the sound of a switch clicking, but no light came on, confirming Angeal’s suspicions.
“The power must be going somewhere else.” Sephiroth stated.
“Great. Just be careful then.” Zack muttered.
“As if you have to say that to anyone else.” Angeal teased.
“Hey!” Zack yelled.
Genesis had made it to the very back of the lab and eyed a large, covered item in the shadows before noticing a faint green light coming from underneath. He had a bad feeling about this, but also knew he had to see what was hidden. He moved closer.
“We should have grabbed the lantern from the helicopter.” Angeal sighed, squinting to try and read the files he had found in the cabinet, but was unable to.
“I think I still have a glow stick in one of my pockets? Hold on, let me check.” Zack stated, patting down his pockets.
“A glow stick?” Sephiroth asked, looking up in confusion.
Genesis walked over and reached for the cloth before peeking under it. His breath hitched.
“AHA! Found it!” Zack pulled a glow stick from his pocket and held it up.
Zack snapped it and proudly held it up when it lit up. The glow stick was barely glowing, but Angeal sighed and took it from him.
“Thank you, Zack.” Angeal said fondly.
“No problem! Happy to help!” Zack said proudly.
Genesis stared in horror before he finally found his voice.
“Gentlemen… I fear we have a problem.” he said quietly.
Zack and Angeal were too busy talking to hear him, but Sephiroth did, if not barely.
“Did you say something, Genesis?” Sephiroth called, making Angeal and Zack pause to turn his way.
“I said I think we have a problem.” Genesis said louder without looking at them.
“A problem? What kind?” Sephiroth asked urgently, moving around the desk to get closer.
Genesis swallowed hard before he pulled the cloth off.
“I think I know where all the power went.” Genesis said as the tank was revealed.
There was silence before Zack spoke.
“Oh my god.” Zack whispered in horror.
“No… it… it can’t be… right?” Angeal asked, voice shaking.
The three men moved closer, staring at the tank before them. Over the tank was a single letter on a plaque, “C”.
“What the hell was he doing?” Genesis asked.
“Something monstrous.” Sephiroth replied.
Floating inside the tank was a young man. He was naked with only a mask covering his nose and mouth. His hair floated around his head. The green glow was the mako he was floating in.
“W-We have to get him out!” Zack said, his voice panicked as he moved towards the tank.
Zack’s panic seemed to snap Angeal out of his own shock. He quickly grabbed the younger man to keep him from doing something that could possibly end badly.
“Zack, wait. We can’t.” Angeal said quickly.
“What! Why!” Zack demanded.
“Angeal is right, Zack. We need to… drain it first.” Sephiroth said, coming out of his own shock.
Angeal grabbed Sephiroth’s arm.
“Sephiroth, we need to call the Turks.” Angeal said urgently.
“The Turks! Angeal, they will take too long to get here!” Genesis argued.
“Even still, this is a Turk investigation. If we mess this up, we could ruin the case they are building against Hojo.” Angeal insisted.
“There is a man trapped in mako, Angeal! Who cares about their investigation!” Genesis yelled, pointing.
As Genesis and Angeal started to argue, Zack shuffled to stand next to Sephiroth and take his trembling hand in Zack’s own. Both of them were unsure of what was going on, but didn’t want to get involved either. None of them noticed his eyes opening.
—sSs—
Cloud didn’t know where he was. All he knew was that it was quiet and dark and that it had been quiet and dark for a very long time. But suddenly, it wasn’t quiet anymore. It wasn’t quite loud either, but something was happening and that forced Cloud to the waking world against his will.
The first thing he saw was green. All green. Just green and that made his heart start to race. The second thing he noticed was he was floating. Floating in mako. Floating in a tank full of mako and he had no idea how long he had been floating here for.
Panic soon consumed him and he reached out to press his hands against the glass before him. He pressed as hard as he could, trying to get out. He had to get out. HE HAD TO GET OUT! Cloud began to bang his hands against the glass, trying to get it to break, but nothing happened. Eventually, Cloud pulled his hand back and balled it into a fist before punching it through the glass.
—sSs—
The argument was getting louder. Angeal and Genesis were furiously debating with each other, trying to prove their idea was the best one. It was so loud Zack almost missed the banging. His eyes turned to the tank again and he gasped.
“WAIT! DON’T!” Zack yelled.
That caused Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal to turn to him before looking up. Just in time to see the young man inside the glass punch right through it. The entire tank shattered and the mako spilled out immediately, knocking the four men over and sending them sliding away from the tank. Zack immediately rolled over and looked up, just in time to see the young man fall out of the tank and hit the floor with a solid thud.
“Shit!” Zack tried to get to his feet, but kept slipping and sliding in the mako on the floor.
“Zack!” Angeal yelled.
“He punched through the GLASS?! Is that even possible!” Genesis demanded, sitting up.
“It doesn’t matter.” Sephiroth replied as he slowly got up into a kneeling position.
The young man slowly got up into a kneeling position before reaching up and ripping the mask off, gasping loudly.
“Whoa, hey! Don’t move!” Zack held out a hand, but slipped and fell over again.
The young man slowly got to his feet and they could see he had blonde-ish hair and familiar SOLDIER eyes. He stumbled a bit, looking around wildly before his eyes landed on Sephiroth. Confusion turned to absolute panic as the young man stumbled back and slammed against the wall.
“Not you! Anyone but you!” he yelled, staring at Sephiroth.
Zack, Genesis and Angeal all turned to Sephiroth, who looked baffled.
“Do you know him?” Genesis asked.
“No.” Sephiroth replied, shaking his head.
Zack slowly got to his feet and held out his hands. The young man turned his attention to Zack and their eyes locked. Zack swallowed before giving him, what he hoped, was a comforting smile.
“Hey, easy now, ok? There’s no reason to be upset. We aren’t going to hurt you.” Zack said gently.
The man didn’t seem to know what to do. He just pressed himself against the wall before he spoke.
“Where am I?” he whispered, voice shaking.
Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth all shared a look, but Zack spoke first.
“You’re in a lab run by a guy named Hojo.” Zack said.
At Hojo’s name, the young man’s breathing started to quicken, becoming even more panicked as his eyes began to dart around the room. His whole body seemed to be shaking violently.
“H-Hey! Easy! Easy! It’s ok! He can’t hurt you anymore! He’s not even here!” Zack said, trying to calm him down.
Instead, the man shook his head before his eyes landed on Sephiroth again.
“Hojo isn’t here, but HE is!” the man spat.
Sephiroth blinked rapidly, not sure what he had done to be hated so much. Angeal and Genesis had finally managed to get to their feet and Angeal had sent an emergency text to Reno, who should be waiting for them outside (if he hadn’t wandered off in boredom).
“No one wants to hurt you. We want to help you, even Sephiroth. Will you let us help you?” Angeal asked.
“At least let us get you some clothes, Mister…?” Genesis trailed off, waiting to see if he would give a name.
The man’s eyes turned to Genesis and he stared before he spoke, though he seemed uncertain.
“Cloud… I think… my name is Cloud?” the newly named Cloud muttered.
“Nice to meet you, Cloud. I’m Zack. That’s Angeal, Genesis and, well I guess you already know Sephiroth.” Zack winced.
Cloud stared at Zack, lower lip trembling before he shook his head.
“I-I don’t know Sephiroth. I just… I just know he’s evil.” Cloud whispered.
Sephiroth actually seemed taken aback and a bit hurt.
“Is that something Hojo told you?” Genesis demanded.
Cloud shook his head slowly, as if he wasn’t sure.
“I… no, he didn’t… I don’t think? I just know.” Cloud insisted.
“I think the mako poisoning is confusing you. Sephiroth is a good man.” Angeal stated.
Cloud started to shake his head more violently, but it seemed that he was done talking. Cloud bolted, heading for the open door. Zack yelped and tried to grab him, but he slipped right past Zack. Genesis and Angeal both tried to grab for him as well, but he managed to dart out of the way of their attempts too. Sephiroth was too far away to even try, so Cloud got to the door and ran right out.
“Oh fuck!” Zack slipped and slid trying to get his feet underneath him before he managed to get stable and started after Cloud.
“Zack, don’t let him get away!” Angeal yelled as all three men tried to get up and follow him.
Zack got to the hallway and saw Cloud rushing down the hall. He was pretty fast for a guy who had just woken up, but Zack was right on his trail. Zack wasn’t going to let him escape. As they ran, Cloud clearly had no idea where he was going, which worked out in Zack’s favor. Cloud took a sudden right, but Zack took a turn right before that, knowing it would loop around and allow Zack to cut him off.
Zack narrowed his eyes and pushed himself to his absolute top speed when he saw Cloud appear from around the corner. Zack launched himself at the other man and tackled him. The two of them hit the floor before Cloud attempted to throw Zack off him. They rolled around as Zack tried to get him under control and Cloud tried to wiggle his way out. Zack was startled by how strong Cloud was. He easily had First Class level strength. Zack was struggling and he was going to lose if he didn’t get some help.
“Yo, where the fuck are you guys?” Reno’s voice yelled, his footsteps coming down the hallway.
“RENO! HELP!” Zack yelled.
Reno’s footsteps quickened and he came around another corner in confusion. He took in the scene for a moment before moving closer.
“Yo, what is going on here? Who the fuck is this?” Reno demanded.
“QUESTIONS LATER! HELP NOW!” Zack snapped.
He managed to get Cloud in a bear hug and pull him up. Reno raised an eyebrow at the sight of Cloud’s nakedness, but pulled out his rod and promptly wacked Cloud in the head with it. Cloud was knocked out immediately and slumped in Zack’s arms. Zack blinked, but accepted it for what it was and sat back against the wall.
“Whew. Thanks.” Zack muttered.
“No problem, but who the fuck is this? And… why is he naked?” Reno asked, pointing with his rod.
Before Zack could answer, they heard Angeal calling.
“Zack!” Angeal’s voice yelled.
“Over here!” Zack yelled back as he adjusted Cloud in his arms to hold him and cover him ever so slightly, giving the guy a little bit of decency.
Angeal, Sephiroth and Genesis came around the corner, looking a little ruffled and out of breath. Reno snorted when he saw them.
“The fuck happened to you all? You look like shit.” Reno mocked.
“Shut it, Reno.” Genesis snapped, knowing that his coat was ruined by the mako from the tank and was absolutely furious about it.
Angeal knelt by Zack’s side and frowned as he looked at the young man Zack was holding.
“He’s thin. Clearly malnourished and possibly dehydrated.” Angeal muttered.
“He was in Hojo’s tender love and care. We all know he doesn’t treat his toys very well…” Genesis said before pausing and looking at Sephiroth sheepishly.
“No offense.” Genesis said quickly.
“None taken. You are not wrong” Sephiroth replied.
“Whoa, wait. He’s an experiment?” Reno demanded, pointing.
“He was in a mako tank in a hidden Hojo lab. I think that’s pretty obvious, Reno.” Genesis said coolly.
“Oh shit… You do realize I am going to have to report that in, right?” Reno asked, seriously.
“Good. In fact, we want you to call it in. He needs medical attention, stat.” Sephiroth replied sharply.
Reno raised an eyebrow, but pulled his PHS out.
“Alright, I’ll call Tseng now. They are probably going to want this place locked down.” Reno said.
“That’s fine. We will step outside and start coordinating our way back to HQ.” Angeal stated.
“Umm?” Zack said.
All of them turned to him.
“Can we get him some clothes? I mean, we are in the mountains. It’s cold outside and he’s shaking already.” Zack asked, adjusting his grip to hold Cloud closer and try to provide some warmth.
“Right… Clothes… ummm?” Angeal looked at Reno, who blinked.
“Don’t look at me! I don’t have any. I haven't had a chance to restock since the last time SOMEONE threw up in the helicopter!” Reno pointedly looked at Zack, who chuckled sheepishly.
“Sorry.” Zack mumbled while Reno just huffed.
“Here.” Sephiroth pulled off his jacket and handed it to Zack, who nodded in thanks.
“Alright, there we go.” Zack wrapped Cloud in the jacket, who stopped shivering and seemed to settle down.
“What a day, yo.” Reno muttered before he turned and walked off, PHS already to his ear.
“Hey! Boss! We have a problem.”