Two Letters and a Number

Cloud leaned over the map spread out on the table, frowning as he tried to plot out the best route to take. The easiest way would be to start on this continent and then move to the others, but Rufus wanted the flowers delivered while they were still fresh so that meant the Forgotten City was going to be one of his first stops. Maybe he could get a lift from Cid up to Icicle Lodge before hitting Wutai after the Forgotten City...

‘You’re not gonna be able to avoid it forever, Spike,’ mused a familiar voice at his shoulder, and Cloud froze at the feeling of someone standing there. His surroundings didn’t change but the faint, *familiar* scent of Zack drifted over his shoulder and it was all he could do to keep from whirling around, remembering all too well how the vision or dream slipped away when he had tried that with Aeris.

“I just don’t want to go back until I can’t avoid it,” Cloud whispered, his eyes focused on the map. “Too much was lost there.” His friends, his mother, his life, his identity, there were times when Cloud wondered if it was worth losing so much because of a megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur.

‘Seph wasn’t that bad, was he?’ inquired Zack with laughter in his voice.

A small smile twisted Cloud’s lips. “I was referring to Hojo.”

That got him a laugh that washed over him like curling up under a comfortable blanket, familiar and warming him to his toes, before the presence vanished, and Cloud stood there, looking at the map with unseeing eyes as he blinked back the tears that threatened to appear. He didn’t know why Zack was now showing up, but it left that comforting ache that was always there after Aeris visited him. Shaking his head, he returned his attention to the map even as a small smile touched his lips. If he kept getting visitors like that, he was going to have to explain it to Daniel if the other man caught Cloud talking to Zack or Aeris just to keep him from thinking the blond was insane.

A soft rustle of fabric caught Cloud’s attention and he looked up to find Vincent lounging in the doorway, looking as remote and untouchable as ever.

“Vincent,” greeted the blond, nodding at the older man. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“What route are you taking on this delivery for Shinra?” inquired the man, his deep voice washing over Cloud even as he walked over to the table, the tattered velvet cloak swishing behind him and he gazed down at the map, red eyes burning behind his black bangs barely kept out of his face with a strip of red cloth. Cloud was never surprised when Vincent seemed to know more about what was going on with Shinra and his group than the rest of them, especially after Meteor, and just chalked it up to having better connections with the Turks than the rest of them.

The blond shrugged a shoulder. “Was thinking about asking Cid for a lift up to Icicle Lodge, then over to the Forgotten City before dropping down to Wutai,” he explained, dragging a finger over the route he was planning. “If I knew of a way to avoid Nibelheim until the very end I would, but I can’t without wasting fuel.”

Red eyes caught mako blue across the table even as the golden claw lightly rested on the scarred wood next to black leather. “If you follow that route, you’ll be in Nibelheim for the anniversary.”

The tone was casual but Cloud could hear the faint note of concern in Vincent’s voice. “There’s no helping it,” he confessed with a shake of his head. “Not unless I want to waste fuel going around to the rest of the cities before doubling back to get Nibelheim. And Rufus wants me to stay there for at least a day to show the Turks the way to Hojo’s lab.” He scrubbed a hand across his eyes, wishing that there was another way that would avoid Nibelheim entirely, but Rufus wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. Of course, if this just turned out to be a test from Rufus, the other blond was going to be sorry when Cloud got done with him, Turks or no Turks.

Shaking his head, Cloud turned his attention towards the stairs as he heard Daniel starting to move around upstairs, and there was a muffled thump followed by words in a strange language that could only be swearing that caused the blond to chuckle. “Sounds like he’s not a morning person.”

“Would he be able to help you?” inquired Vincent, his own head cocked towards the stairs, and Cloud knew he was talking about the crippling nightmares he was prone to around the anniversaries of Nibelheim’s destruction and Zack’s death.

“I don’t know him well enough to trust him,” replied Cloud with another shake of his head. He bit his lower lip before looking up at Vincent with a serious expression. “Will you be there?”

Instead of replying with words, Vincent simply nodded his head once, and a bit of weight lifted from Cloud’s shoulders. “Thank you.” He turned his attention back to the map as Daniel staggered into the room, his pack held in one hand and his glasses clutched in the other as he blearily looked around for something. “What are you looking for...”

“Coffee,” groaned Daniel, spotting the machine and making a bee line for it, his bag falling from his fingers to crash to the ground while he absently settled his glasses on his face. He poured himself a cup and proceeded to inhale it while Cloud watched in amusement. He hadn’t seen anyone that much of a zombie since Yuffie discovered that Cid only had tea aboard the Highwind when they were chasing Sephiroth the first time.

There was a soft snort from Vincent, and Cloud didn’t have to look over to find a small smile on the dark haired gunman’s lips. Cloud waited for a few more minutes as something resembling awareness appeared in Daniel’s eyes before folding up the map. “We’ll be on our way as soon as I make a call.”

Daniel only nodded as he dropped into a chair at the table with his fingers curled around his second cup of coffee, and it was the work of a few minutes to secure a ride with Cid to Icicle Lodge. The pilot promised to pick up Cloud and his bike in the Wastelands and ferry them up to the Northern Continent before returning to Rocket Town to work on his next rocket ship. Cid was still trying to make it back into space with his sights set on the moon this time, and Cloud wondered idly if the Tau’ri could help him there.

Cloud reminded himself to ask Daniel about that. After the other man had his coffee of course.

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The trees glowed with an unearthly white light, illuminating everything around them with a brightness that strangely didn’t blind the eye despite the fact they looked like they should. Daniel gazed around in wonder as Cloud killed the engine on the bike and slipped off, leaving the archaeologist to climb off a bit slower, still trying to see everything at once. They were parked next to a small pond that curved around what looked like an enormous conch shell with spikes and swirls that weren’t found on a normal Tau’ri conch, and the openings around the bottom of it looked like it was some sort of structure instead of a random natural formation. Daniel itched to ask questions about the place, but Cloud was kneeling next to the water with the cardboard box in his hand.

Opening the box, Cloud lifted out an arrangement of flowers and leaves. Purple hyacinth, forget-me-nots, acorn leaves with two acorns still attached, yellow daffodils, white carnations, lily-of-the-valley, and strange white tulips that he had never seen before were woven together to make a wreath that the blond floated on the water, gently nudging it towards the center of the lake.

“Hi, Aeris,” greeted Cloud, and Daniel looked at him to find that his eyes were gazing off into the distant, looking at something that only he could see, and that was when Daniel realized that this was more than just a Forgotten City.

This was where Aeris Gainsborough was buried.

“Rufus wanted me to deliver these to you, but where he managed to find some of your tulips, I don’t know. They’ve only started growing back around the new pool in your church, and I pulled up some of the boards to make room for them. People are still showing up to be cured of the Stigma but I’m sure you know about that already.” Cloud shook his head and stood up, turning back to the bike. “Come on. We can camp a bit farther out.”

“Right,” agreed Daniel, his voiced hushed and respectful, not wanting to disturb the peacefulness that this place seemed to radiate, and he slid on the bike behind Cloud again. He didn’t want to ask about why they weren’t staying in the strange shell structure, not when there was that much *care* in Cloud’s voice as his words drifted across the silent water that was lit by the trees and fireflies.

Perhaps later he would ask Cloud if he could explore that strange place or even if Cloud knew the story behind it.

As they drove a slight distance off, Daniel could make out some strange details in the glowing forest now; a shattered tree here, a rippled mound of dirt there, a strangely dark gash in another tree, and Daniel shivered at the sight of some sort of battle that had occurred here in this otherwise peaceful forest where no battle should be fought.

It was only a few minutes later when Cloud pulled to a stop in what looked like a small clearing with a small pool of water in it, and Daniel slid off again as Cloud grabbed his bedroll from the bike. He strolled over near the water and dropped his bedroll on the ground before gathering stones to make a fire ring.

“We’ll be safe tonight,” announced Cloud as Daniel moved over to join him. The blond was piling regular looking twigs and sticks in the ring of stones before standing up to wave a hand at the wood. There was a slight flare from one of the small green globes located in the intricately decorated arm band around Cloud’s upper arm, and a streak of red lashed out from his fingers to strike the wood, setting it on fire with a burst of flames. Daniel had jumped at the unexpected show of power, and Cloud glanced at him before ducking his head slightly in embarrassment. “Sorry. I forgot that you’re not use to materia being used.”

“Why did you build a fire?” asked Daniel, glancing around at the eerily glowing trees. “The trees provide ample light.”

Cloud grinned and pulled a cooking pot out of his pack. “It’s not for light, but heat and cooking,” he replied, filling the pot with water from the pool before placing it near the fire. “Unless you don’t think it gets cold here at night just because there’s no snow.”

A faint blush stained Daniel’s face. “Sorry. I’m not use to spending the night anywhere other than someone’s house or back at the base,” he apologized. “I packed camping gear, but didn’t think anything of it.”

“It’s okay,” the blond chuckled, throwing things into the pot before putting it on the flames. He dug out a couple of small jars with what looked like powder in them. “This is probably going to taste bland to you, but there’s seasonings you can add to your portion. Cid absolutely refuses to let me cook for him because I don’t use enough spices.”

Daniel thought back to the gruff blond that had transported them from the Wastelands to Icicle Lodge, a cup of tea in one hand, a lit cigarette between his lips and a strange crystalline spear slung across his back. He had to confess that the tea had been a surprise, believing Cid to be more of a coffee drinker, and he could understand how some people wouldn’t be able to please the blond scruffy pilot who seemed to enjoy bellowing and swearing at various people, usually those that were too close to the controls of his ship. “Does anyone make him happy or is all that bellow and bluster for show with him?”

Cloud grinned. “Honestly, I think he’s been grumbling and bellowing at Shinra for so long that it’s natural for him now,” he remarked, glancing over as Daniel rolled out a simple blanket. “Is that all you have?”

Blue eyes partially hidden behind glasses flickered down to the olive wool blanket he had spread on the ground before glancing at the paired blankets Cloud had unrolled. “Does it get much colder than this at night?” inquired Daniel, waving a hand at the chilly air.

“About fifty clicks that way is the start of the ice fields,” announced the blond, pointing in one direction. “This forest often gets rather cold at night. The last time my friends and I were here, we were sharing bed rolls and tents to stay warm.” He gestured towards Daniel’s blanket. We’ll share a bedroll tonight and you can sleep closest to the fire.”

“What about you?”

A shoulder was shrugged as glowing blue eyes fixed on the leaping flames. “The cold doesn’t affect me much anymore,” he confessed, his left hand absently rubbing his right arm where the bracer covered it. Daniel had to wonder what was hidden under that strip of leather that caused a reaction like that in the blond warrior and what memories it contained.

“So what was that place back there?” inquired Daniel as Cloud stirred the stew on the fire. “It was impressive but it didn’t look like a city.”

“That is all that remains of the Forgotten City, the lost city of the Ancients,” announced Cloud, his eyes remaining focused on the fire. “When they still lived, they built that city to be their capital along with a temple hidden deep in the jungle on the Western Continent. The Temple is gone now that the item it guarded was taken, and that is the only structure left of the Cetra.”

Daniel blinked and sat down next to the fire, his thoughts whirling as he tried to fit the bits and pieces of information he was getting into the larger picture and still coming up with some large holes in the puzzle. “Could you tell me more about what you know about these Ancients or Cetra?”

Cloud didn’t seem to hear the question as he gave the pot a few more stirs before pulling out two bowls with spoons and filling one, holding it out to Daniel. “I’ll tell you what I can, but I don’t know that much,” he confessed, dishing out his own bowl.

Nodding his understanding, Daniel tasted the stew only to frown slightly at the mellow taste. He wouldn’t call it bland by any stretch of the imagination, but there definitely wasn’t any spices that he could taste. Grinning, Cloud nudged the small jars closer to him. “I cook to my taste and everyone else seasons their food until they’re happy.”

“Why do you cook like that?” the archaeologist inquired, unable to see how anyone could cook and enjoy food that tasted like that. Reaching for the small jars, he popped the lids open and took a careful sniff to see if he could identify any of them. The reddish brown was definitely cayenne pepper, while the black was straight pepper, and the yellow powder had a faint tang like mustard.

“Heightened senses are one side effect to the SOLDIER treatments.” The words were soft in an almost flat voice, causing Daniel to look up from seasoning his stew to find Cloud’s eyes firmly fixed on his own bowl. “Sight, taste, smell, hearing, even touch. To you, the stew probably tastes bland, but to me, I can taste *everything* in it.”

Daniel shook his head. “I can see the advantages of that, but the disadvantages must be huge as well,” he stated. “Have any of your enemies taken advantage of that? Bright lights, loud explosions, that sort of thing?”

A smirk crossed Cloud’s face. “They tried,” he agreed. “But then they found out that a disoriented SOLDIER is even more dangerous than a normal one. A normal SOLDIER knows when to stop fighting because they can see their enemies running away, but one that’s been partially blinded and deafened is running on pure instinct. SOLDIER instincts are more feral than a regular trooper’s because they’re always stating that prey is out there and it needs to be killed. When a SOLDIER is in that state, the only thing that will be able to stop him is another couple of SOLDIERs, preferably of a higher Class.”

“Is that what happened back there? I saw signs of a battle as we drove away from the building.”

“No.” That one word hung in the air between them, glowing blue meeting curious blue, before Cloud sighed and continued. “Kadaj and his brothers convinced a bunch of kids to come with them for the promise of curing their Stigma, including Denzel. Marlene was kidnaped by Loz after he defeated Tifa, pressuring me into coming after them. Back there is where we fought and I lost.”

“What happened?” Daniel smiled, encouragingly, as he waved a hand at Cloud. “Well, you’re here, they’re not, and Denzel and Marlene are back.”

“A friend rescued me,” remarked Cloud as a soft breeze slipped through the trees and ruffled their hair, sounding almost like a sigh or even a soft laugh when some of the crystalline branches rubbed together. Daniel glanced up at the trees, but shrugged it off as another feature of this planet.

“Now about the Ancients,” prodded Daniel to remind Cloud as they ate.

The blond put his bowl off to one side and rested his arms on his knees as he stared into the fire. “The Ancients were children of Gaia who could talk to the planet and understand it. According to the legends, they didn’t need materia to access Gaia’s power. Then some of them stopped listening to the planet, moving away to live away from those that still listened.”

“What happened to those that listened to the planet?” inquired Daniel, trying to figure out how someone could listen to a planet. Perhaps they were more sensitive to geometric pressure that came from the weather, or they lived like the Native Americans did, in harmony with their surroundings instead of like modern society.

“The Calamity. Heaven’s Dark Harbinger. Jenova.” The titles sent a shiver of dread down Daniel’s spine at the emotionlessness in Cloud’s voice, glowing eyes firmly fixed on the fire now. “She fell from the sky, wounding the planet in a way that it is still recovering from, and infected one of the Ancients, hoping to use them as a cover as she destroyed all life on the planet. Only the others were on to her tricks and sealed her in a mako crystal.”

“Is this the same Jenova that Kadaj used to resurrect Sephiroth by absorbing a large quantity of her cells before transforming into Sephiroth?” asked Daniel, remembering where he had heard the name ‘Jenova’ before.

Cloud nodded his head. “Hojo, Gast and another scientist found her in the Northern Crater where she had fallen from the stars and where the Ancients had imprisoned her. They brought her, dead yet alive, to Nibelheim where they started experimenting. One of the things they created was Sephiroth and the other were the SOLDIERs.”

“How can something be dead yet alive?” asked Daniel, confused. The only time he had hears anything similar to that was the old myths of various gods, like Osiris, but part of him had to wonder if they were more because of Gou’ald’s spreading the tales than any real truth.

“All I know is that she was imprisoned in a mako crystal for two thousand years and *still* was alive enough to drive Sephiroth insane and help him control others with her cells like puppets.” A shiver visibly coursed through the blond while Daniel’s thoughts whirled. Jenova certainly *sounded* like a Gou’ald symbiote, but never before had they come across a symbiote that managed to survive in a corpse for two millennia as well as controlled others that shared the cells of its host or even the symbiote itself. Plus there was that part about *destroying* all life. The Gou’ald wouldn’t destroy it unless it proved to be too troublesome for them to enslave.

Whatever Jenova was, it was obvious that she wasn’t a Gou’ald which made Daniel wonder just *what* she had been and if there were more like her out there.

‘Just what the SGC *doesn’t* need. Another enemy,’ he sighed, scrubbing his hands through his dark hair.

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