Shado: No, no you are not imagining things. Yes, yes I am updating within the same month of the last update. Been a while since I've done that I think. But this would be such a nice Christmas present, it would be a waste of passing this up. Although I would like to continue editing over this I've been re-editing this chapter so much that I'm just done. My main objective was to create a huge wave of suspense, and I think I have achieved that. So while my OCD wants to add its own two cents in, I'm just gonna leave this as is and watch your reactions.

Chapter Nine – The Bane to Beast

"Deciding whether or not to trust a person is like deciding whether or not to climb a tree, because you might get a wonderful view from the highest branch, or you might simply get covered in sap, and for this reason many people choose to spend their time alone and indoors, where it is harder to get a splinter."

~Lemony Snicket

=3=

The air was thick and the general was unaccustomed to the staleness that accompanied living under the plate. No wind blew down here, so there were years of buildup of vile smells that reeked all throughout. There should be no reason for the general and first lieutenant to be down here. This mission of theirs was best suited for the Turks. The whole reason why they sent two soldiers at all meant there was danger involved or they were to lure their targets out. Since pretty much everyone who lived under the plate despised Shin-Ra, the director thought it had been a good idea to send the army's icon.

'Honestly, why should I be out taking the most trivial of missions? I could be spending my time going through paperwork. Or perhaps taking a look through Cloud's records.' Sephiroth thought bitterly, eager to get this silly mission over and done with.

They were to search for someone with suspicious connections to AVALANCHE. As of late the group has become more vocal about how the company was using up the planet's resource that's keeping it alive and thriving. Although they have yet to make a move, the fact they have stepped up their protests meant they obtained some vital information. Or perhaps they managed to get someone on the inside to hand over all information that AVALANCHE needed.

"Aw, Seph, you shouldn't look so frustrated all the time! C'mon, this mission is easy. We should get it done in no time."

And Zack's happy go lucky attitude wasn't helping the silver general one bit.

Bad enough the general was sent down here without his consent to go on the mission but he just had to be stuck with Lt. Fair. True, he didn't mind the young man, but each and every mission that they were on together something always happens. And usually it was something bad that completely compromised the mission and the common denominator was always Zack Fair.

"Zackary, you do realize the person we suspect to be a member of AVALANCHE could be anywhere in the slums, right?" The general dead panned.

"Okay, so what do you wanna do? Split up and cover more ground? Meet up halfway?"

Oh what a fine idea, he thought. Allow the puppy out of his sight where trouble follows him around like a magnet. Honestly, the pup was becoming more trouble than he's worth.

"If we do that, I will end up searching for you as well. No doubt you'll allow some little kid steal your wallet." Sephiroth nearly rolled his eyes at the prospect.

"Hey, it only happened that one time. One time!" Zack crossed his arms in disbelief.

"And you had to have the help of a woman who sells flowers for a living." The general added.

"Don't say such a thing with that tone! Aerith is awesome. She's sweet, and pretty, and kind…" Zack sighed like a love struck fool, mind off somewhere else.

Ah, if only he could be as naïve and foolish as Zack. Then perhaps he wouldn't be in a strange bind where he couldn't make a move on the one person who caught his eye. Why was he always attracted to the things unattainable to him? Though he always got what he wanted, one way or another. But this time he might have finally bitten off more than he could chew.

"I get it, Zackary. Now, let's get going on this search. According to mission files, the person in question was last seen heading towards the train graveyard. So I suppose we could start there." Without waiting for a reply Sephiroth headed in that direction.

For the long walk over to their destination it was quiet. For once the lieutenant didn't have anything to talk about. Or perhaps he was still thinking about the girl he was currently set his eyes on. At any rate, the general was grateful for the silence. It helped clear his head through meditation and cleared out all distractions within his mind. In addition he did not need to be reminded of a certain situation that's been causing him headaches more than the miles of paperwork.

So when they finally arrived the general was in a better mood compared to when their mission began. Though the first thing they ran into were a bunch of monsters. Most of them were phantoms with the ability to disappear for a while then come back, to which Sephiroth quickly found annoying as these creatures moved in groups. The moment you thought they disappeared they reappear once again and the battle was still on.

And the more they continued to battle their way further into the train graveyard, the monsters seem more attracted to the sounds of battle. And with the greater number of monsters the general's mood darkened once more. If there truly was someone in AVALANCHE using the train graveyard as a means of hiding or stashing information, he doubted it. Unless the group recruited someone who could sneak past these monsters, Sephiroth doubted anyone would just stroll through here.

'Perhaps Gunslinger is a member of AVALANCHE…many of his kills has been a large benefit for the terrorist group.' An interesting idea. He will have to inquire about it with the director the next time they spoke.

However, if it was true, then it was a possibility that he found quite disturbing. It would mean the environmental fools could gain access anywhere with Gunslinger on their side. Though Sephiroth doubted the assassin would take up the life in the political world. Still, it was the only possible reason why AVALANCHE would choose the train graveyard as a means to meet up or exchange information.

Of course there were other thoughts swirling around in his head. Perhaps a member or two managed to enter into the cadet system. This sort of thoughts did not suit Sephiroth at all. It could all very well end horribly if this situation was true.

And then before he realized, as the general bitterly gone over possibilities, the monsters ceased attacking them. It would seem they had enough sense to know when they're not going to take down two wandering souls when so many attempted beforehand. Now that exploring was made easier, the pair silently split up to cover more ground in the graveyard. So long as the lieutenant was within hearing then Sephiroth didn't need to worry too much.

Zack headed towards a train still on the rail with the doors wide open, humming that strange tune again. The more Sephiroth heard the lullaby, he felt certain it withheld more meaning than a simple tune. As of late, he heard it just about every damn time the lieutenant was around. He heard it so many times the general was beginning to have strange dreams with the tune playing as the background music.

Though he didn't remember what the dreams had consisted of when he woke up, all he could recall was the tune had been a large part of it. A few of those dreams he could vaguely remember blond hair and deep blue eyes, but that could just be wishful thinking on his part. Or somehow his fantasies that were slowly taking a hold of his mind were coinciding with the musical tune that he found annoying yet calming at the same time.

Sephiroth was too distracted as he walked along a train lying on its side he hadn't heard footsteps running his way. He heard them, but he thought nothing of it. He assumed it was Zackary who found something that was shiny. Or if he was lucky, the suspect they were looking for. Out of reflex he readied the moment when Masamune was needed.

Then the footsteps rounded the train and ran straight into him. The force of the impact did nothing for Sephiroth, though he had to wrap an arm around the thin waist to keep the other from falling. He looked down and to his surprise to see Private Cloud Strife. Their eyes met, and he felt the boy's breath hitch.

"Sephiroth…" Said general had to admit, he liked the sound of his name from that tempting mouth. He began to wonder…no, not now. This situation did not call for another fantasy to run through his head. The last thing he wanted was to scare the boy.

He was about to request why the private was running about in the middle of a train graveyard when something unexpected happened. With a gasp something white and feathery sprang out from the boy's shoulders and wrapped around him. Sephiroth had to stare at them for a moment for the sight to register in his brain that yes, those were wings and no, he was most certainly not hallucinating.

The boy stopped breathing at that point. Concerned, Sephiroth returned his gaze to those blue eyes. There was genuine fear in them, and he could feel the dread coming off the boy in waves.

"Relax, Strife. Breathe, just breathe and calm down." Oddly enough his voice did come out as soothing as he wanted it to.

Even so his words had the opposite effect. Now the boy was beginning to hyperventilate. With great reluctance Sephiroth let go of his hold on the delectably thin waist. The boy pulled away and nearly rammed his back against the train in his blind panic. The wings stretched out at full length. Sephiroth couldn't help but admire them even as they took a defensive stance.

'How can he have wings? Surely angels truly don't exist…' Sephiroth studied how the wingspan of those wings was longer than the boy was tall.

"Hey, Seph! I think I found something!" Zack called out, his voice nearly giving the boy another heart attack. Luckily the lieutenant was behind another train, so he can't see them. But if he would he could round the corner and see the unexpected surprise that literally ran into the general.

Those blue eyes widened even more if possible. They stared at the general, hoping, wondering, and fearing what Sephiroth might do. The general raised a finger to his lips before he responded to the younger First.

"I'll be there shortly, Zackary."

He heard an unintelligible response. Knowing the lieutenant won't be coming over to see what's taking the general, Sephiroth gave the blond his full attention. Those eyes showed confusion and gratitude at the same time. And it would seem he had more control over his breathing as he calmed down a bit. Even so his legs were shaking, probably still recovering from the shock or refusing the instinct to run.

"I promise your secret is safe with me. Though I would like to inquire about your wings, now is not the time." Those eyes hardened at his words, it was almost as if he couldn't let his guard down when those wings were out. This reaction was understandable, if he were in his shoes, Sephiroth would be the same.

"To show I truly am genuine, you can take my access card." Very slowly the general produced the key card out. It was his only card to his room and office, but that didn't mean he had other ways of getting inside either of them anyway. "This is the only card that has access to my office, so don't lose it."

The boy tentatively reached for the card, eyes never leaving his. "Are you sure you want to give this to me, sir? If it's the only means of you getting into your office…" The boy spoke so softly, eyes darting to the wrecked train where Zack was waiting on the other side.

"No worries. I could simply punch in a code and I'll be in. You won't have to punch in any codes. Just use the card whenever you decide to give it back. Or if my secretary is around, ask her to let you in. I'll be sure to inform her I'll be expecting you." At that Cloud was convinced and accepted the card.

Delight swelled from within the general's chest. This action proved the boy trusted him enough to accept the access key. He held the card as if it were fragile, blue eyes examining it closely. They heard Zack calling out for the general again, and this time he could not ignore the lieutenant.

Those eyes stared back up at the general, curious and full of wonder as the boy pocketed the card. The blond opened his mouth as if he were to say something, but decided against it. Instead the boy nibbled his lip, a habit he probably picked up from Zack. Sephiroth was against the lieutenant for biting his lip for it showed nervousness. Any sign of confidence wavering would lead to a blade through the chest.

Yet he found the action quite a delectable sight when it was done by Private Strife. As much as he wished to drag this meeting more, he had a mission to accomplish. Plus, this was not the right time or place anyway.

"See you later, Cloud." Sephiroth silently admitted he liked the sound of the boy's name from his mouth.

And with that the silver general turned and left the boy to his devices. But even as he retreated his ears caught the softly whispered thank you. The sound of his voice was genuine, and somehow that made the gesture all the sweeter. Sephiroth smiled a devilish smile. This was perhaps an unexpected accident on a trivial mission, but it was a happy accident. One where Sephiroth now had an edge over Genesis about the boy.

'And perhaps I shouldn't be so harsh on Zack. Something always happens when he's around in the same mission.'

His mood brightened when he laid eyes on what Zack found. Although the lieutenant will hate him later, but Sephiroth truly felt that the young man was a puppy in disguise the way he could locate anything special. It was perhaps time for Shin-Ra to finally take the fight to AVALANCHE.

=3=

Reno ran as fast as he could after the blond kid. Cloud was fast for a little guy! He managed to keep up with him until the kid started zig zagging everywhere in order to lose the pursuer. He somehow lost the kid in a crowd. After doing a quick circle of the premises the redhead leaned against the wall to catch his breath.

'Shit! Boss isn't gonna like this one bit.' Reno bit his lip nervously before he punched the wall with the side of his fist.

This was the slums, the slums were basically his home turf damn it! He grew up here. He survived here, stealing whatever he could to grab a bite to eat until he got too cocky. He knew it was too good to be true to see a man in a fancy suit down here in the slums without an escort. Now that he's a Turk he shouldn't have any trouble following the assigned target.

Yet here he was standing in an alley with no idea where Cloud Strife had gone. With great reluctance he pulled out his PHS and clumsily dialed. No, Reno did not just gulp like a nervous recruit as he held the device to his ear.

The man answered not even a second after it rung.

"Hey, Tseng um…heh heh, funny story but uh…I kinda lost the target."

"…"

"I decided to get close to him while he was hanging out with his friends, you know? He knows we've been followin' him so I figured why not show him he can trust us? But like, five minutes later he bailed after he doubled over as if he were either having a heart attack or about to hurl." Gaia, Reno was rambling wasn't he? He should probably stop now.

"…"

"And before ya ask how I lost him, I don't know. That kid has a damn good set of legs, yo. Dunno if he's truly faking the training or something else is truly goin' on. Though I have noticed he's been taking ibuprofen like candy lately…but partner and I haven't seen him get injured during training or anythin' like that." He felt like beating his head against the wall. He should stop talking but his mouth wouldn't obey the command.

"…"

"Then again, he does get pushed around a lot. He's kinda like the runt of the class that gets ganged up by everyone else. I tell ya, he's a tough little guy to make it this far, yo. An' while he does have friends and sticks to 'em like glue he still gets bullied in some form or another. Did I mention that he was fast? He could run like the devil was after him or somethin'."

"…"

Gaia, the silence was killing the redheaded Turk.

"Okay, boss? You haven't said a word and I gotta say, while I love that I've made you speechless and all, it's kinda scaring me yo." Reno nervously laughed.

"…You said he's been taking ibuprofen like candy. This is news to me. How much is he taking?"

"Uh…roughly six to ten pills a day? I dunno…I don't bother counting how many pills he takes. He goes through a giant bottle in a week."

"Reno, that's abnormal for a recruit this far into training. Why didn't you think that was worth mentioning at all?" Oh, dear, he could hear the toe that meant harsh punishment no matter what he said to defend himself.

"I thought it was normal? Even his roommates pack some after drilling. I just thought the kid needed more than the others since ya know, everyone's different and all." Reno didn't even believe his reasoning.

He could almost hear Tseng reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose in distaste.

"That aside, I suggest you call Rude and have him help you search for him. I'm expecting a copy of a report from the general about the lead on AVALANCHE, so I can't help you in the search." The redhead believed Tseng wouldn't come down here anyway, since it was his fault he lost the target in the first place. The man believes the person who made the mistake should make the amends and no one else.

"Just Rude? I mean, what about Cissnei? Can't she help us?" That girl did have a knack of finding people when the other Turks sit around at a loss.

"She's currently tailing someone else. I can't have anyone else take over for her."

"Oh, so in other words she's watching over your girl for you. Seriously, when are you gonna make a move on her? She might be innocent and all, but I bet she's got a wild side to her in bed. She pretty much grew up in the slums, it's to be expected she's picked something up." Reno rolled his eyes as he chuckled. Usually this would rile up a response from the stoic man, but apparently Tseng was having none of it today.

"If you wish to have more help then I suggest Elena. She needs more field work experience."

"Oh, c'mon! She just passed the exams, yo! She's still a baby Turk!"

Reno had another reason to complain. Although he would hit on anyone remotely hot whether be man or woman, personality plays a huge part on whether or not the obsession in question was worth his time. Elena was young and pretty with her blond hair and blue eyes with breasts big enough he could play with. All the qualities he liked best in a girl. Yes, he liked sweet Cissnei, but not in that way. She was more like a sister to him. Besides, her chest was too tiny for his standards anyway.

Upon first meeting Elena, she was quite the looker in his book, but she was a baby Turk. The moment she opened her mouth he was turned off in ever having a wonderful one night stand with her. She was loud, obnoxious, and she would not stop reciting the rulebook of being a Turk as if she memorized the whole thing when one didn't need to read the manual in order to do the job. Reno turned out just fine without reading the book.

"Your mistake, your responsibility. Oh, and Reno? Be sure we don't lose him."

The man nodded as he heeded the warning in the tone that promised him Hell should he fail in finding one elusive Cloud Strife.

=3=

Cloud didn't bother looking for his friends and regroup. He didn't have a proper explanation as to why he ran the way he did. And he didn't feel like he could properly defend himself against the barrage of questions the Turk would definitely have. He didn't want to deal with any of it.

And for a while he hid inside the compartment of a train in the graveyard. He waited for a long time. He was giving his friends enough time to call off their search and go about their business. He also wanted to keep the Turks off his tail for as long as possible. He needed a breather or two without their eyes following his every move. And during all of this he enjoyed the freedom of his wings stretching out, the pain reduced to a dull ache.

In this time he thought over why Sephiroth would hand him his personal key card. An invitation, perhaps? But what for? Sephiroth did say he wanted to know more about the wings, but was that really his motive? Cloud read something in those eyes that reminded him of the expression that mayor of Kalm that night a couple months past. He had only seen the swirls of lust in those cat-like eyes for less than a second, but he was sure it was there.

Cloud was used to such looks that were sent his way, he wasn't naïve to the stares in the showers. And before joining Shin–Ra he would be gawked at in every small town he and Father visited for supplies. Cloud was used to such unwanted attention, but that didn't mean he wouldn't remain cautious of his surroundings. Yet for some reason he felt shaken to know that General Sephiroth held such desires at the sight of him.

He didn't know whether he was shaken because he was the sole object of such desires, or because of something deeper. That night he met the general Cloud couldn't deny he felt something then. At the time he thought it was out of admiration. But when he saw that look of lust in Sephiroth's eyes his stomach turned into knots and his heart almost burst. Even now he was still shaking from their encounter.

Sometime later once he felt safe enough to venture out Cloud reluctantly pulled the wings back into his body. They still ached, but now they weren't as tense as before. He didn't have to worry about them coming out on their own for a while. Cloud didn't know what to do now, but he wanted to enjoy his freedom a little while longer.

So he decided to explore the slums. He didn't get a good chance to look around last time the company allowed the recruits outside Shin-Ra premises. As he took in the sights, he was beginning to feel a little depressed. He didn't see until now how the rich were built on the poor and left them to fend for themselves. Everywhere he saw trash littered the ground. Piles of metal junk were everywhere, and whatever few children he saw were thin and begging for food.

What was the glamour of Midgar? He had forgotten. The city was dark and depressing, save for the upper plate. But even there the air was tinted from pollution. Cloud always wanted to know what life was like in the cities, as Father had allowed him little experience in them. But now he felt disgusted by it, Cloud no longer felt any admiration. Instead he felt pity, as well as guilt for applying for the SOLDIER program when it provided him everything these people needed.

It was no wonder Father kept to the countryside. He once told Cloud the cities were depressing, all of them were. He didn't understand at the time but now he did. He missed seeing the stars out at night. He missed the smell of grass and farmland. He missed the hills and fields of chocobos about. He missed Father, and the open skies to fly in. Perhaps that was what Cloud missed the most. All the free sky for him to roam and explore, allowing his wings to come out whenever he wanted and not when he had to.

The blond was beginning to wonder if he should back out of Midgar now when he had the chance. It was fun here, yes, but the dangers here were beginning to catch up to him. Reno would most likely report his strange behavior to the rest of the Turks. They would probably make their move, and Cloud didn't have an escape plan. Well, there was one, contacting Father. But that would mean the possibility of the Turks finding both of them.

Or maybe he should plan ahead when the Turks finally decide to make their move. Cloud recalled Father had a few contacts here in the slums. One of them he remembered was a weapons smith, one of the few Father trusted to hand over Cerberus and leave overnight. There were countless times when foolish mercenaries or strange men collecting guns had an eye for Cerberus. Many of them had met an unfortunate end when they dared to confront Father.

Decision made the blond began to wander about. But this time he had a goal set in mind. Along the way he needed to find a sweater. With little sun reaching down here the slums were colder than the rest of the city. At least it wasn't that kind of day where the heat was unbearable and the slums were being cooked alive.

He found a sweater in a shop that sold numerous of things. The sweater was a little big on him, but it was black and the hood hid his hair and half his face well enough. Cloud also caught sight of a good pair of black gloves that fit him perfectly. He decided to buy them too. This way when he found Father's contacts he wouldn't leave behind any fingerprints. The gloves could also come in handy as replacements should the Shin-Ra ones decide to wear out on him.

With the tears of the back of his shirt hidden and gloves over his hands, Cloud began to set out for these contacts. If his memory was correct, one of them was nearby in Sector 7, which happened to be the area where he wandered in and found his new clothes. As he walked along he fingered the card in his pocket, hardly believing he had an item that was owned by the general.

'What were he and Zack doing there in the train graveyard anyway? Were they on a mission?' It seemed to make the most sense in his mind. Even so the next time he had the chance to escape from Shin-Ra he won't make the decision to use the train graveyard to stretch his wings again.

As he neared the weapon smith's shop, he came across a girl with a basket selling flowers. Cloud paused and couldn't help but stare. He could hear, no that wasn't the proper word, he could sense music flowing around her. The humming was soft and gentle, matching well with her innocent appearance.

She had long brown hair in a braid. Bangs and curls framed her young face. She couldn't be a year or two older than Cloud. Green eyes were bright and full of hope and dreams that seemed out of place for this depressing atmosphere. She was short, shorter than him, but her sandals gave her a few more inches of height. Her pale blue and white dress matched her sweetness as she handed flowers to passing children.

He could tell she grew up here in the slums. There was an air about her that said she was not a sympathizer, but simply someone who wished to pass on flowers all throughout the city as if each one was going to brighten Midgar from a dull city to a beautiful one. And yet she did not seem at all fazed about the dark atmosphere around her.

She sensed she was being watched and looked up. When their eyes met she smiled. She was young, young and naïve to offer such smiles so freely to a random stranger. Cloud suddenly felt like shrinking away, as if he didn't deserve her smiles. He felt he didn't have the right to even lay eyes on her.

And yet he couldn't back away as she made her way closer to him. The humming surrounding her became clearer with each step she took towards him. The music seemed familiar to him, though he was too distracted by her to recognize the tunes. When she stood before him, she reached into her basket for the last flower.

"Hello, there. You look like you could use a flower. Here, take the last one. You don't even have to pay for it. I usually charge 5 gil for young adults or older, but you're a special case." She giggled, as if there was a joke only she knew of.

Cloud could only blink, but accepted the offer anyway. He still felt bad for not being able to pay for the flower though. But before he could reach for his hidden wallet (he knew thieves ran about in the slums), she then turned around and walked away. He noticed a pink ribbon that tied around the base of the braid. Somehow the humming was mostly concentrating around the ribbon that fit her.

As he watched her retreating figure, Cloud had only one thought about her.

'She's a sweet but strange girl.' She was surely one of a kind, but he had a strange feeling she already has someone special in her life. He imagined whoever held her heart was lucky, and hoped he or she would treasure her for all her worth.

When she was out of sight Cloud pulled the hood of the sweater over his head. He was close to the weapon smith, and until he earned the right to be an assassin then he shouldn't reveal his face to any of Father's contacts. And still with flower in hand he continued on towards his destination.

He found the little shack without trouble. It was still standing despite its rickety appearance. It smelled heavily of strong Wutain incense that made his nose lose the sense of smell. Although he personally found the incense annoying, it did well to hide the scent of anyone walking in or out from search dogs. This was probably how this man survived so well under Shin-Ra's front doorstep.

Cloud knocked, and an old man with balding gray hair and thin mustache peered out the window.

"I don't take offers from kids! Go away!"

"Shifu Chang Tai. Do you remember Beast? You have worked on Cerberus. I remember you repaired it when a bullet was stuck inside one of the barrels. I am Swan, Beast's apprentice." Cloud whispered after he made sure there was no one else around to hear. Though he was still being extra careful, even the walls have eyes and ears.

"Ah, yes, yes! I remember Beast! Such a fine weapon he has. Oh, forgive my manners. Please, do come in! Hurry, hurry, before anyone sees you outside my shop!" The man seemed to brighten at the mention of Beast as he hurried to open the door with the sound of unlocking many locks.

Cloud hurried in through once the door opened. He nearly choked as the incense was even stronger inside than outside. But to be polite he refused to cover his nose. And for once in his life he was grateful for being petite, or else he would have to bow his head to make room for the low ceiling.

"So, young Swan, how is Beast these days? I notice you've come on your own accord. Does Cerberus need some work done again?" Chang Tai began to pour some tea he had already prepared.

"He is fine, Shifu. And no, Cerberus doesn't need any work done. Beast gives his thanks for doing an excellent job on it as always." Cloud smiled briefly, accepting the offered cup of tea. "I was hoping if you had any guns I could use. I am in need of one that's better suited for my skills."

"Ah, you wish for a gun that's accurate for long distance but can be easily hidden, light weight, and no one can trace it back to you should it be left behind?" There was a curious glint in those eyes.

"How did you know?" The young man tensed and at full alert.

"Ah, don't worry! Beast sent me a commission three months ago to create a few weapons for you, and in the note he gave a description that I just gave you. Here, let me get you one of them."

"Wait, he requested more than one weapon made for me, Shifu?" Cloud watched as the man went to the back. He heard shuffling and things moved around before the little old man came back with a small box.

"Yes, yes, he requested I make a gun and a sword for you. As you can see, I have finished the gun. In fact, you have perfect timing, young Swan, for I finished this just a few days ago! I already have plans set for the sword, and I have just started working on it. But I am afraid it will take a quite bit longer than this little beauty here." Chang Tai tapped the box.

"It was supposed to be given to you as a birthday present, but I suppose it's all right to bend the rules a little, no? After all, if you came here in need of a weapon, then I am sure Beast would understand you need it now. I have designed and created this gun, poured all the care in the world." The old man was nearly crying, as if he couldn't believe he had created such a weapon even if it was right in front of him.

"What is it called? Surely this weapon has a name. And why did he commission weapons made for me? I'm still just an apprentice. He wouldn't commission weapons unless…" Cloud wondered, staring curiously at the little black box.

"Unless the assassin believes the apprentice is ready for the final test to become a full fledged assassin. Yes, yes, he felt you were close to being ready." The old master bobbed his head a couple of times with a wide grin on his wrinkled face.

Cloud couldn't quite believe what the old man had said. Father thought he was almost ready? The very idea was a shock to him. He honestly thought he had roughly ten more years. On average an apprentice would have to commit twenty to thirty years of their lives in training.

Perhaps it could be that he had been raised to become an assassin since he was a child. That could have possibly given him an edge. Still to believe he was so close to become an assassin was overwhelming. Then he realized something.

"You didn't answer my first question Chang Tai. What is this weapon called?"

"It is called Black Swan."

=3=

It was just another normal day for Cissnei. Go over paperwork at her desk in the office in the morning with a fresh cup of sweet coffee and work until lunch. Once she had her favorite cheese and ham sandwich with crackers and cream cheese on the side she would head down into the slums to tail Aerith Gainsborough. At around eight o'clock she takes the train back to the upper plate to turn in her report and then work on some more paperwork that was set on her desk during her leave.

She didn't understand why the Turks were interested in this sweet girl she was following. It was just part of the job to not ask questions once given the objective in a mission. Cissnei has been aware of the Turks shadowing Miss Gainsborough since she graduated from training. When Tseng assigned her to follow the girl Cissnei was confused, as she was never asked to do so in her career. This particular mission Tseng took upon himself or assigned to Reno and Rude when he couldn't.

Apparently they were doing important missions of their own that demanded their attention, so Cissnei happily accepted. Her comrades had enough on their plates, and she had been a Turk long enough to be trusted in watching Miss Gainsborough. Her basic objectives were to watch for any change of behavior or habits, and if there were any danger to the target then she was to immediately interfere. Easily enough, and at the time being she didn't have any important investigations that needed her full attention. Plus it gave her an excuse to get out of the cramped atmosphere of her desk.

Though today started out normal, she came across something odd.

Or to put it more simply, someone.

It was about six when she witnessed an exchange between Miss Gainsborough and a boy around her age. Cissnei watched curiously as the girl handed over a flower to a complete stranger without accepting payment. She saw he was about to reach for a hidden wallet when the flower girl turned and left him where he stood. Normally Cissnei would have followed after her target at this point.

But something in her gut told her to watch him for just a few more seconds. The way he pulled the hood over his hair seemed suspicious. It was then she realized he was also wearing gloves. He wore dark clothing overall and what confused her was that he was well kept in appearance. His face was clean, and even if his hair was wild it was clear he washed the spikes daily. He also seemed fit if a little underweight, and she was sure those boots were recruit combat standard.

And so Cissnei broke away from her mission for the first time in her career as a Turk. A huge part of her felt guilty, but she was confident Miss Gainsborough was heading home right now before the night became too dark. The flower girl was too smart to stay out alone while the crazies come out and play. Cissnei was known best at being in tune with her instincts, which was a trait the Turks encouraged with great enthusiasm. If she found something important then she will take immediate action.

And so she followed this boy, being extra careful as she moved about in the shadows. He seemed more alert to his surroundings than Miss Gainsborough ever would. She was careful to step lightly when he stepped, never faltering the rhythm as she stealthily followed. She avoided puddles and any chance of the fabric of her suit rustle or rub against any obstacles.

Cissnei was about to give up and leave him be when he reached his destination. The boy knocked on the door of a little shack, of which an old man who was clearly Wutainese opened the window to shoo the boy away. Her brow tightened as he cautiously glanced around him before he began whispering to the man and within seconds the Wutainese was welcoming the boy with open arms.

Was it just her, or did that man have a lot of locks behind that door?

After the boy was let in she waited a few minutes to make sure the boy wasn't going to be shoved out. She could slightly see them from the opening of the window, but she couldn't hear the faint whispers. Cissnei couldn't risk being seen so she had to take the long trip around in order to get close to the door. She was afraid any sudden movement would attract their attention.

Even as she got closer she was still having trouble hearing their conversation. She could hear bits and pieces but nothing made any sense. At this point she was at the side of the shack, as she was unable to maneuver behind it with the wooden fence laced with wiring giving the shack a huge backyard. Now, why would a man who lived alone in a tiny shack need a large backyard?

Filing away the information for later, Cissnei dared to scoot closer towards the door and pressed an ear against the wall. She was careful her hair and suit didn't make a sound as she pressed closer still and listened in.

"…I suppose it's all right to bend the rules a little, no? After all, if you came here in need of a weapon, then I am sure Beast would understand you need it now. I have designed and created this gun, poured all the care in the world."

Beast? Was that a code name of a mercenary or an assassin? With an alias like that it could go either way in her opinion.

"What is it called? Surely this weapon has a name. And why did he commission weapons made for me? I'm still just an apprentice. He wouldn't commission weapons unless…" That was clearly the boy's voice, the tone and pitch was about right for a young man.

And there was something there, something important he was about to say. Cissnei stopped breathing, afraid he realized someone was right outside listening into a hushed conversation. She almost sighed in relief when the Wutainese answered.

"Unless the assassin believes the apprentice is ready for the final test to become a full fledged assassin. Yes, yes, he felt you were close to being ready."

Cissnei put a hand over her mouth to stop her gasp of shock alerting them. So Beast was an assassin! And it would seem this boy was the apprentice, possibly even part of the recruitment program. But the boy could have gotten those boots from anywhere. They certainly looked like they've been through hell and back, but right now she couldn't cross out the theory.

There was silence for a few agonizing moments. Cissnei was panicking in her head as she hastily checked her surroundings to be sure they hadn't caught on about their stalker right outside the door. Years of hardcore training taught her to never panic, but she couldn't help it with something as dangerous as this. Luckily that same training prevented her from making any sound despite her shaking limbs. She had to know something more about this apprentice other than his appearance and the sound of his voice.

She needed a name of significance like his name in the Underworld.

"You didn't answer my first question Chang Tai. What is this weapon called?"

Good, maybe this would be of help to her. If she couldn't get a name of the apprentice, then she has the name of this weapon smith. The name of the weapon in question that was created for Beast's apprentice was an added bonus.

"It is called Black Swan."

After that the conversation went about how to use and conceal the weapon. Although Cissnei had been taught how to shoot with guns, her preferred weapon of choice in the field was her trusted shuriken, Rekka. And it has been years since she was in training and so the language of guns seemed foreign to her. But there were some characteristics that stood out to her. She quickly latched onto those bits of information and filed away.

And some ten minutes later the boy left the shack. At this time Cissnei had already left him, as she couldn't find anything else out about the apprentice. She also couldn't contain her excitement any longer as she quietly put as much distance between her and the shack as fast as she could before unfolding her PHS.

"Tseng? It's Cissnei. You are not going to believe on what I have stumbled upon."

=3=

Shado: Part of the reason why I kept trying to edit this over and over was because of the pace I think. It keeps shifting from slow to fast and then repeat. This method is a little foreign to me, and it's something I picked up from my English class that I just finished this semester. I like the idea but doing it for my own work is a little weird, though I still like the effect overall. I'll try and not make this become a habit, I swear things will normal out next chapter.

And while I normally don't reveal anything about the next chapter, I will make an exception since this is sort of a late Christmas present.

Cloud gets some hardcore training from Genesis and Zack. And it's going to be lovely~

Not in a yaoi sense, but in a hilarious sort. I've been waiting forever to get to this point about Cloud's training. And there might be some hints as to whom he chooses as his mentor...

Anywho, please leave me a review~