Pain

Pain


     "Strife! Get your ass in line! NOW!"

     I sighed, jogging over from the locker room. I heard a few snickers erupt from the other side of the room as I squeezed into line. I looked over across the line. 

     My friend Seth looked over at me, smiling sympathetically, his brown hair falling into his eyes. His pale complexion contrasted drastically with his dark hair. I offered a small smile back before looking back at our instructor. Corporal Zane set his gaze on me before clearing his throat."As I was saying, before Cadet Strife had interrupted," a couple more snorts came from a few cadets,"I was talking about sword work. Is that correct?"

     "Sir!" we yelled. 

     Zane smiled."Good. So, yesterday I was speaking to Lieutenant Fair and he had suggested letting you runts have a training session trying to stab each other. And I agreed, so Lieutenant Fair will be supervising as well." He motioned to the observation room. We all looked.

     Zack stood there, arms crossed in front of his chest. His broadsword reflected against the light from its place on his back. Lavender eyes scanned over the cadets, stopping at me. He lifted an arm, directing a two-finger salute and wink at me, as if to say, You're welcome. A small smile graced his lips. My face reddened, and I looked down, sure that I heard Zack laugh.

     "I will be setting you guys into pairs, and you will be sparring for the rest of the session." Zane concluded as he punched a code on a keypad attached to a nearby wall. A thin hatch slid open a few feet away. Reaching in, he grabbed a handle and pulled, pulling out a rack of swords. On there was an enormous assortment of swords. 

     I smiled inwardly, gazing longingly at the swords. Huh, forgot the last time I used a sword. I though back to the hell of a life back in Nibelheim. Before I left I had out in practice fighting with a sword, though it was crappy quality-

     "Okay, now that I have assigned you partners, you may go and start sparring." I blinked as Zane's words broke into my thoughts. What did he say? looking around, seeing other cadets walking away, I saw Seth standing not too far off, two swords in his hands. I breathed a sigh of relief, walking up to him. 

     He handed me a considerably large Buster Sword. It wasn't as large as Commander Hewley's, but that wasn't something to fuss over. 

     "Thanks." I said. Seth shook his head, smiling."No problem, man." Smiling back, I asked,"So who's my partner?" Seth's smile faded into a thin line."Kumi."

     Turning our heads, we looked across the room. Kumi stood against the wall, eyeing me. His brown hair was slicked back form his face. Brown eyes watched me., his built arms folded over his chest. He had a katana leaning against the wall, looking out of place next to his boxer-like frame. "Great." I groaned. 

     I looked away, looking back at Seth. His gray eyes were stormy as he continued to glare at Kumi. Before I could say anything, I heard someone saying my name.

     "Cloooud! Over here!" I groaned again. Zack.... Daring to look, I turned my head to the observation room above us. Zack stood there, one hand pressed flat against the glass wall, the other waving wildly at me. I smiled, weakly waving back. A few cadets paused their sparring briefly to look over at us. 

     Zack flashed me a thumbs up. I mouthed a thanks before shaking my head. I turned my head back around to face Seth, when suddenly a flash of pain washed over my left arm. I gasped, dropping my sword as I moved to clutch my arm. I hissed, my arm cramping painfully. 

     "Cloud? What- are you okay?" Seth stepped forward, putting a hand on my shoulder, bending down to look at my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, nodding my head. 
 
     Then, the pain quickly seeped away. I breathed out, relaxing my arm and unclenching my fist as I blinked rapidly, my eyebrows furrowed. What the fuck? Ow... "Cloud?"

     I looked up, seeing Seth looking at me concerned. I shook my arm out, stretching the suddenly sore muscles."Yeah, I'm okay. Just a really bad cramp, I guess." I admitted, though it sure hurt like hell to be a cramp. 
 
     Seth looked unconvinced, but didn't press the subject.

     "If you say so. Just, be careful. And kick his ass for me, will ya? Give him a taste of his own medicine." Seth said. Looking at me. I nodded, and gave him a fist bump. 

     A few seconds passed before a proud smile spread across his face, he gave me a slap on the back before staring to walk away."Oh, wish me luck. I have Hiro." Seth added over his shoulder.

     "Break a leg!" I yelled. Seth acknowledged it with a wave. 

     For a moment, my hand drifted to my left arm. Breathing in, I let my hand drop. Bending down, I grabbed my sword before turning in my heel, walking to where Kumi stood.

     Kumi got off the wall and grabbed his katana as I got closer. 

     He walked up to me until we were almost chest-to-chest. Well, more like head-to-chest. He looked at least 2 heads taller than me. He looked me up and down before smiling."Bring it on, shrimp," he hissed before walking back and getting into a defensive stance. 

     I glared at his back before I too walked back, getting ready. Shaking my left arm out, I studied Kumi. His stance was uneven, and the grip on his katana was loose. I smiled.

     I pushed off my place on the mat, bringing my sword up. Kumi stumbled back a few steps as our swords locked before regaining his footing. He pushed on our interlocked swords, separating us. 

     I moved forward again, Kumi got on the defensive, lifting his sword up to block my attacks. I danced across the mat, dodging incoming jabs and slashes. 

     I rolled to the side, stopping behind him. I struck him being the kneecap, causing him to fall to one knee. Kumi lashed out with his foot, sweeping my legs out from under me as I moved forward. I lurched, falling to my back. 

    Kumi rose up, lifting his katana to slash at me. But I rolled away at the last second, feeling the whoosh of the blade near my ear. Rolling to my feet, I looked down, eyes widening at the slash mark the Karan had made on the floor where I just was, along with a few tufts of hair. My blonde hair.

     I put a hand to the hair near my ear, feeling the empty space where some of my blonde hair was gone, and look as well. I looked up at Kumi, still crouched. 

     He looked at me."You don't belong here, Strife. Nobody wants you hear anyway." Kumi lunged forward. I rolled back. Bringing my sword up. Sparks flew, lighting the floor it fell on momentarily. I pushed him off me, getting to my feet and rushing over to him yet again.

     From the corner of my eye, I could see most of the cadets stopping their sparring to watch us. It was silent except for the sounds of our clashing swords and heavy breathing. 

     Dodging a near strike to the head and delivering a strike to his shoulder with the blunt side of my sword, I bounded a few feet away. Kumi lifted his katana, charging at me. He had taken more than a few hearty hits from me. 

     Before I could lift my sword up, pain went through my arm. Again? My left hand slackened its hold on my sword. 

     Looking up, I rolled to the side, dodging Kumi's charge. Unsteadily landing on my feet, another jolt of pain went through my arm like a jolt of electricity. Still holding my sword, I rested my hand on my left arm. 

     Kumi turned to me. I groaned. What the hell? When is this gonna end? Deflecting another blow, I lifted my sword for another blow, but my arm spammed and screamed in pain. Suddenly, I saw something.

     A starry night in Nibelheim. "Hey, let's make a promise..."

     Blinded by the pain, I let out a low scream. I dropped my sword, my feet collapsing from under me. I feel to m hands and knees, hand clutching my arm. 

................

     My eyes widened as Cloud dropped his sword, clutching his arm. I squinted my eyes. What the-? all my thoughts were cut off when Cloud collapsed. "Shit!" I exclaimed.

     Turning around, I quickly exited the observation room, flipping out my phone. I speed dialed a number.
  
     "Seph, get down to the training room 47. Now." I said.

     "Zack, what-"

     "Look, just get your ass down here." with that, I hung up. I arrived at the door of the training room when I crashed into a cadet. I looked down, recognizing it as Cloud's friend, Seth."

     "Cadet Lionward, what is going on?" he looked up, eyes wide.

     "Well...."

...............

     Looking up, I spotted Kumi standing over me. He smirked, lifting his sword, but then a blue blur tackled him, both falling to the floor. The dark blur turned its head to me. I spotted gray eyes. 

     "Seth..." I murmured, before a sudden burst of white-hot heat went through my arm. My head snapped down, I shut my eyes at the pain, grunting. My arm felt wet as if something was oozing off of it. images appeared being my eyelids. 

     "At least someone's keep up..... Me? Gongaga..."

     Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I slowly opened my eyes. It was Zack. Looking up, I heard Zack gasp.

     "Cloud. Your eyes...." What's happening?

     A burning town. "I am true chosen one. Sent to rule this planet....."

     I squeezed my eyes shut against another wave of pain. I heard Zack's voice calling out to me. 

     "My town, my mother, give it all back!""How dare you!...... Let's go to the Promised Land together...."

     Using the last of my strength, still looking down, I directed my voice to Zack. "Help...."

     "You're nothing more than an empty puppet!"

     I collapsed. The last I saw was the mako-glow of blue-lavender eyes.

.............

     Drifting between conscious and unconsciousness, I listened. 

     There was so much movement. I heard the squeak of metal wheels echoing underneath me. Not far off, I heard a familiar, sweet voice now risen with anger. 

     Zack.....

     I sank back into the murky depths of darkness, visions flashing in my mind.

..............

     "What do you mean you can't tell me what's going on!?" I yelled. The ruse in front of me flinched. 

     "L-like I said, sir. I am not allowed to relay such informati-"

     I cut her off. "Information? I just want to know what happened! Gaia, you guys are no fucking help! That's my best friend in there and you aren't telling me a damn thing. I'm pretty much-"

     "Zackary," I froze mid-sentence. I turned around. "Seph..."

     "Don't Seph me. Get your ass out here." I sighed, glaring at the shaking nurse one last time before walking out. 

     Sephiroth was leaning against the wall. I looked at him for a moment before beginning to pace. 

     "What the hell happened back there?" I asked aloud. "I mean, Cloud was just fine before all this happened. Then all of a sudden, he's collapsing and screaming." I stopped pacing. I put my hands in my hair, fisting them in frustration and worry. My eyes burned.

     I stood like that for a moment before releasing my hair. Not looking at Sephiroth, I spoke again. "And his eyes. Gaia, his eyes. They weren't blue. There were like yours, Seph. It scared me." I looked down.

     "Theres something wrong. I-it's just like with Angeal." When he disappeared. And just like Aerith when she broke up with me, I thought bitterly. "Not Cloud now," Not like last time,"Besides Seth, I'm all he's got right now." my eyes watered at the thought of Cloud in the training room three days ago. The doctors had said it was unlike anything they had seen.

     What's going on?

     Sephiroth cleared his throat. I looked up at him. In his hand he held a piece of paper, with a doctor at his side. The doctor looked at the paper in Seph's hand before looking at me. "What?" I asked.

     "It's called Geostigma....."