Last revised: 10/15/2002 Completed: 10/15/2002 [fic][FF7] Puppets: a Conflicts of Interest sidestory (rough draft) I know it's been a LOOONG time since I posted anything for "Conflicts of Interest", but I have definitely been working on Part 8 in between various other projects. I swear! ^_^;;; For those who are unfamiliar with the story, feel free to check out the story at my website (listed below) or at fanfiction.net. http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=24055 Anyway, playing the game Kingdom Hearts (Wah! Cloud! Sephiroth! *__* ) has inspired me to work on and post assorted story chunks that didn't quite fit into the flow of COI Part 8. They consist mostly of extended flashbacks and prequel ficlets for various characters (e.g., Reno, Rude, Red XIII, Vincent, etc.). I also have a sidestory which reveals what exactly the mad scientist sisters did to poor Cloud during his five years as Hojo's prisoner/experimental subject. I'll probably start posting those soon, so you guys will have more to look forward to. I hope you enjoy this sidestory! ^_^ ----------------------------------- SUMMARY: For five long years after the Nibelheim Incident, Sephiroth has lain dormant in his green crystalline cocoon. Then one day, he abruptly awakens and begins his diabolical schemes against Shinra and the Planet. But what event initiates this chain of events? And how is Cloud involved? Title: Puppets - a Conflicts of Interest sidestory Author: Madamhydra Email: madamhydra@aol.com Status: WIP (work-in-progress) Archive: www.madamhydra.net/COI.html, fanfiction.net Type: Continuation, Alternate Reality Rating: R Spoilers: entire game ********** WARNINGS ********* WARNINGS ********* WARNINGS ********** Violence Obscene language Mature themes (references to abuse, torture, rape, etc.) Implied sexual content ********** WARNINGS ********* WARNINGS ********* WARNINGS ********** Disclaimer: (Full Disclaimers at the end) Final Fantasy VII is the copyright and property of its creators and legally associated parties. Used without permission. Not for profit. ( ... ) represents internal dialogue / ... / represents flashbacks ( ) are character thoughts / / and // // and { } are mental dialogue of various people [ ] are miscellaneous images or sound effects ====================================================================== Puppets - a CONFLICTS OF INTEREST sidestory A Final Fantasy VII fanfic by Madamhydra ====================================================================== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Get the feeling, head is reeling You think you're in control but you don't know me babe I can move you, I can soothe you I can take you places in a different way And I don't think you understand What I'm trying to say I'll be your operator baby I'm in control Watch your action, close reaction And everything you're thinking babe inside your head Conversation, my creation Nothing that you do you do unless I said And you don't know the consequences Of the things you say I'll be your operator baby I'm in control All the things you tried to do babe And all the words we've said before Are only part of what I started baby And you can't stop me anymore -- "Puppets" by Depeche Mode ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ====================================================================== [five years after the Mt. Nibel incident] On the cliffs overlooking Midgar, Cloud stared down at his badly wounded friend.... / Friend? FRIEND!? How can you call Zack a FRIEND!? / / Would a FRIEND try to steal your mind? / / Would a FRIEND try to take you over, body and soul? / Cloud glared down at the heavily bleeding SOLDIER and screamed, "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" He could feel Zack's thoughts and feelings -- could feel them pressing in on his mind, leaving no room for himself. For Cloud. The boundaries were fraying. Where did Cloud end and Zack begin? Did Zack have any idea what he was doing to Cloud? Of course he did. Zack couldn't possibly be that oblivious. He HAD to know exactly what was going on. That's right. Zack was in on the plot to destroy him.... No, he won't let that happen. With a crazed glitter in his glowing blue eyes, Cloud lifted the broadsword overhead. It hovered there for a brief instant, then slashed downward, shearing through flesh and tendons, nearly to the spine. Blood spurted, splattering his face. One blow wasn't nearly enough. The sword rose and fell again. And again. As that first blow sheared through his chest, Zack's eyes had jerked open. He locked gazes with his murderer -- the young man that he had been trying so hard to save.... / No, you fool! HE's the one trying to possess you! HE's the one trying to erase Cloud Strife from existence! / Those glowing mako eyes stayed open as Cloud continued to hack away. "STOP LOOKING AT ME!" Cloud screamed as the heavy blade smashed deep into Zack's skull. But the eyes were untouched. That blank, accusing stare.... He frantically swung again. The eyes continued to stare. // Cloud...? // He heard a voice echo in his head -- the familiar voice that had helped him hold back the madness for so long. "Zack....?" Horrified, Cloud dropped the sword and watched helplessly as the mako glow in Zack's eyes slowly faded away, extinguished forever. What had he just done? He had just killed the only person who cared about him, the man who had helped him,... his companion for over four hellish years. His only friend.... // We're friends, right? // "No... NO!" He giggled madly as he futilely tried to get the gaping wounds in Zack's body to close. All he succeeded in doing was smearing blood all over himself. Blood that would never go away.... He was every bit as much as a monster as Sephiroth. Even now, he could sense a part of himself that was happy -- happy that Zack was dead. And that vicious, murderous part had a name all its own.... "Strife...." / Zack deserved it! / "No... he didn't! He didn't!" Cloud whimpered, shaking his head wildly. / Didn't I listen to you when no one else would? / / Didn't I hurt those whom you wanted to hurt? / / Didn't I take what you wanted to take? / / You OWE me! / "Shut up...." / You belong to ME! / "Shut up!" / I won't let anyone else have you! / "SHUT UP!!!" He... Cloud... Strife... both of them needed to be punished. They had to pay for what they had just done -- and might do again. Didn't everyone say that monsters and mad dogs should be destroyed? He was both monster and mad, thus doubly deserving of destruction. As he knelt in the rain and the deepening gloom, Cloud felt his consciousness slowly begin to crumble under the crushing burden of guilt and self-hatred. And if there was any justice in the world, he would never wake up again. A life for a life -- how fitting. And on that outcrop overlooking the great city of Midgar, Cloud Strife of Nibelheim, ex-Shinra trooper, experimental subject, Sephiroth Clone, murderer, madman, essentially... died. ----------------------------------- Pain jolted Sephiroth from the comfortable cocoon of oblivion... pain that was a horrible, wrenching sensation originating not from wounded flesh, but from something much deeper within. He struggled to return to the womb-like security of unthinking slumber, but when that failed, he lashed out with his mind, desperate to find the source of this crushing feeling of loss... loneliness... grief... sorrow.... What could hurt him so badly? What could make his heart ache so terribly? WHO could hurt him like this? He flung his thoughts outward, ignoring the dull hum of ordinary minds, hunting wildly for an entity powerful enough to cause him such pain. But the middle of his search for his mysterious enemy, he abruptly became distracted by an unexpected discovery. Most minds he encountered were oblivious to his questing thoughts, but there were certain minds that seemed to resonate as he brushed them with his power. He hesitated, torn between his sudden, insatiable curiosity about these strange minds and his desperate need to hunt down the source of this mysterious inner pain. But even as he hesitated indecisively, SHE came. Jenova's body might be imprisoned by humans, but her spirit could never be bound by such miserable creatures. She poured over his mind like a great tidal wave, exulting in his reawakening. Her power enveloped him utterly, soothing away his inexplicable distress and sweeping away his uncertainty, even as she simultaneously reminded him of who he truly was and what he needed to do. And in her wake, she left his mind as clear, cold, and unyielding as the green crystalline cocoon encasing his physical body. He was Sephiroth. He bore the blood of the Ancients and he *would* take back everything which the humans had so greedily stolen from his Mother. For a brief instant, images of the other planets conquered by Jenova in her eons-old journey floated across his vision. They glowed like great dark pearls, glorious in their perfect and absolute sterility. This world belonged to Jenova. Mother relied upon him to return this planet to her, her proper domain. He would not fail her. In his mind, her dark, soaring voice subsided to a murmur -- soft, yet ever present, in the same way the songs of the great sea whales permeated the oceans. Now, with his newly calmed and refocused mind, he leisurely turned his full attention back to the fascinating mental resonance that had so intrigued him earlier. He prodded those odd minds, and watched with a cold, detached amusement as they quivered helplessly in response to his power. Yes, those individuals might look and act like normal humans, but in truth, they were nothing more than hollow shells awaiting to be filled by his will -- the will of Sephiroth. At first there were a few, brief glimmers of resistance, but he crushed those rebellious impulses with contemptuous ease. Once that was done, he found he could slide effortlessly into these hollow minds and set them to any task he desired, altering their thoughts, their memories, and even their bodies as it suited his purpose. Puppets. How ironic that Hojo's botched experiments should provide him with the perfect tools to carry out his quest. And how typical of Hojo's delusions of grandeur to call these creatures 'Sephiroth Clones', in a feeble attempt to pretend that these creatures were somehow near-perfect duplicates of himself. How could a worm like Hojo presume to think he could create a copy of Dr. Gast's and Jenova's masterpiece? No, these 'Clones' were nothing more than feeble shadows of himself. And just like shadows, these puppet-minds had no true will of their own. They had lost all claim to autonomy when they accepted Jenova's cells into their bodies. Now, as mere extensions of his own will, they would serve their master well as his eyes and ears, mouth and hands. But the aspect he found the most amusing was his puppets' utter ignorance of his dominion and manipulation. They could only obey, quite unaware that they were acting in accordance with their true master's desires instead of their own. However, of all the hollow minds he encountered, one in particular drew his attention, although he was uncertain why it fascinated him so. The other Clones maintained a facade of ordinary thoughts and emotions that hid their true nature and allowed them to pass as ordinary humans, but this special Clone had no such camouflage. While the physical body functioned flawlessly, the same certainly could not be said for its mental condition. Its shattered mind was nothing more than an echoing void littered with an incoherent jumble of fragmented memories and emotions. It was a minor miracle that the near mindless creature hadn't already managed to kill itself by drowning or falling. Intrigued by the chaos within this Clone's brain, he decided to explore it further. Intent on his examination, he ignored the stream of whimpering moans and anguished sobs -- mixed with the occasional scream -- that trickled out the puppet's slack mouth as it stumbled and staggered through the brush-covered cliffs overlooking Midgar. From its constant snivelling, it appeared that the creature found his probing exquisitely painful. Its evident suffering did nothing to deter him from his explorations, but what he discovered inside its devastated mind made him pause. This Clone knew... had known him. That much was clear from the disjointed memories floating around in its broken mind. But as to the specific identity of this particular Clone, that information remained maddeningly elusive. He really should have disposed of the creature, using the briefest flick of his will to send it obediently careening off the nearest outcrop. What possible use could he have for such a broken thing? It was less than human, even less than the other puppets that Hojo so grandiosely called 'Sephiroth Clones'. At least they had some pretense of self-identity, however feeble it might be. This broken-minded creature lacked even that. And yet he hesitated to get rid of it. The mystery of its identity continued to puzzle him, and the deeper he probed, the more disturbed he become. The creature had not only known him, but known him well. But if that was true, why couldn't he identify this individual? His growing confusion eventually roused his Mother's attention and her power quickly brushed away the turmoil that threatened to distract him from his true goals. This Clone's identity was unimportant. No matter who this person might have been, it changed nothing. After all, what possible significance could a mere human have for him? The only issue was whether this particular puppet would prove useful to him and Jenova. It was mere chance that the creature stumbled across a small pond and gave him the opportunity to see the puppet's face. Peering through its eyes, he stared down at the image reflected in the calm, mirror-like surface of the water. The blond hair was matted with dirt and dried blood, the face had grown gaunt from constant pain and suffering, and the blue eyes now burned brightly with that familiar mako glow. But not even the intervening years and Hojo's meddling could prevent him from instantly recognizing this particular puppet. Cloud Strife. He smiled slowly, and watched the Clone's reflection obediently do the same. When he saw that, Sephiroth knew he would find some use for this pathetic shell of a human. But to ensure that Cloud Strife would serve his purpose, his puppet needed both repair and maintenance. Unfortunately, in its current mental condition, the creature was clearly incapable of taking care of itself. However, the solution to that problem was easy -- Sephiroth simply sought out another one of his Clones and made his desire known. The ex-Shinra medic would have no idea why he suddenly developed the irresistible urge to take a trip outside Midgar, nor would the medic understand why he felt compelled to take care of the thin, dirty, vacant-eyed young man patiently standing by the side of the road and bring that blond man back to the city. -------------------------------- Days and weeks passed unnoticed as Sephiroth drove his consciousness deep into the Lifestream in the search for the Ancients' secrets. In the end, the Lifestream yielded the information he desired -- that and much more. Now he was ready. He turned his attention back to Midgar and prepared to set his puppets in motion. However, to his amusement, he discovered that the empty husk once known as Cloud Strife was no longer quite so empty. Somehow, while he had been fully occupied with uncovering the knowledge of the Ancients, the Clone had managed to put together some semblance of an identity. It had even managed to cobble together a semi-plausible past for itself out of its fragmented memories and the pathetic fantasies of a teenage outcast. By now, the delusion was nearly complete. His puppet truly thought of itself as Cloud Strife, former SOLDIER of Shinra. This discovery made him revise his plans. He had initially intended to take direct control of 'Cloud' and use it to liberate his Mother's body from Hojo's grasp. But perhaps a more indirect approach was in order. It would provide an excellent opportunity to test both the effectiveness of his control over these so-called 'Sephiroth Clones' and the extent of their abilities. And it would certainly be more entertaining. He was curious to know just how much this new 'Cloud' was capable of accomplishing on his own. The Clone had the physique, but would the mere delusion of being a SOLDIER be enough to carry the impostor through the all the hazards and perils of a grand quest? He could take over the Clone's mind any time he chose, but for now, he would allow 'Cloud' to go its own way... mostly. However, as its master, he was prepared to provide his puppet with whatever guidance and 'encouragement' Sephiroth deemed necessary. His Mother raised no objection to his change in plans. After eons of waiting, what difference could a few weeks or months make to Jenova? The Planet would be hers. It was inevitable. Through his other puppets in Midgar, he had learned of Tifa Lockheart's involvement in the terrorist organization known as Avalanche and their impending raid on one of Midgar's great mako reactors. It was only fitting that the two survivors of Nibelheim be reunited now, as he prepared to finish the task he started at the Mt. Nibel reactor five long years ago. Yes, he would set Cloud Strife loose in Midgar, drop him into Lockheart's lap, and see what happened. In the rooms above the ex-Shinra medic's clinic, he gazed out of Cloud's glowing blue eyes at Cloud's reflection in the mirror. Several weeks of good food and exercise had restored the Clone to optimum physical condition. He now watched in cool amusement as his puppet dressed in a manner fitting a SOLDIER. However, the sight of the SOLDIER's belt in Cloud's hands brought a sharp, unexpected twinge of emotion. (Zack....) Reacting to its master's sudden turmoil, the Clone dropped the belt to the floor as it winced and grabbed at its head, shuddering. But almost immediately Sephiroth was back in control of both his emotions and his puppet. He had recognized the belt, of course, and it meant... nothing. Yes, it and its former owner meant nothing to him. Absolutely nothing. Sephiroth continued to repeat that thought to himself as he watched Cloud finish dressing and arming himself. The final touch was the huge, familiar broadsword. The old Cloud Strife would have had a difficult time just lifting the blade, but the new Cloud slid the weapon smoothly and effortlessly into the sheath on his back. Without a second look, Cloud Strife left the room that he had occupied for the last month and promptly forgot about it -- forgot it and everything associated with that room. Ignoring the steady drizzling rain, he purposefully headed down the street toward the train station and a long awaited reunion with Tifa Lockheart. ------------------------------------------------- (end) ===================================================================== ------------------------------------------------- Keeper of Duo's Dark Side ~~~ Duo no Seishi Saitoh no Koibito ~~~ Corruptor Extraordinaire ------------------------------------------------- madamhydra@aol.com /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E http://www.madamhydra.net/ ------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The Full Disclaimer: All names, likenesses, and rights of Final Fantasy VII and its characters are trademarks, copyright, and property of Square Co., Ltd. and legally associated parties. The characters and associated materials of these works are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. The author of this work claims no ownership, part or whole, of the original plot and characters. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit. All original portions of this work is considered to be the sole property and copyrighted to the author Madamhydra. No part of this work is to be reproduced, altered, or adapted in any way without the author's express permission. ======================================================================