melodiesoflife | Leaving a public query

Characters: Cloud and Open
Where: At the Aqures Ixen bulletin board
When: 20th October
Summary: Cloud has developed a problem he's not sure what to do about. Medicine hasn't been helping.
Warnings: Icky skin problems

With things as they are, Mako didn't want to go delivering any letters so it was up to Cloud to post his query publicly and on his own. Well Mako was there, but mostly insisting that he has to supervise such things even if he couldn't deliver them on his own. Cloud rolled his eyes at his Moogle as he put up the notice, but deep down he didn't actually want to see the little fuzzbrain hurt either.

In fact, to make sure of this Cloud had decided to change his job. Those who have been used to seeing Cloud in mage gear will now find him wearing heavy armor and a gunblade slung over his shoulder.

To All Heroes of Light,

I know some of us are having problems with our jobs and some of us have also been getting sick. Has anyone else who was turned to crystal or got one of the new jobs also wound up with a black mark on their arms or any other part of their body?

I've tried using potions on it, but it doesn't seem to help. The doctors at the hospital don't think it's contagious but they're not sure what it is either.

If you know anything, I live at house A-13.

-Cloud Strife.

Cloud hung around the board for a few minutes after putting the notice up, just to see if anyone stopped by to read it. He stood by, ignoring Mako's griping about random things while absently rubbing his bandaged arm. After about 20 minutes he decided it was long enough and returned home.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

.....HOLY CRAP SEPHIROTH WAS IN HIS HOME. STAY COOL, CLOUD! STAY COOL!

He nodded and with shaking hands took the tin from his childhood hero. He winced again as he applied it, the mixture tingling against his corrupted flesh. He wasn't sure if it really was helping, but he greatly appreciated the help.

Sephiroth too had held a sterner gaze while inspecting the strange, blackly-decaying area on his arm. Or at least, he had to begin with, until that moment when he had stepped back and something about it seemed to have made him look again. It was almost as if there were a whispering going on but there was something in the way preventing Sephiroth from hearing it. Hence the staring; unblinking and trying to understand something that wasn't connecting.

He blinked a few times as Cloud took the salve from him, almost forgetting that he had extended it out for the infantryman to take and having to notably loosen his grip - almost as if he expected a further comment first.

"I- I don't know. Could be." He answered honestly, despite the fact he clearly detested not knowing, and tore his gaze from the black mark up into Cloud's face. "It seems familiar, at least." That was putting it mildly but he had to say something to the young man.

While Cloud applied the cream to his arm, Sephiroth retrieved the bandage that Cloud had discarded. Perhaps putting it out of sight personally would help to quieten the fact he couldn't stop thinking about the strange affliction now. He approached that side of Cloud once more and raised it to cover the inky blackness.

"Let me-" It would after all be easier to have someone else wrap it up.

Cloud nodded and his shoulders relaxed a bit. It was good to hear that Sephiroth might have a clue. Better than everyone else who was baffled by it. Maybe it was something from the ShinRa labs? Or something from Wutai maybe? No...Cloud hadn't been deployed there. He didn't like the idea of a scientist secretly running tests on him either. There always seemed something off about Professor Hojo.

When Sephiroth offered to bandage it up again Cloud couldn't help but balk at it, but he quickly nodded and held his arm out, "S-so...um...do you think I'll be okay? What should I do? Healing magic hasn't done anything for it." Generally though most healing magic could only go so far for more serious illness or injury. At that stage it was more treatment than cure.

The tension released in Cloud's posture immediately took the edge off a certain awkwardness Sephiroth was starting to feel as he'd watched the boy apply the cream to the infected area. It had almost felt like he were intruding for a moment there. Was it a lie, to lead on that he might have a clue what the affliction was when he hadn't much of a clue at all? No, something about it was familiar, he only needed to have more time to remember -however unlike him that was- considering how strange he'd also been feeling since arriving in Aqures, completely acceptable.

Surely it would be better as well, for Cloud not to worry about it so much.

Sephiroth focused on wrapping Cloud's arm, his expertise in field dressings becoming apparent at least -a basic skill as it was. He wrapped the bandage just right, not too tight so that it would soak up the cream but not loose enough that it might fall off either.

"I'm not entirely sure. It looks similar to a condition that I've seen before -unless my memory is failing me, but it seems more pustulous than I saw it before." It could be a kind of degradation, like with Genesis, after all. This seemed the logical conclusion to come to.

"I'm not sure if the salve will help or make it worse so, of course, if that ends up being the case - discontinue using it." Sephiroth finished off wrapping Cloud's arm and stepped back. Instantly, the mark didn't bug at him so much. He offered a curt nod to Cloud.

"I'd suggest to wash it thoroughly and change the dressing at least twice a day in the meantime. If it doesn't clear up- a trip to the Library might be in order."

Cloud flexed his arm, testing the bandage. Satisfied it was secure he looked back to Sephiroth with a smile. "Thank you, sir. I'll keep all of that in mind." This really wasn't the way he had wanted to meet Sephiroth in person, but at the same time it was great to meet the man so far away from the battlefield or ShinRa tower. He always looked so serious there. So cold and distant. This was proof he cared about others.

"What was the condition you saw before? Was it back on Gaia?"

"Hm." And there, job done, Sephiroth retreated some into that cold aloof shell that he presented to the world most of the time. The facade that Cloud and others across Gaia found so chilling and yet awe-inspiring at the same time. He stood back and seemed to straighten up a fraction, not that it were all that possible for him to, nodding to Cloud and then promptly turned to leave.

Cloud's further question met his back at the doorway to the hallway and he lightly grunted with a side-step back to half-face Cloud again. Silver hair flowing around his shoulders some with the motion, as always as if it had a life of it's own.

"Yes it was. But we're not on Gaia now, are we?"

Cloud opened his mouth to respond, but Sephiroth was already heading through the door before he could respond. This illness was plaguing him, but not nearly as much as the question of who he was to become here in this new world.

He wanted to be a hero, just like the man who he was just speaking to. But now that they were no longer on Gaia, did it still mean the same thing? The First Classes were on the same level he was now, but he couldn't help but see them as they were. They were still his goal just from memory and habit.

And then there was Tifa. Something was bothering her. Something about home maybe? It was hard to tell, but he wanted her to be happy. He knew that deep down.

He winced as another shock of pain ran through his arm. If he got through this, he'd have to work to stand up and protect his friends. They were all taking care of him right now. He'd have to make their trust in him worth it. He'd be the hero he always dreamed of. He could do it!

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