NIBELHEIM. it had to be nibelheim.ย cloud had imagined his return home many a time, imagining glory attached to his nameย and redemptionย in the eyes of the people who had shunned him. envy, maybe, regret that they hadnโt done more to know him. heโd imagined heโd return a hero, dripping with power and influence and thenย they would see all theyโd missed out on.
but things just hadnโt panned out that way. while heโd accomplished a great many things, all of those things were hidden behind bold ink strokes. everything heโd ever accomplished would forever remain hidden under tight lock and key.
the closest thing to bragging rightsย he had was being assigned to this mission. the one he had practically begged tseng to remove him from, for hours,ย until it was made clear that there was no budging. tseng had told him that if he had been bold enough to switch careers, then he was bold enough to face the consequences. and zackย was going with him - it wasnโt as if he lacked moral support.
it had been hard to argue against that. even if the lengthy car ride left him nauseous and nappingย for most of it, trying hard to look dignified even when he was banging on the cabin and asking to pull over so he could sit down for a minute.
the twenty year old turk shudders, tipping his head forward into his hands with a groan as the truck lurches forward yet again. Itโs a good thing general sephiroth isnโt giving him the time of day, or else he might be afraid he was making a poor show for his department. he swallows hard and forces himself to look up and alert, not wallow in his own misery.
โIโm fine,โ he says quickly, before Zack can ask.ย
he glances out the window, frowning heavily. things are looking more and more familiar, landmarks standing out starkly in the waning moonlight. his stomach twisting into uncomfortable knots.
โWe should be there in a half hour.โ