Nanaki's Journey: Chapter One
by Lloyd Nahwegahbow

Late one night Cloud, Red XIII (Nanaki) and Vincent where sleeping in Clouds Villa in Costa Del Sol. It has been 7 years now since they defeated Sephiroth in the Northern Crater and stopped meteor from destroying the planet. The earth was finally starting to return to normal.

Cloud was awakened during the night by the feel of warm breath on his face and neck he opened his eyes and smiled it was Nanaki he was standing over Cloud and he had him pinned to his bed, he could tell there was something wrong with Nanaki he could see the madness in is eyes he tried to move but Nanaki easily over powered him.

Cloud yelled at Vincent trying to wake him up, Nanaki let out a deep earthly growl and snapped at Cloud “What’s wrong with you Nanaki” asked Cloud “GRRRRR” was Nanaki’s only answer. “VINCENT WAKE UP” Cloud yelled, Nanaki was at Cloud’s throat in an instant. Then all of a sudden, there was a loud bang and Nanaki toppled over onto the floor. “Is he dead???” asked Cloud “No I tranquilized him” said Vincent. as he bent over and pulled out the dart and took a blood sample.

“How much tranquilizer did you give him??” Asked Cloud. “He should be out till late afternoon early evening tomorrow, it’ll give you time to get this blood sample analyzed, so you can see what happened to Nanaki. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on him” said Vincent, as he picked up Nanaki and carried him to a bed and tied him to it. Vincent and Cloud didn’t get any sleep for the rest of the night.

Early the next morning Cloud called Cid and asked if he could take him to Midgar with the Highwind “Why??” asked Cid “I need to get a blood sample to the Shinra HQ I need to get it too the lab in Midgar so I can get it analyzed.” “Ok I’ll be there in a second” said Cid.

Cloud talked to the Mayor and got his permission to go to the lab. At the lab Cloud gave the sample to the Scientist who was on duty that day “What’s this for?” he said “I need you analyze this sample for me, do you mind if I go through Hojo’s lab reports???” Cloud answered “Sure knock your self out” said the scientist.

Hours go by Cloud is going through Hojo’s files and the scientist is analyzing the blood sample, Back at the villa Nanaki is starting to wake up. When Nanaki saw that he was tied down he started yelling and screaming “Why the F!@# am I tied to the F!@#ING bed” He screamed Vincent just ignored him while Nanaki growled and screamed.

Back at the lab Cloud was about half way through the files he didn’t find anything in the files about Nanaki but he did find some interesting one’s on Seto Nanaki’s father they read-

-“October 15 2010, A cub age 5 named Seto was injected with the Jenova cells, we had him sedated and then released.”
“End of report”

-“November 15 2058, 36 years after Seto was injected with the Jenova cells he was recaptured he was just beginning to show aggressive tendencies, We also believe he may have found and impregnated a mate.”
“End of report”

-“November 19 2058, We captured Seto’s mate and examined her it turned out that she was indeed pregnant. We released Seto he was becoming hard to control, but we are going to keep his mate for further studies.”
“End of report”

-“February 9 2059, Seto’s mate had 1 cub but we did not have time to study it someone broke into the lab and released them.
“End of report”

Cloud put those file to the side and continued to look fort one’s about Nanaki then he found one it read

“August 21 2086, We found the cub Prof. Hojo named him Red XIII, his mother and father had died. We have studied the cub done some research and blood work on the cub and found that the Jenova Cells where transferred from Seto to Red XIII when he was conceived and are now part of his genetic code. We will be keeping the specimen for further research.”
“End of report”

Cloud looked at the report in astonishment we quickly grabbed the files he put too the side and the one he was holding and stormed out of the room as he bumped into the scientist. “Great I’m glad I found you I’ve finished analyzing the blood sample you gave me here are the results” Said the scientist. “here let me see them” Cloud said as he snatched the papers.

“Thanks” Cloud said as he walked onto the elevator. Cid was waiting in the lobby for Cloud “Bout time! I’ve been waiting down here for an hour” Cid said “Sorry Cid I just found out why Nanaki went mad and I need to get too Costa Del Sol right now” Cloud said.as they left Shinra HQ the boarded the Highwind and took off to Costa Del Sol.

Once there Cloud and Cid went to too Clouds villa, Vincent I know what’s wrong with Nanaki he has Jenova in him “here read these reports I found them in Hojo’s old office.” “I’ll be damned” said Vincent. When Vincent was done with the files he took them in to Nanaki who had fallen asleep again so Cloud woke him back up.

Nanaki woke up and started growling and yelling “Shut up Nanaki” yelled Cloud. Nanaki shut up instantly and Cloud read him the report and Nanaki flipped out yelling that he was lying and so on so Cloud sedated him again.

Then Cloud remembered how Tifa and himself had fallen into the lifestream in Mideel then it hit him like a battering ram “get him on the Highwind” Cloud yelled at Vincent. Cloud described his plan to them and they took the Highwind to Mideel.

When they got there Cloud gave Red XIII a remedy he had to hurry now before it took effect, Cloud held Nanaki in his arms and carried him into the lifestream until they where completely submerged in it.

Nanaki was wide awake now he could feel the warms of the lifestream as it surrounded him, it was pure full of peace and joy and silence almost like a dream the madness in his eye’s faded into nothingness and then the silence was shattered by a voice.

“Nanaki.... oh how I have missed you. My you’ve gotten so mature and handsome and strong, you have a good heart and don’t forget that” said the mysterious voice. “Is that you grandfather??” asked Nanaki “Yes it is. Do you know why you are here, in the lifestream Nanaki??” Asked Burgenhagen “No grandfather please help me”. “Your here because of, because of someone you know who cares deeply for you not only as a friend but as part of his family” the voice trailed off into nothing “Grandfather where did you go where are you? What do you mean!!!!?” Asked Nanaki in a hopeful yet sad voice. But sadly there was now response.

“Nanaki where are you!!!!!!! Can you hear me??????!!!” yelled Cloud

“Cloud I’m over here!!!” Yelled Nanaki

“Ok I’ll be right there” yelled Cloud

“Why are we here in the lifestream Cloud I don’t remember a thing. And why does it look like Hojo’s lab??” “I brought you here because you went mad, and I remembered how Tifa helped me find myself when we where lost in the lifestream. And well I thought I may be able to bring you back from the brink of insanity and then proceeded to tell him what he had done earlier.

Cloud picked up the folder with the reports about Nanaki and Seto, “ Here I want you to read this report about your father.” said Cloud and then handed the folder containing the reports to Nanaki.

After reading them he looked up at Cloud “I don’t believe it my father was injected with Jenova and he passed it on to me, I’ve hurt my friends the people I care about you and the others are my family and I’ve hurt you” he said and started to cry “Don’t worry about it Red you weren’t yourself” said Cloud in a low soothing voice.

“The sooner you accept it the sooner your wounds will heal. Your father never knew he had been injected with Jenova and the scientist who injected him made sure of it so it’s not your fault” said Cloud as he bent down to hug Nanaki, Nanaki’s soft warm fur rubbed on Clouds arms and face, just knowing that Cloud didn’t hate him for what he had done was comforting to him. In return Nanaki gave Cloud a huge lick up his face and rubbed his muzzle up and down Clouds neck.

All of a sudden they where surrounded by the life stream and Hojo’s lab was gone, a glowing figure of a girl appeared out of the darkness “You have good friends Nanaki. They where willing to risk their lives for you” Said the figure “Where not his friends where his family and I would do anything for my family” said Cloud.

“I can see you really do care about Nanaki” Said the figure as it walked over handed Cloud a small crystal and patted Nanaki on the head no soon had it touched Nanaki they began to glow and they started to rise to the surface “Go and see your father Nanaki, Go see Seto” said the voice as they rose to the surface.

Once they reached the surface Nanaki swam out of the water and shook off, when Cloud got out of the water Tifa handed him a towel “What are you doing here Tifa” Cloud asked “Vincent and Cid told us what had happened and what you did so we came to see if you needed our help.” replied Tifa “What’s that in you hand Cloud is it a new materia?? If it is can I have it huh? Please Cloud huh PLEASE!” Said Yuffie ecstatically

“It’s not a new materia it’s a crystal that was given to use while he where in the lifestream” Said Cloud “What’s it for??” said Tifa with a puzzled look on her face. Cloud stared at the crystal for a moment it looked like it belonged in a piece of jewelry, but besides that he couldn’t see any use for it.

“Come on let’s go to Cosmo Canyon” Said Nanaki in a happy up beat voice, “Boy he seems normal but he’s sort of hyper, I’ve never seen Nanaki like this have you Cloud” exclaimed Tifa, “No never he’s always been quite and unemotional he not really one for talking” Cloud said to Tifa, They both shrugged as the boarded the Highwind.

When the group arrived at Cosmo Canyon Nanaki ran up the stairs leading to path that led to his father. “I going in to the cave alone” Nanaki said “NO your not Nanaki I’m going with you” said Could “Then so am I you need someone to look out for ya” Said Barret. The three of them forced open the door and went down the down the small narrow tunnel, the bitter sweet smell of mako was now present it wasn’t there 7 years ago.

The party kept moving down the tunnel when they reached the bottom “I forgot how long these tunnels where.” said Barret “Why are we coming all the way down here anyway Red??”. “I really wish you wouldn’t call me Red my name’s Nanaki, were coming down here to see my father” said Nanaki.

“A lot has changed since the last time we were here, there was a new lake made entirely of mako.” Said Cloud When they got to the back of Cosmo Canyon they climbed up the cliff to where to where Seto a brave warrior that was once full of life now stood, now stood frozen in time. Nanaki was the first to reach the top “Can you hear me father I’m here” said Nanaki.

When Cloud and Barret reached the top Nanaki Was laying beside his father crying “What the hell you cr...” “Shut up Barret” Said Cloud in a harsh yet quite voice “He may be 55 but he’s still only 16 in our years” Cloud walked over to Nanaki and knelt on the ground beside him.

Cloud was stroking the soft fur on Nanaki’s mane, when he looked up Barret was grinning like a fool “What’s so funny” Cloud demanded “nothing” Barret answered back "Spit it out Barret tell me now!" Cloud said in a harsh voice. "Well you and Nanaki look so cute together you'd make a great... couple HAHAHA," Barret said as he burst into laughter "Dammit Barret grow up" Cloud said. When Cloud looked back at Nanaki he noticed a hole in Seto’s headdress, he pulled the stone out of his pocket and placed it in the hole, it fit perfectly.

Nanaki opened his eyes, a huge ball of fire engulfed Seto. Nanaki looked on in amazement he circled the flames he could see something moving and the flames wern't hot, and then there was a loud roar which sounded like thunder and then out of the fireball jumped Seto, “WA.. What happened? did we defeat the Gi? Nanaki is that you?? Its been so long since I have seen you let me take a look at you,” Said Seto Nanaki jumped back startled “Da.. Dad is that you??” “Yes Nanaki it’s me my how grown up you’ve become, the last time I saw you were only a small cub.”

Nanaki and Seto looked each other over for a couple of minutes “I think we should go back to the Cosmo Canyon” Said Cloud “He’s right we should be getting back” said Seto “I have so much to tell you dad” said Nanaki as they started off through the cave.

On the way through the cave Nanaki told Seto about everything that had happened 7 years ago. "So you really helped save the planet" Seto said as he raised his brow. "I'm proud of you son" "I... I love you dad." said Nanaki in a low voice as to not let the others hear it. Seto just smiled and they continued walking through the damp cave.

When they reached the cave entrance they where greeted by Tifa, Yuffie, Cait Sith, Vincent and Cid. "Oh my is that Seto" Whispered Tifa into Cid's ear. "I Don't know" He whispered back. "Hey everyone this is my dad the brave warrior Seto" said Nanaki "Please call me Seto" said Seto looking at the ground trying too hide his embarresment.

"Is that so well maybe we should get some rest" Said Seto. "Yes we should we've all had a preatty exiting night" Said Cloud.

Nanaki couldn’t sleep that night he lay on his bed tail twitching watching his father sleep. Hours must have passed that night he was getting bored so he went to the huge fire that burned in the middle of Cosmo Canyon. Time seemed to pass even slower, “son I just can’t seem to get over how strong, handsome and mature you’ve become” Seto said as he walked up to Nanaki.

Nanaki Looked at him in shock, “D Dad I didn’t expect you to be awake you scared me.” said Nanaki in shaky voice, “I sorry I didn’t mean to startle you but I woke up and you weren’t in bed. You know I used to take you here when to couldn’t sleep” Seto said as he stretched. “I remember father” Nanaki said as he sat down beside Seto.

“I could sense you in the lifestream with Cloud” Said Seto staring into the fire. “really?” Nanaki said nervously. “Yes.. You may not know it but I've been watching over you”. “I guess you’re ashamed of me?” Said Nanaki while staring at the ground. “Why would I be ashamed of you, your my son and I love you and I always will.” Seto said in a soft soothing voice. “I love you to father” said Nanaki. Seto got up and circled Nanaki, and then he grabbed his shoulder and bit into him and tossed him like a doll across the ground, not hard enough to draw blood but hard enough that Nanaki roared.

Nanaki Jumped Seto and pinned him to the ground. “HA HA HA Good job” Said Seto and the wrestled some more. An hour when by and it was still pitch black out except for the fire, And they where both tired from wresting, they then curled up in front of thr fire together and went to sleep.



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