When You and I Collide

19) The Sunshine

~Cloud's POV~

"I haven't seen anyone," I shake my head, speaking quietly into my phone.

"Well Hope and I saw some creepy hunched over guy, so get over to the town square pronto," Light snaps in my ear before hanging up. I groan and roll my eyes, checking another alleyway before running through the shadows of the small town. Kalm has always been a calm place, its name taking after it quite nicely.

I insisted on taking the east side of town by myself, much to Light's annoyance. She and Hope apparently have seen someone resembling Hojo. The new information drives me on to move faster. But I have to stick to the shadows; a stranger sneaking through the dark is obviously considered suspicious activity.

"Finally," Light rolls her eyes when I find them.

"Where'd you see him?" I ask straight away.

"Right over there. He just left that potion store maybe ten minutes ago," Hope nods up to the stores on the city shelf.

"And you're positive it was Hojo or a clone?"

"Greasy black hair pulled into a pony tail, white lab coat, and a hunched over walk doesn't sound like him?" The boy raises an eyebrow.

"Fair enough," I nod. Lightning turns and glares at the town square.

"There he is."

"Should we go kill him or something?" Hope looks at me expectantly. I shake my head.

"Even if it is a clone, we might be able to get some information out of him."

"I don't think he'd give it up easily," Light eyes me suspiciously.

"No," is all I say before creeping along the dark once again, following the figure out of the city. He passes along the ground in silence, following the path. Three. Two. One. I jump out of the shadows, grabbing his arms and twisting them behind his back, sword forgotten on the ground. Hojo chuckles darkly and turns his smelly head to sneer at me.

"Why hello experiment." I narrow my.eyes at him at the name. "Oh, I'm sorry I never gave you a name. You were a failure after all." He laughs again. "Though it was satisfying to see you down on your knees and begging me for a name or number."

"Why are you back?" I growl.

"So the galore wants answers," he shakes his head. "That I'm afraid I cannot give."

"You're a clone," I glare at him. "But you still share the knowledge of your creator."

"I'm afraid my creator was not..."

"Answer my question."

"No can do. Hey, did you still want a number label, because..."

"Answer him now, or you're going to be in serious pain," Lightning snaps behind me.

"Oh look. Experiment number twenty one," his beady eyes light up. "Yes, it worked! The world... Has your home vanished? Number twenty dead?"

"Number twenty?" Lightning frowns. Keep acting Light, and we'll get loads out of him.

"Yes. Your sister, I believe. Oh yes... Meddling with Sephiroth and with Valentine's body and soul were only the start. Now I've reached planets.... Yes!" He cackles.

"Let's get him back to Reeve," I nod toward Lightning.

"What did he mean by meddling with Valentine's..." She starts hesitantly.