Title: Demons of the Mountain

Summary: Cloud, along with Vincent and Chaos, live on Mt. Nibel, as demons, peacefully minding their own business. However, some type of monster is targeting the villagers of the nearby village, Nibelheim, and four certain SOLDIERs come to investigate. They find the demons, but the demons did not want to be found by mere humans. Coming to a shaky truce, the demons and SOLDIERs decide to work together. But will that eventually spark something in the cold heart of Cloud?

Pairings: Sephiroth/Genesis (eventual Seph/Gen/Cloud), Angeal/Zack, Vincent/Chaos

Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once, I do not own anything in this story besides the plot. Though, I can say that I really wish I did.

Author's Note: I haven't actually played the FFVII games, though I have played the beginning of the original, but then it broke. All of the information I have is from reading the fanfics on here, and maybe a little bit about Cloud and Seph from KH. If I get anything wrong or the characters are OOC (which is to be expected when they aren't your own characters) you'll have to excuse me about it. I am open, however, to constructive criticism and corrections if you feel the need to help me. Though if it's not nice, they don't say anything, I usually ignore it if it is.

This is a yaoi fic, so if you don't like guys getting together with other guys, I don't know why you're here, so you might as well get out because I don't want to hear you complain about it.

Chapter 1

Cloud walked out into the forest; trying to get the cave he and his companions lived in out of ear shot as his friends … ah, got to know each other. Not that they didn't already know each other very well, but that was beside the point. The point is Cloud didn't want to hear it.

As he walked through the trees, the creatures, animal and monster alike, scurried away from him. They knew very well that it would be completely futile to try and mistake him as a human. He was simply too strong, too fast. And even if he didn't have his specialized sword strapped to his back, the points on his demonic, bat-like wings would make up for it. If he didn't feel like using his hands.

As he walked closer to the nearby town—unwittingly, seeing as he wasn't really paying attention to where he was going—he could hear terrified screaming and roars that didn't belong to the humans. He watched as a man ran past him, eyes wide in terror, but not screaming, obviously trying to not draw attention to himself. Most likely, he would get lost in the forest, especially at night, but Cloud only watched, not bothering to go and help him.

None of the demons that lived on Mount Nibel cared if the humans killed themselves. They didn't care what they did as long as they didn't get in their way. Why would they? They were demons. While they didn't despise humans, they didn't love them either.

They were, after all, the reason that they were forced to live in a cave at the top of the mountain in the middle of winter. Luckily, it was spring now, nearly summer, so the snow wasn't nearly as cold, even if it was still there and would most likely never disappear since they were so high up on the mountain.

Cloud looked up at the sky, judging that it had been a couple hours since he had left the cave. Even so, there was nothing guaranteeing that his companions would be finished. Deciding to take a chance, Cloud started his trek back up the mountain. Slowly, of course, because who would want to hear that, especially when they themselves had no one to experience it with.

Zack bounded into the legendary, silver-haired General Sephiroth's office, not bothering to stop and knock. The black, spiky haired SOLDIER didn't even pause as he registered the other two people, besides the owner of the office, in the room and he quickly glomped his lover.

"Angeal! Angeal, Angeal, Angeal—"

"We get it!" Genesis, the SOLDIER with chin length auburn hair and a long, red, leather jacket, exclaimed, glaring at the youngest of them, who was also dubbed the "puppy".

"What did you need, pup?" Angeal, the one with the gigantic sword on his back and short black hair, asked.

Zack blinked up at him. "I need to want something to come say 'hi'?"

Sephiroth sighed, rubbing his temples, having long since given up on trying to get work done while his two friends were in the room, particularly Genesis. "It certainly would be better."

"For all of us," Genesis added.

The puppy pouted, finally letting go of Angeal. "Fine! If you must know, Lazard sent me up here to say that all of us are wanted for a mission and to go to him to get the details."

Genesis groaned, slowly—dramatically—standing up from the couch he had been lounging on. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at him.

"I though you wanted to get out of here and do something?"

"I do! But I was comfortable where I was. Couldn't he have just sent us the details?"

Angeal walked out the door, deciding he didn't want to hear his childhood friend complain, Zack following close after him. Genesis and Sephiroth followed just a few moments later. They walked in silence … mostly. Zack chatted animatedly about things only Angeal was trying to keep track of. He was failing rather miserably at it.

When they finally reached Director Lazard's office, Zack barged right in, much like he did when he entered Sephiroth's office. Lazard looked up, clearly unsurprised that that would happen.

"Ah, there you are," he commented as the four SOLDIERs filed into the room. He handed a file to Sephiroth before continuing, not bothering to stop as the silver-haired general read through it. "I need the four of you to go to Nibelheim and find whatever monster has been terrorizing and killing the villagers there."

Genesis sighed dejectedly while Zack's shoulders slumped, both clearly thinking the same thing.

"Why are we going instead of some third? It's just a small monster outbreak, right?" Zack asked.

Lazard shook his head. "I'm afraid not. The SOLDIERs that are already stationed there told me that they need help and can't handle it. Seems that every time they try to engage it, they get seriously hurt and they still have yet to see what it is."

That perked up the two, but only a bit as they were still skeptical why they were needed. Why would they need all four of the strongest SOLDIERs for a simple monster hunt?

Angeal read over the file when Sephiroth handed it to him. When he was done, he handed it to Genesis and asked, "When do we leave?"

"First thing in the morning. If that is all, you are dismissed."

They left and walked back to Sephiroth's office much the same way they did coming. Except this time, Zack was talking about all that could go on while they were on their mission while Sephiroth examined the file, looking for any clue as to what the monster was.

"Find anything?" Angeal asked when they closed the door to the office and settled into their respective places.

"None. It could be nearly anything. The bodies are basically torn to shreds with some parts missing, indicating that those parts were missing. It seems as if the monster doing this doesn't care what it eats, for not all missing limbs are the same. Though how the SOLDIERs stationed there have never gotten a look at what it is, is beyond me," Sephiroth answered.

"Guess we'll just have to figure out what it is on our own," Genesis commented, lounging on the couch again.

Zack was bouncing in his chair. "Do you think that this monster will be something that we've never seen before?"

Genesis snorted. "Doubt it. If anything, it will be a rather easy fight and we'll be back within a day or two."

The puppy's hyperactive bouncing settled down for a moment before resuming.

Angeal shook his head fondly. "Come on, pup, let's go get ready."

As the two left, Genesis got up and rounded the desk. Sephiroth pulled the crimson commander into his lap, kissing him on the mouth. Genesis returned it, grinning when they pulled apart.

"So we have to go on a mission with the puppy?" he complained.

Sephiroth nearly rolled his eyes. "You can deal with it. You said it yourself; we most likely will not be there for very long."

Genesis sighed, laying his head back on the general's shoulder. They sat in silence for a little bit longer, before Sephiroth kicked him out to get ready for the mission or do his own work so that the general could at least get a bit of the paperwork done before he himself went to go pack.

In the morning, all four of them boarded the helicopter that was bound for the little mountain village of Nibelheim. All were expecting to be back in a couple of days. All thinking that this would be more like a vacation than anything else. None knew that this would be much more than that.