A/N: This story is a sequel to Lend Me a Hand, so I'm sorry if some of the information about my OCs in here is a little repetitive. Info along with other stories about Junior and Anti-Junior can be found on my profile. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I only own my original characters.
Cloud and I traded blows back and forth, our swords flashing fiercely in the afternoon sun. The clanging of metal echoed off the old, stone, walls of the coliseum with almost every strike. I wasn't doing too badly, but the blonde warrior definitely had the upper hand in this battle.
"I'm gonna win. Don't you care?" Cloud provoked, somewhat amused, as he dealt yet another unblockable strike with his Fusion Blade.
"Let's find out!" I responded, charging forward and lashing out with my sword.
"Show me what you've got," the soldier commanded, effortlessly parrying my blade, "before it's too late."
I groaned inwardly. By the serious tone in Cloud's voice, I knew our fight would end soon. I gritted my teeth and lunged at Cloud at top speed. "Ha!" I screamed, aiming a cascade of swift strikes at my opponent.
Cloud managed to block the first blow, but the others got past his sword, weakening him. I finished with a powerful hit to the chest, knocking the soldier down. Knowing better than to swing at him directly, I swung my blade horizontally to catch him from the side.
Like a ninja, Cloud quickly rolled out of striking distance of my sword. "Not bad," he commended, standing again. He narrowed his blue eyes, which now shone like fire, and I knew that playtime was over.
I sidestepped to the left, away from Cloud's thrust, and gripped my weapon tighter, when I noticed something different about my opponent. "Oh no," I moaned. The soldier's body was now glowing with his vibrant blue Limit Break energy, and only one desperate thought crossed my flustered mind. Run!
Cloud, seeming to notice my distress, flashed a knowing smirk before turning serious once more. Then, before I could steady myself, the swordsman launched at me faster than lightning!
I staggered backwards and raised my sword, blocking the first hit. But, this was only the beginning of the soldier's assault.
Cloud slashed with his sword again, the energy around him sparking like electricity. This time, I rolled around him, his blade missing my shoulder by centimeters.
My heart racing, I stood up and tried to put some distance between us. Cloud came at me from the right. I barely deflected the Fusion Blade, but Cloud changed direction and struck so fast that it felt like I was battling three swordsmen instead of just one.
The blonde warrior came at me from the left, and I sidestepped his attack, twisting around to face him. The blue energy was now at its peak, and Cloud lunged again. I stumbled backwards when I sensed something large behind me.
"Nowhere to run," Cloud remarked, lifting his sword for another attack. The blonde warrior had backed me against the stone wall of the arena. I couldn't give up, though. I narrowed my eyes and stood firm, bracing myself for the soldier's next move.
The warrior's sword strikes were almost too quick to dodge, but somehow I had managed to block the next two. Unfortunately, my luck ran out.
Clang! Our blades clashed once more, but the force of Cloud's attack was so devastating that it sent me smashing against the concrete pillar. With one final strike, Cloud knocked me to the ground, my sword falling from my hand and clattering to the floor.
"That's three," Cloud said, standing over me, holding his sword aloft. The battle now concluded, Cloud relaxed a little, and the vibrant energy faded from his body. Three times I had fought him today, and three times he had utterly destroyed me.
"Unbelievable," I muttered, uncapping yet another little glass bottle of healing potion. My supply of the magic elixirs was dwindling, while Cloud's had barely been touched. I downed the bottle of blue liquid and waited for my injuries to heal.
"Better luck next time," Cloud said, taking a few sips of blue potion as well. Since the day he took me to Aerith's sanctuary, Cloud seemed to be a tad less reserved. Though he still only smiled once in a blue moon, he seemed to be opening up a little more, allowing others a bit closer to him. But, this did nothing to soften his skills on the battlefield. In fact, Cloud seemed even stronger now.
These practice sessions with Cloud had been ending the same way for months, in my utter defeat. Sure, I'd do okay with my sword in the beginning, landing a few good hits, but when Cloud charged up that limit break of his, I was helpless against him, like a tree branch caught in a tornado.
I sighed heavily and leaned against the stone pillar behind me. "I don't know…" I said uncertainly, "What if I can't get better? What if I've reached my limit?" I had to become stronger so I could protect those I cared about, and right now, I just didn't think I'd be a match for some of the enemies in the cosmos.
Cloud stared down at me for a moment, his calm, blue, eyes fixed on me. "Limits were meant to be broken," he stated simply.
"I guess," I said, slumping my shoulders. I picked up my sword and gazed down at its reflective, silver blade. A kid with red, spiky hair and blue eyes stared back, looking crestfallen. Automatically, my eyes flicked to the gold metalwork on the handle. There was an indent in the gold, slightly larger than a marble, where a crystal or other jewel was supposed to fit.
"That's a fairly new sword," Cloud reminded quietly, seeing that I was staring at my weapon. "You just… need time to adjust."
"Hm, maybe…" I said uncertainly.
Unfortunately, with Cloud's busy delivery schedule along with school and my crazy cosmic adventures, we only found time for an hour of practice every other week, and that was if we were lucky. Sometimes, the coliseum would be reserved for Anti-Junior's practice sessions with Sora and other Keyblade wielders, and since Anti-Junior defended the multiverse, too, practice time was just as scarce for him as well as me.
I reverently traced the round indent on the sword hilt with my finger. Akaela, my mentor, had said that I would one day unlock the full potential of that blade, and eventually, my cosmic powers. However, based on how practice was going, neither of those things seemed as if they would happen any time soon.
Cloud looked thoughtful, then inspiration sprang into his eyes. The soldier pointed to my sword. "Let's see it," he requested, holding out his hands.
"Uh, sure," I answered, standing and carefully handing the blade to him, wondering why he had waited until now to examine it.
The swordsman gingerly ran his fingers across the flat part of the blade, then stared intently at the empty space in the handle. He reached into the pocket of his indigo uniform and pulled out a small, blue, roundish crystal. Carefully, he pressed the gem into the indent in the metalwork where it magically clicked into place.
I leaned forward and examined the blue orb for a moment. "Is that Materia?" I wondered curiously.
Cloud nodded. "It'll make your sword more powerful and easier to use," he answered.
I gazed at the marble-like orb with interest. So far, I had only encountered Red Materia, the kind that summoned powerful, Smasher-crushing monsters. I wondered what the blue kind did. I guess I'd find out pretty soon.
Cloud handed my blade back to me and took a few steps towards the center of the large stadium. "Let's go again," he said, raising his sword.
My injuries now completely healed, I nodded, and walked quickly to the other side of the coliseum to face the soldier. I glanced at my sword, which was now glowing with an aqua light. My weapon felt easier to hold, and seemed more powerful, but something still wasn't completely right. The sword still felt a little awkward in my hand.
"You ready for this?" Cloud asked, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Then, he ran full speed towards me, his boots pounding on the hard floor. At the last second, he leapt into the air, bringing his sword down over my head.
I quickly ducked away from him, lifting my blade to stop his. A loud clang resounded through the air. Cloud landed in front of me and thrust his sword forward. I jumped back faster than I thought possible, then lunged towards my opponent, hitting his right arm.
Cloud flinched for a moment, as if my sword had been more powerful than he had anticipated. But, he hastily recovered and retaliated with a flurry of quickly executed slashes, most of which I deflected. The Blue Materia really was giving me more skill and power with my blade. Maybe I could finally win a swordfight against Cloud.
We ducked and dodged around each other, blocking and parrying one another's attacks. I had just backflipped to avoid a powerful strike and charged forward to counter, when a sudden sense of imminent foreboding took hold of me. It was as if icy bands had wrapped around my heart. Somewhere in the vast expanse of the cosmos, someone was in deep trouble.
I skidded to an abrupt stop and lowered my weapon, trying to calm my rapid breathing and racing heartbeat. Cloud noticed the change as well, and he froze, his sword arm in mid-swing.
Usually, when somebody needed our help, Anti Junior or I would be the ones to know. But, when either Anti Junior or I were in trouble, our powers would emit a signal, and the entire multiverse would know it immediately. It was then that I knew, with a sinking feeling, who needed my assistance.
Cloud lowered his arm and locked his gaze on me. "Your friend's in trouble," the soldier affirmed seriously, snapping me out of my frightened thoughts.
"Yeah," I said knowingly, trying to stop trembling and come up with the best course of action.
But then, a wave of cold evil washed over me, seeming to spread through the multiverse. It was as if something had been unleashed into other worlds, and the very air was agitated.
"Oh no," I moaned in despair, knowing this could only mean one thing. An evil force had gotten ahold of Anti Junior's cosmic power. "I have to get to Anti-Junior's world, now!" I said, partially to myself.
Cloud, who had heard this, clenched a fist and blue energy surrounded him like flames. We glanced at each other for a silent moment, and I knew he was coming with me. I inwardly thanked the blonde soldier, then tapped into my powers. In a flash of luminescence, both of us were transported away from the coliseum.
Anti-Junior's world was similar to mine. We both lived on an Earth, just in different universes. Unlike any other world in the Cosmos, my friend's world, along with mine, was accessible to anyone with magic or some other form of transport, even if those sentients didn't normally have the power to teleport anywhere else.
Unfortunately, when Cloud and I reached my friend's town, his block was almost unrecognizable. The place looked like a battle zone. Most of the houses that had been preoccupied a few minutes before were now left desolate. Glass from broken windows littered the yards, and some walls were on the verge of collapsing. A few of the houses had sustained burn damage, and the faint smell of smoke hung in the air.
"Hm. Ice…" I muttered, noticing what looked like the remains of a mini snow storm now melting in the sun. Maybe Anti-Junior had conjured a blizzard to put out a fire. Based on the evil energy I sensed earlier, I knew these disasters hadn't happened naturally.
Cloud and I began to walk the silent street when a more immediate problem pushed its way to the front of my mind. Was Anti- Junior all right? Was he hurt? I knew we had to find him at all costs.
"Anti-Junior. Are you there? Can you hear me?" I asked through my watch communicator.
No response.
I closed my eyes and tested the energy around me for some signs of life. Strong spirit energy radiated from the outskirts of the neighborhood. Okay, that meant that the innocent civilians had gotten away safely, but where was my friend?
I focused harder, straining to detect even the smallest hint of Anti-Junior's aura. It was then that I felt something in my heart, a tiny pinpoint of life energy. I was drawn towards this minimal power, as if I were being led by a thread of light.
"Come on! This way," I directed, picking up the pace slightly.
Cloud nodded and followed close behind.
We rounded a corner onto Anti Junior's street. I stared ahead, somewhat afraid of what I'd find when I got to his house. My heart thudded inside my chest and my entire body trembled, but we kept going, the silence pressing in all around us.
"Wait," Cloud ordered suddenly, planting a firm hand on my shoulder. I looked at him, wondering what was wrong. The blonde warrior pointed to one of the more damaged houses, which I immediately recognized as my friend's.
Advancing closer, I looked to where Cloud was pointing and gasped in horror and astonishment. There, sprawled on the grass about fifty feet away from us, was Anti-Junior! At least whoever attacked him hadn't decided to take him prisoner, but he wasn't moving, and I feared he was seriously injured.
"Anti-Junior!" I cried, bolting forward, my heart racing as fast as my feet. I vaulted over the chain-link fence, sprinted across the yard, and knelt by my friend's side.
Anti-Junior was one of the strongest fighters I knew, even if he was a kid like me. But now, he was a mess. His hair and clothes were covered with grass and dirt, and his blue eyes were half-closed. It didn't look like he was even breathing.
"Hey! Anti-Junior! Wake up!" I pleaded desperately, my voice shaking, but he didn't respond. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my mind, but when my friend didn't move or open his eyes, panic threatened to win me over.
Cloud leaned against the inside of the fence, surveying the battle damage. He then looked down at Anti-Junior with concern and muttered something that I couldn't hear, his gaze resting on the sword laying in the grass near my friend.
I thought of the evil sensation I had experienced before. It was so strong, stronger than most I had felt. My heart hammered against my ribcage as desperation swelled inside of me. "Wake up! Wake up!" I pleaded frantically, placing my hands on Anti- Junior's shoulders. Who could have done this to him?
Then, a beep from my watch communicator brought me back to my senses. "Junior. Calm down and think. Help him," Akaela counseled lovingly.
I took sharp, deep breaths, as if the air would ease my pounding heart. Then, doing the first reasonable thing I thought of, I summoned my phoenix wand from Hogwarts and pointed at Anti- Junior's chest. "Rennervate," I said.
A moment later, Anti Junior coughed and sputtered. His eyelids fluttered open, and I let out the breath I was holding. "Oh my goodness! You're okay!" I exclaimed with relief, putting my wand away.
My friend stared out into space for a moment or two, then he tensed, his eyes wide with fright. He groped around wildly, his hands grabbing at air, as if he was looking for something to defend himself with, probably his enchanted sword, which was a few feet beyond his reach.
"Hey. It's okay," I reassured my friend. "It's just me and Cloud here. We're here to help you out."
Upon hearing this, Anti-Junior relaxed a little. My friend blinked twice and shook his head to clear it. "Junior?" he croaked, his voice weak and shaky. He looked around quickly, his eyes darting over from me to Cloud. But, he didn't sit up, and I began to suspect that he was too weak to do so.
Cloud knelt down on the other side of my friend, fished around in his pack, and pulled out a healing potion. He offered the little glass bottle to Anti Junior.
My friend blinked, the uncertainty now visible in his eyes. He turned to me. I nodded encouragingly, and Anti Junior reached for the potion with trembling hands.
Cloud and I helped Anti Junior sit up, then the soldier gently pressed the opened bottle to my friend's lips. Anti-Junior willingly drank, slowly at first, then more hastily until the bottle had been completely drained.
Cloud took the empty bottle back and Anti Junior sighed contentedly. "Wow. That one was new," my friend mused, giving a weak smile. "I don't think I've tried that potion before."
"You think that one will be enough?" I wondered uncertainly.
"Guess we'll see…" Cloud responded, his hand closing around another potion in his pack.
After a minute or two, Anti Junior looked up at us, now able to support his own weight.
"So, are you good now?" I asked, the potion having done its work.
"Yeah, I'm okay…" Anti-Junior responded, sluggishly getting to his feet and picking some loose blades of grass out of his spiky, black hair.
"What happened here?" Cloud inquired seriously, also standing.
Anti-Junior gazed around, as if he were trying to remember something. Then, he put a hand on his heart, looking somewhat crestfallen. He narrowed his eyes and his expression hardened.
"I came back from magic lessons and this crazy-powerful guy ambushed me!" Anti-Junior explained frantically. "I'd never seen him before! I-I tried to fight him, but it all happened so fast! Before I knew it, I was on the ground and he had taken my powers and teleported away."
"What guy?" I asked. "What did he look like?"
Anti-Junior gritted his teeth and thought for a moment. "Let's see…" he said, straining to remember. "Silver hair… Carried a long sword… His voice was deadly calm, but he was terrifying…"
I felt as if a large rock dropped into my stomach. I looked at Cloud, a lump now forming in my throat. I didn't have to ask if we were thinking the same thing. It was written all over his face.
"Sephiroth," the soldier acknowledged bitterly, the distaste and anger evident in his voice.
"Sephiroth…" Anti-Junior repeated thoughtfully. Then, my friend noticed our inquiring looks and decided to explain what was on his mind. "I don't think he was even looking for me. I think he was looking for you, Junior. But, I guess he thought I was you in disguise or something, and he attacked me. I had no choice but to fight, otherwise my parents and brother and sister would have gotten hurt, not to mention other civilians."
I nodded understandingly, having experienced Sephiroth's power first-hand. "Is your family okay?" I wondered.
"Yeah," Anti-Junior said. "They escaped when the battle was heating up, and by then the guy seemed to realize that he had the wrong person, but I had already revealed my powers to him, and he just kept fighting me."
"Wait. How much power did you reveal?" I wondered nervously, knowing that it was risky to showcase too many abilities from other worlds to a new enemy.
"I didn't transform or anything. I just fought with basic elemental abilities. Sephiroth was crazy! It took everything I had just to dodge his sword, let alone keep the damage from his magic contained. But, I guess it was enough to get him interested in my power, and now… he has it."
"He does?" Cloud asked, his mouth a thin line.
"Yeah. He had this weird magic black pyramid crystal thing. That's what he trapped my power light in."
I stared at Anti-Junior, perplexed, having no idea what he could be talking about. Cloud, however, now looked livid, his face drained of color, and his hands were balled into tight fists. "Anything else?" the soldier asked, his voice surprisingly level. He quickly glanced up at the sky, then back at Anti Junior.
Anti-Junior thought for a moment longer, then spoke. "Yeah. Before he took my power, I read his thoughts. Something about a meteor and a stream of life…"
"A meteor… and the Lifestream," I murmured, trying to make sense of the portion of Sephiroth's thoughts that my friend had interpreted.
Cloud, however, seemed to know perfectly well what Sephiroth was intending to do, and wasn't too thrilled about it. His face drained of what little color it had left and he shut his eyes tightly, as if reliving a bad memory. "Not again," he muttered through clenched teeth.
"Wait, what's going on?" I asked, hoping that Cloud would fill Anti Junior and me in.
The soldier slowly turned to me, as if remembering that I was there. He remained silent for a moment, thinking of what to say. "It's nothing," he answered a little too quickly. I was about to open my mouth to retort when he continued. "I don't want you involved."
I frowned. "Well, it's a little late for that because Sephiroth attacked my friend and took his powers. Like it or not, I'm already involved," I said pointedly.
"Me, too!" Anti-Junior affirmed. "I'll find some way to help you out. After I repair all of Sephiroth's damage."
Cloud seemed taken aback by this, but remained firm in his decision to handle this threat alone. "You can't come," he stated boldly, his electric blue eyes glaring into mine, daring me to challenge his decision.
I wasn't really surprised by this. Cloud had always wanted to face his problems alone, but it wasn't just his problem anymore. I stepped forward and met Cloud's piercing gaze. "You can't stop me," I responded determinately.
The blonde warrior gazed at me for a long moment. He seemed to realize that I wouldn't be taking 'no' for an answer. The soldier's eyes narrowed in thought for a few moments, then he nodded. "Let's go," he said.
Assuming he knew where to go, I stood next to Cloud and we prepared to teleport, then I looked back at Anti-Junior. "Are you gonna be okay here?" I asked, wondering how he'd get by alone without his power light. He did have a stash of powerful other worldly weapons in his room, but still…
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Anti Junior responded, nodding reassuringly. "I hit the panic button on my watch right as Sephiroth left, so some other guardians should be here pretty soon."
"Okay," I said, feeling a little better, and Cloud and I teleported away, leaving my friend to tend to his destroyed neighborhood.
A/N: Thanks so much for reading! I'll try to keep chapters about this length, but I don't know if I can promise anything…