DISCLAIMER: None of these characters, except for Thorn and Seth, belong to
me. They are the domain of Squaresoft. I have not and will not receive
any money or compensation for this writing.
PROLOGUE
"It has to end now."
His opponent was silent, the cold smirk that traced the lower half of his face saying all that need be said.
"The killing you have done, the chaos you've left behind you. It all ends here."
For answer there came the singing of metal on rock as the all-too familiar blade rose to eye-level. He could almost see the blood that still dripped from it-the blood that, though easily wiped clean from a blade, could never be erased from his memory. Those icy green eyes stared at him from over the tip of the sword.
His own sword came up in answer, and from deep within came a primal reflex- long buried within the mires of his soul. A yell that echoed the Planet's cries flew from his throat, and his body set itself into motion.
Before it had even begun, it was already over. His body had responded unlike it had ever done before, and he released every ounce of hatred, every fragment of vengeance, upon his foe.
Those same cold green orbs that had hitherto stared him down were now wide in shock. A thin stream of brilliant red poured down between them, and the silver-haired warrior slumped to his knees, eyes still fixed on the one who had vanquished him.
The dark one's breath grew ragged, his eyes glazed over, and a single word escaped his lips amidst a burst of blood.
"Revenge."
He didn't have time to watch the rest of his foe's demise. His mind whirled as he made his escape, trying to shake off the feeling of his mortal enemy's last word. All around him, the world was falling apart. He felt his footing go out from beneath him, and he reached out desperately. There, grasping his wrist in an instant, was his most loyal friend, by his side through every battle since the very beginning. The young woman heaved mightily, willing her own strength into him, and together they managed to haul him onto the ledge. He buried his face in her long brown hair for a moment, and then looked around for an escape route.
All around was chaos, as though his foe had reached up from the grave to take him by the foot and drag him down as well. Then, in the flash of an instant, he caught sight of their salvation. He grabbed hold of the rope that dangled before them, and she took hold of his waist. Together, they climbed to the safety of the massive airship above them.
He felt his cheek touch the solid, cool floor of the airship, and he released a long-held sigh of relief. He heard a voice, faint and distant in his ear, and he shivered.
"Revenge."
He grimaced, and the voice changed tone, shifting into something he knew, something he longed to hear.
"Cloud, are you OK?"
Cloud slowly got to his feet and nodded. He looked into the face of the woman who had risked everything to save him and smiled. "Yeah."
She smiled back, and then her face changed to a look of shock as a crack sounded below them. The airship rocked with the impact of something, and the entire crew fell to the deck. Cloud crawled to the railing and looked out over the horizon. The green strands of the Lifestream were reaching out like tendrils from the crater below. He could see Midgar, far off in the distance, and then there was a blinding flash of light.
.And then there was silence.
Cloud awoke with a humming sound in his ear. The humming faded as he lifted his head, and he realized that it was coming from the airship's engine. He got up onto his knees and looked around.
Barret was sitting against a bulkhead, shaking his head slowly. Yuffie was in her usual position, head hung over the railing. Red XIII was on his feet, prowling slowly toward the side of the ship. Cait Sith was trying to right himself again, having toppled over in the impact. Vincent was looking out over the horizon. Cid was crouched down beside Tifa, who was slumped against the side of the airship. Cloud stumbled over to her side.
"Is she OK?" he asked.
Cid nodded as Tifa moaned. "Yeah. Just a little cut."
Cloud watched her face for just a moment, and then brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered, and she looked up at him with a smile.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded. Her smile faded. "What's going on?"
Cloud got to his feet. "I'll go find out." He gave her one more quick smile before heading for the railing. He stepped up beside Vincent and looked out over the horizon. The entire sky seemed to be awash with giant tentacles of green light. Midgar seemed to be burning, far off in the distance. The entire city was bathed in a hellish haze.
"The Planet is getting its revenge for its enslavement under Midgar's yoke," Vincent observed.
Cloud nodded, and they lapsed into silence.
After a moment, Cid spoke up. "I can see a clearing a few kliks out. We can land there."
Cloud and the others braced for a bumpy return to the surface. Cid gritted his teeth as he worked the controls, and his face curled into a grimace as he tasted the tobacco leaves that broke through the paper of his cigarette. After several heart-pounding moments, the Highwind settled onto the ground with a slight shudder.
The sky above rumbled with the sound of thunder as the battle-weary warriors stood in the open field, staring in wonder at the slowly fading stalks of green light that glowed through the clouds.
At long last, the rumbling stopped, and the Planet was still. The world held its breath for a moment, and then Tifa smiled as a bird sang in the distance.
"There's hope yet," she observed.
The others agreed with relief. A cool wind blew across the field, kissing the faces of the brave fighters.
"So, what now?" Cloud finally asked.
Barrett shrugged his massive shoulders. "I kinda thought there'd be more to it."
"A hero's welcome, you mean?" Red XIII inquired archly. "I'm not entirely sure how much of the world is left to greet us."
"I'd tend to think that the Planet would protect the innocents that live upon it," Vincent conjectured.
"There's only one way to find out," Yuffie declared.
Cid piped up. "Let's go back up and see what's left."
Barrett spun around to face him. "Ya think we could go back to Kalm?"
There was eagerness in his voice, and Tifa knew why. Barrett was worried for his daughter. She was relieved to see that Cid had caught it as well. "Of course, Barrett," he replied. He turned to the others. "Let's fly."
Barrett's knuckles poked up against his dark skin as he gripped the railing of the Highwind tightly, his eyes staring straight out in search of some sign of life as they approached Kalm. A few wisps of smoke rose into the air from some smoldering buildings on the outskirts of the town. Tifa ran a reassuring hand down Barrett's immense bicep. "I'm sure she's OK," she assured him.
Barrett took his eyes off the scene before him long enough to flash a smile at Tifa, and Cid began the approach. Barrett's eyes locked back onto the town as they descended into the field outside the town limits. A few moments later, the Highwind touched down on the charred grass. Barrett rushed over to the gangplank as it extended and hurried down to the ground, his heavy boots thumping on the plank as he ran.
When he was halfway across the distance between the ship and the town, he heard a small voice ahead of him.
"Papa?"
"Marlene?" Barrett's deep voice boomed in reply.
"Papa!"
Barrett's face split into a huge grin as he saw Marlene racing out of a house at the edge of town. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her and bounded into his waiting arms. He scooped her up and held her in his enormous embrace, squeezing her tightly. Tears of joy poured down his cheeks as he laughed.
"I think there may indeed be hope," Vincent observed from beside Tifa. The rest of the crew were still standing on the deck, looking out at the scene below.
Tifa shook her head, her bangs flicking her forehead. "I'm sure of it now."
CHAPTER I
Reeve looked out over the rooftops of Kalm with a smile. The sound of construction to the south filled him with a sense of pride, and he turned back to the blueprints on his desk.
When Midgar was struck by a blast of Lifestream energy, Reeve was already on his way out of the city. He had been in the lobby of the Shinra building when Diamond Weapon had opened up on them. The explosion sent him flying through the glass doors at the front of the building and left him trapped under a pile of rubble for several hours. He finally pulled himself to safety, but he had badly damaged his leg in the escape. He was limping out of the city when the Planet opened up with a reply of its own. This time, he escaped injury, but soon collapsed in the barren stretch of soil that separated Midgar from Kalm.
Several citizens of Kalm found him sometime later and brought him back to the hospital in town, where he spent the next six months recuperating from a number of injuries. His leg never completely healed, and he now walked with a limp and the aid of a cane.
It was during his recovery that he decided he would give back something to people of Kalm, who had nurtured him back to health. With his background in Urban Development, he campaigned for and won his current position in the office of Mayor.
That had been four years ago. When he looked out over the still-growing cityscape below him, he saw with pride that his oath had not been in vain. Kalm was thriving.
I almost want to rename it Busy, Reeve thought to himself with a slight chuckle. The door opened, and he turned.
Some of the members of his staff had gotten used to seeing a giant white Mog bounding through the building with a little black cat on his back. Others were still unnerved by the sight. To Reeve, it was a sight he couldn't do without, ever since he had rewired Cait Sith to operate independently of his control. Cait Sith was his right hand when it came to running the office.
"I have the new specs for the City Hall renovations," Cait Sith informed him cheerily.
Reeve smiled. "Great. Let's look at them."
Cait Sith shook his little feline head. "Nope."
Reeve was taken aback. "No?"
Cait Sith shook his head again. "Nope. Boss, you've been working for twenty hours straight. You've got to take some time off."
Reeve sighed. "I'm wired, Cait. I can't sleep."
Cait Sith shrugged both sets of shoulders. "So? Go down to the Golden Dragon and have a couple of beers. That should calm you down a bit."
"Won't that ruin my image?" Reeve asked, concerned. If the people of Kalm saw him tossing back brews.
Cait chuckled. "Reeve, they know you're a hard worker. Look out that window and see for yourself."
Reeve turned and looked out of his office window once more. The smile returned to his face, but this time it was much more weary.
"Quite frankly," Cait spoke up from behind him, "I'd be more worried if I didn't see you let your hair down occasionally."
Reeve laughed softly. "You're right, Cait. I mean, it's not like you can't handle it."
Cait nodded. Reeve walked around the desk, patted the giant Mog on the back, and smiled.
"Thanks, Cait."
Cait Sith smiled, and Reeve headed out the door.
"Another beer!"
The thin brunette behind the bar looked up at the rude man who was bellowing at her from the other end of the bar. Even with the population explosion that Mayor Reeve had been encouraging through Kalm's steady growth, she still managed to recognize her regulars. This obnoxious blowhard looked like a tourist from Wutai. She didn't care. She went about her business, waiting to see if he would try again in a more reasonable tone.
"Barmaid! I'm talking to you!"
Obviously not.
"I have a name," she hollered back.
"I don't care what it is," he bellowed. "Just get me another beer!"
The brunette walked down to the end of the bar and glared at the man. "You've had six. That's enough."
One of her regulars, a slightly homely but well-meaning man named Neal, walked over. "You need some help with this guy, Miss Lockheart?"
Tifa shook her head. "Thanks, Neal. I've got it."
Neal nodded, shrugging. He retreated to his table, where his fellow construction workers were seated. There seemed to be more and more of them every day, Tifa noted.
The loud voice of the obnoxious patron before her, accompanied by his repulsive beer breath, snapped her back to her present situation.
"I decide when I've had enough, not some skinny barmaid!"
Tifa grabbed the man by the shirt collars. "I don't care who you think you are or what it is that you do where you come from, but here you will treat people with respect. Remember that you're a guest in this town!"
The tourist grabbed Tifa's wrists and pulled her over the bar, tossing her onto a table and splitting it in half with the impact.
"Where I come from, we beat insolent women! Let me give you a little demonstration." He stalked closer to Tifa, his grin a mile wide.
Tifa sprang to her feet, surprising her adversary. He hesitated a moment, and Tifa took advantage of that moment, jumping forward and backhanding the large man across the jaw. He fell back, and Tifa dropped down onto one hand, jamming her foot into his abdomen and knocking him back into the bar. He hit the bar with a thump and shook his head, clearing it. He began another charge and stopped short with the impact of a heavy wooden staff across his chest. He collapsed onto his back and blinked a couple of times, trying to once again see straight.
When he focused again, he looked up at the man in the dark blue suit with shoulder length black hair and a neatly trimmed beard that stood over him, leaning on the cane that had struck him. He got to his feet slowly and stood in front of the man with the cane, glaring at him.
"I don't believe this concerns you, cripple!" the man barked.
The door to the bar opened, and the man with the cane smiled. Without taking his eyes off the obnoxious tourist, he barked an order to the police officers that entered.
"Take this blowhard to the jail and show him some of our hospitality."
The policemen took the tourist by his massive forearms and began to lead him away. "Yes, Mr. Mayor."
The tourist yanked one hand away, and Reeve thrust his cane forward, jamming it into the man's throat. The man fell back under the cane, and Reeve pinned him to the bar. The policemen took hold of the man again and restrained him with a pair of handcuffs before leading him, still cursing and screaming, out of the bar.
"You'd think somewhere along the way, he would have had the good sense to make things easier on himself and apologize," Reeve muttered in wonder as he stared after the raving tourist.
Tifa shrugged, then hopped back over the bar. "Some people never learn."
Reeve shook his head. "That's enough fun for me for one day, at least." He settled onto one of the barstools. "Can I get a beer?"
Tifa nodded, pulling a bottle of Dragon's Breath, imported from Wutai, from the cooler. Reeve reached for his wallet, and Tifa stopped him. "Don't be ridiculous, Reeve. It's on the house."
Reeve shrugged, and twisted the cap off the bottle before taking a long pull from it. He took a few more sips while Tifa waited on a few of her regulars. When she returned, he asked, "So, have you seen any of the others lately?"
Tifa nodded. "Barrett was here not too long ago. He brought Marlene for a visit."
"She must be getting big by now," Reeve guessed.
Tifa nodded. "She'll be turning nine this year."
Reeve smiled. "Where does the time go?"
"Barrett said the same thing," Tifa agreed. "He doesn't see as much of her as he'd like, what with his job and everything."
"How's that going for him?"
"He's almost finished overseeing the conversion of the old Gongaga reactor. Next he's on his way to Nibelheim, but he's going to take some time off before he starts on that project."
Reeve nodded. "Good idea. He works himself to death."
Tifa laughed. "This coming from you?"
Reeve held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "OK, point made."
After another few moments, Reeve gently asked, "What about Cloud?"
Tifa paused. Cloud was still a touchy subject for her. Although they kept in touch, Cloud just wasn't the same anymore. After the group had been in Kalm for a few days, Cloud abruptly decided to leave. He said he just had to go and create a life for himself before he could be a part of anyone else's. Tifa supposed she could understand. Even when he had been.totally human, he had had a rough life. Once Hojo had gotten hold of him and made him a human puppet, he truly learned what it meant to be in hell.
So she had not said too much when he left, simply asking him to stay a part of her life. He had kept his promise, contacting her at least once a month, but those visits had lately turned into calls and letters, and had become more and more withdrawn in nature. It was as if he was becoming a hermit, day by day.
When she noticed Reeve's gentle eyes upon her, she smiled a bit. "He sent me a letter last week. He's taking the new Chocobo crossbreed to Gold Saucer to auction off to some prospective racers. He stands to make a pretty good sum from this one."
Reeve chuckled to himself. "As opposed to the other sales? Cloud's richer as a rancher than I'll ever be as mayor."
Tifa smiled more broadly, brightening. She leaned over and chucked Reeve on the arm. "I thought you were in it for the people," she teased.
Reeve shrugged. "I am. But the pay isn't bad."
They laughed, and Reeve settled into his beer while Tifa waited on some more customers.
The ten hopefuls gathered in the jockey lounge, awaiting the beginning of the auction. They had been training for months, but they knew that they needed an edge. They needed something that would take them above and beyond the abilities of the more experienced racers.
Then the word got out that there would be an auction of three of the finest chocobos in the world. Although they had tried to keep the information from one another, the word leaked out. Now here they all sat, all ten of the rookie Chocobo jockeys, eyeing each other suspiciously.
Ester entered the room, and all eyes focused on her. She smiled. "From the most renowned Chocobo ranch in the world, I give you three of the world's finest chocobos."
The jockeys watched as a tall Chocobo with iridescent green feathers strutted into the chamber. Their eyes perused the bird's muscular legs as Esther spoke again.
"A Class S Mountain Chocobo. Bidding starts at 50,000 gil."
There was a timid wave of bidding, then a more solid onslaught. When the storm had passed, the Chocobo was led away by a bald rookie for 120,000 gil.
The next Chocobo was led out. It was large and powerfully built with black feathers that caught the light as it strutted to the head of the table.
"A Class S River and Mountain Chocobo, excellently trained. Bidding starts at 100,000," Ester announced.
This time, the bidding was more enthusiastic. After about five minutes of bidding, a young rookie with a long black ponytail took the reins of the black beauty for 500,000.
Finally, there was a low wark from the corridor. Ester smiled and reached for the reins of the last Chocobo. It walked majestically to the front of the table, its golden yellow feathers nearly glowing in the light of the chamber. The eight remaining jockeys caught their breath.
"A Class S Golden Chocobo, wonderfully trained. Bidding starts at half a million."
The high starting bid caught the rookies by surprise, but they soon recovered. What was 500,000 gil, compared to the money they would make in the races with that Gold Chocobo? There was a frenzied flurry of bids, and Esther closed out the bidding, awarding the eager blond jockey in the front the Gold Chocobo for 750,000 gil.
One by one, the rest of the jockeys filed out, and Ester headed out behind them, on her way to pay out to the owner of the chocobos.
"One million, three hundred and seventy thousand gil," Ester announced as she deposited the money on the table in front of the Chocobo rancher.
Cloud smoothed the lapels of his jet-black suit jacket and smiled, separating some of the gil notes from the remainder of the money and sliding the rest back to Ester. "Here's your cut," he replied.
Ester grinned happily, taking the 370,000 gil from the table and pocketing them. "Pleasure doing business with you."
Cloud nodded, and she departed. He finished his drink and got to his feet, heading out of the bar. As he stepped into the lobby, he caught the eye of a young man in a tight shirt and black combat trousers. The man-boy, Cloud corrected himself; he barely looked to be eighteen-approached him with an arrogant look on his face.
"You're Cloud Strife, aren't you?" the boy asked.
Cloud half-smiled, nodding. "Guilty as charged."
The boy looked him up and down and sneered. "You don't look so tough."
Cloud shrugged. "I never claimed to be," he conceded.
The boy brought up his fists in a challenging posture. "Let's see if you're worth what they say, 'cause all I see is some chump in a suit."
Cloud shook his head. "I'm not that man anymore, kid. If that's the kind of life you want, I pity you."
The boy looked at him curiously.
"What's your name, kid?" Cloud asked.
The boy slowly lowered his fists. "Thorn."
Cloud nodded. "And what do you do, Thorn?"
Thorn shrugged. "A little bit of everything."
Cloud smiled sadly as he heard those words. He looked into the young man's deep, dark eyes and shook his head. Did he really look like that, once upon a time?
"Does a little bit of everything pay well?" he asked.
Thorn reluctantly shook his head. "Well, you know, I make a little here, a little there."
Cloud nodded. "Of course, yes. Absolutely. Well, I'm glad to hear it. I mean, I was just going to offer you a job, but."
He began to walk away. Thorn grabbed his arm, and he looked down at the boy's hand. Thorn yanked his arm away quickly, and Cloud smoothed out his suit.
"What kind of job?" Thorn asked.
"It's not glamorous," Cloud explained.
"That's OK," Thorn assured him.
"It's hard work," Cloud added.
"I'm not afraid of work," Thorn declared with a hint of pride.
"Good," Cloud replied. "I need a new stable hand."
Thorn's face fell a bit. Cloud shrugged.
"If you don't want to make five hundred gil a month, that's fine, but..."
Thorn's jaw dropped. He stepped in front of Cloud as the older man tried to leave. "I'll take it."
Cloud smiled. "Good. You know where my farm is?"
Thorn nodded. "Everyone knows, Mr. Strife."
"I'll see you there tomorrow, bright and early." Cloud looked at the boy for a moment longer, then walked past him and into the railway car, leaving Thorn alone with visions of gil floating in his head. He chuckled as the car eased into motion and descended from the Saucer. Was he ever that young?
Doctor Haverly heard the door open behind him, followed by the familiar click of high heels on the tile floor. He didn't turn around.
"How is it going, Doctor?" the cold female voice inquired.
He chuckled to himself. "Well, it's the same as I told you yesterday. There was a large amount of tissue damage. It's taking a long time to repair, even with the cell replacements you've given me. Once again, I'd like to voice my concerns about the use of Mako energy in the cell infusion."
A strong hand whirled him around, and he blanched at the sight of the harsh blond woman's face. Her eyes burned with intensity beneath a scar that ran just above her right eyebrow. He remembered sewing up that gash when she had first arrived, the other victim in her arms. It had taken two full hours to carefully remove the piece of metal that had embedded itself in her head. The daily pressure to succeed with the second patient, and the constant torment at his small failures, was his thanks for doing so.
"I'm not interested in your opinions, doctor," the woman spat. "I only want to see results. Now fix him, or forfeit your life in the bargain!"
Doctor Haverly nodded. "Yes, Scarlet."
The blond woman released him, turned on her heel, and stalked from the room. Doctor Haverly released a long-held breath of relief and turned back to his patient.
CHAPTER II
The signal was faint.
Aratak wrapped one of his tentacles around a dial on his control panel and adjusted the amplitude modulator. It had been too long since the last signal had been received, and he was starting to get worried.
The signal indicator on the far right side of his panel lit up, and he waited. After nearly five standard minutes of near silence, Aratak finally realized that there was no voice signal presence.
How is she contacting us?
His mind worked furiously to come up with an answer. In frustration, he pounded a tentacle on the panel. His eyes wandered over to the signal indicator, and he realized it was blinking. He jerked back in shock. She was using the emergency frequency!
Captain Kaladar entered the communications room, and Aratak swiveled to face him. "Captain!" he greeted his superior, "we have a signal from the scout that we sent to the class-M planet in quadrant 4!"
Kaladar's fangs peeked out from his upturned lips. "It's about time. What does she have to say?"
Aratak shook his head. "Nothing, sir. It's an emergency retrieval signal. Something must have happened to her."
"Have you triangulated her position on the planet?" Kaladar asked.
Aratak turned back to the controls. "No, sir. I'll get that as soon as possible."
Kaladar nodded. "Good. I'll set a course to retrieve. Make sure you have her location by the time we arrive."
Aratak did the math in his head. At full speed, that would take ninety-six hours. He could find her in two. He smiled to himself. "It shall be done, sir."
Kaladar turned and headed out of the room, and Aratak went to work.
Cid rubbed his arms and stamped the ground as he shivered. "Damn it, Cloud, what's so special about these Northern Chocobos?"
Cloud peered down from atop their snowy crest, his binoculars scanning the field below. "I told you already, Cid, they possess a certain.flair for training that's essential to the breeding process."
"They'll probably do anything you say just to get out of this weather," Cid grumbled. "Right about now, I'd take out your garbage and fetch your slippers if it meant we could get back to the Highwind."
Cloud laughed. "It won't be too much longer." To take his friend's mind off the weather, he asked, "How are Shera and Caitlin?"
Cid smiled around his ever-present cigarette. "They're doing great. Caitlin starts school this fall."
Cloud shook his head. "Where does time go?"
Cid's smile faded a little. "Time flies when you seclude yourself from almost all your friends, Cloud."
Cloud ignored the comment, only staring more intently through the viewfinder of his binoculars.
Cid pressed on. "How long has it been since you saw Barrett? Or Yuffie? Or Red?"
He paused a moment before adding, "Or Tifa?"
Cloud turned to glare at Cid. "It's not fair to torture them with my problems. I'm better off on my own, and they're better off not having to deal with me."
Cid grabbed Cloud by the collar of his parka and pulled him closer. "Those people risked their lives for you even after you'd completely lost your mind. I know you weren't in your right mind when you gave Sephiroth the Black Materia, but you betrayed the entire planet when you did that! We still stood by you, even then. We deserve a little more than you've given in return, don't you think?"
Cloud was silent for a moment, and then looked away. "I guess you're right, Cid. I just." His voice trailed off, and he pointed to the northeast.
"What the hell is that?" he whispered. Cid followed his finger and froze. His jaw dropped, and his cigarette fell from his mouth and into the snow.
From within the North Crater, a massive beam of light was shooting straight up into the sky. Cloud and Cid watched in awe as it cut through the aurora of the northern lights and continued on through the atmosphere, out into space beyond.
"You don't think that's another of those damn Weapons, do you?" Cid asked, afraid to raise his voice above a whisper.
Cloud shook his head. "I'm not sure, but the ground isn't shaking."
As they watched, the beam cut off. Cloud and Cid watched with amazement as the light disappeared.
"Did you just see.?" Cid began.
Cloud nodded. "The beam was coming from space, not from the crater."
"What do you think it means?" Cid asked.
Cloud shook his head slowly. "I don't know, but I don't like it."
"I think the chocobos can wait," Cid suggested.
Cloud nodded again. "I think you're right."
Nanaki stepped away from the telescope and growled in puzzlement. The beam had come from space, and appeared to be aimed at the northern pole. He went to his chart and followed with his eyes the points his assistants had marked from the past three hours.
Since this afternoon, reports had been intercepted all over the world, describing strange beams of light appearing from the sky, and then disappearing. Nanaki and his assistants began tracking them about three hours ago, and had pinpointed their locations. One report had come from Wutai, another from a tracker near the Goblin Forest, and a third from North Corel. This fourth beam seemed to have stayed longer. Whoever was sending them seemed to be trying to triangulate the position of something, but what?
Judging by his previous experience with the North Crater, he didn't like the answer.
Doctor Haverly straightened and wiped his brow. He didn't like the fact that the subject was being infused with Mako. He'd dealt with enough cases of Mako poisoning from his work with the reactor attendants during the reign of the Shinra administration. He knew what it could do to people, and this man had received more than three times that dosage. He bent to begin his work again-
-And a hand lashed out from its resting place on the table, grabbing his arm. He cried out in shock, and the patient sat up, still gripping his arm.
"You.you.you're."
"Alive," his patient finished for him. "Yes, I am. Thanks for noticing."
The doors slid open behind him, and Scarlet entered. "Excellent work, Dr. Haverly. I see you have accomplished the nearly impossible."
The patient rubbed his glowing green eyes and ran a hand down his jaw, touching the stitch work that the doctor had done. "Indeed. You've earned a quick death, my good doctor."
Haverly quailed. "Death?" he squeaked.
"You didn't think we could let you walk out of here after seeing and doing what you have, did you?" Scarlet inquired sweetly.
Haverly turned to look at her with terror in his eyes. As he did so, the patient reached out with his hands and grabbed Haverly's head, twisting it sharply and snapping his neck. The doctor slumped to the floor, and Scarlet looked down with satisfaction.
"Have the signals been sent?" the patient asked.
Scarlet nodded. "Just as you predicted."
"Then let us begin. Send your men to the North Crater and retrieve the specimen."
Scarlet nodded. "Yes, Professor Hojo. Immediately." She turned and marched out of the room, heels clicking on the tile floor.
Hojo looked down at the dead doctor's body and began talking to it. "Soon, my good doctor, we will draw down the source of the signal and send science into the next level!" He chuckled evilly, then folded his hands behind his back and stalked out of the room, leaving the corpse alone in the cold operating room.
Cloud stooped by the mass of feathers and blood and sighed. He examined the wounds and noted the green pus that oozed from around the gaping holes in the bird's flesh. Only one sort of creature left those kinds of bites.
Thorn approached from behind him and knelt down beside the Chocobo. "What happened?" he asked.
Cloud sighed. "A Midgar Zolom has been attacking my herd. I've got to go hunt it down before it gets any more."
"Let me help," Thorn offered.
Cloud shook his head as he headed back into his house. "You're more useful here watching the ranch while I'm gone."
Thorn sighed, but nodded. "Yes, Mr. Strife."
Cloud stepped inside and headed to his room. He opened up the chest at the foot of the bed and pulled out the wide-bladed sword resting within. He examined it closely as he hefted its weight. The blue streak in the center of the blade still gleamed, and Cloud felt himself transported back to another time.
"Is that Ultima Weapon?" Thorn breathed.
Cloud nodded. "Yes."
Thorn watched with admiration as Cloud laid the massive blade on his bed and turned to his closet. "I think it's feeding time for the second generation," Cloud observed.
Thorn took the hint, nodded, and left, shutting the door behind him. Cloud smiled slightly as he shook his head. The boy had potential, but he still needed more discipline before he'd make a decent warrior.
Cloud stripped out of his overalls and pulled his old SOLDIER uniform out of the closet. As he dressed, he thought of his friends, those who had died in the fight against Shinra, and what the uniform had come to represent to him through their quest. It was no longer a symbol of Shinra elitism. It had become a garment of honor. It had grown to represent Cloud himself. Of dubious background in the beginning, but slowly shown to be worth more than originally thought or even intended. He wore it with pride.
As he buckled his sheath to his back, he looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes still glowed with the Mako infusion he had received at the hands of Professor Hojo, but now they gleamed with something else. Wisdom, perhaps. Hope. He didn't know.
All he knew was that he was wasting daylight.
He heard the unmistakable hissing from above within moments of entering the marsh. He looked above as the shadow first passed over him, and the sky darkened.
The Zolom was cruising by him, taking a first look at its prey. Cloud waited patiently for it to approach again, his hand on his sword. At last the Zolom turned leisurely and headed back toward him, then began to pick up speed. Cloud tensed, waiting for the right moment to spring. The Zolom shot down out of the sky and opened its mouth, swooping down on Cloud. Cloud waited until the last minute, and then dove aside, leaving the Zolom only moss and soil to chomp down upon as he swooped past.
The Zolom hissed in displeasure and came around quickly, landing not far from where Cloud was getting to his feet. Cloud somersaulted out of the way again as the Zolom struck once more. He stood quickly and yanked the Ultima Weapon from its sheath, holding it at the ready. The Zolom struck at him again, and he jumped aside, this time striking back with his blade. The Ultima Weapon cut through the serpent's hood, spurting its pink blood onto the mossy ground. The Zolom hissed again, this time coming back with a stronger attack. Cloud dove out of the way for the Zolom's strike, and then fell as the Zolom shoved him to the ground with its tail. The Ultima Weapon went flying out of his hands and landed a few feet away. He moved to grab it, and the Zolom intercepted him, snapping its jaws. He evaded the attack and retreated as the Zolom advanced.
Cloud kept dodging, constantly being kept away from his weapon. Had it been this long since he had fought, that a Zolom would be the one to do him in?
A sound like thunder echoed through the marsh, and the Zolom spasmed. Cloud went for his blade as the Zolom recovered from its wound. He snatched up the Ultima Weapon as the Zolom came around again, and this time he was ready. The Zolom lurched forward, enraged at the unanticipated attack, and snapped at Cloud in a blind fury. Cloud easily sidestepped the attack and launched a Climbhazard attack, jabbing his blade into the serpent's exposed hide and leaping straight up into the air.
As he landed, the Zolom collapsed to the ground, its upper half nearly split in two. The ground was flooded with the hot blood of the slain creature. Cloud caught his breath as he sheathed his sword, and his savior came into view.
"You looked like you could use some help," the familiar voice stated in its usual flat tone.
Cloud smiled. "I don't think I've ever been happier to see you, Vincent."
Vincent's eyebrow arched. "I suppose I'll take that as a compliment."
Cloud laughed, motioning toward the Death Penalty that was still in Vincent's hand. "Please do."
CHAPTER III
Thorn stole another glance at the tall, dark-haired man as he walked past the window on his way to the stables. He paused for a moment, and the man turned, glaring at him intently. Thorn turned away, his face red, and headed for the stables.
Vincent turned back to Cloud. "I see you finally hired some help. I wondered if you planned to run this entire ranch on your own forever."
Cloud shrugged, sipping beer from the mug in his hand. He set the mug on the table with a small clank. "I figured it was time to bring some young blood into the business." He looked up at Vincent. "How did you know I was running it alone?"
Vincent took a sip from his mug as he watched Cloud over the rim. Finally, he lowered the mug and shrugged in reply, a tiny half-smirk crossing the lower half of his face. "I hear things as I travel."
Cloud nodded. "You have been doing a lot of that lately. I haven't heard anything from you in ages."
Vincent set his mug on the end table beside him. "I...went to Lucrecia's cave after the battle..."
He didn't say anything more for a moment, and Cloud simply waited. Lucrecia was still a sore subject for Vincent.
After a moment, the dark man spoke again. "It was cold. Colder than before. It was as though she had never been there in the first place." He shook his head and lifted the mug for another drink. He tipped the mug up and drank for several seconds, and Cloud waited patiently. Finally, Vincent set the mug down again and sighed. "I knew that there was nothing left for me in that place. I had nowhere else to go. The only home I had known for ages was Nibelheim, and the idea of going back there didn't appeal to me."
Cloud nodded. He could understand the feeling entirely.
"So," Vincent shrugged, "I traveled. I visited Wutai, Corel, Costa del Sol...Looking for something, I suppose. I was on my way to Kalm when I ran into you in the swamp."
Cloud chuckled. "I'm very glad you did." After a moment, he added, "Why were you headed to Kalm? To see Reeve and Tifa?"
Vincent nodded. "That, and to see if there had been any news about the lights from the sky."
Cloud nodded, slowly. "Yeah, Cid and I saw the beam that hit North Crater this morning. Has anyone else mentioned anything where you've been?"
Vincent shook his head. "I was thinking about going to Cosmo Canyon to ask Red, but I was closer to Kalm when this all started happening. I figured it would be better to come here first and see if you and the others wanted to join me."
Cloud thought about it. "Yeah, I guess I am a little curious about what's going on."
Vincent cocked his eyebrow. "Just curious about the lights? What about Tifa?"
Cloud sighed. "Her too, of course." He grew silent for a long time. "I just don't want to complicate her life," he admitted finally. "She's got this great setup in Kalm, the bar is ten times better than Seventh Heaven ever was. I don't want to come in out of the blue and mess everything up. Besides," he chuckled, "she doesn't seem like the type who would be satisfied working on a ranch all day."
Before Vincent could speak, Cloud rose from his seat. "Which reminds me, it's getting late. I have to help Thorn get the Chocobos settled for the night." He gestured up the stairs of his farmhouse. "I have a guest room in the loft. It's not much, but I thought you might like to rest. We can go to Kalm together first thing in the morning."
Vincent nodded, getting up from his spot on the sofa. "Yes, of course." He started for the stairs. "Thank you for the beer and the hospitality."
Cloud waived it off. "What are friends for, right?"
Vincent rolled that thought over in his mind. Friends. After his disastrous career with the Turks, his failed relationship with Lucrecia, and his betrayal by Hojo, he wondered if he would ever use that word again. Yet when the lights began appearing in the sky and he had decided to investigate, his first thought was of retrieving the others to join him. He trusted them. They trusted him. When he stopped to think about it, he supposed that was what the word friend truly meant.
He nodded to Cloud and headed up the stairs. Cloud watched him disappear, then turned and headed out to the barn.
Thorn was standing outside when Cloud emerged from the house. Two men were standing on either side of him, holding his arms. A third man was on the ground, slumped against the wall of the barn. Cloud could see in the dim light a nasty gash running across the chest of the fallen man. Thorn had obviously been underestimated when the men first attacked.
Cloud looked closer at the man, and realized why he looked so familiar. It was his clothing.
These were Shinra soldiers. What were they doing on his farm?
They hadn't seen him yet, so he crept closer, taking cover around the corner.
"I told you," Thorn gritted angrily. I can't sell you these Chocobos. They belong to my boss. Besides, I wouldn't sell them to scum like you even if I could."
There was the sound of a fist meeting the soft part of a body, and Thorn grunted. Cloud heard the voice of one of the soldiers next. "Boy, you don't get it. We're not asking to buy them. We're just taking them."
Cloud reached out and grabbed a pitchfork from where it leaned against the building. He stepped out from behind the wall and held the pitchfork in both hands. "Don't I get a vote in this?"
The soldier in front of Thorn pointed to Cloud, and the two soldiers holding Thorn dropped him to the ground, running towards Cloud. Cloud dodged one and whacked him on the back of the head with the pole. The second one was approaching fast. Cloud whipped the pitchfork around and dropped to one knee, impaling the charging soldier on the tines. The soldier slumped forward and dropped his rifle. Cloud picked it up and aimed at the soldier still standing in front of the collapsed Thorn.
"I don't know who the hell you guys think you are, but this is my farm, and no one steals from me," Cloud gritted.
The soldier raised his hands, and a grin crossed his face. Cloud was about to turn around when he felt the cold metal of a gun barrel at the base of his neck. His jaw jutted forward in frustration, and he held up the rifle. The man behind him snatched it away, and spoke to the other soldier.
"What should we do with him, Captain?"
The captain peered into Cloud's glowing blue eyes and pondered for a moment. "He's been exposed to Mako. The professor will likely want to see him. We'll take him with us...alive, for now."
Two more soldiers came running up. "We checked the house, Captain. No one else inside."
The captain nodded, facing the first of the two men. "Secure a half-dozen Chocobos for us."
The soldier nodded, heading into the barn, and the captain faced the other man. "Burn the house, and then the barn when we leave."
The soldier saluted crisply and turned back toward the house. Several random thoughts jumped into Cloud's mind at that moment.
The professor? What professor?
Where's Vincent? I thought he was upstairs?
I'm glad I decided to stop by the bank in Junon instead of stashing all that gil in my house!
The soldier holding Cloud broke his train of thought as the Chocobos were led from the barn. "What about that one?" he asked, indicating Thorn, who was still lying on the ground.
The Captain thought a moment, and then shrugged. "He is of no consequence. He's a farm hand. Kill him."
The soldier who was leading the Chocobos pulled his handgun from its holster and aimed for Thorn. A gunshot rang out from somewhere in the direction of Cloud's house, and the Chocobos started, throwing the soldier off balance before he could fire. He fell to the ground, and the captain rushed over to help restrain the Chocobos.
"Forget about the farm hand!" he shouted. "Take the farmer and private Bates and let's get the hell out of here!"
The soldier behind Cloud shoved him toward a Mountain Chocobo. Cloud climbed on, and the soldier climbed on behind him, holding the handgun to Cloud's throat as they rode.
Vincent had heard the footsteps coming up the stairs and had realized that they were military issue boots, not Cloud's. He leapt from the bed and hurried into the bathroom as the soldiers entered. He heard them approach the bathroom door and climbed into the tub.
The soldier entered the bathroom, gun drawn. He checked the linen closet, scanned the room, and headed for the shower curtain that hung in front of the bathtub. He reached for it slowly, and then yanked it back, thrusting the gun into the empty space beyond.
Seeing nothing, he turned and headed back downstairs.
Vincent swung down from where he had been clinging to the ceiling and dropped to the tiled floor, making no noise as he landed. He heard the commotion outside and climbed out of the bedroom window. From there, he slid down the slope of the roof and dropped effortlessly to the ground behind the house. He drew the Death Penalty from its holster and stalked toward the sound of the scuffle.
When the melee came into view, Cloud was being held at gunpoint while another man holding the reins of several Chocobos was aiming for a motionless form on the ground. Judging the other men to be a threat, Vincent fired a round into the air to distract them for a moment and startle the Chocobos.
The idea worked beautifully. The Chocobos warked in distress, and the soldier with the handgun stumbled to the ground. Vincent advanced as the soldiers scattered, climbing onto the Chocobos and riding off.
Vincent reached the body on the ground and recognized him as the farm hand Cloud had hired. He rolled the boy over, and a groan emanated from the boy's throat.
A shot rang out, and Vincent felt a bullet tear into the flesh at his back, just above his right shoulder blade. He fell to the dirt with a short grunt, and everything went black.
PROLOGUE
"It has to end now."
His opponent was silent, the cold smirk that traced the lower half of his face saying all that need be said.
"The killing you have done, the chaos you've left behind you. It all ends here."
For answer there came the singing of metal on rock as the all-too familiar blade rose to eye-level. He could almost see the blood that still dripped from it-the blood that, though easily wiped clean from a blade, could never be erased from his memory. Those icy green eyes stared at him from over the tip of the sword.
His own sword came up in answer, and from deep within came a primal reflex- long buried within the mires of his soul. A yell that echoed the Planet's cries flew from his throat, and his body set itself into motion.
Before it had even begun, it was already over. His body had responded unlike it had ever done before, and he released every ounce of hatred, every fragment of vengeance, upon his foe.
Those same cold green orbs that had hitherto stared him down were now wide in shock. A thin stream of brilliant red poured down between them, and the silver-haired warrior slumped to his knees, eyes still fixed on the one who had vanquished him.
The dark one's breath grew ragged, his eyes glazed over, and a single word escaped his lips amidst a burst of blood.
"Revenge."
He didn't have time to watch the rest of his foe's demise. His mind whirled as he made his escape, trying to shake off the feeling of his mortal enemy's last word. All around him, the world was falling apart. He felt his footing go out from beneath him, and he reached out desperately. There, grasping his wrist in an instant, was his most loyal friend, by his side through every battle since the very beginning. The young woman heaved mightily, willing her own strength into him, and together they managed to haul him onto the ledge. He buried his face in her long brown hair for a moment, and then looked around for an escape route.
All around was chaos, as though his foe had reached up from the grave to take him by the foot and drag him down as well. Then, in the flash of an instant, he caught sight of their salvation. He grabbed hold of the rope that dangled before them, and she took hold of his waist. Together, they climbed to the safety of the massive airship above them.
He felt his cheek touch the solid, cool floor of the airship, and he released a long-held sigh of relief. He heard a voice, faint and distant in his ear, and he shivered.
"Revenge."
He grimaced, and the voice changed tone, shifting into something he knew, something he longed to hear.
"Cloud, are you OK?"
Cloud slowly got to his feet and nodded. He looked into the face of the woman who had risked everything to save him and smiled. "Yeah."
She smiled back, and then her face changed to a look of shock as a crack sounded below them. The airship rocked with the impact of something, and the entire crew fell to the deck. Cloud crawled to the railing and looked out over the horizon. The green strands of the Lifestream were reaching out like tendrils from the crater below. He could see Midgar, far off in the distance, and then there was a blinding flash of light.
.And then there was silence.
Cloud awoke with a humming sound in his ear. The humming faded as he lifted his head, and he realized that it was coming from the airship's engine. He got up onto his knees and looked around.
Barret was sitting against a bulkhead, shaking his head slowly. Yuffie was in her usual position, head hung over the railing. Red XIII was on his feet, prowling slowly toward the side of the ship. Cait Sith was trying to right himself again, having toppled over in the impact. Vincent was looking out over the horizon. Cid was crouched down beside Tifa, who was slumped against the side of the airship. Cloud stumbled over to her side.
"Is she OK?" he asked.
Cid nodded as Tifa moaned. "Yeah. Just a little cut."
Cloud watched her face for just a moment, and then brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered, and she looked up at him with a smile.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded. Her smile faded. "What's going on?"
Cloud got to his feet. "I'll go find out." He gave her one more quick smile before heading for the railing. He stepped up beside Vincent and looked out over the horizon. The entire sky seemed to be awash with giant tentacles of green light. Midgar seemed to be burning, far off in the distance. The entire city was bathed in a hellish haze.
"The Planet is getting its revenge for its enslavement under Midgar's yoke," Vincent observed.
Cloud nodded, and they lapsed into silence.
After a moment, Cid spoke up. "I can see a clearing a few kliks out. We can land there."
Cloud and the others braced for a bumpy return to the surface. Cid gritted his teeth as he worked the controls, and his face curled into a grimace as he tasted the tobacco leaves that broke through the paper of his cigarette. After several heart-pounding moments, the Highwind settled onto the ground with a slight shudder.
The sky above rumbled with the sound of thunder as the battle-weary warriors stood in the open field, staring in wonder at the slowly fading stalks of green light that glowed through the clouds.
At long last, the rumbling stopped, and the Planet was still. The world held its breath for a moment, and then Tifa smiled as a bird sang in the distance.
"There's hope yet," she observed.
The others agreed with relief. A cool wind blew across the field, kissing the faces of the brave fighters.
"So, what now?" Cloud finally asked.
Barrett shrugged his massive shoulders. "I kinda thought there'd be more to it."
"A hero's welcome, you mean?" Red XIII inquired archly. "I'm not entirely sure how much of the world is left to greet us."
"I'd tend to think that the Planet would protect the innocents that live upon it," Vincent conjectured.
"There's only one way to find out," Yuffie declared.
Cid piped up. "Let's go back up and see what's left."
Barrett spun around to face him. "Ya think we could go back to Kalm?"
There was eagerness in his voice, and Tifa knew why. Barrett was worried for his daughter. She was relieved to see that Cid had caught it as well. "Of course, Barrett," he replied. He turned to the others. "Let's fly."
Barrett's knuckles poked up against his dark skin as he gripped the railing of the Highwind tightly, his eyes staring straight out in search of some sign of life as they approached Kalm. A few wisps of smoke rose into the air from some smoldering buildings on the outskirts of the town. Tifa ran a reassuring hand down Barrett's immense bicep. "I'm sure she's OK," she assured him.
Barrett took his eyes off the scene before him long enough to flash a smile at Tifa, and Cid began the approach. Barrett's eyes locked back onto the town as they descended into the field outside the town limits. A few moments later, the Highwind touched down on the charred grass. Barrett rushed over to the gangplank as it extended and hurried down to the ground, his heavy boots thumping on the plank as he ran.
When he was halfway across the distance between the ship and the town, he heard a small voice ahead of him.
"Papa?"
"Marlene?" Barrett's deep voice boomed in reply.
"Papa!"
Barrett's face split into a huge grin as he saw Marlene racing out of a house at the edge of town. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her and bounded into his waiting arms. He scooped her up and held her in his enormous embrace, squeezing her tightly. Tears of joy poured down his cheeks as he laughed.
"I think there may indeed be hope," Vincent observed from beside Tifa. The rest of the crew were still standing on the deck, looking out at the scene below.
Tifa shook her head, her bangs flicking her forehead. "I'm sure of it now."
CHAPTER I
Reeve looked out over the rooftops of Kalm with a smile. The sound of construction to the south filled him with a sense of pride, and he turned back to the blueprints on his desk.
When Midgar was struck by a blast of Lifestream energy, Reeve was already on his way out of the city. He had been in the lobby of the Shinra building when Diamond Weapon had opened up on them. The explosion sent him flying through the glass doors at the front of the building and left him trapped under a pile of rubble for several hours. He finally pulled himself to safety, but he had badly damaged his leg in the escape. He was limping out of the city when the Planet opened up with a reply of its own. This time, he escaped injury, but soon collapsed in the barren stretch of soil that separated Midgar from Kalm.
Several citizens of Kalm found him sometime later and brought him back to the hospital in town, where he spent the next six months recuperating from a number of injuries. His leg never completely healed, and he now walked with a limp and the aid of a cane.
It was during his recovery that he decided he would give back something to people of Kalm, who had nurtured him back to health. With his background in Urban Development, he campaigned for and won his current position in the office of Mayor.
That had been four years ago. When he looked out over the still-growing cityscape below him, he saw with pride that his oath had not been in vain. Kalm was thriving.
I almost want to rename it Busy, Reeve thought to himself with a slight chuckle. The door opened, and he turned.
Some of the members of his staff had gotten used to seeing a giant white Mog bounding through the building with a little black cat on his back. Others were still unnerved by the sight. To Reeve, it was a sight he couldn't do without, ever since he had rewired Cait Sith to operate independently of his control. Cait Sith was his right hand when it came to running the office.
"I have the new specs for the City Hall renovations," Cait Sith informed him cheerily.
Reeve smiled. "Great. Let's look at them."
Cait Sith shook his little feline head. "Nope."
Reeve was taken aback. "No?"
Cait Sith shook his head again. "Nope. Boss, you've been working for twenty hours straight. You've got to take some time off."
Reeve sighed. "I'm wired, Cait. I can't sleep."
Cait Sith shrugged both sets of shoulders. "So? Go down to the Golden Dragon and have a couple of beers. That should calm you down a bit."
"Won't that ruin my image?" Reeve asked, concerned. If the people of Kalm saw him tossing back brews.
Cait chuckled. "Reeve, they know you're a hard worker. Look out that window and see for yourself."
Reeve turned and looked out of his office window once more. The smile returned to his face, but this time it was much more weary.
"Quite frankly," Cait spoke up from behind him, "I'd be more worried if I didn't see you let your hair down occasionally."
Reeve laughed softly. "You're right, Cait. I mean, it's not like you can't handle it."
Cait nodded. Reeve walked around the desk, patted the giant Mog on the back, and smiled.
"Thanks, Cait."
Cait Sith smiled, and Reeve headed out the door.
"Another beer!"
The thin brunette behind the bar looked up at the rude man who was bellowing at her from the other end of the bar. Even with the population explosion that Mayor Reeve had been encouraging through Kalm's steady growth, she still managed to recognize her regulars. This obnoxious blowhard looked like a tourist from Wutai. She didn't care. She went about her business, waiting to see if he would try again in a more reasonable tone.
"Barmaid! I'm talking to you!"
Obviously not.
"I have a name," she hollered back.
"I don't care what it is," he bellowed. "Just get me another beer!"
The brunette walked down to the end of the bar and glared at the man. "You've had six. That's enough."
One of her regulars, a slightly homely but well-meaning man named Neal, walked over. "You need some help with this guy, Miss Lockheart?"
Tifa shook her head. "Thanks, Neal. I've got it."
Neal nodded, shrugging. He retreated to his table, where his fellow construction workers were seated. There seemed to be more and more of them every day, Tifa noted.
The loud voice of the obnoxious patron before her, accompanied by his repulsive beer breath, snapped her back to her present situation.
"I decide when I've had enough, not some skinny barmaid!"
Tifa grabbed the man by the shirt collars. "I don't care who you think you are or what it is that you do where you come from, but here you will treat people with respect. Remember that you're a guest in this town!"
The tourist grabbed Tifa's wrists and pulled her over the bar, tossing her onto a table and splitting it in half with the impact.
"Where I come from, we beat insolent women! Let me give you a little demonstration." He stalked closer to Tifa, his grin a mile wide.
Tifa sprang to her feet, surprising her adversary. He hesitated a moment, and Tifa took advantage of that moment, jumping forward and backhanding the large man across the jaw. He fell back, and Tifa dropped down onto one hand, jamming her foot into his abdomen and knocking him back into the bar. He hit the bar with a thump and shook his head, clearing it. He began another charge and stopped short with the impact of a heavy wooden staff across his chest. He collapsed onto his back and blinked a couple of times, trying to once again see straight.
When he focused again, he looked up at the man in the dark blue suit with shoulder length black hair and a neatly trimmed beard that stood over him, leaning on the cane that had struck him. He got to his feet slowly and stood in front of the man with the cane, glaring at him.
"I don't believe this concerns you, cripple!" the man barked.
The door to the bar opened, and the man with the cane smiled. Without taking his eyes off the obnoxious tourist, he barked an order to the police officers that entered.
"Take this blowhard to the jail and show him some of our hospitality."
The policemen took the tourist by his massive forearms and began to lead him away. "Yes, Mr. Mayor."
The tourist yanked one hand away, and Reeve thrust his cane forward, jamming it into the man's throat. The man fell back under the cane, and Reeve pinned him to the bar. The policemen took hold of the man again and restrained him with a pair of handcuffs before leading him, still cursing and screaming, out of the bar.
"You'd think somewhere along the way, he would have had the good sense to make things easier on himself and apologize," Reeve muttered in wonder as he stared after the raving tourist.
Tifa shrugged, then hopped back over the bar. "Some people never learn."
Reeve shook his head. "That's enough fun for me for one day, at least." He settled onto one of the barstools. "Can I get a beer?"
Tifa nodded, pulling a bottle of Dragon's Breath, imported from Wutai, from the cooler. Reeve reached for his wallet, and Tifa stopped him. "Don't be ridiculous, Reeve. It's on the house."
Reeve shrugged, and twisted the cap off the bottle before taking a long pull from it. He took a few more sips while Tifa waited on a few of her regulars. When she returned, he asked, "So, have you seen any of the others lately?"
Tifa nodded. "Barrett was here not too long ago. He brought Marlene for a visit."
"She must be getting big by now," Reeve guessed.
Tifa nodded. "She'll be turning nine this year."
Reeve smiled. "Where does the time go?"
"Barrett said the same thing," Tifa agreed. "He doesn't see as much of her as he'd like, what with his job and everything."
"How's that going for him?"
"He's almost finished overseeing the conversion of the old Gongaga reactor. Next he's on his way to Nibelheim, but he's going to take some time off before he starts on that project."
Reeve nodded. "Good idea. He works himself to death."
Tifa laughed. "This coming from you?"
Reeve held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "OK, point made."
After another few moments, Reeve gently asked, "What about Cloud?"
Tifa paused. Cloud was still a touchy subject for her. Although they kept in touch, Cloud just wasn't the same anymore. After the group had been in Kalm for a few days, Cloud abruptly decided to leave. He said he just had to go and create a life for himself before he could be a part of anyone else's. Tifa supposed she could understand. Even when he had been.totally human, he had had a rough life. Once Hojo had gotten hold of him and made him a human puppet, he truly learned what it meant to be in hell.
So she had not said too much when he left, simply asking him to stay a part of her life. He had kept his promise, contacting her at least once a month, but those visits had lately turned into calls and letters, and had become more and more withdrawn in nature. It was as if he was becoming a hermit, day by day.
When she noticed Reeve's gentle eyes upon her, she smiled a bit. "He sent me a letter last week. He's taking the new Chocobo crossbreed to Gold Saucer to auction off to some prospective racers. He stands to make a pretty good sum from this one."
Reeve chuckled to himself. "As opposed to the other sales? Cloud's richer as a rancher than I'll ever be as mayor."
Tifa smiled more broadly, brightening. She leaned over and chucked Reeve on the arm. "I thought you were in it for the people," she teased.
Reeve shrugged. "I am. But the pay isn't bad."
They laughed, and Reeve settled into his beer while Tifa waited on some more customers.
The ten hopefuls gathered in the jockey lounge, awaiting the beginning of the auction. They had been training for months, but they knew that they needed an edge. They needed something that would take them above and beyond the abilities of the more experienced racers.
Then the word got out that there would be an auction of three of the finest chocobos in the world. Although they had tried to keep the information from one another, the word leaked out. Now here they all sat, all ten of the rookie Chocobo jockeys, eyeing each other suspiciously.
Ester entered the room, and all eyes focused on her. She smiled. "From the most renowned Chocobo ranch in the world, I give you three of the world's finest chocobos."
The jockeys watched as a tall Chocobo with iridescent green feathers strutted into the chamber. Their eyes perused the bird's muscular legs as Esther spoke again.
"A Class S Mountain Chocobo. Bidding starts at 50,000 gil."
There was a timid wave of bidding, then a more solid onslaught. When the storm had passed, the Chocobo was led away by a bald rookie for 120,000 gil.
The next Chocobo was led out. It was large and powerfully built with black feathers that caught the light as it strutted to the head of the table.
"A Class S River and Mountain Chocobo, excellently trained. Bidding starts at 100,000," Ester announced.
This time, the bidding was more enthusiastic. After about five minutes of bidding, a young rookie with a long black ponytail took the reins of the black beauty for 500,000.
Finally, there was a low wark from the corridor. Ester smiled and reached for the reins of the last Chocobo. It walked majestically to the front of the table, its golden yellow feathers nearly glowing in the light of the chamber. The eight remaining jockeys caught their breath.
"A Class S Golden Chocobo, wonderfully trained. Bidding starts at half a million."
The high starting bid caught the rookies by surprise, but they soon recovered. What was 500,000 gil, compared to the money they would make in the races with that Gold Chocobo? There was a frenzied flurry of bids, and Esther closed out the bidding, awarding the eager blond jockey in the front the Gold Chocobo for 750,000 gil.
One by one, the rest of the jockeys filed out, and Ester headed out behind them, on her way to pay out to the owner of the chocobos.
"One million, three hundred and seventy thousand gil," Ester announced as she deposited the money on the table in front of the Chocobo rancher.
Cloud smoothed the lapels of his jet-black suit jacket and smiled, separating some of the gil notes from the remainder of the money and sliding the rest back to Ester. "Here's your cut," he replied.
Ester grinned happily, taking the 370,000 gil from the table and pocketing them. "Pleasure doing business with you."
Cloud nodded, and she departed. He finished his drink and got to his feet, heading out of the bar. As he stepped into the lobby, he caught the eye of a young man in a tight shirt and black combat trousers. The man-boy, Cloud corrected himself; he barely looked to be eighteen-approached him with an arrogant look on his face.
"You're Cloud Strife, aren't you?" the boy asked.
Cloud half-smiled, nodding. "Guilty as charged."
The boy looked him up and down and sneered. "You don't look so tough."
Cloud shrugged. "I never claimed to be," he conceded.
The boy brought up his fists in a challenging posture. "Let's see if you're worth what they say, 'cause all I see is some chump in a suit."
Cloud shook his head. "I'm not that man anymore, kid. If that's the kind of life you want, I pity you."
The boy looked at him curiously.
"What's your name, kid?" Cloud asked.
The boy slowly lowered his fists. "Thorn."
Cloud nodded. "And what do you do, Thorn?"
Thorn shrugged. "A little bit of everything."
Cloud smiled sadly as he heard those words. He looked into the young man's deep, dark eyes and shook his head. Did he really look like that, once upon a time?
"Does a little bit of everything pay well?" he asked.
Thorn reluctantly shook his head. "Well, you know, I make a little here, a little there."
Cloud nodded. "Of course, yes. Absolutely. Well, I'm glad to hear it. I mean, I was just going to offer you a job, but."
He began to walk away. Thorn grabbed his arm, and he looked down at the boy's hand. Thorn yanked his arm away quickly, and Cloud smoothed out his suit.
"What kind of job?" Thorn asked.
"It's not glamorous," Cloud explained.
"That's OK," Thorn assured him.
"It's hard work," Cloud added.
"I'm not afraid of work," Thorn declared with a hint of pride.
"Good," Cloud replied. "I need a new stable hand."
Thorn's face fell a bit. Cloud shrugged.
"If you don't want to make five hundred gil a month, that's fine, but..."
Thorn's jaw dropped. He stepped in front of Cloud as the older man tried to leave. "I'll take it."
Cloud smiled. "Good. You know where my farm is?"
Thorn nodded. "Everyone knows, Mr. Strife."
"I'll see you there tomorrow, bright and early." Cloud looked at the boy for a moment longer, then walked past him and into the railway car, leaving Thorn alone with visions of gil floating in his head. He chuckled as the car eased into motion and descended from the Saucer. Was he ever that young?
Doctor Haverly heard the door open behind him, followed by the familiar click of high heels on the tile floor. He didn't turn around.
"How is it going, Doctor?" the cold female voice inquired.
He chuckled to himself. "Well, it's the same as I told you yesterday. There was a large amount of tissue damage. It's taking a long time to repair, even with the cell replacements you've given me. Once again, I'd like to voice my concerns about the use of Mako energy in the cell infusion."
A strong hand whirled him around, and he blanched at the sight of the harsh blond woman's face. Her eyes burned with intensity beneath a scar that ran just above her right eyebrow. He remembered sewing up that gash when she had first arrived, the other victim in her arms. It had taken two full hours to carefully remove the piece of metal that had embedded itself in her head. The daily pressure to succeed with the second patient, and the constant torment at his small failures, was his thanks for doing so.
"I'm not interested in your opinions, doctor," the woman spat. "I only want to see results. Now fix him, or forfeit your life in the bargain!"
Doctor Haverly nodded. "Yes, Scarlet."
The blond woman released him, turned on her heel, and stalked from the room. Doctor Haverly released a long-held breath of relief and turned back to his patient.
CHAPTER II
The signal was faint.
Aratak wrapped one of his tentacles around a dial on his control panel and adjusted the amplitude modulator. It had been too long since the last signal had been received, and he was starting to get worried.
The signal indicator on the far right side of his panel lit up, and he waited. After nearly five standard minutes of near silence, Aratak finally realized that there was no voice signal presence.
How is she contacting us?
His mind worked furiously to come up with an answer. In frustration, he pounded a tentacle on the panel. His eyes wandered over to the signal indicator, and he realized it was blinking. He jerked back in shock. She was using the emergency frequency!
Captain Kaladar entered the communications room, and Aratak swiveled to face him. "Captain!" he greeted his superior, "we have a signal from the scout that we sent to the class-M planet in quadrant 4!"
Kaladar's fangs peeked out from his upturned lips. "It's about time. What does she have to say?"
Aratak shook his head. "Nothing, sir. It's an emergency retrieval signal. Something must have happened to her."
"Have you triangulated her position on the planet?" Kaladar asked.
Aratak turned back to the controls. "No, sir. I'll get that as soon as possible."
Kaladar nodded. "Good. I'll set a course to retrieve. Make sure you have her location by the time we arrive."
Aratak did the math in his head. At full speed, that would take ninety-six hours. He could find her in two. He smiled to himself. "It shall be done, sir."
Kaladar turned and headed out of the room, and Aratak went to work.
Cid rubbed his arms and stamped the ground as he shivered. "Damn it, Cloud, what's so special about these Northern Chocobos?"
Cloud peered down from atop their snowy crest, his binoculars scanning the field below. "I told you already, Cid, they possess a certain.flair for training that's essential to the breeding process."
"They'll probably do anything you say just to get out of this weather," Cid grumbled. "Right about now, I'd take out your garbage and fetch your slippers if it meant we could get back to the Highwind."
Cloud laughed. "It won't be too much longer." To take his friend's mind off the weather, he asked, "How are Shera and Caitlin?"
Cid smiled around his ever-present cigarette. "They're doing great. Caitlin starts school this fall."
Cloud shook his head. "Where does time go?"
Cid's smile faded a little. "Time flies when you seclude yourself from almost all your friends, Cloud."
Cloud ignored the comment, only staring more intently through the viewfinder of his binoculars.
Cid pressed on. "How long has it been since you saw Barrett? Or Yuffie? Or Red?"
He paused a moment before adding, "Or Tifa?"
Cloud turned to glare at Cid. "It's not fair to torture them with my problems. I'm better off on my own, and they're better off not having to deal with me."
Cid grabbed Cloud by the collar of his parka and pulled him closer. "Those people risked their lives for you even after you'd completely lost your mind. I know you weren't in your right mind when you gave Sephiroth the Black Materia, but you betrayed the entire planet when you did that! We still stood by you, even then. We deserve a little more than you've given in return, don't you think?"
Cloud was silent for a moment, and then looked away. "I guess you're right, Cid. I just." His voice trailed off, and he pointed to the northeast.
"What the hell is that?" he whispered. Cid followed his finger and froze. His jaw dropped, and his cigarette fell from his mouth and into the snow.
From within the North Crater, a massive beam of light was shooting straight up into the sky. Cloud and Cid watched in awe as it cut through the aurora of the northern lights and continued on through the atmosphere, out into space beyond.
"You don't think that's another of those damn Weapons, do you?" Cid asked, afraid to raise his voice above a whisper.
Cloud shook his head. "I'm not sure, but the ground isn't shaking."
As they watched, the beam cut off. Cloud and Cid watched with amazement as the light disappeared.
"Did you just see.?" Cid began.
Cloud nodded. "The beam was coming from space, not from the crater."
"What do you think it means?" Cid asked.
Cloud shook his head slowly. "I don't know, but I don't like it."
"I think the chocobos can wait," Cid suggested.
Cloud nodded again. "I think you're right."
Nanaki stepped away from the telescope and growled in puzzlement. The beam had come from space, and appeared to be aimed at the northern pole. He went to his chart and followed with his eyes the points his assistants had marked from the past three hours.
Since this afternoon, reports had been intercepted all over the world, describing strange beams of light appearing from the sky, and then disappearing. Nanaki and his assistants began tracking them about three hours ago, and had pinpointed their locations. One report had come from Wutai, another from a tracker near the Goblin Forest, and a third from North Corel. This fourth beam seemed to have stayed longer. Whoever was sending them seemed to be trying to triangulate the position of something, but what?
Judging by his previous experience with the North Crater, he didn't like the answer.
Doctor Haverly straightened and wiped his brow. He didn't like the fact that the subject was being infused with Mako. He'd dealt with enough cases of Mako poisoning from his work with the reactor attendants during the reign of the Shinra administration. He knew what it could do to people, and this man had received more than three times that dosage. He bent to begin his work again-
-And a hand lashed out from its resting place on the table, grabbing his arm. He cried out in shock, and the patient sat up, still gripping his arm.
"You.you.you're."
"Alive," his patient finished for him. "Yes, I am. Thanks for noticing."
The doors slid open behind him, and Scarlet entered. "Excellent work, Dr. Haverly. I see you have accomplished the nearly impossible."
The patient rubbed his glowing green eyes and ran a hand down his jaw, touching the stitch work that the doctor had done. "Indeed. You've earned a quick death, my good doctor."
Haverly quailed. "Death?" he squeaked.
"You didn't think we could let you walk out of here after seeing and doing what you have, did you?" Scarlet inquired sweetly.
Haverly turned to look at her with terror in his eyes. As he did so, the patient reached out with his hands and grabbed Haverly's head, twisting it sharply and snapping his neck. The doctor slumped to the floor, and Scarlet looked down with satisfaction.
"Have the signals been sent?" the patient asked.
Scarlet nodded. "Just as you predicted."
"Then let us begin. Send your men to the North Crater and retrieve the specimen."
Scarlet nodded. "Yes, Professor Hojo. Immediately." She turned and marched out of the room, heels clicking on the tile floor.
Hojo looked down at the dead doctor's body and began talking to it. "Soon, my good doctor, we will draw down the source of the signal and send science into the next level!" He chuckled evilly, then folded his hands behind his back and stalked out of the room, leaving the corpse alone in the cold operating room.
Cloud stooped by the mass of feathers and blood and sighed. He examined the wounds and noted the green pus that oozed from around the gaping holes in the bird's flesh. Only one sort of creature left those kinds of bites.
Thorn approached from behind him and knelt down beside the Chocobo. "What happened?" he asked.
Cloud sighed. "A Midgar Zolom has been attacking my herd. I've got to go hunt it down before it gets any more."
"Let me help," Thorn offered.
Cloud shook his head as he headed back into his house. "You're more useful here watching the ranch while I'm gone."
Thorn sighed, but nodded. "Yes, Mr. Strife."
Cloud stepped inside and headed to his room. He opened up the chest at the foot of the bed and pulled out the wide-bladed sword resting within. He examined it closely as he hefted its weight. The blue streak in the center of the blade still gleamed, and Cloud felt himself transported back to another time.
"Is that Ultima Weapon?" Thorn breathed.
Cloud nodded. "Yes."
Thorn watched with admiration as Cloud laid the massive blade on his bed and turned to his closet. "I think it's feeding time for the second generation," Cloud observed.
Thorn took the hint, nodded, and left, shutting the door behind him. Cloud smiled slightly as he shook his head. The boy had potential, but he still needed more discipline before he'd make a decent warrior.
Cloud stripped out of his overalls and pulled his old SOLDIER uniform out of the closet. As he dressed, he thought of his friends, those who had died in the fight against Shinra, and what the uniform had come to represent to him through their quest. It was no longer a symbol of Shinra elitism. It had become a garment of honor. It had grown to represent Cloud himself. Of dubious background in the beginning, but slowly shown to be worth more than originally thought or even intended. He wore it with pride.
As he buckled his sheath to his back, he looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes still glowed with the Mako infusion he had received at the hands of Professor Hojo, but now they gleamed with something else. Wisdom, perhaps. Hope. He didn't know.
All he knew was that he was wasting daylight.
He heard the unmistakable hissing from above within moments of entering the marsh. He looked above as the shadow first passed over him, and the sky darkened.
The Zolom was cruising by him, taking a first look at its prey. Cloud waited patiently for it to approach again, his hand on his sword. At last the Zolom turned leisurely and headed back toward him, then began to pick up speed. Cloud tensed, waiting for the right moment to spring. The Zolom shot down out of the sky and opened its mouth, swooping down on Cloud. Cloud waited until the last minute, and then dove aside, leaving the Zolom only moss and soil to chomp down upon as he swooped past.
The Zolom hissed in displeasure and came around quickly, landing not far from where Cloud was getting to his feet. Cloud somersaulted out of the way again as the Zolom struck once more. He stood quickly and yanked the Ultima Weapon from its sheath, holding it at the ready. The Zolom struck at him again, and he jumped aside, this time striking back with his blade. The Ultima Weapon cut through the serpent's hood, spurting its pink blood onto the mossy ground. The Zolom hissed again, this time coming back with a stronger attack. Cloud dove out of the way for the Zolom's strike, and then fell as the Zolom shoved him to the ground with its tail. The Ultima Weapon went flying out of his hands and landed a few feet away. He moved to grab it, and the Zolom intercepted him, snapping its jaws. He evaded the attack and retreated as the Zolom advanced.
Cloud kept dodging, constantly being kept away from his weapon. Had it been this long since he had fought, that a Zolom would be the one to do him in?
A sound like thunder echoed through the marsh, and the Zolom spasmed. Cloud went for his blade as the Zolom recovered from its wound. He snatched up the Ultima Weapon as the Zolom came around again, and this time he was ready. The Zolom lurched forward, enraged at the unanticipated attack, and snapped at Cloud in a blind fury. Cloud easily sidestepped the attack and launched a Climbhazard attack, jabbing his blade into the serpent's exposed hide and leaping straight up into the air.
As he landed, the Zolom collapsed to the ground, its upper half nearly split in two. The ground was flooded with the hot blood of the slain creature. Cloud caught his breath as he sheathed his sword, and his savior came into view.
"You looked like you could use some help," the familiar voice stated in its usual flat tone.
Cloud smiled. "I don't think I've ever been happier to see you, Vincent."
Vincent's eyebrow arched. "I suppose I'll take that as a compliment."
Cloud laughed, motioning toward the Death Penalty that was still in Vincent's hand. "Please do."
CHAPTER III
Thorn stole another glance at the tall, dark-haired man as he walked past the window on his way to the stables. He paused for a moment, and the man turned, glaring at him intently. Thorn turned away, his face red, and headed for the stables.
Vincent turned back to Cloud. "I see you finally hired some help. I wondered if you planned to run this entire ranch on your own forever."
Cloud shrugged, sipping beer from the mug in his hand. He set the mug on the table with a small clank. "I figured it was time to bring some young blood into the business." He looked up at Vincent. "How did you know I was running it alone?"
Vincent took a sip from his mug as he watched Cloud over the rim. Finally, he lowered the mug and shrugged in reply, a tiny half-smirk crossing the lower half of his face. "I hear things as I travel."
Cloud nodded. "You have been doing a lot of that lately. I haven't heard anything from you in ages."
Vincent set his mug on the end table beside him. "I...went to Lucrecia's cave after the battle..."
He didn't say anything more for a moment, and Cloud simply waited. Lucrecia was still a sore subject for Vincent.
After a moment, the dark man spoke again. "It was cold. Colder than before. It was as though she had never been there in the first place." He shook his head and lifted the mug for another drink. He tipped the mug up and drank for several seconds, and Cloud waited patiently. Finally, Vincent set the mug down again and sighed. "I knew that there was nothing left for me in that place. I had nowhere else to go. The only home I had known for ages was Nibelheim, and the idea of going back there didn't appeal to me."
Cloud nodded. He could understand the feeling entirely.
"So," Vincent shrugged, "I traveled. I visited Wutai, Corel, Costa del Sol...Looking for something, I suppose. I was on my way to Kalm when I ran into you in the swamp."
Cloud chuckled. "I'm very glad you did." After a moment, he added, "Why were you headed to Kalm? To see Reeve and Tifa?"
Vincent nodded. "That, and to see if there had been any news about the lights from the sky."
Cloud nodded, slowly. "Yeah, Cid and I saw the beam that hit North Crater this morning. Has anyone else mentioned anything where you've been?"
Vincent shook his head. "I was thinking about going to Cosmo Canyon to ask Red, but I was closer to Kalm when this all started happening. I figured it would be better to come here first and see if you and the others wanted to join me."
Cloud thought about it. "Yeah, I guess I am a little curious about what's going on."
Vincent cocked his eyebrow. "Just curious about the lights? What about Tifa?"
Cloud sighed. "Her too, of course." He grew silent for a long time. "I just don't want to complicate her life," he admitted finally. "She's got this great setup in Kalm, the bar is ten times better than Seventh Heaven ever was. I don't want to come in out of the blue and mess everything up. Besides," he chuckled, "she doesn't seem like the type who would be satisfied working on a ranch all day."
Before Vincent could speak, Cloud rose from his seat. "Which reminds me, it's getting late. I have to help Thorn get the Chocobos settled for the night." He gestured up the stairs of his farmhouse. "I have a guest room in the loft. It's not much, but I thought you might like to rest. We can go to Kalm together first thing in the morning."
Vincent nodded, getting up from his spot on the sofa. "Yes, of course." He started for the stairs. "Thank you for the beer and the hospitality."
Cloud waived it off. "What are friends for, right?"
Vincent rolled that thought over in his mind. Friends. After his disastrous career with the Turks, his failed relationship with Lucrecia, and his betrayal by Hojo, he wondered if he would ever use that word again. Yet when the lights began appearing in the sky and he had decided to investigate, his first thought was of retrieving the others to join him. He trusted them. They trusted him. When he stopped to think about it, he supposed that was what the word friend truly meant.
He nodded to Cloud and headed up the stairs. Cloud watched him disappear, then turned and headed out to the barn.
Thorn was standing outside when Cloud emerged from the house. Two men were standing on either side of him, holding his arms. A third man was on the ground, slumped against the wall of the barn. Cloud could see in the dim light a nasty gash running across the chest of the fallen man. Thorn had obviously been underestimated when the men first attacked.
Cloud looked closer at the man, and realized why he looked so familiar. It was his clothing.
These were Shinra soldiers. What were they doing on his farm?
They hadn't seen him yet, so he crept closer, taking cover around the corner.
"I told you," Thorn gritted angrily. I can't sell you these Chocobos. They belong to my boss. Besides, I wouldn't sell them to scum like you even if I could."
There was the sound of a fist meeting the soft part of a body, and Thorn grunted. Cloud heard the voice of one of the soldiers next. "Boy, you don't get it. We're not asking to buy them. We're just taking them."
Cloud reached out and grabbed a pitchfork from where it leaned against the building. He stepped out from behind the wall and held the pitchfork in both hands. "Don't I get a vote in this?"
The soldier in front of Thorn pointed to Cloud, and the two soldiers holding Thorn dropped him to the ground, running towards Cloud. Cloud dodged one and whacked him on the back of the head with the pole. The second one was approaching fast. Cloud whipped the pitchfork around and dropped to one knee, impaling the charging soldier on the tines. The soldier slumped forward and dropped his rifle. Cloud picked it up and aimed at the soldier still standing in front of the collapsed Thorn.
"I don't know who the hell you guys think you are, but this is my farm, and no one steals from me," Cloud gritted.
The soldier raised his hands, and a grin crossed his face. Cloud was about to turn around when he felt the cold metal of a gun barrel at the base of his neck. His jaw jutted forward in frustration, and he held up the rifle. The man behind him snatched it away, and spoke to the other soldier.
"What should we do with him, Captain?"
The captain peered into Cloud's glowing blue eyes and pondered for a moment. "He's been exposed to Mako. The professor will likely want to see him. We'll take him with us...alive, for now."
Two more soldiers came running up. "We checked the house, Captain. No one else inside."
The captain nodded, facing the first of the two men. "Secure a half-dozen Chocobos for us."
The soldier nodded, heading into the barn, and the captain faced the other man. "Burn the house, and then the barn when we leave."
The soldier saluted crisply and turned back toward the house. Several random thoughts jumped into Cloud's mind at that moment.
The professor? What professor?
Where's Vincent? I thought he was upstairs?
I'm glad I decided to stop by the bank in Junon instead of stashing all that gil in my house!
The soldier holding Cloud broke his train of thought as the Chocobos were led from the barn. "What about that one?" he asked, indicating Thorn, who was still lying on the ground.
The Captain thought a moment, and then shrugged. "He is of no consequence. He's a farm hand. Kill him."
The soldier who was leading the Chocobos pulled his handgun from its holster and aimed for Thorn. A gunshot rang out from somewhere in the direction of Cloud's house, and the Chocobos started, throwing the soldier off balance before he could fire. He fell to the ground, and the captain rushed over to help restrain the Chocobos.
"Forget about the farm hand!" he shouted. "Take the farmer and private Bates and let's get the hell out of here!"
The soldier behind Cloud shoved him toward a Mountain Chocobo. Cloud climbed on, and the soldier climbed on behind him, holding the handgun to Cloud's throat as they rode.
Vincent had heard the footsteps coming up the stairs and had realized that they were military issue boots, not Cloud's. He leapt from the bed and hurried into the bathroom as the soldiers entered. He heard them approach the bathroom door and climbed into the tub.
The soldier entered the bathroom, gun drawn. He checked the linen closet, scanned the room, and headed for the shower curtain that hung in front of the bathtub. He reached for it slowly, and then yanked it back, thrusting the gun into the empty space beyond.
Seeing nothing, he turned and headed back downstairs.
Vincent swung down from where he had been clinging to the ceiling and dropped to the tiled floor, making no noise as he landed. He heard the commotion outside and climbed out of the bedroom window. From there, he slid down the slope of the roof and dropped effortlessly to the ground behind the house. He drew the Death Penalty from its holster and stalked toward the sound of the scuffle.
When the melee came into view, Cloud was being held at gunpoint while another man holding the reins of several Chocobos was aiming for a motionless form on the ground. Judging the other men to be a threat, Vincent fired a round into the air to distract them for a moment and startle the Chocobos.
The idea worked beautifully. The Chocobos warked in distress, and the soldier with the handgun stumbled to the ground. Vincent advanced as the soldiers scattered, climbing onto the Chocobos and riding off.
Vincent reached the body on the ground and recognized him as the farm hand Cloud had hired. He rolled the boy over, and a groan emanated from the boy's throat.
A shot rang out, and Vincent felt a bullet tear into the flesh at his back, just above his right shoulder blade. He fell to the dirt with a short grunt, and everything went black.