*Note from the author* ...Awright I admit it...my story's very, very long and
seems extremely boring, I know. It's true that the action takes long to
really get into the story and there's a lot of useless speeches, but
please, u gotta understand that this is my first story and it's a very
complicated one. That's why I must explain things a lot at the beginning,
but be patient, and read it attentively.
The story's not mainly around a particular character. Each character's important in a way, still, I added my own bad ass (which you'll see later...) and my own personal character. If you dun like bad words and if you're not in serious-being stories, then I can't really recommend you mine. Still, if you like bloody but deep stories with a lot of descriptions, mysteries and characters, then I'd like you to take a look at my story and to review it. But please...dun blame me for all the mistakes I make, I'm truly sorry for all of 'em(I'm french-speakin' -_-''') and if you didn't like my story, please dun review it.
But I really wanna thank all those who'll read this text, and I hope that some of you will like it. I have a real special thanks to give to my best friend which is know over here as real sweetie fantasy. I luv ya Zaz you're my best pal and keep up the good job with your fic. I also want to thank a real great guy I've met awhile ago, Hito you're the best guy in the world, you're simply AWESOME.
Ok I'm shuting it and I'll now let you read ^_^ lol well then...ENJOY!! =D
**----Krimson ----**
"The lies of a Bloody Moon gave me the hope... To wait for the one who will keep me away... From the nightmares I share with the darkness..."
Lucrea Crimsoneyes
Day 1
The Countdown
- Perfection...total perfection isn't it? I seriously didn't expect us to surpass science itself, but, as I can see, we did it. Great work dear colleagues, it definitely is a success.
- Indeed. The results went far beyond all of our expectations in fact, but I personally think that there still are some operations we need to fully complete before sending it in the Crater.
- Professor Altarius is right. We don't know if it could immediately bear such a large amount of Mako energy. But the real problem is that it's still too weak to withstand Sephiroth's attacks and it probably won't get enough strength to counterattack by inflicting major damages to its opponent's body. So, if we want to get fully prepared for this situation, we'll need more time, perhaps a complete month.
-We can't take such a risk. Everyone here knew there would be some choices to make at the beginning of this project. Of course, we need a lot more time. But now, we can't go back, it's too late. A full month would be too long, we only have seven days left before Meteor crashes on the Planet. We have to get there on time, even if it's not totally prepared to what's happening. So let's do it, because it's our last chance to save this world.
...Everything now...is just a matter of time...in six days...
It was the first of the seven days left before the Planet would be crushed by Meteor. The sky was covered up by that scary red color due to Meteor's great chemical consistence reacting with the Planet's atmosphere.
People would no longer see the sunrise in the morning or the shining stars at night. Beauties of this world had been taken away from everyone's eyes since that huge rock covered the space view by its evil presence. The Planet was waiting for its end to come. All over the lands, people would stay silent, and would wait for something to happen. They were hiding in their house, filled with fear and despair, and would sometimes watch TV, in hope to finally hear a good new. Children would ask their mothers: "Mommy? What's that big thing in the sky?" and their worried mothers to say: "It's a very big shooting star honey. You have to make a wish when you see one, and maybe that if you want it really hard, it'll come true."
Children of fate, children of the future. They were the only ones to smile in times of despair like this one. But at night, it looked like the big shooting star would come nearer and even nearer of the land. And each time, it was getting bigger and scarier. So the smile would fade away.
Planet's guardians, the Weapons, were on the rampage. They'd create earthquakes in Cosmo Canyon area, tornadoes over Nibelheim and Gongaga areas and tidal waves near Junon harbor. President Rufus Shinra had won people's trust and support by reacting quickly to an imminent attack from one of those monsters by using Shinra Co's new toy, the Sister Ray, to destroy the Weapon before it could reach Junon area. The huge cannon blasted Weapon, which went to drown slowly within the seas, and a new light shined over the darkness of the world's situation. Yet, the hope faded away once again when President Shinra was killed by another Weapon's laser as a gift of revenge to its ally. And without any sort of hope, this Planet's situation was getting worse and worse each minute.
- DAMMIT!! Damn that bast' Sephiroth! The hell he thinks he's doin' huh?! He thinks that acting like Mr. Ô-my-god-look-at-me-I'm-the-big-bad-ass-dude is wise?! Geez, that friggin' white haired freak is definitely insane!! - Barret, could you please calm down?! Stop yelling like that, it's been an hour since you kept on swearing and saying those things!! Why don't you just try to hope for Cloud and others' safe return instead of thinking about what you could do to Sephiroth all the way long?!?
- ...Yeah well, I'm sorry Tifa. It's jus that it really pisses me off, y'know what I'm sayin'? All that bullshit he's givin' ta us, aw I dunno. I jus wish I could be with Cloud, Cid and Vincent right now. Yeah, if I were there, I'd show to that Sephiroth what we're made of. I jus can't take what he's about to do with that shit of Meteor damn!!
- And you do think I ain't worrying about it all too?! I can't take much of this anymore! I just don't know what to do. I'm thinking about Cloud and the others, I wonder how they are, how they feel, I even pray for them to return here safely and that they get the hell out of that damn Crater!! I'm feeling so guilty to be here, protected and safe, while they're taking all blame for everyone's life, fighting to keep us all alive...
The Highwind was pretty calm these days. It seemed like it's been ages since it was standing above the Crater's top though it has been waiting only for a short day. An anxious Barret and a worried Tifa would keep an eye on the ship while the others were gone. They would also watch over the Crater, in case they'd notice that things wouldn't turn out that good inside of it.
Barret and Tifa were the Look-out team members: they'd look for the two other teams to return safely to the ship, and they'd be Cloud's crew reinforcements if things would get dangerous down there, inside the Crater.
"...I still can't believe that Cloud's inside that big hole. It seems so dark and creepy down here. I hope that you're doing well Cloud, I'm sure you do. Get back to me safe and sound Cloud, bring us the victory."
The ship was partially empty. To be true, it had never seemed that silent before. Beside Tifa and Barret, everyone had left the Highwind with their respective teams. Indeed, others had been divided between two different crews: The Crater's team and The Field's team.
Vincent, Cloud and Cid were the Crater's team members. They would fight Sephiroth and were supposed to come out from the Crater in six days, after Meteor would hopefully be destroyed by Aeris's white materia: Holy. That was the plan, yet they hadn't given any signs of life since yesterday, which was the day they first entered the Crater. Perhaps they were already dead, who knows? But no one thought this could be true. However, nobody could assure they'd win the fight against Sephiroth. But no matter what could ever happen, all that everyone was truly hoping for was for the Crater's team members to survive the fight, and to escape the Crater before things would get even worse.
Yuffie led the second team, the Field's team. Her mission was to gather informations about Shinra's plans concerning Sephiroth with a hand from Cait Sith and Nanaki. Before going inside the Crater, Cid had driven the Highwind over Midgar, so that Cait could spy over Shinras' headquarters, and Junon to get Yuffie and Red at Junon airport's landing ground, so they could keep an eye on Shinras' actions from a hideout, somewhere in the huge city. The three of them would return to the Highwind in approximately two days, and would wait with Barret and Tifa for the last team to get in. The final part of the plan was to get away from the Crater, and to watch for Meteor's destruction by Holy materia.
If things would work well, there would be nothing to worry about. Still, there was no other way to win the war. This was the ultimate plan, it had to be perfect straight to the end. However, should this plan fail, there would be nothing else to do but waiting for Sephiroth to finally unleash Meteor on the Planet. Shouldn't it work well, the worst was to come for the future. Tifa was looking at the Crater's huge mouth. She had never felt that confused. She was wondering what Barret would say if she'd ask him permission to go inside the Crater. Maybe she could help too, maybe she could do something. Yet, Barret would never dare to let her go inside.
She remembered Cloud whispering something to Barret's ear before he entered the Crater with Vincent and Cid. Cloud had looked at Tifa then, and Barret had nodded. She could easily guess what Cloud told him: "I don't want you both to enter the Crater, I want you and Tifa to stay here and to keep an eye for Yuffie's return. Barret, watch over Tifa. Protect her if things go wrong. But I warn you, if something happens to her...I'll give you all blame for it, am I being clear?"
" Why wouldn't he let me go. Why the hell should I stay here, biting my nails and worrying, when I could be inside the Crater, helping my friends?" She looked at Barret from the corner of her eyes. He seemed very thoughtful. He was standing, back against the balcony, eyes closed, and it almost seemed like he was sleeping. She suddenly gave up asking him. She told herself that if Barret let her go, Cloud would probably send her back anyway and he'd surely blame Barret for her mistake. Tifa didn't want that. She looked at the sky. It was light gray, very cloudy and peaceful, but Meteor's red lights would remind her that no matter how calm the skies looked, a huge flaming rock was waiting to be unleashed on the Planet.
Even in the summer, it was snowing in the mountains. A very poor snow was falling down from a sky covered with gray clouds. And though Meteor's fires were burning the air, snow would cover the northern lands, no matter how hot the weather was.
- Y'know, I think ya should stop worryin' 'bout 'em. Tifa jumped. She thought Barret had fallen asleep. She looked at him for a second, then turned her attention to the gray sky once again.
- I can't. No matter what I do or say, it always comes back to them. I sure know that they know what they're doing. But what I'm anxious about is how the fight is gonna end up.
- C'mon, they'll be awright, even with Cloud as the leader heh. They're probably thinkin' 'bout how we're all doin' over here too, and Cloud's probably wonderin' why the hell did all that shit had ta fall on us. But hey, y'know Cloud even better than I and I'm sure that this lil spikey ass'll bring us tha victory. So if I did put all my trust and hope in a twerp that I don't even like, why wouldn't you? Say, you're his childhood friend and I betcha know that worryin' jus won't do anythin'. All that it'll do is puttin' everyone in a damn bad mood and well...I HATE SAD FACES DAMN!!
Tifa smiled. No matter how bad the situation was getting, Barret will go on cheering her up. He truly was a good person, no matter how spiky he could be at times.
- Hehehee well I think that maybe you swear too much at times Barret, but you do know how to make someone smile. All you just said...well, you're right on the whole way! That attitude won't bring us anywhere. All we have to do now is waiting for them to come back and encouraging them from where we are. We have to stay strong aw'right?
- Yeah!! That's tha attitude, that's tha Tifa I used to know. Now keep it all in mind and try ta smile okay? And don't forget that we're the strongest, we'll win that damn war.
...All we gotta do...is hoping for the heroes to come back...in six
days...
Day 2
Inside Hell
"Already midday, Cloud said to himself. And we're still stuck at the entrance of this damn place..."
Cloud looked up at what was left from a shiny blue sky. It was so far from down here. Now, all it seemed to be was a tiny blue point at the top of a black, rocky ceiling. Still, Cloud could see it. He could even hear a sweet summer breeze whispering in some tall grasses blooming with red and yellow flowers. Blue butterflies and bees, a river still shivering from a quite cold night and children playing with a ball.
He closed his eyes. How did it feel again, how did it feel to fear nothing. He wondered when was the last time he took the time to climb in a tree, to feel the sweet taste of a chocolate cake, to be near of...yeah, to see Tifa again, to see that she's still there, alive. Cloud thought for a second, that she could think the same right now. Perhaps she was, perhaps she wondered how he was doing too, and perhaps she was thinking about some blue butterflies and flowers as well.
Cloud opened up his eyes. He took a quick sip of the water from the bottle he had brought with him. He glanced for a second at the rock on which he was sitting on and noticed a green bug, which was drowning in a puddle of water. "Hey, what do you think you're doing buggy?" Cloud told the bug as he was giving it his finger as a lifeguard. The little greenish bug immediately grabbed Cloud's hand glove and quickly walked around on his palm.
Cloud looked at it with a sort of interest as it flew from the hand to the air and attempted to reach the Crater's top.
"I wish I could do the same...but for me, the time hasn't come yet. Maybe tomorrow, or maybe later, but not now..."
He looked at the puddle for a second. His bottle was almost empty. Still, he couldn't fill it with this kind of water, he thought. It wasn't drinkable, Cloud could guess just by looking at its color. However, he'll need to drink on later days and an empty bottle wouldn't quench his thirst. But he wouldn't drink water mixed with melted Mako fumes. As he could see, the water was glowing with a fluorescent green color. "If you drink that, you drink your death," he told himself.
Suddenly, Cloud's eyes started to blaze with a shining Mako blue color. "Wha..."
Cloud felt that someone was spying on him. He had seen a dark, evil looking silhouette in the puddle.
He watched out of the corner of his eyes, and felt a presence. Cloud knew that this person had bad intentions. It was probably there to fight, but he'd wait for the foe to attack first. Avoiding and counter attacking from behind was probably the best way to quickly end up a fight. But inside that Crater, opponents were rare...pretty rare.
"There are no monsters inside that Crater, no life, nothing. This place is full of harmful fumes and the air is poisoned. Nobody would enter this kind of place just for fun, or to explore it. But maybe...maybe that person was already there before we came in...could it be..."
Cloud's heart started to beat faster and faster inside of his chest. He suddenly felt like he knew the person whose presence surrounded him with darkness. It was him, it couldn't be someone else. Still, Cloud couldn't figure out why would his ultimate opponent awake and fight before the time had come. But he didn't care at all. If it was him, Cloud couldn't stand back. All that mattered now was beating him, even if Cloud couldn't win all by himself.
"I won't let you go this time...you're not gonna forget the day we met again ...Sephiroth." Cloud waited for a suspect move, and discreetly grabbed his sword. The huge weapon was filled with materia, and fully prepared for a fight. Still, with such darkness, it would be difficult to argue with Sephiroth's sword. Cloud didn't need to see him anyway. All he had to do was listening, listening to him in the silence. He closed his eyes and opened his ears. He could easily feel each drop falling on the rocks, the heavy air, the bitter smell of walls covered with green Mako glows. He then felt a hand on his shoulder. Cloud perceived the move. As if he was possessed by the Devil himself, Cloud quickly grabbed the hand, crushed the elbow and jumped behind his opponent. Cloud was pretty fast. His quick moves and harsh knocks had now taken advantage of the enemy. He was now giving his foe a taste of what he's learned in many harsh years of training. Indeed, now that Cloud had the advantage of the position, he was twisting, knocking and almost destroying Sephiroth's left arm and back with great easiness. Perhaps with too much easiness...
Then, Cloud grabbed his opponent by the neck. He gripped it pretty hard, just as if he was trying to strangle Sephiroth, and then ran and crashed him against one of the Crater's rocky walls. He could hear Sephiroth groaning. Indeed, Cloud didn't go easy on him. He probably harmed Sephiroth's left arm a lot and he surely have broken some of his bones. But still...Sephiroth was way tougher than that...
"It was too easy...how could it be him...still."
- Who are you...?
- DAMN LEMME GO YOU @#$% NEUROTIC!!!
Cloud hammered the man's head into the wall several times. His eyes were burning with anger. He was now sure, with that kind of attitude, that this man couldn't be Sephiroth.
- I asked you a question! Who are you, what are you doing here?! - DAMMIT WHAT THE @#$% HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN' CLOUD YOU @#$% IDIOT!?!
"Wait a minute... This voice...It's not Sephiroth's...and this haircut...oh
dammit..."
-...CID!?! Whoa um I'm...sorry I took you for someone else.
- @#$%!! WHO DO YOU THINK IT WAS GODDAMMIT BLOND ASS!! GEEZ GET ME THE HELL OUT!!
Cloud had spent three hours waiting for his two teammates to come back from the Crater's depths. As the leader, he gave them order to explore the area and to report as soon as they would have found a path through such a maze.
Cid and Vincent arrived sooner than what has been said. Indeed, Cloud was to watch over the entrance all alone. He was on the lookout, in case one of those Weapons would attack the airship, which was still standing above the Crater's entrance.
Though Cloud sort of knew that his foe couldn't be Sephiroth at all, he also wouldn't have expected it to be Cid. The old pilot had his left arm crushed by Cloud's strength and he wouldn't stop yelling and swearing about Cloud's slowness and incompetence as a leader.
- Goddamn twerp...I still can't figure out how the hell you coulda thought I was that Sephiroth dude. Geez ain't that difficult to notice!! Look at my goddamn head and tell me if I get those crappy white hair, do I? NO I DON'T!! @#$% You're like even too slow and stupid to figure out that I get short hair and that I don't wear that @#$% cloak of his!! DAMN!! And look at my arm, d'you see that?? D'YOU SEE WHAT YOUR STUPIDNESS DID TO MY ARM?!? How the hell am I s'pose to pilot my ship with an arm shaped like that!! FRIGGIN' BLONDY SICK ASS!! I HATE YOU!! Damn if it wouldn't hurt that much I'd probably crush yore @#$% gay head you @#$% asshole!!
- ...Well what d'you want me to say, I already told you I was sorry so...
- SORRY!?! WHAT THE FUCK!! YOU ATTEMPTED TO KILL ME DAMMIT!! No way, even my big ol' grandma coulda been wise enough to see that the @#$% "FOE" was me!! No wonder why you don't even remember your past, YOU'RE SO DAMN SLOW!!
- Now that's enough Cid! Shut up!!
- I don't have any orders to receive from a purple-clothed freaky blond dude like you!!
- I've had enough...
- Wanna fight?! ANY TIME YOU @#$% BASTARD!! Come here, let uncle Cid kick yore damn gay ass!!
- ...Are you both done with such useless speeches? Hmph...Such immaturity and idiocies exuding from so called warriors...this is totally ridiculous...puny and miserable.
- Well EXCUSE ME Mr. I'm-such-a-@#$%-perfect-assy-that-I'm-even-wise-enough- to-get-involve-in-some-@#$%-things-that-don't-even-concern-my-goddamn- person, but this ain't your problem, it's not like you're the one who's got his arm crushed by his own @#$% leader huh!!
- ...Cloud told you he was truly sorry. Isn't that enough to calm down a narrow-minded person like you?
- HUH!! Yeah he TRULY is sorry, right?? Kiss my spiky ass, dammit!! I can even bet he's done it on purpose!! He could at least admit it but no, sayin' he's thought it was that Sephiroth!! DO I LOOK LIKE THAT BAST'?!? Hell no I don't!!
- ...Even in times of crisis you won't stop arguing, won't you? Does it really look like the times are to discussions and squabbles...the Planet is dying...we've got a fight to handle, a path to set...milliards of people to protect...and you still find the time to argue about such childish subjects? Give me a break...
- ...
-...I suggest that you both keep your forces for the upcoming fight. Until then, we'll work as a team. I do think you both know that there's no time left to act like kids...
- ...Yeah Cloud, the vampy's right. I think we gotta do our job first and save the Planet before shittin' on each other, right? Just one thing though, don't take me wrong. I ain't working with you for pleasure, it's jus my duty, nothin' more.
- Looks like we're the same for once.
- Yeah, there ain't no way to get off of this train we're on. Let's jus do it...but I've got something else to warn you 'bout. GET LESS DAMN PARANOIAC, that's all I gotta say. Cuz next time, might not be one of my arms you'll crush...
Vincent could feel how tensed Cid was. The old pilot seemed pretty stressed by the upcoming days. He was grinning his teeth the whole time and he'd smoke even more than he would usually do. He was even shaking at night, but what Vincent noticed first was the anxiousness blazing in his eyes.
He thought that swearing and arguing was probably Cid's way to express his fear without having someone to notice it. "How sad...this man has such a pride...maybe too much at times..." he told himself. Still, Vincent even found himself a bit anxious about seeing Sephiroth after such a long time. "Defeating Sephiroth...Defeating the son of that beloved woman...Hmph...Am I on the verge of committing yet another sin...? Or am I atoning as best as I can just to end up watching...?? This is nonsense, I'm going in circles again..."
- Now report.
- ...Man, I'm sorry Cloud but you look kinda like a freaky spooky when you try to act as bein' one of those Shinra's ass y'know? Jus...be yoreself awright? Don't be so like Now-I-order-you-to-report-@#$%-damn-slaves, that's jus really borin'...
- ...Whatever you say Cid. Ok, so did you find something, a way, a path to get us inside? - Yeah huh...ok well I'll let the vampy explain the whole thing to you cuz...err teaching thingies to children ain't jus my thing.
- ...Let's just say that Mr. Highwind has forgotten everything about our late researches. Too busy smocking and too lazy to walk... all he did was falling asleep on a rock...truly pathetic. After such a "great work", don't blame neither your pride or anxiousness for your laziness. The one you should swear and yell at is you, Cid.
- ...YOU FUC...!! Hmph...friggin' vampire. RED CLOACKED @#$% BLOOD SUCKER!! You both really are @#$% spunkies!! Look at us, we ain't even inside of that damn Crater, we're jus stuck at the entrance, Hell!! You expect us to make our way through that HUGE @#$% ROCKY VOLCANO within five days?!?
- That's our goal, isn't?
- Dammit...how can you be so like O-dun-worry-if-we-get-our-ass-kicked-out- and-our-damn-heads-ripped-off-then-it'll-be-jus-fine. That's jus so cool yeah, I've got the chills and there's a bloody creepy vampire and a blond groggy assy chocobo in my team that dun even give a shit 'bout what the hell's happenin'...that's hell of a @#$% shame...really.
"How come he's such a pain these days..." Cloud wondered.
Cloud looked at the sky once again. How much could he hope that all of this was only a nightmare. Within that journey, he'd learned that he had neither control on himself, nor on what was happening. All of this was only a dead end, with no way to escape from the enemy. A harsh road covered with dirt, blood and tears. "If this is a nightmare, please wake me up..."
While Cid would swear and yell as usual, Vincent would stare at one of the huge walls with a sudden interest. Cloud noticed that this particular wall had many rock-shaped gargoyles engraved on it. Each one was pointing a different direction with one of their sharp-clawed finger. The biggest one, which was standing in the middle, reminded to Cloud about one of the Weapons they had destroyed a while ago. Ultima Weapon. In fact, the rocky creature was incredibly huge and looked exactly like the formal one. But why were those gargoyles standing there?
- What the hell are you both lookin' at?
-...Those gargoyles are trying to tell us something.
- Gargoyles?! I jus' see big rocks with scary faces, those weirdos are jus' standin' there to freak out cowards like the Shinras, ain't nothin' to do with us.
Vincent jumped off of the rock he was standing on. He didn't even care about what Cid was saying. He knew that those creatures had a special meaning, perhaps the key to the path within the Crater.
-What the @#$% is he doin' again...? That guy's frickin' scary at times, ain't he Cloud?...Cloud?! Hey you bitches, you could at least tell me what's goin' on!!
- Cloud had also figured out that the huge rocky creatures weren't standing by the entrance to impress, nor scaring those who had the guts to enter within the Crater's depths. He joined Vincent who was studying, meticulously, the inscriptions engraved at the base of the Ultima looking gargoyle's foot.
- Huff...huff now guys. Huff you better tell me why the hell we give a shit to these weirdos when we already have to find a @#$% way to get inside.
- (Not even paying attention to Cid) Look, it's written: "The blade of faith will enchained the darkness to eternal serenity. Give to an everlasting night a true ray of light. Search the heart." What could this mean...
- ...Hmph...a riddle.
- Sweet Jesus guys, the hell you care about!! It's no time to play childish gamies, we gotta find the entrance before we get charred by the sunlight!! @#$% This place's like a big oven, didn't you jus' figured out that those rocks could drain a real' large amount of heat?!
- ...Sunlight?! "Give the everlasting night a true ray of light" the sun must be the true ray of light! Cid, for once you've shown how smart you could be.
- What the hell?!? I didn't do a thing!
- ...Now. If this gargoyle represents Ultima, this riddle must talk about it...Hmph..."The blade of faith will enchain the darkness to eternal serenity."...Cloud, what about the sword you received by defeating Ultima Weapon...?
- What? You mean the ultimate weapon? Yeah, maybe it could have something to do with the riddle...still. How could this sword enchain the darkness to eternal serenity...??
- Hey guys, what 'bout the part where it says "Search the heart"??
- ...The light can dispel the shadows...pure darkness is what every broken heart is made of...
- Right, Weapon's heart's filled with darkness and hate. Only a true light could light up its path within the dark...
- Oh!! OH HO!! Holy @#$% crap guys, I think I've figured out the whole thing!! "The blade of faith will enchain the darkness to eternal serenity" what about usin' Cloud's ultimate weapon's blade to reflect tha sunlight through that big rock's heart?! Look, there's a huge hole dug in its chest, could be its heart, heh, who knows?!
-...It does make sense...
- Let's try out.
The story's not mainly around a particular character. Each character's important in a way, still, I added my own bad ass (which you'll see later...) and my own personal character. If you dun like bad words and if you're not in serious-being stories, then I can't really recommend you mine. Still, if you like bloody but deep stories with a lot of descriptions, mysteries and characters, then I'd like you to take a look at my story and to review it. But please...dun blame me for all the mistakes I make, I'm truly sorry for all of 'em(I'm french-speakin' -_-''') and if you didn't like my story, please dun review it.
But I really wanna thank all those who'll read this text, and I hope that some of you will like it. I have a real special thanks to give to my best friend which is know over here as real sweetie fantasy. I luv ya Zaz you're my best pal and keep up the good job with your fic. I also want to thank a real great guy I've met awhile ago, Hito you're the best guy in the world, you're simply AWESOME.
Ok I'm shuting it and I'll now let you read ^_^ lol well then...ENJOY!! =D
**----Krimson ----**
"The lies of a Bloody Moon gave me the hope... To wait for the one who will keep me away... From the nightmares I share with the darkness..."
Lucrea Crimsoneyes
Day 1
The Countdown
- Perfection...total perfection isn't it? I seriously didn't expect us to surpass science itself, but, as I can see, we did it. Great work dear colleagues, it definitely is a success.
- Indeed. The results went far beyond all of our expectations in fact, but I personally think that there still are some operations we need to fully complete before sending it in the Crater.
- Professor Altarius is right. We don't know if it could immediately bear such a large amount of Mako energy. But the real problem is that it's still too weak to withstand Sephiroth's attacks and it probably won't get enough strength to counterattack by inflicting major damages to its opponent's body. So, if we want to get fully prepared for this situation, we'll need more time, perhaps a complete month.
-We can't take such a risk. Everyone here knew there would be some choices to make at the beginning of this project. Of course, we need a lot more time. But now, we can't go back, it's too late. A full month would be too long, we only have seven days left before Meteor crashes on the Planet. We have to get there on time, even if it's not totally prepared to what's happening. So let's do it, because it's our last chance to save this world.
...Everything now...is just a matter of time...in six days...
It was the first of the seven days left before the Planet would be crushed by Meteor. The sky was covered up by that scary red color due to Meteor's great chemical consistence reacting with the Planet's atmosphere.
People would no longer see the sunrise in the morning or the shining stars at night. Beauties of this world had been taken away from everyone's eyes since that huge rock covered the space view by its evil presence. The Planet was waiting for its end to come. All over the lands, people would stay silent, and would wait for something to happen. They were hiding in their house, filled with fear and despair, and would sometimes watch TV, in hope to finally hear a good new. Children would ask their mothers: "Mommy? What's that big thing in the sky?" and their worried mothers to say: "It's a very big shooting star honey. You have to make a wish when you see one, and maybe that if you want it really hard, it'll come true."
Children of fate, children of the future. They were the only ones to smile in times of despair like this one. But at night, it looked like the big shooting star would come nearer and even nearer of the land. And each time, it was getting bigger and scarier. So the smile would fade away.
Planet's guardians, the Weapons, were on the rampage. They'd create earthquakes in Cosmo Canyon area, tornadoes over Nibelheim and Gongaga areas and tidal waves near Junon harbor. President Rufus Shinra had won people's trust and support by reacting quickly to an imminent attack from one of those monsters by using Shinra Co's new toy, the Sister Ray, to destroy the Weapon before it could reach Junon area. The huge cannon blasted Weapon, which went to drown slowly within the seas, and a new light shined over the darkness of the world's situation. Yet, the hope faded away once again when President Shinra was killed by another Weapon's laser as a gift of revenge to its ally. And without any sort of hope, this Planet's situation was getting worse and worse each minute.
- DAMMIT!! Damn that bast' Sephiroth! The hell he thinks he's doin' huh?! He thinks that acting like Mr. Ô-my-god-look-at-me-I'm-the-big-bad-ass-dude is wise?! Geez, that friggin' white haired freak is definitely insane!! - Barret, could you please calm down?! Stop yelling like that, it's been an hour since you kept on swearing and saying those things!! Why don't you just try to hope for Cloud and others' safe return instead of thinking about what you could do to Sephiroth all the way long?!?
- ...Yeah well, I'm sorry Tifa. It's jus that it really pisses me off, y'know what I'm sayin'? All that bullshit he's givin' ta us, aw I dunno. I jus wish I could be with Cloud, Cid and Vincent right now. Yeah, if I were there, I'd show to that Sephiroth what we're made of. I jus can't take what he's about to do with that shit of Meteor damn!!
- And you do think I ain't worrying about it all too?! I can't take much of this anymore! I just don't know what to do. I'm thinking about Cloud and the others, I wonder how they are, how they feel, I even pray for them to return here safely and that they get the hell out of that damn Crater!! I'm feeling so guilty to be here, protected and safe, while they're taking all blame for everyone's life, fighting to keep us all alive...
The Highwind was pretty calm these days. It seemed like it's been ages since it was standing above the Crater's top though it has been waiting only for a short day. An anxious Barret and a worried Tifa would keep an eye on the ship while the others were gone. They would also watch over the Crater, in case they'd notice that things wouldn't turn out that good inside of it.
Barret and Tifa were the Look-out team members: they'd look for the two other teams to return safely to the ship, and they'd be Cloud's crew reinforcements if things would get dangerous down there, inside the Crater.
"...I still can't believe that Cloud's inside that big hole. It seems so dark and creepy down here. I hope that you're doing well Cloud, I'm sure you do. Get back to me safe and sound Cloud, bring us the victory."
The ship was partially empty. To be true, it had never seemed that silent before. Beside Tifa and Barret, everyone had left the Highwind with their respective teams. Indeed, others had been divided between two different crews: The Crater's team and The Field's team.
Vincent, Cloud and Cid were the Crater's team members. They would fight Sephiroth and were supposed to come out from the Crater in six days, after Meteor would hopefully be destroyed by Aeris's white materia: Holy. That was the plan, yet they hadn't given any signs of life since yesterday, which was the day they first entered the Crater. Perhaps they were already dead, who knows? But no one thought this could be true. However, nobody could assure they'd win the fight against Sephiroth. But no matter what could ever happen, all that everyone was truly hoping for was for the Crater's team members to survive the fight, and to escape the Crater before things would get even worse.
Yuffie led the second team, the Field's team. Her mission was to gather informations about Shinra's plans concerning Sephiroth with a hand from Cait Sith and Nanaki. Before going inside the Crater, Cid had driven the Highwind over Midgar, so that Cait could spy over Shinras' headquarters, and Junon to get Yuffie and Red at Junon airport's landing ground, so they could keep an eye on Shinras' actions from a hideout, somewhere in the huge city. The three of them would return to the Highwind in approximately two days, and would wait with Barret and Tifa for the last team to get in. The final part of the plan was to get away from the Crater, and to watch for Meteor's destruction by Holy materia.
If things would work well, there would be nothing to worry about. Still, there was no other way to win the war. This was the ultimate plan, it had to be perfect straight to the end. However, should this plan fail, there would be nothing else to do but waiting for Sephiroth to finally unleash Meteor on the Planet. Shouldn't it work well, the worst was to come for the future. Tifa was looking at the Crater's huge mouth. She had never felt that confused. She was wondering what Barret would say if she'd ask him permission to go inside the Crater. Maybe she could help too, maybe she could do something. Yet, Barret would never dare to let her go inside.
She remembered Cloud whispering something to Barret's ear before he entered the Crater with Vincent and Cid. Cloud had looked at Tifa then, and Barret had nodded. She could easily guess what Cloud told him: "I don't want you both to enter the Crater, I want you and Tifa to stay here and to keep an eye for Yuffie's return. Barret, watch over Tifa. Protect her if things go wrong. But I warn you, if something happens to her...I'll give you all blame for it, am I being clear?"
" Why wouldn't he let me go. Why the hell should I stay here, biting my nails and worrying, when I could be inside the Crater, helping my friends?" She looked at Barret from the corner of her eyes. He seemed very thoughtful. He was standing, back against the balcony, eyes closed, and it almost seemed like he was sleeping. She suddenly gave up asking him. She told herself that if Barret let her go, Cloud would probably send her back anyway and he'd surely blame Barret for her mistake. Tifa didn't want that. She looked at the sky. It was light gray, very cloudy and peaceful, but Meteor's red lights would remind her that no matter how calm the skies looked, a huge flaming rock was waiting to be unleashed on the Planet.
Even in the summer, it was snowing in the mountains. A very poor snow was falling down from a sky covered with gray clouds. And though Meteor's fires were burning the air, snow would cover the northern lands, no matter how hot the weather was.
- Y'know, I think ya should stop worryin' 'bout 'em. Tifa jumped. She thought Barret had fallen asleep. She looked at him for a second, then turned her attention to the gray sky once again.
- I can't. No matter what I do or say, it always comes back to them. I sure know that they know what they're doing. But what I'm anxious about is how the fight is gonna end up.
- C'mon, they'll be awright, even with Cloud as the leader heh. They're probably thinkin' 'bout how we're all doin' over here too, and Cloud's probably wonderin' why the hell did all that shit had ta fall on us. But hey, y'know Cloud even better than I and I'm sure that this lil spikey ass'll bring us tha victory. So if I did put all my trust and hope in a twerp that I don't even like, why wouldn't you? Say, you're his childhood friend and I betcha know that worryin' jus won't do anythin'. All that it'll do is puttin' everyone in a damn bad mood and well...I HATE SAD FACES DAMN!!
Tifa smiled. No matter how bad the situation was getting, Barret will go on cheering her up. He truly was a good person, no matter how spiky he could be at times.
- Hehehee well I think that maybe you swear too much at times Barret, but you do know how to make someone smile. All you just said...well, you're right on the whole way! That attitude won't bring us anywhere. All we have to do now is waiting for them to come back and encouraging them from where we are. We have to stay strong aw'right?
- Yeah!! That's tha attitude, that's tha Tifa I used to know. Now keep it all in mind and try ta smile okay? And don't forget that we're the strongest, we'll win that damn war.
...All we gotta do...is hoping for the heroes to come back...in six
days...
Day 2
Inside Hell
"Already midday, Cloud said to himself. And we're still stuck at the entrance of this damn place..."
Cloud looked up at what was left from a shiny blue sky. It was so far from down here. Now, all it seemed to be was a tiny blue point at the top of a black, rocky ceiling. Still, Cloud could see it. He could even hear a sweet summer breeze whispering in some tall grasses blooming with red and yellow flowers. Blue butterflies and bees, a river still shivering from a quite cold night and children playing with a ball.
He closed his eyes. How did it feel again, how did it feel to fear nothing. He wondered when was the last time he took the time to climb in a tree, to feel the sweet taste of a chocolate cake, to be near of...yeah, to see Tifa again, to see that she's still there, alive. Cloud thought for a second, that she could think the same right now. Perhaps she was, perhaps she wondered how he was doing too, and perhaps she was thinking about some blue butterflies and flowers as well.
Cloud opened up his eyes. He took a quick sip of the water from the bottle he had brought with him. He glanced for a second at the rock on which he was sitting on and noticed a green bug, which was drowning in a puddle of water. "Hey, what do you think you're doing buggy?" Cloud told the bug as he was giving it his finger as a lifeguard. The little greenish bug immediately grabbed Cloud's hand glove and quickly walked around on his palm.
Cloud looked at it with a sort of interest as it flew from the hand to the air and attempted to reach the Crater's top.
"I wish I could do the same...but for me, the time hasn't come yet. Maybe tomorrow, or maybe later, but not now..."
He looked at the puddle for a second. His bottle was almost empty. Still, he couldn't fill it with this kind of water, he thought. It wasn't drinkable, Cloud could guess just by looking at its color. However, he'll need to drink on later days and an empty bottle wouldn't quench his thirst. But he wouldn't drink water mixed with melted Mako fumes. As he could see, the water was glowing with a fluorescent green color. "If you drink that, you drink your death," he told himself.
Suddenly, Cloud's eyes started to blaze with a shining Mako blue color. "Wha..."
Cloud felt that someone was spying on him. He had seen a dark, evil looking silhouette in the puddle.
He watched out of the corner of his eyes, and felt a presence. Cloud knew that this person had bad intentions. It was probably there to fight, but he'd wait for the foe to attack first. Avoiding and counter attacking from behind was probably the best way to quickly end up a fight. But inside that Crater, opponents were rare...pretty rare.
"There are no monsters inside that Crater, no life, nothing. This place is full of harmful fumes and the air is poisoned. Nobody would enter this kind of place just for fun, or to explore it. But maybe...maybe that person was already there before we came in...could it be..."
Cloud's heart started to beat faster and faster inside of his chest. He suddenly felt like he knew the person whose presence surrounded him with darkness. It was him, it couldn't be someone else. Still, Cloud couldn't figure out why would his ultimate opponent awake and fight before the time had come. But he didn't care at all. If it was him, Cloud couldn't stand back. All that mattered now was beating him, even if Cloud couldn't win all by himself.
"I won't let you go this time...you're not gonna forget the day we met again ...Sephiroth." Cloud waited for a suspect move, and discreetly grabbed his sword. The huge weapon was filled with materia, and fully prepared for a fight. Still, with such darkness, it would be difficult to argue with Sephiroth's sword. Cloud didn't need to see him anyway. All he had to do was listening, listening to him in the silence. He closed his eyes and opened his ears. He could easily feel each drop falling on the rocks, the heavy air, the bitter smell of walls covered with green Mako glows. He then felt a hand on his shoulder. Cloud perceived the move. As if he was possessed by the Devil himself, Cloud quickly grabbed the hand, crushed the elbow and jumped behind his opponent. Cloud was pretty fast. His quick moves and harsh knocks had now taken advantage of the enemy. He was now giving his foe a taste of what he's learned in many harsh years of training. Indeed, now that Cloud had the advantage of the position, he was twisting, knocking and almost destroying Sephiroth's left arm and back with great easiness. Perhaps with too much easiness...
Then, Cloud grabbed his opponent by the neck. He gripped it pretty hard, just as if he was trying to strangle Sephiroth, and then ran and crashed him against one of the Crater's rocky walls. He could hear Sephiroth groaning. Indeed, Cloud didn't go easy on him. He probably harmed Sephiroth's left arm a lot and he surely have broken some of his bones. But still...Sephiroth was way tougher than that...
"It was too easy...how could it be him...still."
- Who are you...?
- DAMN LEMME GO YOU @#$% NEUROTIC!!!
Cloud hammered the man's head into the wall several times. His eyes were burning with anger. He was now sure, with that kind of attitude, that this man couldn't be Sephiroth.
- I asked you a question! Who are you, what are you doing here?! - DAMMIT WHAT THE @#$% HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN' CLOUD YOU @#$% IDIOT!?!
"Wait a minute... This voice...It's not Sephiroth's...and this haircut...oh
dammit..."
-...CID!?! Whoa um I'm...sorry I took you for someone else.
- @#$%!! WHO DO YOU THINK IT WAS GODDAMMIT BLOND ASS!! GEEZ GET ME THE HELL OUT!!
Cloud had spent three hours waiting for his two teammates to come back from the Crater's depths. As the leader, he gave them order to explore the area and to report as soon as they would have found a path through such a maze.
Cid and Vincent arrived sooner than what has been said. Indeed, Cloud was to watch over the entrance all alone. He was on the lookout, in case one of those Weapons would attack the airship, which was still standing above the Crater's entrance.
Though Cloud sort of knew that his foe couldn't be Sephiroth at all, he also wouldn't have expected it to be Cid. The old pilot had his left arm crushed by Cloud's strength and he wouldn't stop yelling and swearing about Cloud's slowness and incompetence as a leader.
- Goddamn twerp...I still can't figure out how the hell you coulda thought I was that Sephiroth dude. Geez ain't that difficult to notice!! Look at my goddamn head and tell me if I get those crappy white hair, do I? NO I DON'T!! @#$% You're like even too slow and stupid to figure out that I get short hair and that I don't wear that @#$% cloak of his!! DAMN!! And look at my arm, d'you see that?? D'YOU SEE WHAT YOUR STUPIDNESS DID TO MY ARM?!? How the hell am I s'pose to pilot my ship with an arm shaped like that!! FRIGGIN' BLONDY SICK ASS!! I HATE YOU!! Damn if it wouldn't hurt that much I'd probably crush yore @#$% gay head you @#$% asshole!!
- ...Well what d'you want me to say, I already told you I was sorry so...
- SORRY!?! WHAT THE FUCK!! YOU ATTEMPTED TO KILL ME DAMMIT!! No way, even my big ol' grandma coulda been wise enough to see that the @#$% "FOE" was me!! No wonder why you don't even remember your past, YOU'RE SO DAMN SLOW!!
- Now that's enough Cid! Shut up!!
- I don't have any orders to receive from a purple-clothed freaky blond dude like you!!
- I've had enough...
- Wanna fight?! ANY TIME YOU @#$% BASTARD!! Come here, let uncle Cid kick yore damn gay ass!!
- ...Are you both done with such useless speeches? Hmph...Such immaturity and idiocies exuding from so called warriors...this is totally ridiculous...puny and miserable.
- Well EXCUSE ME Mr. I'm-such-a-@#$%-perfect-assy-that-I'm-even-wise-enough- to-get-involve-in-some-@#$%-things-that-don't-even-concern-my-goddamn- person, but this ain't your problem, it's not like you're the one who's got his arm crushed by his own @#$% leader huh!!
- ...Cloud told you he was truly sorry. Isn't that enough to calm down a narrow-minded person like you?
- HUH!! Yeah he TRULY is sorry, right?? Kiss my spiky ass, dammit!! I can even bet he's done it on purpose!! He could at least admit it but no, sayin' he's thought it was that Sephiroth!! DO I LOOK LIKE THAT BAST'?!? Hell no I don't!!
- ...Even in times of crisis you won't stop arguing, won't you? Does it really look like the times are to discussions and squabbles...the Planet is dying...we've got a fight to handle, a path to set...milliards of people to protect...and you still find the time to argue about such childish subjects? Give me a break...
- ...
-...I suggest that you both keep your forces for the upcoming fight. Until then, we'll work as a team. I do think you both know that there's no time left to act like kids...
- ...Yeah Cloud, the vampy's right. I think we gotta do our job first and save the Planet before shittin' on each other, right? Just one thing though, don't take me wrong. I ain't working with you for pleasure, it's jus my duty, nothin' more.
- Looks like we're the same for once.
- Yeah, there ain't no way to get off of this train we're on. Let's jus do it...but I've got something else to warn you 'bout. GET LESS DAMN PARANOIAC, that's all I gotta say. Cuz next time, might not be one of my arms you'll crush...
Vincent could feel how tensed Cid was. The old pilot seemed pretty stressed by the upcoming days. He was grinning his teeth the whole time and he'd smoke even more than he would usually do. He was even shaking at night, but what Vincent noticed first was the anxiousness blazing in his eyes.
He thought that swearing and arguing was probably Cid's way to express his fear without having someone to notice it. "How sad...this man has such a pride...maybe too much at times..." he told himself. Still, Vincent even found himself a bit anxious about seeing Sephiroth after such a long time. "Defeating Sephiroth...Defeating the son of that beloved woman...Hmph...Am I on the verge of committing yet another sin...? Or am I atoning as best as I can just to end up watching...?? This is nonsense, I'm going in circles again..."
- Now report.
- ...Man, I'm sorry Cloud but you look kinda like a freaky spooky when you try to act as bein' one of those Shinra's ass y'know? Jus...be yoreself awright? Don't be so like Now-I-order-you-to-report-@#$%-damn-slaves, that's jus really borin'...
- ...Whatever you say Cid. Ok, so did you find something, a way, a path to get us inside? - Yeah huh...ok well I'll let the vampy explain the whole thing to you cuz...err teaching thingies to children ain't jus my thing.
- ...Let's just say that Mr. Highwind has forgotten everything about our late researches. Too busy smocking and too lazy to walk... all he did was falling asleep on a rock...truly pathetic. After such a "great work", don't blame neither your pride or anxiousness for your laziness. The one you should swear and yell at is you, Cid.
- ...YOU FUC...!! Hmph...friggin' vampire. RED CLOACKED @#$% BLOOD SUCKER!! You both really are @#$% spunkies!! Look at us, we ain't even inside of that damn Crater, we're jus stuck at the entrance, Hell!! You expect us to make our way through that HUGE @#$% ROCKY VOLCANO within five days?!?
- That's our goal, isn't?
- Dammit...how can you be so like O-dun-worry-if-we-get-our-ass-kicked-out- and-our-damn-heads-ripped-off-then-it'll-be-jus-fine. That's jus so cool yeah, I've got the chills and there's a bloody creepy vampire and a blond groggy assy chocobo in my team that dun even give a shit 'bout what the hell's happenin'...that's hell of a @#$% shame...really.
"How come he's such a pain these days..." Cloud wondered.
Cloud looked at the sky once again. How much could he hope that all of this was only a nightmare. Within that journey, he'd learned that he had neither control on himself, nor on what was happening. All of this was only a dead end, with no way to escape from the enemy. A harsh road covered with dirt, blood and tears. "If this is a nightmare, please wake me up..."
While Cid would swear and yell as usual, Vincent would stare at one of the huge walls with a sudden interest. Cloud noticed that this particular wall had many rock-shaped gargoyles engraved on it. Each one was pointing a different direction with one of their sharp-clawed finger. The biggest one, which was standing in the middle, reminded to Cloud about one of the Weapons they had destroyed a while ago. Ultima Weapon. In fact, the rocky creature was incredibly huge and looked exactly like the formal one. But why were those gargoyles standing there?
- What the hell are you both lookin' at?
-...Those gargoyles are trying to tell us something.
- Gargoyles?! I jus' see big rocks with scary faces, those weirdos are jus' standin' there to freak out cowards like the Shinras, ain't nothin' to do with us.
Vincent jumped off of the rock he was standing on. He didn't even care about what Cid was saying. He knew that those creatures had a special meaning, perhaps the key to the path within the Crater.
-What the @#$% is he doin' again...? That guy's frickin' scary at times, ain't he Cloud?...Cloud?! Hey you bitches, you could at least tell me what's goin' on!!
- Cloud had also figured out that the huge rocky creatures weren't standing by the entrance to impress, nor scaring those who had the guts to enter within the Crater's depths. He joined Vincent who was studying, meticulously, the inscriptions engraved at the base of the Ultima looking gargoyle's foot.
- Huff...huff now guys. Huff you better tell me why the hell we give a shit to these weirdos when we already have to find a @#$% way to get inside.
- (Not even paying attention to Cid) Look, it's written: "The blade of faith will enchained the darkness to eternal serenity. Give to an everlasting night a true ray of light. Search the heart." What could this mean...
- ...Hmph...a riddle.
- Sweet Jesus guys, the hell you care about!! It's no time to play childish gamies, we gotta find the entrance before we get charred by the sunlight!! @#$% This place's like a big oven, didn't you jus' figured out that those rocks could drain a real' large amount of heat?!
- ...Sunlight?! "Give the everlasting night a true ray of light" the sun must be the true ray of light! Cid, for once you've shown how smart you could be.
- What the hell?!? I didn't do a thing!
- ...Now. If this gargoyle represents Ultima, this riddle must talk about it...Hmph..."The blade of faith will enchain the darkness to eternal serenity."...Cloud, what about the sword you received by defeating Ultima Weapon...?
- What? You mean the ultimate weapon? Yeah, maybe it could have something to do with the riddle...still. How could this sword enchain the darkness to eternal serenity...??
- Hey guys, what 'bout the part where it says "Search the heart"??
- ...The light can dispel the shadows...pure darkness is what every broken heart is made of...
- Right, Weapon's heart's filled with darkness and hate. Only a true light could light up its path within the dark...
- Oh!! OH HO!! Holy @#$% crap guys, I think I've figured out the whole thing!! "The blade of faith will enchain the darkness to eternal serenity" what about usin' Cloud's ultimate weapon's blade to reflect tha sunlight through that big rock's heart?! Look, there's a huge hole dug in its chest, could be its heart, heh, who knows?!
-...It does make sense...
- Let's try out.