*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*
Chapter One: Surprise
The Tiny Bronco, wrecked and beaten up as it was, zipped across the aqaumarine waters quickly, as if it knew the urgency with which its occupants had to reach their destination. And these nine people were definitely not your ordinary group. They had as much in common as fish have with hamburgers, and their personalities were often conflicting, resulting in arguments and days of silence between them. However, they did have one thing in common, and this was their determination to reach the Temple of the Ancients, even though they all may have had different reasons.
The unofficial leader of the group was a pensive man named Cloud, his name ironic because he wasn't at all see-through and transparent like a cloud in the sky- instead he was usually as quiet as a forest without any inhabitants, lost in his own thoughts and issues. Originally, he didn't plan on joining Avalanche, but, he contemplated in his head, things often change. His past was nothing more than a blur to him, his head aching as soon as he tried to even remember his time in SOLDIER. It was as if he couldn't, as if something had happened to him to prevent him from remembering. All he knew was that he had suffered lots of grief, although he would never reveal this to even Tifa Lockhart, his longtime friend.
She sat near him, her own expression thoughtful. As usual, her long, almost black hair was tied at the end with a tough elastic, and she wore her fighting gloves. Her past, too, was a secret to everyone. After Cloud had left Nibelheim when she had been thirteen, Zangan, who she became almost as close as her father to, had taken her up as a potential student. It had been thanks to him that she had acquired such a high-class state of martial arts. She hated Sephiroth with everything she had, everything she felt. It had been five years ago when he had taken away everything important to her, and destroying her hometown, almost killing her as well. If I have the chance, she thought angrily, trying not to let her anger show, I'll kill him.
Aeris Gainsborough seemed to sense her anger, and looked over at her questioningly. She had joined the group after Cloud had fallen through the roof of the church where she grew flowers after a fight, and had been determined to protect the Planet, even though her reasons had been unclear at first. The rest of the group had soon found out she was the last descendant of the line of Cetra, the Ancients, after they had rescued her from the clutches of Professor Hojo, the one man who Aeris firmly believed deserved to die. With most people, she could see at least a bit of humanity in their face, their eyes. But Hojo, she reflected, had nothing inside him whatsoever, as if he wasn't even human anymore.
Barret Wallace stared out at the ocean, his deep brown eyes troubled as he thought of Marlene. He often worried about her, because he had grown to care so much for her. She was so important to him, and if anything happened to her because of that blasted Cait Sith… he clenched his fist, vowing to tear Cait apart if any harm came to Marlene. He didn't trust that d*** cat from the start, and he certainly didn't trust him now. The reason he had started Avalanche had been to protect Marlene from a world she shouldn't have to live in, and the Shinra had seemed the source of the problem. But now, it appeared, Sephiroth was the bigger issue they had to deal with.
Barret sat next to Cid Highwind, who'd only recently joined them. His blue eyes were narrowed in concentration as he struggled to pilot the plane, which had crashed into the ocean earlier and was lucky to be still working. He had learned that if he turned too sharply, the engine would conk out and they could possibly sink. Tifa hadn't been too pleased when she'd also discovered that, and had ended up in the ocean. Though, he thought with a chuckle, she was practically wearing swimmers anyway. Part of the reason he had allied with Cloud and his friends was because he thought that maybe if they foiled Shinra's plans, he might get to fly in space after all. It still burned in his heart like a flame, his longtime dream since forever. And also he had to get away from Rocket Town, that f***ing hole in the ground, the rocket tilted as if to cockily remind him of all he had lost. He shook his head, noticing Yuffie Kisaragi dangling precariously off the wing of the plane, her thin arms hanging down, her fingers skimming the water.
She had been quick to join them, her ninja abilities proving her to be a worthy fighter. Her personality, however, was as unpredictable as the weather. No one really trusted her, but Aeris befriended her and Red XIII had taken a liking to her. Yuffie was the youngest of them, and she acted it, constantly complaining of the long hours they spent walking and the time they wasted on Sephiroth. She would never admit it, but she had a crush on Cloud, and this had influenced her decision to join them. She scowled as the thought crossed her mind, knowing he thought her to be childish and immature. So did everyone else, she thought to herself. She pulled herself back up, and stroked Red on the back of the head, which he loved.
Red purred almost catlike, although he looked much more canine. He, too, was silent, thinking of his father. Seto had been a great warrior, he now knew, not the cowardly beast Red had always thought he was. He hung his head, feeling so guilty for ever thinking his father could betray everyone like that. Now he knew the blood of a courageous warrior flowed through him, he felt more content and at peace with himself, and his father. His grandfather, Bugenhagen, had been the one to tell him to go with the group to defy Shinra and Sephiroth. He'd obliged, already feeling he owed the group his life, which certainly would have ended if he had been kept in Hojo's laboratory. He couldn't even begin to imagine all the horrible things the scientist would have had in store for him, and closed his eyes, trying to forget these thoughts.
Another recent addition to their group was Vincent Valentine, who was always his brooding self. He hadn't opened up to this group like maybe he should have, but after thirty years of imprisonment in a coffin, the result of many horrific experiments conducted on him, he was more than a little wary of people. He had joined this quest for the sake of Lucrecia, and, although no one else knew it, Sephiroth. When he thought of what Sephiroth had become, he almost cried. But he had become a hollowed out person now, unable to show his emotions. He didn't know if this was a result of Hojo (the very name made him grit his teeth and picture numerous slow, painful deaths for the evil professor), or if this was just him. Whatever it was, he knew that if he ever saw Hojo again… he would take revenge. For Lucrecia, for Sephiroth, for himself.
The last member of the group was quiet at the moment, sitting at the back of the plane silently. Cait Sith knew that the group didn't trust him, and he knew that they had good reason. But… he didn't know why, but he had an uneasy feeling about the current position they were in, and where they were heading. This Temple of Ancients… it was just a myth, wasn't it? He shifted uncomfortably, then sensed something behind the small plane, his ears prickling. He bounded up to where Vincent sat tensely.
"I know," Vincent said calmly. "I hear them." Cait turned around to see exactly what Vincent referred to as 'them', and saw none other than Rufus and the Turks, on a fast jetboat. Vincent leaned forward and informed Cid, who let out a string of curses, trying desperately to speed up the plane. The boat neared them, closer and closer. Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Yuffie prepared for a fight, gathering together their equipment and slotting the Materia into place.
"Bl***y b***ards," mumbled Barret, reloading his gun-arm. Rufus stood at the head of the boat, his thin black club glinting evilly in the sunlight. Standing by his side were Elena and Reno, while Rude was steering the boat visciously. Tseng was nowhere to be seen. The boat neared them, until it was right alongside the destroyed plane. Rufus laughed at them, a long bitter laugh.
"This ends here, Cloud," he said coldly, holding his baton tightly, his eyes gleaming. Ignoring Tifa's caution, Cloud stepped past Cait Sith slowly. Rufus' mouth curved in a smile. Until Cloud jumped from the Tiny Bronco onto the deck of the Bolt, landing softly less than a metre away from Rufus, Elena and Reno. With two quick swipes, the blunt side of his sword sending Elena and Reno into the side of the deck, unconscious. Rufus' icy blue eyes filled with fear, as the Avalanche group watched in horror, knowing better than to intervene.
"Three against one is just unfair, Rufus," Cloud said coolly. "You should know that by now." Rufus narrowed his eyes, then shrugged.
"I'm sick of this, Strife," he said frostily. "Prepare to die." He swung his baton at Cloud, who ducked quickly, his grip on his sword tightening as he swung it through the air, hoping to connect with Rufus. But Rufus had already twisted away, coming at Cloud from behind and knocking him to the ground. Cloud recovered quickly, and managed to swipe Rufus' right ankle. Rufus yelled in agony, and Cloud had to roll away to avoid being hit by the baton. The club hit the deck, causing a loud crash. Tifa tensed, wishing she could run out and assist Cloud. Rufus obviously was trained well with that stick, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill Cloud… She bit her lip, and then suddenly shrieked.
"Cloud! Behind you!" Rude had come outside, and was raising a large crate easily, preparing to throw it at Cloud. Cloud turned a second too late, and collapsed to the ground as the crate knocked him unconscious. Barret bellowed out a curse, and threw himself at Rude, knocking the man to the deck with a loud thump. Tifa and Yuffie quickly followed, using their martial arts skills to fight Rufus together. He blocked their attacks, however, proving Tifa's theory that he had been thoroughly trained in the art of baton. Yuffie screamed as he managed to hit her on the head, throwing her off balance and leaving the battle to Tifa.
Rufus seemed amused that Tifa managed to keep up to him, and fought almost calmly, as if he wasn't even trying. This made Tifa feel angrier, and she more viciously attacked him. He matched her, making her feel as if he was playing easy for her. With agility and force that surprised even her, she swung her fist into the side of his cheek, and knocked him to the ground. Aeris took this time now to run over to Cloud and Yuffie, quickly healing them with a Revive Materia. They remained unconscious, however. Red leapt into the battle, pouncing on Reno as he tried to stand. Cait and Cid stayed back, guarding the plane, while Vincent also jumped over to the Bolt.
Vincent landed on the deck lightly, dodging an attack from Rufus. Tifa gave him a small smile, while she furiously attacked Rufus, who ducked easily. Rufus was so skilled that he was able to sock Vincent one, while also fighting off Tifa's attacks. Vincent swung his claw at Rufus, and fell to the ground as the very waters seemed to tremble.
"Uh oh…" mumbled Aeris, tending to Cloud and Yuffie. Red froze, his paws on Reno's chest. Elena stirred near Rufus' feet dizzily. The sky went black, as heavy grey clouds swirled above them, and the waters went still. Barret and Rude stopped their battle, and also turned to stare at the focal point of this strange behaviour, where the dark waters had started to swirl and spin. The whirlpool spun, growing larger and deeper every second. Tifa lowered her fist, now also mesmerised. Cid muttered under his breath, holding his spear. Cait Sith trembled.
Silence followed. Until the waters rose, a huge mass of churning ocean just rising above them, higher and higher. The waters had an eerie glow to them, and Tifa suddenly realised that, at the centre of the hurricane, was a lone figure.
"Sephiroth," whispered Rufus. They all watched in awe, not realising the danger they were in until it was too late. Cloud suddenly stood up, straight as an arrow. His eyes flickered open, glowing an unnatural shade of Mako blue, brighter than ever before. Aeris tried to reach out to Cloud, calling his name, but either he didn't hear her or he ignored her pleas. Cloud floated above the deck, shocking them all, and over to where the glowing figure hovered, suspended in the water. It was Sephiroth, they all knew. His eyes were closed, not giving off their normal Mako glow. Cloud was now hovering in mid-air also, then suddenly his small body took a plunge, the hold no longer controlling him. He fell, free falling, into the cold water below. Tifa cried out as he fell, then covered her face with her hands as he disappeared from sight. Red dove in after him, and also disappeared under the swirling waters.
Sephiroth now turned his attention to the small group on the boat. His mouth twitched, as if to smile, as he raised his arms. The boat was thrown into the air as if an invisible hand slapped it out of the water. Aeris cast a spell around Yuffie, and held the rail as the boat was thrown upside down and back again, held in the air by force until gravity pulled them all downwards, and the boat plunged to the water below, their fate slipping out of their control. Barret stumbled over to Aeris and Yuffie, holding their arms. Before he could reach Tifa and Vincent, the boat hit the water and everything went black, a deep pit of darkness that, maybe, they wouldn't wake up from.
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Author's note:- Well, how did you like it? I'm sorry about the cliffhanger… I have a tendency to do that quite often! In Chapter Two, we'll find out what happened to everyone… and get to the point of the story hopefully. Please review or email me and let me know what you think! Thanks everyone ^-^;;
Chapter One: Surprise
The Tiny Bronco, wrecked and beaten up as it was, zipped across the aqaumarine waters quickly, as if it knew the urgency with which its occupants had to reach their destination. And these nine people were definitely not your ordinary group. They had as much in common as fish have with hamburgers, and their personalities were often conflicting, resulting in arguments and days of silence between them. However, they did have one thing in common, and this was their determination to reach the Temple of the Ancients, even though they all may have had different reasons.
The unofficial leader of the group was a pensive man named Cloud, his name ironic because he wasn't at all see-through and transparent like a cloud in the sky- instead he was usually as quiet as a forest without any inhabitants, lost in his own thoughts and issues. Originally, he didn't plan on joining Avalanche, but, he contemplated in his head, things often change. His past was nothing more than a blur to him, his head aching as soon as he tried to even remember his time in SOLDIER. It was as if he couldn't, as if something had happened to him to prevent him from remembering. All he knew was that he had suffered lots of grief, although he would never reveal this to even Tifa Lockhart, his longtime friend.
She sat near him, her own expression thoughtful. As usual, her long, almost black hair was tied at the end with a tough elastic, and she wore her fighting gloves. Her past, too, was a secret to everyone. After Cloud had left Nibelheim when she had been thirteen, Zangan, who she became almost as close as her father to, had taken her up as a potential student. It had been thanks to him that she had acquired such a high-class state of martial arts. She hated Sephiroth with everything she had, everything she felt. It had been five years ago when he had taken away everything important to her, and destroying her hometown, almost killing her as well. If I have the chance, she thought angrily, trying not to let her anger show, I'll kill him.
Aeris Gainsborough seemed to sense her anger, and looked over at her questioningly. She had joined the group after Cloud had fallen through the roof of the church where she grew flowers after a fight, and had been determined to protect the Planet, even though her reasons had been unclear at first. The rest of the group had soon found out she was the last descendant of the line of Cetra, the Ancients, after they had rescued her from the clutches of Professor Hojo, the one man who Aeris firmly believed deserved to die. With most people, she could see at least a bit of humanity in their face, their eyes. But Hojo, she reflected, had nothing inside him whatsoever, as if he wasn't even human anymore.
Barret Wallace stared out at the ocean, his deep brown eyes troubled as he thought of Marlene. He often worried about her, because he had grown to care so much for her. She was so important to him, and if anything happened to her because of that blasted Cait Sith… he clenched his fist, vowing to tear Cait apart if any harm came to Marlene. He didn't trust that d*** cat from the start, and he certainly didn't trust him now. The reason he had started Avalanche had been to protect Marlene from a world she shouldn't have to live in, and the Shinra had seemed the source of the problem. But now, it appeared, Sephiroth was the bigger issue they had to deal with.
Barret sat next to Cid Highwind, who'd only recently joined them. His blue eyes were narrowed in concentration as he struggled to pilot the plane, which had crashed into the ocean earlier and was lucky to be still working. He had learned that if he turned too sharply, the engine would conk out and they could possibly sink. Tifa hadn't been too pleased when she'd also discovered that, and had ended up in the ocean. Though, he thought with a chuckle, she was practically wearing swimmers anyway. Part of the reason he had allied with Cloud and his friends was because he thought that maybe if they foiled Shinra's plans, he might get to fly in space after all. It still burned in his heart like a flame, his longtime dream since forever. And also he had to get away from Rocket Town, that f***ing hole in the ground, the rocket tilted as if to cockily remind him of all he had lost. He shook his head, noticing Yuffie Kisaragi dangling precariously off the wing of the plane, her thin arms hanging down, her fingers skimming the water.
She had been quick to join them, her ninja abilities proving her to be a worthy fighter. Her personality, however, was as unpredictable as the weather. No one really trusted her, but Aeris befriended her and Red XIII had taken a liking to her. Yuffie was the youngest of them, and she acted it, constantly complaining of the long hours they spent walking and the time they wasted on Sephiroth. She would never admit it, but she had a crush on Cloud, and this had influenced her decision to join them. She scowled as the thought crossed her mind, knowing he thought her to be childish and immature. So did everyone else, she thought to herself. She pulled herself back up, and stroked Red on the back of the head, which he loved.
Red purred almost catlike, although he looked much more canine. He, too, was silent, thinking of his father. Seto had been a great warrior, he now knew, not the cowardly beast Red had always thought he was. He hung his head, feeling so guilty for ever thinking his father could betray everyone like that. Now he knew the blood of a courageous warrior flowed through him, he felt more content and at peace with himself, and his father. His grandfather, Bugenhagen, had been the one to tell him to go with the group to defy Shinra and Sephiroth. He'd obliged, already feeling he owed the group his life, which certainly would have ended if he had been kept in Hojo's laboratory. He couldn't even begin to imagine all the horrible things the scientist would have had in store for him, and closed his eyes, trying to forget these thoughts.
Another recent addition to their group was Vincent Valentine, who was always his brooding self. He hadn't opened up to this group like maybe he should have, but after thirty years of imprisonment in a coffin, the result of many horrific experiments conducted on him, he was more than a little wary of people. He had joined this quest for the sake of Lucrecia, and, although no one else knew it, Sephiroth. When he thought of what Sephiroth had become, he almost cried. But he had become a hollowed out person now, unable to show his emotions. He didn't know if this was a result of Hojo (the very name made him grit his teeth and picture numerous slow, painful deaths for the evil professor), or if this was just him. Whatever it was, he knew that if he ever saw Hojo again… he would take revenge. For Lucrecia, for Sephiroth, for himself.
The last member of the group was quiet at the moment, sitting at the back of the plane silently. Cait Sith knew that the group didn't trust him, and he knew that they had good reason. But… he didn't know why, but he had an uneasy feeling about the current position they were in, and where they were heading. This Temple of Ancients… it was just a myth, wasn't it? He shifted uncomfortably, then sensed something behind the small plane, his ears prickling. He bounded up to where Vincent sat tensely.
"I know," Vincent said calmly. "I hear them." Cait turned around to see exactly what Vincent referred to as 'them', and saw none other than Rufus and the Turks, on a fast jetboat. Vincent leaned forward and informed Cid, who let out a string of curses, trying desperately to speed up the plane. The boat neared them, closer and closer. Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Yuffie prepared for a fight, gathering together their equipment and slotting the Materia into place.
"Bl***y b***ards," mumbled Barret, reloading his gun-arm. Rufus stood at the head of the boat, his thin black club glinting evilly in the sunlight. Standing by his side were Elena and Reno, while Rude was steering the boat visciously. Tseng was nowhere to be seen. The boat neared them, until it was right alongside the destroyed plane. Rufus laughed at them, a long bitter laugh.
"This ends here, Cloud," he said coldly, holding his baton tightly, his eyes gleaming. Ignoring Tifa's caution, Cloud stepped past Cait Sith slowly. Rufus' mouth curved in a smile. Until Cloud jumped from the Tiny Bronco onto the deck of the Bolt, landing softly less than a metre away from Rufus, Elena and Reno. With two quick swipes, the blunt side of his sword sending Elena and Reno into the side of the deck, unconscious. Rufus' icy blue eyes filled with fear, as the Avalanche group watched in horror, knowing better than to intervene.
"Three against one is just unfair, Rufus," Cloud said coolly. "You should know that by now." Rufus narrowed his eyes, then shrugged.
"I'm sick of this, Strife," he said frostily. "Prepare to die." He swung his baton at Cloud, who ducked quickly, his grip on his sword tightening as he swung it through the air, hoping to connect with Rufus. But Rufus had already twisted away, coming at Cloud from behind and knocking him to the ground. Cloud recovered quickly, and managed to swipe Rufus' right ankle. Rufus yelled in agony, and Cloud had to roll away to avoid being hit by the baton. The club hit the deck, causing a loud crash. Tifa tensed, wishing she could run out and assist Cloud. Rufus obviously was trained well with that stick, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill Cloud… She bit her lip, and then suddenly shrieked.
"Cloud! Behind you!" Rude had come outside, and was raising a large crate easily, preparing to throw it at Cloud. Cloud turned a second too late, and collapsed to the ground as the crate knocked him unconscious. Barret bellowed out a curse, and threw himself at Rude, knocking the man to the deck with a loud thump. Tifa and Yuffie quickly followed, using their martial arts skills to fight Rufus together. He blocked their attacks, however, proving Tifa's theory that he had been thoroughly trained in the art of baton. Yuffie screamed as he managed to hit her on the head, throwing her off balance and leaving the battle to Tifa.
Rufus seemed amused that Tifa managed to keep up to him, and fought almost calmly, as if he wasn't even trying. This made Tifa feel angrier, and she more viciously attacked him. He matched her, making her feel as if he was playing easy for her. With agility and force that surprised even her, she swung her fist into the side of his cheek, and knocked him to the ground. Aeris took this time now to run over to Cloud and Yuffie, quickly healing them with a Revive Materia. They remained unconscious, however. Red leapt into the battle, pouncing on Reno as he tried to stand. Cait and Cid stayed back, guarding the plane, while Vincent also jumped over to the Bolt.
Vincent landed on the deck lightly, dodging an attack from Rufus. Tifa gave him a small smile, while she furiously attacked Rufus, who ducked easily. Rufus was so skilled that he was able to sock Vincent one, while also fighting off Tifa's attacks. Vincent swung his claw at Rufus, and fell to the ground as the very waters seemed to tremble.
"Uh oh…" mumbled Aeris, tending to Cloud and Yuffie. Red froze, his paws on Reno's chest. Elena stirred near Rufus' feet dizzily. The sky went black, as heavy grey clouds swirled above them, and the waters went still. Barret and Rude stopped their battle, and also turned to stare at the focal point of this strange behaviour, where the dark waters had started to swirl and spin. The whirlpool spun, growing larger and deeper every second. Tifa lowered her fist, now also mesmerised. Cid muttered under his breath, holding his spear. Cait Sith trembled.
Silence followed. Until the waters rose, a huge mass of churning ocean just rising above them, higher and higher. The waters had an eerie glow to them, and Tifa suddenly realised that, at the centre of the hurricane, was a lone figure.
"Sephiroth," whispered Rufus. They all watched in awe, not realising the danger they were in until it was too late. Cloud suddenly stood up, straight as an arrow. His eyes flickered open, glowing an unnatural shade of Mako blue, brighter than ever before. Aeris tried to reach out to Cloud, calling his name, but either he didn't hear her or he ignored her pleas. Cloud floated above the deck, shocking them all, and over to where the glowing figure hovered, suspended in the water. It was Sephiroth, they all knew. His eyes were closed, not giving off their normal Mako glow. Cloud was now hovering in mid-air also, then suddenly his small body took a plunge, the hold no longer controlling him. He fell, free falling, into the cold water below. Tifa cried out as he fell, then covered her face with her hands as he disappeared from sight. Red dove in after him, and also disappeared under the swirling waters.
Sephiroth now turned his attention to the small group on the boat. His mouth twitched, as if to smile, as he raised his arms. The boat was thrown into the air as if an invisible hand slapped it out of the water. Aeris cast a spell around Yuffie, and held the rail as the boat was thrown upside down and back again, held in the air by force until gravity pulled them all downwards, and the boat plunged to the water below, their fate slipping out of their control. Barret stumbled over to Aeris and Yuffie, holding their arms. Before he could reach Tifa and Vincent, the boat hit the water and everything went black, a deep pit of darkness that, maybe, they wouldn't wake up from.
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Author's note:- Well, how did you like it? I'm sorry about the cliffhanger… I have a tendency to do that quite often! In Chapter Two, we'll find out what happened to everyone… and get to the point of the story hopefully. Please review or email me and let me know what you think! Thanks everyone ^-^;;