Final Fantasy

Alternate Crisis 4: One Winged Angel

Everyday more of them would come, wave after wave, Shinra anti-personnel. It couldn't be just coincidence could it? Zack's mind raced as he dived at a fresh group of the small androids. Slamming his sword into the last of them the warrior looked around at the pile of metal all which threatened his life.' Are they still after me? ` He thought it hadn't been that long but he was sure Shinra weren't interested in him. Other than the occasional Turk lurking around they probably didn't know he was alive. However these drones were becoming a nuisance, Zack constantly had to protect Aerith from them.' I'm the reason she's getting into danger`. Zack sighed.' Just my being here puts her in danger`. Holstering buster on his back he walked through the narrow straight which lead back to sector five. Huge piles of worthless scrap which had been pilfered a million times over surrounded him. The horrid grey smoke which could almost be called clouds lingers under the main plate of Midgar. Lost again to a sea of thoughts Zack's mind drifted once again to Tifa.

Not to his horrible revelation to her but a more recent memory, days ago she had followed him to the church.

The warrior remembered the force the doors had been kicked open, Aerith let out a small shriek as she walked in. Tifa's clothes were soaked and muddy, her beautiful face stained with sweat and dirt. Her eyes seemed focused on Zack. Tifa's lips curled

"I want your pass card for the Shinra building". Taken back by this sudden request Zack shook his head and asked.

"Why do you want it?"

"Like you have to ask!" The beautiful warrior roared. Zack saw the pain Tifa seemed to radiate.

"I know what you want to do but my Card won't get you to the president. It stops at the 59th flo-"

"I don't care it will get me in the building so hand it over" Her tone growing more aggressive by the moment."They have to pay for what they did to my Cloud!"

"I can't they'll kill you" was the only excuse he could think of. In reality he was thinking more about his friends in Solider and cinssnei.

Tears started to fall once again."So you need convincing do you!" Lunging forward Tifa knocked the black haired warrior clean over. He hadn't even seen it coming. Her target wasn't him though. Looking up Zack realized her target, Aerith had received a stiff punch to her stomach, causing her to faint and fall lifelessly into Tifa's arms. A strange glow emitted from the attackers arm, a second later fire licked around her arm. Fire materia.

"If you don't want her to die I suggest you do as I say!!" Her voice now a screech, Panic filled Zack's face as he fumbled into his pocket to get the card. Sliding it across the floor of the church to Tifa's feet. Unexpectedly she launched the pink clad woman at him and before Zack could catch her Tifa had made her escape.

`She's dead by now Zack, she was tough but some of Hojo's monsters and you know the rest`. He was almost at the church every time he was near there Zack couldn't help but smile even with current events being so bleak. Know what reception he was going to receive a kiss on the cheek, a cheery smile and then walk Aerith home.

`I hope this doesn't end` Zack thought.

Meanwhile

At the 7th heaven a bag was being packed filled with various material and explosives. Just enough to get in Tifa wasn't planning on coming back out. The young warrior tied her hair back and again was reminded of Cloud. Voices of her childhood replayed in her head.

"Tifa you know that weirdo Cloud likes girls with long hair I think I'll cut mine like yours". A small grin appeared on her face since her friend had told her that she grew her hair out. Not ever knowing if the information was accurate. It didn't have to be she knew now what she wanted to be with her love.

"I'll be with you soon" Tifa whispered shouldering her backpack heading toward the door of the room knowing Barret would have something to moan at before she was allowed to leave. Tifa wasn't in any mood to hear the old speech about saving the world, as far as she was concerned her world was already dead.

The ground shook under her feet causing the warrior to fall over. Running out side smoke was rising from an area near sector 6. Deciding it was better to check it out she started sprinting toward sector 6.

Zack has barely left Aerith at her home when he felt the tremor. It had only been short but powerful enough to unhook buster from his back. Gripping the sword in one hand he ran toward the disturbance. It wasn't far away the site was horrible house completely decimated gravel was everywhere, burnt bodies littered the streets, it looked like a bomb had gone off.' Avalanche? Possibly` he thought. Although there weren't many people who could have done this much damage Zack could think of two names.' Genesis and Sephiroth`. But they were both dead. Behind him someone was running toward him, glancing over his should he caught sight of the black clad Tifa. `Thank god she's not dead`.

"What happened here"? Before Zack could answer it became terribly apparent in the sky why hadn't he noticed before. Flying graceful landing in front of the two. Tifa gasped, as they both realized what was now in front of them. It was human or at one time it could have been. Skin was extremely pale, paler than Sephiroth. His legs and torso were still huge, black combat trousers were the only clothing it wore. Scars littered its chest and stomach. But that's where the similarities ended. Its left arm was black it looked like it was made of stone. A multi-clawed mesh protruded from where its hand should have been. The monster had his hair only white and a huge gaping scar across the right eye. Two huge wings extended from its shoulder blades one white one black.

"CLOUD!!!!!!!!!!"

END