I should've KNOWN I'd get a mixed response when I asked about the group of chapters or one chapter thing! So I guess I'll alternate. This one is short, really sorry, but I DO have homework I'm avoiding, here! I promise a group of chaps over the weekend, when I have time. Just so you know, this is kinda getting near the ending. Enjoy!
Chapter 16
"RENO, BE CAREFUL!"
As the helicopter rose through the exit, Reno saw it would be harder to get it through than he had previously thought. He jerked the controls furiously, trying to make it through. The helicopter jarred alarmingly, proving he must have clipped something.
Still, he managed to make it out without seriously damaging anything. As they rose higher, he looked out the window and noticed they were above a rusty junkyard he had never seen before. It was packed with broken and mangled machinery and looked like it hadn't been used in years.
The helicopter suddenly slowed. "What are doing?" Aeris asked.
"I'm not doing anything!" Yet the chopper continued to slow, sinking lower and lower. Frantically Reno pushed every button and pulled every lever he could find, but nothing changed. Then a chance glance at the dashboard made him suck in his breath sharply. "Uh-oh."
"What is it?"
"We're out of fuel." He slammed the dashboard angrily. "Of all the worst possible-"
"What do we do?!" Aeris cried.
"There's only one thing we can do. Wait till we're low enough, then jump."
Aeris nodded. "How long should we late?"
Reno stared at one of the meters, drumming his fingers. If they jumped to soon, they'd be pancakes. If they jumped to late, they'd be going to fast to hit the ground without breaking their necks. "We're dropping pretty fast and gaining speed. I'll count to five, okay? On five we jump. Try to roll when you hit the ground." He stood and yanked open the door. Aeris came up behind him. To her credit, she wasn't screaming, or crying, or looking very frightened at all. She was a bit paler than usual, though.
"One…two…" Reno clenched his jaw. It would be a tough landing, what with all the rubble around. "Three…"
Aeris closed her eyes. Reno shook his head at her.
"Leave them open. Four…FIVE!"
They jumped out of the chopper, hurtling to the ground fifteen feet below. Aeris tensed, seeing the amount of debris she would have to avoid. Searching for a clear spot, she felt immensely frightened. She yearned to close her eyes. She thought all this in a moment, of course. The wind was flowing in her hair, and it came loose from her ribbon, streaming out behind her. This only made it harder for her to see. She tensed further as the ground rushed to meet her.
The fall lasted merely a second or two. Reno didn't concentrate on anything but the ground. All too soon, it met him, and he twisted so he could land on his good shoulder and rolled, trying to slow himself down. Once his head slammed into something, but other than that it worked perfectly. He sat up, shook his head a little to clear it, then stood, checking himself for bruises. He was A-OK, excepting of course for his injured shoulder that now felt on fire, and the numerous bumps his head had already received in the last few days, courtesy of Elena, Kralin, and the fall.
"Aeris?"
He heard her moving some distance away. She was rubbing her elbow, which she must have sprained, but all in all in good health.
"You okay?"
"Yeah." She stood and dusted herself off, her loose hair streaming down her back in a tousled heap. Absent-mindedly she tucked a strand behind her ear. "Are you?"
"Of course." He paused for a moment, then started to grin. "That had to be the most fun I've ever had in my life."
"Are you serious?!"
"Well, no. Being trapped on that island with you was fun, too." He grinned so she'd know he was kidding.
"Very funny." Looking around, she let out a yelp of surprise. "The helicopter!"
It had crashed front first into the ground. Two blades had broken off to land some distance away. Every window was smashed, and the door Reno had left open had been thrown off its hinges. It was totally demolished.
"Nice," Reno commented. "I wonder- oof!" He broke off as something large and heavy threw him down from behind. Reno tried to twist around to see what was on him, but something was jabbing into his wounded shoulder…then throbbing, screaming…pain…like an electric shock only a million times worse…
"Leave him ALONE!" Aeris picked up a rock and threw it as hard as she could. Both the pain and the weight on him left Reno. He was able to breathe again.
Kralin rolled to his feet, rubbing his arm. "Good shot!" he complimented her. "A pleasure to see you two again" He was smiling, mainly because he was enjoying seeing how much he'd hurt Reno. His nightstaff was still smoking from where he'd jabbed it in the Turk's hurt shoulder.
Not taking her eyes off the man, she bent and tried to help up poor Reno, who was having trouble focusing his eyes.
Kralin let him stand. He even feigned sympathy. "Aw, I know it must hurt," he said, voice dripping with sweet poison. He held up his nightstick, looking at it admirably. "These little toys were actually designed by Hojo, did you know that? That's how I got one of my own, by the way. Ironic, ain't it?" He laughed, a hollow sound that echoed through the junkyard.
"Are you done?" Reno pushed Aeris' supporting hands off him and stood on his own. He squared his shoulders and brandished his own nightstick. "Come on. Let's finish this."
Kralin smiled crookedly. "Nice knowing you, Reno."
He lowered his head and charged. Reno skidded off to the side, but Kralin had been expecting this and broke off early. He used his speed to pivot, drawing out his gun at the same time, and fired. But Reno had crouched and now threw himself at Kralin's legs. The two collided and rolled to the ground. Being so close, they resorted to fists. Reno's teeth smashed together when Kralin's fist smashed into his jaw. Putting the pain aside, he managed to knee his foe in the middle and tear him off. Then, for good measure, he switched his rod to maximum output and touched the end to the fleshy area between the collarbone and the base of the neck. He had learned through his experience that this provided immense torture and pain. And Reno wanted him to feel pain.
But incredibly, even though he was screaming at the same time, Kralin still managed to land a shattering kick to Reno's knee-cap. Cursing, the red-haired man dropped and rolled. While he was still on the ground, he grabbed a handful of gravel and flung it into the other man's eyes. While Kralin was still momentarily blinded, Reno lunged toward him. But Hojo's flunky had only been faking. Knowing Reno was off-guard, he used his gun and fired.
Evading the shot just enough so the bullet only grazed his thigh, Reno drew back. So did Kralin. They stared at one another for a moment, sizing each other up. Staring straight at Reno, Kralin slowly reached a hand into his coat pocket. Reno didn't see what it was until the object was half-way drawn out: a grenade.
Reno grabbed Aeris' wrist and threw her behind him. "RUN!" he shouted as he raised his gun and aimed quickly. A shot rang through the still air, followed by a scream of pain as the bullet struck Kralin's collarbone. The grenade fell to the ground. Reno leapt away just as the huge explosion sounded.
A minute passed. Aeris, who had taken cover behind a large pile of debris, cautiously removed her hands from her ears. Silence.
Slowly she climbed to her feet. Smoke was drifting in the air, making it difficult to see. She blinked her eyes to clear them.
A rustling sound greeted her ears. "Hello…?" she called hesitantly.
At first, no answer, then a low groan. Aeris hurried over.
Kralin lay crumpled on the ground, curled into a ball. Aeris gasped at the sight of his mangled body. His eyes were closed, and his breathing shallow.
She disregarded the fact that he was her enemy, knowing only he was a man in need of help. She knelt and took his pulse. It was hardly there. She shook her head with sorrow when she realized she couldn't help him, with materia or her own natural powers. He was dying.
"Aeris!"
She turned to see Reno. He was clutching his shoulder, and seemed to be limping heavily, but otherwise unhurt.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
She moved aside so Reno could see the other man. Reno's green eyes never wavered as he took in the gruesome sight. "Is he still alive?"
"Yes," was all she said. She hoped Reno could think of some way to help.
There was a loud click as the Turk cocked his gun. Aeris' eyes went wide with shock. "No! Don't!"
He glanced over at her. "He's not dead yet."
"Yes, exactly! Why shoot him?!"
"He ought to be dead." Reno aimed carefully at Kralin's head.
"No! Please," Aeris begged, catching hold of his arm, "let him die in peace. Don't hurt him."
"You damn Ancient," he growled, shaking her off his arm. "Where the hell do you get off preaching about life?! You know nothing, absolutely nothing, about the real world! Stand aside, cover your eyes if you have to. Just get out of my way."
He expected her to retaliate, or at least make some hurt reply, but instead was met with silence. She appeared to be looking past him.
"Well?! Ain't ya gonna say something?!"
"Reno," she whispered. "Turn around."
Slowly he turned. There, with Vincent standing emotionlessly behind him, stood Hojo.
Author's Note:
This didn't turn out the way I expected, but not too bad, I think. Normally I would've added more to Kralin's…er…condition, but I recently received a review that hinted I was a bit too violent in my fics. Well, that IS why they're rated PG-13 (swears, too) but I decided not to make it too gruesome anyway. Besides, the next chap. has enough blood for anyone who wants any. No, not TOO bad. Anyway, let me know what you think. And yeah, next time will be a chunk of chapters!
