Blind SOLDIER
By BlueFox
DO NOT COPY MY STORIES!!
If anyone wants to post my stories anywhere else, please just ASK and then give me credit for writing it. PM with any requests.
Intro: Welcome back, everyone! Decided to get off of my lazy ass for you all! :D Seriously, though, I really shouldn't be spending so much time on this fic. I really oughta be trying to finish off my Prophecies of the Unknown story over in the x-overs. But I've got such a Writer's Block on it! I mean guh…
Gah! This is the second to last chapter! Ah, I know what you're all thinking: Already?! I'm a bit surprised myself, too. But then we'll come to the sequel, which goes through the entire rest of the game. And maybe…possibly…(mumbles incoherently)
Disclaimer: Hmmm…do I own Final Fantasy VII? :opens wallet and watches moths fly out: Well, I think that answers THAT question…
Part II
Chapter Nine
"I wanted to be able to look out for you."
Zack looked closer and saw the body inside shift. "It's moving… …still alive?" he mumbled.
Barret peered over his shoulder and took a huge step backward, his eyes wide. "Where's its fucking head?" he yelled. Zack and Tifa made gestures telling him to keep it down. Barret shook his head. "This whole thing's stupid. Let's keep goin'."
The elevator they were inside was cramped, and Zack found himself short of breath, but managed to rearrange the materia in Barret's armor and switching the Elemental from Tifa's to Barret's so he had the Elemental-Poison combo. He didn't know why he did that, but he just had a feeling that he should. When the elevator came to the research area, the three AVALANCHERs ran out toward where the container was, and inside of it was Cloud and Aeris.
Fury boiled in Zack's veins as he ran up, shouting his friends' names.
Hojo looked mildly interested as he pushed the glasses up higher on his nose. "Aeris is her name?" He peered closely at Zack before smiling. "Ah, and so I have both of my old specimens back for more testing, hm?"
Zack glared at Hojo, his mako violet eyes smoldering. "We're taking them back," he said softly, dangerously.
Hojo glanced over at Barret and Tifa and scowled. "Outsiders……"
Barret seemed a little pleased. "Shoulda noticed it earlier, you…" he mumbled.
Hojo waved him off and looked back at Zack. "There's so many frivolous things in this world." There was a click paired with a shing as Barret held his gun at Hojo, ready to fire, and Zack held the Ultima's blade at Hojo's neck. Hojo laughed slightly, unperturbed by the bead of blood that flowed from the small cut in his neck from doing such an action. "Are you going to kill me?" he taunted Zack, raising a hand and waggling his finger. "I don't think you should. The equipment here is extremely delicate. Without me, who would operate it? Hmm?"
"Ugh," Zack sighed and took Ultima away from the scientist's neck. Slowly, Barret lowered his gun arm and glared at the ground.
Hojo chuckled again, knowing full well that he had command of the entire situation. "That's right. I recommend you think things out logically before you make any rash moves. Now bring in the Specimen!"
He waved his hand at the container and from below the red furred beast from before was lifted up from the lower floor. Cloud, as if he could sense that a hostile enemy had entered, moaned slightly and buried his head in Aeris' neck as she shuffled to the farthest corner away from the beast. The beast bared its teeth at her and got into a crouched position. Aeris protectively wrapped her arms around Cloud, trying her best to seem brave, but couldn't help but tremble in the beast's presence. Cloud held on more tightly to Aeris as the beast made its first step closer. "Zack, help!" she cried out in fear and panic, unable to do a thing without her staff or materia.
Zack rounded on Hojo, holding Ultima in an offensive position. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded.
Hojo gave him an annoyed look. "Lending a helping hand to an endangered species," he informed Zack. "All three of them are on the brink of extinction… If I don't help, all these animals will disappear."
Tifa looked outraged. "Animals? That's terrible! Aeris and Cloud are human beings!" she shouted.
Barret took a large step forward and readied his gun arm at Hojo again. "You're gonna pay!"
Zack glanced at Barret. "Barret! Can't you do anything?"
Barret glanced at Zack, then at his gun arm, then at the glass case, and smiled. "Awright!! Step back!" he yelled, aiming his gun arm at the case.
Hojo's eyes widened and he held out his hands to Barret as if that would stop him. "Stop!!" he cried as Barret unloaded a large round of bullets at the glass case. "Wh…What are you do—Oh!" He shielded his eyes as a brilliant white light erupted inside of the case. "My precious specimens…"
The light faded and the door slid open. The beast turned and lunged out, knocking Hojo over and viciously attacking his face and chest. Zack smiled at the scene, then came to the elevator. "Aeris! Cloud! Come on!" he said, holding his hand out to Aeris. She got Cloud to let go of her and took his hand, extending her free one to Zack and he helped them out before embracing the both of them in a group hug. A few tears were spilled by each of them, and then they heard the sound of vibration. Zack let go of Aeris and Cloud to turn and look at the elevator.
Tifa looked a little worried. "Zack…what's wrong?"
"The elevator is moving," he told her, placing a hand against the vibrating glass.
"This is no ordinary specimen. This is a very ferocious specimen!" Hojo yelled, before the beast got off of the scientist, enabling him to get to his feet and run to the nearest place with first-aid. The beast padded up to them.
"He's rather strong," he growled. "I'll help you all out."
Tifa let out a slight squeak. "It talked?"
The beast sat on his haunches and rubbed out at nose with a paw before turning his only eye to the fightress. "I'll talk as much as you want later, Miss," he purred, and then laughed in a rolling, rumbling way (I can't describe everything perfectly ya know, geez).
Glancing down, Zack could already see the monster coming up. "We'll take care of that monster." He turned to the others. "Somebody take Aeris and Cloud somewhere safe… Tifa, I'm countin' on you!" Tifa nodded and led her friends to the safety of the metal mesh up the stairs. Zack turned to the beast. "What's your name?"
"Hojo has named me Red XIII," he informed Zack, raising his paw in greeting. "A name with no meaning whatsoever to me. You may call me what you wish."
Zack nodded. The elevator stopped and out of it came Sample: HO512 and three Sample: HO512-Ops. Holding the Ultima out in front of him, Zack glanced at Barret and Red XIII. "I've seen enemies like this before. Just go for the big guy and leave the Ops alone. They'll just respawn," he told them.
Red XIII nodded but unleashed a Fire-All combination anyway as Barret shot at HO512 from his spot. Zack dodged around the Ops, grimacing as one of their Fire spells brushed his arm, and attacked HO512. But HO512 actually dodged the attack and shoved Zack a few steps back.
Angered, the ex-SOLDIER felt his Limit Break rise and allowed the energy to surround him as he drew his blade up, then slammed it into the floor. A large blue beam erupted from it and cut a large laceration in the metal flooring as it tore through HO512's stomach and chest and split the spine in half vertically, resulting in instant death. Then, the beam split and cut paths through the Ops, and they all faded into wisps of red. Spinning his sword around expertly, Zack sheathed it on his back and grinned in his victory pose and Red XIII howled in victory and Barret pumped his fist into the air.
Tifa, Aeris, and Cloud all joined them and there was much need for celebration, though they knew this wasn't the place for it. Aeris left Cloud for a second to embrace Zack and hold onto him as though he was her anchor to the world, and she let her pent up tears fall onto his shirt as he gently wrapped his arms around her and played with her braid a little, whispering in soft tones to her. Finally, she separated and withdrew back to Cloud's side, wiping her tears with a shaking hand.
"You two all right?" Zack asked her, and she gave him a little nod.
Tifa nodded as well. "They seem all right…in many ways," she told him, and Zack sighed. He knew what she had meant.
Red XIII huffed. "I have a right to choose, too. I don't like two-legged things," he informed them.
Barret rubbed his gun arm unconsciously. "What are you?" he asked.
Red XIII stared at him with his good eye. "An informed question," he rumbled. "But difficult to answer. I am what you see. …You must have many questions, but first, let's get out of here. I'll lead the way." He stood and stretched, opening his jaws wide in a yawn, before leaping over the banister to where Aeris and Cloud were standing. She took a startled step back, which caused Cloud to, as well. Red XIII bowed his head in apology. "I apologize for what happened back there. I was merely acting to throw Hojo off guard……"
Barret rudely interrupted him there. "Now we've saved Aeris and Cloud, ain't no need to be in this buildin'!" he declared. "So let's get the hell outta here!"
Zack looked at everyone. "If all six of us go together, we'll be noticed," he said. "Let's break up into two groups. Red, you go with Aeris and Cloud. Tifa, Barret, you will come with me."
Aeris nodded and smiled a little. "I'll see you later," she said taking Zack's hand and squeezing it briefly. "Don't take five years this time."
Red XIII padded up to Zack and looked up. "Don't be late. Do you know where the Elevator is?" Zack nodded, and Red XIII nodded in affirmation. "The 66th floor!"
Red XIII bounded for the elevator that the AVALANCHERs had come from. Cloud took a hesitant step forward, and Zack, realizing what he wanted, took Cloud's arms and embraced his friend, clapping in him on the back as Cloud held onto him like he was the last person on the world. Finally, Zack took a step back and ruffled Cloud's hair, smiling affectionately, though it was a wasted effort. "I'm smiling, Cloud," he told his friend, who smiled back slightly. "You be strong, you hear? I'll see you soon."
Cloud's smile faltered then and he ducked his head away. "Good bye…for now, Zack," he mumbled, and Aeris took his hand, waved at Barret, Tifa, and Zack, and led him in the direction of the elevator.
"All right, since they took that elevator, we've gotta take the one on top," he said, pointing to the metal mesh. Barret and Tifa nodded and followed him up there. They were disheartened to find no elevators on the floor, but nonetheless, Zack took them to the stairs and they descended all of them to the 66th floor, and then they boarded one of the elevators. More than likely, the others would be waiting for them in the lobby, and then they could all get out togeth-
The doors suddenly slipped open and Zack spun, Tifa and Barret following suit. His violet eyes widened in alarm at who had come in. "R-Rude!" he exclaimed at the dark skinned, bald man who wore the shades. "What is it?"
Rude raised a hand and pointed up. "Would you press 'Up' please, Zack?" he asked.
Tifa and Barret looked at Zack, who saw another familiar face approaching. "Turks? Damn, it's a trap."
Tseng stepped into the elevator as well, smiling smugly. "Was this as much of a thrill as running from the Army, Zack? Did you enjoy it?"
In a quick, fluid movement, Tseng had spun Zack around and slammed handcuffs on the ex-SOLDIER, and did the same to Tifa. Rude easily subdued Barret's struggles and clamped handcuffs onto his large wrists as well. Zack grimaced as he and the others were shoved out of the elevator and turned to the stairs.
Moments Later…
Zack approached the large desk of the President's office, glancing around warily for any snipers, assassins, or the like. He came to a stop in front of the desk, and saw Red XIII limp from the other stairs, one of his paws crudely bandaged. "You got caught, too?" Zack asked the fire cat, who sat on his haunches and tenderly lifted up his wounded paw, sighing. He dipped his head in acknowledgment, and Zack looked behind him, then at the entire room. Finally, he turned back to the pudgy blond President. "Where are Aeris and Cloud?!" he demanded.
The President slowly stood up, brushing his arms off unnecessarily and coughing lightly into his hand before looking at Zack. "In a safe place," he assured the ex-SOLDIER. "They are the last two of the remaining Ancients…" Zack's brow furrowed-Cissnei had only told him Aeris was the last one. Had she been lying? Suddenly, the President laughed, and Zack narrowed his eyes at him. "Don't you know? They called themselves the Cetra, and lived thousands of years ago. Now they are just a forgotten page in history."
Red XIII turned his head in the President's direction as said President walked around his desk to fully face everyone. "Cetra… Those two, are they survivors of the Cetra?" Red XIII rumbled.
The President wasn't fazed by Red XIII's ability to speak. "Cetra, or the Ancients, will show us the way to the 'Promised Land.' I'm expecting a lot out of them."
Zack stamped his foot as his fists clenched behind his back, but he kept his mouth shut-actions spoke better than words. "The Promised Land? Isn't that just a legend?" Red XIII continued his questions.
The President shrugged. "Even so, it's just too appealing to not pursue. It's been said the Promised Land is very fertile. …If the land is fertile…"
Barret's eyes flickered with recognition. "Then there's gotta be Mako!" he concluded.
The President nodded at him. "Exactly," he agreed. "That is why our money-sucking Mako Reactor is necessary. The abundant Mako will just come out on its own." He rubbed his hands together in almost childish glee. "That is where Neo-Midgar will be built. Shinra's new glory."
"Fuck!" Barret spat, taking a large step forward. "Quit dreamin'!"
The President sighed. "Oh really, don't you know? These days all it takes for your dreams to come true is money and power." There was silence from AVALANCHE, but the air had just been wound up much tighter than before. "Well, that is all for our meeting."
Grudgingly, Zack turned and saw Tseng waiting for them by the blue carpeted stairs. With a sigh, the ex-SOLDIER led his team to the leader of the Turks. However, Barret stayed behind and took another step toward the President. That was when Rude intervened and stepped in between them. "Come on, outta his way!" he ordered the bigger man.
"Hold it!" Barret bellowed. "I got a lot I wanna say to you!" He tried to dodge around Rude, but the Turk grabbed his arm and started to quite easily tug Barret toward where the others were and down to the cells.
The President turned around and chuckled. "If you need something else…talk to my secretary."
In the Cells…
I wonder how Barret is doing, Zack thought. He got up onto the cot Tifa was sitting on and grabbed onto the large barred window that led to Barret and Red XIII's cell next to theirs and waved. Barret looked up and raised a hand in greeting. "Aeris and Cloud are Ancients, and the real name of the Ancients is Cetra," Barret began, and Zack situated himself so he was semi-comfortable on the small ledge. He saw Tifa looking up at him and grinned, and she turned away with a faint blush on her cheeks. Zack turned back to Barret as he continued. "The Ancients know where the Promised Land is and the Shinra is searching for that Promised Land." Barret looked down and unconsciously rubbed his gun arm with his normal hand. "I only heard stories 'bout the Promised Land. I don't know if it really exists." He sighed. "Is that right? The Shinra believe that the Promised Land is full of Mako energy. Which means, if the Shinra get there, they'll suck up all the Mako energy. …And the land'll wither away." He slammed his fist into the wall behind him. "The Planet's gonna get weaker. I can't just leave'em be. I'm recruitin' new members!! Me, Tifa, Zack…and Aeris and Cloud, too." Barret looked at Red XIII. "How 'bout you?" Red XIII didn't open his good eyes or seem to move at all, except for the light twitch of his tail. Barret laid the back of his head against the cell wall. "You're so damn boring."
Zack chuckled a bit. "I remember what it was like when there was nothing to worry about," he mumbled down to Tifa, who looked up quizzically. "I mean yeah, there was the war with Wutai, but it was over petty differences, and not the Planet. And we had Genesis clones everywhere, but not a huge Crisis of the Planet like this."
"Not until you guys came to Nibelheim," she told him scornfully, turning down and fiddling with her Mythril Gloves.
Zack looked up at the ceiling. "Actually, that's probably when this whole thing started," he said softly, too softly for Tifa to hear. I wonder how Red's doing. Zack cast a cautious glance at the beast's direction, to find that he was staring forlornly at the wall in front of him, his head on his front paws. "…………Grandpa," he murmured and sighed.
Barret tossed him an incredulous look. "Grandpa?!" He started to laugh. "Grandpa, hmm……" He laughed some more.
Red XIII turned to him, his lips drawn back in a snarl. "What's so funny?" he snapped.
Barret waved his good hand. "Nothin'……" He chuckled a bit.
"Zack, are you there?" came a voice from the other side of his cell. Zack dropped down and over to the other side. Since there was no cot here to climb on, he had to stand on the toilet and leap for the ledge, he caught it and pulled himself up on it (and ignoring Tifa go, "You could've just asked for a boost," behind him) and situated himself to semi-comfort. Aeris saw him and smiled, standing from where she had been by Cloud, who was on the cot in their cell, curled up into a small ball.
Zack sighed in relief. "Aeris, you're safe?" he asked her.
She nodded, fiddling with her bangs. "Yeah, I'm all right," she assured him. "Cloud knew that you would come for us. He kept mumbling, 'Zack will come. I know it. I feel it.' And he was right."
Zack grinned affectionately down at his chocobo-haired friend, who had loosened his ball slightly. "Well, Cloud's always been sensitive to things like that," he told Aeris, and she turned her emerald gaze to the blond as well, running her hand gently through his hair, watching a small smile come over his features.
"He is a special young man," Aeris praised.
Tifa stood and came over so she was beneath Zack. "…………Oh, I get it," she mumbled loud enough for Aeris to hear on the other side of the wall.
The flower girl gasped slightly. "Tifa! Tifa, you're there, too!"
Tifa crossed her arms and turned away with a huff. "EXCUSE me," she snapped, before dropping her arms and turning back to the wall. "You know, Aeris. I have a question."
Aeris cocked her head. "What?"
"Does the Promised Land really exist?"
Aeris began to play with the bangles on her arms. "…I don't know," she told the other woman honestly. "All I know is…" She began to bounce on her heels and balls of her feet. "The Cetra were born from the Planet, speak with the Planet, and unlock the Planet. And……then…" She sighed and bowed her head. "The Cetra will return to the Promised Land. A land that promises supreme happiness."
Tifa's brows furrowed. "…What does that mean?"
Aeris shrugged. "More than words……I don't know."
"Speak with the Planet?" Zack asked, curious.
"Just what does the Planet say?"
Aeris shook her head. "It's full of people and noisy. That's why I can't make out what they are saying," she explained lightly.
"You hear it now?" asked Zack.
She swallowed hard. "I-I only heard it at the Church in the Slums. Mother said that Midgar was no longer safe. That is…my real mother. Someday I'll get out of Midgar… Speak with the Planet and find my Promised Land. …That's what mom said. I thought I would stop hearing her voice as I grew up, but…" Her voice caught and she seemed ready to cry, but remained strong and didn't let the tears fall.
A few moments of silence later, Cloud slowly sat up, his hands cautiously over his head to make sure he didn't hit his head on anything if there was something there. "Zack?" His voice was soft, small, and timid, like it always had been when he was younger. "Are you still there?"
Zack leaned his head against the bars, swallowing hard against the lump of cotton in his throat at Cloud's fearful voice. "Yeah, Spikey, in the flesh, blood, and bone," he assured the younger man, and he saw the ex-trooper wrap his arms around his knees and lay his chin on them.
"Zack…" he whispered softly, and Zack's good hearing due to Mako caught it.
"Yeah?" he whispered just as softly, looking down at his friend, wishing he was in the same cell with Cloud.
"…I'm sorry. ……If I hadn't asked for you back…none of this would've ever happened. It's my fault," Cloud told him morosely.
"You stop that now, you hear," Zack berated him gently as Aeris sat on the bed with Cloud and gently drew the blond into her arms. "I won't stand for any of it," she scolded him as he lay in her arms and she stroked his hair. "If we need to, the more you blame yourself for everything, the more chocolate and tickles Zack and I will smother you in when we get out!"
Zack smiled down at the scene. Aeris would make a beautiful mother one day, and he decided not to intrude on the scene any longer. Silently, he jumped down and sank down to the floor. "Let's just get some sleep," he told Tifa, who nodded and took the cot. The mouth a good night to each other, and soon enough, Zack felt sleep and darkness overcome his senses.
End: Woo, there's the end of that chapter, yay! I don't have much to say for a good-bye, except that I'm sad this is the second to the last chapter. :sobs: But there will be a sequel, though how soon I'll release it is unknown at this present time.
Things to look forward to in the final chapter of Blind SOLDIER: Sephiroth and Rufus' entrances, and the escape from Midgar. Where will the story go after that? Well, you'll just have to wait 'n' see!
So, review you worm babies you! :D