Revised: 25/11/12
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~~ 10 ~~
The Enemy Emerges
After Cloud left, Denzel stood staring at the security screens. The massive creature thrashed against the pylons, but as yet there was no sign of Cloud.
"Denzel!" Shelke typed away at a keyboard.
"Oh, yeah." Watching Cloud actually fight would be so much better than just training with him. He pulled out a chair and started typing in possible searches. Not knowing exactly what they were looking for was tricky. He thought it smart to start with what they had already learned while down there. Abruptly the floor shook. A CPU popped and fizzled till it was dead. "That can't be good," Denzel mumbled.
Shelke nodded her auburn head, but continued on without looking up.
With only a handful of keywords to try, he found no information on any of them. It wasn't that they didn't exist, no – the files had a place on the system… but – "Shelke, have you noticed something?"
She frowned at the screen. "I expected this. There are numerous black-holes throughout the data. Not simply fragments, but completely gone."
"Yeah, big chunks." Denzel slumped his face on his hand and sighed. "Rubbed out." Whatever was gone was probably seriously important.
"Nothing is ever truly erased." She went to one of the big oversized recliner chairs and pulled on the wires and checked the attachments.
Denzel watched with bewilderment, before realizing what she intended to do. "You going to dive?"
She switched on the equipment and a gentle hum arose, and swinging a touch screen type-keyboard out from the side of the chair, she wiped it free of dust. "Everything seems to be working."
"But Shelke." He stood over her petite frame with a frown; SNDs had its risks and he knew she hadn't done it in along time. "Isn't the information erased? And don't you need to communicate with… a virtual being?" And aside from all that he wasn't sure what to do if it all went wrong.
"The data will leave behind an echo. Once it has been brought into existence it will always exist – somewhere." Sitting in the adult chair with the keyboard screen over her lap made her look elfin and cute. After taking her communication piece out of her ear, she held the mind transmitter at the ready. "I never said there weren't life forms within the net." Her mouth curved into the slightest smile that only someone who knew her well would notice.
Shelke smiling was something Denzel never saw enough of. But of all the times for her to find something amusing in their situation, this was not it; he didn't get it. "I thought you were the only one who could do this," he paused, "except for that other guy…"
"Weiss and I were the only ones who had any success." She placed the contraception on her head and wiggled upright.
"You mean some didn't?" he cried in shock.
"There were countless failures," she said bluntly.
"Should I even ask what happened to them?" He took a moment to process her statement. "You mean there are people?" He pointed at the screen to the side of the chair. "In there?"
"Yes."
"And you're going to talk to these… people?" Whether they were still people or not, he didn't really know.
"They might have the knowledge we seek."
Denzel rubbed his head, feeling a pain coming on. "How safe is it?"
"It has its dangers, but…" She turned from the keypad, her blue eyes flashed with sincere and unaccustomed emotion. "Do you want us to find nothing?"
Denzel looked towards the security panel and scrunched his face up with anguish. He definitely didn't want to face Cloud with nothing. No way. "Okay, but be careful."
She had already put the attachment on her head and indicating the monitor by the chair, she said, "Watch the screen." Her voice was flat and her eyes gleamed vibrant amber. "SND begins in 5. 4. 3. 2. 1."
"Hey, wait!" he cried. "What do I do if you need help or something?"
Except for her glowing eyes drooping shut, Shelke remained silent and unresponsive.
"That's just great," he muttered. Her mind was now floating somewhere in the Deepground data.
After some moments, words appeared on the adjoining monitor.
Dive successful
Avatar summoned, gear equipped. Begin Search now.
Denzel watched the screen, fascinated with Shelke typing her journey through the net. He wished he could join her in her virtual data world.
Barren blocks everywhere.
Trailing lost files will be difficult.
More moments passed as Denzel's eyes flicked between the motionless Shelke and the screen.
First contact. Proceed with caution.
Possible link to files. Avoiding adverse blockage.
Blockage did not sound good to Denzel, and what did first contact mean? If only he could type back to her.
Suddenly a mighty bang shook the platform outside the room. It was not like the previous energy sparks, this was more like something powerful landing. Swiveling his head, he glanced out the window, feeling an unexpected dread at what he might see. "Oh, hell," he exclaimed as he looked at the figure walking along the platform.
~~ 7 ~~
Cloud jumped the stairs to the level below the Data Core room. He stood momentarily watching the enormous behemoth on the level beneath him. It ran at the metal support, denting it with its great strength. Lifting its horned head, it lurched back and a ball of energy formed around its snout. It shot the light upwards. He dodged, but the energy separated and hit the level above. If the upper floor kept taking the hits it would soon collapse or at least damage the electronics within. He stood by the railing, his sword tip resting on the floor and looked down at the beast. A mass of fur was down its back running between what appeared to be small wings, and its whole body seemed to be encased in armored scales.
The beast, noticing him, quickly sent up another ball of materia fire. Cloud had already started running away on the walkway when the white-fire hit the metal. It shook with the blow. Another hit broke the metal and the walkway bowed. Good, he thought as he continued to the opposite platform, glad he could offer the distraction. At least the creature had some thought-power to target him specifically. He jumped onto the platform from the bridge that was now twisted and swinging precariously to the side.
It was no use staying on the higher levels, he would have to get close if he wanted to do some damage. Still holding the beast's attention, he made for the stairs leading down to the next level. Not waiting to be blasted, he dashed to the walkway and towards the enraged beast. The creature blazed a luminous blue and a circle of light radiated from its mouth. Its howl echoed in the reactor and it fired off another round of materia spheres. Cloud raced along the metal grate as it twisted and warped behind him from the beast's eruptive magic. As he neared, the behemoth charged the walkway opening. The solid metal under Cloud's feet shuddered with the power of its footfalls as it ran to impale him. He jumped onto the railing and seconds before the creature rammed it, he sprung high. Making the most of the creature's lowered head, he struck its back with his fused sword as he came down. Just as quickly, he leaped off, for the beast swiveled and bucked.
Giving a ferocious roar, it turned its great hulking weight to rush at him. Managing to avoid the flailing tail, Cloud ran clear of the hurtling beast. Though he knew he had injured it, it was still not enough to incapacitate its movement. Despite its vast mass, the beast was still swift. But Cloud was faster and he would have to rely on speed to get another hit in. The horns gave him the most concern. These he would have to avoid.
From somewhere above came a sharp crash. Cloud grimaced and briefly stared up as he continued moving away from the beast that was intent on running him down. He could spare no more attention on the mini explosion above, but guessed it came from the top platform. Swearing under his breath, he dodged another round of materia bursts. As he ran, he switched on his communication set. "Denzel? Shelke?"
Currently he was only running from the beast and he wasn't getting anywhere but further away. The only way was to get close. But there was no way he could plan clearly and think about Denzel and Shelke. He shouted, "What was that?" He dashed to the far side, but there was no chance of seeing what was above him, and neither could he focus long enough to take advantage of any spirit energy as the creature bore down on him. If it really was the Azul Metamorphose than he recalled Vincent mentioning he was a hard kill. If Vincent said that, than he could bet it would be hard for him too.
Cloud kept as near to the Azul transformation as he could get away with, but staying out of horns' reach. Finally the creature stopped its pounding across the level to create more materia spheres. Taking advantage of the brief pause, Cloud charged towards its neck with a direct hit. In the same instance he heard rapid blasts from the levels above him. He jumped the tail as the beast, growling in pain, sought him out. Once again, bearing down on him, its stampede shook the floor under Cloud's feet. He liked to think he had slowed it down, but right then he was more concerned with what has happening above. "Shelke?" Still no answer. At least Shelke should have hers on. Evading the horns, but only slightly, he sprung over the tail as the beast circled back. Its broad forequarters struck out to the side and they were just as swift. He was tired of jumping and evading the enraged beast who he had already hit twice. Another blast from above, this one reverberated through the reactor. Cloud shouted, "What are you doing up there?" He could hear interference in his ear piece.
Denzel said, "We have a visitor…"
He had never heard Denzel sound so tense. "Can you and Shelke manage?" Presently, he could do nothing to help them as he continued to elude the beast crashing towards him.
Some moments passed before Denzel puffed into his ear, "I can manage…"
"Where's Shelke?" Cloud hated to ask, but it was best to know.
"She's… SND."
Shit. The beast charged, its horns narrowly missing him, due to Cloud's inattention – but not only that, Denzel was fighting something up there – alone. "I'll be there as soon as I can." He was now thoroughly sick of running. As the creature tore through another support, Cloud separated his sword and stood at the ready for the hulking beast to stampede him again. The creature rushed him and in the seconds that its horn violently jutted forward, Cloud sprung onto its snout. Throwing its head back, the Azul behemoth snarled and wrenched away. Cloud balanced between its two wing-like appendages and stabbed into its sides with his two swords. Somersaulting off the heaving beast towards its backend, he avoided the tail and cut into the dense hide at the back. With a fervent howl, the creature arched its back and Cloud dodged back but not far. He wasn't going to miss the opportunity of hitting it again. But its head lifted in a final roar of agony and it slumped on the ground.
Fire burst forth from the platform above. With an intense expression he looked towards the Data Core room and interlocking his swords together once more, he sprinted up the stairs.