yay i posted something on time lol! hooray for being on time! and hooray for spring! I can't tell you how excited i am that spring is almost here! Enjoy the warmer weather my loves! Go outside and frolic among the flowers and skip down the streets, just be sure you're wearing pants. ^_^ anywho i'll let you get to the story. This chapter was inspired by the song "Resistance" by Muse
Kadaj felt a sudden breeze as Rufus ripped the linen away from himself. The boy turned his head to see what the commotion was all about and when his eyes caught sight of the black capsule, he forgot about everyone and everything thing that was in that area.
"Mother!" Kadaj said with hushed tone as he left Shazz's side and walked slowly towards Rufus. His body could feel the energy of Jenova's cells and his limbs only reacted to her call. Any sane thought, no matter how small, had completely disappeared.
Shazz scrambled to her feet the best she can. It was hard to do when one's hands is were still tied but Rufus had warned her to run and now wasn't the time to dwell on misfortunes. Her legs were like rubber beneath her as she continued to stare at Rufus. He had this sarcastic grin on his face has his hand held tightly to the capsule.
"A good son would have known." His tone was had a dangerous calm to it as he taunted the frantic boy. If one would blink their eyes, they would have missed the shift in Rufus eyes has they looked at Shazz. In the brief moment, his blue orbs yelled "Run Shazz! Run now!" Without warning, Rufus threw the capsule off the building.
Shazz dashed towards a pale steal store that lead towards a staircase. A cry of terror and pain ripped through Kadaj and this made Shazz pick up the pace. She swung the door open and started to run down the stairs as fast as she could.
Kadaj in all his anguish unleashed a fire attack straight at Rufus. In en effort to dodge it, he threw himself over the edge. As he started to fall, Rufus produced a gun from under his sleeve and began to fire wildly at the boy who had jumped off in pursuit of the capsule. Kadaj tightened his arms to his side to make himself more aerodynamic and he managed to free fall past Rufus.
The president quickly maneuvered his body and continued to shoot. One lucky shot managed to knick the black container and green liquid started to seep out. The commotion from the building top caused Reno and Rude to stop their fight with Kadaj's subordinates. The two Turks looked up in panic as they saw Rufus falling to the ground and they immediately took off towards the building.
When they arrived, they were relieved to see that Tseng and Elena had sent out a safety net to catch the president. Reno and Rude rushed to their comrade's sides but as they approached, a large explosion went off inside the building. A wave of heat passed over them and they held up their arms to shield their eyes from falling debris.
"SIR!" Reno shouted "Are you alright?"
"Never better." Came the president's reply as he pulled himself up in to a sitting position. "Now, if you wouldn't mind getting me down from here."
"Right away Sir." The two partners said in unison as they rushed to aid Tseng and Elena. However, Tseng's mind wasn't on helping the president as he climbed down from his perch from a near by building. He kept starring at the entrance of the other structure, praying Shazz would make it out.
A hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his trance. He looked down and saw the sympathetic gaze of Elena's. "It's ok Sir. Take Reno and go look for her. Rude and I can handle things from here."
"Thank you." He whispered as he laid a hand upon hers. She nodded her and turned to face her other comrades.
"Reno, you're going with Tseng to look for Shazz."
"Aye aye captain." He stated as he followed Tseng into the burning building.
Cloud threw his bike into full throttle when he heard the sound of the explosion. He saw Kadaj land on the ground and he was clutching something tightly to him.
Kadaj heard the sound of the approaching motorbike and he quickly took off to get his. With the capsule safely tucked under his arm, he turned his ignition and sped away into the crowd. Cloud tore off recklessly through the throng of people that still lingered in the plaza. He managed to weave in and out of them and soon he and Kadaj had made it to an empty highway.
The silver haired boy could feel Cloud quickly approaching and for the first time since he had arrived, the taste of fear lingered on his tongue. He would not let Cloud get a hold of mother, not when he finally held her in his arms.
Cloud was just about to catch up with Kadaj, when a bullet whizzed past his ear. He turned his head to see Yazoo and Loz were hot on his trail. He quickly pulled out his sword and prepared to defend himself.
Yazoo rammed the back of his bike making Cloud lose control of his bike momentarily. The gun fire came rapidly so he held his sword in front of him to deflect the bullets. Loz took this time to pull up beside Cloud and rammed the side of his bike.
Cloud whipped his motorcycle around and slashed at the silver haired demons. As he swung his weapon, the natural light of the sun was being blocked out by the eerie glow of florescent lights as they entered in to a tunnel.
Loz and Yazoo pulled ahead and were riding dangerously close to one another. Loz charged up his weapon and jumped on to the back of his brother's bike. With surprising dexterity, the muscle head bent his body low to the ground and smashed his weapon into the concrete. The energy that flowed from his arm sent Loz's bike hurling towards Cloud.
The spiky haired boy stood up and launched himself off the seat of his bike. With ample skill, Cloud managed to twist his body to avoid the bullets that were still being shot at him. He raised his sword and with one mighty swing, he sliced through Loz's bike as if it were a thin piece of paper.
Gasoline flooded the street and sparks from the broken bike skidding along the pavement ignited the gas and sent the tunnel up in a blaze. The Explosion had knocked Loz back and Yazoo swerved to make sure his brother landed back on the bike. This allowed Cloud to gain a respectable distance from Kadaj's minions but he didn't let go of the fact that they would continue to follow him.
Shazz started to slowly come back to her senses. She knew she was lying on steady ground, but at the same time, she felt like she was lying on nothing at all. A since of warmth and security was tucked in around her and the sweet smell of flowers filled the air. She felt a nostalgic feeling flow through her and even though she felt her eyes trying to open, she wanted to keep them closed for fear that this was all just a dream.
She did her best to not wake up, but a hand was wrapping itself around hers and she had no choice but to open her eyes. A beautiful white light flooded her vision and everything in this vacant room glittered with a brilliance of a thousand stars.
Shazz turned her head and what she saw next was much more breath taking than any other heavenly body in the universe. A pair of shimmering blue eyes were smiling back at her.
"Zack!?" she whispered as tears weld up in her eyes and a smile formed on her lips
It was true, Zack was lying next to her and his hand was holding her hand. The sensation was too much for her to bear and her tears flowed without remorse down her face.
"Hey now, what have I told you about crying?" he said as he reached over and brushed away her tears.
"I know I know. That's why this smile is for you. These tears are just because I don't want to be dead yet."
Zack chuckled and pulled his dear friend closer. The two laid in each other arms the same way they did the night before he left for Nibelheim. Her head was upon his chest and his arms were wrapped tightly around her.
"Don't worry Shazzberry, you're not dead."
"Then why am I here?" She said through her sniffles.
"Because this was the only time you've been in a deep enough rest for me to come and visit you."
Shazz's fingers kneaded the material of Zack's shirt and the smell of lilies filled her nostrils. "Zack, I've missed you so much…" It looked like she was going to say something else but she hesitated.
"But?" Said Zack, finishing her sentence.
"I can't stay here. I have to go help Cloud."
"Don't you think you've done enough? I mean look at where you are sweetheart. People just don't come to purgatory for fun. You're last endeavor left you unconscious."
Shazz propped herself up and looked at Zack with a confused glare. "So do you just want me to give up?"
The dark haired man only smiled and brushed away the stray hair that hung in Shazz's face. "I'm not asking you to do that. I'm asking you to let me back in. Don't you remember? You begged me to leave you to help Cloud and the moment I let you out of my sight, you almost blow yourself up."
"But it helped Cloud didn't it? He's fighting and standing on his own two feet. Doesn't that make it all worth it?"
"Not if the price is your life Shazz."
For the first time Zack had left her completely speechless. She let out a frustrated sigh and laid her head back down upon his chest. "I can't believe you would only appear before me to give me a lecture."
"Well…" Zack's nose crinkled as he pondered what to say next "I guess since I didn't get the chance to in my lifetime, I thought I'd get a better shot in the next."
Though the joke was tasteless, Shazz couldn't help but laugh as she nuzzled in closer to her friend. "Ok ok Zack, you win."
The two laid there in a comfortable silence for awhile. They enjoyed the time that was given to them to hold on to each other and even though Shazz was grateful to have Zack back in her arms, she couldn't help but wonder when she was going back.
Zack could feel her nervousness and he started to run his fingers through her hair. "Are you that anxious to leave me?"
"Its not that I'm anxious, it's just, I thought since I'm not dead I shouldn't be staying here this long." Shazz sat up next to her friend and flashed him a mischievous smile. "And besides, I'm really not ready to spend eternity with you yet."
"And we're back to square one." He sat up, gathered her back in his arms, and squeezed her tightly. Both of them laughed liked they used too and it was nice to be able to do that again. Slowly he let her go and his famous "Zack Fair smile" was plastered on his lips "You couldn't let me have just one could you?"
"Shazz…come on…please…wake up"
The young woman looked around the room to find where the echoing voice was coming from. "Zack, what was that?"
"I think that's the world calling you back?"
"Oh I see. The way of getting back to the planet is to set things back to where they're supposed to be. All is right with the world when I'm winning Zack."
Shazz was expecting him to get upset, but instead he gently held her face in his hands, pulled her close, and kissed her forehead. "All is right with the world as long as you are in it. Promise me you'll keep yourself out of trouble."
"I don't think I can promise you that" she said as she tangled her hands in raven hair and returned the kiss, "All I can promise you is that I'll be sure to look out for Cloud."
"Pleas open your eyes Shazz! Come on! You're stronger than this! Come back to me"
Shazz could feel herself being pulled away and she quickly threw her arms around his neck "I love you Zack. Forever and always." She whispered as tears started to flow again.
"I love you sweetheart. Please, at least do me this one favor…" he whispered something in her ear and in burst of brilliant white light, she was no longer in the arms of her beloved friend.
Shazz's eyes snapped open to cloudy skies and skyscrapers. Every cut and every bruise that she didn't feel when she was with Zack was now hitting her ten fold. She started coughing violently as the smoke from the explosion still filled her lungs.
"Shazz, are you ok? I was so worried." Shazz looked up and a pair of concerned grey eyes were looking down at her. She felt his arms wrapped safely around her and despite her discomfort, she smiled.
"I saw him Tseng, my Zack." She reached up and she laid a frail hand upon his cheek. "He said it wasn't my time. You shouldn't worry so much."
Tseng let out sigh and flashed a slight smile. Even though she looked like she had been through hell, there was a certain glow in her eyes that made him believe that she had been with her friend. "I'm glad for that Shazz."
Shazz pushed her self to sit up and let out a little cry as pain shot through her body again.
"You shouldn't push yourself, just rest awhile."
"No, I'll be ok. Please just help me up." Tseng helped to pull herself up on her feet. She wobbled a bit but her pride made her try all the more to stand steadily.
"Shazz, things are becoming way more dangerous. Come, let me take you home and…"
She took a step away from him as he reached out to take her hand. "I'm sorry Tseng, but I'm not going anywhere."
For a moment he was startled by her reaction, but he quickly brushed it off. Maybe she had hit her head harder than he thought. "Come on Shazz, it's only for your safe…"
"No, I'm not leaving without Cloud!"
"Out of the question! Cloud has gone after Kadaj and there is no reason for you to go after him."
"I have every reason. Cloud is in the fight of his life and you're asking me to run away? I can't do that!"
Shazz's defiance was starting to eat away from him. He knew it might sound selfish but he thought he had lost her and he wasn't about to let that happen again, even it meant taking her out of the fight to protect her friend. "Shazz, this is not a request! I mean will you look at yourself?! You have scratches everywhere, bruises upon bruises, and not to mention the fact that you nearly died! You're in no shape to do anything!"
His words stung her a little. Of all people she thought he would understand her need to help Cloud. "Please Tseng, if you come with me then…"
"No, this discussion is over. Reno!" He yelled and in a few minutes the red head came running.
His sky blue eyes locked on to Shazz and he smiled "Hey, you're awake!"
"Reno," the tone of Tseng's voice made him change his joyful demeanor "Stay here and keep an eye on Shazz. I'm going to get the president and we will be taking off here shortly."
"Ok but Tseng…" but that was all that he was able to get out before his superior walked away from him. He turned to scowl at Shazz. "Great, I'm stuck on babysitting duty again."
"Do you think I wanted this?" she fired back "I don't need anyone to watch over me but Tseng can't seem to just leave me alone."
"Well duh Shazz, that man loves you! He was practically tearing the place apart trying to find and when you saw you buried underneath a pile of rubble I thought he was going to lose it. I'm not mad because he wants to keep you safe, I'm mad that he let his emotions get in the way of the plan. I should be on my way to blow up an overpass right now!"
Shazz stood there dumbfounded. She couldn't believe that Reno had figured out that Tseng had feelings for her considering Tseng wasn't the type to open up like that. But she put that thought aside and focused on something more important. It was apparent that she and Reno didn't want to be standing here.
Now Shazz wasn't completely disregarding Tseng's feelings. She loved him too, but her loyalty to Cloud ran much deeper. With all of her heart she believed that Cloud could win if he knew she was there by his side and it was a feeling she was not ready to relinquish.
"Hey Reno, maybe you and I could help each other?"
"Oh no little miss devil with a halo. I'm not going to risk going against his orders so that means your ass is staying put."
Shazz was infuriated and she reached out and grabbed the collar of Reno's shirt. She pulled him close and the Turk couldn't help but be a little scared when he came face to face with raging brown eyes.
"Listen Red!" She hissed as she squeezed his cotton shirt a little tighter "I want to help Cloud and you want to blow shit up. The way I see it, none of us are going to get what we want unless we work together. Now get me out of here or I swear to god you will never set another fire again because I'll see to it that you remain by my side for the rest of your life."