Thanks to busard, Kisdota-The Freak Gamer, oodball167, Vanilla Raindrops, lyss222, xamss, Pookyilicous, whitespace, Nobody-XV, celticskyedancer and vLuna for reviewing last chapter and also to everyone who is still reading this of course.
Again, we apologise how long this has taken to update. We've both been incredibly busy with end of term mocks, revision and coursework. But we've both still got end of year exams next month and then afterwards we've got an epic 3 month break, so hopefully things will get moving then again.
Also, yes we've uploaded two chapters in one go, simply because they're both short. We've spent all our spare time writing and re-writing these and then trying to beta them, and then re-writing them, basically it was an endless spiral.
So naturally, an update is better than none at all right?
We're definitely going to review these at some point, possibly once we've finished exams to try and make the chapters a little longer and more descriptive. If you're gonna flame this chapters, go for it, as currently we aren't going to waste our time with any people of that sort.
E S C A P E
Chapter Twenty Nine:
Smirk
Cloud was pleased when they all left the mansion although the nagging, gnawing thoughts in the back of his mind were still distracting him. He'd thought Tifa had seen straight through him with her concerned gaze but he quickly attempted his best poker face and returned the gesture, but she still didn't seem overly satisfied with the reply.
He wondered for a moment whether or not to mention that his mother had spotted Sephiroth here and that it could be a clear coincidence that a load of papers and notebooks had been scattered across the library in the mansion, that all had something to do with Sephiroth.
Their newest recruit, Vincent Valentine an ex-Turk had remained silent since the quick and informal introductions. Cloud wasn't even sure if he felt like trusting the man yet. Trusting a man who'd locked himself up in a coffin in a mansion that was crumbling to pieces, which was covered with notes to do with experiments seemed like something hard to do.
Although the other three had welcomed the enigma quite easily. Cloud wasn't sure if it was because they were desperate for help, or maybe it was their caring nature. The second seemed to fit Tifa perfectly, but Cloud couldn't exactly see Barret with a caring nature. That being said Vincent didn't seem like he was returning the favour anytime soon. The man seemed much more comfortable hanging at the back.
But what was an ex-Turk doing locked up down there, with a keen desire to see Hojo again?
If it wasn't for the fact that Cloud was leading them away from the place he would have been much more eager to linger behind the red clad man with his hand ready to reach for his blade in case the ex-Turk didn't turn out to be an ex at all.
"Isn't there a reactor around here?" Barret called aloud. He spun on the spot as he looked for any tell-tale signs of the metal structures.
His voice snapped Tifa out of her thoughts and she looked to the large man before back at Cloud. There was a reactor around here, right?
She'd been too busy occupying her thoughts on the quiet blonde. Something had rattled the blonde's cage she was sure. The way he pulled on that fake smile unnerved her and she was tempted to demand him to tell her what he had found. But what if it was something he was keeping secret for the sake of everyone. She'd ask later she'd finally decided.
Tifa had also been thinking about their new companion. Not much had been said about the man, although she'd found it rather strange when Yuffie had cried out how Vincent was in some coffin in the basement. She was about to scold the teen for being so rude when she looked to Cloud and saw the faintest smirk across his face along with the single nod that confirmed the teen's words.
Vincent was a quiet man and Tifa guessed he liked keeping that way. He'd been carrying a triple-barrelled gun that Barret had laughed once at before waving his gun arm and asking the black haired man if he was any good with that! Vincent hadn't replied and simply followed Cloud out of the building.
The man was defiantly an enigma and Tifa already thought Cloud took up that description pretty well; Vincent made a whole new meaning for the word entirely. For starters Tifa had been trying to pinpoint the man's age as childish as it was. He didn't look a day over his late twenties and was already an ex-Turk? Cloud had briefly said he'd never come across the man whilst he'd been in the army and had never heard of a renegade Turk. Tifa had frowned at Cloud's answer and then watched him glance over his shoulder, his fists clenching and unclenching.
But so far Vincent seemed like an okay kind of guy. Sure he was quiet and could give cold glares, but for anyone to willingly help them they had to be a brave person.
"Yes" was Cloud's downcast answer as he pivoted on his heel to look at the large man.
"The why ain't we shuttin' it down?" Barret asked, his eyes narrowed as he waited for an answer.
Cloud remained silent as he mulled over Barret's question. They certainly didn't want to bring any unwanted attention to themselves especially if the silver haired general was around; they'd be practically like a beacon of shining light in a pitch black night.
But if he said not to, they would all ask why not and then he'd have to say how they might be being tracked by the most fearsome warrior around. Cloud wasn't sure which was better, although having Vincent around seemed to make him feel a little more confident. An ex-Turk would defiantly be helpful if Sephiroth did put in an appearance.
"We need to shut it down!" Barret answered when Cloud did not and Yuffie quickly agreed.
Barret was right, Tifa thought. They were here now and as Shinra most knew they'd been at the Gold Saucer, Nibelheim could be their next port of call, so what difference would it make? This is what they needed to do anyways. "This way." Tifa replied and headed towards the mountains.
She could still recall the route in her mind and could remember her father warning her to stay away from Shinra's mako reactor.
Cloud held back a sigh as Tifa lead the way with Barret and an energetic Yuffie who was crying out how she was going to bring down Shinra.
"Something you need to say?" Vincent's quiet and cold voice broke through Cloud's thoughts and he turned to look at the taller man.
Vincent's blood red eyes were fixed on him and he barely moved a muscle as he waited for the SOLDIER's reply. Cloud looked at the direction where everyone had headed and back at Vincent. Would it be better if someone else knew that Sephiroth may be here? It would defiantly help if he wasn't the only one panicking and Vincent certainly didn't seem to be the type that would suddenly have a nervous breakdown and head back to the comfort of his coffin.
"We need to be on our guard." Cloud muttered and Vincent nodded once in understanding before the two followed the other three fighters.
Tifa glanced over her shoulder as the trees thinned once more and the green grass was replaced with hard light brown stone. Both Cloud and Vincent were behind them and both were in deep conversation, although Cloud seemed to be speaking the most.
She assumed that the SOLDIER was filling Vincent in on everything so far, just like she had with the young ninja that was currently crying out as to why they had stopped.
"It's just up there!" Tifa cried as she pointed up the mountain. Barret let out a loud annoyed sigh as he followed Tifa's finger. She held back a laugh at the large man's groan before turning round and heading up the path.
She quickly warned everyone about the hazardous cliff edges they would most likely to come across and it made her remember her dead end job of working as Nibelheim's tour guide of the mountains to the nonexistent tourists. It had been a routine to list off all the mountain's hazards, but knew they would be wasted on the other four. Yuffie would most likely laugh them off, Barret would cry out that he didn't need no damn instructions on how to climb a mountain, teaching a SOLDIER how to climb a mountain seemed wrong and Vincent looked like he'd be quite capable even if one of his hands was actually a golden claw.
Everyone nodded in unison and allow Tifa to start to lead them up into the mountain.
She was sure the route she was taking was the same one she took when she'd been young and was trying to find her mother who had passed away. Cloud had been the only one who had followed her and tried to talk sense to her before she completely ignored him and cross the rope bridge. In truth the two of them had been lucky, sure she'd come out in a short coma whilst Cloud just had scraped knees, but it could have been much worse.
She really had been a stubborn kid. A small laugh escaped her lips and she paused for a moment to look over her shoulder to check on everyone. Barret was at least ten meters behind her and was holding up a frustrated Cloud who couldn't get past him. She watched as the SOLDIER muttered something and Barret turned and glared at the smaller male. Whilst Yuffie was behind Cloud and was chatting away nonstop to a passive Vincent who stood waiting as Barret finally caught up with Tifa.
Tifa called out a break as she looked at Barret's tired face. She pitied the man and knew if you didn't live in a place like this you would most likely struggle. The large man gave her a smile and sat down on the stone floor. Yuffie followed and sat down whilst Vincent kept walking past. She went to stop him when Cloud caught her arm.
"He'll be alright." Cloud answered, before letting go of her arm.
Tifa turned and looked into the distance. The dark clouds still hung in the air but from where they stood they could see the sun trying to pierce through the clouds. They could see the small town and Tifa could even identify her house among them, Cloud let out a small laugh when she pointed their two houses out. She wanted to turn and ask him what was on his mind as he lifted off his broadsword from his back like it was a piece of paper and dug it into the ground. She watched him as he lazily stretched his arms.
"We better keep going." He mumbled as his mako eyes were still focused on the town. "I don't want us travelling down here at night." He added with a final stretch, before swinging his sword back onto his back and then leading the rest of the way.
Barret grumbled loudly before getting to his feet and following the SOLDIER.
The path widened as they carried on ascending the mountain and soon enough the large reactor came into view. There was a flight of stairs that led to a single door that hung open on its hinges. Everyone fell silent as the metal hinges creaked in the soft wind. Cloud could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Had Sephiroth come here, expecting that they would come to the reactor?
Barret was the first to move and Cloud quickly followed him. Barret's heavy footsteps crashed against the steel steps and echoed around the mountain. Eventually everyone followed the two and Cloud made sure he was the first to enter.
The room had a deep reddish glow. There was another long flight of stairs leading to another door. All around there were countless metal pods, each one with a single circular glass pane which glowed a bright blue. It took a moment for Cloud to notice the single open pod and what each pod was harbouring now lay on the floor.
The SOLDIER instinctively reached for his sword and slowly walked towards the motionless monster. Its skin was scaly and blue and its hands were almost like talons. Vincent followed the blonde and the two stood quietly staring at the creature. They both frowned at the creatures human legs and a shiver ran down Cloud's spine. "This was human." He muttered before glancing into another pod and seeing the exact same creature.
"Looks like Hojo's work." Vincent mumbled following Cloud's gaze.
Cloud stared round the reactor and wanted to shout at everyone to get out. He wondered if Sephiroth had been here and that was why one of the pods was open. He looked to the other three who were all standing by the door. Tifa held a hand to her face as she stared at the monster before she turned to look at Cloud.
He stared round before gazing up the stairs. He frowned as he read the word above a smashed door. "Jenova..." He mumbled mostly to himself, but noticed Vincent's albeit small reaction. Cloud's thoughts ran back to what he'd found in the library back in the mansion. Had Sephiroth come across this and then went to the mansion in hope to shine light on what all of this was?
Unable to control his curiosity he walked up the stairs that echoed his footsteps. He flexed his fingers around the hilt of his blade and then tightened his grip as he stared at the demolished door. That had to have been Sephiroth. Cloud stopped at the smashed door and casually ran his fingers across the jagged metal ages, knowing a SOLDIER must have demolished the door, as he wasn't certain what else could. The smashed door lead to another room and the stench of mako filled the air.
Cloud glanced over his shoulder to check that no one was following him before continuing through. All of their eyes were on him as they watched his every move. He raised his hand and waved it at them to stay back. The room was lit in a green glow from the mako below. The stench made Cloud wrinkle his nose and narrow his eyes slightly. The whole building didn't seem like a reactor at all! There was a small platform and then from it a small red bridge almost led up to a second platform.
He stared up at the second platform and at an empty glass pod. Cloud slowly walked towards it, straining his ears as he did so, listening for any noise to show that he wasn't alone in the room.
He frowned as he spotted torn wires in front of the glass, like something had been connected there at some point. Cloud glanced round and spotted what looked like a metal statue almost, that appeared like it had been thrown across the room.
He eyed the empty glass pod and wondered what should have been in there. He carefully lifted his fingers and ran them across the gleaming glass. He checked his gloves expecting there to be a layer of dust and instead there was nothing. Whatever had been in there had been moved and recently.
Cloud swivelled round and looked at the entrance he'd just come from. Was Jenova supposed to be in there? The thing that they excavated all those years ago had been here all along, just above his hometown.
"CLOUD!"
Tifa voice slashed through the silence and Cloud spun round. He dashed down the red bridge carefully not to slip and fall into the green mass below. His footsteps pounded out behind him, breaking the silence that quickly formed. He raced back into the first metal room and skidded to a stop at the top of the stairs and froze.
A pair of green eyes fixed on him from the entrance and slowly a man took one single stride into the room. In his hand was the infamous masamune that shone in the bright lights. It was held steady in his left hand despite the two guns that were held directly on him.
The man lifted the blade and pointed it straight at him.
But despite the threatening infamous weapon that the General held was being directly pointed at Cloud, that wasn't what scared him the most. It was the strange horrific smirk that Cloud had never seen on Sephiroth's normally passive face that scared him right to his core.
