A/N Pumped out another chapter, awesome. You know i have realized you guys seem to appreciate my stuff more than i do. Every time i ask for my chapter to get revised and i feel like i did sub par work you all still love it. I find this really hard to believe, seriously is this that good? i just want literal confirmation on this because almost every other chapter i expect some kind of constructive criticism and i have only had like three of those types of reviews.
Anyway enough rambling, you guys want to get to see what happens next right? well go on, read. Move those eyes left to right and back to the left so you can go down and continue, and maybe go back up a sentence because you were like "wait i skipped something" and then have to search the entire paragraph to remeber where that sentence was.
Ch 35
She looked all around herself, nothing but darkness as far as her eyes could see. She couldn't remember how she got here, or where "here" was, but it felt as if hours had passed and she still couldn't find a way out.
"I hope everyone is okay," She mumbled to herself. She didn't want to find anyone else around here, but she didn't want to be alone either. After all, this place was so vast... and empty.
Looking around she noticed an odd shade of yellow in the distance. Being the only odd change she started walking toward it. As she got closer she noticed the blue suit start to come into her view, as well as a very familiar sword.
"Cloud? ...Cloud!" Tifa called; happy someone was here with here. She started running towards him.
"Cloud!" He got up, and started walking away. Tifa panicked and started running faster, but no matter how fast she was he seemed to get further and further away. Soon enough he was disappearing from her view until he was just a speck in the distance. When she was surrounded by darkness again she finally collapsed. She wanted to keep running, but she would never have caught up. She started tearing up, remembering how she fell the same way at the cave when Cloud had snapped, making her feel helpless and useless.
"...I didn't know what to do... I was always like that..." She remembered when she saw Cloud again at the train stop being helped out by some stranger. She was so happy when she remembered it had been so long since he left Nibelheim. But when he talked to her, he said it had been only four years since she last saw him, when it was seven. She hadn't seen him since the day he went to join Shinra, but he remembered different. When she got to talk about him she realized something was wrong with him. All the things he should have known, but didn't, and all of the things he did but shouldn't have. It concerned her, he was a friend and something was wrong with him. That's why she had offered him the job in AVALANCHE, he was going to leave her and she couldn't let him go out on his own. In the end they had dragged along Nathan and everything took off more or less.
Tifa decided to open her eyes, but she was greeted by a sudden flash of white as well as the feeling she was lying down now. She shut her eyes immediately and groaned. She felt someone on her side but she was comforted when he spoke.
"You okay?" She knew Barret's voice well enough to tell where ever she was.
"The glare..."
"You'll be better soon; you've been asleep a long time." He said.
"I'm...hungry..." She realized how weak she sounded and the fact that she was indeed hungry, in fact starving
"Hey, why don't you ask... about him." She closed her eyes at the reminder. She didn't want to ask that so soon. She didn't feel ready for it.
"...Because I'm scared." She leaned up, noticing they weren't on the airship anymore. She was on some kind of operating table in a room with the shades drawn.
"Don't worry; I don't know what happened to Cloud either." He walked over, but looked away and scratched his head. "I guess I shouldn't tell you not to worry, no one knows if he's alright."
"He's still... alive, right?" Barret didn't answer, unsure himself of their blond leader's condition.
"How long was I asleep?" Tifa asked, judging from the room and lack of movement they weren't on the Highwind, so they had to have had time to land.
"Lessee... must have been at least seven days." He said. For a whole week she was knocked out. Which meant she missed out on too much.
"What about Sephiroth?"
"You ain't over it yet?" Barret said, walking closer. "Remember that huge light at the Northern Cave? Since then the craters been surrounded by a huge barrier of light. Everyone knows Sephiroth sleeps in that big hole, protected by the barrier. We can't do a damn thing about it either; we gotta wait till he wakes up." Tifa slowly sat up more and put her legs over the medical table, Barret continued
"On top of that, some huge monster called WEAPONs been on a rampage."
"WEAPON?" Tifa asked.
"Remember that huge monster that was at the bottom with Sephiroth? Well it's up here now; they say it's some legendary monster of the past." Tifa slowly remembered the videos back at Icicle Inn, the giant creatures made to fight Jenova. But what changed so they helped him? Did he possibly gain control?
"WEAPON... is protecting Sephiroth?"
"Don't know, but he's up here goin around and tearing shit up. Right now Rufus is fighting it. Hate to say it, but the man has guts." Tifa agreed, anyone who was willing to fight off the Planet's personal arsenal had to be stupid, psychotic, or had balls of mythril.
"We shoulda been the ones to destroy it. But we don't have time..."
"Time... what about Meteor?" She asked. Barret looked at her before waving his hand to come closer. He pressed a button on the side of the wall that raised the blinds.
In the middle of the sky was a giant hunk of rock, surrounded by swirling red energy and already closer to the planet than the moon. Tifa stood in shock and awe at the mass aimed at the world, bent on nearly destroying it.
"Do we have to give up?" She asked. Sephiroth was alive, Meteor had been called, and now they were most likely captured from what it looked like. To Tifa it basically spelled out doom for everyone.
"...dunno." Barret mumbled, almost to himself.
"Barret, where is everyone else?" Tifa asked, knowing they were the only two in the room.
"They got away; I guess that's something... Aeris was taken to another cell..." He started, remembering what happened and telling Tifa.
A day and a half had already passed and AVALANCHE was on edge. Tifa was out like a light after her fall, Aeris and Red were thrown in with the rest of them when they woke up, and now they were confined to one room before their arrived in Junon.
"I can't believe this shit." Cid said, about to light his smoke but gave up and put it away.
"We failed... we couldn't stop him." Aeris said, looking at the floor.
"And now we lost two members." Vincent noted. Barret didn't want to be reminded. Cloud was hard enough to abandon, but he looked over and saw Yuffie just spacing out and looking at his blood coated arm, still shocked at Nate being dropped in the crater.
"Yeah, hear about this my ass; Rufus just wanted us locked up." Cid kept ranting, Barret just kept quiet. He didn't know how to take the whole situation.
"What are they going to do?" Aeris asked.
"Imprison us maybe, it's hard to tell, everything's hectic." Red said.
"Shouldn't that Holy have done something by now? I mean you prayed to it, why hasn't Meteor blown up already?" Cid asked Aeris, she shook her head.
"I don't know, every time I ask all I hear is the Planet crying. It believes that it's doomed... I can't convince it otherwise." She tucked in her knees and wrapped her arms around herself. Barret could tell Aeris was scared, and this time she didn't put up a happy or caring face. She had genuine sadness and fear in her eyes.
Suddenly the door to the cabin opened and in walked Rufus, Hojo, and a small group of guards.
"Have you all been enjoying your stay?" Rufus asked, no one responded, the man sighed.
"We will be arriving in Junon in one hour. I would like you all to be obedient and allow my men to escort you to your new arrangements."
"Well shit, might as well just kill us now." Barret said. Rufus shook his head.
"We still need a few of you to answer questions, as well as-"
"Bah. Just let me see the girl." Hojo interrupted, Rufus just nodded. Barret now noticed how different the scientist looked. All of his skin had a sickly green tint to it, along with some spots having a darker shade, his forehead was more pronounced, and his hair had fallen out front. Barret stop analyzing and almost jumped from his seat when he forcefully grabbed Yuffie.
"What do you think you're doing?" Cid demanded, his fists up and ready to attack.
"Just collecting what I want." Hojo had pulled out a small vial and cloth. He had kept hold of Yuffie's struggling arm surprisingly well since he wasn't even half as muscular as her. He used the cloth to wipe off every last bit of blood from her arm and put it in the vial.
"Are you happy now?" Rufus asked, clearly irritated. Hojo smiled.
"I have what samples I could obtain from the anomaly, they will suffice." Hojo walked out, confusing the rest of the group.
"Samples, the hell was he talking about?" Barret spoke up again.
"Personally I want the blood to see who your friend really was, quite the puzzle he has made." Rufus said, confusing him.
"What are you talking about?" Yuffie asked, having talked for the first time in the last few days.
"You know we had files on all of you, birth dates, known family, even past run-ins with Shinra. Nathan River however we had no such file, in fact he never existed anywhere." This stumped Barret. One of his allies didn't technically exist? How was that possible? He could have been on the run from Shinra or someone, but even he didn't know of anyone having their records wiped that clean unless they had the money and power to do so.
"I'm sure you're now thinking about who your dead friend really was. I must go, I'll let you all come to terms and grieve your lost comrades... however you must come with us." Rufus and his guards took Aeris out of her seat. She didn't struggle, knowing she couldn't do much. But that didn't stop Barret.
"Get your hands awa-" Barret was shortly smashed in the face with the butt of a rife, forcing him back down, and Aeris being walked out by the president.
"Great, another member down." Cid said. Barret rubbed his face.
"What the hell are they going to do?" Barret asked.
"Not sure... she might be sent back to Midgar to finish the experiments." Barret seethed at Vincent's explanation, considering it being highly possible.
"And what was it about Nate never existing?" Cid added.
"Never existed?" Yuffie said.
"Is that even possible? Hey darkness, can someone just be born and not be recorded by Shinra?"
"It's almost impossible. Shinra is Gaia's main powerhouse of government. All records of anyone would eventually be copied and sent to them."
"Even Cosmo Canyon sends in the birth and death dates." Red added, looking uncomfortable in the conversation.
"So did he get his record wiped or something?" Cid asked, Vincent shook his head.
"That is Turk territory, Shinra's forte is censorship after all. But he would have had a Turk following him for the rest of his life just to make sure his identity was kept a secret. Even then he would have been registered as someone else." Vincent explained.
"So we'll never know." Yuffie said.
"I don't give a shit. Nate was our friend..." Barret said. He was at first suspicious of the kid when they first met. But having traveled with him, Barret knew he was a good guy. He apparently lied about being from Mideel but he knew a lot about saving the planet, fighting monsters and their weaknesses, and cracking a joke here and there. A sudden jolt jarred everyone out of their thoughts and made them look around.
"Looks like we're here." Red said, standing and stretching.
"Damn it, we can't let them haul us off like this. We should at least put up a fight!" Cid said.
"They took our weapons and materia, we can't do anything." Yuffie said.
"We gotta try somethin. Think guys, we need to bust out of here." Barret said, standing.
"I am not completely hindered." Vincent got up and got close to the door, he motioned for Barret to get near. He held up his hand to show his five fingers outstretched when they bent down. When he reached zero he pulled his gauntlet back and smashed it through the cabin door.
"Move." He said simply. Barret complied and went out to knock out the MP guarding the door with a quick hit. He motioned for everyone else to move out to the hallway.
"I know this place like the back of my hand. I know where they'd put the weapons." Everyone unconsciously followed Cid as they ran through the hallways, making sure to avoid any more Shinra personnel.
"Right... here." Cid opened a door revealing the weapon storage room, filled with all of their items.
"Good, we have something to defend ourselves with." Red said, grabbing a few materia along with Yuffie snatching the rest in a bag. Vincent took his gun and stocked up on bullets while Cid grabbed his spear.
"Now how do we get off?" Barret asked.
"There are multiple rope ladders to go down on. I know one is in the back of here," Cid mused, rubbing his chin and remembering how the airship worked.
"What about Aeris? We have to go back to pick up Tifa too." Red said.
"I don't know where they would hold her." Cid responded.
"We can't search the entire place, she could be anywhere." Vincent said.
"We are not leaving anyone behind," Yuffie spoke up, a very dark tone in her voice. Barret tried to think up something but he kept coming up with blanks. They needed to get away, but abandoning their friends just wasn't an option. The only way this would work out would be a rescue mission being planned afterwards.
"Then I'll stay." Everyone looked at Barret. "You guys take my gun and materia. I'll stay to keep tabs on Tifa and Aeris since she'd slow us down and we don't know where the other is."
"I don't like this Barret." Red said. Barret just handed his gun to Vincent and walked out.
"I'll distract them for a while and run around while you guys get away. I know you all can plan something while you're all out. The three of us can survive until you all come back." He said. He looked at the remainder of the group as they contemplated over his idea.
"Stay safe big guy. We'll be back; I have to take my ship back after all." Cid said, a smile on his face.
"We'll make sure to find a way to get you all out." Red added.
"They can't keep us all down forever." Yuffie said with a smirk.
"Don't make things worse for yourself." Vincent finished. Everyone looked at Barret's smiling face. They all ran out the room while Barret started running in the opposite hall and yelling, making sure to give his friends more time.
"Guards finally caught me and started yellin at me to tell them where they all went. I didn't budge and they just moved us here, nothing much has happened till now." He finished, Tifa showing a thoughtful look.
"Nathan... didn't exist?" Tifa spoke up.
"Not according to them." Barret looked at her, seeing the sadness that another person was most likely dead. Both heard a click and turned around to the door. President Rufus now in the room.
"And here I thought Cloud would show up to save you all... Hojo wanted to check up on him and Nate too."
"What are you going to do to Cloud and Nate?" Tifa asked, eyes narrowed.
"We can't do much since the latter is now dead." Tifa's eyes narrowed. Rufus saw and made a smug look.
"In any case, Sephiroth's alter ego is now gone. Meteor has been summoned, so it's all over now... so there is no need for you... No, maybe there is an important task for you still." Just then a large man walked in behind Rufus.
"Mr. President! Preparations for the public execution are complete." Heidegger announced.
"Execution?" Barret turned back and yelled. "What the hell are you gunna get for executing us?"
"You are to be executed for causing this situation. People are ignorant; they'll feel better as long as somebody is punished.
"I take back what little praise I had for this jackass!" He said, holding his gun-less arm as if wanting to fire. Rufus brushed it off.
"Well enjoy your last moments together." Rufus left the room to both AVALANCHE members relief, but it was cut short when Heidegger laughed.
"I'll tie your arms now." Shortly after both were being escorted through the many hallways of Junon. Both Barret and Tifa looked around the area for weak points. Yet there was always a contingent of MP's and even a few SOLDIERs here and there. Having followed Heidegger they arrived into a large room filled with chairs, a few reporters, and Scarlet standing in front of a podium with multiple mikes and behind her a wall with the Shinra logo enlarged and painted in the middle.
"Everyone here, these are the ones who brought this madness into the world!" Every reporter turned and started taking pictures of Tifa and Barret. Tifa had remained straight faced and silent about the ordeal, Barret was willing to be more vocal.
"The hell are these people?" Barret looked around.
"We will be broadcasting your miserable deaths live on national television." Scarlet said, starring more at the camera than at the two of them. In the seat closest to her, one very large reporter in an overcoat and fedora hat that covered his face held his mike up.
"Scarlet, why a public execution in this day and age?" He asked. Barret and Tifa noticed the voice had a familiar... accent to it that they couldn't place. Scarlet walked and motioned for the camera to follow her.
"With the chaos resulting from Meteor reports, we desperately need to rally public support. Its better we punish somebody, anybody."
"You make me sick." Tifa said, making a disgusted look at Scarlet while the camera panned over to her.
"Ha ha ha. They'll never admit it, but everyone loves this stuff!" Scarlet said, before she could continue another reporter stood up.
"But what about the supporters for AVALANCHE? All the way from Midgar to Cosmo Canyon there are people saying that AVALANCHE has only supported the people." Scarlet sneered before recomposing herself.
"Eco-terrorists like AVALANCHE will always have a few people supporting them, saying they are trying to help. But they are just that. Terrorists that need to be punished for their crimes. Starting with her." She pointed at Tifa. Barret struggled with his hands and started yelling.
"If you gotta do it... do me first!" He offered. He couldn't let Tifa be taken out before they could have been rescued. Whatever it was he would be able to last longer than her.
"Camera, this way! Make sure you get this. The audience just eats up tearful goodbyes!" Barret looked straight at the man in front of him.
"Get that camera outta my face!" He promptly bashed his head into the device, causing the man to stumble back and multiple MP's come up to restrain him.
"Take her away." Scarlet ordered. More MP's came and took Tifa's arms and followed Scarlet to the next hallway and into another room. It was completely metallic, with a very bulky and metal chair off to the side. Scarlet got behind Tifa and pushed her in front of the chair, angering the dark haired girl even more.
"What are you doing?" Scarlet came over and began to take off her handcuffs.
"This is my special gas chamber. Take your time, and enjoy a slow painful death." Scarlet said, she pushed Tifa into the chair and the MP started hooking her hands and legs into it. Scarlet looked at the defiance in Tifa's face and became annoyed.
"Stuck up bitch." Scarlet pulled her hand back and slapped Tifa across her face. Satisfied, she left the room along with the MP. Tifa had kept her head down but looked up when she heard a cling on the ground. Not ten inches from her foot was the key to the cuffs binding her to the chair. Later, Barret saw Scarlet enter the room again and faced the camera once more.
"Well now the shows about to begin! Ha ha ha!" Scarlet laughed haughtily. But suddenly a large blaring noise filled the room, a man's voice now on an intercom.
"Emergency! Emergency! WEAPON's approaching! Attention all military personal; take your positions!"
"Oh no! It's WEAPON!" One reporter yelled, dropping his camera and making a break for the exit.
"RUN!" Another yelled, making the entire room charge out besides the MP's holding Barret and the odd fat reporter.
"Hey. Hey, all of you! Damn it why now?" Scarlet seethed, having lost her few minutes of fame. But the reporter from before pulled his mike out and held it up to her.
"How does it feel now, Scarlet?" He asked. Scarlet looked at him as if he were crazy, but then smirked.
"You didn't run away, I'm impressed. How do I feel right now..." She was about to answer but the mike let out a small green mist that entered her nostrils, making her fall to the floor.
"Huh, sleeping gas?" Barret mumbled. The man then tore of his coat and fedora, revealing a cat bouncing on top of a Mog.
"Intruder!" one of the guards screamed, both attempted to attack Cait but Barret tripped one and started kicking him while he was down. The other was about to shoot at Cait when the Mog grabbed the man and lifted him into the air and threw him on top of the other guard.
"Sleep tight!" He put his mike into both of their faces while they were down and they were both out like a light. Barret looked at the cat who was smiling.
"I came to help!" He couldn't believe that the cat that abandoned everyone on the ship was in front of him.
"Why you? Aren't you a part of Shinra?" He asked. The cat kept his smile.
"Let's just say I'm against capital punishment. Besides..." He gestured toward the sleeping Scarlet. "I hate that broad. Now come on, we got to help Tifa." Cait handed Barret his gun arm, he attached it and was given some bullets as well.
"I'll keep watch at the entrance." He nodded and let Cait pass him. Barret went over to Scarlet, seeing if he could find the key to the gas room. He was shocked when he didn't find one though.
"Fools... I already... pressed the switch..." Scarlet said sleepily. Barret's eyes widened when he looked at the big screen, seeing Tifa's still body. He ran up to the door and started pulling as hard as he could. But it was sealed shut.
"I can't open it!"
Heidegger ran down the computer room, seeing his boss at the end looking out of the giant window.
"It's WEAPON!" He said, breathing heavily. Rufus kept staring out the window.
"There have been so many attacks recently, are you sure we can handle this?" The president asked, his calm demeanor not faltering even a little.
"I believe so, orders?" Heidegger asked. Rufus gave an odd chuckle.
"No need to ask." Heidegger nodded. Seeing military personnel arrive, he saluted the president.
"We'll give it a shot from our big cannon!" He turned to the personnel and threw his fist in the air, almost ecstatic. "Open cannon doors! Activate cannon. Target: WEAPON!" All of the men saluted to Heidegger and began running the computers in the room.
"Starting safety protocols!" One yelled.
"Secondary anti-ship missiles are online and ready to fire sir!" Another yelled.
"Changing trajectory coordinates!"
"Powering up Mako reactor!"
"Junon is encased and shielded from harm!"
"Troops in position, weapons at the ready, standing by."
"Mako reactor producing at optimal capacity!"
"Sister Ray locked on to target!"
"Sir, preparations are complete!" Amongst all of the fuss, one soldier saluted Heidegger.
"The cannon" Heidegger looked at the approaching waves of water. He smiled and winded up his arm before throwing it out
"Fire!" The room suddenly shook as the cannon shot a burst of Mako enhance projectile towards their target. Everyone watched in the distance as the projectile burst as it hit something in the ocean, a large mushroom cloud filling the air. Heidegger slowly pulled his arm back and started standing straight. The quiet in the room slowly coming back as everyone was holding their breath.
"Did we get 'em?" Rufus asked, breaking the silence.
"Seems so..." Heidegger almost bit his tongue as the alarm came on again.
"WEAPON still approaching!" One Mp said at a computer. "Speed, fifty knots!"
"It's coming right for us!" Another yelled in panic.
"It can't be, we hit it dead on!" Heidegger clenched his fist. Rufus turned, his panic not present.
"How about the cannon?"
"It will take time to reload." Heidegger replied nervously. It would be too long at the pace the WEAPON was setting though.
"Then use regular fire power in the meantime!" Rufus raised his voice. Heidegger straightened up and yelled at the personnel.
"Yes sir! Open all artillery doors! Target: WEAPON! Don't let it land!" All of them men in the room started barking orders. Rufus saw the hail of gunfire now attacking the exposed fin. Many of the shots would hit the creature but it was undeterred...even looked like it was...
"Speed, seventy knots!" One MP yelled. Rufus instinctively backed away from the window.
"WEAPON closing in!"
"It's attacking!"
Rufus ignored the chaos in the room and kept starring outside. The large monster finally reached the harbor and almost crashed into it. Causing a large quake that knocked him off balance and onto the floor.
Tifa had been scared for the past half hour. The room would shake at odd times and now the largest one by far had rocked her in her seat. But she also noticed the sudden hissing noise in the room. Looking up she saw the light white spray start to fill the room.
"Gas! Barret help!" She yelled, scared.
"Hold your breath! Hold it for as long as you can!" He yelled through the door.
"I can't hold it forever!" She yelled back.
Barret tried hitting the door and ramming through it but nothing was working.
"SHIT!" Barret stopped hitting the door and ran to Cait.
"The gas room is probably locked in a different room!"
"Then we gotta go with a different plan, we need to get out of this room first!" Barret growled when he looked at the giant TV in the room.
"Tifa! I'll help you, I promise!" Both men ran out of the room and into the next hallway. But when they exited the doors suddenly latched behind them. Barret turned to pull it apart but it wouldn't budge.
"No! They locked this too?"
"Fools! Now you can't save the girl! Ha ha ha!" They heard Scarlet's voice on the other side laugh. Barret yelled and hit the door with his gun arm.
"God dammit!"
"Okay, time for plan B. Head for the airport." Cait said. Barret shook his head.
"Why the airport? I ain't gunna leave Tifa behind." The cat shook its head.
"Trust me, trust me. We gotta take a chance. Follow me." Cait rushed away. As much as Barret wanted to stay he had to put his faith in Cait. As the cat led them both out into the open where MP's, seamen, and even SOLDIERS were running around in chaos he hoped that Cait's plan would let them save Tifa. Before he could go deeper on the subject he was suddenly stopped by a reporter.
"I know you're in a hurry! But, please if I could have a word..." Barret didn't have time for this.
"Shut up! I'm in a hurry!" He yelled, the girl cringed before glaring at him.
"Don't make so much noise...its ME! Yuffie!" She pulled away her bandana and goggles to reveal her face.
"The hell you doin here!" He expected a rescue, but everything seemed more like the team was moving on they fly and less planned.
"I'll explain later! Now we got to get to the airport!" She said. In the distance Barret noticed the WEAPON fully stand up from the ocean, still approaching the harbor.
"Alright, let's go." Yuffie joined as the all ran until they had gotten to where they had all first arrived in Junon. Going through they arrived at the airport. But Barret noticed no clear way out.
"You sure this is the right way? Looks like a dead end." The cat seemed to ponder where they were until he tilted his head.
"Did I make a wrong turn?" Barret almost felt his skin turn red.
"You damn cat! What the hell are we goin to do now? They'll all be coming soon!" Multiple soldiers would start to attack once the noticed their enemy's where at the airport. Barret readied his gun arm, looking down at the metal into his reflection.
"You better watch my back till the end partner."
ATE
Vincent would have to thank the scientist that designed his cloak. Having it morph around him made him look odd but changing the color did help him blend into the environment more. He had infiltrated the main building and was searching for Aeris. He had volunteered since he was the most adept at espionage as well as familiar with where prisoners, or Hojo's possible subjects, would be held. Cid and Red had opted to stay at the airport and attempt to get the Highwind. Though skeptical, Vincent held hope for his friends.
"...Hello?" Vincent heard a voice. He turned down a hallway; he had gone to the middle levels of the harbor base which housed criminals as his first priority. He didn't expect Aeris to be there though.
"It's me." He said. He approached a steel door and slid open an eye slot. Inside he saw the happy face of the team's flower girl.
"I knew you guys would save me... but what about Tifa?" She asked, Vincent almost chuckled. She is about to be rescued and she worries about someone else.
"She will be fine. We need to get you out." Vincent tried to pry the door open. No such luck came, and transforming would cause too much of a commotion. It was a number pad; he needed a password or some high level ID.
"I have to look for a pass code; I'll be back soon enough." Aeris nodded. Vincent promptly left and went towards where he remembered the camera room would be, if a pass code wasn't there then he could set off a release button off possibly. The alarms would go off but he would be able to snatch Aeris before anyone noticed he was there. The holding cells weren't necessarily big, just enough to hold people until transported elsewhere. Before he could reach the room though he heard a click behind him and reached for his own gun.
"Don't or I will shoot." A cold emotionless voice said. Vincent moved his hand away from his holster and turned. He saw the tired look of the current Turk leader.
Tseng had seen better days. The wounds from Sephiroth took time to heal up and the amount of blood he lost still hadn't been made up. He had to keep one of his arms in a cast and was required to stay in the medical wing of Junon's base unless under extreme circumstances. He considered a planetary WEAPON to be one such circumstance.
"Even if I can't reach my gun I doubt you will get me with a few shots." Vincent said coolly. Tseng's hand didn't waver as he kept the gun pointed at Vincent.
"I simply needed your attention. Any other interaction and I would have been shot dead." Tseng pulled his weapon away, confusing the former Turk as he started at the current leader Turk. Holstering his gun Tseng dug into his suits pocket.
"Hojo himself changed the password so no one could free her." Out of his pocket he pulled a key card and held it out stretched.
"This will override it and open the door for you." Vincent eyed the key card and Tseng, trying to gauge a reaction but not fazing the man.
"I find it hard to believe you would willingly help us." Vince answered. Tseng understood, Turks didn't do anything for charity. There was always an ulterior motive.
"Hojo has become more mad than normal. Aeris will most likely die when he experiments on her. Consider this... a debt repaid to your former ally, had it not been for him I would be dead. Giving her back to you will insure she lives longer." Tseng said. Vincent could see the logic in the man's thought process. He went up and took the card before walking away.
"However," Vincent stopped. "Since I have no more debt I will not be able to keep the others off of you. If the Turks are ordered to eliminate you all then I have no choice but to comply." Vincent only turned and nodded at the man before he quickened his pace and found Aeris's cell. He took the keycard and inserted it into the slot. The pad had a green light show up before the door opened. Aeris ran out and hugged Vincent. Feeling awkward about the situation he just kept his arms down and let her.
"We have to go soon. There's no time to waste." She nodded and both headed for the airport
Tifa held her breath for the longest time. Only taking what breaths she could and only when she believed she was going to burst. The gas filled in slowly so she still had a large amount of air to take in, but she needed to find a way out of the room.
She looked down. The key the guard had dropped was still in the middle of the floor. Thinking quickly she started to slide onto the floor while her hands were still bound. Thank the Planet they didn't bind her legs as well. She stretched as much as she could muster and got the key under her foot. Thinking calmly, she slid the key so it was still under her foot when she sat back up. She took the key and placed it between her feet and lifted it while lowering her head. Taking one last breath she took the key in her mouth. She carefully placed it in the lock on her right hand and almost painfully twisted her neck so she could turn it.
She heard a click and let the lock fall over as she freed her hand. She quickly took the key and unlocked her other arm and got up from the chair. She knew there was a switch to stop the gas and looked all around the room. Sure enough, she found it behind the chair and pressed it. The gas stopped and air quickly began filling the room allowing her to breath normally again. She ran up to the door and tired to push and pull it open, but to no avail it stayed just as shut as when Barret tried.
"How could I possibly get out?" She asked herself. Before she could think anymore there was the largest quake Tifa had felt yet. She fell over as she saw the roof start to melt into itself and reveal a hole to the outside. Tifa got back up to look and saw in the distance the WEAPON attacking start to charge another attack. But before she knew it, the room shook as the Sister Ray let loose an unsuspecting shot into the weapon's face, effectively blowing its entire head off.
"What's going on in there? What did you do! Open up!"
"First you lock me in here and now you want me to come out? Make up your mind!" Tifa decided her best chance was to climb out the hole and see where it took her from there. But when she got out she realized it was a little more than she could take. She was on the outside of the building, hundreds of feet in the air, and absolutely no support.
"Get her!" Not even getting the chance to resolve herself, Tifa slowly started to descend. She looked up to see multiple military personnel doing the same. She took slow breaths and slowly climbed down. Knowing rushing would be the difference between her and a long fall followed by death. Slowly she got lower and lower, ignoring the complaints and the one scream that followed her. As soon as she was low enough she jumped down and looked around. She needed to get away from them but the only way to go was forward across the cannon. Bracing herself, she ran. She didn't know where she would go next, but she needed to keep moving. But she felt as if she had little chance when she finally reached the end of the cannon.
"Our little game of hide and seek ends here." She turned to see Scarlet walk up, somehow closer than the guards who were running to catch up.
"The execution may have been unsuccessful, but your death from falling off of here and crashing into the water below should be pretty exciting." Tifa looked away from her. But she suddenly felt a sting on her cheek.
"Stuck up till the end." For Tifa, that was the straw that broke the chocobo's back.
"Quit slapping me!" She slapped the blond woman back and reared her hand once again. "You. Old. Wench!" She hit the woman four times before she finally fell to her knees. Multiple red marks on the left side of her face.
"Take her away!" The guards finally caught up and slowly got closer to Tifa. She backed away but she knew that she would fall or get captured. She didn't have any options left.
"Now you pay. I'll really drop you if you don't settle down." Scarlet gloated, laughing to herself.
"Run!" Tifa heard, she looked around and saw no one, only Scarlet caught in her laughter and the guards focusing on her.
"Run to the end of the cannon!" Deciding it was her only choice; Tifa turned from all three people and ran. Suddenly she started to hear mechanical propellers, engine noises, then finally saw something that made her smile.
A giant airship had appeared in front of her, and on it was Barret yelling at her to keep running. He threw out a rope and yelled at the ship to get closer. Tifa soon sprinted toward the edge and jumped for the rope. She had missed by a hair and started to fall. He eyes widening she made several more grabs for the rope until finally she caught it with both of her hands. Quickly she climbed up the rope until Barret caught her hand and pulled her up. She finally let herself rest and take a few breaths. She opened her eyes to see Barret and Cait looking at her as Yuffie was in the middle looking more past her than at her.
"You okay?" Barret asked. She rubbed her face and smiled.
"My cheek hurts a little." She shook her head. "Forget about that. What's all of this about?"
"I'll get to the details later... In any case, the Highwind is now yours." Tifa widened her eyes as both Barret and Cait walked away. Tifa was about to follow when she wondered why Yuffie didn't go with them.
"I get sick up there to easy. This is the only spot I can do what Nate said and not feel anything. I'll be up when important stuff happens." Tifa nodded as she left the other girl to stare at the horizon. Tifa was amazed as she went through the ship though. She was promptly escorted last time so she didn't get to see much, now she could marvel at everything. But first she had to get to the cockpit.
"Why didn't you tell me you could fly an airship!" She saw Barret yell at Cait, who only smiled. Barret shook his head.
"I thought Tifa was gone for sure."
"Sorry, I had to do something to trick the enemy. Now come on, everyone is waiting." Cait waved Tifa over. She wondered why when she went inside and felt happy. Almost all of her friends where there and enjoying the sight of flying through the air.
"HA, welcome to my airship, the Highwind!" Cid said, he was the most excited Tifa had ever seen. She looked around the place when he spoke up again.
"Hey, what's the matter? You should be excited right now." Red soon came up and shook his head at Cid, who promptly rubbed the back of his. She walked up to Red who seemed sad.
"Do you think we're strong enough to stop Sephiroth without Nate... or Cloud?" He asked. Tifa shook her head.
"Meteor is coming, WEAPONSs are on a rampage... at a time like this I don't know what to do. No idea at all." Tifa said.
"Tifa, get a hold of yourself, we got to think this through." Barret said. Tifa just looked down.
"...if only Cloud was here. He'd know what to do."
"Then let's go find him." Tifa looked up to see a smiling Aeris.
"What do you mean?" Vincent came up and asked.
"Cloud isn't dead." This seemed to shock everyone in the room.
"How could you know that?" Barret asked.
"I can speak to the Planet, remember? If he had died I would have heard his voice, Nathan's too. But I can't hear either of them. I know they're alive." This relieved Tifa. Cloud didn't die. He was possibly safe somewhere. Waiting for them.
"Well then, I guess we shouldn't keep him waiting." Tifa said with new found confidence.
"Yeah but where would we go?" Cid asked. Red spoke up.
"Mideel." Everyone looked at him before he continued. "Nathan told me... that when this all happened. That we head to Mideel."
"He knew this was going to happen? Like just getting captured or..." Cait asked.
"He specifically told me how Tifa and Barret would be held and how this would play out." That seemed to puzzle the entire group. Red said Nate knew what was going to happen... before it happened?
"Since his disappearance we have learned more about him than when he was with us." Vincent mused. Everyone had to agree too.
"He doesn't exist, but knows what's going to happen... like a psychic... I don't get it." Barret said.
"If he really is alive... then you can ask him and Cloud when we get to Mideel."
"You're sure Cloud is there?" Tifa asked, serious about the information. Red nodded.
"Then we head to Mideel. We're going to pick up our friends." Tifa announced. Confidence slowly building back up inside of her.