"It feels weird, I felt it get cut off and now I have my arm back. The pains been fading really fast too...its eerie." I said as I flexed. There was tension in spots but the pain had been reduced to a numbness in my arm.

"Its the pain that's transferred in grand summoning. Part of the reason why its dangerous is because even if a person suffers from something that would put them into shock they can still fight which can lead to over extension and cause them to die from the accumulated damage if they don't back out so their magic can stabilize. That's how a lot of old Wutai heroes died when we needed Leviathan to protect us." Yuffie was by my side as the ship doctor gave me my last checkups and sent me off after Cloud and Aeris had minor damage comparably.

"Good thing its temporary. I already wasted enough time healing because right now Hojo is charging the cannon again to give Sephiroth a boost in energy. Apparently the beam can knock down the barrier but a direct hit would just be extra raw mako that he can absorb." I explained since Yuffie missed Cait's whole conflict with Heidegger and Scarlet while she kept an eye on me. Double doors opened as we came to the bridge.

"Healed fast kid, you up to speed?" Cid spoke up as the group noticed us come up.

"I have all the details. I think we have maybe two and a half hours now before Hojo can fire the cannon. Will Scarlet's time limit hold Cait?"

"Even though Hojo was able to manually override the controls there should be enough fail-safes in place to keep him from firing early. Rufus wanted everything working perfectly before we shot it the first time so Midgar wouldn't be a crater afterwords and when we needed to fire again, so we have a very small window to get in. I can't help you guys on my end since right now I'm locked up in the non-ruined parts of the tower." The cat sat on his mog, taking a pose that very much looked like he was in cuffs.

"What I want to know is why nobody is stopping him! Can't those two brain cells that call themselves executives send guards or something?" Cid barked out. Cait just shook his head.

"With Rufus dead those two are taking charge now. Their idea is to send a robot with them personally piloting it to tear the thing down." I really wanted to say that nobody would be that stupid. I bit my tongue since almost everyone that was an executive in Shinra were special exemptions to Darwinism.

"Just FYI, Rufus ain't dead. Dudes probably going to surface back up after everything's over with Meteor." That caused a few eyebrows to rise.

"He was on the top floor when the top ten floors got shot down." Cait stated flatly, I shrugged.

"Rufus is one of the paranoid ones. Guy probably had a parachute under his desk and the minute he saw those blasts he just leaped out the building. Maybe he had a secret escape tunnel in his office like every rich person does. I doubt anything I have done has changed the fact that the he lives through this. Only thing I know for certain is he wouldn't come out unscathed and will be out of commission for the rest of everything."

"So we have to deal with that ass-hat ourselves huh? What are we looking out for?" Cid spoke up.

"Before Hojo we have to take out Heidegger and Scarlet along with a fight with the Turks right after...or before. Sorry memories a little fuzzy on this bit but we've fought the Turks before so we should be good. I do know about the two idiots in the mech. It has a charged beam cannon, a wrist laser, its knees have a flame thrower and a...magic thrower as well as its huge limbs swinging at us. Someone bring Ramuh and I'll pack a mastered lighting and fire materia, bring the enemy skill one as well since magic hammer seems to disrupt machines since even with lightning I think the machine will be insulated." Everyone nodded as we all packed up. In that time Cid gave everyone the crashest of crash courses on how to use parachutes since Cid already explained we need them to get into Midgar.

This did not fill me with any confidence in the slightest. What I remember from mishmash stories from people that actually went sky diving was that parachute lessons were supposed to be like six hours of classes that hammer procedure on how to jump off with an instructor being there every step of the way which included said instructor pushing you off the plane. Cid's heavily abridged version was, and I quote, "Let my crew strap you up, don't be a bunch of pussies when ya'll jump, lay flat to be slow and dive to go fast, Pull the cord to open the parachute, pull this other cord if the first fails, Gird your loins, tuck and roll before you land, I'll explain the rest when we're outside." This also included a comment after we were all set up where he said he hadn't had to use a parachute since his early twenties so that was a thing I knew now.

"Can't we just blow the tower controls with a summons and not jump out hundreds of feet in the air" Barret voiced out as we all stood outside looking over the safety bars down into Midgar's lights since night had fallen as the fight with Diamond finished. Barret's comment however earned him a slap from Tifa

"Cait said before we can't just blow it. The chances of all that mako energy building is to high to chance a explosion. Stop being a baby and get ready." She promptly looked over the edge before she paled and leaned back. "Uh you said these parachutes have been handled correctly right Cid?"

"I'm not going to scare you with accident statistics so here are your flares. We can't all jump off at the same time so once you're off crack it so we can all see each other. Once we're all grouped up I'll start making signals to steer us to Caits spot on the map he pointed out. You two cats strapped tight by the way? Chutes weren't made with Red's body shape in mind."

"The extra belts will make sure he'll be fine." Cait said while he was tied down to his mog's head as Nanaki huffed. The poor guy looked like he was in a baby sling with the amount of belts tying him off as he scrunched his legs to himself. I had a little laugh at the fact Cait now looked like a rejected Kingdom Hearts character with the amount of belts he had before my mind wondered and made me shiver and hope that that was not a canon crossover.

"Cid I'm just going to mention now I have been able to keep my pants clean through this whole adventure and I'm gonna tell you now that this is going to push those limits again."

"Not helping Nate!" Yuffie yelled at me.

"Alright no better time to look alive folks. Everyone got their gear cuz I don't think I really have to mention that you can't just fall up and grab what you wanted." Along with everybody else I patted myself down to feel Fusion secure in a case on my back and look over my materia setup of fire, lightning, along with the Hp and Mp absorb materia's set nice and tight in my gauntlets.

"Then I'll see you bastards later!" Cid just flipped himself over the bar as he cracked his flare. Everyone just stood gobsmacked before Cloud jumped clean over the bar. One by one everybody jumped off starting with a laughing Cait and whimpering Nanaki, a stoic Vincent, an all to happy Aeris, and very reluctant Tifa, leaving the most hesitant ones being Barret, Yuffie and myself.

"They're gonna land before we even get off so just jump already!" Yuffie was pushing Barret who was gripping the bar enough that I swear I could hear metal bending.

"I have to much to live for!" Barret's one hand was doing an amazing job at keeping him still as Yuffie pulled back and sighed.

"Okay...okay we can do this. How do you think we can?"

"Listen alright. I ain't doin this willingly so I'm gonna have to trick myself somehow. I could be like hey look over-" Barret's one good hand pointed in a direction as Yuffie, in an impressive feat of strength, took Barret by his torso and leaped over the bar in what looked like a German suplex into the night air. Both of their screams faded very quickly leaving me by myself.

"Psych yourself up man, just hype it up." I gripped the bar with two very shaky hands." Hogeeze just hype it up. Alright, feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, take the leap, suicide time!" Before I could even comprehend what I said I flung myself off the bars.

I regretted everything.

Then I felt the freest I had ever felt.

I felt the cushion of air on my chest as I finally stopped yelling. I had thought the air would hook me but the transition was so smooth As I experienced free-fall. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as the view of Midgar and the beautiful lights that created a ring of yellows and reds with the mako reactors green smog highlighting it all with the rest of the fields around the city providing a pure black backdrop.

I then noticed the several red flares below me as I took my own and cracked it. I dived and felt the rush of speed as I zipped down to see Yuffie screaming her lungs out with Barret doing the same except at the young ninja. I couldn't hear a thing as I became flat again and grabbed her hand as she stopped yelling and stared at me. I gestured at Barret before Yuffie nodded and grabbed his hand as it was flailing before I pointed down. All three of us dove down as we accumulated the whole party with Cid laughing as we grabbed onto him and formed the full circle.

Cid steered everyone as Midgar finally started to get bigger. We reached the position he wanted when he held a thumbs up and made us disperse the circle as the side of the Sister Ray approached. Right as we passed the huge gun Cid pulled his cord and we all sped passed as each of us pulled our cords. I gripped mine and felt the pack behind me explode and oh god oh god sweet mother I didn't gird I didn't gird!

"-ith a rusty metal pipe and I won't even need two hands to do it!" I caught the end of Barret's tirade as I finally stopped cupping myself and began steering my parachute.

"You said you needed to be tricked!"

"I woulda done it myself you little-"

"Less yelling more moving! Get ready to toss your weapons!" Cid yelled from way above as I pulled Fusion's case and cradled it as I descended. The float down was such a relief as we descended into an open yard that was blocked off by construction tape. Once we were all about ten stories high Cid yelled and I tossed Fusion off as it fell with everyone's weapons in similar cases as they plummeted down. I kept staring down as the ground approached a block or so away from the weapons as I tucked my legs in. Once I hit the ground I rolled and transferred all my energy forward as I soon became entangled in my chutes strings.

I lied flat for a good minute as I caught my breath and felt my heart finally start to slow down while I stared at the white fabric. I heard footsteps near me as I untangled myself and took off my parachute before Fusion was tossed to me out of its case.

"You know I thought about skydiving once or twice in my life and I can say now that I've experienced it that as much as I love flying with you Cid I hate space and I hate flying in any form that is not in something I don't have the luxury of sitting in."

"Live a little kid. Be glad you got to cross this off you bucket list."

"I was never meant to fly and I agree with Nathan. I never want to experience this again." Nanaki came forward as everyone gathered.

"So Heidegger and Scarlet saw the parachutes so we are all going to be gunned down or ratted out if we take the streets. We have to go underground if we don't want to alert anybody. Follow me I know an access point."

"Isn't there security all around the Sister Ray?" Cloud asked as we all ran through the backstreets of Midgar.

"Mechanized security only underground, less hazard pay. With those two personally searching for us we don't have to worry about alerts" Cait brought us to a dead end ally that had a large square panel that he input a code into before it opened into a tunnel.

"I think I'm also starting to hate robots with a passion now. No offense Cait."

"None taken, I feel the same to Scarlet's machines. Just be ready for a lot in the tunnels though." Cait answered as we all descended into the tunnel. As Cait closed the panel I saw the tunnel was big enough to walk in before the cat suddenly froze.

"You good dude?" The cat shook himself before moving forward.

"Just an argument on my end. Some new orders for my guards or something."

XXX

ATE

"Personal orders from Heidegger and Scarlet? He's fine with a couple guards here I don't see why a SOLDIER needs to replace our shift." Reeves head lifted up as he heard one of his guards on the opposite side of his cell door.

"Not personal, just approved of. I had already signed up for guarding executives before the WEAPONS attack. Right now everyone in dispatch is saying they need all hands to pacify the populous. People are looting business and houses left and right now that Meteor is still up and it looks like the president is dead. Its especially bad in sector six so Mp's are being spread throughout the city while SOLDIER's are being sent around to guard high priority targets like the reactors and anyone left on the executive board. I was to be assigned to Heidegger and Scarlet but both are currently in robotics getting inside an anti WEAPON mech as a show of force, so I got reassigned to keeping Tuesti in check."

"Well if its from dispatch then we should get going. He's been pretty docile but keep up your guard. Both exec's say he's been colluding with AVALANCHE so be careful." He heard some shuffling before it became quiet again. He lifted his cuffed hands to scratch his nose as he sighed. He didn't have a plan to escape before but he would have liked the option if everything went pear shaped. With a SOLDIER guarding him though he would have to throw any of those thoughts out the window.

"So working with terrorists huh? What would make a big name like you jump the fence?" He looked up to see the eye slat open and a helmet covered face looking in.

"I would think talking with prisoners is against regulation."

"Color me curious, I heard a lot about you Reeve Tuesti. Higher ups called you a bleeding heart but the workers union as well as the merchants guild say you're a man of the people. Out of everyone on the board you've caused less internal work than Heidegger and Scarlet by miles for SOLDIER dispatch. You've never had to cut budgets on anything in Urban Development. So I'm left wondering why a man held so high is doing helping an infamous terrorist organization."

Reeve sighed and held up his hands. "Does it really matter now?"

"Humor me." He let his palms fall. Why not, it wouldn't hurt that much anyways if the group was able to take out the bad laugh duo and everyone was forced to let him go since he would be the only one that would be able to organize evacuations and maintain some semblance of order. After all the orders to hold him weren't widespread, it was only those two asshats and the guards he had before.

"First off is that what intel we had about them from years ago is wrong. Their leader legitimately heard the name by chance and used it without knowing the previous iteration was destroyed. Even then after having infiltrated them I realized that each and everyone of them means well for the Planet as well as the world. They have blood on their hands yes, but can you honestly say that you don't? I know about the lack of legitimacy on most of Hojo's escaped experiments and the Turks missions to killed so call high priority targets." He paused, letting everything sink in as he stared at the man.

"Everything that they do, that I do, is so that every regular person who is panicking out there right now is able to live. Even if it means fighting whats left of Shinra, a WEAPON, or a madman bent on the worlds destruction, they aren't the ones who are trying to stomp on everyone along the way. That's why I worked with them, because I believe they are the only ones who are doing it right and I don't regret it." His voice echo just slightly in the cement room. For a moment the SOLDIER kept silent as he held Reeves gaze.

"You're lucky that security is busted right now otherwise you would have been recorded." The slat shut before he heard the key pads beeps signal the door opening. He tensed when the man stepped in.

"I just had to be sure you were actually on board with this whole crazy thing. Still surprises me that the insider that guy Nate talked about is you though. Second class Kunsel Burton at your service sir." Reeve just sat with his mouth open as he processed the situation. The silence between the two was deafening until a low rumble shook his chest. It began with a snort before he leaned onto his coat and started laughing. He couldn't even pin how it was funny but the situation was just to much like a set up that it seemed to much that he had gotten this lucky.

"...Were you informed I was sent?" The man stood awkwardly as Reeve finally calmed himself down.

"I was, I just find it funny what little deeds can lead to in the future. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I assume you're here to get me out?"

"Only thing I had planned really since you're the only Reeve in Shinra. I don't have a key but I can break your cuffs easy. I think we should head out soon though. No telling when someone is going to pop by even with tower security reduced.

Reeve started to get up before a though popped up. All things considering he just had to wait before things went to hell for the umpteenth time before he would either be placed into temporary command or he escaped now that he had a chance again. The same couldn't be said for other hostages that were still being held, which included Aeris' mother, Barret's daughter, as well as the three other AVALANCHE members. Slowly a plan formed, it was easy enough for Kunsel to convince his guards but there would be a small squad that have kill orders on those five if it got around that his friends were in the city.

"Actually I have something I need you to do. I'll give you the location but there are five people who are all important to our friends that need more help than I do in sector five. They have a small guard that have been keeping watch in case Shinra needed leverage on AVALANCHE. They need help more than I do and I can give you a safe house location to so all of you can whole up until everything blows over." He knew he had the man at hostages, but Kunsel clearly didn't want to leave without him.

"You'll be alright here? I'll have to send another guard detachment to keep an eye on you to keep my cover."

"Don't worry about me. After all this is done I will be the only person who has any plans to evacuate people once they realize no one else did the same. They need me, I need you to make sure nothing will happen to the others so all our bases are covered. If the guard gives you trouble I can also give you signed executive orders, by the time they figure out I'm not exactly in a position to give those orders you'll be long gone. I just need you to head to my office and grab the papers, is that fine with you?"

"You're the boss, if you think you will be fine then I won't argue. I'll be right back." Kunsel stepped out and locked the door behind him.

"Oh by the way." Reeve called out, another last minute thought that seemed like good insurance for the future. "In my office the second drawer on the left of my desk has a false bottom. Lift it and the keypads code underneath is zero five two, seventeen thirty eight. It will open a hidden safe under me desk chair and slide out. It has a locker code to the lower levels as well as three controllers. Could you bring me a controller and whats in the locker on the sixty fourth floor. In the locker will be an odd looking megaphone if you wonder what you need to grab."

"A megaphone? Odd but okay I can do that. See you soon." With that Reeve heard Kunsel's footsteps as he left. Soon enough he was left by himself as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back. A spare body for Cait and his new weapon of choice would come in handy very soon. He was sure of that.

XXX

"Well this has certainly been an interesting development."

"You say something Cait?" I said as we were all crawling through the maintenance pipes connecting to the subway.

"Nothing for now. I can tell you all later after we stop Shinra from imploding."

"I see the tunnel lights!" Cloud called from up ahead.

"Fair enough Cait. Everyone, once were out get weapons ready. I think this is where the Turks are going to confront us." One by one we all exited the tunnel to enter the empty station. It took longer than I would have hoped to get out of the maze that was the maintenance tunnels. If we kept time right we had about an hour and maybe a half to get to Hojo. Thankfully Cait mentioned on the way the route we had would take us almost directly underneath The Sister Ray. I just hoped the fight with Heidegger and Scarlet wouldn't take all of the time we would need to run up the cannon.

"Heads up, I hear footsteps." Nanaki said. Without any trains working the sound of foot stomps echoed to us from the opposite side of where we were heading.

The first to appear around the bend was Elena who had been jogging ahead of her coworkers. Reno and Rude both appeared together just a moment after having stopped to walk the rest of the way. All three were clearly surprised to see us as Elena pulled out her pistol in a panic as Reno kept walking with a heavy sigh and Rude's face turning from annoyed to angry.

"You're all here?! I don't think we can follow through with orders sirs." She kept the pistol pointed at us as Reno finally caught up with his subordinate.

"Elena don't act so weak." Reno pulled out his stun rod an rested it on his shoulder. He was ready for a fight but the man clearly didn't look like he wanted anything to do with us.

"We're Turks Elena." Rude cracked his knuckles before he put on a pair of dark metal bands over his hands. I hesitate to call them brass knuckles since those things looked mean and had a small pulse of magic that flared out.

"Y-yes sir! You're right!" He hands steadied at that.

"We've got work to do." Rude inched forward, already in stance.

"I'm not really up for it...but..." He let the rod light up with electricity as he kept it at his side, hesitation very clear on his face.

"Our orders are to seek you out and...kill. Our company may be in turmoil but orders are orders. That's the spirit of the Turks! Believe it!" The word kill held some finality but she saw that we had superior numbers. But I had to give her credit for hyping herself up and sticking to her guns, no pun intended. As it were we all just stood and started at each other as the tension built. Everyone on our end was geared up and ready while the Turks, even with the small speech all seemed like they had second thoughts on the whole matter.

"Well what are you waiting for?! Lets do this!" Elena yelled out. The group slowly started to get ready. We all were ready to fight...well except me. I sighed as I stepped forward into the front of the group. Her pistol pointed straight at my head as I held my hands up

"Lets be real here. You guys don't want a fight and our beef isn't with you guys."

"The hell it ain't! Nate they have tried to kill us before!" Barret yelled. I turned and pointed at him.

"We have also spared each other before. They could have tried to get the drop on us in Wutai when we didn't have any materia and they ignored orders to enjoy a vacation."

"They dropped sector sevens plate!" Tifa growled.

"How many people have we killed that are just men or women who had families and friends and they just happen to be in our way. We all have sins Tifa, this time we can just walk away from this. Look at us, we have twice their number and are better equipped. We aren't friends but dammit we don't have to keep doing this!" I knew this arguments would pop up. Even before the shit I went through I would have spared the Turks out of the simple fact I liked them all as characters. I still felt those same tingles but now it was a matter of not waiting more time, not killing or sending them running with negative feelings for us.

"What is that, pity? Don't think the Turks are fools!" I lifted my hand back up and stared at the three. My eyes shifted between them as I waited. The tension seemed like it was going to snap but Reno's weapon powered down as he placed it back on his shoulder. Rude, despite looking furious sighed as he took his weapons and placed them back in his coat, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

"Elena...just put away the gun." She turned, very surprised at the words.

"Reno! You're not disobeying...are you?!" Her hand shook as the pistol lowered.

"Shinra's finished Elena, and its come down to this." His open palm gestured to all of us. Elena just stared as she regarded her superior before looking away from Reno.

"Rude..." She wanted reassurance, but the man just huffed.

"No point anymore." He grumbled out.

"You were a great Turk Elena. Its was nice working with you for however long its been." The woman just let her head drop as the situation sunk in. My group finally started to put away their weapons as Reno looked to us.

"Farewell, hate to admit it but I hope to see you guys again after the end of the world if any of us survive. Its been real and its been fun, but it ain't been real fun yo." With that the red head turned and waved his hand as he started walking back down the tunnel. Elena looked at him before turning back to us with the same fire she had before.

"Remember the spirit of the Turks!" She saluted before she ran off. Rude was left as he just stood and looked at us.

"Our missions over." He turned at that as he joined his friends.

"Hey Reno." I called. "Rufus isn't dead. Check what escape plans he was supposed to have and look for him there." The man had stopped before he turned back to us.

"One last piece of advice to you as well. When you get to Hojo make sure the only thing left of him is a smear on the ground. He has Jenova cells and a lot of other stuff crammed inside of him." With that the three left as the group waited for them to disappear.

"We should go, we don't have time." Cloud spoke up. Everyone turned and jogged towards the sector eight tracks. While doing so our leader fell back to me.

"Hojo has Jenova cells too?"

"I don't know when but the guy just injects himself with the stuff. Its why he's looked sicker and sicker each time you guys met him. Don't underestimate him, we may out number him but his mutations amplify his strength." Minutes went by until we reached an opening in the sector eight tunnel. While we decided to climb the girders up to get to the cannon the ground started shaking beneath us. Barret scrambled to ready his gun arm

"The hell is that?" All of us made a circle as we readied. The quakes grew as I chanced a look up to see what looked like an electrical tower moving down a street that turned into ours.

"Heads up." The tower turned to our street and revealed the mech attached to it.

The Proud Clod was... a sad sight to see. The graphics in game couldn't show how bad the machine actually looked. It was a mess of technology thrown together to make a franken-machine. The mech was designed for combat with WEAPON's...which appeared about two and a half weeks ago. The Clod was just a head taller than the dragons we had faced on our journeys but not enough to match Bahamut's height. Its chest had exposed parts of its generator around the neck area and the two extra arms that came out of the elbows of the first two looked like last minute additions. For a two week project it was amazing, but it was god awful to look at as its wide shoulders clipped into the buildings around it as it stopped. Steam hissed from the machine as the chest piece opened-

"Gyaaahaahahahaha!"

"Kyaaahaahahahaha!"

Too two mic enhanced laughs that grated on the ears.

"So they really showed up! You sure did treat us like dogs up until now!" Heidegger called out as he viewed us without the panels obstruction.

"You killed so many of my precious weapons." Scarlet added with what I assumed was a pout since I couldn't tell their reactions from were I was standing.

"So lets see how they do against an anti-WEAPON machine!" Heidegger fell back into his seat as the chamber closed.

"My newest achievement, feel the power of the Proud Clod!" Scarlet's voice echoed as the front of the machine closed.

"Hey Cait."

"Yes Nate?"

"The cannon is a run that way right?" I pointed opposite of the mech. The whole group was looking at the two of us now.

"That's correct."

"And we don't have a lot of time left right?"

"No we don't."

"Was this area evacuated?" Cait looked at me before he took a pose to think.

"To build the cannon we removed most of the residents around it since Rufus didn't want anyone interfering with the setup process."

"So no one lives here right now?" The cats eyes widened as he finally realized what I was planning, slowly the rest of the group started to make the same reactions.

"Nope, all gone."

"In that case guys I have a plan..." The Proud Clod took a step forward. Its wrists charged with energy as its arms pointed at us. Laughter echo from the mech's mikes

"Run.

XXX

Authors note

First off sorry for the week delay. New work schedule has forced me away from the location I usually write and I don't get the same good feels of writing at home than I do there so this was way behind. Second apology is for the cliff hanger boss battle but hey that does mean we get twice the boss battles next chapter. I won't say it will be next Saturday but I will endeavor to keep these things going. Till next time guys!