Chapter Seventeen: Junon Raid

A loud bang from outside woke Tiffany from her slumber in her lover's arms. John slept peacefully, snoring lightly. Her eyes snapped open, immediately removing herself from her lover's arms to walk to the window and open the curtain. Her eyes widened upon the sight laid before her. She then turned to wake her sleeping partner.

"John, wake up!" John woke up and jumped out of bed, noticing the urgency in his lover's voice. "What is it, Tifa?" Tiffany opened the curtains to show her boyfriend what she saw outside. An explosion had tore up half of the street, and sixteen Destroyer-class ships were approaching the Junon Harbour.

John growled and grabbed Tiffany's PHS, immediately dialling Cid's number. The Captain's language was colourful, as to be expected. "What the fuck are you calling me for, John? I'm tryin' to get me some shut-eye!" John didn't want to argue with his friend, and just relayed the information over the cellular waves.

"Captain, there are sixteen Shin-Ra Destroyers heading for the Harbour. They're coming for Tifa and I. They've just tore up half of the fucking street, narrowly missing this apartment! We need AVALANCHE to deploy, now! You're needed, too!"

Cid growled as he got out of bed, not enjoying having to take orders. (Before John joined AVALANCHE, he was the leader of the resistance movement.). Nevertheless, he dressed himself and grabbed his spear.

"Everyone else is on the Highwind, you guys decided to do your fucking business, and because you have the fucking supplies, we're all fresh out of ammo! You and Barret are the only ones who use it, but that ain't the fucking point! You and Tiffany head to the Airport Path, we'll meet you there!"

John ended the call and got dressed, throwing the device to Tiffany (who had dressed while John was on the PHS.). They put the supplies from the Weapon Shop into their packs before leaving the apartment, glad the building had an automatic key-code lock.

A quieter bang from the one before was heard, and John threw Tiffany to the alleyway, casting Barrier just before the second round from one of the Destroyers hit him. The attack didn't do much damage, and the cuts and burns would heal easily with Restore Materia. Tiffany got up and grabbed her boyfriend, the two running toward the Airport Path, avoiding whatever gunfire came their way.

Aboard the sixteenth Destroyer

A short, pudgy, balding man in a crimson suit and with a cigar hanging between his fat lips stood on the deck of the Destroyer which was encircled by the others. The Captain of the Destroyer turned and saluted the suited gentleman. The man in the red suit blew out a lungful of smoke and spoke to the well-decorated Admiral. "Have they been neutralised, Admiral?"

The Admiral shook his head. "Not yet, Sir. They will be, we're tracking them now with our radar. They're making a run for the Airport Path, most likely meeting with the crew of the Highwind. We have the Path completely locked down, no-one can get in or out, not even SOLDIER. We have set the necessary emplacements as per your orders, and we've also mobilised The Turks. Every single member of the Shin-Ra Army, all our remaining SOLDIERs, The Turks and our various Roboguards will stop AVALANCHE in their tracks."

The balding man nodded, tapping his cigar, letting some ash fall upon the pristine, metal deck. "What of the AA-Gunners?" The Admiral smirked. "They are being deployed as we speak, Sir. Our Technicians are making final adjustments before we have them activated. John Valentine and Tiffany Lockhart won't reach the Path in time. That's a promise."

The short man nodded and walked back into the Bridge. "Keep me informed, Admiral."

The Highwind, over Junon

Cid growled as he looked at his Radar, he didn't have the time to light a cigarette, he needed to find a safe Landing Zone. "THAT'S A FUCKIN' SHIN-RA TASK FORCE! THE FUCK ARE THEY!? AA-GUNNERS? I FUCKING DESIGNED THEM! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Slamming his clenched fist on his dashboard, Cid snarled into the microphone.

"Tiffany, John, you'd better be the luckiest cunts alive if you wanna get to the Airport Path in one piece! Shin-Ra's sending their best fuckin' task force out for your sorry-ass hides! Oh, FUCK, NO!" An alarm cut off the call, a deep red light filled the Bridge. Cid looked at one of the monitors and his skin turned white. "MISSILE LOCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCKING SHIT!"

A metal cylinder containing a deadly payload sped toward the Highwind, relentless in its directed task of destroying the famous airship. Cid frantically tore off a metal panel and tried to pull a lever, which was extremely stiff. "Come on, old girl, don't you fuckin' do this to me... HOLD ON, EVERYONE!"

The missile hit it's target, and a giant cloud of smoke and flame filled the Junon sky.

End Of Chapter Seventeen