Chapter 31: Eyes of the Machine Pt 1
Cid is checking within the engine room on his staff via radio. "Hey, Biggs, Wedges and Jessie. How are things doing?" he asked on the radio.
"All things are green sir," Wedge said.
"Yep, everything is okay," Biggs said.
"Everything is a go," Jessie said.
"Good," Cid said as he sees Riku and Sora at the door. "Oh; the boys, good to see you," Cid said with a smoke in his mouth to let out a puff of smoke.
"Hey Cid," Sora said.
"Hey, I want you to see the rest of my Gummi Ship crew," Cid said to get off his chair to lead the young men into the engineering room via lift.
"Good to see you boss," Wedge said as the three greet the older man with a welcoming smile.
"Well boys, this is Wedge," Cid said as they see a short dwarf like guy in a blue outfit which seems fit for mechanical work for he is standing 3'2 tall.
"Hey there," Wedge said in a little voice as the big guy comes in to pat the little guy on the head in a playfully manner.
"Come on Wedge, we got some new friends here. My name is Biggs, please to meet you all," Biggs said as the two noticed he is a large muscular male humanoid standing 7'5 tall.
"Oh, I never seen guys like you before," Sora said to see these two are two new races he didn't see before.
"Well Sora, Wedge is a Lalafell who are very small, childlike features and a pear shaped bodies. Also, Biggs is a Roegadyn who are large giant like humanoid with muscular figures," Riku explained.
"Oh, I see," Sora said.
"Don't worry kid, we are pretty friendly. Right Wedge?" Biggs said jokily.
"Right," Wedge nods his head.
"You are not scaring the boys?" a woman asked to be a medium height human woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail, brown eyes and a lean frame against her blue worker outfit.
"Oh no Jessie, we are giving them the red carpet," Biggs said.
"I see, hey boss. I got a letter from your old bird," Jessie said with a smile to hand Cid a letter.
"Thanks Jess," Cid said to open it to see the letter to have a smirk on his face. "Always the worrywart," Cid said.
"Who is that Cid?" Sora asked.
"Its from my wife Shera," he said.
"You have a wife?" Sora asked as Cid looked insulted.
"Why is that surprising, Shera is my loving wife. She and I help make Gummi Ships back in Radiant Garden for the defense forces can use them to go to other worlds. We are the best at what we do," Cid said.
"Yeah, Cid's ships are pretty handy getting around," Cloud said to come into the room. "The computer said we are about to make landfall," Cloud said.
"Alright, time to get to work guys," Cid said.
"Yes sir," Jessie, Biggs and Wedges said at once as they all go into the warp room to head down to the worldwide city.
Within the command center the twin noticed multiple life signals in the upper levels. "Must be those grunts of the traitor," Melee said.
"Indeed, send in the Heartless to deal with them," Ophelia said.
"Time to send the minions," Milla said as their swarm go up the levels to seek out the new guests.
Meanwhile Sora, Riku, Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie along with Nanaki, Cid and his gummi ship crew arrive via warp point to see they are nearby an operating station. "Perfect, we can help you there," Cid said as they all go through the empty streets.
"This is so eerie," Tifa said to tighten her fists getting ready for an unseen attack.
"Indeed, keep your wits about you," Cloud said as Wedge is shaking from the unnerving echo against the dead walls of the silent city.
"Gee, this place is creep," Wedge said.
"Don't worry about this, Cid and the others will protect us when we do our work," Biggs said.
"Indeed, right Cloud," Jessie said to give him a little wink as Tifa looks at this to feel uncomfortable with that.
"Sure," Cloud said not noticing her flirty tone at all.
"He is so dreamy," Jessie whispered as someone is watching them through a camera.
"Hmm brother it seems we have some guests," a male voice said with a cool tone to it.
"Oh, more people to play with me," another male voice said as his sounds more joyful like a young boy.
"Careful brother, we are observing them. These flesh and blood beings are interesting, would you say baby brother?" he asked.
"Yeah, I wonder if they are strong. I need a good fight," he said.
"Be patient, my little brother. We will have our chance to present ourselves to our guests on our world," the calm voice said as the camera shuts down.
Back with the gang, they reach the operating station as they were met with Heartless blocking their path. "Great, we got the welcoming party," Riku said as everyone draws their weapons.
"Go and hide guys," Cid said to pull out his spear with the trio going somewhere to hide as the mass of Heartless come at them with Sora going into his Speed State wielding his punching daggers to use his speed to cut through groupings of Shadows.
"Cyclone Blade," Sora is spinning around like a top to cut through mobs of Heartless as he leaps over a Large Body to let out several swift stabs into the back to end it fast. He is dodging incoming spells from Bookmasters to shoot out wind bullets to take them down.
Riku is wielding his Way of the Dawn to tear through several lessor Heartless with him casting Thundaga to conjure a big lightning bolt to strike into a horde of Heartless zapping them into a black mist. "Dark Raid," Riku charges up his Keyblade with Darkness to tosses it into a wave of Heartless to kill off several to summon it back into his hands.
"Sora," Riku said as they both noticed a Metal Troll to swing its large ax for the duo to duck under the attack.
"Let's do this,," Sora said as they team up with Sora entrapping the large Heartless in a tornado and then mold it into an orb keeping the beast inside.
"Dark Aura," Riku empowers his body as he rushes at the Heartless from all angles slashing it with each pass as Sora implodes the wind sphere to cause lots of damage and stun the monster. Riku appears above the beast and finishes it off with him diving down to unleash a large pillar of dark energy to engulf the Heartless killing it off.
"Nice one Riku," Sora said.
"Right back at you Sora," Riku said as they engage the enemy with Cloud craving through the groups with his Buster Sword to slay Heartless with ease.
"Firaga," Cloud conjure a ball of flames in his palm a toss at it a group to turn them to black mist. He rolls out of way of an ax of a Metal Troll as he blocks the incoming swing to shove it back to make the beast recoil. "Slayer," he empowers his blade to let out three powerful slashes which is enough to kill the big monster.
Tifa is bashing away Heartless with her kicks and fists. She is dodging incoming spells from Wizards with Tifa getting closer to punch them hard enough to send them flying into one of the skyscraper's window to die on impact with the walls.
"Cloud, watch out," Tifa lets out Blizzaga to hit the incoming Air Solders to freeze with Cloud slashing them in half.
"Thanks," Cloud said as he evades an incoming Metal Troll with Tifa kicking the ax to knock it out of the Heartless's hands.
The Metal Troll summons its ax back into its hands to place it on its face to power itself up. "Beat Rush," Tifa goes in to give out a powerful three hit combo to knock the monster backwards. "Give me a hand with this," Tifa said as she is going in with Cloud backing her up.
"Got it," Cloud said as they swoop with Tifa ducking under the punch of the empowered beast.
"Burning Arrow," Tifa performs a jump kick with her foot engulfed with flames to land a powerful blow to make the beast back for her kickoff a big dent in its metal armor. She is shooting Blizzard spells at it until she freezes it in place.
"Blade Beam," Cloud leaps into the air and slams his Buster Sword into the ground to let out a powerful shockwave that strikes the beast to split it in half.
"Nice one," Tifa said.
"Yeah, we do some good teamwork," Cloud said as Tifa smiles at this.
"Of course, we do," Tifa said as Cloud's feelings were mutual for them to work together to clear up the horde.
Cid is stabbing incoming Heartless with his spear to leap on top of a Large body and stab it in the head to quickly kill it. "Damn Heartless, they are ruining these treasures with their shit everywhere," Cid said as Yuffie is using her big shuriken infused with magic to slash through groupings of Heartless.
"Old man, how about you focus on the battle and not your robot fetish," Yuffie joked as this got under Cid's skin.
"Like you know anything about science brat," Cid said as he stabs into a Shadow and cast Ruin to send out a magical bolt into a large Heartless killing it on the spot.
"I am not brat," Yuffie complained as Nanaki shakes his head.
"How about you two clam it up and help with the fight," Nanaki is using his claws and fangs to tear through Heartless to shoot fireballs from his mouth to destroy clusters of Heartless.
"Guys, there is a giant Demon Tower coming your way," Jessie shouted into Cid's radio earpiece to see a large column of darkness smashing through old decaying buildings and coming their way.
"Damn, that thing is huge," Sora said as Tifa goes in front to charge up her fist.
"I will handle this," Tifa said for she is surrounded by a bright aura covering her body for the huge storm of Shadows are on the floor just several hundred yards away. Tifa's energy spikes for her to rush at the massive tornado of death. "Final Heaven," Tifa scores her hit and reappears behind the huge Demon Tower for a tower of energy erupts to engulf the mass of darkness to vaporize it.
"Wow, Tifa that was amazing," Sora said sounding impressive.
"Indeed," Riku said as Tifa is on the ground feeling exhausted for Cloud rushes over to her.
"Hey Tifa, you okay?" Cloud sounding worried as he helps her up.
"Its okay Cloud, I overdid it," Tifa said with a nervous smile.
"You think," Cloud said dryly as they go into the operating station to see its cleared out in the main room.
"Sweet damn, this is in fine shape. Wedge, Biggs and Jessie, get this place operating ASAP," Cid ordered.
"Yes sir," the trio said as Jessie goes up to Cloud to have a smile on her face.
"That was so awesome Cloud," Jessie said to gush over his fighting skills.
"Its nothing really," Cloud said not paying attention as this is bothering Tifa.
"Hey, Jessie knock it off and get it work," Cid ordered.
"Yes sir, see you later Cloud," Jessie winks at him to go off to go to work on the terminal.
"Hey Riku and Sora, check the left side. Tifa and Cloud go to the right side. We don't want any nasty Heartless or these bots messing us up," Cid said to hand Sora and Riku something small.
"What is this?" Sora asked.
"These are radio earpieces, to keep in contact with each other," Cid said as they slip them into their left ear.
"Alright," Sora said as they spilt off to see anyone else is there.
The duo check the room to see something very odd. "Hey this was moved," Riku said as he noticed someone in the corner of his eyes. "Hey, you there," Riku summons his Keyblade to cast Stop to freeze the person in place.
"Oh no, please I mean you no harm," the girl said as Sora and Riku see a girl who is around their age.
"Who are you, why are you here?" Riku questioned.
"Hey, get away from my sister," a male voice said as suddenly a drone appears to fire its machine gun to spray bullets at Sora and Riku. They took cover as a mysterious young man around their own age appears to be beside the girl.
"Brother stop, they are not our enemies," the girl said as Cloud and Tifa appear within the room to be confused by this.
"You sure?" he asked.
"Yes, there were the ones who appeared before," the girl said to point to Sora and Riku. "They fought the evil machines, they are on our side," she said.
"Fine I will take your word for it," he said to disconnect his link with the drone for it lifelessly drops to the floor.
"What the hell is going on?" Cloud asked to be totally lost along with Tifa looking at the cute teenagers to be quite curious.
"Who are you two?" she asked.
"Oh; my name is Brina, and this is my younger brother Calca. We came here to seek your help," she said as Tifa take notes on their appearances for both were blonds, are twins and seems 18 years old in age. Calca is wearing a blue military style full bodysuit filling his skinny frame with Brina wearing an orange military combat suit shaped like a leotard fitted to her shapely pear shaped body. Calca's blond hair is cut short while Brina's golden hair is dressed in long twin tails.
"What for?" Tifa asked.
"Well the Overseers are not happy with you guys and those other people that came here before," Calca said.
"Overseers?" Sora asked.
"Yes, they are the ones run the whole network across the entire world that connects trillions of machines together," Brina said.
"They are the leaders huh?" Cloud asked.
"Yes, twin androids like us. Ad and Vee they run the whole thing," Calca said as the others widen by this fact.
"Wait, you two are androids?" Sora asked.
"Yes, you didn't notice," Brina said as she utters a giggles to summon her sword. "I am a combat model, despite my appearance. I am very strong," Brina slices a big solid metal block to easily split it in half.
"I am scout unit, my job is gain intel and I can hack anything with a pulse," Calca said as he links with the drone again to get it back online to see it float around him.
"Hey guys, what's going over there?" Cid asked.
"Cid, we got the keys to the castle," Cloud said as they prepare to get to the bottom to grab the Keystone. Cid and his crew are set up within the operating station.
"Okay Yuffie and Nanaki. You are staying here for guarding us," Cid said as Yuffie throws a fuss.
"What the hell old man, I want to go into the action," Yuffie complained.
"You will, Heartless and robots will be coming after us for messing up their network," Cid said.
"Good luck Cloud," Jessie said as Cloud is not paying attention but Tifa noticed this and a thought creeped into her mind.
"No but I wonder," Tifa said but she toss her negative thought to the side. "Cloud," she said softly feeling a big worried.
"Tifa, are you okay. Your face looks like it's in pain," Cloud said as Tifa snaps out of her daze to blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry, I was thinking about something," Tifa said.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Its nothing to worry about," she said as Cloud goes in to hug her tenderly to rest her head on his chest.
"Tifa, remember I am here for you," he said as they press against each other with Tifa glowing in the face.
"Of course," she said to utter a soft smile for Cloud kisses her on the forehead for he let's go of the hug to be with Sora and the others. "Sadly, I wasn't always there for you and it eats me up inside," Tifa said with a swell of sadness within her heart to meet up with the others.
A small drone from watching this scene to find Tifa quite interesting. "Oh my, this woman is quite the beauty but there is pits of ugliness underneath," Ad said to watch through the camera. "Watching her will be very interesting," Ad said as the drone flies off.
Sora, Riku, Cloud, Tifa, Brina, and Calca go outside as the twin androids lead the way. "I think I see the Keystone in a section of the core. We can take you there but the Overseers will be keeping watch of us," Calca said.
"Wait a minute if all the machines are connected. Can they take control of you?" Tifa asked for them to run through the streets with the eerie echoes of nothingness spreading across the dead city.
"No, we have split off from the network for years. We were seal away by the Overseers but due to your last trip here. Somehow you managed to let us escape and the Overseers are now out in the opening," Brina said.
"Really, good thing we can help," Sora said as Riku shakes his head.
"That is very Sora of you to say," Riku joked as Cloud and Tifa laughs along with this.
"Gee, what does that mean?" Sora asked.
"Oh you, being you," Riku said to finish laughing.
"You are a good guy Sora, that's what it means," Cloud said.
"Oh, I can live with that," Sora said.
"Okay, we should be getting to the lift soon," Calca said as Cid and his crew detected something.
"Oh no, there are two big energy signals coming your way," Cid said on the radio
"It must be the Overseers," Jesse said.
"Prepare yourselves," Brina said to draw out her katana with her brother preparing to use magic using his Magitek mods built into his body. Riku and Sora summon their Keyblades, Cloud pulls out his Buster Sword and Tifa ball up her fists to get into combat stance.
"Well, we got ourselves some rats coming into our perfect little world," a calm sounding voice echoed in the void as two figures teleport right in front of them.
"They look strong, I hope I can get good fight," a youthful sounding voice said as the six are faced to face with the Overseers Ad and Vee who were twin males standing tall with Ad sporting long silver hair and Vee having short silver hair. Both were wearing grey bodysuit with Ad wearing eyeglasses.
"What do you want?" Riku questioned.
"Ever since the humans were killed by us, I have grown quite interested in you lot. You are a swell of emotions and illogical patterns, I am amused by that," Ad said as he looks directly at Tifa for she felt uncomfortable.
"Why are you looking at me?" Tifa asked as suddenly Ad teleports right in front of her to shock the others.
"Stay away from her," Cloud swings his sword and Ad catches it in his hand to stop it mid swing with little effort. Cloud tries to pull away but Ad's grip is too strong.
"Sit in the corner," Ad casts a gust of wind to blow him away to slam into a wall.
"Cloud," Tifa said as others check on up on him for Ad goes up to her to grab her face to get up close. "What do you want with you?" she asked staring into his cold red eyes.
"Well you are a real beauty but there is pits of ugliness hidden that. I believe you will give me the answers I seek to unlocking the secrets of humanity," Ad said as his eyes seems like they go into the depths of her very heart and soul.
"I am nothing special," Tifa said as she felt his hand on her chest to be between her bosom to feel her heartbeat.
"I disagree, your heart is something I want to go deeper into," Ad said as Tifa's spine quiver with terror to feel his cold fingers traces up to her collarbone.
"I am not your plaything," Tifa protested as Ad playfully slide his fingers on her left breast and flick it making Tifa flinched and her left boob jiggle under her top.
"Yes, you are very curvy and well-endowed but I don't have a need for such pointless things like that. What I want is your mind and heart, that is what is drawing me to you," Ad goes away as Tifa is standing there in fear of this android man as he goes over to the others. "You are her boyfriend right, I have a request for you," Ad said.
"Screw off," Cloud said to get back onto his feet.
"Gee, you need to hear my request before throwing insults at the host. Give me the woman and I will give you the Keystone you were seeking within the core of this world," Ad said.
"Wait really?" Yuffie asked on the radio.
"Yuffie!" Tifa said in protest.
"Sorry, I was kidding. Tell them to fuck off," Yuffie said.
"We will pass on that, you will not have her," Cloud said.
"I am not going to be your lab rat," Tifa said.
"Well I thought we can be reasonable, little brother go into combat mode. We will teach them a lesson," Ad said as they both power up for there are golden auras around their bodies.
"2 against 6, bad odds for you," Vee said sounding pretty cocky as Cloud and everyone else draw their weapons for the twin brothers were fast, so fast they leave afterimages behind them.
Ad closes in on Sora and Riku with the duo trying to block but Ad's punches were too fast to block and knock them into a building nearby.
"They are not the Overseers for nothing. They are the strongest androids on the whole world," Calca said to begin hacking nearby drones to give them cover.
"Tifa and Calca, we will deal with Ad. Sora, Riku and Brina go get Vee," Cloud said.
"We can handle that," Sora said as he tosses his Keyblade to perform Fire Raid for the evil Android ducks under with Riku and Brina wielding their blades to clash with Vee.
"So slow," Vee said to laugh like a boy enjoying a piece of candy as he freezes them with ice magic. He knocks Riku away and fires a close ranged Ruinga to send Brina flying but she regains her balance to engage him again.
"Damn it, this is not your function," Brina said as she is swinging her blade with Vee using his bare arms to block her.
"Funny coming from a traitor," Vee said as he smashes his fists into the ground to stun the female android and smash his fist into her face to send her flying across the floor. Sora catches her to see she is shedding blue blood from a crack on her forehead.
"Are you okay?" Sora asked.
"Yes, thank you. As I thought, they are collecting combat data from us. The longer we fight, the less effective our powers will be against them. They will make counters for everything we throw at them," Brina said.
"That is great," Riku said dryly as he is shooting dark fireballs to home in on Vee. Vee raises a powerful energy shield to block his spells to tackle into Riku to grab his neck and toss him into a pillar.
Vee is letting out a powerful barrage of punches with each blow making Riku go deeper into the pillar until the last strike launches Riku through the solid metal pillar to bounce across the floor.
"Come on, give me a good fight. I have been here so long, I need to practice my skills against you," Vee said as Brina powers up with Sora and Riku using their Espers to engage him further.
Elsewhere Ad is fighting Tifa, Cloud and Calca as Ad is creating waves of energy to dash through the area with them evading it. Calca supporting them by shooting magical bolts at Ad with Tifa and Cloud tag teaming to attack the mad android.
"Its useless, as long as I am connected to the network. I am invincible," Ad's body is glowing bright with Cloud is slashing at him with Tifa delivering punches and kicks. Ad is blocking with ease to catch Tifa's foot and Cloud's blade to spin them around. He toss them both into a skyscraper with Tifa and Cloud use fire and ice spells to keep him on his toes.
Ad is using magic to make himself fly in the air to follow them. He catches his spells into a barrier to go inside as he sends back all the spells at them. Cloud using his Buster Sword to block and Tifa going defensive by evading the deflected spells but some got through and knock them onto the floor.
"Guys," Calca begins to hack into Ad's body to stun him for a bit to fire a Ruinga spell to knock him away with a magically explosion. "I can hack into their systems but it's for a brief moment, there is a time to strike," Calca said to fire more magic bolts and missiles at Ad who quickly recovered and become stronger deflecting them away with ease.
"Good tip kid," Cloud said as he cloaks his sword with flames to swing it releasing several flaming crescents. Tifa goes to slide under the barrage with Ad distracted by the attacks. Tifa performs a powerful Somersault to catch him in the chin to knock him away.
"Nice one," Calca said as Cloud nods in agreement but gets back up with no damage at all.
"Nice but I can do much better," Ad scans Tifa's moves for he is dodging her blows with him using a palm strike to hit at her chest to knock the wind out of her to stun her. "Somersault Assault," Ad is unleashing several somersaults with each one lifting Tifa further in the air. He catches her with a punch to the gut to see her bouncing off the metal floor to be beside Cloud and Calca.
"Damn he copied my move and then pushed it to beyond max," Tifa said to spit blood onto the floor.
"They also can copy moves and further them on the fly. Everything we throw at them, they will throw back tenfold," Calca said.
"You got to be kidding me," Cloud said as he is using his Slayer to push back Ad with each powerful blow. Ad gets knocked back and then suddenly use a powerful blow to send Cloud flying into Calca to send them both onto the ground.
"Very interesting, your bond between this man is amusing. This will be useful later," Ad said as he teleports out of the building to leave them be.
"Tifa," Cloud goes over to her as she is holding her ribs to feel one of them is broken.
"I am fine," Tifa said as she is coughs up more blood on the floor.
"Here, I can heal you," Calca said to cast Curaga to fix up her rib and her worn body.
"Thank you," Tifa said as they meet back with the others who were losing their fight with Vee despite Riku and Sora in their Esper states are unable to combat Vee without their moves being throw back at them with ten times the force and speed.
"Brother, its time to go. Our little test is over," Ad said as Vee looks like a child that got his favorite toy taken away from him.
"But I was having fun," Vee said.
"Enough, we can have fun with them later," Ad said as his little brother submits to his brother's will.
"Fine," Vee said as Tifa, Cloud and Calca check up on the others to see they look badly wounded.
"Remember, you had a chance to end this nice and smoothly. You can only blame yourself once I take Tifa by force when I deem it time," Ad said to Cloud as they teleport away.
"Sister, are you okay?" Calca asked as he begins to heal Riku and Sora for his Sister is using nanobots to begin repairing her internal and external systems.
"Yes, I am fine brother," Brina said.
"Its insane, he kept getting stronger throughout the fight. Its hard to keep up even with Esper powers," Riku said.
"indeed, as long as long as they are connected to the network. They are unbeatable with trillions of machines giving them intel and power," Brina said.
"Hey Cid, you are getting this," Cloud said on the radio earpiece.
"Yep, those sons of bitches are crazy strong when they are connected. We will search for a solution for this," Cid said.
"Thanks, come guys. Let's continue further into the depths of this metal hell," Cloud said as Tifa ponders on Ad's words.
"What does he want me for and beauty with pits of ugliness underneath," Tifa thought as her red eyes widen by a thought popping into her head. "Can he read my mind and heart, all the regrets and sins that I have sealed away deep in my heart," she thought as Cloud taps her shoulder.
"Tifa, you are alright?" Cloud asked as Tifa shakes her head.
"I am fine, let's get going," Tifa said as her thoughts wander once again. "Cloud, I am such a coward. I want to tell you all my fears and worries but not yet. Please wait for me," she said as she goes along with the others to head deeper into the worldwide city.
Elsewhere within the core of the world, Ad is looking at footages to spy on Tifa to study her. "Yes, your mind and heart is gathering into my databanks. Your fears, sins, regrets and worries will be mine to collect and allow to unlock the secrets of humanity," Ad said with a sly smile to continue watching Tifa.
A/N: I am drawing from a game called Nier Automata for this story arc like the two twin evil androids are based on the Nier Automata villains Adam and Eve.
Also, Calca and Brina are FF4 characters who were dolls but in this story they are androids. Also, they are based on the main characters of Nier Automata with Brina based on 2B and Calca based on 9S.
Also, this is Jessie, Wedge and Biggs but in their FF14 appearances just to let you know.