Final Fantasy 7: The Hojo Clone
By Co V Schuler
Part 1: The Recovery
Chapter 5 (Continued two hours after Chapter 4)
President of Shinra Inc. Tanner was leaning back in his office chair, she (Scarlet) was talking about the plans for Neo-Midgar. He was twirling a pen in his right hand and his eyes were eyeballing Scarlet's huge, beautiful breasts, "...What we need is a new resource for supplies." Her head turned to look at Tanner. "The Shinra guards and workers won't go anywhere near Midgar because of ghosts. It is ridiculous but it is costing our workers jobs. Even as we speak, people are quitting because they think Shinra had lost their mind. Not to mention the-"
"So what if they are quitting," Tanner cut in, his voice making it sound like he knew exactly what he was doing. He didn't. "I will make a speech insuring the public that we will never thing about Old Midgar again. Instead we will haul the supplies from the mountains nearby. No supplies will be taken from Old Midgar if that's what they want."
Reeve stayed quiet after that. Reeve had been re-committed after Tanner had released him. Reeve didn't know why Tanner did that, he just knew that he was back in business. Sort of; Cait-Sith was blown apart two hours ago. A big fight happened and Cait-Sith is now dead. But I can build another, thought Reeve.
Heidegger started laughing. "Gya gya gya gya...excellent plan President. We will prepare the Junon Harbor for your arrival and then you can make your speech. Oh, uh, a minor detail sir. Avalanche escaped from Junon an-," Tanner started to cut him off.
"THEY ESCAPED!"
*
Avalanche, in the Old Midgar itself, was seriously hurt. The only way that Avalanche survived the great crash of the Plate was because of Aeris, who also used the Planet to heal them. They were in a building with a fire going in the middle. Aeris was talking about Lee.
"Lee and his group are prophesized by Sephiroth himself. Sephiroth, before he found out about his being created, had a vision about his future. The vision was from the Planet...and Sephiroth's powers. It showed Lee fighting us, Avalanche and...destroying the Planet."
"We just can't get a damn break can we," complained Barret.
Aeris continued with her explanation, "Lee has a plan that will, unless Avalanche changes it, will destroy the Planet. I don't know how he plans on it, but he can and will if he gets the chance." She let that sink in. "I can only be with you for a few days though. And if Lee gets a hold of me...all is lost. He could," she frowned, "make another Cetra and use its powers to help destroy the Planet. We have to find Lee fast and destroy him immediately."
Yuffie frowned. "Why didn't you kill him earlier while you saved us? You should have killed him while you floated us away."
Cloud gave Yuffie a 'shut up' look and then asked Aeris, "Have you seen Tifa? Or for that matter, do you...can you use your powers to find Cid and Red...Nanaki?"
Aeris sighed and replied, "I wish I could, but my powers are very limited. No I can't."
"So has anyone seen Tifa," Cloud asked. They all shook their heads. "Well, she knows that we will be back at the sub in two days so that is where she will go. So let's get back to the sub."
They all started to get up and head out but Cloud signaled Aeris to stay back. When everyone was gone, Cloud said, "Hey, uh, thanks for coming back and helpin' us out. And saving our lives. When you did that 'circle of armor' thing...well that was pretty cool. Anyway...thanks Aeris."
She smiled her bright optimistic smile and said, "No problem Cloud." Then she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. He kissed back but not for long. After a few seconds he pulled away and looked behind her. "Let's uh...um, get going." He pointed outside.
She looked blinked at him and said, "Sure."
*
Tifa rolled over on her side. She just woke up a minute ago, but her whole body ached and she didn't want to get up. Then the memory of Cloud in the building and the building falling...Cloud is...dead! NO! No wait. Aeris would've saved them.
Yeah. Aeris would have saved them. After all, she had full Cetra powers now that she had been in the Lifestream...hopefully.
Tifa got up and looked around. She could see the fallen building about half-a-mile away. Did I really get flung half a mile into a building, she asked herself. Amazing. That kick must have kicked her far. Good thing you have magic on your side.
Tifa then realized that if Lee and the others were in the building...they were dead! Their mission was accomplished. They had killed Lee!
Have to be sure though, she thought. One person with Revive Materia could bring everybody back. Tifa was about to turn a corner on the path when six figures came into view. Some were limping or helping another one walk. Her eyes widened. How the hell...in the world had they survived? Then it occurred to her that she had better run from them. She couldn't survive fighting one (barely). She turned around and started running but a suddenly, wind started blowing her back.
She tried to resist but-, "AAA!" She shrieked and flew back about fifty yards when the wind stopped and she hit the ground hard. "Oomph!"
She blinked and started to get up when a foot suddenly connected with her face. She rolled back a few yards and started to try to get up again but a knee hit her stomach. She finally went down, already to weak to put up much resistance. Just before she lost consciousness, she heard someone say, "Seems we have a prisoner." Then laughter, then...darkness.
*
Lee's laughter echoed. He knew all about his enemy's passion for this girl. And the Ancient... hmmm. A plan suddenly formed in Lee's mind. Avalanche now knew that they couldn't fight them and win, and Ancients can't lie. Lee smiled. The Ancient liked Cloud too. So a love triangle and emotions for the others. Lee smiled again. Then fell down and hit the dust.
Coughing, he struggled to get back up. His back was out, a five-inch deep hole in his right midsection. Marina rushed to his aide and helped him up. "I have a plan," he said to her. "But let us get back to the submarine first. With the prisoner."
*
Two Days Later...
Back at the submarine, where Cloud and the others had been waiting for Tifa, Avalanche was eating lunch. Barret was saying something about kicking Lee's ass. Yuffie and Vincent were arguing about who could take out Barret. Aeris was silently staring at her food. Her eyes seemed to glow. Cloud had noticed that right off the bat once he had time to actually look at her.
She hadn't eaten anything for two days either. He was worried, but not as worried as he was about Tifa. She still hadn't come back. And Cloud felt the same feeling of dread as he did when he first met Lee. The same powers of Sephiroth, only stronger. How could Lee be stronger than Sephiroth? Questions were riddled in Cloud's mind but...
He turned and looked at Aeris. "Are you okay," he asked. She looked up and seemed to come out of a trance before she actually answered him. "Oh...yeah, yes I am fine. Thank you for asking Cloud."
"Why aren't you eating? You haven't eaten anything for two days."
Her eyes looked into his and he saw the glow of...Mako? Could she be diffused with Mako? She started smiling and nodding her head. "It clicked didn't it? I have Mako in me. And I am being fed Mako instead of actual food. That is why I can't stay here for more than a week. I have five days before I run out of Mako and return to the Planet."
"...oh," replied Cloud. "As long as you are okay." He turned back around and reached over for some binoculars. "People," he shouted and everyone turned to him. "I am on deck if you need me."
He left the room and went up the ladder to outside, where winds were blowing hard. Almost freezing winds, too. He shivered and raised the binoculars to his eyes. He faced shore and searched the beaches for Tifa. Nope, wasn't there. He moved his big eyes up and looked toward the hill. Then that feeling of dread hit him, like a shock wave. He shivered again, feeling something in the air.
Suddenly, something grabbed him by the waist on both sides, and a shout, "Boo!" Cloud jumped and turned around, ready to un-sheath his sword. Aeris stood there, starting to laugh. "Gotcha' ya'," she giggled and just started laughing loud.
Cloud breathed a sigh of relief, the feeling hadn't left him but he thought he was going to see Sephiroth or something. "Yeah, yeah you got me. So what," he laughed with her.
Suddenly she threw her arms around him and hugged him. He hesitantly hugged back; he didn't know if he wanted to get close to Aeris. Tifa had such faith in him but...Aeris liked him so much. Mixed feelings entered him and he...what the.
He got his binoculars back in his right hand and looked through them at the ocean. Aeris, sensing something wrong, looked up at him and asked, "What's wrong?"
He slowly moved away from her arms and focused. "Oh shit. It's a sub...a Shinra sub!"
He jumped back inside and yelled at his crew, "Arm the torpedoes and get ready to maneuver the sub. Shinra on the way!" Barret, Yuffie, and Vincent got up and hurriedly went down to the bridge. "Move it," Cloud yelled. He himself ran back up to the deck. Wait a minute, he thought. There are people on deck. They wouldn't attack unless they were underwater...
He ran back down to an intercom and yelled, "Don't go under, they aren't attacking. Ready the torpedoes but don't fire yet." He ran back up on the deck and started to raise his binoculars when he heard a ringing noise. What the...PHS! He reached for the phone and picked it up. "Cloud," he said before anyone on the other end could answer.
"Hello Cloud," came a voice from the other end of the line. Lee, Cloud thought. "How the hell did you get my number," Cloud asked.
"Oh we have are methods Cloud. And we also have our prisoners."
Cloud froze and he heard a small laugh on the other end. Not a funny ha-ha laugh. A cold, evil laugh. "Yes, we have your dear girl Tifa with us. Your childhood sweetheart if I'm not mistaken. We need someone Cloud. And we need her before she...disappears." He put emphasis on her.
"I'm listening," answered, already knowing what Lee wanted.
"Good," came the simple reply. "I have instructions for you. I want our subs to meet. I give you Tifa and you give me the Ancient. No people hurt and no shots fired. Understand?"
"How long do we have to think it over?"
"Three hours. When that time is up, I call you. If you try to stall me at all, your girl DIES!"
The line clicked dead.
Lee was dead serious. He wouldn't think twice about killing Tifa. He wouldn't think twice.
*
Lee put away the PHS and started laughing. There shouldn't be emotion but this wasn't emotion. It was pure joy. Pure joy.
"You will regret this," came a soft, but firm, female voice. Lee looked around his should at the girl named Tifa.
"My dear Tifa," he started but she made a sick face. He frowned, anger taking over. "Fine, be that way you stupid bitch. You will DIE if your little Cloud doesn't turn over...what's her name? Aeris? Then I will destroy the Planet because..." He slowly stopped talking. "Cairn?"
One of the men stepped forward, a man little over six feet tall. He had blonde hair and was very muscular. Tifa caught herself looking at him a few times. "Sir," he asked.
"Take the girl down to Marina's quarters. There you may have fun with her."
Cairn smiled and yanked Tifa by the arm and took down below deck.