Final Fantasy 7: The Hojo Clone
By Co V Schuler
Part 1: The Recovery
Chapter 6 (Continued two ours after Chapter 5)
Barret stopped Cloud's explaining. "Hold up, hold up...you mean that this bastard has Tifa and he won't let her go unless we hand over Aeris, am I right? Is that how it is?"
Cloud grave-fully nodded. "And-
Barret cut him off again, "And if he gets a hold of Aeris he will use her to destroy the Planet and Aeris will die before we can even make a move against the bastard. That's how it is right?"
"Duh Barret, that is what Cloud has been trying to say but you keep interrupting. So why don't you just shut the fu-," she said but Vincent started talking. "We can't hand over Aeris but we can't let Tifa die. How are we going to do this Cloud?"
Cloud looked at his group of freed fighters. Every one of them had a heart and Cloud knew that everyone of 'em didn't want to give up either of the girls. Vincent was sitting beside Barret and Yuffie next to Aeris. It occurred to Cloud that Aeris hadn't said a word ever since she heard the news.
"I don't know what-," Cloud started but again, Barret cut him off.
"You know what I think," Barret asked everybody. Before Barret could say anything after that, Vincent replied, "That you should shut up," and Vincent back-fisted his mouth. Barret's fell backwards and Barret was rolling backwards on the floor.
Vincent was shaking his head. "Hope that'll teach him."
Barret glared at Vincent but didn't say anything. Cloud just rolled his eyes. "Could we grow up?" They all realized that they had been acting like children and embarrassingly nodded. "Good, because we have less than an hour before we decide whether Tifa should live, or the Planet."
They all stared down at the floor, unable to hide their real emotion. "It's up to Aeris," Cloud said silently. Aeris raised her head, her eyes glowing with the limited Mako inside of her. "Then I don't know what I am going to do," she said.
Barret closed his eyes and leaned against a wall. Vincent went quiet and started looking for something to take him mind off of death. Yuffie got up and left the room. Cloud only shook his head. He couldn't choose...Aeris, who would be here for five more days or Tifa, who might be here until he dies. Cloud hid his face. What could he do?
Aeris got up and left the room. Suddenly, the sub lurched and...it sounded like they were going underwater! Cloud got up and ran to the bridge. Yuffie was piloting the submarine. "What the hell are you doing," Cloud yelled in confusion.
Yuffie turned and looked at him. "We have a mission," she said, starting to cry. Cloud raised an eyebrow. Yuffie cared?! "Avalanche has a mission Cloud. And until now, I didn't even know I cared. So let's go save the Planet. Its not like we have a choice."
Silence. The others were watching through the doorway. "Alright," Cloud said finally. "We have to do something. How about we..." And they started planning a plan that might kill them all...and the Planet.
*
Lee was staring at Marina. She was beautiful. His eyes were going between Marina and his captured prize, Tifa. "So," he said after an hour of silence. "Tifa, what do you think Cloud will do? If he cared for you, you would think he would have already turned in the Ancient."
Tifa shook her head. "He cares for me and loves me. But the Planet is more important. I am one soul, one person. By turning in Aeris, he could sacrifice billions of souls and spirit energy."
Lee rolled his eyes. "Right. If he 'cared and loved' you so much, he would have turned in the Ancient. He doesn't care for you, he's just making you think he does by taking so long. After all-," Lee raised he wrist to look at his watch, "he only has half-an-hour left before I call him and choose whether or not I am going to kill you."
Tifa shook her head, trying not to believe it. It couldn't be, Cloud loves me, she thought. Cloud loved me, she told herself. But does he...love Aeris more? Does he...
Right there Tifa started crying; ever since Aeris came back, Cloud seemed so much more vibrant and excited. When Aeris was killed, he thought of revenge and hate for so long...he does love Aeris more. How could he? Why? I have loved you all my life and now all I get is...you and Aeris?!
Tifa's heart went cold. Fine then, she thought, be that way Cloud. If you don't love me, I'll make you love me.
Lee, who had been watching Tifa change emotions smile. Now Tifa wanted Cloud to love her. And she would probably do anything for his love. Lee laughed out loud and left the room. Marina stayed to watch Tifa. Now, when Cloud decides to come to me to hand over the Ancient, he is going to get a traitor.
*
"Fifteen minutes till that asshole calls us up and says: 'Hello, I want your Ancient in exchange for the other girl'." Barret was obviously trying to enlighten the situation but failed miserable.
"Shut up Barret. That wasn't even funny," Yuffie said, harshly. Barret looked away, hurt.
Cloud sighed. What was he supposed to do? They had tried to come up with a plan but...none seemed to turn out. Then his eyes lightened up. "Hey guys, does anyone have a big megaphone? I have an idea."
"About damn time," Barret said. "Our leader comes up with a plan at the last minute."
Cloud ignored him. "Alright. Lee has a submarine and wants us to meet. Here's what I am thinking. We approach his submarine, and when we are about fifty yards away, we fire torpedoes. Just as you fire the torpedoes, I yell through the megaphone to Tifa...something like 'run' or something."
They all thought about that and couldn't find to many problems with it. The other plans were a lot worse...a lot worse. Vincent shrugged. "What if they fire at us?"
"All but one of us will be on deck. One person to fire the torpedoes and us to provide cover for Tifa while she is swimming our way. We still have that cannon on the front deck, right?"
Vincent nodded, catching on to the plan.
"But we have to be very careful."
Suddenly, a beeping noise made everybody jump. Before Cloud answered it, he said, "Come on, get to your stations." Then he hurriedly opened the PHS. "Strife here," he tried to sound cool and confident, but he was risking Tifa's life as well as Aeris.
"Have you made your decision yet? Before you answer, let me remind you that the slightest hint that you are stalling and I will kill her."
Cloud hesitated.
"I'm waiting..."
"Yes, we have made our decision. We will meet and give Aeris as long as we get Tifa back."
"I am a man of my word Cloud. Even a criminal should keep his word. Gloom tells me that you all went under about thirty minutes ago. Come back up, not anywhere near us. Then we will come to you. No shots fired. No one gets hurt. Deal?"
Cloud sighed over the line, "...yes. We have a deal." It clicked and Cloud put the PHS back in his pocket. "Vincent, you will fire the torpedoes and the second you fire 'em, get on deck and try to shoot Lee. Head shot Vincent. We need a head shot." He nodded.
"Everyone else, you're with me."
"Right," they all yelled. And they went up on deck when they surfaced.
Cloud used binoculars to locate Lee's sub. He found it and judging from how fast they were coming, they would reach Avalanche's sub in ten minutes. "Vincent, are you ready," he asked into a walkie-talkie. "Alssshkkkost," came the distorted reply.
"Let me know when you are ready." A few seconds later, "Alright Cloud."
Cloud watched the sub approach through the binoculars. Just as he started to put them down, he saw movement. He re-focused the binoculars. Tifa, Gloom, Cairn, Marina, Lee and two other people came on deck. Tifa was chained up. Cloud frowned. She looked okay but...her facial expression was...different.
He shrugged. At least he knew she was alive. Cloud looked at Lee; he was talking...to Tifa. What were they saying? Goodbye? Doubt it.
*
"So now you know that Cloud has never really loved you. It was...Aeris. I thought Cloud was nicer than that but tough-lookin' people, I guess, aren't the loving type."
Tifa had anger written all over her face. She was mad at Cloud; Lee was right. Definitely right. Cloud never loved me, Tifa told herself. He just loved Aeris.
Sure Aeris was an Ancient but that doesn't make you automatically love her. Cloud...how could you betray me like that. Why didn't you ever even tell me?
Tifa snapped out of her thinking and heard Lee saying something to Gloom, "...if they try any stunt, toss the rifle to Tifa tell her to shoot Cloud." Lee turned to Tifa. "You do...want to kill him don't you?"
Tifa thought for a second, then nodded yes. "Cloud is a self-righteous jerk that chose Aeris over me. After all we've been through, even after we fought Sephiroth together." Tifa winced. "I hate him. I will kill him."
Lee smiled, satisfactory showing. "Good. Now lets just-," suddenly a shout from the other sub.
"Tifa, bail into the water. Go go go!"
Lee yelled in rage. "Kill them, kill them all! Gloom, your orders."
Gloom stopped firing the rifle and handed it to Tifa, her eyes cold. She raised the scope to her eyes and looked at whom she was aiming at. Yuffie...Tifa moved the rifle left...Vincent coming out from below. Then the scope homed in on Cloud. Using one hand, Tifa zoomed in on Cloud. His spiky hair makes him so...attractive. Her finger curled around the trigger and then it occurred to her that it wasn't Cloud's fault. What if Aeris had used her...Cetra powers to make Cloud like her?
Tifa's eyes flared and longed for the sight of Aeris spilling blood. Her sight homed in on Aeris and...again her finger curled around the trigger. She started to pull the trigger when she heard a shout, "Torpedoes! Abandon ship."
It was Lee yelling out commands. "Everyone go for shore!" Tifa looked up and saw Lee going back down inside the submarine.
Then Tifa heard Cloud's amplified voice. His beautiful voice. "Tifa, jump into the water. Get out of there!" She thought for a second then thought, revenge first. She re-focused on Aeris and-
Boom!!! Tifa's lightweight body was flung into the air, away from the rifle. She screamed as she flew backwards, away from both subs. Splash! Cold! Freezing water!
Tifa surfaced for air. The sub was only six feet away and it was turning to travel toward shore. The water was too cold. She would probably die if she tried for shore. Then a hand came down and picked her up. Lee. He helped her back up.
And then said, "You can get thrown back in the water...unless you join us until Aeris is dead. Deal?"
Tifa thought for half-a-second and said, "Sure."