Chapter 3: Tifa's Gone!!!
Barret was travelling the not so well used patht that led to Kalm. He hadn't heard from Tifa in over a week. And supposedly Shinra's mail system only took a day at the most to get to its destination. Something had to be wrong, it wasn't like Tifa to just not reply to a friend. He wondered if she had went out after Cloud. That spikey ass kid better not of got himself and tifa in trouble. Barret thought.
After a few hours he came upon the tranquil city of Kalm. He went straight to Tifa's bar and knocked on the door three quick times. No answer. Five times. Still no answer, not even movement. This time he knocked continuesly, getting extremely worried. Damnit. He was about to bust down the door when Cloud walked in.
"Barret! You came to see Tifa too?" Cloud's voice was remarkably cheerful, totally oblivious to the fact that Tifa was gone.
"Where the hell is Tifa?" Barret's gruf voice seemed to drop an octive or three.
"Wha..." Then it dawned on Cloud. "Shit." The simple word came out monotone, but with plenty of anger.
"Damn straight." Barret busted the door down and was followed in by Cloud. Cloud began to search everywhere until he came on a note.
"Dear Zack, I have taken Tifa with me. If you wish to see her again you must come to Mt. Nibel. I will be waiting there. And don't even think about trying to fight me. I would win." Cloud read the note aloud.
"Zack?!" Barret turned to Cloud. "What the hell?"
"I dunno but whoever wrote this is looking for Zack, and he must've known Zack would come back here or he wouldn't have left it. But Zack is dead..." Cloud's voice trailed off.
"Obviously it's some screwed up cook trying to get to you. You're practically Zack's twin. Someone must have gotten the two of you mixed up. Come on we need to get to Mt. Nibel." Barret ran out the door way, with Cloud right at his side.
"Barret, we need an airship."
"Don't worry, I know just where we can find Cid."
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Cid pulled out his wrench and tightened the last nut. He stepped back and examined his work. "Good enough." He murmered, putting his tools back where they belonged.
The Highwind sat their in the cool morning, dew forming on it, making it sparkly in the rising sun's rays. It reminded Cid of the day he first went to space. He longed to get back up there. Out in to space. He felt some kind of connection that he needed to make.
He had beefed up the Highwind even further since the North Crater incident, as he had come to call it. Shera came up behind him and gave him a hug.
"Nice work honey, but I think you've spent to much time on the Highwind recently and I think that maybe we could-"
She was cut off be the approach of Cloud and Barret. They waved at Cid and Shera, who had just recently gotten married. "Hey guys, how's it going?" Cloud said as he approached the couple.
Shera glarred at the two, but Cid just smiled. "It's going great." He replied motioning to Shera and the new and improved Highwind.
"Soo Cid, is the Highwind up and runnin?" Barret asked, trying to be polite in front of Shera.
"Damn straight it's workin. Better then ever." He said, pride filling his voice.
"We're gonna be needing it." Cloud said. "We're going to be doing a lot of travelling and it would be a lot quicker than boats and crap."
Cid looked at him strangely. "What kinda trouble you into now damnit?"
"Tifa's been kidnapped." His voice suddenly filled with anger.
"Damn..." Cid whispered.
"Damn straight." Barret retorted, then turned a little red, remembering Shera.
Shera just looked at them, wishing she could have gotten Cid into bed for the morning. "Cid, please can we just have the morning together." She asked.
Cid looked at her, his face turning red. "Oh, I guess."
Cloud and Barret just sat there, embarrassed at what they were hearing. "We'll just be buying some supplies, then we'll be waiting on the Highwind." Cloud said, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.
Barret and Cloud had gone through almost every story and were now heading back to the Highwind. "I wonder if Cid is...ummm...going to be much longer." Cloud thought aloud.
Barret begin to laugh. "He's gonna be there all day I tell ya!!!"
And sure enough as the sun began to set Cid finally made his way out to the Highwind, wiskey on his breath.
"You sure you can fly Cid?" Cloud asked, the humor gone from the long wait.
"Damnit Cloud!!! I could fly with my F$%KING hand tied behind my F$#KING back with my F$#KING B$#CH grabbin my-"
Barret slapped Cid on the back, interrupting the drunks speech. "Damnit man, get ahold of yourself." He gave him a few friendly slaps on the face. "Now fly this airship to Mt. Nimbel."
Cid reluctently grabbed the controls and got ready for take off. "OK. You pansies back there buckly up. I've made some modifications to this baby." He said patting the newly intsalled controls.
Cloud and Barret looked at each other questioningly. They both buckled into a seat and strapped the seat belt on. Cid looked back at them to make sure they were in, then strapped himself in too. Suddenly Cid punched it and they were talking off. All three were pushed back into their seats. The speed was incredible as Cid took off and flew toward Mt. Nibel.
"Damn Cid!! You've out done yourself this time!!" Barret yelled, just to be heard. Cid just turned around and gave him a two thumbs up.
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Tifa was finally alowed to take the blind fold off, and the shackles were also removed. And as she tried to open her eyes she was blinded by the dim light. It felt like she was starring at the sun. Slowly she was able to open her eyes, but at a price. Pain shot through her eyes, but slowly she could make out a figure. Slowly the figure came into focus. She gasped as realization of who it was came to her.
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The landing that Cid preformed wasn't exactly worthy of a 10. "Hey any landing you live through is a good one." He remarked before anyone could say anything. Barret just grumbled something as he unbuckled himself.
Cloud leaped out of the airship. Sliding down the rope ladder. He jumped the last 15 feet and broke out into a sprint. "Damn that kid..." Barret and Cid said in unison. They both climbed down the rope and ran after him.
Cloud looked around the place. Looking for where this guy might have put Tifa. "Tifa!!!" He yelled, trying to get at least a direction
"Ah, Zack, I see you decided to show up." Cloud looked around as the voice echoed around. It seemed as if it was coming from everywhere. And at the moment he hadn't noticed the mention of Zack's name.
"Where's Tifa?!?!" He yelled out.
"All in good time Zack, all in good time. First I want to have some fun with you and your friends." Barret and Cid ran up behind Cloud, panting. The voice laugh.
This time Cloud realized the mistake the speaker had made. "I'm not Zack, my names Cloud."
"Oh, Zack. Don't think changing your hair color is going to do anything." The voice reverberated off the walls of the cavern they had ended up in. "You mock me. I'm not so stupid Zack."
"I'm NOT Zack!!" Cloud's voice echoed around, bouncing off the walls. "Tifa!!!" He yelled, hearing a muffled cry, then a thud. He ran down the coridor after the sound.
"Tifa i'm coming!!" Suddenly he heard two thumbs behind him and looked back to see Cid and Barret laying unconscious. "Shit..." He sword as he began runing again. Laughing echoing everywhere.
"Really Zack, you were alwasy so fool hardy." The voice seemed to mock Cloud everytime it called him Zack.
"Stop calling me Zack Damnit!!" Suddenly he saw Tifa, slumped over in a chair. "Tifa!!" He ran towards her only to be stopped by the man behind the voice. He jumped down from the ceiling. Cloud stopped and staired in horror. But a number four lay on the man's arm. The number one should have been right there.
Barret was travelling the not so well used patht that led to Kalm. He hadn't heard from Tifa in over a week. And supposedly Shinra's mail system only took a day at the most to get to its destination. Something had to be wrong, it wasn't like Tifa to just not reply to a friend. He wondered if she had went out after Cloud. That spikey ass kid better not of got himself and tifa in trouble. Barret thought.
After a few hours he came upon the tranquil city of Kalm. He went straight to Tifa's bar and knocked on the door three quick times. No answer. Five times. Still no answer, not even movement. This time he knocked continuesly, getting extremely worried. Damnit. He was about to bust down the door when Cloud walked in.
"Barret! You came to see Tifa too?" Cloud's voice was remarkably cheerful, totally oblivious to the fact that Tifa was gone.
"Where the hell is Tifa?" Barret's gruf voice seemed to drop an octive or three.
"Wha..." Then it dawned on Cloud. "Shit." The simple word came out monotone, but with plenty of anger.
"Damn straight." Barret busted the door down and was followed in by Cloud. Cloud began to search everywhere until he came on a note.
"Dear Zack, I have taken Tifa with me. If you wish to see her again you must come to Mt. Nibel. I will be waiting there. And don't even think about trying to fight me. I would win." Cloud read the note aloud.
"Zack?!" Barret turned to Cloud. "What the hell?"
"I dunno but whoever wrote this is looking for Zack, and he must've known Zack would come back here or he wouldn't have left it. But Zack is dead..." Cloud's voice trailed off.
"Obviously it's some screwed up cook trying to get to you. You're practically Zack's twin. Someone must have gotten the two of you mixed up. Come on we need to get to Mt. Nibel." Barret ran out the door way, with Cloud right at his side.
"Barret, we need an airship."
"Don't worry, I know just where we can find Cid."
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Cid pulled out his wrench and tightened the last nut. He stepped back and examined his work. "Good enough." He murmered, putting his tools back where they belonged.
The Highwind sat their in the cool morning, dew forming on it, making it sparkly in the rising sun's rays. It reminded Cid of the day he first went to space. He longed to get back up there. Out in to space. He felt some kind of connection that he needed to make.
He had beefed up the Highwind even further since the North Crater incident, as he had come to call it. Shera came up behind him and gave him a hug.
"Nice work honey, but I think you've spent to much time on the Highwind recently and I think that maybe we could-"
She was cut off be the approach of Cloud and Barret. They waved at Cid and Shera, who had just recently gotten married. "Hey guys, how's it going?" Cloud said as he approached the couple.
Shera glarred at the two, but Cid just smiled. "It's going great." He replied motioning to Shera and the new and improved Highwind.
"Soo Cid, is the Highwind up and runnin?" Barret asked, trying to be polite in front of Shera.
"Damn straight it's workin. Better then ever." He said, pride filling his voice.
"We're gonna be needing it." Cloud said. "We're going to be doing a lot of travelling and it would be a lot quicker than boats and crap."
Cid looked at him strangely. "What kinda trouble you into now damnit?"
"Tifa's been kidnapped." His voice suddenly filled with anger.
"Damn..." Cid whispered.
"Damn straight." Barret retorted, then turned a little red, remembering Shera.
Shera just looked at them, wishing she could have gotten Cid into bed for the morning. "Cid, please can we just have the morning together." She asked.
Cid looked at her, his face turning red. "Oh, I guess."
Cloud and Barret just sat there, embarrassed at what they were hearing. "We'll just be buying some supplies, then we'll be waiting on the Highwind." Cloud said, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.
Barret and Cloud had gone through almost every story and were now heading back to the Highwind. "I wonder if Cid is...ummm...going to be much longer." Cloud thought aloud.
Barret begin to laugh. "He's gonna be there all day I tell ya!!!"
And sure enough as the sun began to set Cid finally made his way out to the Highwind, wiskey on his breath.
"You sure you can fly Cid?" Cloud asked, the humor gone from the long wait.
"Damnit Cloud!!! I could fly with my F$%KING hand tied behind my F$#KING back with my F$#KING B$#CH grabbin my-"
Barret slapped Cid on the back, interrupting the drunks speech. "Damnit man, get ahold of yourself." He gave him a few friendly slaps on the face. "Now fly this airship to Mt. Nimbel."
Cid reluctently grabbed the controls and got ready for take off. "OK. You pansies back there buckly up. I've made some modifications to this baby." He said patting the newly intsalled controls.
Cloud and Barret looked at each other questioningly. They both buckled into a seat and strapped the seat belt on. Cid looked back at them to make sure they were in, then strapped himself in too. Suddenly Cid punched it and they were talking off. All three were pushed back into their seats. The speed was incredible as Cid took off and flew toward Mt. Nibel.
"Damn Cid!! You've out done yourself this time!!" Barret yelled, just to be heard. Cid just turned around and gave him a two thumbs up.
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Tifa was finally alowed to take the blind fold off, and the shackles were also removed. And as she tried to open her eyes she was blinded by the dim light. It felt like she was starring at the sun. Slowly she was able to open her eyes, but at a price. Pain shot through her eyes, but slowly she could make out a figure. Slowly the figure came into focus. She gasped as realization of who it was came to her.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The landing that Cid preformed wasn't exactly worthy of a 10. "Hey any landing you live through is a good one." He remarked before anyone could say anything. Barret just grumbled something as he unbuckled himself.
Cloud leaped out of the airship. Sliding down the rope ladder. He jumped the last 15 feet and broke out into a sprint. "Damn that kid..." Barret and Cid said in unison. They both climbed down the rope and ran after him.
Cloud looked around the place. Looking for where this guy might have put Tifa. "Tifa!!!" He yelled, trying to get at least a direction
"Ah, Zack, I see you decided to show up." Cloud looked around as the voice echoed around. It seemed as if it was coming from everywhere. And at the moment he hadn't noticed the mention of Zack's name.
"Where's Tifa?!?!" He yelled out.
"All in good time Zack, all in good time. First I want to have some fun with you and your friends." Barret and Cid ran up behind Cloud, panting. The voice laugh.
This time Cloud realized the mistake the speaker had made. "I'm not Zack, my names Cloud."
"Oh, Zack. Don't think changing your hair color is going to do anything." The voice reverberated off the walls of the cavern they had ended up in. "You mock me. I'm not so stupid Zack."
"I'm NOT Zack!!" Cloud's voice echoed around, bouncing off the walls. "Tifa!!!" He yelled, hearing a muffled cry, then a thud. He ran down the coridor after the sound.
"Tifa i'm coming!!" Suddenly he heard two thumbs behind him and looked back to see Cid and Barret laying unconscious. "Shit..." He sword as he began runing again. Laughing echoing everywhere.
"Really Zack, you were alwasy so fool hardy." The voice seemed to mock Cloud everytime it called him Zack.
"Stop calling me Zack Damnit!!" Suddenly he saw Tifa, slumped over in a chair. "Tifa!!" He ran towards her only to be stopped by the man behind the voice. He jumped down from the ceiling. Cloud stopped and staired in horror. But a number four lay on the man's arm. The number one should have been right there.