Chapter 5
North Corel

"God, what a dump. Just as well we're burning this place to the ground. Who'd want to live here?" Reno exclaimed as he looked down on North Corel. He, Rude, and twenty young, low-rank Soldiers were perched on a granite outcropping overlooking the village. The buildings looked more dilapidated than ever, since no one had the money to undertake any real repairs. Some rusty old rail tracks ran from the town off into the mountains, no doubt used for transporting coal. Most of the people were in their houses, hiding from the scorching midday heat. Only a few bold kids were outside, frolicking in the dust.
Rude took the scene in as well, though he didn't comment on it. He adjusted his black sunglasses and cleared his throat. The young Soldiers, who had been chatting excitedly among themselves, immediately grew silent and turned to look at him.
"Spread out and surround the town. Do not form groups or pairs. Stay in the rock outcroppings around the town. Do not be seen or heard. Once you have a reached a suitable position, remain still and wait. As soon as I fire the first shot, you will fire as well. Do not fire prior to this time. Do you understand," Rude said.
The Soldiers all nodded vigorously.
"Then go. Quickly," Rude finished.
Twenty blue-clad figures clambered over the boulders, each settling in a secure nook where they had a clear view of the village, but were also relatively shaded from the sun. Each was armed with an automatic crossbow, loaded with six incendiary bolts. As soon as the trigger was pulled, the bolts would fly off in rapid succession, exploding wherever they struck. Each Soldier held his or her crossbow tightly, anxiously waiting for the signal.
* * *
Dyne and Barret stood at the airport in Gold Saucer, sighing with frustration as the eyed the list of air fares. As two of North Corel's most prominent citizens, they wanted to travel to Midgar and personally discuss the matter of the Mako reactor with a Shinra representative. Even though Dyne and Barret both saw the reactor as a good idea, few others did. But Dyne and Barret only wanted what was best for North Corel, and fully backed the beliefs of the majority. So they had prepared a presentation and a small speech for whatever Shinra person they might talk to, and hoped to bargain with them about choosing another location for the reactor. But getting to Midgar was much more expensive than either of them had anticipated. Already the two of them had drained their own savings, and even taken loans from several other townspeople who supported their cause, but it still wasn't enough for two third-class plane tickets to Midgar. After a few more minutes of deliberation, the two decided to head back to North Corel and try to scrounge up some more funding.
* * *
Laeryn rested her chin on her hand as she stared out the small thick window of the airplane. The engines roared as it accelerated for take-off. Laeryn blankly watched the yellow lines on the runway dart past as the plane picked up more speed. She felt very relaxed, as if she felt content with her lot in life for the first time. As always, she was excited about seeing her parents again. She had always been close to them, and her only regret about joining the army was that she couldn't see them as much. Her mother still worried over her incessantly, asking Laeryn if she combed her hair, if she ate right, if she had a boyfriend, how the situation with Wutai was progressing... on and on. Laeryn smiled and happily answered all her questions. Her mother's curiosity about her life had bothered her when she was little, but now she loved to sit down and have long talks with her mother. Her father would laugh and joke with her, poking his head in the room to ask if Laeryn and her mother were through with their "girl talk" yet. He and Laeryn would go outside, and she would show off to him her sword katas and handgun marksmanship. He too asked numerous questions, about her weapons, battles she'd fought, strategies she liked to use. He knew she loved to talk about those sorts of things. The thrill of seeing her family was amplified by the fact that her nineteenth birthday was only a few days away and very rarely was she able to celebrate her birthday with her parents.
As the landscape below reduced itself to blotches of color, Laeryn grew more and more excited. She wanted to see her mother's reaction when she told her about Sephiroth. Sephiroth wasn't Laeryn's boyfriend, but her mother just loved to hear about anything of that sort. She often joked that Laeryn needed to find a nice boyfriend, or she would grow up to be a grumpy old maid. Laeryn never had much interest in dating; the only person she'd ever had those types of feelings for was Sephiroth.
And she missed Sephiroth already. Laeryn wished she could have at least seen him before she left, but by the time she left to catch her 11:15 flight, Sephiroth had departed hours earlier to investigate a report of a terrorist group somewhere in the slums of Midgar. Laeryn wondered what he thought of her since their encounter during the victory celebration. He seemed to at least care about her to some extent. She remembered the look of solemn concern on his face as he warned about Hojo and the way he hurried her from the building as soon as he felt she was threatened. Laeryn knew she could protect herself, but somehow it felt very good to have someone else watching out for her as well.
Nor had Sephiroth objected when she gave him a hug, and then a kiss. He seemed awkward, but Laeryn knew no one else had ever expressed such affection for him. She was still surprised at how soft he had been, contrasting almost ridiculously with his inhuman strength and skill on the battlefield. That was part of what Laeryn found so fascinating about him; two seemingly unrelated sides of his personality were woven seamlessly together. The strong, ruthless part of him that allowed him to slaughter people in battle also manifested itself as a fierce protective streak. His calculating intelligence was not used solely for planning strategy, but also to contemplate his own fate and future. Behind the unnerving Mako glow and wary spark in his eyes was the soft light of innocence and a glimmer of loneliness and curiosity. His long, slender hands, which had been used to kill so many people, were also capable of gentle touch. Sephiroth was definitely the most interesting person Laeryn had ever met. She always wanted to know more about him. She always wanted to spend time with him. She was in love with him.
This realization didn't surprise Laeryn as much as thought it would. But then again, it was more of a confession of feelings long denied.
* * *
Rude continued to scrutinize North Corel. He looked over at Reno, who was raising him crossbow and taking aim at one of the tiny splintered houses.
Reno raised one of his red eyebrows at Rude. "Shall we?"
Always the businesslike one, Rude didn't respond but raised his crossbow and pulled the trigger, sending a stream of six bolts flying. Crossbows were silent weapons, and no one in the village below had any idea of the impending attack. As soon as Rude unleashed his first salvo, the Soldiers immediately followed suit. The little buildings in North Corel stood no chance as the crossbow bolts exploded on contact, sending horrifically bright flames licking across the sun-dried boards. People ran from their suddenly burning houses in bewilderment, then looking up in fear as they saw Soldiers charging down the mountain side, automatic rifles in hand.
* * *
Dyne and Barret walked silently, a bit depressed by the fact that their plan had been foiled. They made walked slowly on the abandoned rail tracks that connected the ropeway to North Corel. As they neared a small bridge across a deep chasm, Barret stopped and cocked his head, unfamiliar sounds reaching his ears.
"Yo. Ya hear that?" he said quietly.
"Yeah...what the hell is that?" said Dyne.
"Dunno, but it sounds like it's comin' from da town. Let's go!"
They crossed the bridge and stood atop and small but steep hill, where they had a clear view of North Corel. The sight that greeted them left both men in a state of speechless shock. North Corel had been completely engulfed in flames. The smoke of burning wood and flesh burned their eyes and nostrils.
"What..." Dyne was finally able to whisper. The continued to watch in horrified fascination as a score of blue-clad figures emerged from the fires, gunning down anyone who tried to escape.
"That's the sound we heard...the gunfire...oh god..." Dyne gasped, tears forming in his eyes.
"Marlene!!!" Barret screamed desperately. He leapt up and began barreling down the steep hillside.
"Barret! Wait!" Dyne called after him, "Don't let them see you!"
But it was too late. Dyne heard the gunfire again, only this time it was much closer. Barret once again appeared on the hilltop, a group of the blue attackers in hot pursuit.
"Run Dyne! Get yo ass outta here!" Barret exclaimed.
The two ran until they reached the bridge they had crossed earlier. Underneath it was a small ledge that ran along the edge of the cliff. Barret and Dyne jumped off the bridge and landed precariously on the narrow ledge. They quickly scampered under the bridge to hide.
Rude stopped suddenly when he was halfway across the bridge. The four Soldiers behind him almost barreled into him. Rude gave them a glare.
"Now. Where could they have gone? As I recall, the President specifically ordered that there be no survivors. So I suggest you find those two," Rude said dangerously.
Dyne and Barret nervously listened to the footsteps and conversation going on directly above them.
"It's Shinra...they're from Shinra," Dyne exclaimed quietly.
"Those son o' bitches! The hell they think they can accomplish by killin' innocent people!" snarled Barret.
Dyne clapped a hand across his short-tempered friend's mouth. "Shhh! They'll hear you!"
But they knew they had already been found. The conversation and footsteps above had stopped. They heard an awkward thumping sound behind them and turned to see one of the Soldiers stumbling to his feet.
Dyne and Barret turned to run. As soon as they emerged from beneath the bridge, the others opened fire on them.
"Shit! It was a trap!" Barret yelled as they fled, bullets flinging up bits of rock and dirt close behind them.
Rude scowled with displeasure at the Soldiers.
"Stop, you fools! You could shoot all day and never hit them with aim like that. Someone give me a gun," he snapped.
One of the Soldiers complied and passed over her gun. Rude fired a single shot.
Dyne cried out as the bullet struck the back of his leg. He stumbled sideways, dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Barret caught him by the arm just as he slipped over.
"Barret...just go! Go help the people of North Corel!" Dyne said, gritting his teeth in pain.
Barret ignored him. "Hold on, Dyne. Let me git my other hand down an' I'll pull ya up."
Bullets began to clatter off the rocks all around them as Barret frantically reached for Dyne's other hand. Finally one of the bullets found its mark, shattering Barret's right forearm and lodging in Dyne's left wrist. Silently, Dyne fell.
"NOO! Dyne!" Barret screamed helplessly as he watched his best friend plummet downward. Bullets still flew around him. There was no cover anywhere around him, so Barret cried out and slumped to the ground as if he had been shot.
Rude held up his hand. The Soldiers stopped shooting.
"Good, he's dead. The construction of the reactor should no longer be an issue. We will return to Midgar," he said. Reno and the rest of the Soldiers came jogging into view a few moments later.
"That was a nice little day trip, eh Rude? No survivors in the village," he reported jauntily.
"Good. Let's head back."
The Soldiers and Turks walked back to the ropeway in silence.
* * *
After he was sure the last Soldier was gone from sight, Barret rose shakily, clutching his right arm. The wound was bleeding profusely, and Barret could see bits of shattered bone and torn muscle. Most likely he would never be able to use his right arm again. Barret gritted his teeth and fought back bitter tears as he made his way back to the ruins of North Corel. Why? he thought why they gotta make us suffer like this? We was gonna bargain with 'em! And they wouldn't lissen. They decided to kill everyone instead, women, children, no honor, no mercy. "I HATE THE GOD DAMN SHINRA!" Barret screamed at the top of his lungs.
* * *
Laeryn stepped off the plane and into Gold Saucer, eagerly looking around for her parents. They were always waiting for her at the terminal, but she didn't see them anywhere. A tiny shard of unease poked at Laeryn's mind, but she dismissed it. Her parents were probably out on an errand. Oh well, she thought, I'll just show up at home and surprise them. Laeryn boarded the ropeway and watched as the shiny mass of Gold Saucer disappeared and the rocky Corel mountains rose up to greet her. After the ropeway stopped, she began to practically run toward North Corel. As she grew closer, she stopped for a moment and sniffed the air. Something was burning somewhere nearby. Wood was definitely burning, so maybe it was a forest fire. But she smelled something else burning as well. A smell that, prior to that moment, she had only encountered on the battlefield. Laeryn was immediately on guard. Something was very wrong. There was no reason why a forest fire would smell like burning flesh. She proceeded cautiously, an irrational fear building within her. A few minutes later she saw a figure struggling to negotiate the uneven terrain around the village. Laeryn ran over, and recognized him immediately.
"Barret!" she called out, "What's going on?"
Barret slumped against a rock, tears running down his coarse dark face.
"Dey came in, killed everyone, burn' da town....god Laeryn, I'm so sorry...." His voice trailed off into sobs.
Laeryn blinked her eyes and raised an eyebrow. No, that couldn't be right. Her hometown couldn't possibly be burned to the ground, and there was no way that her parents could be dead. She walked past Barret to look for herself.
"Laeryn, no! Please don't look..." he whispered. She stopped momentarily, noticing his injury for the first time. She knelt beside him, examining the shattered remains of his forearm.
"We need to get this wound cleaned and properly bandaged. How did you get this?" she said.
"I told you...dey shot everyone...includin' me...and Dyne's..." he began gritting his teeth.
No. Laeryn was still telling herself, no no no no. She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water, which she poured over Barret's arm.
"I wish I had something to set and bind and with, so it could heal properly. I'm sure I can find some bandages at home," she said, "Stay there a moment, Barret. I'll be right back."
Laeryn came over the top of the hill. She had a full view of North Corel. Little fires still crackled on the remains of some structures, but most had been reduced to dimly glowing piles of ash. Grey smoke trailed upward, creating a haze. Twisted forms lay amid the ruins.
Laeryn hoped this was a nightmare. That she had fallen asleep on the plane, and at any moment she would be awakened by the plane touching down at Gold Saucer. Her parents would be waiting for her there.
Almost in a trance-like state, Laeryn walked toward the gruesome scene before her. The burning smell was almost unbearable. It made her eyes water and her nose sting. Her head listed absently to one side as she approached the place where her house had once stood. She pulled apart the still-smoldering remains of the door, oblivious to the heat.
"Mom? Dad? I'm home," she said, blankly staring ahead. Her parents were there, lying on the floor. They had been so terribly burned they were barely recognizable.
The site and smell of her parents' corpses made Laeryn reel back suddenly, bile rising in her throat.
"Oh god... no...." she gasped, choking.
"No...NO....NO!" she screamed, her voice rising to a furious crescendo until it finally broke and she collapsed limply to ground, gasping for air between sobs. She raised her fist and slammed it into one of the charred walls, which disintegrated into a puff of ash and embers.
"Why....who did this...WHY?" she said, screaming again. The bile that rose in her throat finally overflowed and spilled out of her mouth. She choked again, and lay in the ashes sobbing.
Barret had made his way into the town. He had Laeryn screaming, and knew she could no longer deny what had happen. Two days from now it's her nineteenth birthday...what a damn shitty birthday present. Only nineteen, she is. No one should ever hafta see what she's seein', 'specially not when they so young, Barret thought sadly, walking over to Laeryn. He sat down beside her.
"Laeryn?" he said softly, "I know, dis is horrible. My wife's dead too. I was feared fo' my daughter Marlene at first too, but den I remembered she went out on a picnic wit her nanny, jes' befo' dey came..." he stopped a moment, struggling for composure, "And they gonna come back and see dis. No, dey ain't. I'm gonna go find 'em myself. I don't want my Marlene seein' dis...she's only three!" He began crying again.
"Barret," Laeryn asked, her voice soft and cracking, "Who did this?"
"Shinra."
Laeryn stared at Barret in shock. No, that couldn't be right. She worked for Shinra. She fought and killed for Shinra. Why would they do this to her?
"They was two older guys in dark blue suits an' sunglasses, and a bunch o' kids what looked mebbe twelve, thirteen. They was all wearin' blue uniforms. Soldier," Barret explained.
"Turks. And Privates, the lowest rank Soldiers," Laeryn said in monotone, "Why did they do this."
"It's 'cause o' da reactor. Dey was too many people 'gainst it here, so dey killed 'em. Dat's dey only solution to stuff, is killin' innocent people. How can you work for 'em Laeryn, knowin' what dey do to people?" Barret said quietly.
"I...didn't...know...." She replied brokenly, "I can't...go back...now...."
Barret looked at her.
"I can't....go back...to Shinra...not after...this...." She continued, sobs still cutting into her speech.
Sephiroth's face flashed into her mind, his innocent pleading eyes. But the picture was obscured by her rabid grief. So, for the first time in her life, Laeryn ran.


***Sister Ray's Notes***
Poor Laeryn! She really has things rough in the chapter. And finally we're starting to get into some of the things mentioned in the game, after page upon page of me making stuff up. I like Barrett a lot in this chapter, too. I think it does a lot to explain why he is the way he is, and why he hates Shinra so much.