"Disfigured Lattice - 2nd Edition"
A
twisted version of FFVII By HenryCH (dissfigured_lattice@yahoo.com)
Book 1 - Chapter 3 - 'Sector 5 Slums And Wall
Market'
************************************************************************************************
Well here's Part three. To begin with this
was supposed to have a black background but as Fanfiction.net doesn't allow you
to choose your background colour aw well. As an answer to one of the review
questions. The Buster Sword isn't Cloud's weapon in this fic for one reason,
it's Zack's weapon and when we get to the flashback you'll find out what's
happened to it and anyway the Executioner (Correct spelling anyway) is better
than the Buster Sword so why would Cloud downgrade?
New note: This chapter has the first
mention and use of the Rage Induced Trance. Please take note that this replaces
Limit Breaks with rage induced battle techniques.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII is copyright 1997 to Square Co. Ltd.
All rights reserved. The characters and names featured in this story are
(partially) property of Square Co. Ltd. No infringement was intended. (Please,
do not sue me!!!)
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Shinra
information archives terminal on line please input requested items...
...
...
Ancients:
The Ancients, who call themselves the Cetra, are of a different bloodline than
normal humans and have the ability to communicate with the planet. It is said
that the Cetra can lead the way to the Promised Land where the Neo-Midgar
project shall begin.
Weapon
modifications:
...
Name:
Guard Stick
Coat:
N/A
Type:
Staff
Attack:
14
Attack
Percentage: 100
Materia
Growth: Single
Materia
Slots: 0=0
---
Name:
Mythril Rod
New
name: Mythril Staff
Cost:
370
Type:
Staff
Attack:
22
Attack
Percentage: 100
Materia
Growth: Single
Materia
Slots: 0=0_0
...
Logging off.
'Cloud?!'
'Hi mom!'
'Cloud! Welcome home!'
'Thanks I've missed you.'
'I missed you too. What
weapon do you use?'
''Braver' Class Broad Sword.
Well it was.'
'So your Father was right! By
the way, what happened to your sword?'
'Broke it when I was fighting
one of those monsters.'
'Well your father wanted you
to have this when you were old enough. Ha was inspired to make it when you were
born'
"Hello?" The voice said.
"Ugh?" Cloud moaned.
"Can you here me?" The voice asked.
"Yes. Am I dead?" He asked.
"No you're not. You fell from above the
roof and the flower bed broke your fall. You're very lucky." He opened his
eyes to see what to him was an angel. He deep green eyes seemed to penetrate
his soul.
"Flower bed?" He pulled himself up
to his feet. "Sorry about that." He said wiping himself off then
started looking around. "Where am I?"
"The Church in Sector 5 Slums." She
replied. "Do you remember me."
"Yea. You were in Sector 8 selling
flowers."
She jumped up and down. "Thank you for
buying my flowers!" She turned back to the bed and in a second of thought
turned to Cloud. "Say do you have any Materia?"
"Yes some." Cloud replied.
"Mine's special. It's good for
nothing." She giggled.
"Hmm interesting. I have one like that
too." Cloud replied feeling the multi-coloured orb in his pocket through
the material of his coat..
"Really?" She replied.
"Yes, my father was a Runesmith."
He replied.
"Do you feel like talking? After all we
are meeting again." She asked.
"I don't mind." Cloud replied,
looking around. "You know it's getting dark. How about I walk you home and
we talk on the way." He replied.
"Okay." She replied. "Just
hold on a second while I check on the flowers." She moved up to see the Executioner
in the middle of the flower bed. "Is that yours." The sword was
literally massive even larger than her Ex's weapon.
"Yes it is." He moved over and
picked up his ornated weapon.
"I've never seen anything like it."
She replied.
"As I said my father was a Runesmith, my
mother told me he made it for me when I was born." Cloud replied sheathing
his large blade.
"Oh we don't know each others names do
we? I'm Aeris Gainsbrough, the flower girl and you are?"
"Cloud Strife, me I do a little bit of
everything." Cloud replied.
"So a jack of the trades then."
Aeris started to giggle.
"Yea. You could say… What's so
funny." Cloud asked noticing her laughing.
"Oh nothing. Come on let's go." She
said as she started towards the door.
Cloud caught up and got in step with her as
they left the building. "So what do want to talk about?" Cloud asked.
"Have you ever felt that someone is out
to get you?" She asked.
"Oh yes."
'Right Mr Strife. I just want
to take some blood samples from you. Nothing to worry about.'
'Don't trust him.'
'Can't another person do it.'
"Cloud?" Aeris asked.
"Huh?" Cloud replied.
"Have you ever been a Bodyguard?."
"Why?" He asked.
"It's them."
She looked terrified as she stared at the two
suited figures, one male and one female. Cloud eyes narrowed as he pulled out
the Executioner His Mako eyes flaring from recognition. From way
she was looking at them she knew who they were, obviously she's known them for
a long time.
"Turks." He hissed pulling himself
into a ready stance. Aeris scared as hell quickly unhooked her Guard Stick ,
not really in the mood for a fight.
"Strife. Long time no see." The man
said as he removed a night stick from its holder.
"I'll handle this" Cloud murmured
to Aeris before looking at the man before him. A cold blue fire showing in his
eyes. "Not long enough Reno." The Executioner still in
position guarding his midsection from the hidden danger he knew his enemy
possessed.
"Reno, who is this guy?" The woman
asked.
"Ever heard of Cloud Strife,
Elena?" Reno asked her.
"Yea. Sephiroth's second in
command." She replied. "He went M.I.A. at Nibelheim."
"Well it doesn't look like it." He
replied as he looked into his opponents eyes. "Stay out of this
Strife."
"I don't think so. You're scaring my
friend here." He replied as four SOLDIER Third-Class appeared behind them.
However they seemed a bit reluctant to fight after seeing Cloud with the Executioner
ready to strike. Two of the SOLDIERs moved but Cloud was waiting for them.
The rage of seeing Reno again was enough and
he knew it.
His eyes flared the deep blue energy pulsing
through his veins as he allowed the dormant powers that dwelled inside him ever
since that one event flow through his body. He screamed out as he felt his body
begin to glow giving into the savage energies for the first time in five years.
Reno guessed what was about to happen pulling
Elena down beside the church steps.
'Blade Beam'
The three members of SOLDIER could only look
of in shock as the blue energy gathered around the blade into a thick swirl,
before he swung it. The energy ribbon headed for the middle one... he had no
time to block...
The energy ribbon ripped him apart from the
fabric of reality, only his scream remained before the ribbon exploded towards
the other two warriors easily taking them from their feet and into the
unwelcoming grasp of darkness.
Cloud felt the energy leave him as he
returned to his normal state slightly drained. He knew that it wouldn't take
long for Reno to recover from what he had seen and saw this as a good time to
leave.
He grabbed Aeris gently by the arm and led
her back into the Church. "Is there any way to get onto the roof?"
Aeris snapped out of her daze and sopped
staring at the warrior. "Yes you can get through the back." They
started running Cloud allowing Aeris to lead the way, as they reached the
stairs he saw the remains of the Turks party come after them. They climbed the
stairs and reached a large gap. "What do we do now?"
"Well we can't let them catch us can
we?" Cloud put his hand around her waist before he launched them across
the gap making it perfectly. "Come on up the stairs." As she finished
climbing Cloud slashed the top of the steps and quickly brought his blade along
the steps spitting the staircase in half. He led her out onto the Church roof,
where they hid out of sight until they were gone.
"Ha, ha." Aeris started laughing
half-heartedly. "They're after me again."
"Again. That means this isn't the first
time they've been after you?" Cloud was shocked.
"No, it isn't." She replied.
"Those two in the suits were members of
the Turks. They usually search out candidates for SOLDIER." Cloud replied
looking off the roof to make sure it was safe.
"That violently?" She replied.
"Well they're also involved with a lot
of other things too. They do all of Shinra's dirty work." Cloud said
looking around.
"They look like it." She replied
checking her new Materia.
"But why are they after you?" Cloud
asked.
"I don't know." There was something
in her voice he could tell she was lying, but he didn't respond to it.
"Maybe they think I have what it takes to join SOLDIER."
Somehow he didn't think so. "Maybe, do
you want to join?"
"I don't know… But I do know that I
don't want to be caught by those people."
"Alright we better get you home."
Cloud said as he started to jump the roofs. She followed him as he seemed to
easily leap over the gaps. She however was not doing so well.
"Hold on!" She shouted to him as he
arrived on a roof. She carried on after him to see him stop. "Wait! Don't
leave me."
"Funny I thought you had what it takes
to join SOLDIER?" He said with a hint of teasing in his voice.
"Oh you're terrible!" They both
suddenly broke into laughter. "Cloud were you in SOLDIER?"
"Yea… Or I used to be. But how did you
know?" He was interested there was more to this young woman than he first
realised.
"Your eyes have a strange glow."
She replied. He could tell she was trying to put what had happened to the back
of her mind but was failing.
"Mako induced eyes, a sign of SOLDIER
but how do you know that?" Well it wasn't 100% true but…
"Oh nothing." She replied.
"Nothing?" Cloud this time didn't
hold back his curiosity.
"Right nothing." She said again.
"Now lets move bodyguard!" They made it off the roofs to an area near
the entrance to Sector 6.
"Which way?" Cloud asked her.
She looked in both directions getting her
bearings. "This way." She started towards the town. "Hold
on."
They stopped as she turned to him finally
allowing her shock to fade from the previous events. "Would you explain
what just happened back then?"
He sighed as he leaned against the wall.
"I'm even not sure about that. It only ever happened once before."
"When was that?" She pressed on.
'What are you?!!!'
"I don't like talking about it Aeris. It
still brings back bad memories." Why wouldn't the past let him be? He
wasn't sure but maybe it was just the way things where.
"Alright. I won't ask if you don't want
me to." He could tell she was unhappy, but he was glad she hadn't pushed
the issue.
She
led him past the Church again where he picked up the Materia that was left from
their battle. 2 Lightning, 2 Ice and 3 Restore Materias,
all level two, like his. He smiled before placing them into his Materia pouch.
"What Materia do you own?" He
replied.
"Oh. Ice and Lightning."
She replied.
He took out the Steel Plate he found
in the church by his sword and a Restore Materia and passed it to her.
"Here just in case." He explained.
"Thanks." She put them on before
they started towards the main village of Sector 5 slums. The place like the
rest of the slums was run down, with a taste of what this town would have been
without the plate. They headed past all of the houses and shops to a house that
stood out, it looked pleasant and well kept with a garden that anywhere else.
The sight was unbelievable as Cloud moved through the garden looking around and
picking up the odd item and the piece of All Materia he found. "Do
you like it."
"It's beautiful." Cloud replied. As
he felt the petal of a white rose.
"Come on lets go in." She replied.
"Pardon?" Cloud replied as he moved
to her.
"At least allow me to let you have
something to eat for what you did back there. I never have known anyone to
stand up to the Turks before." She replied.
"Well no one has ever had the same history
as me." Cloud said as he looked up to where the sky should be.
"That I don't doubt." She stated.
"It's a long story." He replied.
"Maybe one day you'll tell me it."
She smiled back.
'What does she mean by that?' he thought.
You will see.
That voice again. It seemed to come to him at
important points in his life but he had never heard it as much as he was
hearing it now. He wondered why. They entered the house Aeris leading the way.
"Mom I'm home!" She called out as
she led Cloud into the room.
"Hello dear." Aeris' mother called
as she came down the stairs.
"Mom I'd like you to meet Cloud Strife.
My bodyguard." She introduced him
"Oh my! Were you followed again"
Her mother asked to which Aeris nodded then she asked. "Are you
hurt?"
"No mom I had Cloud with me." She
replied.
"Thank you Cloud. Let me introduce
myself, I'm Elmyra Gainsbrough, Aeris' mother." She introduced herself.
"A pleasure to meet you Mrs
Gainsbrough." Cloud said as he bowed his head.
"My, my a man with manners? That is a
rare sight these days." She stated as she began to walk away.
"So Cloud what are you going to do
now?" Aeris asked.
"Well I have to return to the Seventh
Heaven bar in Sector seven." Cloud stated.
"Right… Sector seven… To get to Sector
Seven you have to go through Sector six. Sector six is a dangerous place
especially if you don't know where you're going." She replied.
"I'll be alright. Tomorrow can you show
me how to get to Sector six." He asked.
"Of course." She smiled. "Oh
the Materia you gave me…"
"You keep it." He told her with a
smile.
"Thank you." She said as her mother
came down the stairs.
"Aeris can you go and make your
bed." Elmyra asked her daughter.
"Sure mom." With that Elmyra
watched her go upstairs, when she was gone she turned to Cloud.
"Cloud I have a favour to ask." She
started Cloud didn't like the way this was sounding. "When you leave
tomorrow I want you to take Aeris with you." … That wasn't what he
expected Aeris' mom to say.
"Pardon." He asked.
"Cloud for the past thirteen years of
Aeris life she's been hunted down by the Turks. Please don't ask me why, I
don't have the right to tell you. All I know is that you faced off the Turks by
yourself. I trust that you can look after her better than I can." She
said.
"Mrs Gainsbrough you don't even know who
I am or what I do. How can you trust me just like that?" He asked.
"I can't explain it now, just promise me
that you'll do it." She said.
"I'll think about it." He replied
as he headed upstairs.
"Cloud." He turned to her to see
the sad look in her eyes. "Please."
He couldn't take it anymore. "Alright if
she will come, I'll take her with me." He smiled.
"Thank you." She replied.
"Your welcome." 'S#&t why don't
I think about these things before answering?' He thought as he began to climb the
stairwell. 'Aw well.'
"Cloud your room is ready." He
heard Aeris state as he appeared at the top of the stairs. He nodded his reply
as he headed to the room she showed. "Cloud?" She said as he reached
the door, he turned towards her. "Good night." She smiled as she
headed down the stairs.
3. Night Raid
'So why are we here?'
'We are here to make sure none
of our SOLDIERs are doing things they shouldn't be.'
'I don't understand.'
'This is a red light district.'
'… … Ah.'
'I'll go into Wall Market, you check
over in that area.'
-FLASH-
'Where are you going?'
'To see my girl Cloud.'
'Zack I wouldn't if I were you,
Sephiroth is on the warpath.'
-FLASH-
He woke up suddenly disturbed by the dream,
he didn't put much thought into it.
'Prepare yourself.'
The voice. He quickly changed into his
clothing, his hand brushing the sword wound on his stomach. But he had no time
to ponder, no time to realise what was going on. As he quickly grabbed the Executioner
and headed out the doors to her room. He moved to her door silently. He paused
at the door, contemplating what fate had planed for him. After a second he
didn't give it another thought as he knocked.
She answered the door to see him fully kited
out as if he was ready to leave. He seemed surprised to see her fully dressed.
"I couldn't sleep." She tried to explain.
"Oh you don't have to explain to
me." He smiled as she let him in.
"Couldn't sleep either?" She asked.
"Yea." He replied
"You carry that sword everywhere with
you don't you?" She jibbed him as he looked at the weapon attached to his
back.
"Well I feel naked without it." He
replied as he looked out the window. "Aeris?"
"Yea?" She asked.
"Is there any other way out of this
house?"
"What?"
"Look out the window." She quickly
grabbed her Guard Stick and looked out.
"They're here?" She asked.
"It looks like it. As I said is there
any other way out?" He repeated the question.
"Yea through that door is the balcony we
can use it to get back into the town." She replied as she opened the door.
"We can just climb down the piping."
"No time." He replied as he gripped
her waist and jumped off the balcony, grabbing a tree branch in the garden and
then dropping to the ground. After a second Cloud led the flower girl into the
cover of darkness.
---
Elmyra watched the young man led her daughter
into the darkness of Sector 6 from the kitchen window smiling, at last Aeris
would be free from the confines of her home. She turned as the door was forced
open and Tseng of the Turks entered the house however before he could speak she
took the initiative. "If you're looking for Aeris, you're too late. She's
not coming back." She cried at Tseng facing the fact she may never see
Aeris again.
---
Cloud and Aeris entered the playground near
the entrance to Sector 7 deciding to relax a bit. Aeris looked around the
playground she used to frequently visit as a child. She sighed as she climbed
up the slide. "What am I going to do now Cloud?"
"Well I hate to tell you this but I
don't think home is an option anymore." He replied.
"No I doubt it." She said sadly.
"Well…" She turned to him. "If
you want you can stay with me. I mean it may not any safer but at least you
won't be alone."
"Well okay." She gave him one of
her smiles. "What now?"
"Now we head for the hideout."
End of Chapter 3
