"Disfigured Lattice - 2nd Edition"
A twisted version of FFVII By HenryCH (dissfigured_lattice@yahoo.com)
Book 1 - Chapter 8- 'The Incursion Of Shinra HQ'
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Well I haven't got much to say at the moment apart from that the glossary as you know is formed from that Shinra Archives but as we continue you'll find out a bit more about the person activating it.
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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Glossary.Entering Shinra Information Registry:
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Loading...
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Registry File Found...
Accessing...
Authorisation Restricted...
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Override Accepted - Loading...
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Shinra HQ Labs:
Head Of Scientific Research: Professor Hojo
Comments: Officially setup by Professor Ivan Gast, this lab has become the main working place for Professor Hojo during Experiment Program e328.52. The lads are also home to some of the more special specimens of Hojo's and the organism known as... ...
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Advanced Security Protocols Initiated...
Initiating Primary Lock Down...
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Program Terminated - Unexpected Security Protocol.
1. Interlude And You're Going In The Front? Are You Mad!!! ... Oh You're Not Going In The Front... Good.
'Next'
/I moved onto the training platform, my new Butterfly Edge in his hand, but I wasn't allowed to use any Materia, which made me feel venerable. After all I was trained as magic support./
'Start.'
/Sephiroth started to circle me, looking as if he was a hunter closing on his prey... And I was that pray. After what seemed like hours he made his attack, a light thrust that I parried easily, deflecting it away from my body. He attacked again, this time I ducked the attack and swung in return, however as we all knew he would, Sephiroth jumped away from my attack. I quickly recovered swing my blade to try and block the sweep that he had initiated, but I was too slow. I cursed myself for falling for such an old trick as my feet left the floor, sending me onto my back./
'Promising. But you mustn't just swing in the heat of the moment.'
/He never noticed that my right foot had snaked under my blade or that my faked struggling was a rouse to allow me to put my other foot into a position where I could trip him. I put all my power into that leg, pulling his feet from the ground like he had for me. I flicked my other foot causing my blade to come off the floor and into my hand before I swung down, hitting the Murasame but using the gravity to pin him to the ground. While the others looked in shock./
'Very Promising. What's your name?'
'Strife. Cloud Strife.'
'So you're the one who saved Domino. Very good.'
/I let him stand up and he dismissed the rest of the First-Class members who were in this training session./
'That yours?'
/He pointed to my small box of Materia that carried all the Materia they had given me over the years./
'Yes. I was brought in as magic support so I was issued a bit of curative Materia.'
'The power you can put behind a blow, will mean that you will barely use those.'
/I replied by raising my eyebrows looking at him, wondering what he meant./
'I'll lookout for you in the future, Strife.'
/With that he left through the furthest door towards Junon sea docks. I took the other door to find one of the other members in the training session waiting for me./
'How ya doing!'
/His chirpy attitude and the tone of his voice made me instantly like the guy./
'Fine. I'm sorry but you are?'
'Zack. Zack Riley. Please to you meet you...?'
/I had to smile at the way he asked that./
'Cloud. Cloud Strife.'
'You're new aren't ya Cloud.'
'Yes. I was promoted two weeks ago. You?'
'Three months. Hey let me show you around.'
/That was how I met Zack. He never asked me about that sparring match with Sephiroth but it was one of many as we both discovered./
---
They moved out of the derelict Sector Six Train Station straight into the main courtyard of Shinra HQ Cloud in the lead his hand of the Executioner as they headed through the main gateway towards the entrance. It was then that Tifa came to a stand still. "Hold on."
They both stopped and looked at the female revolutionary. "What?" Barret replied to her annoyed.
"Cloud you're not even considering going straight in the front door, are you?" She asked amused.
He turned to the building again looking up as memories flew back.
'Wow, this place is so cool! Do we really have apartments here?'
'Yes, on the 64th Floor no less.'
'Cool!'
/FLASH/
'It has been once said that Shinra HQ is a impenetrable fortress.'
'Do you believe it is?'
'Never.'
With that final thought in his head and the technical knowledge he had of the place he answered. "You're right. If we sneak in then we might get to Aeris without causing any commotion. There's a stairwell over there." He pointed down the side alley near the entrance. "It's not well guarded and the locking mechanism is feeble. We can get up to the security room on floor 59 that way and from there we can start climbing up further."
"Good that's better!" Tifa replied as she saw Barret cursing under his breath.
"Come on." Cloud called as he started running to the door in the alley. Stopping for a second he slammed the Executioner through the locking mechanism causing the wreaked door to fly open. Sheathing his blade he started running up the stairwell with his friends in tow.
2. Into The Domain Of Complete Nutters and Sadistics
She sat in her cell waiting for Hojo to play is next move and the torment of waiting was trying her patience. She had been left with little in the way of comforts, just her clothing and boots, some food which was good considering the conditions she was used too in her earlier life, before she escaped and was taken in by her step mom, before her mom died. She tried not to dwell on the memories that was bringing that last comment was bringing, the fact that Tseng's organisation had killed her mother.
She felt the first tears running down her cheeks as she finally forced her mind to something else.
Cloud.
Had she fallen for the warrior? She wasn't sure but she had a gut feeling that she indeed had feelings for him. He was kind, sweet and caring, she could tell from the way he fought and how he took over when situations became dire that he was a trained leader, she also wondered if he knew Zack. She hovered over the thought of her first love for a few moments before he died back down in the recesses of her mind.
With all this thinking she knew that there was one thing that was stopping her from giving up hope and she knew it was true, she heard the planet say it under the waves of noise this city created.
Cloud was coming for her.
The thought made her heart miss a beat as she thought the question again. 'Had she fallen for the warrior?' and 'Why so fast?'
---
"If you ask, 'Are we there yet?' one more time, I'll kill you Barret!" Tifa shouted at the leader of AVALANCHE as he asked the dreaded question again. She was starting to regret stopping Cloud earlier on but she knew that she was right to do so.
"This is it." She heard Cloud call from ahead and silently thought to herself 'Thank God' before Barret behind her let out a large whoop as his way of celebration. "Cut it down Barret." Clouds called in reply as he drew his blade and kicked open the door.
To be met by two Mighty Grunt security droids.
They fired, instantly blocked by Cloud's fast reflexes as he used the Executioner to block the weapons fire as usual. Barret returned fire taking down one of the opponents gun-arms. Tifa then leaped forward as her claws extracted leading her to shove it straight into the breastplate of the same enemy, taking it down. Cloud followed suit as he lunged at the other Grunt, the Executioner ripping through the armour like a knife through butter, carving the body into three sections. He moved forward into the security room smashing down the door and quickly knocking out the security guard on duty, he looked over the desk quickly taking the 65th floor security card, the highest available.
He exited the room and watched Barret gun down the few other soldiers that had appeared, while Tifa took down another down from close range. He sheathed the Executioner before he began to concentrate.
'Thunder' 'All'
The rest of the soldiers fell leaving the path to the glass elevator clear. "Get in!" Cloud shouted as another group rounded the corner firing as he dived into the elevator. Passing the keycard to Barret who instantly placed it in the console and hit the level 65 button. The door of the elevator closing before the Shinra troop could get there.
---
"You don't look happy, Cloud." Tifa noted as she looked at her Childhood friend.
"I was hoping that the fighting wouldn't start until we got Aeris. I guess we aren't that lucky." He replied leaning on the glass wall.
She started to wonder what really was going on between Cloud and Aeris and felt the jealousy of the situation pulling on her heart. She was going to say something before the PHS started to ring.
Cloud answered tugging on the mic before saying. "Cloud here."
"Cloud, it's Jessie. I thought you might want some useful that can help you get further." She told him.
"I'm listening, Jessie." Cloud replied as he stooped leaning on the wall listening intently.
"It seems that someone in this building with a high level keycard owes you big time." She stated.
"Really?" He heard Tifa join in.
Jessie instantly replied. "Yes. Cloud you do remember Mayor Domino."
End Of Chapter 8
