Nanaki sat on the lush green hill staring off into his own world. Juniper
bushes lined the hill and Nanaki took slow deep breaths taking in every bit
of the tantalizing scents. He held the charm of his collar in his paw, he
kept thinking about the generosity of the Gongagans in giving such a strong
materia to him. He now had a useful weapon in his fight against the Gi.
Ifrit was definitely a strong ally, but strength won't get you everywhere
and Nanaki knew that. He still had to keep on his toes and his knowledge
sharp in case Ifrit was to fail during a battle. The probability was
unlikely but just in case he had to be ready. He let go of his charm and
let it fall against his fiery red chest as it dangled off his black leather
collar. He stood up and stretched his paw forward and yawned letting out a
small roar as he shook off the sleep still in his eyes. He looked forward
at the glittering Golden Saucer reflecting the morning sun now rising.
Then he looked again and frowned as he saw the ever so familiar desert sand
trap that surrounded the Golden Saucer. He had to get in there, there was
no better place for information then the Golden Saucer, the only better
place was Midgar and that was a long ways a way. The only way in besides
braving the endless and unmerciful desert was taking the sky lift in North
Corel.
Nanaki trotted off down the hill heading toward the poor run down town. Last time he saw it, it had been completely torn apart. The people lived in tents and flimsy houses made of wood and scrap metal. Another town hurt by the terrible ShinRa and their Mako reactors. The good life they were promised was ripped from them when the ShinRa burned the town after a bombing at the reactor. He remembered his good friend Barret, who always had a tough strong exterior, was turned to nothing as they entered his old hometown. He still believed it was his entire fault but Nanaki knew that it was the ShinRa's fault and had constantly told Barret that he shouldn't beat himself up for wanting to go with the newest of technologies. Nanaki had entered the alcove where the entrance to North Corel was located. Nanaki suddenly stopped and stood looking at the entrance.
The entrance was at the base of a mountainous barricade around the city. The entrance had bright neon lights and what even appeared to be a bouncer. There was a helicopter pad to the left where helicopter was now landing. Nanaki hurried over to a tree to hide himself from the ever so observant eyes of the bouncer. The helicopter landed lightly and gracefully. Only five seconds later the door swung open as a woman and man ran out. The woman was decked in a glittering white gown with a silk scarf wrapped around her neck. Her hair was tightly pinned back and she had an opal purse hanging limp on her arm. The man was in a pitch-black tux with shimmering silver buttons and cuff links. His hair was slicked back with what looked like a ton of hair gel. Their arms were linked and their noses were held high as the bouncer graciously let them in.
Something was supremely wrong. Nanaki glanced at the skyline of the mountainous ridge. Even though it was broad daylight you could tell there was more bright neon lights within the Corel City. Nanaki started to ponder on how to sneak his way into Corel when he noticed a small boy sitting on the top of the low mountain ring that encircled the city. He was looking down, swinging his feet. The boy was wearing dirty overalls and a torn hat; this was the kind of people he was looking for. Nanaki searched for the gentlest slope on the mountain that the boy was sitting on so he could reach the boy and ask him some questions.
Nanaki sprinted up the mountain and barely reached the flat top of the mountain when the boy saw him and ran. Nanaki had to hurry up the rest of the mountain, the boy was gaining distance fast. His long scrawny legs were carrying him further and further. Nanaki though was known for his speed and quickly caught up with the boy. Nanaki gained enough speed to cut off the boy and got in front of him to make him stop running away. "Why are you running from me?" asked Nanaki through deep breaths, as he tried to regain his composure.
The boy skidded to a stop and stared at Nanaki. "You aren't with Nemix?"
"Nemix?" asked Nanaki becoming more confused by the minute.
The boy looked over his soldier and whispered to Nanaki, "Follow me." The boy then ran off in the direction he had first been heading. They ran across the flat top of the mountain until they finally reached a small town on the mountaintop. The boy ran towards the town and entered the first tent; Nanaki though stopped and looked over into the caged city below.
He saw a large city filled with buildings as high as the mountaintops and was filled with bright neon lights. There were people everywhere dressed like the couple that he saw at the entrance. There were street musicians, blasting music, and drunken crowds. North Corel was turned into an entertainment city. It was filled with casinos, restaurants, and dance parlors. The city had filled every bit of room in the mountainous circle, all filled with some sort of nightlife entertainment. Nanaki was disgusted but then he saw in a corner of the city a bright sign saying "Skyline Lift". That's where Nanaki needed to go but he didn't have any means in getting there so Nanaki pulled himself away from the city and walked over to the tent where the boy had entered.
Nanaki slowly walked in trying not to alarm the people inside. The boy was sitting on the floor with a tattered sick looking golden retriever. Also there was a teenaged girl with an angry face pacing back and forth mumbling obscenities. Finally there was an aged old and frail woman rocking silently, staring into space with filming eyes, Nanaki knew she had to be blind. The boy looked over at Nanaki and popped up and grabbed the girls sleeve. "Sis, it's the thing I told you about."
Nanaki wasn't very pleased that he was called a "thing" but was too curious to care.
"Are you one of them! One of those snobbish asses!" yelled the girl with rage that would scare the devil.
"You are from the canyon," said the woman suddenly.
"Yes," said Nanaki.
"I could smell the ash from the eternal flame on your fur," said the woman staring at a blank spot on the tent. "You wish to know of what happened to Corel."
"Yes," said Nanaki eagerly getting closer to the woman. "What happened?"
"Nemix happened!" said the girl a little quieter realizing Nanaki was not one of the enemies.
"Frederick Nemix, a local resident had gone to the Golden Saucer one day not too long ago. He was a great man, kind, sweet, and young. He had a little money he had saved and promised any money he earned would be given to help support Corel," said the woman. Nanaki listened with great attention, hanging on her every word. The girl was now crying and hiding her eyes in her arms as she sat on the floor rocking herself back and forth.
"He was my boyfriend, for 3 years, he had promised me that once he had helped earn money for our town he would marry me," said the girl in between sobs, "I did love him."
"Then he broke my sis's heart!" yelled the boy, "he came back with pockets full of money, but he was a different person!"
"His eyes had turned cold and dark. His heart no longer gave any warmth," said the woman still slowly rocking in her chair.
"He denied any of the money to Corel and said he would use it to make this town a city where you could dance all night and night was 24/7," said the girl calming down a little.
"He gave sis the cold shoulder, pretending she wasn't even alive, he said he had new friends, in high places, and that soon they would be greater then ShinRa itself," said the boy with anger welling up in his eyes.
"They moved us out at night, pushing us into the mountains, so we could watch our poor dirty town turn to a rich dirty town," said the woman still with no hint of anger in her voice. Nanaki knew that somehow this Nemix was connected to the Gi. A growing and already strong friend, that changed a good man to a heartless and cold man.
"Did he say who his new friends were?" asked Nanaki. The girl and boy both looked at him in surprise, surprised that he was still there and still interested.
"He.he said they were the Gi," said the girl, obviously not knowing exactly who the Gi were. Nanaki nodded.
"I'm the guardian of Cosmo Canyon and warrior against the Gi and friend of Barret Wallace," said Nanaki.
"You knew Barret," said the boy with amazement. The girl now got off the ground and shared the look of her brother, "the great Barret."
"I thought you all hated him," asked Nanaki.
"He may have supported the Mako Reactor but he had helped defeat Sephiroth and save us from Meteor. The reactor is in the past, his victory is now," said the girl proudly.
"As his friend I am obligated to help you, but it can not interfere with my quest to defeat the Gi. Fortunately though the Gi are tied to Nemix so I'd be happy to help you out," said Nanaki. He couldn't say more because the girl and the boy had wrapped their arms tightly around his neck.
"You must go to the Golden Saucer," said the woman still with no emotion in her voice.
The two children let go of his neck to let him respond.
"I planned on going there, already" said Nanaki.
"Nemix, works there, you may find those Gi there too," said the girl.
"Why doesn't Nemix work in the city?" asked Nanaki figuring you would want to work in the city you created.
"Because, he owns the Golden Saucer too," said the boy. Nanaki was naturally shocked, he could understand someone getting ownership of such a poor and small town as Corel but the Golden Saucer, he didn't think Dio would ever allow that. When he and Cloud met him before he seemed quite proud of his entertainment facility. He also was a very kind man and would not allow the Gi to rule his creation.
"The Gi had taken over the Golden Saucer the same time Nemix came back," said the girl. The Gi must also have a source of money, the Gi were growing stronger and stronger every second, and Nanaki knew it. He had to stop them soon.
"How do I get in?" said Nanaki looking toward the opening of the tent.
"Julie and Max can take you down," said the woman.
"We work down there," said Julie angrily, "As much as we hate it the only way to make money is to work down there."
"We'll put you on a leash and pretend you're our pet, a lot of people down there have exotic pets. We'll pretend we have business with Nemix. That we are going to donate you to add to the animal fights," said Max excitedly.
"Animal fights?" said Nanaki with less enthusiasm.
"It's a horrid thing where they put two animals in a ring and people place bets on who's going to win. It's to the death," said Julie with disgust. Nanaki greatly disapproved of this.
"Don't worry," said Max, "Nemix makes personal inspections of all animals before they go into the ring. That's when you can rip his throat out!"
"Max!" said Julie smacking him across the head. Nanaki though, thought about doing just that.
"Go, the sooner you go the better," said the woman now with a little worry.
Julie and Max ran around the town telling everyone about what they were about to do. The town was obviously excited. Nanaki was constantly interrupted by thank-yous when he was sitting on the mountain ridge over looking the city. He had been going through his mind what to do but he was drawing blanks. He figured the best was to just figure it out when he got there. He also thought of Barret and what he would do if he saw this. Nanaki smiled as he imagined Barret standing on the ridge shouting profanities and blowing up the city with his gun arm. Nanaki didn't want to do anything that drastic.
Finally, Julie and Max were ready. They headed back down the mountainside Nanaki had ran up earlier.
"We have to put this leash on," said Julie tying a rope around his collar, "oh and act aggressive it will make our story more believable." Nanaki thought he could do that, he put up a good show when he first met Aeris, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret in Hojo's lab. He missed his friends a lot.
They approached the bouncer who sneered at them. He was a big guy with dark skin and square jawbone. He had broad shoulders and massive muscles. He said, "Show me your passes." Max and Julie both flashed a badge that must have allowed them in everyday for work. The bouncer rolled his eyes and sneered some more. "And what's with this cat?" Nanaki started to growl at that comment, if he bit that man it wouldn't have been an act.
"He's going to be entered in the animal fights," said Max.
"This thing," said the man as if Nanaki was incapable in winning any fight. That was the last straw. He leaped and sunk his teeth into the man's arm, his tail was blazing and his eyes were just as fiery. It took the man awhile but he finally shook the growling Nanaki off. "Take that thing inside and watch him or I'll tear it to pieces." He said as he moved out of the way of the entrance.
"Yeah right," snorted Nanaki as they passed the man and walked into Sin City. The city was crawling with every one of every entertainment business, musicians, magicians, and other jobs. Drunks filled the street and many people were rushing off to the next club. Some groups were singing drunkenly on the curb and some were waiting outside to enter into lavishly decorated theatres. Now and then Nanaki growled at anyone that stared at him quizzically, making them turn and mind their own business. Finally they arrived at the Skyline Lift entrance.
A man was sleepily handing out tickets as the line for the lift slowly moved forward. They finally reached him after about ten minutes.
"We have a animal fight entrant," said Julie.
"So, where's your money?" yelled the man who obviously was awake enough to notice they were from Corel.
"We get in for free because we have an entrant!" yelled Max back.
"New rule kiddo! Corelians don't get in for free!" said the man shooing them away. They started to turn but Nanaki was not going to let this man ruin this for him. He leaped up against the ticket booth, growling and gnashing his teeth. Flinging any spit he can at him. "No," said the man simply closing the ticket booth window.
"Come on Nanaki, it's not gonna work," said Julie sadly pulling at the leash. Nanaki was not giving up. He ripped the leash out of Julie's hands and rammed into the booth knocking it to the ground. He heard the man inside scream with fear but Nanaki was not done. He punched his paw into the ticket booth window; grabbing the window curtain the man had shut on them and ripped it out. Inside was the little man now cowering in the ticket booth. Nanaki then shoved his paw down there again and scratched at the man finally making contact and leaving three bloody cuts on the man's face. Nanaki turned to the people behind him and roared showing the dripping blood falling off his claws with teeth bared. All screamed and ran with fear as Julie and Max fell to the floor cracking up. Gaining control Julie walked over to the booth and stared down at the man. "Well?"
"You may pass, here are your tickets," said the man shaking violently. Julie and Max skipped to the lift as if they had grown wings as Nanaki followed trying to shake blood off his claws.
The people in the lift most have seen what had happened because they all hid on the opposite end of the lift from Julie, Max, and Nanaki. Nanaki wiped slobber off his face. "That was truly barbaric but at least we are on our way to the Golden Saucer," said Nanaki cleaning his fur as Julie and Max giggled, and the rest of the lift shivered with fear.
Nanaki trotted off down the hill heading toward the poor run down town. Last time he saw it, it had been completely torn apart. The people lived in tents and flimsy houses made of wood and scrap metal. Another town hurt by the terrible ShinRa and their Mako reactors. The good life they were promised was ripped from them when the ShinRa burned the town after a bombing at the reactor. He remembered his good friend Barret, who always had a tough strong exterior, was turned to nothing as they entered his old hometown. He still believed it was his entire fault but Nanaki knew that it was the ShinRa's fault and had constantly told Barret that he shouldn't beat himself up for wanting to go with the newest of technologies. Nanaki had entered the alcove where the entrance to North Corel was located. Nanaki suddenly stopped and stood looking at the entrance.
The entrance was at the base of a mountainous barricade around the city. The entrance had bright neon lights and what even appeared to be a bouncer. There was a helicopter pad to the left where helicopter was now landing. Nanaki hurried over to a tree to hide himself from the ever so observant eyes of the bouncer. The helicopter landed lightly and gracefully. Only five seconds later the door swung open as a woman and man ran out. The woman was decked in a glittering white gown with a silk scarf wrapped around her neck. Her hair was tightly pinned back and she had an opal purse hanging limp on her arm. The man was in a pitch-black tux with shimmering silver buttons and cuff links. His hair was slicked back with what looked like a ton of hair gel. Their arms were linked and their noses were held high as the bouncer graciously let them in.
Something was supremely wrong. Nanaki glanced at the skyline of the mountainous ridge. Even though it was broad daylight you could tell there was more bright neon lights within the Corel City. Nanaki started to ponder on how to sneak his way into Corel when he noticed a small boy sitting on the top of the low mountain ring that encircled the city. He was looking down, swinging his feet. The boy was wearing dirty overalls and a torn hat; this was the kind of people he was looking for. Nanaki searched for the gentlest slope on the mountain that the boy was sitting on so he could reach the boy and ask him some questions.
Nanaki sprinted up the mountain and barely reached the flat top of the mountain when the boy saw him and ran. Nanaki had to hurry up the rest of the mountain, the boy was gaining distance fast. His long scrawny legs were carrying him further and further. Nanaki though was known for his speed and quickly caught up with the boy. Nanaki gained enough speed to cut off the boy and got in front of him to make him stop running away. "Why are you running from me?" asked Nanaki through deep breaths, as he tried to regain his composure.
The boy skidded to a stop and stared at Nanaki. "You aren't with Nemix?"
"Nemix?" asked Nanaki becoming more confused by the minute.
The boy looked over his soldier and whispered to Nanaki, "Follow me." The boy then ran off in the direction he had first been heading. They ran across the flat top of the mountain until they finally reached a small town on the mountaintop. The boy ran towards the town and entered the first tent; Nanaki though stopped and looked over into the caged city below.
He saw a large city filled with buildings as high as the mountaintops and was filled with bright neon lights. There were people everywhere dressed like the couple that he saw at the entrance. There were street musicians, blasting music, and drunken crowds. North Corel was turned into an entertainment city. It was filled with casinos, restaurants, and dance parlors. The city had filled every bit of room in the mountainous circle, all filled with some sort of nightlife entertainment. Nanaki was disgusted but then he saw in a corner of the city a bright sign saying "Skyline Lift". That's where Nanaki needed to go but he didn't have any means in getting there so Nanaki pulled himself away from the city and walked over to the tent where the boy had entered.
Nanaki slowly walked in trying not to alarm the people inside. The boy was sitting on the floor with a tattered sick looking golden retriever. Also there was a teenaged girl with an angry face pacing back and forth mumbling obscenities. Finally there was an aged old and frail woman rocking silently, staring into space with filming eyes, Nanaki knew she had to be blind. The boy looked over at Nanaki and popped up and grabbed the girls sleeve. "Sis, it's the thing I told you about."
Nanaki wasn't very pleased that he was called a "thing" but was too curious to care.
"Are you one of them! One of those snobbish asses!" yelled the girl with rage that would scare the devil.
"You are from the canyon," said the woman suddenly.
"Yes," said Nanaki.
"I could smell the ash from the eternal flame on your fur," said the woman staring at a blank spot on the tent. "You wish to know of what happened to Corel."
"Yes," said Nanaki eagerly getting closer to the woman. "What happened?"
"Nemix happened!" said the girl a little quieter realizing Nanaki was not one of the enemies.
"Frederick Nemix, a local resident had gone to the Golden Saucer one day not too long ago. He was a great man, kind, sweet, and young. He had a little money he had saved and promised any money he earned would be given to help support Corel," said the woman. Nanaki listened with great attention, hanging on her every word. The girl was now crying and hiding her eyes in her arms as she sat on the floor rocking herself back and forth.
"He was my boyfriend, for 3 years, he had promised me that once he had helped earn money for our town he would marry me," said the girl in between sobs, "I did love him."
"Then he broke my sis's heart!" yelled the boy, "he came back with pockets full of money, but he was a different person!"
"His eyes had turned cold and dark. His heart no longer gave any warmth," said the woman still slowly rocking in her chair.
"He denied any of the money to Corel and said he would use it to make this town a city where you could dance all night and night was 24/7," said the girl calming down a little.
"He gave sis the cold shoulder, pretending she wasn't even alive, he said he had new friends, in high places, and that soon they would be greater then ShinRa itself," said the boy with anger welling up in his eyes.
"They moved us out at night, pushing us into the mountains, so we could watch our poor dirty town turn to a rich dirty town," said the woman still with no hint of anger in her voice. Nanaki knew that somehow this Nemix was connected to the Gi. A growing and already strong friend, that changed a good man to a heartless and cold man.
"Did he say who his new friends were?" asked Nanaki. The girl and boy both looked at him in surprise, surprised that he was still there and still interested.
"He.he said they were the Gi," said the girl, obviously not knowing exactly who the Gi were. Nanaki nodded.
"I'm the guardian of Cosmo Canyon and warrior against the Gi and friend of Barret Wallace," said Nanaki.
"You knew Barret," said the boy with amazement. The girl now got off the ground and shared the look of her brother, "the great Barret."
"I thought you all hated him," asked Nanaki.
"He may have supported the Mako Reactor but he had helped defeat Sephiroth and save us from Meteor. The reactor is in the past, his victory is now," said the girl proudly.
"As his friend I am obligated to help you, but it can not interfere with my quest to defeat the Gi. Fortunately though the Gi are tied to Nemix so I'd be happy to help you out," said Nanaki. He couldn't say more because the girl and the boy had wrapped their arms tightly around his neck.
"You must go to the Golden Saucer," said the woman still with no emotion in her voice.
The two children let go of his neck to let him respond.
"I planned on going there, already" said Nanaki.
"Nemix, works there, you may find those Gi there too," said the girl.
"Why doesn't Nemix work in the city?" asked Nanaki figuring you would want to work in the city you created.
"Because, he owns the Golden Saucer too," said the boy. Nanaki was naturally shocked, he could understand someone getting ownership of such a poor and small town as Corel but the Golden Saucer, he didn't think Dio would ever allow that. When he and Cloud met him before he seemed quite proud of his entertainment facility. He also was a very kind man and would not allow the Gi to rule his creation.
"The Gi had taken over the Golden Saucer the same time Nemix came back," said the girl. The Gi must also have a source of money, the Gi were growing stronger and stronger every second, and Nanaki knew it. He had to stop them soon.
"How do I get in?" said Nanaki looking toward the opening of the tent.
"Julie and Max can take you down," said the woman.
"We work down there," said Julie angrily, "As much as we hate it the only way to make money is to work down there."
"We'll put you on a leash and pretend you're our pet, a lot of people down there have exotic pets. We'll pretend we have business with Nemix. That we are going to donate you to add to the animal fights," said Max excitedly.
"Animal fights?" said Nanaki with less enthusiasm.
"It's a horrid thing where they put two animals in a ring and people place bets on who's going to win. It's to the death," said Julie with disgust. Nanaki greatly disapproved of this.
"Don't worry," said Max, "Nemix makes personal inspections of all animals before they go into the ring. That's when you can rip his throat out!"
"Max!" said Julie smacking him across the head. Nanaki though, thought about doing just that.
"Go, the sooner you go the better," said the woman now with a little worry.
Julie and Max ran around the town telling everyone about what they were about to do. The town was obviously excited. Nanaki was constantly interrupted by thank-yous when he was sitting on the mountain ridge over looking the city. He had been going through his mind what to do but he was drawing blanks. He figured the best was to just figure it out when he got there. He also thought of Barret and what he would do if he saw this. Nanaki smiled as he imagined Barret standing on the ridge shouting profanities and blowing up the city with his gun arm. Nanaki didn't want to do anything that drastic.
Finally, Julie and Max were ready. They headed back down the mountainside Nanaki had ran up earlier.
"We have to put this leash on," said Julie tying a rope around his collar, "oh and act aggressive it will make our story more believable." Nanaki thought he could do that, he put up a good show when he first met Aeris, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret in Hojo's lab. He missed his friends a lot.
They approached the bouncer who sneered at them. He was a big guy with dark skin and square jawbone. He had broad shoulders and massive muscles. He said, "Show me your passes." Max and Julie both flashed a badge that must have allowed them in everyday for work. The bouncer rolled his eyes and sneered some more. "And what's with this cat?" Nanaki started to growl at that comment, if he bit that man it wouldn't have been an act.
"He's going to be entered in the animal fights," said Max.
"This thing," said the man as if Nanaki was incapable in winning any fight. That was the last straw. He leaped and sunk his teeth into the man's arm, his tail was blazing and his eyes were just as fiery. It took the man awhile but he finally shook the growling Nanaki off. "Take that thing inside and watch him or I'll tear it to pieces." He said as he moved out of the way of the entrance.
"Yeah right," snorted Nanaki as they passed the man and walked into Sin City. The city was crawling with every one of every entertainment business, musicians, magicians, and other jobs. Drunks filled the street and many people were rushing off to the next club. Some groups were singing drunkenly on the curb and some were waiting outside to enter into lavishly decorated theatres. Now and then Nanaki growled at anyone that stared at him quizzically, making them turn and mind their own business. Finally they arrived at the Skyline Lift entrance.
A man was sleepily handing out tickets as the line for the lift slowly moved forward. They finally reached him after about ten minutes.
"We have a animal fight entrant," said Julie.
"So, where's your money?" yelled the man who obviously was awake enough to notice they were from Corel.
"We get in for free because we have an entrant!" yelled Max back.
"New rule kiddo! Corelians don't get in for free!" said the man shooing them away. They started to turn but Nanaki was not going to let this man ruin this for him. He leaped up against the ticket booth, growling and gnashing his teeth. Flinging any spit he can at him. "No," said the man simply closing the ticket booth window.
"Come on Nanaki, it's not gonna work," said Julie sadly pulling at the leash. Nanaki was not giving up. He ripped the leash out of Julie's hands and rammed into the booth knocking it to the ground. He heard the man inside scream with fear but Nanaki was not done. He punched his paw into the ticket booth window; grabbing the window curtain the man had shut on them and ripped it out. Inside was the little man now cowering in the ticket booth. Nanaki then shoved his paw down there again and scratched at the man finally making contact and leaving three bloody cuts on the man's face. Nanaki turned to the people behind him and roared showing the dripping blood falling off his claws with teeth bared. All screamed and ran with fear as Julie and Max fell to the floor cracking up. Gaining control Julie walked over to the booth and stared down at the man. "Well?"
"You may pass, here are your tickets," said the man shaking violently. Julie and Max skipped to the lift as if they had grown wings as Nanaki followed trying to shake blood off his claws.
The people in the lift most have seen what had happened because they all hid on the opposite end of the lift from Julie, Max, and Nanaki. Nanaki wiped slobber off his face. "That was truly barbaric but at least we are on our way to the Golden Saucer," said Nanaki cleaning his fur as Julie and Max giggled, and the rest of the lift shivered with fear.