Chapter One: The Mission
Peaceful nighttime had sunk into the city long ago; it sunk in the day that Shinra Corporation took it's hold on the city of Midgar. The night came from the fact that the sun had been mostly blocked out by large sectioned off plates that covered the city. There was small gapes between them and when it rained that was the only taste of outside, the people's only taste of hope.
The peace had come at the time people realized that they would not dare to challenge Shinra; they controlled electric power in the city, trade, and almost any other aspects of life. It wasn't long before the only chapter you could receive on your television was Shinra Electric and Power News. For years the Shinra conquered all of the continents around them
The air was still wet from the torrential rains that had come earlier that day. Where there was water light was reflected up to the side of the buildings. The city was covered in grim soulless people, each trapped in his or her own web of deceit.
A lone man walked along the side of the train tracks, on his way to some place that not even he cared if her got there. Still somehow he managed to keep moving in that direction.
The ground shook, and from behind him a huge train rumbled past him. The shaking as it continued by it became and more violent. Sparks shot up from the wheels as the train tried it's hardest to stop.
There was a towering chain link fence with a hold just big enough for the train to fit through. An abundance of sparks flared up from the tracks after the train came through the fence and stopped.
Out on the side of the train there was a wide concrete walkway; two guards clad in plastic blue armor stood at attention. They were tall and wore helmets with black concealing glass in the front over their eyes. As the train whistle sounded neither of the guards moved to do anything.
From the top of the rusted old train a muscular male's figure jumped and kicked the first of the guards. The second guard turned to see what all of the commotion was over, upon noticing the trespasser he called out, "Hey, you kids can't—"
A male figure and a female figure jumped out and slammed the last guard to the ground. The red headed female took him up and started to cracked his neck as the two males hurried off through a door on the side of the room.
One heavy set male jumped from the side of the train and scurried off through the door. Then the last figure appeared from the side of the train, walking out coolly with spiked tall standing blonde hair. He was mildly tall, had a gold earring in his left ear. His left shoulder and waist were covered by large metallic bangles; the one on his shoulder having spiked jutting from it. His gloves were dark brown with large metal rings holding them on. He had a dark blue vest and pants and short boots.
He started to step over the bodies left on the ground by his comrades, but before he could get to the door where they had gone; two guards rushed out from the next room holding machine guns, "Halt intruder!" they screamed in unison.
The blonde man pulled his sword, but this was no normal blade. The silvery weapon was two feet wide and four feet long, he held it between his hands rolling his fingers along the leather strap that covered the handle.
He was silent as the first guard swung his gun out like a club and charged him, the gun came down to hit him. The blonde brought his sword up and swiped the gun away from him. He then kicked the guard back and sliced his arm off.
The guard cried in pain as blood ran down the side of his uniform. "Ah, my arm! He cut off my arm!" he fell to the ground rolling in spasmatic pain.
"You're under arrest!" screamed the remaining guard as he raised his gun. The gun fired, but quickly the trespasser twirled his sword deflecting the bullets. The guard's clip quickly ran out and he shook the gun in anger, "I'll kill you with my bare hands!" shouted the guard with crazed angry clouding his mind.
The blonde man stood there, the expression on his face was one of indifference. The final guard charged twirling the gun and readying himself for attack. Before the guard could reach the man, the blonde dodged him by stepping to the side. Just as the guard reached where he had been his leg was sliced by the sword.
When he fell the blonde stood over him and looked down, the first thing that the guard noticed now was the man's eyes. There were a glowing blue green color, almost mystical. The guard mumbled, "A SOLDIER?"
His final statements were cut short as the blonde slammed the large sword blade first down into the neck of the guard cutting his head off. He then raised his sword up and started to walk out of the room, as he did he wiped the blade down with a towel.
He slipped the sword back into its scabbard and walked through the door to the next room. When he entered the room the other's were there waiting for him, the cubby one was standing in front of a large orange gate. The propeller on the top of his beanie was spinning slowly as he fumbled with a control panel next to the gate.
A tall, muscular dark skinned man with a mini-gun on his right arm stood to one side of the gate, his arms were folded and he stroked the top of the gun on his arm. He was wearing a green vest that opened to his bare chest in the front. His black hair was a buzz cut.
On the opposite side of the door were the first two off the train; the first was a muscular man with slightly tanned skin and brown hair in a tank top. The red headed female had a soft face with gorgeous light blue eyes. She was wearing a dingy white shirt with green sleeves and trim.
The muscular brown haired man unfolded his arms and looked to the side at the blonde swordsmen, "Wow! You used to be in SOLDIER all right!" There was a short pause and silence, "Not everyday ya find one in a group like AVALANCHE."
The tall dark skinned man slammed his fist back into the concrete wall hard, "Wedge, keep quiet 'fore I thrash ya!" he exclaimed.
"SOLDIER? Aren't they the enemy?" asked the red head. "What's he doing in AVALANCHE?"
The chubby man in the beanie turned to the red head, "Hold it, Jessie. He was in SOLDIER, he quit them and now is one of us!" Then he turned back to the blonde man, "I'm Wedge, these guys are Jessie, Biggs and Barret—didn't catch yer name…"
"Cloud…" the blonde said in a sort of monotone voice, "I don't care what your names are, once the jobs I'm outta here, got it?"
Barret looked around at all of them, "What the hell are we doin' here, I thought I told you to never move in a group!" he said. "Our targets the North Mako Reactor, we'll meet on the bridge in front of it."
Just then the door burst open and Wedge, Biggs and Jessie crashed through. Cloud started to move, but Barret stepped in front of him catching him roughly by his right arm, "Yer tha Ex-SOLDIER, huh? Don't trust ya!" Barret then turned and charged through the door where the others had gone.
Hesitating only momentarily, Cloud glanced up at the huge Mako Reactor that stood before him, somewhere in the back of his head a voice that was vaguely familiar whispered, Brings back memories, doesn't it?"
He dwindled on the thought and then charged off across the brick pathway trying to catch up with the others. He took a right, then a left and found himself face to face with two guard dogs. They barred his path, standing side by side and showing their ivory teeth.
So you want some too, do ya boys? Cloud thought to himself. He dove at the two dogs with his sword out. The first dog went down with two slashes, flying back just as the second cut was in place. The final dog jumped to one side growling harshly, then it pounced forward with it's mouth gaping open.
Cloud dropped back and kicked the dog in the under belly, it sailed over his head right into a wall face first with a satisfying whimper. Just before he jumped to his feet he noticed a large yellow sign above blink the word: WARNING—INTRUDER.
Knowing that there would more people awaiting them than the plan had been made for, Cloud hurried outside, this time keeping his sword drawn and at ready. He broke out into the artificial light of the city just as his feet hit the t-shaped catwalk. To the right there was the tall round metallic structure of the reactor and straight ahead of him there was Wedge.
Cloud ignored the presences of Wedge and headed for the reactor, just as he turned to go in the reactor's front entrance Wedge called out, "I'll secure the escape passage. Concentrate on the mission, Cloud." His voice echoed ominously then he muttered something that was barely audible over the horrendous hum of the reactor, "Gee, we're really gonna blow the furnace—that'll be something to see."
The hum grew louder, killing any chance Cloud had to hear other comments made by Wedge. He stepped into a room that was a long hallway with a door at the end to the left. Biggs was bothering a control panel to the side of the door while Jessie and Barret watched.
Just as Cloud got to where Barret could see him Barret called out, "Yo! This yo first time in a reactor?"
Cloud took a sarcastic tone, "No. After all I did work for Shinra, y'know?"
Barret continued to explain his take on things, "The planet's full of Mako energy. People here use it every day," he paused. "It's the life blood of this planet. But the Shinra keep suckin' the blood out with these weird machines…"
"I'm not here for a lecture, let's just hurry—they know we're here already…"
Barret stomped in anger, "That's it! You're comin' with me from now on!" he grabbed Cloud by the arm pulling him closer to the door where Biggs and Jessie were.
"Code deciphered!" Biggs said as the door opened.
They all ran through and Jessie and Biggs got to the next door quick to start on the code, as they got the keypad open Biggs said, "Think of how many people risked their lives for this one code—"
The second door opened easier than the first, and right there in front of the four of them was an open elevator door. Jessie was the first one there, then Biggs. Barret dug Cloud into the doors last.
As they got in Biggs hit the button on the side of the elevator, Barret started to talk again, "Little by little the reactors'll drain out all the life. And that'll be that."
Cloud's only response was, "It's not my problem."
Barret shook his fist at Cloud, "Don't you understand, the planet's dyin', Cloud!"
"The only thing I care about is finishin' this job before security and the Roboguards come." Cloud said.
Barret turned away and kicked the wall in anger.
The elevator doors opened to the outside world again, the light from above beat down on them. Slowly Jessie and Biggs exited the elevator, "It's all clear," Jessie said trying to forget the entire altercation that had occurred.
To the right of them there was a long flight of steel red stairs that made one stop at a mid level platform and then dove into the depths of the reactor. It was apparent that they were nearing the core. But something seemed wrong.
Biggs started down the steps, "Shouldn't there be more security than this?" he asked looking at Cloud.
Without a word Cloud looked back at Barret and just rolled his eyes, he just refused to answer the question. Jessie followed Biggs and Barret came down with Cloud in tow. He tried his best to pull Cloud too fast for Cloud to keep up with him, but Cloud was more cunning that to let himself fall.
They reached the middle platform and continued single file to the next set of steps, "This is really starting to feel weird, it's all too easy," Jessie said.
"Move slower from here on out," said Cloud in a low voice.
All of them reached the bottom of the great pit with no avail, there was a large metal door barring the entrance into the lower reactor core. Barret let go of Cloud and walked over to the door, "What is this shit?"
Cloud rolled his eyes, "I think that would be what we call a door," he said in a sarcastic tone.
"Shut up foo!" Barret yelled, "Stand back while I blow this sucka wide open."
Cloud stepped back and let his hand flow out in front of him like he was presenting something, "Have at it," he said.
Biggs looked at him, "Do you think you can cut that door down with the gun?" he asked.
Barret just opened fire on the door blowing it to shreds as the bullet ripped the metal plat into strips of shrapnel. Without a word he lowered the smoking hot gun and motioned for them to move through the door.
Biggs looked around, "I don't like the smell of this situation, I'll hang around out here and warn ya if I pick up any bad vibes."
Barret nodded and followed Cloud and Jessie into the bowels of the reactor, just inside the door there was a ladder leading down to a large pipe that crossed over to many smaller pipes.
The descent on the ladder was short, they reached the small pipes and stopped to change to the ladder that led to the lowest part of the reactor. Jessie stood on the small pipes where they were all running together.
"I'll start to over ride the pressure in these pipes, our bomb won't without it!" she said.
Cloud stopped and folded his arms, then he said softly, "Just be careful."
Barret grabbed him by the arm and pointed him in the direction of the other ladder, they slid down it to save time and jumped to a long wooden boardwalk. Below the catwalk there was solid rock that was so dark it was almost purple, two pipes from the side of the reactor dove deep down into the planet.
From the point of entry of the pipes glowing green steam rose up to meet the raw air and dissipated quickly becoming invisible. The biggest of the two pipes came up and met the wall right below a large metal bulge that appeared to be a hatch. At the front of the hatch was a wheel.
"The core," Cloud said taking the lead.
Barret noticed something glimmering in the middle of the catwalk, he pointed to it, "What tha hell is that on the ground?" he asked.
Cloud glanced down right at his feet to see a green shimmering orb, "A Magic Materia—" Cloud said kneeling down to pick it.
"It's small," Barret said looking over Cloud's shoulder to look at it.
Cloud nodded and walked forward a little more, Barret followed him, "When we blow this place, this ain't gonna be nothin' more than a hunka junk," Barret said. "Cloud you set the bomb," Barret slapped him on the back.
"Shouldn't you do it?" asked Cloud.
Barret stomped his foot, "Jus' do it! I gotta watch to make sure you don't pull nothin'!"
"Fine be my guest."
As Cloud made the smart comment his head sunk down, there was a loud ringing in his ear that he couldn't take and the voice that he had heard in the back of his head, now louder said, "Watch out! This isn't just a reactor!!"
It was at that moment Cloud saw an image flash in his head, it was vague and blurry—but he could tell that it took place in a reactor, but one more primitive than this one. The area was much smaller and the pipes were packed in closer because there was less room.
In the image in his mind a girl bent over a horribly maimed, it was a bearded man with dark hair. His skin was pale and blood stained. The girl that was over him had very pale skin and dark brown, almost raven hair. Her head almost completely covered by her large brow cowboy hat, it was hard to see her face. Light starry tears formed under her eyes as she gasped out in a raspy voice, "Father…
Then she threw her head back defiantly and called out, "Mako, Shinra, Sephiroth, SOLIDER…I hate them all!" then she reached over and picked up the sword next to her father's body and charged off further into the reactor.
Cloud spent a few seconds thinking on who this could be…she looked so familiar…
"What's wrong?" asked Barret breaking the fabric of the image.
Cloud picked his head up, "Huh?"
"What's wrong, Cloud? Hurry up!" Barret exclaimed.
Cloud shook his head, "…Yeah, sorry." Cloud stepped forward and started to press the buttons on the bottom of the large metal hatch. He had to squeeze his fingers up under the wheel to get at some of them.
Just as he finished a loud alarm sounded from up above, "That sounds about like what I expected would happen!" Cloud yelled over the alarm as he drew out his sword.
"Heads up, here they come!" Barret yelled aiming his gun back down the catwalk.
The guardian of the reactor dropped from the ceiling and landed in the middle of the catwalk blocking their only exit. It was a robotic orange scorpion with a large drill like tail that swayed out behind it. On the sides of it's imitation insect torso were two large cannons with machine guns mounted below them. The machine paced back in forth sizing up it's targets.
It advanced on them slowly, waving it's tail up and down. Cloud looked to his side at Barret, "Be careful, if you attack when the tail is up it'll harness the strength of your blows for it's own attack!" he said.
"If I attack he ain't gonna be alive to harness nothin'!" Barret boasted.
Cloud sprung off the ground and lashed out at the robot with his sword he caught the side of one of it's legs and it stumbled a little and stepped back.
Barret opened fire on the thing hitting it in the front middle of the torso, steam poured through the holes his gun made, but the scorpion stabbed at him hard with the drill tail and pireced the side of his leg, he cried out in pain.
Cloud slit the under belly of the creature open, wires and metal poked through the large opening he had made. Just as he stepped out behind the bot he saw the tail go up. The bot started to turn where it could see him again, as the front reach Cloud, Barret called out from where he was on the ground.
"Take this ya over grown insect!" he fired his gun at the things back.
Reacting on the attack, the whipped back and fired a beam of the harnessed energy at Cloud where he was in front of it. Just before the beam could smack into Cloud, he brought his large sword up and deflected the beam back into the face of the machine.
With that the robotic guard became disoriented and started to sway back and fourth until it stepped into the railing of the catwalk. The thin metal gave way and the damaged piece of machinery plummeted over the edge slamming into the rock below.
Cloud ambled over to Barret holding the Materia orb he had picked up earlier, "I think this is a Restore—I can use the magic from this orb to heal you," Cloud said.
Barret winced in pain, "Jus' hurry it up then!"
Cloud slipped the small orb into a slot on his glove and then popped his fingers expertly. Holding his hands out ahead of him; he opened them with the palms facing up and closed them pulling them back towards his body.
When the motion finished a green shimmering cloud of glittering little objects that looked like stars fell over Barret's leg healing the wound instantly. Cloud reached down and helped Barret up, "We have to get out of here, this thing is going to blow in four minutes," Cloud pointed to the timer that was now on the gauge where buttons had bee.
Barret shook his leg a little still slightly surprised by the healing power of the orb, Cloud grabbed him by the arm and the two of them bolted back down the catwalk to the ladder, they scampered up hurriedly.
When they reached the set of pipes they noticed Jessie yanking at her leg, her foot was caught between two of the small pipes on the side. "Barret, go on ahead, I'll get her out," Cloud said.
Barret nodded and ran over the next ladder, "Good luck, mofo!" he scampered up it.
Cloud walked over and grasped Jessie's leg gently, she spoke as he did, "Cloud, go on without me, here's the code for the door—" she said.
"No, I'm getting my money for completing the job with no casualties," said Cloud. He pulled her leg down deeper into the hole, slid it forward and then lifted it free. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, "Yeah but I might have sprained it," she said.
Cloud knelt down, "Get on my back and hang on—we'll get you up that ladder!" he said determined.
Jessie wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her body flat against his back, she closed her eyes and nuzzled right into the soft back of his shirt where his collar went up in a turtle neck.
"Are ya ready?" he asked.
"Yeah."
He took off in a fleeting sprint, even with that weight on his back. The reactor began to crumble around them; hunks of flaming metal sailed down past them. Cloud barely dodged one with the help of Jessie's warning; then he dove on the ladder and started the hand over hand climb back up.
Adrenaline must have taken total control of his body, because he reached the top fast than he had come down. He reached the next room with the towering sets of stairs ahead of him but didn't slow one bit. He hit them running, his heart pounded like a thousand blacksmiths worked within him.
He hit the middle platform coming down hard and heading for the next set of steps, he was off like a rocket and flew up the steps with the door to the front room of the reactor in sight.
Jessie huffed in fear as they hit level ground, "We'll never make it Cloud!" she yelled.
He didn't answer her, but kept running, pumping himself than he could have remembered doing for a long time. They entered the elevator and it carried them up to the room with the set of code activated doors.
To their surprise all of the doors were open due to the alarms red alert about the reactor. Cloud seemed to sense that they were open as he came out of the elevator like a bolt of blonde lightning.
Passed the first code door, then the second, then the final one and there was the door to the outside. They were within feet of the door when from behind them came a ground shaking explosion that blew the wall where the elevator was off.
Cloud dove out the reactor door and hit the artificial light of the city, his body slammed on the exit catwalk hard. He made sure to keep Jessie from taking any of the brunt of the fall.
Before he could look around he got back to his feet and ran for the spot where he had last seen Wedge; just as he turned the t-shaped part of the walkway the big explosion came throwing him forward into a little tunnel and sending rocks sailing past him.