Chapter 15
"Well, isn't this lovely. Keep the line moving sweetie!" Reno snapped, not one to be back with the mysterious brown droppings all over the place and the dirt and other unknown substances that he didn't want all over his clothes. He wasn't looking forward to doing laundry.
Aeris said nothing, continuing to crawl along the dusty vent, occasionally letting out a soft sneeze or sigh at Reno's complaints.
"How much longer do you think it is?" A loud cheer erupted throughout the vent, and a sudden horrible feeling washed over her. "Guys, do you think they have Tifa? Do you think she's the one they took?" Suddenly everyone glanced to the back, where Vincent was panting behind them, his blood red eyes half closed.
"She's not here." Vincent said quietly, and suddenly Aeris paled, turning and quickly shimming down the vent as if something foul nipped at her heels, though it wasn't against anything to say that something might have been Reno. Maybe she would have said it in a less serious situation, but now was not the time.
"We should hurry. It sounds like the crowd is getting wild." Sephiroth said softly from behind Reno, who gave a slight snort, but said nothing, focusing on um, the lovely view. He gave a slight smirk, knowing well enough not to hit on Aeris, especially with Sephiroth around. He gave a slight shudder, remembering what he had done to Vampy.
Aeris paused, glancing down through the slits in the vent, squinting down at the blurred crowd that gave another booming cheer. She felt fear, sick to the pit of her stomach with it. It could be Tifa down there, in danger. Who knew what could be happening to her?
"Do you see her?" She heard Vincent ask from the back, and she squinted, looking past the thick crowd of blurred faces, toward the stage in the front. There, tied to a wooden cross as if being crucified, battered and bruised, was Tifa, obviously unconscious. Rufus and Cloud sat behind her, Cloud's face unreadable, and Rufus's face one of sick enjoyment.
She gave a loud gasp, covering her face with the palms of her hands.
"There! It's Tifa! And we have to get down there, now!" Aeris's tone of voice startled all the men, springing them suddenly into action. "We have to get down there now, and I mean now!"
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She could dimly hear the droning roar of the crowd, through her veil of torturous pain. She was surprised she hadn't crumbled into ashes, every part of her body ached and screamed whenever she shifted the tiniest bit. And Cloud was behind her, and she knew Rufus was laughing, a laugh so cold and chilling it struck her to the bone, numbing and ringing to the core. She felt sick, though she didn't want to show anymore signs of weakness. She had brought this upon herself, but it was for a good cause. She'd rather be a martyr and help her friends than to be a sacrifice for someone's sick twisted amusement. But, she supposed she was both today.
She twisted slightly, giving a slight groan in pain, the bounds biting painfully into her wrists and ankles, and she felt the slices of the small dagger giving way and opening a bit more widely. It stung, and tears managed to pour themselves down her face.
"You could have chosen me, Tifa. You wouldn't have to feel this pain." It was strange, that voice had been strangely comforting up until this point. Now all she felt was boiling rage. She eyed him with her most ferocious glare she could muster, though Cloud only smirked a very Rufus like smirk, and it scared her. She had always thought she knew Cloud the best, but it only occurred to her how much she didn't know.
"I would rather die." Tifa spat, while Cloud only gave her a triumphant grin, which she had thought had been quite dashing on his boyish face, though that was past tense. It only curdled her blood now.
"Yes, like this, right? Feeling every inch of pain and suffering." Cloud said with a slight smirk, turning his heel to leave, though gave a slight startled yelp as the whole stage shook. Tifa winced, feeling even the slightest movement as the ground rumbled.
"What the-?" She could vaguely hear Rufus snarl, barking in a loud tone for everyone to ready themselves for battle, thought Tifa smirked, tilting her head to the side, forgetting her pain, if only just a moment. They came back for her. They had actually come back.
"Tifa!" None other than Vincent Valentine cried out to her, and she smiled slightly, wishing she could wave. The expression on his face, an actual expression blessed his face, was one of someone worried and highly enraged.
Next to him, standing ready for battle stood Sephiroth, Aeris, and Reno, the silver haired swordsman propping up the wounded cop.
"Kill them!" Rufus screamed, the sudden sound of a thousand rifles clicking from safety sounding in the suddenly silent hall, and Tifa held her breath. She was sure everyone else held it also, for a pin could have dropped, and be heard from a mile away. Time slowed for a moment, and desperately she prayed throughout that single moment of blurry emotions and happenings that they would live, even if it meant she would die. She had been willing to die for her friends since the beginning, and it still stayed that way. She would feel guilty for the rest of eternity if they died trying to reach her. It would take a miracle, even with the One Winged Angel with them, to survive this horrendous massacre.
And in the next minute, a miracle did occur, bearing the name of Cid Highwind.
A few hours later, a shell shocked Rufus would be mumbling to himself that they had oozed from everywhere, bursting from every single place imaginable, and that's how it was.
Police officers, and even a SWAT team burst through the doors around the whole building, guns raised and poised, all of them aiming at the mass, all wearing masks. Cid had taken no chances, and even ordered out some gas if needed.
"Put down your godd**** weapons before we f***ing shoot! We have the place surrounded dip s***s!" Cid barked into the megaphone, and seemingly scaring the crap out of everyone, the soldier's guns quickly dropped to the floor, and all thousand of them were kicked toward to the officers. Outside, the sounds of more booted feet echoed, and every single person in the room drew a breath.
Flickering his ice blue eyes to Rufus, who stood frozen on the stage, Cid snorted, jerking his gun toward him.
"Arrest the sucker. Get everyone in here to the station now!" Cid snapped, instantly the police flying into action, and in what seemed the blink of an eye, Rufus and Cloud and the head honchos were being carted away, the rest being given a nasty glare, and surprisingly being very obedient and following orders given to them. They had been taking orders for their whole lives, so why shouldn't they now? Rufus Shinra had only been power, and since Cid had 'overthrown' him, he was the new power. What difference did it make to the poor brainwashed people of Shinra?
Blinking, Tifa looked down to realize with a start that Vincent had produced a pocket knife and cut her free, swiftly putting an arm under her knees and shoulder, and even though heavily wounded, refused to let anyone else carry her off, even though Tifa had weakly protested she was fine.
"But are you sure? You're more wounded than me!" Tifa said, a tinge of worry grazing her voice, as she glanced up at his bandaged chest, though he only gave a slight shrug, still limping a bit as he walked out of the Shinra building, Aeris, Sephiroth, and Reno following behind, watching the pair, Reno with a tinge of amusement.
He had known Vincent for a long time, and had only been so stubborn when it had came to Lucercia. Reno had a sneaking suspicion that cheery Tifa Lockheart had drilled through Vincent Valentine's stony defense and somehow grown on him. It was about time!
With a slight smirk on his face, Reno shoved his hands roughly into his pockets and followed the pair, insisting he drive to them both to the hospital, giving a slight wink to Cid, who looked a bit perplexed to see Vincent walk past him, cradling Tifa.
"I guess that makes that the last pack of cigarettes you'll ever smoke Cid." Reno said cockily, grabbing the pack out of Cid's limp hand, his mouth drooping a bit, and with a smile, Reno crushed the pack in his hands. D***! That felt good! He had always wanted to do that. With a grin still nestled on his lips, Reno tilted his head to the side, an innocent expression on his face. "And you should close your mouth too. Flies are starting to go in." With a whistle, he turned his booted heel and trotted off, leaving the still shocked Cid behind him.
He wanted to be there when the two lovebirds confessed their undying love for each other. He could already see an emotional Valentine. He snickered, sliding into the driver's seat and starting up the engine.
The sound of a car screeching away from the already empty and defeated building of Shinra was the only thing heard over the sounds of police cars and barely concealed voices. Shinra had fallen.
~*Author's Notes*~ Okies, so maybe the rescue wasn't as original as I wanted it to be, but hey! I tried, really I did. So sorry it was a tinge crappy, but be happy! *oblivious to rhyme* This is the next chapter of 'In the Night'. *sniffles* I'll still feel sad though. That's basically how I am when I end a story. Oh well, thanks to everyone who stuck with this story and please read and review! (HAPPY HALLOWEEN!)
"Well, isn't this lovely. Keep the line moving sweetie!" Reno snapped, not one to be back with the mysterious brown droppings all over the place and the dirt and other unknown substances that he didn't want all over his clothes. He wasn't looking forward to doing laundry.
Aeris said nothing, continuing to crawl along the dusty vent, occasionally letting out a soft sneeze or sigh at Reno's complaints.
"How much longer do you think it is?" A loud cheer erupted throughout the vent, and a sudden horrible feeling washed over her. "Guys, do you think they have Tifa? Do you think she's the one they took?" Suddenly everyone glanced to the back, where Vincent was panting behind them, his blood red eyes half closed.
"She's not here." Vincent said quietly, and suddenly Aeris paled, turning and quickly shimming down the vent as if something foul nipped at her heels, though it wasn't against anything to say that something might have been Reno. Maybe she would have said it in a less serious situation, but now was not the time.
"We should hurry. It sounds like the crowd is getting wild." Sephiroth said softly from behind Reno, who gave a slight snort, but said nothing, focusing on um, the lovely view. He gave a slight smirk, knowing well enough not to hit on Aeris, especially with Sephiroth around. He gave a slight shudder, remembering what he had done to Vampy.
Aeris paused, glancing down through the slits in the vent, squinting down at the blurred crowd that gave another booming cheer. She felt fear, sick to the pit of her stomach with it. It could be Tifa down there, in danger. Who knew what could be happening to her?
"Do you see her?" She heard Vincent ask from the back, and she squinted, looking past the thick crowd of blurred faces, toward the stage in the front. There, tied to a wooden cross as if being crucified, battered and bruised, was Tifa, obviously unconscious. Rufus and Cloud sat behind her, Cloud's face unreadable, and Rufus's face one of sick enjoyment.
She gave a loud gasp, covering her face with the palms of her hands.
"There! It's Tifa! And we have to get down there, now!" Aeris's tone of voice startled all the men, springing them suddenly into action. "We have to get down there now, and I mean now!"
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She could dimly hear the droning roar of the crowd, through her veil of torturous pain. She was surprised she hadn't crumbled into ashes, every part of her body ached and screamed whenever she shifted the tiniest bit. And Cloud was behind her, and she knew Rufus was laughing, a laugh so cold and chilling it struck her to the bone, numbing and ringing to the core. She felt sick, though she didn't want to show anymore signs of weakness. She had brought this upon herself, but it was for a good cause. She'd rather be a martyr and help her friends than to be a sacrifice for someone's sick twisted amusement. But, she supposed she was both today.
She twisted slightly, giving a slight groan in pain, the bounds biting painfully into her wrists and ankles, and she felt the slices of the small dagger giving way and opening a bit more widely. It stung, and tears managed to pour themselves down her face.
"You could have chosen me, Tifa. You wouldn't have to feel this pain." It was strange, that voice had been strangely comforting up until this point. Now all she felt was boiling rage. She eyed him with her most ferocious glare she could muster, though Cloud only smirked a very Rufus like smirk, and it scared her. She had always thought she knew Cloud the best, but it only occurred to her how much she didn't know.
"I would rather die." Tifa spat, while Cloud only gave her a triumphant grin, which she had thought had been quite dashing on his boyish face, though that was past tense. It only curdled her blood now.
"Yes, like this, right? Feeling every inch of pain and suffering." Cloud said with a slight smirk, turning his heel to leave, though gave a slight startled yelp as the whole stage shook. Tifa winced, feeling even the slightest movement as the ground rumbled.
"What the-?" She could vaguely hear Rufus snarl, barking in a loud tone for everyone to ready themselves for battle, thought Tifa smirked, tilting her head to the side, forgetting her pain, if only just a moment. They came back for her. They had actually come back.
"Tifa!" None other than Vincent Valentine cried out to her, and she smiled slightly, wishing she could wave. The expression on his face, an actual expression blessed his face, was one of someone worried and highly enraged.
Next to him, standing ready for battle stood Sephiroth, Aeris, and Reno, the silver haired swordsman propping up the wounded cop.
"Kill them!" Rufus screamed, the sudden sound of a thousand rifles clicking from safety sounding in the suddenly silent hall, and Tifa held her breath. She was sure everyone else held it also, for a pin could have dropped, and be heard from a mile away. Time slowed for a moment, and desperately she prayed throughout that single moment of blurry emotions and happenings that they would live, even if it meant she would die. She had been willing to die for her friends since the beginning, and it still stayed that way. She would feel guilty for the rest of eternity if they died trying to reach her. It would take a miracle, even with the One Winged Angel with them, to survive this horrendous massacre.
And in the next minute, a miracle did occur, bearing the name of Cid Highwind.
A few hours later, a shell shocked Rufus would be mumbling to himself that they had oozed from everywhere, bursting from every single place imaginable, and that's how it was.
Police officers, and even a SWAT team burst through the doors around the whole building, guns raised and poised, all of them aiming at the mass, all wearing masks. Cid had taken no chances, and even ordered out some gas if needed.
"Put down your godd**** weapons before we f***ing shoot! We have the place surrounded dip s***s!" Cid barked into the megaphone, and seemingly scaring the crap out of everyone, the soldier's guns quickly dropped to the floor, and all thousand of them were kicked toward to the officers. Outside, the sounds of more booted feet echoed, and every single person in the room drew a breath.
Flickering his ice blue eyes to Rufus, who stood frozen on the stage, Cid snorted, jerking his gun toward him.
"Arrest the sucker. Get everyone in here to the station now!" Cid snapped, instantly the police flying into action, and in what seemed the blink of an eye, Rufus and Cloud and the head honchos were being carted away, the rest being given a nasty glare, and surprisingly being very obedient and following orders given to them. They had been taking orders for their whole lives, so why shouldn't they now? Rufus Shinra had only been power, and since Cid had 'overthrown' him, he was the new power. What difference did it make to the poor brainwashed people of Shinra?
Blinking, Tifa looked down to realize with a start that Vincent had produced a pocket knife and cut her free, swiftly putting an arm under her knees and shoulder, and even though heavily wounded, refused to let anyone else carry her off, even though Tifa had weakly protested she was fine.
"But are you sure? You're more wounded than me!" Tifa said, a tinge of worry grazing her voice, as she glanced up at his bandaged chest, though he only gave a slight shrug, still limping a bit as he walked out of the Shinra building, Aeris, Sephiroth, and Reno following behind, watching the pair, Reno with a tinge of amusement.
He had known Vincent for a long time, and had only been so stubborn when it had came to Lucercia. Reno had a sneaking suspicion that cheery Tifa Lockheart had drilled through Vincent Valentine's stony defense and somehow grown on him. It was about time!
With a slight smirk on his face, Reno shoved his hands roughly into his pockets and followed the pair, insisting he drive to them both to the hospital, giving a slight wink to Cid, who looked a bit perplexed to see Vincent walk past him, cradling Tifa.
"I guess that makes that the last pack of cigarettes you'll ever smoke Cid." Reno said cockily, grabbing the pack out of Cid's limp hand, his mouth drooping a bit, and with a smile, Reno crushed the pack in his hands. D***! That felt good! He had always wanted to do that. With a grin still nestled on his lips, Reno tilted his head to the side, an innocent expression on his face. "And you should close your mouth too. Flies are starting to go in." With a whistle, he turned his booted heel and trotted off, leaving the still shocked Cid behind him.
He wanted to be there when the two lovebirds confessed their undying love for each other. He could already see an emotional Valentine. He snickered, sliding into the driver's seat and starting up the engine.
The sound of a car screeching away from the already empty and defeated building of Shinra was the only thing heard over the sounds of police cars and barely concealed voices. Shinra had fallen.
~*Author's Notes*~ Okies, so maybe the rescue wasn't as original as I wanted it to be, but hey! I tried, really I did. So sorry it was a tinge crappy, but be happy! *oblivious to rhyme* This is the next chapter of 'In the Night'. *sniffles* I'll still feel sad though. That's basically how I am when I end a story. Oh well, thanks to everyone who stuck with this story and please read and review! (HAPPY HALLOWEEN!)