Disclaimer: Last I checked I owned nothing this successful...
Warnings: Blood...Slightly Aeris centred...
Chapter 4: Burning Heat
Reno ducked as another bullet flew past his head. "Shit...That was close." He checked on Aerith who lay beside him propped up against the wall. Sephiroth was a black flash darting back and forth between hiding and attacking their enemies. "Why are they trying to kill us?" He muttered as he changed the ammo. The used shells littered the tiled floor, Reno frowned and snuffed out his cigarette. "Now or never love." He kissed her forehead then spun around and took aim at the final enemy, pulled the trigger and watched as the blood spurted from where the head had once been.
Sephiroth joined them and nodded to Aerith. "She seems better."
"Bullshit. She hasn't changed since the last time you checked on her. Even I can see that and I ain't a super enhanced mako boy like you...General." Reno put his gun back in his holster and stood lifting her with him.
Sephiroth shook his head, closing his eyes so the mako green eyes couldn't peer into the blue opposite him. "It is true that you are not a super enhanced soldier, but nonetheless, you are mako enhanced."
Reno stopped and turned to face him. "What the fuck are you on about?"
"Your father, he used to test the mako on you, he wanted you to be strong."
Reno shook his head, anger filling his face. "You bullshitting fuck." Sephiroth looked almost taken back upon his curse. "You're not afraid to stoop however low you have to are you?"
"Oh there you both are." Heels clicked along the tiles and they turned to find Scarlet hurrying towards them. "General Sephiroth, Reno..." She stopped when she saw Aerith lying in Reno's arms. "What happened to Aerith?"
"Hojo."
"That sick bastard? Come on, we've got to get her cured. You wouldn't happen to have cure-"
"No. Hojo made sure that neither of us had our materia." Sephiroth replied.
"That'd be right. THis way then." Scarlet began to lead them down the hall when a blonde man jumped out holding a sword at them.
"Sephiroth..."
Sephiroth frowned. "Do I know you?"
"Don't try to deny it...At Nibelheim...Five years ago..." The blonde glared at him, grip tightening on the sword. "Release Aeris."
"Aeris?" Reno and Sephiroth looked at each other slightly confused. "This is Aerith."
"Oh, you're the 'friend' she was blabbering on about..." Reno figured.
"Oh yes, I do remember she said something along those lines. 'I have friends who will come to save me'. Something like that ne?"
The blonde looked completely confused now. His sword fell slightly and he put his hand to his temples and rubbed them in a circular motion. Scarlet sauntered forward and the blonde suddenly snapped back to reality, the sword raised equal height to her neck. Sephiroth recognised the sword.
"That is Zack's sword. What are you doing with it?"
"Zack gave it to me."
"Zack died."
"He gave it to me just before he was killed."
There was a scream and everybody's attention was returned to the almost abandoned lab. The screaming continued and they hurried to the lab to find that Aeris was the one screaming...And for good reason. Hojo was moving, groaning as he struggled to stand. Scarlet visibly paled and slipped out of the lab, heels clicking furiously as she audibly ran away. Sephiroth unsheathed his sword while Reno struggled to remove his gun. Hojo stood up as if his body was made of jelly and wobbled around to face them.
"Ah, you didn't go very far..." His eyes were hanging out of his sockets.
Reno felt bile rising in his throat as they were sucked back in like spaghetti. He began to dry reach. "Get a hold of yourself!" Sephiroth ordered as he noticed Reno gagging.
Reno turned, noticing the blonde man looking very confused as he spotted Aeris in the cell screaming her lungs out. He looked from Aerith lying in his arms to Aeris repeatedly. "What is going on?" His face distorted and he covered his face with his hand trying to block everything out.
If Reno didn't know the story behind it, he too would've been completely confused, however, he was able to tell the two apart...Maybe it was just him, who knew. He looked to Sephiroth who looked at Hojo with a face filled with disgust. The blonde rushed over to where Aeris was screaming in the cell. "Aeris, Aeris are you alright?"
She only screamed in response beginning to turn red. The blonde opened the door catching Hojo's attention. "PUt her back! You can't take my specimens away from me!" Hojo hissed, practically slithering over to them.
Sephiroth stuck the sword on his foot stopping him before he went to strike the blonde who was dragging Aeris out of the cell. She was beginning to calm down and the redness was fading from her cheeks. "Cloud? You came to rescue me..."
"I'm your body guard." He explained.
"You won't get away from me!" Hojo hissed trying to attack them while still pinned beneath Sephiroth's sword.
"Hurry up and get out." Sephiroth ordered.
Aeris needed no more reason to leave, after all, scary general, bitchy clone, and freak doctor were enough to leave for her. She began to drag Cloud out when he tugged her back in. He looked again to Aerith who was beginning to stir, shook his head and allowed imself to be pulled out. They ran towards the entrance when Tseng snatched her back. "And where do you think you two are running off to?"
"Tseng! Hojo's a freak!" Aeris' eyes were wide and she was visibly shaken.
Tseng frowned. He looked to Cloud. "Who are you?"
"Cloud Strife. Ex SOLDIER."
"SOLDIER huh?" Tseng studied the blonde before him and was about to say something when a small explosion threw them forward.
Aeris looked in fear as Sephiroth, and Reno came from the smoke coughing and gasping for breath. Aeris grabbed Cloud and dragged him for the stairwell. "Come on...We've got to get out of here now!" They ran as fast as they could to the elevators. They were on the floor above them going up.
"We won't get out this way...Come on..." He dragged her towards the back of the building passed the two men towards the stairs.
"Stairs? But we're on the..."
"No time. Hurry up!" He sprinted down the stairs leaving Aeris to continue staring at them.
It'd take forever to get to the end and by that time...She hurried down at break neck speed not wanting to be put back in the bloodied cell. After the first few flights of stairs, she was leaning against the railing for support. "There's no way...I'm going...To get down...There..." She gasped as she stared down the middle to the neverending staircase's bottom floor...
"Aeris, what's wrong?" Cloud ran up the staircase towards her.
"I can't make it down there..." She answered breathing heavily.
"Here, I'll carry you down." He turned around and bent down for her.
"What?" She turned pink as she realised that he was going to give her a piggy back. "but-"
"Just get on. Unless you want to go back to Hojo's cell."
Aeris clammered on and they hurried down the stairs. After several flights, she noticed that they were slowing particularly. "Cloud, I can walk the rest of the way now..." She tapped him on the shoulder and he slowed further. "DOn't push yourself too hard..." They stopped and he still held her tightly, chest heaving. "Cloud? Are you -"
"Ssh!" He shook his head and she closed her mouth.
"What is it?" She whispered.
"Listen."
They both strained their ears and heard something metallic being dragged across the floor nearby. They both raised their gazes to the stairwell above them. Cloud nodded and they began off again, slowly although Cloud was determined not to put her down for fear that she wouldn't be able to make it again. Aeris turned to look up the stairs they began on their descent down yet another flight of stairs, she saw a black streak coming towards them. She closed her eyes and began to pray. A gentle breeze came up and they were nearing the bottom. The streak gained on them and Aeris pushed him forward. "Cloud! Hurry up!"
"I'm going as fast as I can!" He grunted as he put his foot on the final step. They staggered forward and the black streak passed them and continued forward. Cloud let Aeris down and leant against the railing to catch his breath.
"I guess it wasn't a threat to us then..."
"Not here, but who's to say it won't be in the future?" Cloud frowned.
Aeris' eyebrows furrowed. "Oh don't say such terrible things!"
He turned to look at her in confusion. "It is a possibility. We cannot stay here. Let's mosey."
She smiled at his way of telling her to go. She huried after him, wondering about the three upstairs, whether they had managed to escape...Or were they prisoners? She frowned as she remembered the girl, Aerith her name had been. Aerith Gainsborough, First class SOLDIER. She was told that she was her clone...But...What if Aerith was HER clone? The thought provoked many differing opinions all that clashed with the other.
"Aeris, come on." Cloud called out to her.
"Coming!"
A/N
Okay, I know I promised a better chapter...But I realised I hadn't written in this one for ages and well...Never write in the train when you're a zombie. It does evil things. This one was kinda focused more on Aeris and Cloud huh? Well...I promise that the next one won't be predominantly Aeris centred. After all, I have a whole heap of explaining to do...
Warnings: Blood...Slightly Aeris centred...
Chapter 4: Burning Heat
Reno ducked as another bullet flew past his head. "Shit...That was close." He checked on Aerith who lay beside him propped up against the wall. Sephiroth was a black flash darting back and forth between hiding and attacking their enemies. "Why are they trying to kill us?" He muttered as he changed the ammo. The used shells littered the tiled floor, Reno frowned and snuffed out his cigarette. "Now or never love." He kissed her forehead then spun around and took aim at the final enemy, pulled the trigger and watched as the blood spurted from where the head had once been.
Sephiroth joined them and nodded to Aerith. "She seems better."
"Bullshit. She hasn't changed since the last time you checked on her. Even I can see that and I ain't a super enhanced mako boy like you...General." Reno put his gun back in his holster and stood lifting her with him.
Sephiroth shook his head, closing his eyes so the mako green eyes couldn't peer into the blue opposite him. "It is true that you are not a super enhanced soldier, but nonetheless, you are mako enhanced."
Reno stopped and turned to face him. "What the fuck are you on about?"
"Your father, he used to test the mako on you, he wanted you to be strong."
Reno shook his head, anger filling his face. "You bullshitting fuck." Sephiroth looked almost taken back upon his curse. "You're not afraid to stoop however low you have to are you?"
"Oh there you both are." Heels clicked along the tiles and they turned to find Scarlet hurrying towards them. "General Sephiroth, Reno..." She stopped when she saw Aerith lying in Reno's arms. "What happened to Aerith?"
"Hojo."
"That sick bastard? Come on, we've got to get her cured. You wouldn't happen to have cure-"
"No. Hojo made sure that neither of us had our materia." Sephiroth replied.
"That'd be right. THis way then." Scarlet began to lead them down the hall when a blonde man jumped out holding a sword at them.
"Sephiroth..."
Sephiroth frowned. "Do I know you?"
"Don't try to deny it...At Nibelheim...Five years ago..." The blonde glared at him, grip tightening on the sword. "Release Aeris."
"Aeris?" Reno and Sephiroth looked at each other slightly confused. "This is Aerith."
"Oh, you're the 'friend' she was blabbering on about..." Reno figured.
"Oh yes, I do remember she said something along those lines. 'I have friends who will come to save me'. Something like that ne?"
The blonde looked completely confused now. His sword fell slightly and he put his hand to his temples and rubbed them in a circular motion. Scarlet sauntered forward and the blonde suddenly snapped back to reality, the sword raised equal height to her neck. Sephiroth recognised the sword.
"That is Zack's sword. What are you doing with it?"
"Zack gave it to me."
"Zack died."
"He gave it to me just before he was killed."
There was a scream and everybody's attention was returned to the almost abandoned lab. The screaming continued and they hurried to the lab to find that Aeris was the one screaming...And for good reason. Hojo was moving, groaning as he struggled to stand. Scarlet visibly paled and slipped out of the lab, heels clicking furiously as she audibly ran away. Sephiroth unsheathed his sword while Reno struggled to remove his gun. Hojo stood up as if his body was made of jelly and wobbled around to face them.
"Ah, you didn't go very far..." His eyes were hanging out of his sockets.
Reno felt bile rising in his throat as they were sucked back in like spaghetti. He began to dry reach. "Get a hold of yourself!" Sephiroth ordered as he noticed Reno gagging.
Reno turned, noticing the blonde man looking very confused as he spotted Aeris in the cell screaming her lungs out. He looked from Aerith lying in his arms to Aeris repeatedly. "What is going on?" His face distorted and he covered his face with his hand trying to block everything out.
If Reno didn't know the story behind it, he too would've been completely confused, however, he was able to tell the two apart...Maybe it was just him, who knew. He looked to Sephiroth who looked at Hojo with a face filled with disgust. The blonde rushed over to where Aeris was screaming in the cell. "Aeris, Aeris are you alright?"
She only screamed in response beginning to turn red. The blonde opened the door catching Hojo's attention. "PUt her back! You can't take my specimens away from me!" Hojo hissed, practically slithering over to them.
Sephiroth stuck the sword on his foot stopping him before he went to strike the blonde who was dragging Aeris out of the cell. She was beginning to calm down and the redness was fading from her cheeks. "Cloud? You came to rescue me..."
"I'm your body guard." He explained.
"You won't get away from me!" Hojo hissed trying to attack them while still pinned beneath Sephiroth's sword.
"Hurry up and get out." Sephiroth ordered.
Aeris needed no more reason to leave, after all, scary general, bitchy clone, and freak doctor were enough to leave for her. She began to drag Cloud out when he tugged her back in. He looked again to Aerith who was beginning to stir, shook his head and allowed imself to be pulled out. They ran towards the entrance when Tseng snatched her back. "And where do you think you two are running off to?"
"Tseng! Hojo's a freak!" Aeris' eyes were wide and she was visibly shaken.
Tseng frowned. He looked to Cloud. "Who are you?"
"Cloud Strife. Ex SOLDIER."
"SOLDIER huh?" Tseng studied the blonde before him and was about to say something when a small explosion threw them forward.
Aeris looked in fear as Sephiroth, and Reno came from the smoke coughing and gasping for breath. Aeris grabbed Cloud and dragged him for the stairwell. "Come on...We've got to get out of here now!" They ran as fast as they could to the elevators. They were on the floor above them going up.
"We won't get out this way...Come on..." He dragged her towards the back of the building passed the two men towards the stairs.
"Stairs? But we're on the..."
"No time. Hurry up!" He sprinted down the stairs leaving Aeris to continue staring at them.
It'd take forever to get to the end and by that time...She hurried down at break neck speed not wanting to be put back in the bloodied cell. After the first few flights of stairs, she was leaning against the railing for support. "There's no way...I'm going...To get down...There..." She gasped as she stared down the middle to the neverending staircase's bottom floor...
"Aeris, what's wrong?" Cloud ran up the staircase towards her.
"I can't make it down there..." She answered breathing heavily.
"Here, I'll carry you down." He turned around and bent down for her.
"What?" She turned pink as she realised that he was going to give her a piggy back. "but-"
"Just get on. Unless you want to go back to Hojo's cell."
Aeris clammered on and they hurried down the stairs. After several flights, she noticed that they were slowing particularly. "Cloud, I can walk the rest of the way now..." She tapped him on the shoulder and he slowed further. "DOn't push yourself too hard..." They stopped and he still held her tightly, chest heaving. "Cloud? Are you -"
"Ssh!" He shook his head and she closed her mouth.
"What is it?" She whispered.
"Listen."
They both strained their ears and heard something metallic being dragged across the floor nearby. They both raised their gazes to the stairwell above them. Cloud nodded and they began off again, slowly although Cloud was determined not to put her down for fear that she wouldn't be able to make it again. Aeris turned to look up the stairs they began on their descent down yet another flight of stairs, she saw a black streak coming towards them. She closed her eyes and began to pray. A gentle breeze came up and they were nearing the bottom. The streak gained on them and Aeris pushed him forward. "Cloud! Hurry up!"
"I'm going as fast as I can!" He grunted as he put his foot on the final step. They staggered forward and the black streak passed them and continued forward. Cloud let Aeris down and leant against the railing to catch his breath.
"I guess it wasn't a threat to us then..."
"Not here, but who's to say it won't be in the future?" Cloud frowned.
Aeris' eyebrows furrowed. "Oh don't say such terrible things!"
He turned to look at her in confusion. "It is a possibility. We cannot stay here. Let's mosey."
She smiled at his way of telling her to go. She huried after him, wondering about the three upstairs, whether they had managed to escape...Or were they prisoners? She frowned as she remembered the girl, Aerith her name had been. Aerith Gainsborough, First class SOLDIER. She was told that she was her clone...But...What if Aerith was HER clone? The thought provoked many differing opinions all that clashed with the other.
"Aeris, come on." Cloud called out to her.
"Coming!"
A/N
Okay, I know I promised a better chapter...But I realised I hadn't written in this one for ages and well...Never write in the train when you're a zombie. It does evil things. This one was kinda focused more on Aeris and Cloud huh? Well...I promise that the next one won't be predominantly Aeris centred. After all, I have a whole heap of explaining to do...