Here's the next chapter!! Hopefully I'll be able to write some before I get interrupted!! Grrr. . . -.-; Anyways, here you are, and the bad guys will be coming up in a few chapters. I got it ALL planned out. ^_^
Oh, and sorry if this chapter's a little. . . ummm, sad and disturbing in a war-scene way. There is going to be some angst-ish stuff, considering this is a war story, and there might be some sorta graphic imagery. I hope everyone likes it though, or at least thinks its written well. ::shrugs::
Note to CursedAngelofSephiroth: Of COURSE you can send a pic!! Just pop it over to my email and I'll post it on my deviantart account with the others, under YOUR name. ^_^
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Reise and Lisa stood out of the ashes, coughing. Somehow they had managed to escape the explosions from the initial blasts in Sanria and hid. The others were not that fortunate. Reise looked around for his car and found it squashed under a large slab of concrete.
"Well, isn't that just lovely." He climbed over to it and sighed, looking into the smashed window. He reached in careful not to cut his arm and grabbed the cell phone off the seat.
"How long do you think we have been here?" Lisa looked around and surveyed the wreckage lying around them. He stood, phone in hand.
"I don't know. A few days maybe? Two tops. Looks like a lot of fires have burned themselves out."
"Should we look for the others?"
"Damon and Janiyra didn't make it. And those other three cadets. . . there's no way they're still alive."
"Don't call just yet. Maybe we can find something to bring back," Lisa said, and started walking to where they had last seen their comrades. She closed her eyes, remembering Damon frantically waving for them to stay back when he was shot in the back. He had fallen somewhere around there. She leaned down and started sorting through the rubble while Reise looked for Janiyra. He sighed when he found her.
"I found Janiyra." His memory flashed back to the last time he had seen her alive. She had been reaching for the small pistol tucked in her boot when someone had come up behind her, running their sword through her. Her eyes were shut peacefully, her dark skin an ashy grey color from the crumbled buildings around her. Her thick, black hair was tangled, the band she usually held it back in missing. He leaned down and picked her lifeless body up out of the nest and carried her to Lisa, who had found Damon.
"Damon too." She lowered her head and watched Reise out of the corner of her eye. He lay Janiyra down and pulled out his phone, opening it and calling Sypher.
"Sypher."
"It's Reise."
"Hey! Where the hell have you been? They've been worried sick about you guys!"
"We're in Sanria."
"You and Lisa? What about-"
"We're the only ones."
"Oh. When you coming back?"
"The cars are crushed. We need a helicopter or something."
"Alright, I'll send it on its way."
"Sypher, we found the bodies."
"Damon?"
"And Janiyra."
". . ."
"Don't let anyone near the entrance until they've been taken care of. They aren't in good shape."
"Alright. I'll let someone know. The 'copter will be there in half an hour, tops. Hang in there guys." Reise hung up the phone.
"Half and hour he said." He walked the few feet to Damon and started to move the blocks gently away from him to get him out of his nest. His shirt was ripped in various places, with a single hole right where his heart was. A stain of red surrounded it, no longer bleeding. His blonde hair was a charcoal color in places, no more spikes in his hair. It fell down around his face in some places, covering parts of his closed eyes. Reise lifted him out and lay him next to Janiyra. They waited a few more minutes before hearing the helicopter. Lisa pulled out her sword and waved it, hoping they would see a glare.
"Jackson."
"Lexiter-"
"Sypher you fuck! Get off my pho-"
"WAIT! It's about Reise and Lisa."
"Oh? Keep talking."
"Reise just called. He and Lisa are in Sanria. I sent Shock out with a helicopter to get them."
"Alright. You're bothering me with this why?"
"They have Damon and Janiyra with them."
". . ."
"Just make sure Jen doesn't go anywhere near the lift until they're unloaded and taken care of." Lexiter heard a click as Sypher turned the phone off and she sighed.
Shock jumped into the helicopter and took off after it warmed up, the ceiling opening above him. The helicopter rose from the ground and he flew quickly out of the city. "Sanria," he reminded himself, and set towards that direction.
Flying over the devastation was horrible. Black smoke still lingered in the air though it was clearer than it had been the day before. He had no need to worry about buildings, since there were few standing, so he flew low. A flash just to his left caught his eye and he lowered the helicopter, setting it expertly on the uneven ground. He didn't bother turning it off and got out, running to help with the bodies.
"Thanks." Lisa said, handing Janiyra's body to him. He frowned and carried her to the helicopter, laying her in the back, Damon placed next to her.
"Let's get out of here." They climbed on and he rose just as swiftly as he had landed, and turned, heading back towards Headquarters.
Angel, Malia, and Blade walked out of the Training grounds and headed towards the café when they heard the helicopter leaving.
"Wonder where Shock is going now." Mal commented as they entered the large room. They ran into Zell, Quistis, Squall and the others entering with Alex and Wakka.
"Hey!" Alex grinned at them. "Training hard?"
"Huh?"
"You know, for that tournament?"
"Oh. How did you hear about that?" Blade asked.
"Oh come on. I have my ways. People on the surface talk you know."
"Oh. Yeah, I'm training." She took her food and sat down at a table with Mal and Angel. As they sat, Zell started shouting happily. They turned to look at him.
"YOU HAVE HOT DOGS??!!" Alex raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
"COOL!" He grabbed his food and sat with the others happily, Seifer with a scowl on his face.
"Don't eat too fast chickie. Wouldn't want you to get fat, now would we." Zell ignored him as he happily munched on his food.
They all sat eating their food, discussing different matters of the world when they heard the helicopter come back.
"Shock's back already?" Alex asked. "He must have gone somewhere close."
"Reise and Lisa haven't come back yet have they?" Mal asked softly.
"They went into Sanria with Damon and Janiyra. I don't think they made it." Angel said.
"No, there's no way they didn't."
"Well how could they have if Damon and Janiyra didn't?" Blade shrugged. Alex's phone beeped and he picked it up.
"Jenson."
"You're with Jen right?"
"No, not anymore. She left me to train with Wakka."
"Shit, do you know where she could be?"
"No. Why don't you just call her?"
"I can't. Look, if you see her, just make sure she doesn't go to the hanger. Alright?
"Whatever." He flicked the phone shut and kept eating as Chaos Angel walked in.
"Hey Mitsurugi." The man turned and nodded to him, grabbing something to eat and quickly leaving the room.
"What's with him?" Quistis asked.
"He doesn't talk much. Joined up with the NA to find his sister. She was taken by the Circle, he thinks."
"That's horrible!"
"It's normal here. Most everyone in the NA lost someone, or have a chance at losing something if they don't stop the circle first."
"Oh yeah? What about you?" Irvine asked. Alex shrugged.
"Mainly for the adventure of it all, but don't get me wrong. I really do want to get the Circle. But I don't really have any revenge or anything." Irvine looked at Blade.
"The circle killed my best friends." She said, and finished the last of her food. Mal looked down as they looked at her.
"My parent's were killed. I'm almost positive it was by them, and the hurt my little sister. She's still alive, and I would do anything to make sure no harm befalls her again. The circle doesn't just destroy human life either. They want this entire world filled with machines. It's the only way they can make the most money."
"Machina. It's the root of all evil's." Wakka sighed. "It's what caused Sin to ravage Spira."
"Machina?"
"Machines."
"Oh."
Shock, Reise, and Lisa entered the underground hanger and jumped off, Daniel and Lexiter waiting for them.
"We have Damon and Janiyra." Reise said, gently lifting Damon while Lisa took Janiyra. Lexiter walked up to them and shook her head when she saw them.
"Bring them to the hospital room." Take the left down. I'll grant access." She walked over to a small lift and stuck her hand on it, whispering a few words. The gates opened and they boarded it, quickly being pulled farther into the ground.
When they reached the "hospital," Lexiter instructed a few of the cadets standing around to clean the bodies up. "I swear, if they are not cleaned and perfect when I come back I will personally dispose of you." They shook and nodded, instantly running to get some fresh water. They strode out of the room. "Reise, wait here and tell me when they're done." He nodded and they left him standing.
Sypher paced around the communication room, throwing his hands up in the air. Arlington looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, chill out man. Everything's going to be fine."
"Ha!"
"You know what, you go get some sleep. I'll take over. I'm sure BlackJack will be pleased she won't have to listen to your voice if she calls."
"Fuck you." Arlington grinned and turned back to the security screens around thee room. Sypher side and fixed his headset, walking out the room.
"Jerk," he muttered and wandered down the hall, head down.
Zell wandered out of the café with the others and started going down the three levels to the rooms they were staying in. They took the stairwell and ran into Jen on the way down.
"Hey!" Zuzu called, grinning. Zell looked at Jen, not moving. She stared at him and then past him.
"I think I know who can fill the room." Jen said to Zuzu. She looked confused.
"Oh? And who's that?"
"Zell."
"WHAT? Girl, you outta your damn mind!"
"Umm. . ."
"No, really. It's alright. You can have someone go with you too."
"That's alright, really."
"Nonsense. You're going to stay there. Take Irvine, or Squall even."
"I'd really rather not." Seifer sidled up alongside him.
"You'll have to forgive chicken-wuss. He doesn't know what he's saying sometimes." Zell frowned, narrowing his eyes. He spun and punched Seifer quickly before ducking behind Rinoa.
Jen looked sad for a brief moment before nodding and moving past them, walking quickly up the stairs, Zuzu behind her. Alex led the other down the stairs with Mal, Blade, and Angel, but Zell snuck off to catch up with Zuzu.
"Hey," he started, Zuzu spinning around.
"Oh. Change you mind, eh?"
"I don't know." Jen stopped and looked at him, looking bored. They were outside the café.
"Well, whatever. I'm hungry now though." She said, and started walking into the café when she heard footsteps. She turned and saw Sypher, who didn't look very happy. "Well look who decided to come out of the Comm. Room. Done hiding from me Syph?" She teased, not a trace of humor on her face.
Sypher approached, glaring at Zell and then turning to Jen. "Hey, what are you doing wandering around?"
"Um, I'm hungry?" She raised an eyebrow. "Syph, I think you took a blow to the head. Why would you even ask that?"
"No reason." He shrugged.
"Did you send Shock out earlier?"
"Yeah. Reise and Lisa called."
"They did?" She started to get excited. "Wonderful! Where are they?"
"I- I don't now," he stuttered, realizing his mistake.
"Sypher, what are you hiding from me?"
"No- nothing!" She moved towards him, looking up.
"Sypher."
"No."
"Sypher, what's going on?" She reached for her gun, idly playing with it.
"Go ask Lexiter. I can't say." Jen sighed, and grabbed his shirt, jerking him down to her height.
"What. . .is. . . going on." She said through her teeth. Lexiter chose that precise moment to walk down the hall.
"Sypher, you shit."
"I didn't say anthing! I SWEAR!" He said. Zell watched this with interest as he and Zuzu backed up,
"No, he didn't. What's going on?
"Come with me." She turned again, and went back down the hall in the direction she came from. Jen let go of Sypher and followed her quickly, the three they left behind chasing after them.
"What's going on?" Zuzu asked Sypher.
"Reise and Lisa were in Sanria with Damon and the others. They found the bodies."
"Oh, that ain't good." She said, and sprinted up the stairs.
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Alright, I know I said no Jen, but I made the part smaller, and I had to. I couldn't figure out a way to make the chapter long enough without her. . . . Sorry. Anyway, hope you liked it.
Dragon Lady8: I know I didn't right Ryu in. I wanted to, but I just need to know one thing first. Do you want her to be good or bad? She will be in the next chapter for sure if she is good
TO ALL READERS: Does anyone want their character to be able to do some sort of medical stuff? I mean other than healing magic? Thanks, and sorry this chapter took so long to get up. . I've been doing other stuff. ^_^