Chapter 6
He made his way down the street and absently pushed disobedient strands of long crimson hair out of his line of sight.
It had taken him longer then he expected to get from Kalm to Costa Del Sol, nearly a month over land then two more weeks on top of that crossing the ocean. He sighed in resignation but stood there a moment longer to absorb some of the suns warmth into his skin.
The two climates were completely different. Kalm was cooler and rained more often then not these days while Costa Del Sol managed to maintain it's tropical climate after Meteor's near hit.
Swinging his bad up onto his shoulder and continued down the gangplank into the resort.
It was time for the fun to start.
Cloud sighed then stood and stretched his arms over his head effectively cracking his back, neck, shoulders and elbows. It was time to get moving but the place they had to move to wasn't the most desirable location on the map.
Midgar, the Forbidden City, the new name for the old city.
No one was allowed into the city ever since monsters somehow started to make their way in and get out of control. The pillar structure of support that ShinRa had become over the years had wavered and with it so did the security of the city.
No one was safe anymore, SOLDIER and the Turks were out of commission for some time after the triumph over Sephiroth and Genova and the regular police had their hands full trying to stop the riots, but when the worst came to worst they realized there was nothing they could do, so they joined in, lent their panic and fear to the riots, to the terrified masses.
As soon as the small amount of security had faded the monsters swarmed the city and began to tear things apart, they fed on the flowing mako they discovered and slowly began to change. They mutated into the stuff of nightmares.
In a day the city had been overrun, the gates to the city were sealed and those who had decided they wanted to try their luck and survive their own way or die in the city were locked inside. A worldwide law was created then, let no man enter, let no man cross the threshold into the Forbidden City, lest you condemn him to death and sign his death certificate.
For years the law went unchallenged, no one disputed it, no one wanted to.
But now for some reason someone had entered the ruined city, someone had crossed the threshold into an area that made the frontline appear like a child's playpen.
Now it was up to their tiny group to go in after him and bring him out alive or recover proof of death.
Cloud lowered his arms to his sides then turned his gaze to Shiina, the new white haired SOLDIER general and nodded.
It was time.
"Stay close." He didn't need to turn around to know who was talking or who they were talking to.
Vincent, ex-Turk, beast, guardian, companion, man, mystery.
Tide, child of a comrade in arms, companion, friend, innocent.
Tide would learn a valuable lesson by traveling with them, he would learn how to appreciate life, no matter how bleak and worthless it may appear at times. He would learn to treasure it and he would learn to protect, that no price was to high to protect the fragile thing.
Cloud took a deep breath then turned his gaze over his shoulder to his companions one last time. "Remember, the PHS is useless in here now, so if you get separated, you're on your own. As soon as the sun sets we'll come back to this gate to set up camp, I don't expect to find what we're looking for in just a few ours. If the information Reeve and Cid game me is right, this will probably take a few days at least."
They each nodded in turn then he closed his eyes, clenched his jaw and listened to the pounding of his heart.
His feet started moving and the others followed.
Azure eyes glowed intensely as he led them into the Forbidden City, a city that had once been the center of everything, the last place he wanted to return to.
The place he first met them.
Aeris.
Zack.
Sephiroth.
The Forbidden City.
A city of bitter memories.
The city.
Midgar.
God the suspense just drips, doesn't it?
Anyway thanks for the reviews so far everyone, they definitely brighten my day and make it that much easier to write knowing what you think.
In other words...KEEP 'EM COMIN'!
He made his way down the street and absently pushed disobedient strands of long crimson hair out of his line of sight.
It had taken him longer then he expected to get from Kalm to Costa Del Sol, nearly a month over land then two more weeks on top of that crossing the ocean. He sighed in resignation but stood there a moment longer to absorb some of the suns warmth into his skin.
The two climates were completely different. Kalm was cooler and rained more often then not these days while Costa Del Sol managed to maintain it's tropical climate after Meteor's near hit.
Swinging his bad up onto his shoulder and continued down the gangplank into the resort.
It was time for the fun to start.
Cloud sighed then stood and stretched his arms over his head effectively cracking his back, neck, shoulders and elbows. It was time to get moving but the place they had to move to wasn't the most desirable location on the map.
Midgar, the Forbidden City, the new name for the old city.
No one was allowed into the city ever since monsters somehow started to make their way in and get out of control. The pillar structure of support that ShinRa had become over the years had wavered and with it so did the security of the city.
No one was safe anymore, SOLDIER and the Turks were out of commission for some time after the triumph over Sephiroth and Genova and the regular police had their hands full trying to stop the riots, but when the worst came to worst they realized there was nothing they could do, so they joined in, lent their panic and fear to the riots, to the terrified masses.
As soon as the small amount of security had faded the monsters swarmed the city and began to tear things apart, they fed on the flowing mako they discovered and slowly began to change. They mutated into the stuff of nightmares.
In a day the city had been overrun, the gates to the city were sealed and those who had decided they wanted to try their luck and survive their own way or die in the city were locked inside. A worldwide law was created then, let no man enter, let no man cross the threshold into the Forbidden City, lest you condemn him to death and sign his death certificate.
For years the law went unchallenged, no one disputed it, no one wanted to.
But now for some reason someone had entered the ruined city, someone had crossed the threshold into an area that made the frontline appear like a child's playpen.
Now it was up to their tiny group to go in after him and bring him out alive or recover proof of death.
Cloud lowered his arms to his sides then turned his gaze to Shiina, the new white haired SOLDIER general and nodded.
It was time.
"Stay close." He didn't need to turn around to know who was talking or who they were talking to.
Vincent, ex-Turk, beast, guardian, companion, man, mystery.
Tide, child of a comrade in arms, companion, friend, innocent.
Tide would learn a valuable lesson by traveling with them, he would learn how to appreciate life, no matter how bleak and worthless it may appear at times. He would learn to treasure it and he would learn to protect, that no price was to high to protect the fragile thing.
Cloud took a deep breath then turned his gaze over his shoulder to his companions one last time. "Remember, the PHS is useless in here now, so if you get separated, you're on your own. As soon as the sun sets we'll come back to this gate to set up camp, I don't expect to find what we're looking for in just a few ours. If the information Reeve and Cid game me is right, this will probably take a few days at least."
They each nodded in turn then he closed his eyes, clenched his jaw and listened to the pounding of his heart.
His feet started moving and the others followed.
Azure eyes glowed intensely as he led them into the Forbidden City, a city that had once been the center of everything, the last place he wanted to return to.
The place he first met them.
Aeris.
Zack.
Sephiroth.
The Forbidden City.
A city of bitter memories.
The city.
Midgar.
God the suspense just drips, doesn't it?
Anyway thanks for the reviews so far everyone, they definitely brighten my day and make it that much easier to write knowing what you think.
In other words...KEEP 'EM COMIN'!