It's not been that long since I updated has it? Uh…hope this chapter makes up for it!
Nyowpotopop: Thanks for the kick up the backside and plz don't hurt me! I'm a girl! Besides, I have let me see…4 stories completed! Granted their like one or two chapters but that's not the point!
Thanks reno! Glad ur enjoying this!
Kewl2move: glad u liked the last one. Hope u enjoy this one 2!
Oh yeah, and I've changed the summary for this story! At long last!
Back in midgar, rebel base
Nanaki watched in interest as Tseng stuffed a small bag full of fuses. However, he carefully placed the explosives in a separate bag. The look of concentration on his face never wavered.
"Tseng…" Nanaki growled softly.
Tseng looked up from his task, "Yes?"
"It's just a few doors that you are blowing up. We are not blowing up the entire building," the fire red lion stated, "Have you ever heard of over kill?"
Tseng paused as he looked back into the room, "It's a plan. A back up."
Red tilted his head to the left, "Which one of my friends advised you of that hmm?"
"No need to make fun. Have you made the arrangements for Doctor Bear?" Tseng slowly zipped the bag up.
"Of course," Nanaki offered, "We have a place for her in Corel."
"Will that be far enough?" Tseng frowned.
He knew the success rate of the safe places that the group had placed them in.
"More to the point, is it safe enough and do the Shin-Ra know of it?"
Nanaki was about to say something when Jaden ran into the room, "Sirs! Sirs! Jenova….jenova has resurfaced!"
Red XIII took a sharp intake of breath, fear ran down his spine and his blood ran cold. So the Planet had been right, the explosion at the Northern Crater had been Jenova returning.
"Have our people intercept it!" he ordered, "Quickly!"
Jaden looked at him with sad eyes, "Our people did."
Tseng frowned again, his dark eyes looking at Jaden. The room had taken on an unhealthy silence and it refused to lift. Jenova returning had always been a very real possibility but even he had to admit that it was one that he didn't even think likely.
"Jenova…wait. What did you mean by, 'Our people did'?" the rebel leader knew he wasn't going to like this answer.
"We haven't received word back from them and that was over four hours ago. They were going to investigate the explosion," Jaden offered.
Red XIII padded quickly over to him, his dreadlocks slowly bouncing off each other. His good red eye looking at the young man, his tail swishing slowly from side to side.
"Was that the last communication with them?"
"The last communication with them stated that they had intercepted Jenova and had suffered heavy casualties. However…they did find out as to what had erupted from the planet," Jaden said slowly, his words carefully chosen.
"Which was?" Tseng's current task forgotten.
"They said it was a vessel," Jaden scrunched his forehead, trying to recall the name in the hastily sent message.
Red XIII could feel his ever long patience slowly wearing thin, "Child! The name of the vessel!"
"Highwind," Jaden blurted out, "It was Highwind."
"The story seems to be developing into quite a drama," Tseng muttered, "We discover Vincent Valentine is still alive and now this."
"Speaking of Vincent," Red looked at him, "I think it is time you left to get him. I will deal with this myself."
Jaden watched as Tseng left the room, sensing that the leader wasn't to pleased about having to go. The young man returned his gaze back to Nanaki, the founder of Holy Song.
"Are you certain that the being the group fought was Jenova?" Nanaki asked.
Jaden nodded, "I am."
Red XIII felt something that he hadn't felt for hundreds of years. Fear…he was afraid, it made him feel like he was a young pup again. Like the canyon was being invaded by the Gi tribe once more or like he felt when he saw Meteor bearing down Midgar.
The young Jaden seemed to pick up on his leader's discomfort, "Are you alright sir?"
Nanaki sighed and muttered softly to himself, "Jenova returns…does that also mean that Sephiroth is among us? What about the Highwind? Does that carry the souls of the dead?"
"Sir?" Jaden quietly asked for attention, "What are your plans?"
"I travel to the north," Red XIII stated, "When Vincent Valentine is freed, ask him to join me there."
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Shin-Ra lab
Adrian shifted from foot to foot, the sudden seriousness and gravity of the situation finally dawned on him. He was finally going to go against the SHADOW Shin-Ra and to go down in history.
To say he was scared out of his mind, was to say that Sephiroth had been slightly mad. Adrian wiped his palms on his jeans for what felt like the one hundredth time, they wouldn't stop sweating.
Would he be able to keep a hold of his weapon if the small group…ok, the tiny little trio of an assault group, got involved in a fire fight?
He kept looking around to see if Louisa Bear was going to show up, his dark eyes kept darting from one place to another. Was she really going to bail out? He had to keep telling himself that she would, she wouldn't go back on her word. Not when she had pretty much given them full access to the lab.
"Hey," Louisa's soft voice cut through his thoughts, "Waiting long?"
Adrian span round, surprised at her appearance yet happy that she arrived. He gave her one of his best smiles, hoping to dazzle Louisa.
The smile grew bigger as Louisa blushed, "Nah, couple of minutes."
Louisa tugged on a stray lock of hair, avoiding eye contact with the lab technician. Was he hitting on her? Right now? Before doing the most dangerous thing the pair could ever do?
"Okay…um…so where's your mates?" she changed the subject slightly, "Don't tell me they have cold feet."
"We had other things to attend to," Tseng's ever gentle voice supplied, "Sides, we're not that late."
Louisa bit her bottom lip, "So I guess this is it?"
Tseng gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry. We have hidden many people from the SHADOW Shin-Ra and they are all completely safe."
It wasn't a lie but it wasn't that truthful. More than half were safe…they were dead, no longer afraid of their hunters. Only those who had fled to the cold snowy north had lived, but having Chaos join Shinseiuta was a blessing. He had never seen Nanaki so…so excited.
Nanaki…what plans do you have in your head? What has the planet been saying to you over the past few days? Tseng frowned, hoping that his life long friend would tell him of the Planet's whisperings.
Adrian clicked his fingers in front of his face, "Tseng? Let's go huh?"
He took a deep breath before entering the sterile building that was currently caging one of the planet's greatest warriors. The first thing that always struck him was the smell.
It felt and smelt so artificial. He knew what fresh air was like and wondered if Adrian and Doctor Bear knew of the softness and the pure freshness and wonderfully liberating feeling it gave you.
"I hate this place," Tseng muttered as he followed Adrian.
Adrian turned partly and gave him a half sided grin, "Try working here for two years."
"Two years?" Bear whispered back, "You've been working here for that long?"
"Yeah," Adrian confirmed, "Two joyous and incredible years. There was only one thing that…sorry…I talk to much."
Tseng caught the look Adrian had shot at him, his eyes what his voice didn't. it seemed like Adrian was a romantic, a shy one at that.
So that's why he picked her. Not because she was the only who had access, Tseng smiled.
"So, how are we gaining access into the lab? Elevator? Walking by security?" Tseng waited patiently for the answer.
Louisa stopped and turned to him, "Stairs. Great exercise."
"I do this every day!" Adrian bounded over to the stairwell.
"I give him til the third flight," Tseng shifted the bags on his shoulders.
Main lab…..
Tseng could feel his legs start to shake as he finally reached the top. He could feel the sweat drip of his face and his shoulders were beginning to feel like he was carrying the weight of the Planet.
Adrian looked exhausted as well, Tseng could see a large sweat patch on his back as the youngster's shirt stuck to it. Louisa's cheeks were flushed and she gave both men a tired smile.
"Maybe we should have taken the lift?" she panted.
Tseng said nothing as he walked to the door, a few feet beyond that door and he would come face to face with a legend again. He would see Vincent Valentine. He felt like a child again, like his dreams were coming true.
"Any doubts?" Adrian asked quietly as he watched Tseng carefully shrug off the back pack.
No answer, the trio fell silent and only the nervous shuffling of feet from Louisa broke it.
Louisa hated how her heart thundered so hard in her chest, hated how her hands were shaking and how suddenly hot it had gotten in the stairwell. She was not a member of the rebel group, wasn't trained in the covert missions.
"Kinda neat huh?" Adrian gave her a confident smile, "I mean, who knows. Cloud and the rest of AVALANCHE might of done this!"
Really unlikely. They probably took the smarter option and took the elevator, the female doctor summarised, they'd be too tired if they took the stairs and half of them looked really unfit…
"Nanaki told me when I was a young child that," Tseng's face lighted up as he recalled the childhood memory, "um…Barret Wallace, Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart had climbed the stairs up to the fifty-ninth floor to rescue Aeris Gainsborough."
"You're kidding," Louisa raised an eyebrow, "So, what? We're recreating that mission?"
Tseng had just carefully finished placing the explosive on the door and he frowned, "I…guess so. However, we have a much higher chance of success than they do."
The rebel stood back and pulled out the detonator. His thumb posed over the trigger. He took a small breath and prayed to the stars that he didn't kill himself and his two companions with the explosion.
"Cover your ears, this might be a little…" he fell silent as the door opened, his carefully but hastily made plan had fell through.
Three large security guards stood in the doorway, with equally large and threatening guns pointed in their directions.
Adrian swore, "Shit…of course."
Tseng took a step back, pushing Louisa gently back as well. He still had a grip on the detonator and he was going to use it. He hadn't wanted to take life but…it seemed that the planet and fate had other ideas.
"Go down one floor and enter that way. I'll deal with this," he whispered to her, "I'll create a diversion here."
The woman looked stunned, "What? No…no!"
Tseng didn't have time to argue with her, he shoved her back to Adrian. Adrian gave him a pained look, like he was never going to see the rebel leader again.
"Don't fear," Tseng confidently whispered, "Rescue Vincent and I'll meet ya back at the arranged point."
Adrian could feel Doctor Bear pull against him as he dragged her down the stairs, just what was Tseng planning on doing? He was caught and how the hell was he going to create a diversion? There was no way unless…unless he used the explosives.
His heart stopped as he heard and felt the explosion echo throughout the stairwell, heard the screams from the surprised guards. He kicked the door open and was relieved to find that no guards were awaiting behind door number two.
Alarms screamed around them and the entire place was in chaos, Adrian felt Louisa squeeze his hand in terror. As much as he would of liked, they didn't have time to wallow in pity for the now dead Tseng.
Adrian ran in step with Louisa to the entrance of the main lab. This was it, they would rescue Chaos and Vincent Valentine would take care of the rest. He would get the group out of trouble by performing some amazing feat.
The lab was being evacuated because of the explosion, guards didn't pay much attention as Adrian and Louisa both slipped into their lab coats and walked calmly by them.
A man has just died to save me, Louisa blinked blankly, and here I am. Just walking like nothing happened.
She didn't even register Adrian opening the door to the main lab, didn't notice Horton giving her a passing glance as they walked in.
"You are aware that the building is being evacuated?" Horton spoke as she reached him, "that means that we all leave."
"I know," Louisa quietly responded.
Horton nodded and went back to picking up his notes. The young woman hated how calmly the doctor was working, did he even care about the events happening?
Adrian had let go of her hand and had discreetly walked over to Chaos's pen and ducked down. He noticed a large crack on the glass and frowned, had the captive flyer done that?
He looked up and caught the look of amusement in the beast's eye. Chaos looked to where the scientists where leaving and shifted it's weight.
"Just a little bit longer Chaos," Adrian whispered.
He watched as Louisa walked over to her station and pretend to pick up some of her notes. Waiting for the rest of the lab to leave the area, waiting for the opportune moment to free Chaos.
It felt like an eternity before she got anywhere near the control panel, her hands shook so badly as she typed in her access code. She kept glancing up to see if anyone was coming and the very second that she slammed the enter key to perform the act of freedom, Horton walked over to her.
"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU JUST DONE?!" he screamed at her, Louisa watched in horror as the older man neared her.
"Are you mad or something?" Horton hissed, "You've just released the entire group of specimens we have in the lab! Stupid bitch!"
"Hey!" Adrian called out, "Don't call her that, you jack ass!"
Chaos's eyes narrowed as the steam from the pressure valve dissipated and slowly lifted the glass cage. A primal thought raced through his mind, should he rip Horton's throat?
That became a moot point as he stretched his impressive wings to their maximum span as soon as soon as he was able. He enjoyed the look absolute fear on Horton's face as the scientist realised that his captive experiment was no longer captive.
All of Chaos's companions screamed and howled in victory. Pleased to be freed from the prison they had been held in, all eager to kill Horton.
We cannot. Sephiroth has returned and we must deal with him and also, we must find the master, Chaos ordered, besides, it is not his time to die. Yet.
What do you mean yet? Have you suddenly forgotten all the experiments that he did to you? Hellmasker hissed angrily, because I sure haven't!
Silence! Gigas roared, We follow Chaos's rule. That has been our way. That is how it will always be until we find Vincent.
Chaos smiled inwardly, Gigas always sided with him. The huge being always seeking the peaceful way out of things for some bizarre reason while the other three were quite happy to rip, slash, destroy and kill to get out of a situation.
Besides, Gigas spoke again, Chaos said, 'It is not his time to die. Yet.'
You are very evil, Hellmasker laughed, and that's why I like you so much!
That fills me with so much happiness…Gigas offered.
Chaos shook his head, clearing it before the two demons fought verbally. Adrian looked up at him, the human's eyes wide with awe and fear.
"I won't harm you child," Chaos replied, "We must leave this place."
A second explosion rocked the building and to Adrian's surprise, Tseng stood coughing behind the wall he had just blown up. The leader of the rebel group looking a little worse for wear.
"People? This way?" he politely indicted to the hole he had created.
Tseng locked eyes with Horton and pointed to him, "Your time is coming."
Chaos smiled at the scientist, it seemed like he wasn't the only one who despised Horton. However, Horton was to close to Louisa for her to get away. The AVALANCHE ally moved forward, growling. Horton seemed frozen to the spot, his blue eyes wide with fear.
Chaos stopped, he recognized the colour and look. It was one that he hadn't seen for a very long time. It was the last thing the master remembered of one of his friends.
No…no. it cannot be…Chaos screamed in anger and confusion. Refusing to believe that what he thought was true.
Horton was a descendant of Hojo, that was true but…his eyes told otherwise. In frustration, Chaos pushed Horton violently away from Louisa and was very close to ripping his throat out.
"Chaos!" Adrian called out, "Come on, let's go before the security forces figure out what the hell is going on!"
Chaos followed the trio, his head low.
That cannot be Cid's descendant…the winged warrior gave Horton one last look before leaving the room and the pain of the past few years behind him.
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A nice long chap, hopefully, this is okay?