Final Fantasy 7
Emerald Princess of Vernea
Chapter Twenty-One
"Aeris!" Cloud shouted, almost running forward in delight and in horror.
Hojo was standing just a few metres away from him, on a small path that led away from the control panel where his assistant was stood, protected by a thick panel of glass as he worked the controls of the main structure of the room.
Right in the centre of the room was another large glass shaft, built so it lay directly on top of the one in the room below them. Aeris was within this glass chamber, sat in silence with a doleful look on her face as she waited for the experiments to be carried out. At the sound of Cloud's voice she looked up, as did Hojo and his assistant. They stared at Cloud and his two friends in surprise, for they had not heard anyone enter.
"Aeris?" Hojo asked blankly. He then slowly glanced at Aeris inside the glass cage, and nodded his head. "Oh, is that her name? What do you want?"
"We're taking Aeris back," Cloud answered. He reached behind him and took hold of the handle of his sword, ready to fight if Hojo resisted them and refused to free her.
But Hojo didn't resist, or even react emotionally to Cloud's reply. Instead he merely turned his gaze back to Aeris. "Outsiders…" he murmured quietly. Even his voice didn't seem to show much emotion or fear to their presence.
"Shoulda noticed it earlier, you…"
Hojo sighed heavily, interrupting the beginning of Barret's angry tirade. "There's so many frivolous things in this world," was all he could say. Cloud stared at him curiously for a moment or two, wondering what he meant by 'frivolous things'. He never got the chance to ask him though, for Barret suddenly ran forward and raised his gun-arm up, pointing it straight at Hojo. The scientist stared at him expressionless for a few moments. "Are you going to kill me?" he asked, his voice also emotionless. "I don't think you should. The equipment here is extremely delicate. Without me, who would operate it? Hmm?"
"Ugh," Cloud growled angrily. As much as he hated to admit it, Hojo had a point.
A small, flickering smile appeared at the corner of Hojo's mouth. He knew he had them stumped there. "That's right," he said. "I recommend you think things out logically before making any rash moves." He turned to his assistant behind the glass, while Aeris climbed to her feet within the chamber. "Now, bring in the Specimen!"
Before anyone could stop him, Hojo's assistant reached out and pressed one of the buttons on his control panel in front of him. A gentle humming sound came from within the glass shaft where Aeris was contained, and everyone turned to it as the centre of the cell opened up, revealing a long hole that led into the shaft below. The humming became louder, and Aeris stepped back nervously as she waited to see what was going to happen.
As she watched, a circular panel rose up into the centre of the room, carrying the peculiar wolf-creature up with it. As Aeris's gaze fell on the creature's sharp red claws and fierce white fangs her eyes opened wide and she jumped back in a fright, pressing her body against the wall of the shaft. The creature met her gaze at the same time, and its tail rose up and stiffened, shaking angrily as it growled and snarled at the poor girl, eyeing her over as though she was prey. Hojo watched from the outside, for the first time a real smile appearing on his face. It was as though he was gaining enjoyment from seeing the two together.
Gaining her courage, Aeris quickly ran to the end of the shaft and began to pound it as hard as she could. She looked at Cloud with a look of pure terror on her face, filled with the fear of being mauled by this apparently ferocious creature.
"Cloud, help!" she pleaded, her voice muffled from within the chamber. The creature behind her roared fiercely, and Aeris screamed once more. Her face was as pale as a ghost, and the creature looked ready to lunge at any second.
Cloud turned to Hojo angrily. "What do you think you're doin'?" he demanded of the scientist.
Hojo blinked as though the answer was blindingly obvious, and looked at Cloud. "Lending a helping hand to an endangered species…" he replied simply. He waved a hand towards Aeris and the wolf-creature in the chamber. "Both of them are on the brink of extinction… If I don't help, all these animals will disappear."
"…Animal? That's terrible" Tifa shouted, glaring at Hojo, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Aeris is a human being!" Hojo looked back at her, undeterred by her anger or protests. Instead he merely shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the spectacle of fear within the glass chamber.
"You're gonna pay!" Barret roared.
Cloud snapped round to Barret. "Barret!" he said. "Can't you do anything?"
Barret thought for a moment. There was nothing he wanted more than to use his gun to blow Hojo away into oblivion, but he knew that killing Hojo would not get Aeris away from the terrible claws of the creature preparing to attack her. He then clicked his fingers as he had an idea. They might have needed Hojo to operate the controls, but they didn't need the chamber itself.
"Awright!!" he shouted, determined. "Step back!" Cloud and Tifa stepped back out of the way as Barret raised his gun-arm and aimed for the thick glass surrounding the shaft. Hojo's eyes opened wide as he realised what Barret was about to do.
"Stop!" he pleaded.
He was far too late by then. As he spoke Barret opened fire and unleashed wave after wave of bullets at the glass. There were loud bangs as some of the bullets rebounded away from the glass and towards the floor around them, but some of the bullets slammed hard into the glass and dug straight in, beginning to weaken it and cause it to crack, little by little.
He was forced to stop as a much louder hum began to emanate from the inside of the chamber. A bright glow began to emit from the inside, and the last they saw of Aeris inside the chamber was as she shielded her eyes from the bright light before she fell to her knees and towards the ground. Hojo's cried out fearfully and ran forward, brushing rudely past Barret towards the door of the chamber.
"Wh… what are you do—Oh!" he wailed, pressing his hands against the door of the chamber, which was warm from the intense glow emanating inside of it. He fell to his knees as he looked into the light. "My precious specimens…"
Recovering, Hojo quickly climbed back up to his feet and pressed a button on the side of the door. The door came out about an inch or so before sweeping to the side, revealing the interior. The bright glow faded as the excess energy was released, and Hojo looked ahead to see what was inside – right in the fierce and bloodthirsty eyes of the very angry wolf-creature that was looking back at him. Before Hojo could step back the creature lunged at him, flying out of the chamber. He landed right on Hojo's chest, and the two fell back onto the path behind them. Hojo cried out in fright as the creature dug its muzzle right into him, trying to bite his neck.
Cloud turned to the chamber. "Now's our chance to get Aeris!" he called, and ran into the chamber while Barret and Tifa watched the creature mauling Hojo fiercely.
Aeris was sat at the other end of the chamber, sat up as though she had been carefully dragged from the floor. She looked up as Cloud knelt beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. A happy smile appeared on her face as she looked into Cloud's eyes, seeming very relieved to see him. Cloud reached out, and she took his hand gladly as he pulled her up to her feet.
"Thanks, Cloud," she said. She then ran out of the chamber to where Tifa was waiting for her, and she helped her down and took her away from the glass shaft.
Cloud was about to follow her when the circular platform in the centre of the shaft suddenly moved down towards the floor below. He heard it stop, and then move again, this time back up. He looked down, but he could only see darkness from within the shaft.
"Cloud… What's wrong?" asked Tifa.
Cloud looked back at her and Aeris. "The elevator's moving," he said.
The wolf-creature that was busy mauling Hojo suddenly stopped and stepped back away from him. Hojo sat up, his face pale and shaking, but he was not hurt, for the creature had not hurt him at all, and simply mauled his face gently to instigate fear. Hojo looked at the elevator fearfully, seeming more afraid of it than the creature in front of him.
"This is no ordinary specimen," he warned them. "This is a very ferocious specimen!"
The wolf creature turned. "He's rather strong," it said. "I'll help you all out."
Barret, Cloud, Tifa and Aeris all stared at the wolf in absolute amazement. They couldn't believe it, but the creature had just talked. The creature looked around at them as though nothing was strange.
"It talked!" Tifa exclaimed, her eyes wide and staring.
The wolf turned to look at her. Its eyes seemed to have softened now that it was done attacking Hojo, and seemed to almost have a civil, curious expression. "I'll talk as much as you want later, Miss," he replied politely.
While the others stared in amazement, Cloud ran out of the cell and onto the path in front of the creature. "We'll take care of that monster," he said. "Somebody take Aeris somewhere safe…" He looked around, and then finally turned to Tifa. "Tifa, I'm counting on you!"
Tifa nodded, and she grabbed hold of Aeris's wrist and began to pull her sharply towards the far end of the floor to hide behind the controls where Hojo's assistant was still quivering in fear. Once they were safely out of sight, Cloud turned to the wolf creature, which looked back at him.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Hojo has named me Red XIII," he replied. He closed his eyes. "A name with no meaning whatsoever to me. Call me whatever you wish."
Cloud slowly nodded his head. Maybe the number was irrelevant, but the name 'Red' suited him quite well, what with his red fur and all. He couldn't say anything else, for at that moment the lift finally came to a stop and revealed the monster standing on it. The three all prepared for battle, with Red flexing his long claws and baring his teeth, snarling angrily as the monster stepped up off the platform and looked at them all.
Red XIII had been right – it was an extremely strong looking monster, and certainly looked ferocious like Hojo said. It was much taller than the group with powerful arms and legs. As it rose off the platform three smaller creatures hovered around it – its personal minions.
The wolf known as Red XIII charged forward and lunged through the air towards one of the smaller minions. He attacked with all four paws at once, digging in his sharp claws and tearing into the creature's body. Loud, high-pitched squeals came from the creature as Red XIII clawed and gnawed at it, until it fell silent. Red XIII then dropped back and turned towards the next one, and lunged once again towards the next creature as it stood nearby, while Cloud and Barret focused their attention on the main monster.
Cloud ran in first with his sword held high, and swiped at the creature's thick, leathery skin. The blade slid in fairly easily and Cloud continued to run, pulling the sword against its skin and cutting a large, gaping slit in its side. The monster didn't flinch and turned its ugly head to look down at Cloud, before throwing out one of its arms and striking Cloud as he ran past. The ex-SOLDIER went flying across the room, before falling to the ground and rolling across the floor.
While he was distracted with Cloud, Barret raised his gun and fired at the creature's already open wound, and more blue-green blood began to pour from its insides and down its body. The creature growled and snarled angrily at Barret.
It opened its mouth wide and spat out a large green bubble towards the AVALANCHE leader. Barret hurriedly dodged to the side, avoiding the bubble as it sailed past him and splashed onto the floor, with smoke rising from it. It was a poison or an acid of sorts, and looked deadly. He didn't have much time to rest however, for another green bubble was flying towards him, and he only just moved out of the way in time before it fell onto the floor.
Red XIII looked up from where he was stood after finishing mauling the third and final minion, and saw Barret dodging the green bubbles of poison that were falling his way. He left the twitching body of the minion and charged forward angrily, his teeth glittering as he snarled furiously. As he approached he coiled the springy muscles in his hind legs and leaped upwards, releasing the springs and rising high up into the air.
He landed on the monster's back and dug his claws deep into its flesh. He used them as footholds to pull himself up the creature's back until he was at his head and his neck was bare. Red XIII immediately let himself go, sinking his teeth into the creature's neck. The monster roared in pain and reached up. He grabbed hold of Red XIII and pulled him harshly, throwing him hard through the air. He slammed into Barret, and the two fell back onto the floor.
Tifa and Aeris could only cower and watch as the battle continued, safe from their hiding place just under the bridge leading to the control panel. They watched helplessly as Cloud stood up and put his sword back behind his back, preparing to use magic. One of the two Materia balls he owned began to glow, and a long bolt of lightning fired down from the ceiling and struck the creature's body. It shuddered violently, and turned around to face him. That was when Cloud had an idea. He turned towards Barret and Red XIII.
"Barret! Red XIII! Attack him now!" he called to them.
Red XIII did as Cloud said and charged forward. He leaped up onto the monster's chest and began to claw and bite him fiercely, and jumped away as the monster tried to swipe him off again. Barret then fired his gun at the monster, his bullets expanding the already open wounds that covered the creature's body. The monster screeched loudly, with blood pouring from every wound on its body.
That was when Cloud took his chance and ran forward, pulling his sword back out from its holster behind him. The blade glittered in the light as he ran forward, preparing to strike.
While he ran forward, Cloud began to utilise the powers of both the Lightning Materia and the new Elemental Materia he had placed in the slots of his sword. The two balls of materia glowed intensely as they activated together, and small sparks of electricity began to flicker over the metal blade of Cloud's sword. The sparks grew in strength and intensity, until Cloud's sword became a flickering mass of powerful electric sparks.
The monster turned to Cloud just in time to see him strike. Cloud raised his blade high and brought it down with all his strength, digging the blade deep into its skin and cutting it down as far as he could go. The electric sparks that covered his sword grew and spread over the monster's body. In a flash the sparks erupted into a fierce ball of light, and the monster became alive with electric sparks. Cloud withdrew his sword. The monster raised its head high and squealed in agony, its body being fried by the electricity that enveloped it. Then, with a final bang, the electric sparks exploded, and the monster gave one final roar before the light consumed it.
When the light faded, there was nothing left of the monster. It had been completely evaporated by the electricity, and nothing remained of it. Cloud lowered his sword, and Barret and Red XIII also relaxed. Only then did Aeris and Tifa dare to step out from their hiding place and run towards Barret, Cloud and Red XIII. There was no sign of Hojo or his assistant – they had fled once the monster appeared.
"Aeris, are you all right?" Cloud asked Aeris as she ran up.
"She seems all right…" Tifa replied, glancing at the cheerful smile on Aeris's face. "In many ways," the woman added.
Red XIII sat back on his haunches and closed his red eyes. "I have a right to choose, too," he said. "I don't like two-legged things."
"What are you?" asked Barret.
Red XIII turned his head to look at Barret. "An informed question. But difficult to answer," he replied. He looked down at himself. "I am what you see… You must have many questions, but first, let's get out of here. I'll lead the way."
Aeris walked forward towards Cloud, a thankful look on her face. "Cloud…" she said, her voice soft. "So you did come for me."
Red XIII suddenly jumped up over the rail of the path where he stood, and landed near to Aeris. The young woman jumped back in a fright, still a little scared of this peculiar talking wolf creature. But as Red XIII looked back at her with an apologetic look, she calmed a little.
"I apologise for what happened back there," he said regretfully. "I was merely acting to throw Hojo off guard."
"Now we've saved Aeris," Barret interrupted, trying to get them all back on track. "Ain't no need to be in this buildin'! So let's get the hell outta here!"
Cloud folded his arms thoughtfully. "If all five of us go together, we'll be noticed," he pointed out. He looked up at the group. "Let's break up into two groups. Aeris, you go with Tifa. Barret and Red XIII, come with me."
"We'll be going first," said Tifa. "Meet at the 66th Floor Elevator."
Aeris nodded. "I'll see you later!!" she said, giving the boys a cheery wave. "We'll be waiting at the 66th Floor Elevator."
And with that, Tifa and Aeris both turned and ran off towards the storage elevator at the end of the room, and headed back down towards Level 67 to head towards the Level 66 elevator, where they could head back down to level 59 and out of the Shinra Building. Barret wasn't looking forward to that long haul back down that long flight of stairs, but it was the only way they could escape without being seen by Shinra.
A few minutes later Cloud and his new group made their own move, and quietly headed back down the elevator towards the science labs. It was still very quiet, which meant that no one had heard their escapades on the upper floor. So no one paid any attention to them as they moved through the area, and back down the stairs towards Level 66, the meeting area. Once there they quickly but quietly dashed towards the lift.
One by one the three piled into the elevator, which was quite a squeeze with Red XIII's four-legged form. Before they could press the button to take them back down the lift door slid open again, and a figure walked in behind them, stepping right up behind Cloud.
Cloud turned in time to see the tall figure standing in front of him. He was dressed in a smart blue suit with his shirt tucked in, and had a pair of black shades covering his eyes. His head was bald, and he looked at Cloud with a very stern and serious expression on his face. Cloud was a little intimidated by the man standing so close to him, but tried not to show it.
"H, hey!" Cloud exclaimed. "What is it?"
The man looked at Cloud blankly through his shades and said nothing. He then raised one hand and pointed upwards.
"Would you press 'Up' please?" he said.
Cloud then realised. The blue suit… the shades… the callous expression… All trademarks of the Turks.
"Turks? Must be a trap…" cursed Cloud.
The smartly dressed Turk then moved to the side out of the way, and another figure walked in. It was Tseng, the leader of the Turks. He entered the tightly packed lift with a large, smug smile on his face as he looked at the group in front of him.
"It must have been a real thrill for you…" he said sinisterly. "Did you enjoy it?"
Cloud narrowed his eyes. "Ggh…"
