The Arrival of Omega Weapon

Chapter 13

The Highwind flew through the air with difficulty. It was because the engine that they were using hadn't been designed for the Highwind, it was designed for the Genelka airships, and as Cid wasn't around to be able to do his miracle work, the Highwind didn't feel like the same ship that had helped them so much a year before.

Tifa stood in her usual spot near the front of the bridge. Despite the shaking and noise from the ship, she thought it was quieter than usual. But then, Cid wasn't barking orders to the crew like normal.

Another reason could be because of the passenger that they had onboard, the crew that was flying the ship now was the same that had flown the Highwind a year before and they all remembered clearly who the enemy was, back then.

Elena had said that Reno seemed convinced that Sephiroth was telling the truth, that he was from another world, but Tifa wasn't so sure. The only thing that had half convinced her was the fact that Rinoa was almost certainly from another world. Therefore, Tifa had given Sephiroth the benefit of the doubt and brought him along… But along to what?

The message from Nanaki had been very urgent, Cloud was going to Corel and wanted everyone to get there as soon as possible as well. Tifa wasn't sure what was going on, but the fact that it was a chance to see Cloud again had made up her mind.

………

Elena stood to the back of the bridge, watching Tifa. Elena could see that Tifa was in thought and was almost certain that Tifa was only thinking about one thing… Cloud.

Elena was also thinking hard, but she was more worried about Reno and Rude. They had both gone into Midgar completely unaware of the danger. As from what Sephiroth had told her, Zack was a very powerful fighter.

Elena looked down over the rail at Rinoa, the other visitor from another world, that she knew of; on seeing her, she frowned. Rinoa was still looking and concentrating on the materia around her, but the thing that got Elena was the fact that Rinoa was smiling, 'what she so happy about?' Elena thought.

Rinoa's head lifted and she looked toward Tifa's position. Elena looked as well and saw Tifa speaking to one of the crew members quietly. Straight after, Tifa walked over to her.

"Elena." Tifa started "Why don't we head over to the operations room. I need to get my mind of everything." "Huh? Oh, more training." Tifa nodded and Elena smiled "Okay, lets go."

Elena had been training with Zangan to learn the fighting style to continue her ongoing training as a Turk. Zangan had been pleased that she had picked up the basic techniques very quickly and decided that she would be the best training partner for Tifa.

………

The two girls were half hour into their training, both knew that they would be taking a break in a matter of moments, so they put a bit more effort in to their sparring.

Tifa's fists flashed at Elena; she dodged most and blocked one that was heading for her head; that was what Tifa had been waiting for, she put her foot on Elena's thigh and leaped into her somasault move. Elena caught on quickly, she barely got her head back to narrowly evade a blow that would have sent her flying.

Elena stepped back quickly and then launched an attack of her own.

As her combo finished, she threw a punch a little harder than was necessary and overbalanced slightly, Tifa tried to take advantage but Elena was luring Tifa into a trap. Elena ducked down and swept Tifa's legs out from under her. Elena then spun back to her feet. She was quickly put back on the floor though, when Tifa's out-shooting leg hit Elena in the mid-section as she fell.

The two ladies got back up and smiled at each other.

"Not bad, Elena, you've been practicing, you really got me with that last move." Tifa said cheerfully "Not as much as you got me though, Tifa." Elena replied, holding her stomach where Tifa had kicked her "That really hurt." She grimaced "Oh. Sorry." Tifa apologised quickly "I didn't mean to…" "Just kidding, Tifa!" Elena smiled again "It was good to see you trying this time."

The girls went to a nearby table and sat down, Tifa was not as gloomy now, but Elena could tell something was on her mind.

"What's up, Tifa? You've got a problem. I know it, just tell me." Tifa sighed heavily "It's Cloud." "I guessed that. What about him?" Elena pressed "I don't know what I'm to do when I see him, half of me wants to run in to his arms and give him a big hug." "But?" Half of me wants to kick him into next week." Tifa said sharply "Half of me wants to hurt him for what he did to me. The pain he's caused me." "So? What are you going to do?" Elena asked softly "I don't know…" Tifa almost whispered.

………

Outside the town, Seifer saw a crowd gather. He made his way round it and stepped up to Barret, who was a little further forward than the rest.

"What's going on?" Seifer asked "Not too sure? But the airship there is the Highwind, we may be getting an unexpected visitor." He was pointing to the metallic machine about a half mile away.
"Unexpected?" Seifer grabbed his blade in readiness. Barret saw him and shook his head.
"Don't do that, it's not necessary. They are friends of mine." "Oh… Okay." Seifer didn't let go of the gunblade though.

After a while, the first people from the ship came into view. Many Seifer didn't recognise and dismissed them in his mind. But one… Walking next to a woman at the front, was Rinoa.

"Rinoa!" Seifer shouted, almost at the exact time of Barret shouting "Tifa!" The two looked at each other. They were about to say something, when from behind the walking group, a dust cloud was piling up. Out of it, two men on Chocobo's and a wolf-like figure were coming up to the crowd.

Rinoa and the people she was with hadn't seen them yet, so Seifer stopped them from talking by raising up his hand.
As the two people on Chocobo's came into view, Seifer almost laughed. One was Squall.
Seifer lifted up his gunblade and pointed with it at his incoming rival. Rinoa, puzzled, turned to look and on seeing him, let out a sigh of relief.

Seifer's mind was going through a lot of emotions. Like it always did when he saw Rinoa. Envy, Jealousy and many others. But, strangely, hate was not among them. He didn't hate Squall for marrying Rinoa, despite his own history with her, he was glad that she was happy, plus he also knew, he had a good friend to return too. He just hoped that their love for each other was as strong as Squall and Rinoa's.

Barret barked some orders to a couple of people behind him, they replied quickly and gathered the Chocobo's as soon as Squall and his companion stopped.

………

Elena was walking behind Tifa and Rinoa, in front of them a crowd had gathered, at the front was Barret, his big build was almost impossible to misplace, but next to him there was a man she didn't recognise.

"Damn! Tifa, we need to get this crisis over with soon." Elena was almost angry "How are we supposed to know the enemy when we have so many people we don't know around." All Tifa could do was nod "Just be glad we left Sephiroth in the Highwind. It'll cause an even bigger uproar if he showed himself!"

Elena nodded and stopped while Tifa and Elena kept going. Tifa walked up to Barret, while Rinoa went to the other man. The other man shook his head and pointed to behind them with a curious blade. Elena turned and saw what he had. Chocobo's were racing into the area, on them were Cloud and another person. The strangest thing though, was who was joining them. It looked a lot like Nanaki, except that it was slightly larger and had a grey coat of fur, instead of Nanaki's Fiery Red.

Two men from the town ran forward and gathered the Chocobo's. Cloud and his companion, who Elena guessed was Squall, started toward the group. Elena was just about to turn back, when Tifa and Rinoa ran past her. Tifa stopped a few feet from Cloud, but Rinoa ran right into Squall; giving him a long hug.

Uncomfortably, Elena looked on as Cloud and Tifa just stood there, looking at each other. Suddenly, Tifa's fist flashed out, punching Cloud squarely in the nose. Cloud took the punch and stood there, expecting another one. It didn't come though, Tifa just cried out and embraced Cloud. He had a shocked expression on his face.

Elena smiled and turned to the town, she had to find this fellow Turk, and deal with him first before she could do what she had planned.

………

Tifa was crying, Cloud knew it; she could see it; she could hear it; but most painful of all he could feel it.

He pushed Tifa away from him. He couldn't, he was too torn apart inside, sure Aeris was dead, been absorbed into the Lifestream, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

Cloud looked into Tifa's eyes, his vision still slightly blurred by her punch. The question why was in her eyes, like it always was. They also showed that she knew the answer, but like Cloud, didn't want to believe it.

Barret stepped up, clearing his throat "This is all well and good. But can we please have some explanations here. You know I hate surprises! So tell me! Why are you all here in my town. Oh, a few introductions might me in order to."

Cloud looks over at Squall and he nodded. Cloud had expected this and the two of them had come up with a way to shorten the time necessary for it. Squall called the man with a strange blade over to him, while Cloud called over Barret.

Cloud started "Okay, some people we know, some we don't. I'm Cloud, this is Tifa… and Barret. Erm. I thought I saw Elena here?" "She's doing something." Tifa quickly explained "Turks stuff." "Oh." He indicated to Squall "And…" Taking his cue, Squall continued "I'm Squall. This is Rinoa… and Seifer." Cloud spoke up again "Now as for the reason…" "Hold up, Cloud!" Barret interrupted "How about the wolf there? Who is that?" "Oh, well…" Cloud had hoped to skip this "That is… Seto." A gasp came up from Barret and Tifa.
"Do you mean that Seto, Cloud?" Tifa exclaimed, Cloud nodded.
"Red's pops?" Barret's added, Cloud nodded again.

Seto had asked him not to go into the details of how he was cured, Cloud and Squall had then both promised that they wouldn't say.

"Anyways, as to the reason why we are all together, this is the situation."

Cloud started his explanation. Trying to be as thorough as possible.

………

Elena was almost in tears "I hope they're alright." She said out loud.

The door opened and a young man walked in. Elena quickly wiped her face, after all, the pride of the Turks had to be upheld.

"Sorry I'm late, Elena." The man apologised "I ran into a little trouble at the old reactor site. Seems that the monster problem is getting a little out of hand around here." "That's okay, I guessed that was the reason, I've been reading your reports since the start of your assignment. You've done some excellent work." "I'm trying, madam." "Don't do that!" Elena grimaced "Huh?" "Call me madam. I'm not too much older than you, okay?" The young man looked ashamed "Sorry, Elena." "Better, now then. I'm here to get the current situation around here, and also to give you some combat training. But I think we can skip the training, as you seem to have had some recently." "Thank you, Elena." "That's okay, so what's going on around here?"

The young man cleared his throat and started. Elena listened carefully, but the fact that Reno and Rude had gone into Midgar still worried her.