Chapter 10: Dart's old friend…or foe?
Cloud and Dart was back in Aeris' house. Aeris was waiting for them and she jumped in surprise when Dart crept behind her, said,
"BOO!" Aeris jumped out of her skin and she said,
"Revenge!" Aeris ran after Dart which Dart kept running away from Aeris. Soon enough Aeris was slowing down because she was tired. Aeris said,
"So where did you two go? I was worried because you two were out pretty late." Dart and Cloud shared a look and they both said,
"We were talking about the past…" Aeris glared at them, suspicious but she was so tired that she just almost fell on her feet. Cloud and Dart was alarmed and they ran for her. Cloud got there first and Cloud picked Aeris up and shouted for Elmyra who is Aeris' mother.
"Elmyra, your daughter just fainted!" Elmyra ran downstairs to see Aeris snuggling Cloud asleep. Dart raised his eyes at Cloud and Cloud was blushing a bit. Elmyra nodded and said,
"Could you put her upstairs please? Her room is on the right side when you go up. Thank you." Cloud nodded and they went upstairs. Dart and Elmyra was alone. Elmyra said,
"If it is possible, please could you two leave at night? I do not want Aeris taking you to wherever you two going." Dart was surprised for the second night that afternoon. Dart asked,
"Why not? And why are the Turks after Aeris? She seems to be not that important so why…?" Elmyra shook her head, meaning no. Dart raised his eyes and said,
"I do know that you know something about Aeris but you are not telling me. Is it that important?" Elmyra gasped how quickly Dart caught on her but nevertheless said,
"I can't tell you. It is more my life worth. Sorry." Dart nodded and Cloud came down the stair. Dart said,
"How is the Sleeping Beauty? I hope you didn't kiss her while she was sleeping." Cloud gave Dart a V sign and Dart gave a mock gasped.
"How could you! I am your friend and you flicked at me! Very well, I shall take my leave!" Dart turns to walk out of the door and…fell down on the floor. Cloud was laughing his head off and Dart couldn't hide his smile.
"Shut up, it weren't that funny." Elmyra was smiling as well. Dart got up and he remembers Elmyra request, said,
"Elmyra, if it is possible, could we sleep here until night?" Elmyra nodded and said,
"Sure. I will make the bed for you. Cloud, you can sleep in the room next to Aeris. Do me a favour?" Cloud nodded and Elmyra said,
"Don't peek in Aeris' bedroom." Elmyra went upstairs and Dart was laughing at Cloud. Cloud's face was red in embarrassment. Cloud shook his head and went upstairs while Dart sat on the chair, thinking of the battle with Cloud.
Later on in the night…
Elmyra was shaking Cloud up and Cloud jumped off the bed in fright. Elmyra said,
"It is night-time now. Could you please go now?" Cloud nodded and Elmyra said,
"Thanks. I will wake Dart up." Elmyra left the room and Cloud struggles to remember his dream. It was confusing because a voice kept talking to him, reminding him of his mother. Cloud shook his head and he got up to get out of the room. Dart was already woken so Cloud went out to see Dart.
"Finally, you are awake at last! So where should we go now?" Dart said. Cloud sat down on the floor and starts to think about Tifa, Barret and the other people. Cloud realized that the Seventh Heaven is in sector seven so he said,
"The Seventh Heaven is in the sector seven. We have to go there. Let's go." Dart nodded and they walk away from Aeris' house. Unknown to them, Aeris was already awoken and seeing Cloud leaving, she rushed herself ready and sneaking out of her window.
"What is the Seventh Heaven anyway?" asked Dart. Cloud responded,
"The Seventh Heaven is the headquarters for AVALANCHE. That why we are going there." Dart nodded and soon they was nearing the exit of the slums. Suddenly Dart realised that someone was following them and he turns to see a person with a suit. Cloud stopped as well, because he saw Dart's face turning white. He turns to see a middle-aged man with two tonfa's on both hands. Cloud sense that the middle-aged man was very dangerous and he was right when Dart said,
"You better go Cloud. I will deal with him myself." Cloud shook his head and said,
"No. I'll fight him as well." Dart turns to Cloud and said furiously,
"GO! He will kill you if he doesn't like you. I'm the only one here that can fight him on one-on-one battle. Go and meet your friends. I'll catch up later." Cloud finally nodded and he ran out of the slums. Dart turns to the middle-aged man who was smirking at Dart. The middle-aged man said,
"Long times no see, Dart. Tell me something. Why have you left the Turks? You were one of the strongest Turk so why have you left?" Dart bitterly said,
"Why? You murdered people that haven't done anything to you. You killed a little girl who only fell on your feet. They were innocent and yet, you killed them. I'm disgusted that you are still alive. You know what? I will kill you…today! Bring it on…Brad!" Brad chuckled and Brad took a defensive position.
Dart ran at Brad with his gunblade scraping the floor. Brad laughed and ran toward Dart as well. Dart suddenly jumps backward and a blackish aura appears on Brad's tonfas. Brad yelled,
"I won't die today! You should never underestimate me. Darkness of Shadow!" Brad's tonfas became black and Brad stop moving. Brad held the tonfas out and Dart landed on the ground. Suddenly, black bullets came out of the tonfas, aiming at Dart. Dart gasped and he ran backwards from the bullets. But the bullets were very fast and Dart realised that the bullets will hit him if he don't move out of the way. Dart quickly went right and the bullets narrowly missed. But the bullets kept going and suddenly the bullets exploded, sending out thousands of small sharp pins. Dart cursed,
"Fuck this!" Dart was struck three time by the pins. But Dart did not feel the pain because he was so angry that he ran at Brad which Brad smirks. Dart slashed at the air which Brad just dodged in time. Brad was looking bit tired because of his overuse power. But Brad was not willing to stand down and let Dart kill him. Brad roared and said,
"Just because I've killed people doesn't mean that you can just leave the Turks. The Turks will never leave you alone. We will be hunting you down forever. I know all your secrets. Even your darkness secret." Dart narrowed his eyes at Brad and Dart suddenly knew that Brad was telling half of the truth. Brad took advantage at Dart's surprise and he rushed at Dart, hitting his stomach with his tonfas. Dart fell backward on the floor. He groaned in pain and he spat out some blood. Dart felt a dangerous power inside him and he smirks. He got up and said,
"You…you think you can just beat me like that? I'll show you my power! Rising Phoenix!" Once again, Dart jumped into the air and a fiery flame wrapped around Dart. A phoenix appeared over Dart's head and Dart fell from the sky, which Brad tried to block with his tonfas but Dart finally hit Brad which Brad struggles to hold off the flame scorching his body. Finally, the flame slowly disappeared from Dart and Brad fell backward onto the floor, panting. Dart put up his gunblade and he prepared to stab through Brad. Brad saw his life about to end and suddenly gunfire erupted from people behind the two fighters. Instantly, Dart jumped in the air and Dart ran behind a boulder.
"Thanks for saving my life, Brian." A bulky man nodded at Brad. This man was about the same height as Barret but unlike Barret, he had a huge machine gun with a rocket launcher equipped onto the machine gun. Brian took out his hand to Brad which he took. Dart wondered who was Brian because he doesn't remember meeting him in the Shinra. Brad turns to where Dart was and said,
"I'll be back for you. Until then, adios." Then they ran away from the slums. Dart fell on the floor, tired. He pants and he remember Cloud and the Seventh Heaven so he lifted himself up. He sheathed his gunblade and he walked to the exit, cursing that he had missed this chance to kill Brad.
Dart stopped for a second and he drank a healing potions and almost quickly, Dart felt refreshed so he walks through the crumbling machines until he could see the park. He sighs and walks through the entrance, but he saw Aeris and Cloud talking so he decides to leave them alone when suddenly a huge gate opened. Dart frowns and puts his hand on his gunblade in case there was a monster coming. Suddenly a yellow bird came through, carrying a carriage behind it. Dart smiles and mutters,
"Chocobos…are pain in ass…" Then Dart saw a girl with a blue dressing at the back of the carriage and Cloud suddenly knew it was Tifa so he got off the pink slide and tried to run for the carriage. He was too late and Dart walks toward the two people. Cloud growled while Aeris was running off to catch the carriage. Dart said,
"You two must be in love." Cloud suddenly jumped in surprise and turns to see Dart smirking at him. Cloud sighs and said,
"You're alive…that good to know. We must get Aeris and rescue the girl. The girl in the blue dress was Tifa, that girl you seen up there." Dart nodded and said,
"Oh yeah, the sexy gal with the breasts. Well, let go then!" Then Dart ran off to catch up with Aeris while Cloud mentally sighs and followed after them.