Author's note: Here's part two, as promised! Warning, be sure to bring tissues because...well, you'll find out. The fight scenes here will be less than before, so sorry about that.
I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy Type-0, Sailor Moon or Pokemon. I do own Arien, though.
Special Episode 3: Episode Legend and Cissnei-P2.
Where the previous part left off...
May 4th [8:15 PM]-Year-1995.
Corel Region.
Couple hours later, the Turks settled down with Machina who explained on what happened to him for the past five years and while Reno, Legend and Cissnei were skeptical on the claims about 'Heartless' being connected with the 'Nobodies', they did remember that the mysterious people in the black Coats could disappear and reappear in those dark things they summoned. But as Machina mentioned his memories of being in some kind of group of people who died in a War and only he and Rem were the survivors of the group, it made them a bit uneasy given the 'memories' they had been seeing for a long time.
Legend though, sighed. What he saw back in the Gold Saucer Wasteland gave him a pause. He had no idea how it was possible but...for some reason, he couldn't shake it off as something as fake. Especially when he had real flash backs as well. Veld, Tseng, everyone in the Turks...Even though he knew he was possibly going crazy and Militas Ultra are still a bunch of nutcases, the Materia that Machina was holding was extremely familiar...
Extremely dangerous.
He turned his gaze to Cissnei who was gazing up at the full moon that was giving off the brillant white light in the sky, being the single light in the darkness of night.
Cissnei in the meantime was left to her own thought. She was relieved that Reno and Legend were alright, and she had heard about Rem from Rosalind and Reno himself, that the poor girl had been left behind, and the person most important to her, Machina, always protected her. It had been heart-breaking that Machina hadn't been found for years and was declared dead. Now the female Turk felt guilty for some reason, feeling like she'd been keeping a secret to hide the truth when in reality, Machina had been alive all this time and no one knew it until now.
There was going to be severe apologies for having given up on the search and just assumed that the worst as happened. Not to mention that the Materia in the young man's hands...she felt she'd seen it before.
Just then, she felt a jolt in her mind, and as Cissnei's eyes widened, she shut them as she tried to dull the pain, but for some reason, her Heart was telling her to calm down even though the flash of light she was about to see...would be heart-breaking.
(~Sorrow*Ventus's Theme-KH:BBS*~)
Cissnei saw herself, her sixteen year old self, in what appeared to be a more populated Midgar, under siege of rouge robots and mysterious men in helmets that were not Highground or Militas Ultra. She had fought two off on her own, and not too far from her were Reno, Rude, Tseng and, for some reason, a very familiar young man with spiky black hair, blue eyes and a SOLDIER 1st Class Uniform.
The young man, looking about seventeen, gazed between the three other Turks as Reno and Rude ran off to the flight of stairs under orders from Tseng.
"So now the Turks are the new important icon or something instead of us?" The young SOLDIER asked Tseng.
"SOLDIER's had number of problems." Cissnei heard herself say as she approached the young man who, she had to admit, was quite cute up close.
"Manpower shortage." He replied, then did a near double-take as he realised who he was talking to. "Wait a minute. You're a Turk too?" he asked, surprised.
Cissnei smiled and nodded, before she introduced herself, "My name's Cissnei."
"I'm Zack. Nice to meetcha." The young SOLDIER, Zack, replied back, smiling now himself.
"Zack," Tseng firmly interrupted, crossing his arms, "Don't you have an assignment?" which Zack flustered a bit, while Cissnei silently giggled behind her left hand.
The young SOLDIER shrugged, saying, "Same as your assignment. Do you need help?"
"I appreciate the offer, however-"
"Oh, how generous." Cissnei cuts Tseng off, and begins to walk off, causing the two men to watch her go, while she said, "Well, sir, Zack, I better go." and with a wink, she ran off.
Cissnei then saw another image where Zack saved her from a man in a red coat and a single black wing, which, given her real memory from Freya, it was the same person she encountered in Cosmos Canyon, but apparently not the real one. Zack had easily killed him almost single handedly.
She approached the dead body, marveling at the wing as she bend down for a closer look, admitting to Zack, "When I was a little girl, I've always wanted to have Wings. You know, like an Angel."
Zack looked away, unable to meet her gaze as she stood up, while he said somberly, as though saddened by a truth. "If people had Wings, they'd be monsters."
"Wings symbolize freedom for those who have none." Cissnei pointed out, "They don't symbolize monsters."
It seemed to cheer Zack up a little as he turned to her with a small smile.
Then Cissnei saw more images, seemingly on both Zack and the Turks. Being on guard for Zack who had just lost his mentor by his hands, recieving the large Sword given by the late man whom was named Angeal, the Turks facing enemies whom, to her shock, were Elfe and Shears who were the leaders of this 'AVALANCHE', but like back in Nibelhiem a year ago, Veld discovered Elfe is his daughter Felicia and then left, yet for some reason Rufus was not President, but his father, a bit of a different looking man to what she remembered, ordered his execution.
Then Cissnei saw that years had passed, she herself was near Nibelhiem again, and found herself at the beach with a slightly older Zack who redid his hair, and that he and a young man, about the same age as her, with spiky blond hair but wearing a SOLDIER 1st Class outfit and who was slumped against the wall, was unconscious. That both men were subjects to an experiment.
But as Cissnei saw the younger man, her heart ached. Seeing how bad the other man was, she knew...she didn't want either of them to suffer. It was against orders and the Turks were in big trouble enough as it is, but at the moment she didn't care. She reported and lied that she lost the targets before giving Zack the keys to a motorcycle, telling him to get away safely before she returned to the Manor and found Veld there, who was looking for a Materia to cure Felica.
Unfortunately, not only did the enemy attack, but the ShinRa army caught wind of her helping him, and that even after Cissnei met with Zack again in Gongaga, the Turks were now even tight lipped in becoming fugitives themselves.
Lastly, Cissnei was about to leave in a Helicoptor for a final attempt to bring Zack and his friend back.
"Cissnei!" Tseng's voice called, and as she turned, the Turk Leader approached, informing her, "The Army is mobilizing. Find the Targets before they do."
"Yes, sir." Cissnei replied. "The Army will not wait."
"I want them alive. You hear me?" Tseng added firmly which made Cissnei stop again. Her heart ached, remembering that Tseng had been Zack's friend as well. "You're going to save Zack's life."
"Understood." Cissnei said, facing her superior once more while holding back some of her hair that blew in the wind by the repellers. She then muttered to herself about Zack, trying to hold back tears that began to form. "I haven't even told him...my real name."
(~End Sorrow*Ventus' Theme*~)
Cissnei blinked as the images faded, realizing that she had just seen...what everyone else had been suffering for the past five years. But, while she was trying to tell herself that it was more of Militas Ultra's tricks, she was beginning to realize it was no longer the case. She knew who Zack was...As she did blink, though, she unconsciously let loose tears that gently fell.
'...Zack.' She thought to herself, yet confused on why she was crying...for someone she didn't even know. Or maybe she did. She had no idea.
"You alright?"
Hearing Legend's voice, Cissnei looked up to see the older Turk sitting next to her. He must've come without her even realizing it.
"Y-yes, I'm fine." The young woman replied, wiping away her tears and feeling embarrassed and ashamed with herself. She then realized that both Reno and Machina were gazing at her to with concerned and puzzled expressions.
Deciding to forgo in saying what she wanted to truly say, instead she turned her gaze to the Materia which Reno was now holding after asking Machina if he could get a closer look, and, seeing the resemblence of it from what she just saw with Veld...she suddenly realized, given what happend to Felica a year ago, made sense.
"Don't lose that Materia." She spoke up.
"Huh? What're you talkin' about?" Reno asked.
"I don't know why, but...I saw Veld with a piece of that Materia just now...I think that may be a key to cure Felicia." The female Turk answered.
Another few hours later after Cissnei explained that she thinks that Materia is a piece of a Support Materia, much like what is in Felicia's skin, Reno and Legend both agreed to keep it safe as they began to worry that it was dangerous and should be kept out of Militas Ultra's hands. Not long after that, they decided to try and get some sleep, though Reno volunteered to keep the first watch, and Legend, to his surprise, would take over in a few hours.
Then again, despite the older man's reputation of being fearsome and the Grim Reaper, the redhead knew differently. Because it was a week after Legend was recuited that Reno had seen a different true side of him. One that he'd requested the redhead to keep Cissnei and Arien safe should anything happen to Legend himself. Since then, Reno had felt a big respect for the former Grim Reaper and he understood that day why Veld offered him to join the Turks.
While Reno had been sure to take Arien and Jake to Costa Del Sol himself for their safety, he hadn't felt like he'd done a good job as Second in Command. Not with Militas Ultra having threatened the other Turks into resigning.
(~AZ's Theme-POKEMON X AND Y~)
Still, as the redhead gazed at Cissnei, he blinked in surprise that Legend had took off his suit jacket and drapped it over the female Turk as a make-shift blanket. Seeing this made the redhead smile. The older man really did care about other orphans, and he did have a soft spot for Cissnei.
Legend in the meantime, gently held Cissnei in his arms while she slept. She was a good kid, even though made him think about what he saw earlier. About the little orphaned girl who died and all that was left of her was a shoe. For some reason, he remembered what Tseng had said in that weird vision.
"Hey, Tseng?" Legend asked, standing on the beach with the said Wutaiian who had been lost in his thoughts. "What's the matter?"
"...I don't know." Tseng shook his head, with a sombered expression, before admitting, "But...if any of my close friends had been betrayed and murdered, if the casualties of lives lost included a young orphaned girl, people who had been precious to me...I might have done the same thing you did."
The older man was surprised. That sounded like what he just did a couple of years ago. But to hear it from Tseng...it was unusual for the usually tight-up younger man to say that.
"Ya' say some weird stuff sometimes." Legend remarked, shaking his head.
'But that ain't farfected, though.' Legend thought to himself. Yes things are completely different to the visions but...at the same time, he wasn't going to deny that both situations were very similar and exactly the same too. Gazing down at Cissnei again, he mentally nodded to himself.
He was going to keep her safe and alive, and everyone else in the Turks too. There wasn't going to be a repeat of what he went through. If it was the last thing he ever did. (~End AZ's Theme~)
May 5th [8:05 AM]-Year-1995.
The next morning, the Turks and Machina were making preparations for the long drive towards Gongaga which wasn't that four. Only a couple of hours of driving. Plus it was the only place that had a decent signal.
"Are you sure the other Turks will come and pick us up?" Machina questioned a bit suspiciously. Even though the three people with him had been honest, he still felt edgy being around them.
"Well, yeah. How else can we get ya' back to Banora and us back to Edge?" Reno pointed out with a shrug.
"As soon as get there, we should also inform Tseng of the Materia, and if I'm right, we can find Veld and Highground and use it to cure Felicia." Cissnei reminded.
"You sure that's what it's actually called? Not that I don't believe ya' or anythin', but something about that Materia just stinks. I got a bad feeling about it." Reno replied, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"Well, how else do ya' explain it?" Legend shrugged. "I know Militas Utlra say all kinds of crap, but...while I'm with ya about it bein' dangerous, Red, I'm with Cissnei in curin' ol' man's kid at the same time."
They were right, of course. But there was something that didn't sit right. Well, no use in figuring it out if they didn't get going. But just as Reno was about to speak again, the winds began to pick up and by the time the Turks and Machina turned to see what was going on as they heard repellers, they saw three helicopters with Militas Ultra's name written all over it as several soldiers emerged via bungee cord-like devices and dropped down, weapons in hand.
(~Battle Chase-FINAL FANTASY TYPE 0~)
"Militas Ultra!" Cissnei exclaimed, quickly drawing out her Rekka while Reno pulled out his EMR and with a flick of his wrist extended it, Legend held several bombs in place, both timed and remote. Even Machina pulled out very unusual spiral double swords from his belt, ready to fight.
"Always have to go and interrupt, don't they?" Reno grumbled to himself in irritation.
Cissnei tossed her Rekka at five Militas Ultra men before catching it when it returned her, before leaping and jumping back to avoid the gunfire and swords coming at her and when she got up close to more, she slashed at them with her weapon in a deadly strike before they even knew what came at time. She spun and avoided more shots and then tossed her weapon again, taking out more of the enemies.
Legend tossed several remote controlled small bombs at fifteen Militas Ultra before pushing the trigger which resulted in several explosions that killed the enemy soldiers almost instantly. He then rushed over and plucked one of the discarded high class machine guns before opening fire at several more which took them out before leaping out of the way to avoid getting shot himself. Once he was close enough, however, he bashed each in the faces much to their shock and then, while aware that he was running out and needed to get more in the near future, tossed another remote bomb before triggering it at another group of the bad guys who were killed in the explosion almost instantly.
Reno and Machina both teamed up against the enemies themselves, slashing and whacking at the enemies. While Reno zapped the living hell out the four he was facing, Machina spun and slashed and stabbed another three which was impressive.
But as they were getting somewhere, the ground shook violently which almost made them lose their balance. As the four of them looked, the Turks and Machina saw, to their absolute horror and shock, something began to emerge as smoke began to form from down the road to Gongaga. Unfortunately, this distracted them along enough for the soldiers to open fire again, one of them having a bazooka. The group quickly turned and dodged out of the way. But Cissnei was in the opening firing range as bazooka exploded on the ground as it was fired, spreading the four of them all over the ground as they screamed before hitting the ground hard.
During this, the Support Materia flew out of Reno's pockets and landed near the enemy's feet. One of the Militas Ultra picked it and examined it before nodding to his men.
"We've got what we wanted. Finish them while I take these back. Return to report." One of the Op Militas Ultra soldiers ordered, turning and raced back to one of the helicopters with two men. Reno, Legend and Machina looked up and, seeing what had happened, realized too late that the enemy was after what they found, and now had stolen it.
"Damn it! The Materia!" Legend grunted angrily, just as one of the choppers left, leaving two behind and only three Militas Ultra soldiers left, but with only one shot to kill them, as they decided to board one of the choppers to finish them off. He and Reno then noticed that one of the soldiers were aiming at Cissnei and they and Machina who also noticed gasped in horror.
(~End Battle Chase~)
As Cissnei slowly pushed herself up, she gasped before glaring at one of the enemies who was about to shoot her with the last shot he had in his machine rifle. She couldn't move without being shocked, and even if she did, she was good as dead.
"Cissnei, NO!" Reno exclaimed in horror, ignoring the pain and raced over before shielding her just as the enemy opened fire. He shut his eyes and braced himself while using himself as a human shield for his friend. But he didn't feel the pain on him or the shot. Instead, the scream came not from him or Cissnei or Machina, but...
"LEGEND!" Cissnei screamed out in horror, and Reno opened his eyes and looked behind him and gasped in horror that Legend stood there, a shot in his stomach where it began to bleed freely. The older Turk grunted before falling onto one knee, and held his wound in one hand, panting and grunting in agony. The two other Turks stood and went over to their wounded comrade.
Machina also approached, horrified at the older man's sacrifice.
(~Machina and Rem-FINAL FANTASY TYPE 0~)
"Legend! You're going to be alright...!" Cissnei exclaimed, gently holding the older man upright. Yet the deep wound was telling her that Legend wasn't going to be alright. Her heart ached. Failing to hold back a sob, she sniffled, "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."
"Nah...just a...*tch* scrape." Legend panted, weakly grinning at her.
"Why the hell did you do that!? I was already-" Reno was cut off when Legend held up a hand to get him to stop, despite that the redhead was devastated himself.
The former Grim Reaper shook his head, saying, "'Cause I ain't lettin' ya's die before me...Made that promise to myself long time ago."
"Still...why?" Cissnei asked, hugging the older man and uncharacteristically cried on his shoulder.
"...Couldn't save an orphaned girl the day I lost my boys. Didn't want that happenin' again. Especially to ya', Ciss'." The orange-haired man admitted. "There's no reason to cry for a man who has no family…Because even if he were to die today, no one would mourn him."
"I would..." Cissnei sobbed, looking tearfully at him.
Reno nodded in agreement, adding as he was starting to cry himself. "So would the rest of us in the Turks. We're not-we're not just a group of co-workers! We're friends and family...you're part of the family, man!"
During this time, the remaining Militas Ultra decided to leave behind one chopper and use one to kill the Turks and Machina since only one of them could fly. Machina took notice and grunted, "Get back here!"
The Turks took notice, and, seeing them beginning to retreat, Legend hissed, before slowly standing up and winced in pain, pushing both Cissnei and Reno aside as he knew, as much as it pained him to do this, there was only one thing to do to save them and the other kid. If he had to die today, then fine. As long as Cissnei, Reno, and Arien were safe, that's good enough for him. He had faith in the remaining Turks to get that Materia back and finally put an end to Militas Ultra's crap.
"You guys get goin'. I'll see to these punks." Legend told them, telling himself to hold on to do at least this. He hurried over to the Helicopter, much to Reno and Cissnei's shock and horror.
"What? What are you-!?" Machina cried out, before realizing what Legend was about to do; He was going to sacrifice himself.
"Legend!" Cissnei cried out, as she and Reno were about to run to stop Legend from doing anything stupid, like getting himself killed. "Come back!" She screamed.
By the time Militas Ultra stepped inside quickly, Legend had pulled out another bomb, secretly tossed it inside before it was closed shut. He held onto the side of the chopper, then tossed both his remote and the last remaining bomb to the Turks. Reno, in panic, caught the remote and bomb, freezing as he was afraid it would go off if he so much as moved. Cissnei froze in her steps just as the chopper began to take off.
"Just let me do this! I know what I'm doin', because...because I'm a Turk! And I damn well am gonna die as one!" Legend shouted through the loud repellers, almost falling off but held on tightly. "Reno! Get Cissnei and that kid outta here!"
"You're insane! Legend, get outta there now! That's an order!" Reno screamed out. He couldn't let Legend die. He couldn't!
Inside the helicopter, the pilot was struggling with the controls as he tried to push the button to fire the shots, but to his frustration, it was stuck. "Damn it! Why did this thing have to be jammed now of all times!?" He shouted.
"SIR! There's a bomb in here, and the door's jammed too!" One of the other Militas Ultra soldiers exclaimed in fear and panic as he and the other remaining one, also seeing this, tried to open the door to make an emergancy exit, but it took was stuck. That, and with Legend hanging on outside, it was no use.
Realizing that they picked a dodgy chopper, the Militas Ultra screamed in pure horror and, realizing they had no other optains, and with the chances of crashing into another chopper out of question to avoid in making things worse despite no matter what they did, the three soldiers were as good as dead, the pilot desperately reared it to the side and took off further away, frustrated and terrified that they failed to kill the Turks.
'Well...at least our superiors got the Materia.' He thought somberly to himself.
As the chopper took off, Legend held on tightly and ignored Reno's command to jump. He was shot anyway, so what's the point? Feeling it leave the area behind, Legend shouted down to the redhead, "Ya' make sure Cissnei is safe! Take care of her, will ya?"
Finally realizing that Legend had made up his mind, and, unconsciously handing Machina the doomed Turk's items while the younger man froze, Reno took hold of Cissnei who attempted to try and futilessly save the older man, and could only nod at Legend's final request, tears falling freely.
"Cissnei!" Legend called out for the final time, and seeing her cry made him unconsciously shed tears of his own. "...Do me a favor and stay alive, 'kay? And for Ifrit's sake, don't blame yourself."
Cissnei by then stopped struggling in Reno's arms and, seeing that this was it, could only nod tearfully, unable to speak.
"...Tell Tseng and ol' man that it's been great knowin' them!" Legend spoke one last time as he and the helicopter vanished from a good distance, and closed his eyes with a smile... (~End Machina and Rem~)
Just as he pulled out another remote and pushed the button, triggering the reaction as his bomb inside the helicopter exploded, creating a massive ball of fire in the air and engulfing both the Turk and the three Militas Ultra inside. The firey remains began to descend towards the ground and crashed into the sand, the explosion becoming bigger until it stopped, fire scattered on the sand in a safe distance and black thick smoke rising into the air.
The two remaining Turks and Machina stood there in horror and heartbreak, as they knew...no one survived in that explosion. Not even the Grim Reaper of the Battlefield, who, after years of surviving because of his skills, had taken his own life and that of the enemy to give his comrades a chance to survive. He had passed on as a heroic Legendary Turk.
Cissnei felt so terrible, so guilty. If only she had moved, then neither Reno or Legend would've risked their lives for her. Now Legend was gone, because he'd chosen to save her live by sacrificing his own. Unable to hold back any longer, she buried her face in Reno's chest and cried, her tears damping his shirt. Reno, with tears falling of his own, could only embrace the female Turk in his arms, letting her cry while trying not to cry himself. He had to be strong, for his friends' sake. He could remember Legend's request a year ago, in a week after the older man fully joined the Turks.
Flash-Back:
(~AZ's Theme-POKEMON X AND Y~)
"Rise'n'Shine, Sleeping Beauty."
Reno moaned in his sleep as he was being awoken. He'd been so comfortable despite the hard concrete he's currently laying on ontop of the roof of the ShinRa buliding. As he blinked his tortoise blue eyes open however, he was instantly awake when he saw it was Legend who woke him up.
"Whoa!" The redhead jolted upward, sitting as he asked in surprise and a bit of fright, "Where'd you come from?"
"Ya' sleep like that in the open, and you're bound to get yourself killed, kid. General rule of reality." Legend smirked, taking a seat next to the slightly still nervous younger Turk who was now one of his superiors. "Hey, relax, Red. I ain't gonna bite."
Reno chuckled nervously, "Kinda hard to with all the whack that's been goin' on for the last past four years. I just came up here for some fresh air."
"This high, huh?" Legend asked, curiously while taking a drag, enjoying the nicotine.
"...It's one of my favorite pass times since I was a kid." The redhead admitted, shrugging. "Mom always thought I was crazy, but Dad used to take me up his building at work even on weekends before I joined the Turks."
"Ya' sure pretty skilled to have been promoted all the way the Third that fast." The older man remarked, impressed.
"I've been a Turk since I was fifteen...and since everybody else knows by now, it's best that you know too; My parents died in that year, and it was a short time later that...that Tseng found me and took me in...and the rest is history." Reno explained, a little sadly as the memories of his parents' death came back to him.
Legend paused, and his smile faded to that of...sadness and sympathy, something that surprised Reno.
"...You're a orphan, then."
"Yeah. Not just me in the team, though. Cissnei and Arien are both in that catagory too. But yeah, the only family I got now is the Turks and...that's more than enough to keep me goin'." Reno shrugged in sadness. "Without them, I'd be lost by now. I wanna repay my dept for everything they've done for me."
"...Pretty damn lucky, you three." Legend muttered, smiling a little. "Ya' managed to find a new home and a new family in a short record."
"...Whaddya mean?" The redhead asked, a bit puzzled.
Legend shrugged, "Ah, hell. I might'a well say it; lost my folks when I was a lot younger than you were, and I had to take care of myself for years. Then, well...ha ha, you know the rest, I reckon."
The younger man gasped. He hadn't realized.
"...Sorry." Reno muttered.
"For what? You weren't even born yet when that happened. 'Sides, I turned out okay, all things considerin'." Legend chuckled. He sombered up a bit and turned to Reno with a serious expression, "Hey, Red. Do me a favor, will ya?"
"Huh?"
"If anythin' happened to me, ya' make sure Cissnei and Arien are safe. That goes for everybody else too. I mean, c'mon, you're one of top three bosses of the Turks, kiddo. That's your job."
Reno thought about it, and then nodded. "Yeah. You got it."
Legend laughed, and playfully ruffled Reno's hair, much to the redhead's chargin but he just let the older man do it. The former then stood up and began to head back inside, while saying, "For what it's worth...you be sure to take good care of Tseng too. May not be offical, but hey, that guy and ol' man Veld practically adopted you."
While blinking in confusion and surprise, Reno realized that Legend was, in comman sense, was right. "Like I'm gonna give up on them?"
"Now you're talkin'." Legend smiled, heading inside.
End of Flash-Back:
"...He asked me to keep you and Arien safe." Reno whispered, as Cissnei's sob reduced to upset sniffles. But he knew that she was still mourning. He was mourning too, but he couldn't let the fallen Turk down. "He said that...if anything happened to him, I'd make sure you were both okay."
Cissnei slowly looked up at the redhead, her face damp with her tears. Legend asked Reno...to keep her safe? And Arien too? She had heard that like Arien, Reno and herself, Legend was an orphan, but she hadn't known that he'd have a protective streak when it came to other orphans...Unless.
"...Couldn't save an orphaned girl the day I lost my boys. Didn't want that happenin' again. Especially to ya', Ciss'."
It was because he wanted to atone for that failure. The female Turk wasn't certain when it happened, but she felt...that it did happen long ago.
"I think it's because...in his way, he loved you." Reno added, sighing shakily. "I'm sorry. I should've stopped him."
"...It's my fault. Legend died because of me." Cissnei pointed out, hugging the red haired man for much needed comfort. Her faith was shaken. How can she move on when someone who had loved her like...a father, had given up his life for her to live? (~End AZ's Theme~)
"...I'm sorry, too." Machina spoke up in sympathy, causing the two Turks to gaze at the young man who, while not knowing them well, knew what it was like to have someone you cared about taken away from you, or that you lost someone who gave up their life to save your own.
(~Under Bevelle-FINAL FANTASY X-2~)
The Turks said nothing. Just then the rumble grow stronger as the trio cried our in alarm before turning to see that they briefly forgot about whatever it was on the other side. Their eyes widened as emerging from the ground, was an huge mechanical castle like thing that stomped, making a mechanical roar. The Turks and Machina froze in horror, their hearts leaping into their throats, their eyes widened in fear.
"What...Alexsander!?" Machina exclaimed, somehow recognizing it.
"I think that a made up one by Militas Ultra!" Reno exclaimed. "It's enormous!"
Cissnei watched in pure horror, realizing that, judging from it's direction, it was heading straight towards Gongaga. If it reached the village, many lives would be destroyed, and if it's not stopped, then no one was safe. This thing was far too dangerous, but then...she couldn't let this happen. Narrowing her eyes as she realized she had an idea. Turning to the remote bomb in Machina's hands, and then to the remaining Militas Ultra chopper which should work, if they can stop it from mid-air, maybe they might have a chance to destroy it or at least slow it down. It was a huge risk, but they had to least try.
'Legend...I understand now why you left your last bomb for us.' The female Turk thought to herself. Making her mind up, she turned sharply to Reno and said, "We have to fight it."
"Wha-Are you crazy!?" Reno exclaimed, looking at her as though she just lost it. "There's no way we can take that thing on!"
"We can if we use the chopper and Legend's bomb." Cissnei pointed out. "Legend left it for us for this one shot, and we can't waste it! I won't let his sacrifce go in vain...if even it's my last mission as a Turk too! If we survive this...I'm going to resign."
"Ciss'..." Reno muttered, realizing in sorrow that Legend's death has shaken Cissnei's faith, but at least not enough to allow the giant machine to get away. Plus, after quick thinking, he realized that she was right. If they timed it with the chopper right, maybe they did have a chance. They just had to find an opening somehow.
Plus he was a pretty damn great pilot of the Turks. He could do this. Nodding, Reno ordered her, "You take the side if the chopper has a machine gun handy. I'll take front and rear! As soon as that thing's weakened, throw the bomb into the opening."
"Got it!" Cissnei nodded.
"I'm going too!" Machina cried out, just as the Turks were about to head into the chopper. "It's...consider it my thanks for keeping Rem safe."
While the Turks didn't want the kid to get involved, the look in his eyes told Reno and Cissnei that Machina wasn't going to take no for an answer. Hesitating, the two nodded and as they saw the giant machine beginning it's course, the trio quickly hurried over into the Militas Ultra chopper. Fortunately there was a machine gun in the middle, movable to both sides as the chopper had two doors on the sides. Reno hurried to the pilot's seat, thankful that it was extremly similar to that of the ShinRa chopper and easy to use. Machina took the co-pilot's seat while Cissnei opened the other door before taking a seat in the turret.
"You sure you can fly this thing?" Machina asked after he and the two Turks put on the headphones.
"I'm the best pilot in Turk history." Reno grinned, lifting the chopper into the air via joint stick, before controlling it towards the huge machine as it continued to slowly but quickly make it's way down the Corel Desert and on the path to Gongaga. "Cissnei! When I fly to the side, fire at will!"
"Roger!" Cissnei replied firmly.
Reno glared at the back of the gigantic machine, muttering angrily, "If you think ya' can squish people with that movin' building, you Militas losers are mistaken!" and pushed the red button which caused bullets to fire out of the tip of the helicopter and towards the machine, hitting it in several places. While some parts of it were hit, it wasn't the weak spot but he kept trying anyway.
To his, Machina and Cissnei's shock, a machine gun emerged from within and made to fire back. Reno grunted before controlled the chopper, shifting it to avoid the multiple rapid fire and returned it at the same time as it went. Machina then noticed another red button and, seeing that it was a second machine shooter of this chopper, pushed it and it fired another barrel of gunshots. Reno turned to the younger man who nodded with determination.
The two then focused on shooting the one on the giant moving machine Alexsander and hit home when it exploded, causing the giant machine to jerk and stumble but still continued on. It then opened up another one on the right side and Reno realized that the machine guns on the thing itself were the weak spots. The redhead then made the chopper fly to the side while avoiding a laser fire that suddenly appeared, cringing as it nearly hit them. At his signal after he flew to the side, Cissnei turned the gun machine turret and opened fired at it at it while Reno made sure she and their ride were not hit.
Cissnei grunted as she continued to open fire, before managing to destroy the laser cannon which exploded and damaged the giant machine while it stomped, crushing parts of mountains and creating giant stand holes as it went, and squashing random monsters that happened to have appeared at the wrong time. Another machine appeared on the left side, so Reno, at Machina's and Cissnei's signal, flew the chopper over it's back while the machine began to steam, meaning that it was furious this time.
Cissnei used that time to reload the machine gun turret with the spare ammo close by. Once Reno hovered and flew the chopper on the left side while controlling it to avoid more of it's powerful lasers, Cissnei fired at it once more as hard as she could until she successfully destroyed it. As she did, one part of the giant machine exploded and broke off, falling onto the ground and shattering as it went, taking out a lonse behemoth at the same time. Now with only the ground, Reno cried out and lifted the helicopter higher just in time to avoid a large rock just in time while the giant machine smashed on the side of it, sending large boulders to the ground.
The redhead then told Machina and Cissnei that things were about to become more rough and told them to hang on, before piloting the chopper higher before steering it around, adjusting the setting and then made it fly backwards. "Cissnei! I need you to be my back-up pilot!"
"Got it!" Cissnei nodded, standing up and held onto the side door and would signal Reno to fly either left or right to avoid incoming anything. Reno in the meantime along with Machina fired the chopper's front shots once again at the front laser that made it look like an single glowing eye of a helmet of a knight in front of the castle which, in Reno's opinion, was creepy as hell. He controlled the chopper to avoid it's even larger laser which had him and the other two cry out as they were narrowly missed by inches.
Still, with Cissnei finding a bazooka in the back, she nodded to herself as she figured out another idea. Hoisting the heavy weapon on her shoulder, and awkwardly holding it steady without falling out herself, the female Turk took aim while Reno and Machina continued to fire at the eye, and then fired herself, the large shot from the big weapon hitting it right in the middle. Reno and Machina, while surprised, continued to fire both in the middle and the sides until finally the combination of all three caused it to explode, sending sparks of metal and fire everywhere.
The three of them then saw a large gapping hole from where the largest laser cannon had been, and it was running deep within the thing itself. Now the trio knew what to do. Reno gazed back at Cissnei who nodded, holding the bomb and the remote tightly after pulling them out from her pockets. While the machine was stomping even more violently now, Reno pushed the chopper back into the forward move and raised it higher to avoid it, hovering over the top now.
"Cissnei!" Reno shouted.
Cissnei nodded, and went to the side once more, analyzing her target before taking aim, and with all her might, tossed the bomb right into the gapping hole inside. Waiting for a minute, Cissnei pushed the trigger where the bomb exploded from within the machine. She signaled Reno to get them out of there, and the redhead did that, flying the chopping away as quickly and far as possible while the machine was exploding from inside out. It was exploding so much that it stopped in it's tracks.
Once Reno, Cissnei and Machina were in a safe distance, the entire giant machine lost it's battle and was completely engulfed of too many explosions before creaking and groaning and then landed in a crushing thud on the ground, falling apart into pieces and had a few fires here and there while sparking electricity, but not enough to set the area on fire.
It was finished. (~End Under Bevelle~)
The Turks and Machina just stared at the remains of the machine while hovering in the chopper, unable to believe that they had actutally done it. They managed to destroy Militas Ultra's extremely dangerous and huge weapon.
But not without prices.
May 5th [12:08 PM]-Year-1995.
Gongaga.
Not long after landing the chopper just outside of Gongaga Village and abandoning it as soon as it almost ran out of fuel and switching off the radio just in case, Reno, Cissnei and Machina stood just at the village's entrance. While Reno finally got a signal to let Tseng know of the situation, Cissnei announced that, given her visions last night of Zack being here, she would be staying in Gongaga. After that, she created a small grave cross nearby, burying Legend's remote as a memorial since it was useless now.
(~Xion's Theme-KH1.5 HD ReMix~)
Cissnei felt her heart cry as she did so. She continued to blame herself for Legend's death, knowing that he sacrificed himself for her sake. Knowing that as long as she was safe and alive, he was happy. The man may have been even more obnoxious than Reno and St. Andrew, but he cared as much as almost anyone else did. He looked out for them, especially her, Arien and Reno. The four orphans of the Turks, but far the luckest to have been made members of the team.
What made her guilt worse was that Militas Ultra had the support Materia. At least one piece of it. She could only hope that they hadn't captured Veld and Felicia, because who knew what the enemy Organization would do with it. Either way, Cissnei didn't feel she had any right to be with the Turks anymore. Not over Legend's death.
"Cissnei!" Legend called out for the final time, and seeing her cry made him unconsciously shed tears of his own. "...Do me a favor and stay alive, 'kay? And for Ifrit's sake, don't blame yourself."
'How can I not? You died because of me...I'm so sorry, Legend.' Cissnei thought miserbly. All she can do with the man's final request was to stay alive. At least staying here in Gongaga she wouldn't be able mess that up. She couldn't save anyone.
...Not Zack, and not Legend.
"Cissnei?"
Hearing Reno mutter her name, Cissnei looked up from her kneeling position to see him and Machina stand there, with concerned and, in the redhead's case, saddened expressions. "Tseng and Rude are gonna be here in ten minutes. You sure you wanna stay in Gongaga?"
"It's the least I can do. I don't have anywhere else to go. Not when...not when Legend gave up his life to save mine." Cissnei replied as she stood up.
"It wasn't your fault." Reno ensured her, taking a step closer to her. "That blame is 500% on Militas Ultra. Ever since they started this whole mess five years ago, they made everybody's lives in one disaster after another."
"Even so...I couldn't stop Legend from dying. In a...in a vision I had last night...I couldn't save Zack, either. I'm...no good in saving anyone. Not anymore." The young brown-haired woman shook her head as she felt the moisture of tears in her eyes once more.
'Zack? That guy Arien and Rosalind talked about last year?' Reno thought to himself. So this Zack person met Cissnei in the weird 'memories' too? And that he ended up dead? Still, he felt even more sad, guilty and disappointed when he realized that Cissnei had made up her mind, and nothing was going to change that. Two more Turks lost...and one of them was dead while the other was driven into guilt.
Sighing, Reno then said, "...Well, then...if ya' change your mind, you're always welcome to come back."
"Thanks, Reno." Cissnei nodded, and was a bit surprised when Reno embraced her, giving the younger Turk a comforting squeeze.
"Don't forget that we're always gonna be there for you." He whispered, and while he didn't want to let go, didn't want to say goodbye to yet another friend, Reno knew he had to do it eventually.
Cissnei let her tears loose again, and embraced her friend in return. For the first time in her life, she needed the comfort of someone to hold her, and tell that she wasn't alone. After being the motherly one for so many years, it gave her warmth that she wasn't alone. Yet at the same time, she felt that this was for the best.
So, after Reno and Machina gave Cissnei a final goodbye, the two walked away just as the helicopter with the two other Turks could be heard, and the female Turk watched both men leave in sadness. She placed her hand to her heart and closed her eyes. It was for the best.
Really for the best. (~End Xion's Theme~)
One year later...
January 2nd [7:10 AM]-Year-1996.
Front Entrance-ShinRa Building-Edge.
(~Uncertain Visions*Memory II-The 3rd Birthday*~)
She had arrived bright and early. The young woman with short blonde hair, neatly cut and styled with a hair-clip to put the left side of some of it in a good style so that she didn't look like an exact copy of her older sister, stood at the front entrance of the ShinRa Building. She wore a perfectly clean Turk suit, gazing up with her honey bee brown eyes, scanning it.
It was disappointing and sad that Rosalind had to leave the Turks behind, but the young woman had ultimately decided, even without her sister being there, she was going to become a Turk, no matter what. Maybe even surpass her, and make her proud. She remembered the day when she made her decision two years ago during the Siege in Edge.
She didn't know what was happening, nor how it was happening. All that she knew was that as her parents were making their way out of the city, things went completely crazy. Just a moment she and her parents were being forced out of the van by Militas Ultra soldiers, she glared hard. While her school uniform and her long pigtails just over her shoulders weren't really fighters material, she didn't care. While most of the evacs surrendered, she stood her ground, having trained at the Academy for martial arts, and fought against them until one nearly shot her dead while being separated from her family.
It wasn't until a Turk named Rafe saved her life, killing the enemy that held her captive and almost killed her.
"You okay?" He asked, and as she nodded, his eyes widened as he realized that she looked familiar. "Wait a minute...are you, Rosalind's sister?"
"Y-yeah." The young woman nodded, frowning a bit at her older sister's name. "I'm Elena."
"Well then, Elena, you get yourself outta here. Leave the rest to me and the big boys, okay?" Rafe told her firmly, quickly taking out another Militas Ultra as he went.
Elena's face fell, realizing he was wasting his time in protecting her. "I'm sorry. If I wasn't so clumsy..." She muttered, before blinking in shock and drawing her hand to her mouth. Why did her own words sound...like she said the same thing like that before?
"Safe it for later. Go!" Rafe ordered, leaving no room for an argument.
The girl nodded, hurrying to reunite with her parents. As she did, cast Rafe a glance back for a moment, before looking forward once more to avoid in hitting into something by accident. She had thought the Turks to be boring and dull for so many years, and it didn't help that her sister was always successful in everything while Elena herself was always in her shadow.
But now...now she thought of them to be so cool. The way how Rafe fought...Elena felt something in heart that told her that...it was a place calling for her, begging her even to join the team.
It was then that she made her decision in her future career; Elena wanted to become a Turk.
She kept to her inner promise. After a couple of years of training and completing her Final Year Exam, Elena Taylor made the application two months ago and got a letter saying that she made it in. With that in mind and the custom suit delivered to her, the first thing she did was cut her hair shorter. It wouldn't look right to be a Turk with long hair, and she had felt that she didn't like her hair being long while she wore the suit. Now she stood, a little nervous-okay maybe very nervous, but ready for her first day on the job.
'Big sis...this is it. Starting today, I'm going to become a Turk.' Elena thought to herself, taking a deep breath and marched professionally inside. For some reason it felt like she had done this before, and she was going in for not for meeting new superiors and co-workers, but...
Dear old friends whom she hasn't seen in a long time, which confused her. (~End Uncertain Visions*Memory II*~)
January 2nd [7:30 AM]-Year-1996.
Turks Headquaters-ShinRa Building-Edge.
The three remaining Turks were having an important meeting, even though things were a bit grim. A year ago, not long after dropping Machina off to New Banora, Tseng, Reno and Rude, the last remaining full time Turks, focused on locating Militas Ultra and Highground, but things had been quiet, and there had been no reports of any other signs of danger. They had found one other piece of a Support Materia in Bone Village, and stopped a Militas Ultra soldier there at the same time.
But other than that, they didn't know if the enemy had any other pieces, or that if they found Veld and Felicia. Though if something were to happen, they would've heard by now.
"Do you really think we can stop Militas Ultra now?" Reno spoke up with uncertainty as he and Rude sat before Tseng's desk in the Wutaiian's office. "I mean, it's just the three of us, and SOLDIER's been strugglin' with those guys as it is."
"Not enough?" Rude questioned, glancing at his partner who shifted uncomfortably. He did get what Reno was saying. With their numbers dangerously low now, they suffered such a man-power shortage.
"We have to do everything we can, for the sake of our comrades." Tseng informed his two last remaining Turks. "The best thing to do now is locate the base of Militas Ultra, and if we can do that, at the President's orders SOLDIER and the army will infiltrate and in a mass massacure, if we have to."
Reno looked even more uncomfortable hearing that. "Not sure I like that method. What if their base is right under our noses and we're risking thousands of innocent people's lives?"
"And if the three of us get caught, it will make things more difficult." Rude nodded in agreement.
Tseng paused for a moment, before gazing at both of them, "Which is why starting today, we are to recieve a new member, one closer to one of our former collueges." which surprised both men who shared a glance for a moment and then back to their Leader.
"Who?" Reno asked, puzzled. Just then, there was a soft knock behind the door behind him and Rude.
"Come in." Tseng called, looking up expectingly. As Reno and Rude both turned around and stood up, half expecting someone they knew, either the President or someone needing request. Which was way, as the door opened, both men's eyes widened and their mouths dropped slightly in shock and disbelief.
Because standing before the three Turks, was someone who strongly resembled to Rosalind, but in a slightly different hair-style, about a couple years younger, and...extremely familiar.
"Whoa...! Isn't that...?" Reno muttered, wondering if he was feeling the 'memory' deja vu again or not.
Ignoring Reno's comment, Tseng observed to the young woman, "I can see you already look the part. Please, come in. We have much to discuss...Elena."
Elena stood with a firm yet slightly surprised expression. She did as requested, beginning her new life as a member of the Turks.
January ?[8:10 AM]-Year-1996.
World-Olympus Coliseum.
A young man with spiky black hair and Greek-looking SOLDIER uniform, named Zack Fair, bit back a scream, awoke with a start, breathing and panting almost as if he had just lost a fight and was downt to count. In reality, however, he was only staring blue sky in the middle of day time in City of Thebes at Olympus in Greece. Feeling unusually warm and having cold sweat on his forehead, Zack looked around, and found that he was in the fountain garden where a couple of friends of his went on a date about a year ago.
He must've feel asleep on the bench last night and forgot to head home. Finally, the disorientation eased and he scratched the back of his head.
"Another dream about him." The young man muttered to himself. For the past eight years, ever since meeting those seven friends who arrived in different days all those eight years ago and had never returned, except for Mickey who visited a year ago and aided their friend Hercules to save the town from Hades, Zack couldn't stop dreaming of...another version of himself in a high-tech city he by now came to know as Midgar, which doesn't even exist.
And as always, the dream ended with that version of himself about to be stabbed by Sephiroth, the famous hero.
Standing up and stretching out his arms, biting back a yawn, the young man thought about his dream with a thoughtful expression, asking himself, "Why does it seem so...familiar?"
Because of this, his dreams were starting to drive him on edge.
Little did he know, these were no normal dreams. Well, as far as he was concerned they were not normal to begin with.
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 10, "KINGDOM HEARTS: CRISIS CORE" AND "SAILOR MOON-SEASON 1"...
A/N: The story still continues in the next chapter. However, I have to take a bit of time off from this story now because I'll be busy for the next couple of days. Hopefully I'll find time to update again on the weekend. If not, then sorry for the inconvience.
Now we've reached to where "Kingdom Hearts: Crisis Core" begins, and drawing ever so closer to the end of this story! See you in the next chapter!