Just Keep Smiling
Revelations
The door of the children's room slammed open startling and waking everyone up. Nanaki and Yuffie were already awake the young ninja taking out her shuriken from behind the bar. Tifa had been so immersed in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed it.
"You tryna give me a heart attack..."
But the urgent look in her eyes made him realize there was no time for questions. Tifa wasn't sure what was going on herself, but the way Vincent reacted had her instantly shaking Nanaki and Yuffie awake then rushing up the stairs.
"Downstairs now."
Denzel had jumped out of bed grabbing onto Tifa's hand while Marlene was cradled in Barret's arms. Matt sat unmoving looking out the window eyes wide. As Tifa moved closer a startled gasp brought him out of his trance and he too latched onto Tifa's free hand.
Zack was with a brunette man; however there were multiples of each. What had caused her to gasp was not the sheer number; she estimated at two dozen, but the various deformities that Tifa could make out. The group of men were racing towards them sliding down the mountain side beyond Edge. Taking the two boys by their hands she rushed them downstairs. The three ushered into a closet in the family room.
"We should keep them as far away as possible from here. I'm not waiting for them to come here."
Tifa entered the bar the team waiting for the attack. They all seemed to agree as the horrified screams of people drew nearer crashes could be heard and Tifa feared the worst. Tifa led Avalanche outside hoping that there were no causalities; the people of Edge had barely recovered from the attack last time.
People had pressed themselves against walls rushing into nearby building or hiding behind cars that lay on their sides tossed around like toys. The abominations seemed to ignore the people opting to not attack them; they moved like programmed robots with the purpose to only obey the puppeteer pulling at their strings.
There was a moment where enemies stood watching each other carefully and in a blink attacks were being thrown. She couldn't see what her comrades were doing, grunts from every direction screams of people yelling 'look-out' as a brunette 'puppet's' chest bulged his ribs seemed to be pushed aside making room for...
Tifa in the last possible second had noticed it, but she was no where fast enough o doge. The blast sent her hurtling back her break cushioned by Barret's arm. He had stuck it out stopping her from falling back into trough the bar's window.
The group was growing weary their movements growing sloppier by the second. Yuffie's leg was injured, Barret was drastically slowing down his bullets barley finding their target, Nanaki was struggling to stay on all fours while Vincent was slowly slipping into the beast within.
Yet, somehow the 'puppets' didn't seem to get hurt. Punch after punch, bullet after bullet they would quickly return to their feet and continue... it was almost impossible to take them down.
The ground beneath them shook, the sounds of heavy panting and shouts of pain were muffled by a low grumbling noise which only grew louder. The puppets seemed disturbed backing off hands clapped over their ears.
The airship flew towards them large gusts of wind blowing the crates and bins around the nearly demolished streets. The airship Shera made Tifa sigh in relief, but not just because of Cid's arrival, but also because the sound seemed to disturb the enemy. They began retreating however a small handful collapsed one regurgitating a pool of bright green. Mako poisoning?
A rope ladder was thrown down and Cid landed with a heavy thud the cigarette burning between his lips and a disgusted look crossed his face a he kicked over the body of a brunette.
"Genesis Rhapsodos."
Vincent's voice rang through the now silent group. Tifa went around with her equipped materia healing each member. The name was not familiar, but a cold shiver crept down her spine and Tifa found herself clutching Yuffie's arm tightly as she knelt down to heal her leg.
"DADDY! TIFA!"
The young girls scream made Tifa go cold. Her body felt like it was struck by bolts of lightening. As she turned her head a cloaked figure stood atop the bar Marlene held in his arms while Denzel and his friend were limp at a Zack's side. The abomination clutched the kids in human looking arms, but on his chest was a bright red gem resembling the one she had seen all those years on diamond weapon.
Tifa sprung forward Zack was already gone by the time she had reached she tried dashing past the cloaked figure but she was met with a leg aimed at her head. In the last minute she raised her hands blocking it and she was sent flying off the bar she reached out and grabbed the edge and pulled herself up to her waist, but she was too tired to continue. The rest of the team watched frozen Barret's and Vincent's guns aimed at the two, but they were too scared to attacking lest they may hurt the children.
Her eyes met with the cloaked figures, and recognition coursed through her body. The eyes were confused struggling with some sort of inner battle... pleading with her to stop him. Tifa had never seen the mako blue eyes so conflicted before in her life.
Exhaustion and shock took over her body overworked because of a lack of sleep and the person she had been searching for all this time.
"Cloud..."
Tifa's hands loosened on the edge of the bar. Her body went limp and she went plummeting to the ground.
It was hard to believe that years ago his friend stood in this exact place defending him till his last breath. He forgave himself for not being able to save his friend, but he was ashamed that he had stolen Zack's identity and possibly felt something towards his deceased friends lover. Cloud stood gripping the sword as he knelt in front of it overlooking the ruins of Midgar. Clouds head rested against the flat edge of the blade. The pink ribbon attached to the hilt blew softly with the wind it was the most he could do to reunite the two in the living world. The same ribbon that had fallen from her hair was tied around the very sword Zack used to save Clouds life.
"Kiddo ya gotta stop mopin so much; made me come back to whoop ya."
Cloud had first thought it to be a hallucination, but he could hear heavy footprints approaching him and as he spin around his eyes widened in shock and his grip around the sword strengthened.
What kind of trickery was this?
"I watched you die."
Zack seemed amused by the response, his eyes shone with a child-like playfulness and flashbacks of when he was still working to become a SOLDIER came to mind. Yet, something was off. Cloud didn't remove his grip and as Zack too a step forward Cloud's stance grew more defensive.
"Not exactly the hello I was expecting."
"How'd you come back?"
"How did Sephiroth come back? How does mako and lifestream work? I dunno I'm just back. Guess the planet needed me."
"Where is she?"
"I dunno, but... I think she's back too."
Cloud's eyes widened, that couldn't be possible. His heartbeat quickened, he could atone for not saving her he could protect both of them now and finally live at peace, but as he was distracted y his thoughts Zack dashed forward and delivered a swift blow to Cloud's abdomen knocking him down.
"Pathetic. No wonder you never became SOLDIER."
Cloud blacked out.
The professor stood eyes looking at the large block of Materia staring back at him. It looked like a diamond the surface reflected around the room a rainbow of color shining from ever facet. His lips were curled into a cold smirk and his arms were crossed chin propped on his hand admiring his work.
"Bring them back we have much to do."
He felt them agree and watched through a camera pinned on the cloak as he heard the screams of the young girl and the collapsing figure of Tifa Lockhart.
"Professor, why did you let her body go so easily?"
The young female appeared from a door her long brown locks reaching her lower back. She was an exact replica of her former self, only lacked a soul. Gast spun around stroking the cheek of his 'daughter'.
"My dear Shinra have better fundings, once she's released from her prison she will be ours."
"But professor she might unveil..."
"Let her the more they know the more willing they will want to come. We can then make tests on the whole team. Brilliant isn't it my child."
She nodded her head her green eyes staring at the crystal once more before disappearing back behind the door. She was not perfect, nothing like the daughter he spent so little time with, but he would work to create as many clones as possible till he found the perfect one and with the power of his AEON materia he would finally be able to create a world perfect for himself and his daughter to live in... maybe even return his long deceased wife.
She woke up to the sound of the airship. Her head was propped on Barret's vest as the team gathered around she could see Cid barking orders it took her a while to remember things, and when the memory of Cloud's bright blue eyes returned to her mind she wanted to do nothing more than scream.
"ItwasCloud... unmistakably no one hasthoseeyes... Cloud I know itwasCloud."
Her words were hurried she tried getting up, but her body was tired. Marlene's wide brown eyes staring back at her, the limp forms of Denzel and Matt... she failed her family.
Tifa curled up and rested her forehead on her knee's, she wanted to cry. But years of training herself to resist such an emotion she couldn't summon the power to let her tears pour forth.
"Someone is trying to control weapon. Where, I do not know, but Shinra has sent two of his Turks to look for the place; they are currently in Gongaga."
"Ya coulda said that earlier, you heard the man to Gongaga."
"Yes Captain."
Tifa searched the faces of their team sorrow, but none looked as depressed and angry as Barret.
Tifa pushed herself up and went to sit by him. He didn't move and he didn't acknowledge the fact that she sat beside him. His eyes glazed he was clearly not mentally there, but his metallic fist was curled up and his jaw clenched.
"I failed them."
"Ya sure as hell did."
His response made Tifa flinch and as he turned to look at her she could see the regret in his eyes.
"Nah Teef, I failed her as a father. I shoulda ran back in and saved her. I shoulda tried helpin you I shoulda.."
"You couldn't have, but I promise... we'll find her."
Barret went silent and an angry disturbed face crossed his features.
"Why would spiky do this?"
She didn't want that question to be asked, but it was inevitable. The whole time they had been speaking she pondered the exact same question. Tifa could tell Vincent had more to say, but he was wise to allow the team to absorb what information they did have.
"I don't know, but his eyes. He... looked like he was in pain."
Tifa never wanted to see Cloud like that and her drive to find him and save the kids was more powerful. She didn't want him living the regret of what he would do to them. The thoughts scared her even more and she prayed that Cloud himself would come to his senses.
"I- I want him to be okay, I want him to be safe, but sometimes I wonder if his place is by my side I..."
"Ya love 'im Teef."
She didn't respond she never told anyone that, but she knew that everyone was aware of her feelings except for Cloud... he was too oblivious.
"Yes, but he loves and misses her. I can't replace someone so pure and perfect."
Tifa missed her friend dearly, but she felt ashamed that she felt jealousy towards the flower girl. Even in death the green eyed beauty overshadowed Tifa.
"Ya just as pure and perfect. How many woman can say they take in kids that aint their own and don expect nuthin outta it? Marlene always said you were the perfect mommy an..."
Tifa could tell the memory of Marlene's screams was still fresh in their minds.
'DADDY! TIFA!'
Tifa clutched her head anguish threatened to make her cry, but she had to stay strong for Barret, for the team and for herself. Turning to Vincent who leaned against the wall eyes shut and head bowed Tifa finally decided to ask.
"Whose Genesis?"
Vincent pushed off the wall he didn't speak until he had their attention. The details he gave made Tifa sick. She had no idea that ShinRa had made more experiments than Sephiroth. They took a fetus and turned it into a monster. The names that were being thrown around made Tifa's head buzz.
"But Hollander is dead."
Tifa was grasping at straws how was it that this project was continuing on.
"I know as much as you do Tifa. I suggest we ask Shinra these questions."
But Tifa doubted it would be easier and with ever hour they waste she felt like the kids were getting farther and farther away from her reach.
"Those copies or clones... whatever they are; they have WEAPON attributes."
Vincent leaned back against the wall and shut his eyes once more, his arms crossed while his rifle was propped up against the wall beside it.
"Whoever it is this person is starting a project different than the Jenova one. We must stop it before it destroys the planet."
Tifa couldn't agree more. She looked outside as the flew south-west to the small destroyed town of Gongaga, it baffled her as to why ShinRa would go there. Had they abandoned Healen? She doubted it, but she felt that Gongaga was not supposed to be found.
"Cissnei I have received word that Reno and Rude have found the weapons, but there are parts missing. You have to hurry up and extract Lucrecia Crescent."
Cissnei stepped into the room she ran a hand through her brown hair and stopped just in front of the president. She didn't need that confirmation she was already aware of what was going on and she was working as fast as she could even before his 'new' piece of information.
"She's struggling to leave, but I've found a way to release her faster. It seems the crystal reacts and 'sticks' to liquid mako. I have just submerged the crystal within a mako tank she should be..."
"I didn't ask for an explanation I asked for you to work faster."
Cissnei eyed the vice president. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled herself closer to him. Rufus' lips turned in a smirk. He wouldn't lie he enjoyed her company no matter what form it took, but this was not the time for games. Rufus pushed her gently away.
"Back to work."
The Turk pouted and turned on her heel abruptly then left. The sway of her hips didn't go unnoticed by Shinra and he shook his head running a hand through his blond locks. He was the reason Gast was back, he was the reason this had all started and he was going to stop it... he just needed the girl.
A/N: -Kowtows- I am SO sorry for taking so long! I ask you find a place in your hearts to forgive me! I know I have been taking long, but SO much has happened in the past few days I mean planning for two weddings, traveling to Africa, coming down with a really bad cold and fever... no not fun at all. I'll be back to updating every other day and I'll do my best not to get sick or side tracked, but I warn you I might be a day late once in a while honestly planning for weddings is tougher than I anticipated -.-". Hope you enjoyed this update, it may seem rushed but honestly I'm still kind of sick and when I wrote this I was bed ridden. I PROMISE the next chapter (July, 24th) will be much better!