A/N Hello once again audience, where we last left off I found everyone seems to like the height joke in here. In all seriousness if you look it up everyone is freakin chibi size and stuff. Compared to my 6'2 people are like lopsided. I mean I looked it up and I am an inch taller then seph, equal to vince, and an inch shorter than barret...
what the hell?
Oh and on a final note one of my reviewers remarked on the odd attitudes of Aeris and Reno, well they actually start making a little sense in this chappa and the next.
"Nathan...Nathan." My eyes slowly opened due to the hand shaking my shoulder.
"Its time for us to go." He pulled me up.
He made me tiptoe along the side of the stairs to avoid making noise. Even though Aeris was going to beat us to the exit anyway. How she pulls that off will always be mystery to me...maybe she's a secret ninja...I mean Yuffie didn't look like much and in the game she used a freaking hundred pound shuriken . I'll have to ask her about that..she doesn't have Mako so how in the hell does she hold that thing?
"Alright, lets get going." Cloud and me just arrived out the front door.
"Just wait dude." I ran to the flower field and searched around a few areas before I found the purple materia on the ground. When I picked it up I felt my muscles tighten. I smiled at the cover materia. "I noticed this out the corner of my eye."
Cloud nodded. "Impressive, but we have to get to sector seven as soon as possible. I pocketed the orb and jogged with Cloud out of the slums area.
"Hey Cloud, we should get some supplies."
"Fine, meet back here quick though." Cloud went off in some direction, I tried to find the Item shop. I was going in circles until I bumped into a kid.
"Shit I'm sorry, you okay?"
"Yeah yeah, I'm fine mister." He was short...brown hair and regular clothes.
"You sure? I can see if you have any scratches and..."
"I said I was fine...geez later." He ran off into the crowd, meh guess he's okay. I almost walked off before I looked at the ground and saw what looked like a stub and a small vial, I picked it up to see it had a picture of a turtle with an island on its back...wait..
Oh its the Turtles Paradise thing!
I completely forgot about that side quest. I looked and saw that the vial was a mega-elixer as well. Now I remember! Its the kid from that room where if you left his money alone you could get this and the flier. Lucky me, I pocketed bot items right next to my...wait a minute...I searched through my pockets and realized something.
That kid pick-pocketed me! All my gill is gone...oohhhhh you sneaky little bastard when I get my hands on you...
"Nathan, we need to go." Cloud walked up with a small travel back pack, probably filled with healing items.
"...Fine..." I'll get you next time you little bastard.
We ran through the slums until we eventually we got to the exit only to run into a smiling red dressed girl.
"You two sure are up bright and early."
Cloud had a very disappointed look. "How could I ask you to go along when I knew it would be dangerous?"
"You done?"
"Actually I wanted to ask something." She looked at me "Are you a wizard?" Fanning surprise at her arrival.
She laughed and told us we had to pass thru sector six to get to Tifa's and ran off leaving a very stunned Cloud.
"Quiet the handful that woman." I tapped his shoulder. "You have a lot to deal with." I laughed and ran while Cloud was sputtering something of a reply.
"Cloud!" I sobered up when I heard the plea. The both of us ran to see Aeris surrounded by several giant bugs.
Whole eaters.
"Leave them to me." He pulled out his buster sword.
"Now how said you are going to look like the only tough guy here?" I placed my hand on fusion and got a running start at one of the bugs before I got a good horizontal slash and killed the oversized worm. I then took the chance to launch a fireball to keep another at bay. Cloud went for two with a simple smash with his sword. Needless to say having Mako enhancements as well as that heavy a sword the eaters were obliterated. Thank god we have him, apparently the maximum an enemy can appear in a group was expanded since my appearance.
"AHHH!" Both me and Cloud looked to see the remaining three Whole eaters crowding a now bleeding Aeris.
"Aeris catch!" I tossed my restore materia to her she caught it and took a good jab at one crawler making it shrink back, but before she could cast one bug decided to try to take a bite out of her while she was open.
Fuck my swords not at a good angle!
I pulled out The cover materia and took a sprint to Aeris. I held out my body in open and focused on the orb. Instantly I felt my whole body tighten up and dull out its senses. He insect had jumped and latched onto my arm. It tried to tear it but looking I could see my muscle hold up against the sharp teeth.
"FUCK that still hurts." I took fusion and stabbed the eater through the head to make it let go. Cloud came up and slashed the last two before he came up to the both of us.
"You two okay." Only a hint of concern in his voice.
"Just a bite."
"...here let me help." She covered the bloody chunk of my arm and called out cure. I felt a small heat radiate onto my arm that dulled the pain till nothing was left. "Thanks Aeris."I gave her a thumbs up.
"Nathan..." She started. "Why did you do that? I would have expected Cloud to do that but...I hardly even know you." She was acting like when she first saw me again. God why is she like this? Honestly she should be totally cool around a kid like me.
"Hey, its the right thing to do. If I didn't you would have ended up worse than that slash you had before." I pulled Fusion out of the eater and found I had pulled something out along with it.
"What the hell." I dug through the eater with the tip of Fusion to see that inside of the thing was gil.
….Okay how does this shit work?
"Cloud, why is there gil inside of this bug." He came and looked when he bent down and grabbed the handful of coins and a few bills.
"Monsters really don't care how they eat people, often when you kill a creature its digestive track will have the gil from its old victims since it can't be properly digested."
….wait...
so...
...THAT IS HOW YOU GOT GIL FROM MONSTERS? EWEWUWGUHHUGGUG!
"Okay that's it for today we are going to sector seven now." I walked at a hurried pace. I will not be around to learn the anatomy of a bug to properly pick money from. After that episode it was only a few minutes till we got to the sector seven gate.
"There's the gate to sector seven." Aeris was leading the group again. "Thanks. I guess this is good bye. You gunna be alright going home?"
"Oh no, what ever will I do? Is that what you want me to say." Cloud sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I guess we can take you to sector seven with us."
"I could do that, but won't I be in your way?"
"What do you mean in the way." Me and Cloud both answered. Honestly she was a huge help. I don't do well with cure as much as I do fire. I've always been an offensive kind of guy.
"Nothing." She shook her head. " Can we take a break?" Cloud nodded his head and Aeris went over to the playgrounds giant cat slide thing and sat on the top.
"Cloud over here!" He shrugged and got on top as well. I opted to stand on the swing and go back and forth. We chilled for a bit before she broke the silence.
"What rank were you?"
"Rank?"
"You know...in SOLDIER."
"Oh..I was.." Cloud had a small flash in his eyes before he answered. "First class."
"The same as him."
"Same as who."
"My first boyfriend." I had a picture of Zack flash thru my head. I tuned out the rest of their conversation thinking about how he had died at the end of Crisis Core. It was sad...and I wished I could have prevented it, but even at the level I am at now I would have been killed and not accomplish anything... hell I'm surprised I've done as much as I have now I mean I have my own limit break! That's freaking boss! Now everyone has like eight of them though...so what hell else can I do... Maybe I can like slash and It doesn't cut a person until later...actually that would suck nevermind. Maybe it involves magic, OH I could totally do with lazers no no if I could Hadoken people...no how the hell do I make that kind of energy...maybe lightning materia...damn how do I use magic to make me awesome-er?
"Huh, hey back there..." Clouds words snapped me out of my thoughts to see the Chocobo cart pulling a scantly clad woman in the back. Damn Tifa barely looks like her self...and that dress shows a little too much of her cleavage, hell more so than anything else she could wear.
"Tifa?"
"That girl in the cart was Tifa? Where was she going? She looked a little odd." after that comment Aeris had a determined look on her face before she hopped off the slide and ran after the cart.
"Wait! I'll go with Nathan! You go home." He looked down when she didn't even listen to him.
"You knew that was coming."
"I probably did." I jumped off the swing set and went to the front gate."Where are you going?"
"Well I have to at least tell the rest of AVALANCHE your not a splatter on the side walk, plus you and Aeris can investigate whats up with Tifa." He thought for a minute before nodding his head.
"That makes sense, be careful Nathan."
"You too Cloud." The gate opened up for me to pass through. I gave one last wave to Cloud before he ran off and the gate closed up. I jogged to Seventh Heaven with a frown on my own determined mindset.
Time to make some significant changes.
When I got to the Bar I found Barret as well as the trio standing around. "Nathan? What happened?"
"Long story short I found Cloud and he went to see why Tifa was in a sky blue skin tight dress." No one seemed to laugh at my attempt to lighten up the situation. "Nathan you need to hear this." Jessie sounded extremely worried.
"Whats wrong?" Barret stood up.
"AVALANCHE was found out, now the whole plate is going to come down." I took up a shocked expression and told them to tell me the whole story. They explained how they found a leak in the slums and how the Turks were planning on getting rid of the plate to eliminate the entire sector to get rid of them.
"That's fucking insane."
"Its the truth Nathan, we were preparing to get to the tower to defend it, It has quite a few guards, but we need to make sure it doesn't fall." Biggs said.
"So lets quit yappin and start doin." Barret ended the discussion and everyone ran towards the tower.
"Stay here, I'll draw their attention by getting to the top. Then you guys come in and take up the place by sections." Everyone nodded but me, I was to caught up in thinking how to best approach the situation.
"Nathan you ok?" I looked at Wedge and tried to put on a grin.
"Just can't wait to kick some Shinra ass." In time Barret had blasted the gates and started up the tower. In less than twenty minutes the whole place had gone to hell. Me and the trio we at the bottom keeping civilians from getting close or extra guards trying to come up from the bottom.
"We have to help Barret, he's been up there too long." Biggs said.
"Yeah we need to go up." Jessie added.
"Guys no." They turned to see me blocking the front gate.
"Nathan what the hell!" Biggs yelled.
"Barret could be in trouble." Wedge said.
"I know guys, that's why I'm going up...alone." Everyone went wide eyed.
"Nathan that's suicide?" Jessie and Wedge said at the same time.
"Their right Nathan, the heli-troopers have started mobilizing. Going by yourself is asking to die."
"I know its not a good idea but its the right thing to do!" I yelled back.
"And what are we going to do while you go kill yourself." Biggs took a step forward. I knew I was insane. But this was all I could come up with in less than thirty minutes. Seriously I need to prevent something now.
"You will not go inside, the most likely situation a lot of people will die!."
"WHAT?" they all screamed.
"Guys, I know AVALANCHE is a group effort, but now this just isn't a reactor where a person can get caught in an explosion. If we fail, not only will we lose our lives but thousands of others as well." I threw Fusion into the ground to make a point. Incidentally nobody wanted to argue now.
"What I am asking you guys to do is let me go up by myself while you guys evacuate as many of the citizens as possible. You guys know about the plate but they don't, and I barley know the area. At least if we do it this way, and not succeed we save some lives." Everyone was in thought.
Surprisingly it was Wedge who broke the silence. "You better come back in one piece Nathan."
"You may not be the leader, but you convinced me." Biggs stepped forward.
"Do your best" Jessie cheered. I smiled and nodded my head. I picked up fusion and looked up the huge tower I gave one last thumbs up to the crew before starting up the steps of the tower.
I'm going to fucking die aren't I?
Another thing I didn't think thru was how tall the tower was. I ran for a good five minutes before having to catch my breath. Fuck I hate running. Maybe I'm close I was going pretty fast. I looked up and over the edge. I was barely up a quarter.
"Fuck this is bigger than I thought."
I took a few more breaths before I started jogging again. A few minutes and breaths later I heard the tell tale warning of propellers underneath me. Sure enough I look over the side and see three Aero Combatants slowly ascending the side of the stairs, easily cutting my running time by a fourth.
"You think its gunna be that easy?" I yell and readied up my fire materia. I aimed and sent a few fireballs at the group before they noticed me, all my targets hit and their hand copter things started sputtering and they landed like three floors below me...or stairs I don't know what this is considered. I started running again. I only ran for another five minutes before I heard more wrings. I look over the edge to see another combatant suddenly appear in front of me and try to chop my face off with his free arm.
"Fucking Shinra and their sweet ass toys." The guy just kept trying to slash me, luckily his slashing made him swing back and forth so I could avoid his slashes with effort. I pulled out Fusion and parried one of his strikes and took a slash of my own only to be met with air. The guy dodged by ascending and quickly descended onto the strains and readied his fighting blades. Right then the group I knocked down earlier came up the steps ready to tear into my ass.
"Stay down!" They all tried to come at me, Luckily the cramped space made it so only two could try to strike me. One came at me horizontally while another vertical, I angled my blade to make the latter move into the formers way, causing them to stumble and fall on the steps. Their allies trampled right over their bodies and tried to hit me as well.
No respect among any of these guys huh? I didn't fair so well this time, one got a good gash across my stomach and the other nabbed my face with a blunt edge. I was disoriented so I started slashing in random directions till I got my barrings, it seemed to work because they backed off, afraid to get any long standing injury's. I took my chance and focused on my materia, I didn't need a ball though I needed something for the small space. I focused more making the red flame in my hand become even more irritated. Eventually the flame just exploded in my hand and sent the two guards back, screaming from the burn wounds they had. I had my glove on but I still felt scorches reach up to my biceps. Luckily it didn't have to much damage, I guess my idea will come in handy.
"Damn...I am not going to use that move again." I looked and saw all the soldiers were unconscious, I pocketed some gil and was about to run up again when one of them caught my eye. He hadn't gone yet. He had suffered the brunt of the flame damage, I could see the scars on his mouth since the helmet he had on. His armor was pitch black and he was breathing heavily. What I noticed though was his propeller was working and I was happy to snatch it away from the man. It turns out the design for the hand propeller ran on Mako. Looking at it I saw it had a canister of the stuff on the inside, with a single hand control mechanism. It had a handle and a button I guessed powered it up when pushed and powered down when let go.
"You won't mind if I take this do you?" I said to the now... hopefully unconscious fighter. "I'll try to return it."
I held it with my good non slightly cooked arm right arm and pressed the button. Sure enough it started powering up and lifting me off the ground. I tilted my wrist to the side and flew off the stairs. I held it straight and started to go up faster than I could have made it. In only a matter of minutes I was near the top. Just getting over I saw Barret having trouble on his own with the helicopter.
"Barret!" He looked over.
"Nathan. Bout time you got here." He kept firing at the copter.
"Where are the others?"
"Evacuating the slums." I touched down and tossed the mechanism to the side, I didn't need it anymore.
"What? I said to keep the tower guarded! No wonder I've had to shoot so many damn fly boys."
"Listen don't blame them, it was me who convinced them." His irritated stare softened a little.
"...I'll let it slide, but when we get out of here I'm kicking your ass for not following orders."
"I can deal." For a few minutes we held our positions with Barret trying miserably to shoot the helicopter out. I felt the burns catch up to me and I fell to a knee.
"You ok?"
"I'm fine, I just wish I kept my restore materia." Cursing in my head for leaving it with Aeris. "Here."
Barret reached into his pocket and tossed his own restore materia. "How..?"
"When we went to blow the sector five reactor Cloud said we should get some extra materia. He told me to keep it."
I smiled knowing that was the exact strategy I used when I played the game. I used a few cure spells and I felt all better, if not a little dizzy. I looked and saw Barret getting madder at the helicopter.
"Just give up already! You ain't gunna hit it."
"Fuckers just lucky." He murmured.
"Need help?" Me and Barret looked and saw Both Cloud and Tifa coming to us.
"Cloud, Tifa you came! Be careful Their attacking from the helicopter."
"We better equip ourselves then." Cloud gave Tifa my original restore materia and much to Barret's dismay to sucking on materia he was given ice. I kept my fire while Cloud kept his lightning.
"Here they come!" Tifa pointed at the approaching helicopter. Barret aimed and once again missed every shot. The copter flew right past us causing a huge wind to hit us with everyone on the team covering their faces. I kept my eyes open to see a certain red haired Turk jump down and run to the controls. Everyone ran over and stared at his held up hand.
"Your too late, once I push this button..." His hand slowed down in my vision when I ran right up to him. I felt a surge of adrenaline when I sprinted towards him "Not this time Douchebag!"
I tackled his ass to the side. He and I both rolled to the sides afterwords and both sprang to our feet. Me being near Tifa and him close to the ledge.
"Your gunna pay for that you bas..!" He got a good look at my face and I knew he instantly recognized me. We both stood for a few seconds with the rest of the group confused at what was happening.
"Well well well look who it is yo, it has been a while now hasn't it Nathan." He corrected his posture and got into his attack position.
"Only a few days, but then again that would seem like forever to someone like you Reno." I noted the rest of the group was looking at both of us with surprise and confusion. "I hope your not mad I didn't call, I've been busy lately." He chuckled.
"You know this guy?" Barret yelled. Both Cloud and Tifa getting into fighting stances.
"I met him in Wall Market when I first got here, I bought him breakfast, but I didn't think I would have to meet him again under these circumstances." I explained.
"What a load." He yelled getting everyone's attention. "Is this what you meant by employment? Being a terrorist, I bet you planned to meet me again yo." Reno...arrogant as always...its one of you better features.
"And where do you get that?" All I did was talk with him for a few minutes over food and I didn't give any obvious information.
"How you said I was part of the Turks, We only give out who we are to possible recruits, we aren't normally known to the public... only those with connections to Shinra know who we really are. And then you show up here with these terrorists? You must have links somewhere. I have to say, I am impressed, your a good actor." He went off. Well he's not wrong in a sense...but he is Reno so I shouldn't give him any praise.
"You don't know me, quit over-analyzing, now leave and you may only have a few bruises. Fight and I can guarantee it will be worse!" I yelled. I wasn't going to let him kill thousands of people now. He pulled out his stun rod from his jacket and extended it.
"Tell me Nathan, can you even kill a person?" I froze at the question. Thinking back I hadn't killed anyone since I came here, sure there were the thugs and Aero soldiers but they all were severely wounded...not killed. I was a decent human being and I felt fighting people in self defense is necessary...but taking another persons life didn't sit well with me
"I'm willing to bet you haven't killed a single person in your life. You don't want to take life, its so precious. Now tell me how are you, someone completely inexperienced, going to kill someone like me, who has a lot under his belt." He pointed his rod and I looked down. He was right. I didn't want to stain my own hands so how was I going to beat him without having an actual intent to kill. I was still to weak to help, sure I could cast some magic and wave around a special sword. But what would I do when it came to taking another life? There were Shinra soldiers as enemy's, I can't just keep knocking them out or injuring them.
Maybe I don't have what it takes
"Nathan, its okay." I looked and saw Tifa put a hand on my shoulder. "Sometimes you have to do bad things for the better."
"Shes right." Cloud came up with his buster sword in hand. " As long as you do something for good, it will get better in the end." Barret appear and just huffed in agreement. Their right. If its for the better...then I can bottle it up. I felt myself tear up a little and I wiped them away. I got into my fighting position and looked at Reno's now agitated form.
"I may not have taken a life, I may only be eighteen, but I will do whats right, and stopping you from pressing that button is whats right". His eyes seemed to get confused in the middle of my sentence...probably my age thing again.
"I will make sure you don't succeed." I felt power surge through me and I started the first attack.
"Air-slash!" I drew Fusion and threw shock-waves in Reno's direction. He jumped to the side just in time to avoid the cut that now severed a part of the platform.
"No one gets in the way of Reno of the Turks!" He went for Tifa, she tried to block the rod with her arm but the rod charged and sent a painful jolt through her system. She jumped back in defense.
"Its electric! Be careful." Barret started shooting with Reno somehow expertly dodging the bullets. I cursed inwardly. He wasn't a Turk for no reason. He then conjured some odd magic when He threw it at Barret. He was encased in the pyramid spell and was now trapped. He tried to shoot the wall down only to have the bullets bounce of harmlessly.
"Try and break it if you can." Reno smirked. I had a smile of my own. "Don't mind if I do!"
I slashed at the pyramid to see it shatter into nothing leaving a very relieved Barret. "Nice try Reno, but your not as good as you think you are." One thing I learned from games, anime, and cartoons. Insult the enemy and they get weaker...or something I forget how it works out but make an enemy angry and he starts slopping came up and tried to slash him only to be knocked back by Reno's weapon. When he tried to get his own hit he was blocked off by Tifa getting a good right hook to his face. I came up from behind and tried to trip him, but he spun around just in time.
"I'll admit your smart, but how bout this!" He charged me and tried to nab me with the stun rod. I held out Fusion in a defensive position and blocked the weapon. Both of us having the same idea we kicked each other in the guts and stumbled back. Fuck he's powerful! Tifa tries to get in a few punches but he somehow is able to dodge and block in all the right places. She needs an opening, think...think...I got it!
"Cloud, go for it!" Cloud went to slash the Turk but he swerved out of the way at the last second, just getting a nick on his shoulder. "Damn it." He muttered, He sent out another pyramid attack and trapped Cloud inside. Well shit there went my plan.
"Tifa, get him out. Barret your with me, start casting." He smiled and aimed his gun. Reno tried to get in close but I sent a fire ball to halt his progress. Barret took a little longer than normal to cast an ice spell but the shards flew and cut Reno up a good deal. He was getting angrier. suddenly he had a burst of speed and struck with is stun rod, me being unprepared lost Fusion and was knocked back with a jolt of electricity while Barret took a good hit and was knocked off to the side.
"Nice try yo, but you can't beat one of the best." He cast another pyramid and trapped an unsuspecting Tifa , Cloud was now trying to free her and Barret was still in pain.
"Looks like your on your own, to bad yo." he was chuckling a little until his face contorted into confusion.
He saw the smile I had on my face. "You only gave me reason to try one of my new tricks." He raised an eyebrow and I summoned a small lighter sized flame above my index finger.
Concentrate on the area...don't lose the spot on your hand...
"You already showed your magic, now let me pass and I might spar your life till the plate falls." He was getting ready to run.
"Just try me." I stated. The flame was now about the size of a soft ball.
"To bad. You seemed like a cool dude yo." He went for another full sprint at me. I encased the flame proof glove with fire and got into a ready position, by the time Reno realized what I did it was to late.
"Take this!" I put all my weight into my right fist and threw it at Reno. He tried to hit me in the stomach but I made contact first.
"FALCONNNNN PUUUUNCH!"
I hit my mark. Reno was thrown back with a burnt looking shoulder over the other side of the platform with me between him and the controls. I looked at my hand and felt some pain. The fire spell went through the padding and got to the regular glove. I had minor burns, nothing I couldn't cure later. But it sucks I can't falcon punch someone without hurting myself, I tossed of the glove. There will be time for better ideas.
"Now you fail your mission." I stood over him and gave him a glare.
"Not likely, its time for me to go." I failed to notice he kept hold of his stun rod through my punch. He stood and at the same time charged at got a good swing on my head. The pain was amplified being so close to my brain it nearly knocked me out. I fell to my knees clutching my temple and saw him stumble to the controls enter some kind of code.
"A little late but mission accomplished." He ran and jumped of the side of the railing. Tifa went up to the controls while Barret came over and helped me up. Damn it!
"Cloud! I don't know how to stop this. You try it." He went and surveyed it but shook his head.
"Its not a normal time bomb."
We heard more wring and looked up to see the helicopter, with Tseng and Aeris on board. "That's right, you'll have a hard time disarming that one. It'll blow the second some stupid jerk touches it."
"Please stop it!" Tifa pleaded.
He ignored her. "Only a Shinra executive can set up or disarm the emergency plate release system."
"Shut yer hole!" Barret raised his gun but Tseng held up his hand.
"I wouldn't try that... you just might make me injure our special guest." Barret lowered his gun just now noticing the brown haired girl on her knees.
"Aeris!" Tseng was intrigued. "So you know each other? How nice you get to see each other one last time. You should thank me."
Cloud was angry now "What are you going to do with Aeris!" The blue suited man shrugged.
"I haven't decided. Our orders were to find and capture the last remaining Ancient...Its taken us a long time, but now I can finally report this to the president."
"Tifa don't worry! Their alright!" Aeris yelled above the copters loud blades. Only to get slapped by Tseng.
"Aeris!"
"Hurry and get out!"
"Well it should be starting right now. Think you can escape in time?" He had a sad look in his eye when he said that. They started to fly away at the same time the plate started to explode. The entire tower was shaking. Everyone in the group was panicking.
"Once the plate comes down it will be to late, we got to hurry!" Barret yelled looking over the railing. I looked and saw the crane that they used in the game.
"Guys the crane!" Everyone looked and all of us crowded around it. Tifa got in front of Barret and Cloud jumped up on his right shoulder, I opted for the left.
"Here we go! Hold on tight." We swung and I felt my stomach drop but I held on tight. We flew past as the entire plate came down. I could hear explosions happening all around because of the impact of rubble. We got past the front gate and felt the lurch from the steel rope that threw us all off. Everyone fell painfully into the playground. Eventually everything became quiet.
I just wanted to stay down ...I couldn't save sector seven... I just wasn't strong enough...I finally opened my eyes and looked with the rest of the group at the now destroyed gate. I looked over and saw Barret the most distraught of us all.
"Marlene! Marlene!" He ran up and started to pound on the metal debris.
"MARLEEEEEEEEENE!" He kept running around the gate, trying to find a way in.
"Biggs! Wedge! Jessie!" He was hitting hard enough his fist started to bleed.
"Dammit...DAMMIT...dammit all to hell!" The rest of us were just watching...not saying a word.
"What the hells it all for! ARRRRGH!" He started shooting off bullets at the rubble.
"Barret I think Marlene's safe." Tifa finally spoke. Barret looked back. "What?"
"I told Aeris to look after her and before she was taken, she told me that "they" was safe. I think she meant Marlene and the others." Still hope...maybe the trio weren't caught.
"Damn, Marlene! I've got to find her!"
Out the corner of my eye I saw Cloud walk off. I decided I should follow since Tifa was trying to keep Barret calm. I was already relieved, the fact Aeris dialog changed one word meant that I at least did something right. I was still sad I couldn't save the entire sector, but not everything can be changed...I guess there is some stuff set in stone.
"Your thinking about what they called her huh?" Cloud looked back to me.
"We need to find out more...maybe if we know what an Ancient is we can see what they wanted with her." I nodded.
"So what do we do then?"
"We should see her mother...maybe she could shed some light on this."
"Cloud! Nathan!" Tifa yelled with Barret right behind her. "Don't go off by yourselves...now what are we going to do?"
"We're going to Aeris house, maybe we can learn more from her mother."
"Were going to help Aeris right?" Tifa asked.
"Yes...but there is something I have to know..." Cloud seemed to space out for a few seconds worrying Tifa a bit. Poor guy, I'd really like to help him but I can't do much until he falls into the life stream...god that's a long ways away.
"Cloud you okay?"
"Yeah..come on lets go." We started our trudge to Aeris house. We tried to avoid any monsters since we were a little ruffed up from the last situation. The restore materia I had though helped a lot
"By the way, Nathan what technique was that. I've never seen it before." Tifa piped up
"Oh, it was an Idea I came up with from a show I saw once before, a guy lit his fist on fire and he would do some serious damage when he punched someone."
"How could you do that...it doesn't seem possible."
"I substituted the flames with a fire materias flames."
"How did your arm survive?" Tifa yelled with Barret and Cloud looking back.
"I went to the weapons shop before hand and got the inside of some fighting gloves insulated with fire retardant material...not good against a fire spell though." I noted to get something better than a cheap fire blanket.
"Where did you get the material?" Cloud asked.
"I kinda sorta took the fire blanket from Tifa's bar." I heard her groan at that. "At least you didn't have to use it." I mumbled.
"Next time you try something like that let me know." I told me with a very dirty look in her eye.
"We're here." We were in-front of Aeris house, everyone just stood around reluctant to relay the news to her mother, I was getting impatient and decided to just walked in. And there she was standing like she was waiting for us.
"Nathan...and Cloud wasn't it?" She turned. "Its about Aeris isn't it?"
"Sorry...the Shinra have her." Cloud stepped forward.
"I know, they took her from here" Everyone's eyes besides mine widened.
"What were they doing here." I said trying to sound surprised.
"Its what Aeris wanted..." She said Cloud walked up to her with a pleading look.
"Why is Shinra after Aeris?"
"...Aeris is an ancient...the sole survivor." Everyone seemed confused.
"What did you say? But I thought you were her mother?" I nodded. "Barret's right, that doesn't add up."
She seemed even more depressed. "...Not her real mother. Oh it must have been fifteen years ago...During the war my husband was sent to the front, some far away place called Wutai." She started telling us her story on how she waited for her husband everyday at the train station after hearing he had leave. Then one day she came upon Aeris crying at her dieing mother, and how her last words were to take Aeris to a safe place. She talked about how she escaped some laboratory, which would obviously be Shinra, and how Aeris said that her mother returned to the planet.
"Returned to the planet?" Barret questioned.
"I didn't know what she meant. I asked if she meant a star in the sky, but she said it was this planet...She was a mysterious child in many ways.
"Nathan didn't you say you understood how the life stream works?" I was snapped out of my thoughts hearing the original dialogue. "What about it?"
"Do you know what Aeris was talking about?" I need to stop making stuff up on the spot. I'm gunna corner myself one day.
"Its a theory that my father had picked up in Cosmo Canyon. The life stream is the life source of the entire planet. Plants, animals, even humans have energy of the planet inside of them. And when they die that energy is returned to the planet so it can be put into a new being...or I believe that's how the cycle works."
Elmyra had a thoughtful look on her face while starring at me. She then continued on how Aeris somehow knew her husband had died before the news was even sent to her, and how the Turks had found her and have been trying to kidnap her since.
"Its amazing how she avoided Shinra all these years..." Well with having the affection of the leader of the Turks I guess it gave her some leeway when he didn't want to see her experimented on.
"The Shinra needed her. So I guess they wouldn't harm her."
"But why now..." Tifa mumbled to herself.
"She had brought a little girl and a few injured people here. On the way Tseng found them. She probably couldn't get away fast enough. She decided to go to Shinra in exchange for their safety."
"Must be Marlene...but who are the others?" I brightened up knowing full well who these people are. "Its Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie...thank god I did something right." Tifa and Cloud looked at me when Barret interrupted.
"Marlene! Aeris was caught because of her and my team!" He walked up front. "I'm sorry, Marlene's my daughter. I'm...really...sorry."
Elmyra looked taken back. "You're her father! How in the world could you ever leave a child alone like that!" Barret sank real low being berated by the woman. He held up his hand when he had enough of the guilt trip.
"...Please don't start with that, I think about it all the time, what would happen to Marlene...if I." He trailed off, obviously sad at the fact that even though he was doing good, it meant losing time with his girl.
"But you gotta understand somethin...I don't have an answer. I wanna be with Marlene...but I want to fight...cuz if I don't...the planets gunna die." He held out his fist with determination in his eyes.
"So I'm gunna keep fighting...but I am worried about Marlene I just want to be with her...always." He shook his head.
"See I'm going in circles now." Elmyra nodded.
"I think I understand what your saying...She's upstairs sleeping. Why don't you go see her." Barret walked up the stairs. Cloud soon followed him after he talked with Tifa for a second.
"Tifa why don't you go see everyone, I'll be right up...I need a breath." Tifa looked and nodded. She went up and I rested at the diner table. I needed a break and everyone getting mushy upstairs provided the perfect opportunity. The older woman sat across from me and gave me an odd glance.
"Is their something on my face?" I remembered I survived yet another explosion and tried to wipe of what was on me with my T-shirt...man I should get a clean pair of clothes I've been in this for a while.
"No, just seeing how Aeris was a little cautious around you." Wait what.
"What do you mean?"
"Did you not notice how she would act a little shy around you even after you helped her, and how social she had been as a child?" Well yeah but that could have been a misinterpretation of her character in the game to now...but then again it made sense.
"She told me about you a few days ago, the man who gave off an odd aura."
"Aura?" What the hell is that supposed to mean?
"She had said she met a young looking man who gave off an aura that said he was different from everyone else. She was nervous because she said she couldn't tell if it was bad or good."
But that doesn't make any sense, I don't have Jenova cells inside me so I don't give off that Calamity feel...and Fusion doesn't give off anything since in Musashi it was just a neutral sword. I'm just like everyone else...what could have been so special about my aura?
…...
It dawned on me when that thought passed. I wasn't like anyone else. I had been put here for some reason and had started interfering with the story. I was an anomaly...an inconsistency with something that had been set in stone. Maybe the voices were the planet trying to see what I was. It makes sense it would be cautious of another other worldly being appearing at random in its midst.
"I just experienced a lot in my short time here...I don't feel like myself all that much anymore." God ain't that the truth.
She nodded her head. "She could always tell how people felt...It was one of her gifts." I got up.
"I'll go and find your daughter, I'll bring her back to you. That I can promise...but it may take a long time so don't wait up for me." I patted her shoulder and she smiled with what seemed like a tear in her eye. She mouthed a thank you when Everyone came down the stair way.
"Its good to see I wasn't stupid when I sent you guys to help the people." I smiled at the now living trio.
"We got out when we met that Aeris girl try to help Marlene." Biggs explained.
"We got out in time to get to sector five, but we ran into that Turk...we wanted to help but he threatened that in the end Marlene would be harmed." Jessie stepped up. I waved her off.
"You guys did what was in your power...I'm just really glad that your all alive and well."
"Aww Nathan, thanks." Wedge rubbed the back of his head and I looked toward the rest of the gang.
"We also got a lot of people out. It was a crazy idea, but a good one." better than what happened in the game at least.
"So we going to save Aeris or what." Everyone nodded.
"I told the gang to lay low while we get her, we need a small group to get her in the Shinra building." Cloud explained. Good, at least the rest won't die while we go save the planet.
"There is one bit of business we have to cover though." Everyone looked at Barret. He walked over and before I could ask he punched me straight in the gut with his gun arm.
"BLAAHH..." I doubled over and fell on my knees for the second time that day. "What the fuck man...oh god...ohhhhhh." That was total shit dude!
"I told you I would get you for disobeying orders." I looked up at the smiling guy. He offered me a hand which I refused and stumbled up on my own.
"I'll get you next time Barret...cough...just you wait." Everyone else thought it was hilarious apparently and were laughing their asses off. Save Elmyra...at least shes mature. Barret turned back and bowed a little at her.
"I'm sorry, but could you take care of Marlene a little longer?" She smiled.
"Yes, I don't mind."
"This place is dangerous now, Biggs, take her to some decent hiding spots" He nodded.
"You got it boss."
"Alright...but promise you'll come back to her. Don't get yourself killed."
He nodded and stared at Cloud, Tifa, and myself. We all had a silent agreement. We were going into the belly of the beast now... I smiled...aw what the hell, one cheesy line.
"Time to nut up or shut up guys."
ATE The captive.
"GOD DAMN IT. Yo I said to be gentle!" Reno was struggling at his medic.
" I told you it would sting, we need to disinfect it and make sure it doesn't cause anymore damage that it already has." Tseng nearly scolded at his subordinate. Aeris didn't care, he deserved what he got.
"I am still surprised that man was able to get this good a hit on you, fire materia at that low a level and do this kind of damage."
"He's only eighteen you know." Aeris mentioned. She thought it would cripple the Turk a little more, it would bring her a little happiness.
"You mean he was serious when he said was eighteen? I was nearly beat by a damn kid yo." Reno grunted as his bandages were now properly in place.
"I must admit, I now understand why you were concerned about this Nathan." Tseng looked over at Aeris.
"I hope your not to angry at my display." Aeris spat in his direction.
"What you did was unforgivable." She couldn't believe they could stoop so low, to kill thousands to get rid of a few and just take her. Tseng looked away while Reno continued complaining about his bandages on the helicopter. It only took a few minutes before the had reached the landing pad on the roof.
"We're here" He grabbed hold of her arm much to her displeasure, but her pole was confiscated when she let herself get captured.
"Bout damn time yo, I need a drink." Reno jumped of and went out of sight.
"Get proper treatment Reno."
"Whatever." Aeris was tugged by Tseng.
"Come on, some one wants to see you." He tugged again and she had to oblige. They both stepped of the helicopter, only to run into Aeris worst fear.
A hunched man with glasses and a lab coat snickering to himself at the entrance.
Hojo!...
To be continued.
-alright another down! some stuff is explained but the next will have more!Till next time.