Hot damn we finally get to the chapter that really hits this off! it took me a while since I really couldn't choose what direction to go in with the story, but I found it and decided to post just a day shy from my routine. So without further adu or some other french word. here is ch 7 of Stranger from the Sky!
I don't own any Final fantasy represented material.
Ch 7
ATE failure
A rookie mistake. Cloud couldn't believe he made such a bad choice. The elevators would obviously be monitored after the lab incident, and now here he was, paying the price, being escorted by Turks to the president. Eventually he was presented in front of said man. Looking around he saw everyone else in handcuffs and Red XIII in shackles.
"You all got caught too?" Cloud at least thought everyone besides him, Barret, and Red got out. Looking around though he noticed both Nathan and Aeris were missing. "Where is Aeris?"
"In a safe place." The president responded coolly.
"And Nathan?" Barret yelled.
"Actually I am wondering that myself...Tseng?" The Turk shifted uncomfortably.
"He wasn't with any of the groups when we captured them, he might have taken the emergency stairs out." Cloud relaxed at that. At least one of them got out.
"We'll discuss this matter later." The president said to Tseng. He then turned to the group.
"You know, that girl is the last surviving ancient." He got up and held his hands up, for emphasis Cloud assumed.
"Don't you know? They called themselves Cetra, and lived thousands of years ago. Now they are just a forgotten page in history."
"Cetra...That girl, is she a survivor of the Cetra?" Red asked. He seemed to have knowledge on the subject, he would have to ask how later. Shinra ignored the question. He continued his rant.
"Cetra, or the ancients will show us the way to the Promised Land. I'm expecting a lot out of her."
"The Promised Land? Isn't that just a legend?" The man finally stopped and acknowledged the crimson beast.
"Even so, its just to appealing to not pursue. Its been said the Promised land is very fertile. And if the land is fertile..."
"Then there's gotta be Mako!" Barret yelled, now fully comprehending what the man was getting to.
"Exactly, that is why our money sucking reactor is necessary. The abundant Mako will just come out on its own, and that is where Neo-Midgar will be built. Shinra's new glory." Barret immediately spat on his suit.
"Bullshit! Quit dreaming!"
"Oh really? Don't you know? These days all that it takes for dreams to come true is money and power." He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped off his suit.
"Well, that is all for our meeting." Cloud heard rapid footsteps until a bald Turk came up from behind.
"Come on, out this way." Everyone obliged...well everyone except Barret.
"Hold it! I got a lot I wanna say to you!" Cloud looked back seeing Barret struggle against the Turk pushing him along with the group.
"And Tseng." Cloud looked at the Turk being called.
"I want a warrant out for that man. Tell the MP's dead or alive is acceptable." His eyes widened. Barret started yelling again but they were roughly escorted back down stairs and into an elevator. Coming out he remembered the floor they were on and was escorted to an unexplored part. He was shoved into one of the holding cells along with Tifa while Barret and Red were put in one next door. Tifa took the bed while Cloud opted to stand, thinking of a way on getting out.
"Psst (Can we get out?)" Tifa whispered. Cloud was a little skeptical, he didn't have his sword so he couldn't smash his way through, and concerning the thick steal walls that was the only possibility.
"(Kinda hard.)"
"(Don't give up.)" Tifa gave him a reassuring smile. He stood by the door, thinking about how everyone else was doing.
"...Cloud, are you there?" He perked up at the sound.
"Aeris? You safe?" Tifa looked over, surprised as well. To think they would put her in just a regular cell...
"Yeah, I'm alright." he heard her whisper how she knew he'd come. He felt sad that he was inside just like her...she didn't need to know that.
"Hey I'm your bodyguard right?"
"The deal was for one date, right?" He froze a little as he felt Tifa sit up behind him.
"...Oh I get it."
"...Tifa? Tifa your there too?"
"EXCUSE me." She said sarcastically, see seemed to mean it in good humor, but its a little hard to tell with Tifa.
"You know Aeris, I have a question"
"What?" "Does that Promised Land really exist."
"I don't know." He heard pacing from the other side of the wall.
"All I know is...The Cetra were born from the Planet, speak with the Planet, and unlock the Planet..and then...the Cetra will return to the Promised Land, the land that promises supreme happiness."
"What does that mean?"
"More than words...I don't know."
"...Speak with the Planet?" Cloud was confused, how do you communicate with something like a planet? "Just what does the planet say?"
"Its full of people and noisy. That's why I can't make out what their saying."
"You hear it now?"
"I...I only heard it in the church in the Slums. Mother said Midgar wasn't safe...my real mother...Someday I'll get out of Midgar, speak with the Planet, and find my Promised land." He heard her determination die down at the end.
"That's what mom said. I thought I would stop hearing her voice as I grew up. But..."
Barret spoke up now. "So then if the Promised Land exists and the Shinra get there, then they will destroy it. We can't let that happen. That's It! AVALANCHE is back in business, I'm recruiting new members. Me, Tifa, Cloud, Aeris, Nate and what about you, will you join?" he asked Red. "I really can't say..but I have a few questions about your friend."
"Like what?" Cloud spoke up.
"He seems very unique..."
Tifa interrupted. "I don't know, Nathan just seems like a normal guy."
"I'm more focused on his magical power than anything else."
"What do ya mean?" Barret asked. "He's talking about how Nathan can pull off his techniques in magic." Cloud spoke up, deciding to sit down.
"What? I don't see anything strange about it."
"You are new to using materia then?" Red asked. "Well..yeah but I don't see..."
"Then you don't know about some side effects from casting."
"What?"
"He means magic exhaustion Barret." Tifa looked at him, confused on the topic as well. "Barret, you know how hard it is to concentrate in the middle of battle to cast a spell right?"
"Yeah... sometimes I get light headed or see spots"
"And you know how you have a limit to casting, otherwise you start to go over the amount of magic you can use."
"Yeah...your point?"
"Nathan casts in such succession that its as if its second nature, he doesn't need to concentrate that hard."
"So doesn't that just make Nathan a natural?" Cloud groaned. Barret was real oblivious sometimes.
"Casting in such a fashion causes a person to speed up the M.E. process." Red clarified.
"Correct, but that's not whats off."
"Well what then.?" Tifa asked.
"He doesn't just cast a simple spell, he used fire to make a flame thrower, or that flaming punch."
"And that's bad?"
"Tifa, the reason people only cast for a split second and the spell goes is because it drains on a persons mental stability and concentration. A continuous cast just causes the person to feel magic exhaustion faster. Even if the have a high amount of magic energy."
"So what are you sayin about Nate?"
"...He should be catatonic right now..."
He let that sit with everyone. Nathan somehow could cast without the worry of M.E. He had a limit where he couldn't cast like everyone else, he saw him drink ether. Even SOLDIERS didn't cast like he did though. It was a known safety precaution.
"...Maybe there's more to him that we know." Aeris spoke out.
"Guys lets just get some sleep, we can talk about this later." Cloud nodded. He felt that his eyelids were heavy. Hopefully Nathan would get out of Midgar...maybe get home and be safe.
The person to stay awake the longest though was Aeris, looking at the cold ceiling, thinking about how Nathan had some many strange things about him.
What are you doing here?
Oh god I'm screwed.
I'm dead...no way out.
I can't avoid this if I want to keep with Cloud and everyone else.
I had been on the gym level for about an hour, biding my time in one of the rest area's. I had considered running, but the thought was quickly thrown out since I have to be with the group to prevent some of the events in the future. I didn't have the sector five key so I couldn't enter and exit at will...and I would most likely be shot on sight trying to run out the city.
"God why didn't I just stay with the group." I think its my gaming tendency, when ever I played I would want to have 100% completion, no item left in a cave, no secret weapon locked, no side quest left behind. And now that's gotten me a one way ticket to being slashed into hundreds of pieces. I looked out the hallway, everyone had left already. No use for a gym now in the middle of the night. I wanted to sleep but I was afraid I would miss to much or get caught and taken somewhere else. I had been sitting in the corner of the locker room listening to the last of my songs on my IPod. I never found a port to charge it, so I used it to keep me awake as long as I could. It had just turned to Don't worry, be happy. I laughed a little as the song did nothing to still my anxiety. I shut it off, deciding against using the last of my power. I stood up and started walking to get to the stairs, I could at least hide out in a closet or something until Sephiroth or Jenova went passed, I don't think they can sense me if I kept my breathing low and calm. I started ascending, one thing caught my eye though was now the severe lack of guards walking around...in fact I didn't see any employees around while going up. Eventually I got to the meeting room floor, about to go up when I heard footsteps, I hid and kept my sword at the ready when the person finally came in sight my hand fell.
He was covered in blood, not his own. He must have slipped. His expression held fear, but his eyes looked as if all his life was sucked right out of him.
"You idiot! The evacuation was announced ten minutes ago! You...we have to get out now!" he started shaking me. I held onto his shoulders to calm him down. It did little help.
"Whats wrong?"
"You don't know? Someones killing people on the higher levels! Everyone's being evacuated! Its him! I know it is! No one has that same silver hair!" I froze. Sephiroth had begun to strike.
"How did you live?"
"I hid and ran, you should to!" he pushed me off and kept descending the stairs at a hurried pace. I looked up at the stairs. I didn't want to go...but since the silent alarm was raised maybe he had already gone up a few levels with Jenova. I crept up the stairs and through the 67th entry door. I didn't hear any footsteps, but the smell of blood was very prominent. Turning the corner I saw the first victims.
A suit and multiple security personnel, lying in a pool of their own blood. I quickly turned away and covered my mouth. It was more messed up than I could have imagined. I carefully walked over their body's and turned down the hallway. I slowly got towards the middle of the hallway until a chill ran down my spine, I looked behind me and saw nothing, I turned back and regretted it.
Standing at the end of the hallway was Sephiroth. His eyes focused on me, and his bloody Masamune out at his side.
In the face of fear I never was like anyone else. When people jumped behind and scared me, I punched at them. If I was pushed in the dark I ran to head butt whoever did it.
This case was completely different.
I pulled out Fusion but ran away instead, believing I could keep a defence behind me while I got away and hid.
I severely underestimated a SOLDIER First Class's speed.
In less than a second Sephiroth had slashed at the wall I had turned and made a deep gash, I kept running until I looked and saw him almost teleport and take another strike, I ducked and and ran into Reds former container while his sword was caught in the other containment cell. I however tripped over a former employee and fell, I tried to think of ways to get away. The elevator at the other end of the room would probably be destroyed and me with it. I turned and looked at him, a small smile on his face.
Like a cat playing with a weak mouse.
"I'm impressed you dodged those slashes, however your luck has run out." He pulled out Masamune and flicked off the excess blood. I wanted to move, but anything would cause me to die faster. I wanted to savor what precious seconds I had. I lifted his sword and placed it right next to my neck with unmatched speed, I couldn't keep up with it. I closed my eyes, knowing my death was immanent. I had wondered whether I would go to the life stream, or be sent somewhere else. Hopefully it wouldn't be painful...
"...Mother...?"
I opened an eye lid and looked up. He was entirely focused on the container behind us. It started leaking fluid from inside from the previous slashs. He eventually left to walk over to it, having another sinister smile on his face.
"I'll free you." In a split second he slashed the container door to pieces and out came the rest of the liquid. He waited for about a minute before something walked out.
Jenova.
When it walked out I swear my heart stopped. The skin was completely white, the only parts that had any color were bleeding profusely, enough that in the time it was out Jenova was starting to make a puddle. It had large appendages on its back that seemed like deformed wings. And the biggest scare was it had no head...and it talked.
"Thank you my son." The voices was high pitched, it sounded female...but the way it spoke the words made it feel like a little kid, and the monster under his bed told him good night. "I'm sorry I took so long mother."
"It is fine, as long as we leave this place, there is nothing here." I looked ad saw Sephiroth look back at me.
"Just as soon as I take care of this weakling mother, then we can go." He came back over and repositioned his sword.
"You will put your sword down my son." His eyes widened and he looked back.
"Why?"
"You may not be able to see it, but I noticed this one when he came into this world." My eyes widened. She said she knew I wasn't from the planet. Sephiroth looked back at me with a confused glance. Jenova walked over and stood right in front of me. The body knelt down. Giving me a very good look at the clean sliced throat.
"To think...your like me." Its hand came up and my breath hitched. Jenova started to caress my face. Like a mother consoling a child. I could feel the cold blood flow down on my face. "You have recognition in your eyes, you know of me...yes you could be of use." The throat shifted around, somehow it keeps making the voice of a woman. My hand on Fusion was shaking badly, I couldn't hide the fear inside of me.
"Mother why would we use such a weakling." Sephiroth deadpanned.
"You may not see the potentially he has, but its there...it just needs time. Like you my son." Jenovas hand left my face and the body stood up. "He's alone...like I was. Let him live, so he may grow and strengthen...to rid this world, to become what he is meant to be." It started walking away, towards the specimen elevator.
"Come Sephiroth, the puppet will soon wake." He nodded and briskly walked passed.I heard the elevator activate and lift off.
I didn't move...trying to comprehend that it was Jenova that knew I wasn't from here. The fact she acknowledged I wasn't from the Planet either...or that I knew what she was... Finally all the fear had caught up to me and I threw up. My body couldn't handle the shock. After about a minute of retching it leaned back onto the container, my stuff falling out my pockets...I didn't care, I was starring into space.
It was nice, I imagined I was back home...boring Colorado, my little brother came up to me, I'd forgotten how much I hated him, but he was a relieving sight. Even my favorite big brother was there...I was so happy. I don't know how long I was there...it could have been seconds...it could have been minutes...hell eternity could have passed and I wouldn't have known. It took me a while to wake up to reality though...that and a harsh slap across the face.
Cloud woke up, his dreamless and voiceless slumber was interrupted. He looked around the cell. Tifa was still asleep, but the door to the room was open.
What?
Checking to see if he wasn't dreaming Cloud pinched himself and felt the pain, he slowly got up and put his arm through the door, it wasn't just a dream then.
"The doors open...when did it open?" He exited and looked, what he saw made him unsettled. At the end of the hall was a dead guard, Cloud went up and inspected him, his entrails all over the floor, a clean slash through the mans stomach.
"Whats happened?" he rushed back into the room, roughly shaking Tifa up.
"Tifa. Wake up!"
"Whats wrong?" She looked around and saw the cell door too, she got right out of bed and looked confused.
"Somethings wrong, look outside." She ran out and he followed. Her having the same face Cloud had seeing the dead guard.
"I wonder what happened." Cloud bent over and searched through his pockets.
"He should have a key on him." After a few seconds he found the security key for the cells.
"Come on Tifa, get Aeris, I'll help the others." Tifa ran up to the first door and used the card first, she tossed it to Cloud who ran into the third cell, housing to sleeping captives.
"Barret, Red...come with me, something happened." Barret woke up looking dazed.
"How'd you get in? Why's the door open?" Both ran out to see what was going on, both ran and inspected the bodyguard, shocked at the state he was in. Barret the only one to acurratly sum up the situation.
"The hells goin on?"
"No human could have done this...I'll go ahead" The canine ran ahead. "I'll clean up back here, so you guys go ahead, and don't get caught by Shinra!" Cloud nodded and went in to see Tifa with a bewildered Aeris.
"Come on, lets follow Red!" Both followed Cloud, Barret had found a utility closet at the opposite side of the hall, the guards key opened it and inside was everyone's weapons. While preparing Red had come up, Cloud noted his calm demeanor was now replaced with one of worry.
"Are there guards?" Red shook his head. "Worse, experiments have escaped, but that's not whats bad."
"Whats wrong?"
"I found Nathan." Everyone froze hearing that, seeing the state the floor was in right now they could only imagine.
"Is he alright?" Tifa looked frantic.
"I don't know."
"How don't you know." He lowered his head.
"He was mumbling...and called me little brother." Everyone was confused now.
"Go protect him, we'll catch up." He nodded and ran off. The group finally got the rest of their supply and started running off. Cloud was very nervous though. Nanaki said that whoever killed the guard wasn't human, but his experience told him it was a blade that killed the guard. Thin and long...like a katana. Cloud hoped whatever happened didn't involve Nathan. The group ran down the hallway, passing the body's of people with similar slashes, only serving to put the group into more duress. When the turned they all stood and looked at the scene. A torn metal container, and a very bloody comrade. Barret, Tifa, and Aeris ran to look at Nathan while Cloud looked at the container, missing a very dangerous being.
"Cloud somethings wrong with him." Cloud walked over and looked at Nathan. His sword blood free. Good, he didn't do anything. However the right side of his face had smears all over it, which dripped and covered almost half of his shirt. The biggest thing he noticed though were his eyes. No longer did the hazel pupils have such youth or when Cloud first met him the shifting, as is constantly expecting something. They were now dull brown, almost glazed over as if he were just a shell.
"Nathan..are you okay." He put a hand on his shoulder, it enlicited a reaction, but not the one he was expecting.
"...Jim?...Jim its been so long! Bro you finally got leave from the navy?" Cloud was taken back. Nathan wasn't fully in his right mind, but to hear this...
"Nathan had siblings?" Tifa asked, also confused on how Nathan was acting. "He didn't talk about anyone but his parents...maybe Nate does have brothers." Barret mused. It could be possible...but to have someone in the Shinra navy?
"I finally beat it Jim...100%...I beat Final Fantasy 7...I guess that makes me the better gamer...I guess I am a cyber nerd..ha...?" He had a smile on his face, but it was empty, nothing about it was meant for Cloud, but he was even more confused, Final Fantasy 7? He had never heard of such a game.
"Cloud take a look." He looked over and Barret had a couple objects in his hands. One was a very slim looking PHS the other was something he had never scene before.
"Is that what Marlene was talking about?" Tifa took the rectangular piece of technology and fiddled with it, Cloud looked at the PHS and looked at the front, it was an unknown model, he had never heard of a brand name called...Verison...He opened it and looked at the wall paper, he was amazed. Inside was the picture of two men. One was significantly other than the older, he was dark, wearing farm clothing from the looks of it, the next person was what surprised Cloud the most. It was a man, around twenty three or twenty five, he was a lighter dark skin than the other male, but what threw Cloud back was that the man had very almost identical facial features to Nathan...yet Nathan was obviously lighter.
"I'm guessing that's his father and brother." Cloud showed the picture to everyone else and they all were confused as well. "He would he be this light?" Barret asked. Cloud closed the PHS, it was odd but it didn't matter, he put it back in Nathans pocket. He looked at Tifa who was playing with the other device.
"This is incredible!" Tifa showed the rest of the group and they were almost baffled. The device was operated by touch the screen, something they hadn't heard off on such a small device.
"How does that work?" Aeris said, taking and studying the object. "Like any other electronic, but it has so much...I saw files for music, videos, a lot of stuff." Tifa was excited, Cloud was amused. "But where did he get it?" Barret asked, everyone was looking at Nathan, half expecting him to come out of his daze and explain the scene before him.
"He said something about being a cyber nerd...you think Nathan...might be really smart?" Cloud thought the question over. Though Nathan didn't have more than above average strength, he somehow always made the right decisions in combat. He knew what to do in the Shinra building to spy and even get a few items. It would actually be possible the jokes were a ruse...and that Nathan was actually a very calculative kid.
"That might be it, but we have important things to worry about." Cloud looked over at the container again. Slipping the other device back in Nathans pocket, they could talk about it at a better time.
"Jenova specimen...Looks like it went to the upper floor using the elevator for specimens." Red spoke up.
"Okay we're going."
"What about Nathan."
"Let me handle that." Barret took his hand and slapped Nathan across the face, hard enough he actually hit the ground.
"God damn it!" I felt the sting. "What the hell..."
I looked up and saw everyone with concerned looks towards me. "Nathan your perfectly fine." Tifa lifted me up and hugged me I was taken back by the sudden gesture. "Guys its okay, I'm fine."
"Why are you here?" Aeris asked.
"I came to rescue you guys...but I came at a bad time." Everyone seemed baffled at that.
"Nate what happened to you? You were acting really weird" I looked at everyone's worried face, It was then I remembered the encounter.
"Jenova got out."
"But how Nathan?" Cloud asked, I shook my head. I didn't want to reveal Sephiroth yet.
"We need to follow this trail, I don't believe what I saw, but I have to make sure."
"Make sure what?"
"That it was really him who took it." Everyone looked at me. I waved it off and went to the specimen elevator with Nanaki. Outside we found another body and the trail lead out of the room. The trail led up to the 69th floor which had a damaged enough door we could walk through. In the office we found more dead body's. We went up looking at the office, all holding our weapons, ready for anything. We inspected it and found another dead body.
The president, impaled by Masamune.
"He's dead. The leader of Shinra Inc. is dead..." Barret looked in disbeleif, Tifa went up to inspect the sword and had shocked expression.
"Than this must be...?" She and Cloud looked at me.
"Its general Sephiroth..." I looked at the blade, knowing full well it was the same from earlier.
"Sephiroth is alive!" She was shocked.
"Looks like it, only Sephiroth can use that sword." He was clutching his uniform, the anger on his face was very present.
"Who cares who did it? This is the end of Shinra now." Aeris looked and saw a man hiding behind a pillar, when he popped out to see who it was everyone spotted him, he tried to make a break for it, but both Barret and Cloud were too fast.
"P,p,p, Please! Don't kill me!" It was Palmer. "What happened?"
"Se- Sephiroth. Sephiroth came!"
"Did you see him? Did you see Sephiroth?"
"Yeah, I saw him. I saw him with my own eyes!" Cloud looked at me, as if for confirmation. I nodded, the man was telling the truth.
"He was saying something about not letting us have the Promised Land."
"Then what? Does that mean the promised land exists and Sephiroth is here to save it from Shinra?"
"So he's a good guy right."
"Save the Promised land? Good guy? No way!" Cloud snapped. "Its not that simple, I know him. Sephiroths mission is completely different.!"
In his confusion Palmer wiggled free of both men's grasps and ran off, in the distance everyone heard a loud noise, looking out we saw the Shinra company helicopter. "Rufus! Shit I forgot about him!"
"Who's that?"
"Vice president Rufus, the presidents son." Everyone stared at the helicopter dropping someone, everyone ran to the balcony. Getting outside we saw a blond man in a white suit talking to Palmer.
"So...Sephiroth was actually here...By the way." Palmer ran off while Rufus took a look at all of us.
"Who are you guys?"
"I'm Cloud former SOLDIER First Class." Rufus looked amused at the introduction.
"I'm from AVALANCHE!"
"Same here!"
"Likewise." I pointed my thumb at myself.
"A flower girl from the slums"
"a research specimen." Rufus smiled again.
"What a crew." He straightened his hair and looked back at us. "Well I'm Rufus. The President of Shinra Inc."
"Your only president cuz your old man died!"
"That's right, I'll let you hear my new appointment speech." He started to approach the group, myself excluded from everyone else had prepped their weapons.
"...Old man tried to control the world with money. It seems to have been working." He went over towards Aeris direction.
"The population though Shinra would protect them." Aeris looked disdainfully at him, he shrugged and walked up towards me and Barret.
"Work at Shinra, get your pay, if terrorist attack the Shinra army will help you." He looked between me and Barret, his eye sight lingering on my bloody shirt and hands at ease.
"It looks perfect on the outside." He held out a finger.
" But, I do things differently...I'll control the world with fear. It takes to much to do it like my old man." He started walking back to his original position.
"A little fear will control the minds of the common people. No need to waste money on them." You know I took a debate class and I have to say, Rufus would do pretty well. He really shows his ruthlessness.
"He likes to make speeches, just like his father." Tifa sounded amused. I smile when Cloud had turned to Barret.
"Get outta this building with Aeris."
"What?"
"I'll explain later! Barret! This is a real crisis for the plane."
"he hells that supposed to mean?"
"I'll tell you later! Just take my word for now! I'll go after I take car of him!" Barret looked down for a second.
"Alright Cloud." He and the rest of the group ran off, I stayed put. "Nathan what are you doing?" Tifa stopped.
"Clouds probably gunna get ganged up on, he'll need a little support." I placed my hand on Fusion.
"Aeris will be safe with you guys, I have faith in ya." She stared before Cloud gave her a nod. She ran off, and we were left alone with the new Shinra Inc. President. "Why do you want to fight me?"
"You seek the Promised land and Sephiroth."
"hm, exactly." He walked over to the emptier side of the balcony and turned to us. "Mm. Did you know Sephiroth was an Ancient?"
"A lot has happened...I can't allow you or Sephiroth to get the Promised land!" He readied his buster sword. "Sigh, and what about you?"
"I'm going to support my friend, but I must admit your speech as good, A for presentation, but your back was to the audience so That's a C on body language." He snickered at my joke.
"People are easy to manipulate, after all. Fear is one of the best motivators."
"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows." The helicopter came over head and Rufus' canine thing came out. He reached unto his coat and pulled out a shotgun, I readied my blade.
" A pity, we could have been friends."
Everyone ran down the out the top office, Aeris slowed down.
"Cloud...Nathan. I just thought of something." If everyone left who would be able to help them out, how would they get away? Tifa, sensing her confusion walked up. "I'll wait for them, everyone, get to the elevator!" Everyone nodded, Tifa stayed put while everyone else went inside the elevator. Aeris the entire time looking at the ground
"Hey." She looked at Barret.
"As long as all three of them are together they can get out." She nodded, and Nathan got away before...so maybe he could help if they got caught.
"Watch out!" Red barked, Barret and Aeris were confused until they saw the elevator next to them descended to equal level, with heavy military machine.
"We just can't get a break." Barret started firing his gun.
Red started casting fire since he and Aeris couldn't fight from that distance. Doing the same, she cast a bolt spell on the machine, being the one out of the three to deal the most damage. "Keep it up Aeris!" Barret kept firing while Red casted again, causing the machine to lose a chunk of armor. The machine had started to aim its cannons at the group and before they knew it launch three grenades onto the platform.
Aeris closed her eyes as the explosion took place. She noticed she only felt a few bits of shrapnel, Barret was in front of her. Aeris was shocked, with everyone trying to protect her, she felt so bad she could only help a little. She felt a surge of power, she started casting and everyone in the group felt the power of healing wind. Barret's wounds healed well along with Reds. Aeris casted another bolt, jolting the machine and Barret pummeling it with bullets.
While both were readying another volley they saw Red run to the back of the platform, with a burst of speed he jumped to the other elevator and sank his teeth into the machine, what amazed both was he tore the chunk out and jumped back. Missing one of its armor plates Barret started shooting the weak spot. Without any time to respond the machine completely stopped. Having been to badly damaged to work anymore.
"Finally we're done!"
"Not quite." Barret looked at Red who was looking up.
He heard some wring and saw the new machine take the last ones place.
"We still have a long way to go too." Red taking his previous battle position.
"We can beat this no problem!"
"I hope everyone else is okay..." Aeris wondered aloud.
Despite how easy the game made it, Rufus' boss battle was a severe pain in the ass. I, being the weaker than Cloud, opted to take out Dark Nation, only to realize that one, the modified canine's tentacle was sharpened and almost as bad as a knife. And two, Rufus didn't appreciate his barrier castor be targeted. He was extremely versatile with his shotgun, keeping Cloud at bay by making him use his Buster swords as a shield and just taking a blind shot in my direction, but he was skilled enough I would always have to back off from the.
"This is getting us no where!" Cloud said keeping his sword flat in front of him.
"Cloud if a guy wants to fight don't underestimate just because he looks like a prep." Me remembering my defeat by Reno just a day earlier. I heard Rufus laughing over to my left, he had been doing this when were would try to plan out loud.
"I would think a SOLDIER First Class could take on a prep." He started blasting again in both our directions, Cloud able to block while I got grazed again, its odd. Every time he shoots towards me the bullets never hit. My thought was cut off by the five foot dog coming to take a chunk out of my arm, only to be met with my empty fist since I couldn't pull my sword for shit will Rufus shooting at me.
"Cloud I could use some help here."
"I'm busy myself!" He lifted his blade and went for a slash, Rufus sidestepped and aimed a shot at Clouds legs, only for the bullets to be met with steel and him shoved back. I look over and Dark Nation trys to get another bite on me but I block with my sword and step back, the canine walking around waiting for another opportunity. With both Its harder than I thought it would be...
"Cloud, get over here and shield me."
"And what are you going to do?"
"I need to prepare, just keep the bullets away!" Cloud came up and held the sword flat again, Rufus shooting us from the distance and Dark Nation about to strike. "Hurry up!"
"I need to concentrate!" I focused my fire materia on my last fire glove. Cloud looking back and seeing what I was doing got shot at again and knocked off balance, he tilted off leaving me wide open with a smiling Rufus and a mutant dog about to get me.
"Looks like your friend is done for SOLDIER." Dark Nation started to charge, aiming its jaws right at my throat. I hadn't made the full fire on my fist so I dove to the side, the bite no hitting my left pocket and ripping most of the side of my pants.
"Nathan!"
Cloud ran up and slashed at the dog, before it could spit out what cloth it had it jumped back towards Rufus and readied to pounce me again. Cloud to preoccupied with Rufus shooting again. I focused harder and finally got the flame completely around my fist. Dark Nation made a charge at me. I couldn't rear back my fist fast enough so I went with the next best thing. When it was close enough I ducked a little more and aimed for the dogs jaw. Right when it was over me I launched upwards, spiraling while lifting the dogs now chard head into the air, I couldn't contain my excitement.
"Shoryuken!" I finished landing on my feet awkwardly, I jumped higher than I though I could, the dogs now limp body laying a few feet away. I quickly took of my glove and showed Rufus my victory smile.
"Looks like the battles in our favor." I threw the glove at him, only for him to grab it in the air and smile.
"You both were quiet entertaining...But that's all for today."
The helicopter came close making me and Cloud cringe while Rufus reached up and grabbed the bar.
"Thank you for the gifts by the way." I looked up at him confused, only to see something in his now shotgun-less hand. My phone and Ipod, along with my glove and cloth from when Dark Nation tore my pants.
"No!"
I ran up to late, the copter flew away to quick, leaving me and Cloud in silence, the propellers in the distance. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked at a stern Cloud. "Come on, we need to get out before the entire army shows up!" I reluctantly nodded and ran with him through the office, he may have my stuff but that doesn't mean anything bad...I hope.
We eventually got to Tifa who had the most relieved expression on her face I had ever seen. "Thank the Planet that you two are alive!...Wheres Rufus?"
"We couldn't finish him, looks like this is gunna get complicated." We started running down the stairs, Tifa mentioned Aeris taking the other elevator and the other not working for some reason. I worried that the mech boss got them but Cloud didn't cast bolt during Rufus' battle so I thought they were alright. We got to the 60th floor and decided to take the back elevator down the rest of the way.
"Cloud how are we going to get away?"
"...I have an idea, Tifa take one of the display vehicles I'll meet you down stairs." Cloud pressed another button and we stopped there when Cloud exited. He nodded to us and walked off, making us take the rest of the way down.
"What does he have in mined?"
"I think something about speed." I smiled, the door opened and we booked out, going down stairs seeing the rest of the team stuck in the lobby.
"Barret!" He looked up.
"Everyone over here!"
"Huh? Whats up? Wheres Cloud?"
"We''ll talk later just hurry up!"
I waved my hand over and everybody started running. We found the green truck while Cloud came up on a motorcycle. Everyone entered with Aeris in shotgun, Tifa driving, and Red, Barret, and me cramming the trunk. We started following Cloud who drove up some stairs and was facing a window, he looked back and Tifa gave him a thumbs up, both vehicles speed up and smashed through the glass and landing with resounding thuds on the highway. Each vehicle increasing speed. "Holy shit we made it!" Barret yelled. Cloud came up next to the passenger side.
"Don't get cocky, they'll send someone to get us soon enough." And low I heard the telltale sounds of more motor cycles coming up in the distance.
"Cloud, next time you know somethings supposed to happen, don't say anything. Its safer."
The men were catching up really fast, Cloud pulled out his sword and started to slow down. The first motorcycle enemy trying to speed past him, only to get his front tire torn by Clouds sword and falling onto the speeding pavement. Another came up and Cloud did the same.
"You think he's gunna be alright?" Tifa yelled.
"Barret seriously help out!" I yelled.
"Fine, Cloud get out the way!" Cloud speed to the other side of the highway while three troopers came up. Barret aimed his gun and just sprayed the ground, hitting two of the men with one of the bikes knocking the third down.
"Hell yeah!" Barret lowered his gun, reloading.
"There's more!" I looked over and saw about six bikers come up, some with noticeable color changes. Cloud when straight for an orange, taking him down only to see four more guys speed by towards us and the fifth try to hit him with a tonfa.
"Shit I'm not done reloading!"
"Aeris give me your lightning materia!" She held out her hand from the window and I placed the orb into my bangle. I climbed to the top of the truck, holding the large light on top for support with my left hand.
"Nathan what the hell are you doing?" Barret yelled looking up.
"If were infamous now its about time to act the part." One of the red cycles came up about to charge the truck, I focused and had a small ball of electricity in my the power surge.
"Bolt!" I held it up and zapped the guy of his bike, knocking back one other red and the last being hit by a now caught up Cloud. I saw in the distance more cycles and I pointed, Cloud looked back and slowed down, the group didn't stand a chance with Cloud, Barret, and myself knocking them down. The success was short lived when behind us I saw something that made my jaw drop. Motorball, speeding up with its spiked tracks and weapons aimed right for us.
"Holy shit! Tifa speed up!" I yelled.
"I'm pushing it already!"
"How the hell are we supposed to out run that!" Barret pointed. I looked at Cloud who had a worried expression, I looked ahead and saw that the unfinished highway's end was coming up.
"Fuck! We need to slow it down! If it rams us we're done for!" I prepped another bolt and zapped the machine, only making it grind its gears while it was chasing. "Nathan!" I looked and saw Cloud speed over.
"Keep casting, Barret start firing at its treads, and Red. When I give the signal, drop an Ice spell." He stayed close to the truck while we were following through on his plan.
Soon enough we saw the end of the highway coming so I climbed back down and braced at just the right moment when the breaks came in. Cloud skirted right next to us a just seconds afterwords.
"Now!"
Nanaki cast ice, but not at the machine, he had cast at the ground near one of the treads. I looked and the thing seemed stupid enough to just charge the frozen chunk. In the end because of all the preemptive damage we did to the machine, the think rammed the ice and lost its entire right left tread.
"Everyone strike now!" We all started to whale on the machine, Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Nanaki going for physical while one ether later, Me and Aeris started casting. The machine never stood a chance, it only got a few fire attacks onto the group before our combine assault caused the giant machine to finally break down and explode. Everyone was tired, especially myself. Even after an ether I had some spotty vision and a small head ache. Everyone stood up and looked out passed the broken road.
"Well...what do we do now?" Barret asked, Cloud passed him by and stared out into the now rising sun.
"Sephiroth is alive. I...I have to settle the score."
"And that'll save the planet?"
"...Seems like it" Barret nodded. "Alright then I'm going to."
"I'll go too, there are some things I want to find out." Aeris spoke up.
"About the Ancients?" She nodded "Many things..."
"I guess that's good by Midgar." Tifa spoke up, stretching from the previous battle. Everyone seemed to have a silent agreement. Nobody spoke for a few minutes, we just stood there...Looking at the sun.
"Nathan...what are you going to do." I looked and saw Aeris.
"I guess...I have to protect a friend." She looked confused. "With all this going on...I'm concerned what people I have will be endanger. I need to protect someone at least." She looked at me before she looked back at the sun.
Finally we escaped...but now it gets even harder from here.
I only hope I can protect Aeris...and maybe everyone else too...