A/N. My last chapter made me have a lot of traffic, probably from the way updates work by butting my story to the front page. I'm also happy because I'm now actually ahead of this story, so i decided to release this just a little early. I appreciate the reveiws I got and am extatic for what is about to happen, hope everyone else is too!
And and since I forgot the last few chappas.
I don't own FF7, the only thing I have here is nate.
CH 10
"Cloud lets talk about this for a second."
"I already told you it will take to much time."
"Just here me out, I mean maybe the time it takes to catch them will be of set by how fast they go."
"Nathan it will take hours to catch a Chocobo for everyone."
"Then two people can ride one Chocobo!"
"It will slow them down to the same speed we would travel."
"Maybe we will run into a whole flock!"
"Without a mastered lure? I don't think so Nathan." Oh god, I have been trying to reason with him for twenty minutes now, the marshlands are getting closer and I still haven't broken through.
"Maybe there is a secret pass through the mountains we could take!"
"Nathan, do you believe you can keep this up?"
"I have argued weeks on end for far dumber things Cloud."
"With all due respect Nathan, Your not the leader, I am, and what I say goes."
"When you say 'with all due respect' you really mean kiss my ass."
"We are rushing thru the marsh and that's final."
"ARGH!" I gave up. I slowed down my pace. Falling to the back of the traveling group. "Its okay Nathan." I felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked and saw Aeris with a very optimistic smile.
"It won't be when were are being eaten whole by the snake the size of a god damn freight train."
"Nathan just take a breath and calm down." I did just that, repeating a few times I became more relaxed and clear headed. "See? Everything will be alright." I let a smile get on my face.
"You know Aeris, somehow you know just what to say to people."
"Thank you." I noticed the slight glance she had though. "What is it?"
"What?"
"You had a look in your eye, whats wrong." She sighed.
"You know how to read people as well."
"Only a little, now come on."
"Tifa told me you had a really bad nightmare." I sighed and rubbed the back of my head. "Its nothing to worry about."
"If you keep it bottled up its only going to get worse, its best you talk about it." I shook my head. "You really want to know what goes on in my head huh?"
"It wouldn't hurt to have some insight." I knew what Aeris was trying to do. She most likely knows about the "vibes" I give off.
"I was surrounded by green. It was a beautiful place, like under an ocean, but you could see the waves moving around. It was peaceful with the only sound I heard being whispers." She was listening intently.
"Then it got ugly, It became Grey. And long story short there was a person just like me who was strangling me." She had a thoughtful look on her face.
"Hey Aeris." she looked back up. "Is it possible for a regular person to communicate with the Planet or the other way around?" She didn't answer, after about a minute I almost let the conversation stop before she responded.
"Nuh uh, only Ancients are supposed to be able to actually talk to the Planet." I looked down. "You think that green energy was the Life-stream then."
"Basically."
"Maybe your taking it the wrong way."
"How?"
"Maybe that was something your subconscious was trying to tell you." Okay now I am thoroughly confused. "You said that theory from Cosmo Canyon says everyone has a part of the Life-stream in them. So maybe that was your mind telling you something about yours." I mewled over the information. Its true only Ancients could talk to the planet. Not even Jenova could pull that off. But to have that bad a dream, with actual pain. It could have been me coping with my encounter with Jenova, trying to get the shock out somehow. I stopped thinking about it. My head was hurting to much to try to process this. It would only cause problems in the future.
"Thanks." I stated.
"Anytime." She smiled.
"We're here." I looked to the front and found we were on the edge of the marshlands. Cloud facing the group.
"I want everyone to make sure everything is prepared and secure in you packs, make sure you have your weapons at the ready." We started through the murky land. Me praying that nothing would happen.
ATE
"So sir what have you found out?" Rufus looked up from his folders. Seeing Tseng along with Rude and the newest recruit to the Turks, Elena. "Quite a lot actually." He gestured for them all to sit. All complied.
"How is Reno though? Has he gotten better?" Rufus remembered he had called for the entire Turk unit.
"As adamant about his health he is, he still needs time to fully recover from his encounter with AVALANCHE." The blond Turk looked over at her superior before she sat back at attention. Recently hired then.
"Back to business then, I need you to tail Sephiroth."
"Any specific reason why sir?"
"In Hojo's files I found quite a lot about the Cetra. Sephiroth is currently trying to find the Promised Land, we simply need to follow him and we will find it."
"I had read reports of the incident inside headquarters sir, doesn't AVALANCHE also have a Cetra with them?" Elena spoke up. She had a very professional tone that didn't seem to fit her, even in uniform. Rufus chuckled. She would eventually find her place in the Turks. Tseng was all business, Reno the procrastinator, and Rude the muscle for show.
"As long as Sephiroth is looking you need not be concerned with them, however if they get to close to him or interfere in anyway you are ordered to detain them." "Understood. When do we leave?" Tseng asked.
"Ten minutes, his last sighting was at the Mythril Mines, pick up your search from there. Unless you have any questions then this meeting is dismissed." No one spoke up. Rufus nodded his head and the three Turks got up.
"Tseng before you go I want you to listen to something." The Turk leader looked back. He gestured for the other two to wait and he went forward, seeing Rufus putting out a headphone and the device in his hand.
"Could you tell me if this is Wutaian dialect?" He rose an eyebrow. Taking the headphone the president played the song for a full five seconds before he got an answer. "This is complete gibberish." Rufus took back the device.
"Though it does have similarity it doesn't have any connections what so ever." Rufus leaned back into his chair.
"Then you may leave." Tseng nodded and left with the rest of the Turks. Traveling through the hallways he recalled the song had an odd name..fighting dreamers or something...Never before had he heard that language, but it did have a familiarity to Wutaian. Before he could think further the newest recruit interrupted his thoughts. "Reno fought AVALANCHE?" Elena questioned. No one slowed their pace as Tseng answered.
"Correct, during the confrontation he was given a...creative injury by one of their members." Elena gave him a questioning glance.
"Ask Reno." Rude inserted. Ending that conversation. They had entered the elevator and had pressed for the helipad.
"What information do we have on them sir?" Tseng sighed.
"They have a total of six members, their leader is a former SOLDIER, and each one has a past connected to Shinra...accept one."
"The one sir?"
"Ask Reno." Tseng allowed a brief chuckle. "We still have to gather information on him." He remembered to ask the president about the files had didn't have access to on the other people. Be was a little aggravated at the mystery's they had to solve left and right for the team of miscreants. And due to his assignment he couldn't investigate further into Medeel. "Curiouser and Curiouser." He mumbled.
"Nobody move!" Everyone froze. I pulled out a piece of string and took off my glasses.
"Nathan, what are you doing that's so important we needed to stop?" Cloud asked.
"I'm making sure my glasses don't fall off."
"You worry about this now?"
"Cloud my glasses have survived a reactor explosion, falling hundreds of feet from a tower, and a highway chase. I am not about to let the one thing that lets me have perfect vision be eaten by a large snake." I tied the last to the end of my specs. Putting it back on my face.
"Okay lets hurry up."
"Its a swamp Nate, its hard to get around here!" Barret yelled. Him being the biggest meant he weighed down the most in the soggy grasses and mud.
"Excuse me for wanting to try to avoid a battle that would cost me my life if necessary."
"Maybe we won't even get to see one?" Aeris mused.
"Zolom weave through this like its nothing, unless we hurry you have my guarantee." I was on edge, this early in the game it was a guaranteed kill for the entire team. "He has the right mindset, this place is foul with their scent." Red said.
"Thank you." I trudged through, rivaling Clouds speed and getting to the front of the group.
"Its already been ten minutes Nathan, if we haven't by now then we won't fight one." Cloud said. I had noticed light in the distance. Another five minutes and we would be at the beginning of the mines. I shook my head. We would be fighting one, and I had a perfectly charged fire spell in my mind.
"Hey look a clearing." Tifa ran up front and got out first. My eyes widened and I ran up two. And she was right. We got through the swamp, with absolutely no hassle. And we were going to see the area where Seph killed a Zolom. I wasn't buying for one second. I held onto Fusion and faced the swamp.
"Nate what the hell are you..."
"There is no way in hell a Zolom didn't notice us!" I shouted. I didn't know how they hunted or even sounded when the moved.
"Nathan I would have smelled one if it came near us." Nanaki came up next to me.
"Yeah Nathan, lets just go." My hand faltered for a second before I finally calmed down and relaxed my posture.
That's when the Shitstorm appeared.
I noticed Reds eyes widen. "Get away!"
I jumped to the side and Red my opposite. Both narrowly avoiding a giant scaled tail smash the ground we were previously standing. Leaving a large dent in the ground.
"What did I fucking tell you!" I launched a fireball at the spot where the tail entered.
"The marsh must have disrupted my sense of smell." A large roar filled the air when I looked up. The Zolom had stood up. Everyone having an expression of fear on their face. The over-sized cobra eying everyone before roaring with its large sword length fangs pointed at us.
"Everyone! Attack!" Cloud ordered, brandishing his Buster and running up to the snakes base, taking a slash at it making a decent sized gash before it slithered ant knocked him a few feet away. Barret started firing at the things head and made it even angrier, making it thrash around before it made a lunge at him. Duck and rolling out the way the snake took a large bite out of dirt. Tifa took this and went straight for the things face before punching it square it the eye. The thing roared and rose back up. Now targeting Aeris who was healing a worse for wear Cloud.
"Aeris get out the way!" I yelled. She looked up and saw the Zolom make another lunge, Barret ran and tackled Aeris out the way, with him however getting a large slice on his arm from the Zoloms fangs. I ran up and sent a lighting burst into its face making it rear back up.
"Guys wait till it lunges, then strike when it gets back up!" I heard Cloud yell, me and Nanaki sending spells at the serpents scales which only had a small effect on the creature along with Barret's bullets. The thing then slithered over to Cloud, I was about to cast a fire when it had suddenly took a sharp turn and went for me and Nanaki. Surprised and caught off guard I jumped to late and got my legs gashed by the serpent. Landing on the ground roughly I tried to stand only to have one of my legs give out making me take a knee.
"Hold on I'm coming!" Aeris ran up and started to cast restore on my leg. Cloud coming behind the serpent and taking a chop at the tip of its tail, somehow having weaker skin the tip came off. Making the Zolom focus attention on him while Tifa healed me. Barret sprayed it with bullets making it shake its head. Looking over I saw Nanaki seem to take a stance before he sprinted with unnatural speed using Sled fang . He jumped and took hold on the serpent, making it screech in pain. Taking advantage I stood and launched a lighting strike at the base of its now openly bleeding tail. It kept thrashing around with Red hanging on for all dear life before he finally ripped of the rather large about of skin off the Zolom.
"Come on, we need to keep this up!" Cloud yelled with Tifa by his side again. Barret had Nanaki next to him and Aeris was fairly close to me. We looked and saw the reptile breathing heavily. Suddenly it sent its stubby tail tip towards Barret and smashed him straight into a set of trees. I looked over and saw him bleeding.
"Shit get to him!" Right when Tifa tried to get to him the snake did the exact same attack to Tifa making her hit close to the rocky edge. Her falling limp.
"TIFA!" Cloud shouted. He ran straight for the serpent and started to slash at the Zolom, only for it to lung at Red as well as take another swipe with its tail towards me and Aeris. I ducked and hit the ground face first while she was thrown back.
"Shit, we're losing people..." I looked and saw that we had lost three of our teammates, and Red looked messed up after a shaky dodge.
"We need to kill it before it gets anyone else." He launched an ice spell at the things head, having it shatter one top of its head. It roared and reared back, hiding some of its body in the marsh. I ran up and pulled out my enemy skill and cast Matra magic. The missiles hit and created a lot of smoke around the area.
"Did we kill it?" I yelled. I saw Cloud shake his head coming closer along with Nanaki.
"Hopefully we at least scared it off. Come on we need to get everyone else to a safe place." We all started for our friends. Only to hear a very sinister growl. We looked back and saw the Zolom standing higher than it did before, seeming to nod its head down. My eyes widened.
"SPREAD OUT NOW!" We ran in three separate directions in just the nick of time, because a sudden pressure from where we stood had fallen and suddenly the temperature burst to excruciating heights. All of us only getting the bare minimum of the damage, me being lucky enough to have my fire equipped with my elemental came out the best with minor burns.
"We can't let it off with that attack again!" Cloud yelled. "We need to find away around..." Before red could finished the Zolom slamed the ground near him. He jumped away only to be hit by a sweeping tail knocking him into a tree with a painful crunch.
"RED!" I yelled. I started launching lighting non stop. Feeling my body get heavier and my eyes bug out. But in my desperation the Zolom paid its attention to me now.
"Nathan get away now!" Cloud tried to run up but the snake thrashed him into the ground. I stood in horror as the serpent came up and hit me square in the chest and sent my flying into the wall, I had the wind knocked out of me before it swept and knocked me against a tree. The pain almost knocking me out.
"Nathan!" I heard when I sat on my knees and looked at the Zolom higher up again. My face in fear at the fact I would be two slow to dodge. I couldn't lift my arms and my breath hitched. My vision getting darker and focusing more. I could feel my body getting colder at the loss of my blood, and the pain increasing. I heard sounds but they were warbled...I didn't know what to do...I truly thought I was going to die... I started to cry... Sobbing that I couldn't do anymore. That I was to weak or not smart enough to get everyone away. It was then I felt my coldest...
(3rdpv)
He wished he had listened to Nathan about the Chocobos. If he didn't act so arrogant ant try to get to Sephiroth so soon maybe things would have turned out for the better. Barret looked knocked out. Tifa and Aeris were breathing but he would doubt the could keep consciousness for much longer. Red was down for the count after that slam, his breaths shallow. Cloud didn't feel all that better from them, he could feel his arm twisted wrong from that last attack, he needed a cure and fast. But now he had to keep fighting, make sure everyone was safe. What he didn't count on was Nathan charging the serpent throwing lighting like it was nothing. He would have been amazed if it wasn't for the sudden large tail that sent him flying into a tree with a brutal smash. And if it wasn't bad already it swept him rolling his body hard against the dirt.
"Nathan!" When he called Nathan had somehow sat up. Looking directly at the snake taking a now familiar position in front of him. Cloud became frantic, he tried to get up fully only to fall on his now bad leg, sprained and twisted from the last smash.
"Nathan, get away!" Nathan only kept staring at the large monster. Cloud having to watch as he sat helpless to the creature. Hearing Nathan openly sobbing at what was happening. He closed his eyes for the inevitable, hoping it would be quick and painless for him...and everyone else. He got something completely different.
"Stupid weakling...must I come out now?" Cloud opened his eyes and looked back at Nathan and was shocked. His eyes were glazed over again, only now he could barely see his pupils, his eyes were almost entirely white. And to Clouds amazement he started to stand and look at the Zolom with only a cold expression, while his wounds slowly stop bleeding. Nathan held onto his sword and pulled it out at a lighting quick pace, the spell interrupted at the now deeply penetrated hide of the giant snake.
"Lets see what this sword can do." He heard his voice, it was like ice with complete confidence in his ability's. The Zolom lunged at him only him to turn slightly and tilt his blade. Cloud saw as the Zolom now cut itself on his sword while he just stood there. Completely straight faced.
"You haven't even fully found out how the sword works you dolt!" He took the blade away before the serpent reared up in a cry, him just looking at the blade in detail. Cloud was stunned. This wasn't the Nathan he knew.
"Fusion had to change its powers when crossing over, sure your memory's are key to its power but you don't seem to fully grasp its limitations, a fatal error." The Zolom lunged at him gain only for Nathan to jump away unscathed.
"Allow me to demonstrate what Fusions power can do for you Nathan." Cloud realized he was talking to himself, as if he wasn't Nathan. He saw him hold out his sword straight towards the Zolom and hold his forearm with his left hand.
"Bankai." Immediately an explosion of energy erupted in front of Cloud eyes, the whirlwind smashing into the now severely wounded serpent. Its cry's of pain not making an impression on Nathan what so ever. After the dust cleared he saw the Zolom now motionless on the ground, the back half of its body now just a splatter in the marsh. Cloud was stunned. The only other time in his life he had seen such a raw display of power was with Sephiroth and the Nibel dragon. He took his sword down and examined closely again.
"I was correct, the closer it is to this worlds genre the more power it retains from its world. An anime retains around sixty percent of its power, your air slash being from a game retained around seventy. Then if you used an attack from the series it would retain in the eighty's...so if you used an attack from here, about ninety percent of its power would be retained...Remember that." A lowed groan was made and Cloud looked. The Zolom was alive...barely.
"How dare you live." He walked up and stuck his sword in its last good eye. It wiggling poorly to get away.
"When I want you dead, you die. Its that simple!" He thrust the sword fully through the eye socket, silencing anymore cry's from the monster. "Pathetic creature." Suddenly Cloud saw him collapsed on one leg and groan.
"You and your weak body... I need more rest." Cloud saw his eyes start to gain back their color slowly, right when they were fully back Nathan was on his hands and knees breathing heavily. Cloud couldn't put words to what he had seen. Knowing that one of his allies had the capacity to be so cold, so ruthless.. He was actually afraid. Against his better judgment he called to him, hoping for an answer to what had happened.
"...Nathan...?"
(nrml)
The feeling of being lock inside yourself was horrible. Even worse when you weren't even controlling your own body's movements. I was scared. I didn't know what was happening when I started to attack the Zolom, suddenly having enough power and brains to contend with the beast. And that voice. It was just like my dream. It was the other one. That cold, calculated voice. Sure that it was right in whatever it said, and it was. When he talked to me I tried not to listen, hoping I was dreaming again. Only to have the voice scold me for not knowing how fusion worked. His demonstration had shut me up inside my own head. He didn't have to have that emotional connection I used all those other times for air slash. The power shot from the sword was amazing. A blinding light that warped the Zolom into pieces. I actually admired it. That was until he had killed it so brutally just because it was still alive. I was scared when I felt control over my body again. I didn't want that to happen again, because I finally knew why Jenova spared me. It somehow knew I would be like this. That I could be just as cold and ruthless killer as Sephiroth, wanting to destroy as much as I can, just because I could.
"...Nathan..."
I looked over and remembered. The rest of the team was injured. I quickly ran over and inspected Cloud.
"Thank god your alive...I hope everyone else is okay." He looked at me, I saw that he had questions.
"Later, we need to help everyone." I ran over to Aeris and Tifa, I checked their pulses. Good, both alive. Barely. I took Aeris Restore and ran back to Cloud. Noting the extra energy I seemed to obtain. "Okay now where is it worse." He pointed to his arm and leg, along with his ribs. I help out my hands and started working on him, a full five minutes passed before I was done.
"We need to get everyone to a safe place." He tried to stand but faltered I caught him by his shoulder.
"Dude chill, Zoloms are solitary hunters, and considering the damage we did to this one I'd say they will leave us alone."
"The damage YOU did Nathan." I looked down.
"What happened?"
"...I think I snapped." I walked to my backpack. I took out a few phoenix downs and helped the rest of the crew drink, afterwords I healed them. I saw Cloud limp over using his sword as a crutch.
"They'll be okay, just give them a few minutes." I ran back over to Barret and Nanaki. I picked Barret up and threw him over my shoulder, I took Nanaki by his waist and carried them over to the rest of the group. Cloud eying me suspiciously.
"How by the Planet can you have this kind of energy?" I put down both people and gestured to Fusion.
"Bankai is a powerful ability, not only does it release a large amount of energy, but it temporally gives the caster increased energy, strength, and speed." He sat down next to a rock, I was right next to him.
"I'm sorry..." I looked over. "If I just listened to you, if we took the time to get..."
"Don't." I interrupted. " I know you want Sephiroth to pay, I may not know a thing about living a life of tragedy, or vengeance. But I can listen and understand." He looked down.
"Cloud, I know you never intended this, but please. Try to consider the consequences not to just yourself, but everyone else." He looked over an I gave him a reassuring smile.
"..Will that happen again?" I frowned.
"I'm not sure. I think as long as I don't have to go through anything like that again I'll be okay." He didn't look assured. It clicked inside me what he was thinking.
"I won't be like him, no matter what I want to protect you guys. I want to embrace life, not end it. Just because I broke down once doesn't mean bad things will happen." He chuckled.
"I promise I'll be careful."
"Now how will we get Seph if we be careful? Lets just do stupid things when were prepared for them instead." I held out my hand. He reached out and shook it.
"How do you do it Nathan?"
"What?"
"How can you take this in stride? You looked at the monster himself, you went insane and killed mercilessly because of me rushing, yet here you are, acting as if it all doesn't matter. Really, how can you keep going?" I thought for a bit, mostly about my old life. Living in a world where you always pictured yourself in fiction to avoid problems gives you an already warped mindset, almost anything seems better in a way...
"There is something much bigger here than me, the Planet is endanger. As much as I want to focus on myself I have to suck it up, do what I can, and move on." Silence came between us for a split second.
"I promise I won't tell them."
"Thank you." I don't know how long we sat there. But it was comforting. I knew Cloud don't feel like talking anymore and I just sat with him.
"margh." We both saw Tifa wake up first. Immediately recoiling when she leaned to much on one side.
"Hey take it easy, we're safe." I pushed he back down. She looked up and around, confused.
"What about the Zolom?"
"Nathan finished it off. We wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him." She looked at me, I almost laughed at her expression.
"How?"
"He ate my last cupcake, now stay down. We're camping here, I'll set up the tents." I opened everyone's packs and started pitching our tents, however one was destroyed since it was what Barret landed on. By the time I was done with our two tents I saw everyone was awake.
"Damn the thing came outta fuckin nowhere!" I laughed. Barret always knew how to break a serious demeanor.
"Good to see everyone is feeling better." All eyes were on me now, I almost fidgeted.
"Cloud told us about how you saved everyone." Red said. Licking a wound I had missed.
"Yeah Nate, who knew you had it in ya." Barret tried to laugh, his ribs said otherwise and made him wheeze in pain.
"It will be about a day before any of you will be decently recovered." I reachieved some wood I had cut earlier. Laying it down I cast fire and got out what food I had in my backpack for everyone.
"Eat and get rest everyone, I'll take night watch, although I think we're pretty safe."
"You need rest too! If you push yourself you'll end up worse than us!" I was surprised at Aeris outburst. I was wondering if the Planet had already to her about me...Not likely, she only could talk to it in the church. It won't be able to tell her much about me until the forgotten city...where she would die... I shook my head. I could prevent it. I had the knowledge and even if I didn't like it, I had the power to stop it now. I could prevent Sephiroth from completing his strike...
"I'll help him tonight okay?" I heard Cloud come to my defense. "The Mako will heal me in no time, We'll both keep an eye out."
"Then we're settled then. Now I am hungry, so everyone enjoy yourselves." I said. Already feeling the mood lighten up in the group.
Right then my body felt as if it had gained one hundred pounds, my energy sapped, and me hitting the ground.