Origins
By Keedra2173
AN: Hello everyone. Sorry for such a long wait. I've been having issues in real life and unable to work. I want to thank everyone who's taken the time to check out my stories and for sticking with me for all this time.
Disclaimer: If I owned it I wouldn't be here.
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Missing Score
Shinra Headquarters – Midgar
Weapons Lab
Scarlett stared out of her office window. Her mind was running through the incident in Corel and ever since she had been plagued by a thought; an idea. An idea for a weapon so unique and well concealed that it was consuming almost every waking moment.
The memory always ran through the moment that her and her guards had shot those two miners. They had been hanging from a cliff right and left arms together. The troops and she had shot those arms off. The large black miner had cried with such anguish when his friend had fallen. It had been lovely.
However it was his arm that she focused on. She would build a prosthetic that could also be a weapon; A gun specifically, a very different gun; one that could be hidden and would not need ammunition.
Turning abruptly from the window Scarlett went to her office and draft table and began designing what she believed was the perfect weapon.
2 years later
Scarlett was frustrated, her masterpiece wouldn't come together. She had done extensive research, even talking to the asshole Hojo and letting him examine the prototype. Her perfect weapon did nothing.
Every test subject who tried to use the weapon or activate the shift features died horribly. Only one time had the weapon done anything besides poison the wearer; the arm activate but instead of shifting into gun mode it detached itself and strangled the subject.
Scarlett shed a few angry tears and resigned herself to packing the project away. All the files, research and the weapon itself were going into storage. She couldn't bring herself to destroy it. Maybe someday someone would be able to figure out what had gone wrong. That thought was bitter to swallow.
Closing to storage box, Scarlett filled out the label. All the information was correct except the name. She hadn't named it; she never named her work until they were finished. But this one was the shot missed, the goal that didn't score.
"That's what I'll call it," the blond executive said, "Missing Score."
Writing that into the name area, Scarlett called for crew to take the box away.
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Aboard the Highwind
After the battle with Hojo
The members of Avalanche sat around the conference table staring at the box. Cloud, Barrett and Vincent had found it in a storage room on the way up to the Sister Ray. All of them were curious as to what it was. The label stated that it was called the Missing Score and had been tested and designed by Scarlett. Also printed there was the word failed.
This really intrigued the group because most of Scarlett's machines didn't malfunction until after they had been in service a while. So what was wrong with this one?
"Well, somebody open it," shouted Yuffie she had gotten fed up with the staring and silence.
"You open it. Since you're in such a fuckin' hurry," replied Cid. That response began a shouting match that lasted until Red XII cast silence on them.
Tifa rolled her eyes at the two and opened the box. It was a strange sight a metallic arm and a bunch of files. Grabbing the files she handed them to Cloud because he was the best at translating scientific and technical writing so everyone could understand.
Cloud sighed and began reading through the papers. While he was doing that everyone else examine the arm.
"Scarlett designed a prosthetic arm that does nothing," stated an amused Barret, "I guess she wasn't as smart as she thought."
There were snickers all around as everyone knew how the big man felt about the head of Weapon and Development.
"I wouldn't say it was a failure," spoke Cloud, "According to these reports it's supposed to be a prosthetic and a gun. But all the test subjects died trying to get it to shift."
Everyone turned and stared and the blond swordsman. That was very disturbing information. They all took a step back from the box.
"Well that puts a damper on the coolness of it," chirped in Yuffie.
"Yeah, well I wouldn't want to die just cause I tried it out," said Barret. He had been toying with the thought of putting it on but now there was no way it was getting near him.
"Is there anything in the reports about why they testers died," asked Vincent.
Cloud nodded his head, "Yeah, there is a supplementary report from Hojo. He outlines some changes he made. Like material slots and a genetic recognition system. He added them but didn't tell Scarlett so she didn't know. That's probably why the testers died. The weapon didn't recognize them as the designated users."
A low whistle sounded, "Well damn. Knew he was a bastard but that's just downright twisted." This from Cid as a leaned even further away from the box.
"Yeah, but he did send this report to Scarlett. She just didn't bother to read it."
"Any idea who it was keyed to," questioned Cat Sith.
Cloud flipped a couple pages and skimmed through the medical and technical jargon.
"It says the he used a DNA sample taken from a Corel miner. ID number: BW68145795. He had the sample from when Shinra was planning the Corel reactor they were making sure the residents would be able to tolerate the mako levels from the reactor," stated Cloud.
"WHAT THE FUCK! THEY TOLD US THOSE WERE DESTROYED AND THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM," screamed Barret, "THOSE NOT GOOD, LYIN', WORLD KILLING FUCKERS. I'LL KILL'EM AND BRING BACK AND TORTURE THEM TO DEATH."
Barret's rage shocked everyone in the room. Sure he shouted and got angry but no one had ever seen him lose it like this.
"BARRET, calm down, please we need to know who this is keyed to so we can give it to them," stated Tifa.
Barret sat down but everyone could still see the rage in his eyes.
"Can you tell us whose DNA was used?" asked Vincent. The gunman had walked around the table and sat next to the big man in case he started firing.
"Yeah, I know. I just don't want to say. I can show ya'll though," with those words the miner pulled off his current gun arm and reached into the box.
There were shouts and exclamations from everyone except Vincent and Cloud. They had both understood Barret's meaning.
Holding the arm, Barret examined it and then inserted his stub into it. There was series of clicks and whirrs, then a mechanic voice spoke, "COMMENCING DNA VERIFICATION….DNA CONFIRMED…USER AUTHENTICATED AS: WALLACE, BARRETT JONATHAN…. ID NUMBER BW68145795….BEGINNING ATTACHMENT AND ABILITY ASSESSMENT…PROCEDURE APPROXIMATELY 72 HOURS…ANESTETISING USER."
The voice cut off and a loud crash was heard as Barrett hit the floor.
72 hours later
Infirmary
Barrett woke up in the infirmary trying to figure out what happened. Last thing he remembered was putting on the arm from the box.
"You're awake, I gotta get everyone," exclaimed an excited voice. There was the sound of running feet.
Sitting up Barret looked around the room and tried to figure out what was wrong. He felt different complete in some way. But he was unsure what the cause was. Putting his head down he started running his hand along his scalp. In the process nearly knocking himself out.
Barret stared incredulously at his right arm. It was whole metal but whole. He knew he would be killed by the device when he put it on he just didn't expect it to feel so completely like an actual arm. Deciding to test it, he started moving it around flexing his fingers and movement of it.
"About time you woke up, dumb ass," came from the doorway. Barrett had been so fascinated by his arm he was startled and his only thought was to shoot at the threat. That's when he learned what Cloud meant when he said it was supposed to shift into a gun.
His arm transformed into high-tech rifle complete with a material glow indicating a fire spell.
"Whoa, ya idiot. Don't go shooting me." Barret finally recognized the voice as Cid's and lowered the gun. As he did it shifted back into an arm.
Crowded in the door were his friends. All had varied looks between amused, wary, and exasperated.
"If you had waited I would have told you to go lay down before putting it on," came the amused voice of Cloud, "Part of Hojo's modification was to add neural links so that the gun would work with the user's limit breaks. That arm of will automatically select the best limit break for any situation and monster. It's pretty good work and I'm surprised Scarlett or Hojo thought of it."
Suddenly another voice spoke sounding faraway, "All must be gathered for the final battle approaches. The Chosen and his companions must be ready."
Everyone turned and stared at Cloud who looked as if he was seeing something but nothing was there. Just as they started to worry his gaze shifted and he looked at them, "What, did I say something."
"Nah, Spikey, just enjoying having an arm again," said Barrett. He had learned to that the blond never remembered these statements and it was best not to ask him about them.
The others merely shook their heads and started back to their quarters. It seems Barret would be fine and Cloud would be Cloud.
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AN: Well thanks for reading. I'm working on the next chapter of Reunion and it should be done in a few days. I want to thank everyone for their support. Please review and let me know what you think.