THE REACTOR SHOWDOWN
Probably because he knew they were there, Cloud saw them first. He didn't recognize either of the two men in Soldier uniforms that slipped across an open area to disappear behind some machinery a few meters away. It wasn't Zack, but he knew his friend was nearby, as well as Sephiroth.
His hand fell to the hilt of his sword, but he did not draw it. Not yet. Not until the others realized what was happening. Most of them had moved away from him, clustered around the nearest generator, their equipment scattered on the floor around them, concentrating on their work. It was funny, most of them were depending on him to keep an eye on their surroundings, to make sure they weren't ambushed.
Again he felt a small pang of...guilt? He supposed that's what it had to be. He was betraying these people, and no matter what the reasons, no matter how good the cause, or the fact that he was a spy, and it didn't feel very good. What was he going to do, once the trap was sprung? Again he hadn't been given specific instructions. Once he started fighting on the side of Shinra, it would be obvious he was a spy. They would know he had betrayed them. He kept telling himself it didn't matter. It didn't matter what they thought of him. He wasn't friends with these people, he was just doing a job. Even so, he felt some trepidation. Once the battle began it was his job to stop these people, to fight them if necessary. He didn't have a problem doing that with most of them, but Merlot was a different story. The man had a family, had taken him into his home, had treated him well. No matter what his job was he couldn't just forget about that. He realized that shouldn't be a factor, he realized that a good Soldier wouldn't let his feelings interfere with what he had to do, but he couldn't help it. He didn't know if he could fight Merlot, if it came to that.
Which probably had something to do with why he was farther from Merlot than any of the other Nighthawks. It might be better to let someone else deal with the man.
Most of the others were engrossed in their work, but not all of them. A hissed intake of breath gave away the fact that the ever suspicious Riley had seen something.
The others looked up at the sound. Again Riley was quicker to access the situation than the others.
"It's a trap!" he shouted.
A moment later, all hell broke loose. The roar of gunfire erupted around them, seeming to come from all directions. Even Cloud hadn't seen where some of their ambushers had concealed themselves. The Nighthawks scrambled for cover, the two slowest succumbing to the hail of bullets before they could find succor in the shadow of the generator.
Cloud stood there, not sure what to do, the only one who had not reacted to the hail of bullets, knowing they wouldn't be directed at him. That was, until one pinged off a pipe near his head. He saw Riley crouching behind the generator, leveling his gun for another shot, a furious look in his eyes. It was obvious he at least had finally seen the truth.
Cloud dashed to the side, until a second generator blocked him from Riley's view. His sword now firmly grasped in his hands, he made his way across the room, using the generators as cover, to try to cut behind his adversaries. He could hear Marcus shouting orders, but couldn't quite make out what he was saying above the din of gunfire.
A green glow caught his attention. He looked up and spotted Sephiroth on a walkway above them. He was staring in front of himself, where a green light was coalescing.
He heard a shout of warning from Marcus. The Nighthawks didn't have any materia, or at least, Cloud had never seen them with any. It appeared however, that Marcus at least was familiar with its properties.
The ground shook as Sephiroth released the blast of Ultima. Cloud wasn't that close to the enemy, but still he was almost knocked off his feet. Once again, just like when he used Sephiroth's materia to cure himself on his Soldier final exams, he was awed by the sheer power of Sephiroth's materia, and will.
The blast struck the base of the generator like an out of control locomotive. The entire generator shook as the structure around the base warped or was torn apart from the blast. Pieces of shrapnel flew through the air above Cloud's head, the roar of flames suddenly filled the air, and any Nighthawk who had not heeded Marcus' warning didn't live long enough to regret it.
Cloud could see that those that remained raced across an open area on the other side of the generator from Sephiroth, Marcus leading the way, in a desperate attempt to escape. Marcus was no fool, Cloud knew that. It would have been suicide to remain pinned down where they were, and the Nighthawks leader had quickly accessed which direction offered the best chance of escape. Cloud saw another of the men go down to Soldier fire, but Marcus, Merlot, Riley and one other man made it across the open area, taking down one Soldier, and disappeared into a corridor leading from the room.
Cloud started off after them. A shout above his head drew his attention. He looked up to see Sephiroth pointing toward another exit. Cloud nodded and ran in that direction, trusting Sephiroth's assessment of the situation. He knew the general floorplan of a mako reactor, having been in one once or twice during his training, but that didn't mean he remembered all the details. The Nighthawks didn't have the resources available to Soldier, they hadn't had a detailed floorplan. Running through a maze of corridors, Cloud wasn't sure exactly where he was going. He wasn't sure how many Soldiers were here. He wasn't sure if Sephiroth had concentrated everyone near the generators or had left others in the surrounding area to cut off any escape. Nevertheless, he didn't think the Nighthawks would get very far. Sephiroth had fought in plenty of battles during the Midgar Wutai war. He had been in command of thousands of troops in dozens of battles. He was too smart to not have covered all bases. Cloud ran on, trying to keep in a straight line, assuming his job was to prevent the Nighthawks from getting past him if they chose to run in this direction. He didn't think they had a chance in hell of getting away.
"Mouse!"
Mouse stopped, looking back the way she had come. She stood in the street just outside the reactor. When she had left Aeris she had run to the meeting place, but they had already been gone. Cursing, she had run to the reactor, hoping to catch up, but she had seen no sign of the others. Now she stood beneath the wall that surrounded the grounds, wondering how the others had gotten in.
She glared as Aeris ran up beside her.
"What do you want?" she said, her voice not at all friendly.
Aeris looked up in the darkness at the wall in front of them.
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know," Mouse replied. "You made me late so they left without me. They must already be inside."
"How did they get in?"
"I don't know," Mouse responded.
"How are you going them?"
"I don't know that either," Mouse said irritably. "Why don't you stop asking stupid questions and go home!"
For the first time Aeris looked a bit annoyed herself. She was starting to get tired of all this abuse.
"You're the one who came to talk to me, remember?"
"Yeah, and you made it clear you weren't going to help," Mouse replied.
"Well, I changed my mind."
"Really?" Mouse said, immediately perking up. "You're going to come inside with me?"
"I'm only here to try to keep everyone from killing each other," Aeris told her. She looked at the wall again. "So, do you have a plan on getting in there?"
"No," Mouse said ruefully. "I have no idea how the others got in, and it's too high to climb."
"Too bad we don't have any rope," Aeris observed.
"Yeah. Well, wishing for it ain't gonna do us any good. C'mon, lets see if we can find somewhere to get past this wall."
"Like a gate?"
"Uhh, yeah."
"Won't they be guarded?" Aeris half hoped they wouldn't be able to find a way in.
"Of course, but the others got in somehow. I'm hoping to stumble upon that way."
Aeris fell silent as they walked swiftly down the street. She still wasn't sure what she was doing here. If she went inside she was risking everything. If someone from Soldier came upon her there was no telling what would happen. In any case, she didn't think Zack would be able to protect her. Would he even try? She suspected he would, and that concerned her as well. She wasn't only risking her own life here, she was risking his career. Her stomach felt like it was tied in a knot, but she had to see this through. She had to do what she thought was right.
The lights grew up ahead of them. Aeris looked ahead and saw there was a break in the wall. Ahead of her Mouse slowed down and slipped into the shadows, hugging the wall.
As they got closer they saw there was a gate here, and it was open. However, floodlights lit the entire area, and they could see a guardhouse just inside the wall on the far side of the opening. There was no way they could get by without being seen.
Mouse slowed down until she came to a halt. Going any farther would expose them to the floodlights. It was a dead end.
Aeris was about to suggest they try another direction when they heard several sharp retorts in the distance. Both of them instinctively crouched down. Living in the slums, they were both familiar with the sound of gunshots.
"It came from inside!" Mouse hissed.
Aeris did not reply. It was obvious the battle was already going on. They were too late.
"There's no way in. By the time we find a way it will probably be too late," she said, half hoping that Mouse would give up on the attempt.
But her young companion would have none of that. She inched forward, until she stood at the very edge of the light, staring at the guardhouse in front of them. Another step and she would be in clear view of it. Aeris was about to caution her when the younger girl spoke again.
"I don't think there's anyone in there..."
Aeris peered at the guardhouse. She couldn't see anyone inside.
Before she could say anything Mouse suddenly ran forward, into the light and right through the gate.
Aeris stood there for just a moment, caught by surprise. No alarm sounded. No one came out to intercept Mouse. It was obvious the young girl had been right. The gate was unguarded. Aeris wasn't sure what that meant, but for some reason she didn't think it was a good sign. She could think of no reason for them to abandon the gate unless it was part of the trap, but it was too late to call Mouse back, not that she'd listen anyway. Her fears mounting, Aeris ran in after her.
"Split up!" Marcus shouted. "Every man for himself. If you get out, make your way back to the 16th street warehouse."
The others obeyed, scattering in different directions. No one protested. There wasn't time, and Marcus was their leader. He knew they stood no chance against a concentrated group of Soldiers. They would just get penned in and wiped out. If they scattered the Soldiers would have to split up as well and maybe a few of them could slip through the cracks. This way offered the best chance for at least a few of them to survive.
He turned left around and corner, turning into a stairwell and plunging down a metal staircase, taking the steps three at a time. He cursed himself for having trusted Strife. He was an old hand at this, he should have known better. If he ever ran into the bastard again, he'd tear him apart with his bare hands.
He heard a shot behind him and increased his speed, running recklessly down the stairs. Strife didn't matter now. He had sprung his trap and they had fallen for it. Before he could think about getting his hands on anyone, he'd somehow have to get out of here alive, and even he had to admit the odds weren't good.
The stair seemed to go on and on. He wondered how far down he was now, and how far to the bottom. They didn't have a detailed plan of the reactor. He hadn't the slightest idea where he was going, or where he would end up. He must be far below ground now, and if so he'd probably have to come back up to get out, but perhaps the Soldiers would be guarding the exits and not looking down here. Perhaps he wouldn't even have to go back up. Strife had led them in from the sewers. If there was one way in, there might be more. He suspected it would be easier to sneak out of the place than to sneak in.
Eventually he did reach the bottom. He opened the door in front of him and stopped, looking around. The room was huge, even larger than the generator room they had been in. It was filled with a green light. Looking down, he could see a pool of superheated mako swirling below him. The room was filled with its flickering green light, and even this far above it, he could feel the heat emanating from it. He must be right in the middle of the central core.
A catwalk lay in front of him, crossing the room to a corridor on the other side. Steel cables held it suspended from the ceiling so far above him he could barely make it out.
With no alternative, he ran out onto the catwalk, making for the other side. He glanced back, expecting any moment for the door to burst open behind him. The catwalk swayed slightly under the thudding of his boots. He suspected it wasn't really meant for anyone to run across, but it wasn't bad enough to affect his balance, and he didn't have time to dawdle. If anyone from Soldier caught him here in the middle of the catwalk, he would be easy prey.
A flash of light above him caught his attention. He looked up. Other catwalks crossed the mako pool at various levels above his head. Near the very top he could see a Soldier looking down at him. Not just any Soldier. The long white hair gave him away even at this distance.
Sephiroth.
A grim smile appeared on Marcus' face. He must have tried to use his material, but Marcus was too far away. He was out of range, at least, for the moment.
Or so he thought.
Lightning flashed far above his head again. He slowed down for a moment, puzzled. It was obvious now that he was not the target of Sephiroth's attack. Was there another of the Nighthawks up there?
A third blast occurred, and this time Marcus saw that it was not directed at another Nighthawk, or anyone at all, but instead the steel beams that supported the roof above their heads. With a rattling grown, one of the girders suddenly gave way.
"Shit!" Marcus shouted. With a burst of speed he raced along the catwalk, trying desperately to reach the other side before the metal missile that Sephiroth had unleashed reached its target. He was not nearly fast enough. He had only taken a few steps, in fact, before the huge steel beam slammed into the catwalk.
The collision pitched the catwalk wildly, and he was thrown from his feet. The steel cables that held up the catwalk snapped like so mush string where the girder hit. The catwalk tilted down, suddenly going from horizontal to vertical. Marcus reached out desperately, grabbing hold of the handrail. He braced himself as the catwalk swung down, pieces of debris falling all around him. The cables ahead of him now bore the full weight of the catwalk, much more weight than they were intended to hold. For a moment the catwalk just hung there, suspended vertically from the thin steel lines, with Marcus suspended halfway down. Then with a pop, they gave way and the entire walkway plunged down into the mako cauldron below.
Zack made his way stealthily through a room filled with a maze of pipes. Every few moments he would pause, listening carefully. He could hear the soft footfalls of someone not far in front of him. Whoever it was, he could tell he was getting closer. He lifted his sword, ready to lash out at any moment. He wasn't worried about it being someone from Soldier. No one of his own people would be making so much noise.
He heard a thud, then a muttered curse. It sounded like it came from just around a cluster of pipes in front of him. He edged forward then peered around the corner. A Nighthawk stood a few feet away, a gun held in one hand and the other rubbing his head where he must have inadvertently banged it against a protrusion. His face was pale. He looked...scared.
Zack gauged the distance between them, deciding the man was too far away to launch an attack. He slipped back behind the pipes then tapped one lightly with his sword.
He ducked down as a volley of shots struck the pipes. He was well hidden behind them however, and suffered no injury. The thumping of feet told him his quarry was running off. He ran out from his hiding spot to see the man disappearing down around the corner ahead. He cut to the side, running down a parallel row so as not to give the man a shot at him. He reached the end and stuck his head out for a moment. More shots as he ducked back, and then the sound he was waiting for, the click of a hammer on an empty chamber.
Riley dropped the clip from his gun, fumbling quickly to pull out another one, then cursed as he saw his pursuer suddenly rush around the corner, straight at him, a sword upraised in his hands.
Riley cursed, then turned and ran. He managed to pull a new clip out of his belt, nearly dropping it in the process. With trembling finger he shoved it quickly into the gun. It took him a few tries. Concentrating on the clip, he wasn't running flat out. He turned to glance back, and saw that Zack was almost upon him. Desperate, he finally managed to shove the clip in the gun. Lifting his hand, he fired wildly behind him. Zack was right behind him now, bearing down with sword raised. In spite of that the two shots Riley got off missed their mark, and then Zack's sword slashed through the air. Riley screamed in pain as the weapon tore into his arm. He fell down, skidding along the floor as his gun clattered away.
He pulled his arm underneath himself, clutching it with his other hand. Zack came up beside him, sword poised. A quick thrust and it would be over, yet he hesitated. Riley was helpless. He was no longer fighting. It was over. In spite of his orders, it didn't seem necessary to kill the man. Could he just take a life, in cold blood?
His hesitation almost proved his undoing. He thought it was over, but he was mistaken. Riley lay on the ground, his arms underneath him, but his left hand wasn't clutching his arm, instead it was pulling his knife from his belt.
He suddenly spun around, pulling himself up and slashing at Zack. The knife caught the young Soldier across the thigh, sending a stab of pain shooting up his leg. Hoping his surprise attack would gain him precious seconds, Riley leapt to his feet and turned to run.
However, Zack wasn't the only one who underestimated his opponent. In spite of the wound Zack lunged forward, his sword whistling around in a deadly arc, connected with the back of Riley's neck, slicing through flesh, bone and nerves. Crimson splashed through the air as Riley once more collapsed to the ground, this time for good.
Cloud moved slowly down the hallway. He had heard sounds of battle earlier, but now all was silent around him. He wondered if all the Nighthawks had already been caught or killed, and he was wandering the corridors for nothing. Still, no one had come by and given the all clear.
He wasn't sure what made him turn around, whether it was a faint sound behind him or just instinct, but it was enough to give him a moments reaction time before the knife struck. He put the time to good use, twisting to one side, and the blade that would have driven into his back glanced harmlessly off his shoulder armor. He tried to bring his sword up, but they were too close together. The other man slammed into him, sending them both to the floor.
"Bastard!"
Cloud dropped his sword, grabbing at the knife that was arcing toward him again, being driven down toward his chest. He managed to get a hold of Merlot's wrist, stopping the weapons progress.
"Damn traitor," Merlot spit out, trying desperately to force the knife downward. "I trusted you. I trusted you, you bastard."
Cloud just held on, trying to push the knife away. He didn't say anything. What could he? Merlot was right. He was a traitor. He had led them all into a trap. He had gained their trust, insinuated himself amongst them, and then betrayed them.
The knife drew closer to him.
What was he thinking? He had just been doing his job. Merlot was a criminal, all the Nighthawks were. They weren't his friends. He didn't have to defend his actions to them. He hadn't done anything wrong. He couldn't lose sight of that.
With a surge of strength he forced the knife back up, away from him.
"Merlot, it's over. Give it up," he said. "The Nighthawks are finished, but no one else has to die. Surrender and I'm make sure I tell them what you were really up to. I'm sure they'll be lenient."
"Lenient?" Merlot spate out. "You fool! You're working for Shinra yet you know nothing about them. President Shinra is a vindictive bastard whose only interest is lining his own pockets with gil. If I let you take me in, he'll never let me survive."
Merlot tried to push downward again, exerting all his force, but Cloud stood firm. Merlot's strength was no match for Cloud's mako enhanced muscles.
"That's not true!' Cloud said. "They're only after you because you're breaking into their reactors. Most people think you're doing it to sabotage them. When they find out the truth, I don't think they'll be so hard on you."
Merlot pushed down desperately, but Cloud was slowly but inevitably forcing his hand back up. Realizing it was hopeless; Merlot looked around desperately, then suddenly let go of the knife and rolled to the side. He grabbed hold of Cloud's sword and leapt to his feet. Cloud stood up as well, holding Merlot's knife in front of him.
"That's exactly why they won't let me live," Merlot snapped. "They don't want people to know the truth. How do you think the story got out in the first place that we were sabotaging the plants? Shinra planted it, that's how. They planted it because they don't want the people to sympathize with us, the don't want the people to know what's really going on."
He stepped forward and swung the sword. Cloud easily dodged to the side. They had reversed weapons, giving Merlot the longer weapon, but he was obviously untrained with a sword.
"If you let me take you in they won't be able to kill you," Cloud responded. "Too many people will know. Put down the sword."
"The only people who will know will be members of Soldier," Merlot replied. "You all work for Shinra. You're going to toe the line for them and if you don't, they'll get rid of you too."
He swung again, and Cloud ducked, the sword just barely missing him. In spite of Merlot's clumsiness he was still in danger. Even an amateur could get a lucky hit. He couldn't let this go on much longer. He didn't want to hurt Merlot, but he didn't want to get killed himself either.
"Don't be ridiculous. Even if there are some corrupt people in Shinra, that doesn't mean everyone who works for them is. I give you my word if you surrender no one will hurt you."
Merlot just gave him a contemptuous look.
"You think I'm going to take the word of a traitor?"
He lunged forward once more, slashing wildly with the blade. Cloud lunged to the side, then again as Merlot pressed forward. Cloud suddenly found himself back up against a wall. The sword stuck a pipe just inches from his head, severing it, even though the pipe was a good six inches thick. Merlot was swinging with all his might, and the sword was coming dangerously close. If one of those blows connected...
Cloud ducked under another blow, then suddenly lunged forward, driving the knife up.
Merlot stopped as the knife slid into his chest, a look of shock on his face. He raised Cloud's sword again, but Cloud grabbed his arm. Merlot offered no resistance this time. He looked at Cloud, and even as he did his eyes began to glaze over.
"You bastard," he whispered before expiring.
"Mouse, please, let's just get out of here."
They were walking down a long narrow hallway. Aeris had no idea where they were going, and she doubted Mouse did either. Her companion seemed to be walking at random, taking whatever path struck her fancy. It seemed like only a matter of time before they blundered into someone from Soldier.
"Shut up."
Aeris frowned, wondering what the hell she was doing here, what she expected to accomplish. Mouse certainly wasn't grateful for the companionship, that was for sure.
"You have no idea where they are," Aeris tried again. "I don't hear anymore fighting. It's probably all over already. If we run into someone from Soldier what are you going to do? Do you expect to hurt them with that little thing?"
She pointed to the small dagger Mouse held in her hand.
"I'll do whatever I have to do to help my friends," Mouse replied.
"Even if that means dying with them?"
"Yes, if that's all I can do!"
"You're not going to help them by dying!"
"I'm not going to abandon them! You don't know what's going to happen any more than I do. Maybe they're all dead. Maybe there's nothing I can do, but I don't know that. On the other hand, maybe I can help them."
"Help them? How?"
"I know how to fight!' Mouse said angrily. "This dagger might not be much but I know how to use it, or have you forgotten that I cut you with it? Unlikely as it might seem to you maybe I can make a difference."
Aeris shook her head. Yes, Mouse had cut her with that dagger, but she wasn't a member of Soldier, hell, she hadn't even been fighting back at the time. She didn't think a Soldier would have any trouble at all disarming the young girl, or worse. She couldn't deny what Mouse was saying. She doubted Mouse could be of any use except to die alongside her friends, but it obviously wasn't going to do much good to tell the young girl that. Actually, she couldn't help but admire her friend's spirit and loyalty, even if she thought it was misplaced.
She wasn't getting anywhere this way. Perhaps it was time to try a different line of reasoning.
"I thought you wanted to help people."
"I do. I want to help my friends. Why do you think I'm here in the first place?"
"What about everyone else?" Aeris continued. "What about all the poor people out there who can't afford to pay Shinra. What's going to happen to them when the Nighthawks are wiped out?"
"They're not going to get wiped out!" Mouse exclaimed. Neither one of them noticed how loudly they had started to talk.
They entered a large dimly lit room filled with machinery. The lights had been turned off, and neither one of them knew, nor cared much, where the switch was to turn them on. Most of the machines had lights on them, blinking white or red or green. It was enough to let them see where they were going.
"You don't know that, just like you told me. You don't know what's going to happen. You have to admit the odds of all of you dying or being captured are a lot greater than you all getting away. What happens then? What happens to all those people in the slums without electricity when the Nighthawks are gone?"
"I don't know," Mouse replied abrasively. "Why are you asking me that?"
"You know very well what will happen to them. They'll probably all freeze to death. If you're all killed here they will have no hope, but if someone survives, if at least one of you get out of here alive, then the Nighthawks aren't gone. They'd still have a chance."
Mouse stopped and turned to look at her.
"What are you saying? That the Nighthawks live if I live? I can't run the Nighthawks by myself."
"No, but you can recruit others. You can start over. Haven't you ever heard of living to fight another day?"
"I don't know anything about that kind of thing. Marcus and the others are the experts. They did all the recruiting and all the electrical work. I couldn't do it by myself."
"You were there, you were with them. You probably know a lot more than you think. Even if you don't know a lot, you can learn, and get others to help. I know you want to help your friends, but isn't it more important to keep the Nighthawks alive, to have someone survive to continue to help those people?"
Mouse just stood there. Aeris realized she had finally hit upon an argument that at least had made an impact. Still, a moment later Mouse shook her head.
"There's no saying the Nighthawks will be wiped out. I've got to try to help them. I may be able to help some of the others get away. Then there'd be an even greater chance of our carrying on."
Aeris sighed in frustration. She had thought for a moment she was getting through.
"Look, you don't have..."
Aeris stopped, her eyes growing wide as a shadow suddenly loomed out of the darkness directly behind Mouse."
"Look out!" she screamed.
Mouse turned her head, then her shoulders jerked forward and Aeris heard the horrible sound of steel tearing through flesh. Mouse's mouth formed a little o and a sort of whimper emanated from the lips. Both of them looked down and stared in shock at the blade that protruded from he chest.
"My god, no!" Aeris cried out.
The sword suddenly withdrew, and with that, Mouse fell to the ground in a heap. Aeris ran over and threw herself down beside her friend.
"No, please no!" she stammered, pulling Mouse to her, not able to take her eyes off the horrible wound in the friends chest.
I don't want her to die!
Aeris closed her eyes, concentrating. Concentrating like she never had before. Almost immediately she felt the heat welling up from deep inside of her. A breeze sprang up, wafting through her hair, and she felt the power release inside her.
She opened her eyes. Mouse was still bleeding. There was blood everywhere.
"She is beyond your power to heal."
She looked up at the tall man standing beside her, the man who looked so different and yet so similar to the fourteen year old boy who had let her and her mother walk by in their escape from Shinra so long ago.
"Sephiroth. You killed her! You didn't have to. She couldn't have hurt you."
"I have my orders," Sephiroth replied. "Kill all the Nighthawks. No exceptions."
For the first time Aeris realized, though Sephiroth held his sword loosely in his hand and did not seem poised to attack, just how close the blade was to her own neck. She glanced over at her rod, lying on the ground where she dropped it when she tried to help Mouse. It was right beside her, inches from her hand, but she somehow knew it might as well be miles away.
"Are you going to kill me too?"
He didn't reply, just stood there looking at her with those bright green eyes of his. She couldn't read anything in his expression. If he wanted her dead, he could do it in an instant. Just a flick of his blade and it would be over. She knew she didn't stand a chance against him. What was he waiting for?
"Sephiroth, stop!"
Aeris turned and saw Zack running toward them, or at least, running as best he could. His was favoring his right leg, and as he came up to them she saw blood seeping into his pants from a long gash on his thigh.
"Don't hurt her Sephiroth, she's not one of them!"
He stood right beside them now. He held his sword in his hand, but he did not raise it. In spite of his determination to protect Aeris, he still found himself reluctant to take up his sword against his commanding officer. He didn't want to get into a fight with Sephiroth, and not only because he knew he had little chance. More importantly they were friends, but if the General was determined to kill Aeris, he would have no choice.
Sephiroth just stood there, staring first at him, then at the young Cetra. Still he made no move, no motion to either attack or retreat.
"She's not here as a member of the Nighthawks," Zack continued. "She just didn't...didn't want anyone to get hurt. She doesn't have anything to do with them."
Zack stopped, not knowing what else to say, fully aware that what he had said already sounded pretty lame. Still, what else could he say? He had already decided he would protect Aeris with his life, but he desperately wanted to avoid a fight.
Sephiroth almost smiled, but not quite. He hadn't had any idea how far Zack would go to protect Aeris. They must be much closer than he had thought. It was almost touching, in fact. Of course, he had no intention of hurting Aeris. He had been given orders to kill all the Nighthawks, but he was certain no one at Shinra had any knowledge of her having any connection to them. Considering how desperately Hojo was seeking her, it seemed unlikely their kill everyone commanded would apply to her. Even if it had, in this case he would be forced to disobey. Hojo wasn't the only one who had plans for the Cetra.
Sephiroth sheathed his sword.
"This mission is over. I'll get the others. We'll meet you back at headquarters."
And with that, he turned and strode quickly away.
Zack just stood there for a moment, then heaved a silent sigh of relief. He had been sure he was going to die. Aeris looked down at Mouse. She lowered her head, resting it against Zacks chest and began to sob softly.
"I couldn't help her. I came to try to help, to try to stop the killing. I couldn't. I couldn't do anything. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Zack wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, one hand coming up to stroke the back of her hair.
"There was nothing you could do, Aeris. They made their choice. It's all over now. C'mon, I'll take you home."
"You all right?"
Cloud lay on his back on the couch, his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He was relaxing the a lounge at Shinra headquarters when Zack came in. Sephiroth had left as soon as they arrived, heading off to brief the President. Cloud had flopped down on the couch, waiting for Zack to return. Now he looked at his friend expectantly.
"I guess," Zack replied. "You?"
Cloud shrugged without replying. The mission was over. They had done their job, they had taken out the Nighthawks just as they had been ordered to do. He should be proud, but he didn't feel that way. Instead he had a sour feeling about the whole thing. When he had first joined Soldier he had a high regard for Shinra. He had been proud to be part of the organization. Now he wasn't so sure. There were just too many unanswered questions.
He had a feeling Zack felt much the same way.
"How's your girlfriend?"
Zack looked at him.
"Sephiroth told me she was there," Cloud clarified.
Zack sighed. What a mess that had been. He felt he should have been mad at her. She had stubbornly got herself caught up in the middle of everything in spite of his pleading with her not to. She had risked his career for some people she hardly knew, but more importantly she had put her own life in danger.
"She was pretty messed up," he said.
She had cried the entire way home. Any anger he may have felt had been quickly washed away by her tears. She had tried to stop the killing and she hadn't succeeded. He suspected that was more punishment than anything he could mete out. Instead he had tried to offer her what little comfort he could.
He still couldn't believe Sephiroth had spared her. His heart had been in his throat when he had seen the General standing over her. He had been afraid they were both dead. Would he really have stood against the mighty Sephiroth if it had come to that?
He had been shocked and, of course, tremendously relieved when he realized Sephiroth wasn't going to kill her, but he still wasn't sure why. She was with the Nighthawks. Unless he had some inside information, what other conclusion could he draw except that she was a member too.
Well, he was a General after all. He must have his own intelligence network, especially if he was planning on overthrowing Shinra. He might have known a lot more than he let on.
Of did he just let her go because of Zack's feeling for her.
And just what are my feeling for her, he thought.
He had gone out with plenty of girls over the last few years. More than he could count. He hadn't been serious with any of them. But Aeris, Aeris was somehow different. When he saw Sephiroth standing over her, he would have done anything to save her. Anything...
"I think I love her," he said softly.
"Huh?" Cloud blurted. He certainly hadn't been expecting that!
"Aeris," Zack said. "I think I might love her."
He walked over to the couch. Cloud sat up to make room for him.
"Really?"
Zack nodded as he sat down.
"Uh huh," he said hesitantly. "I don't know, I just...when I thought Sephiroth was going to kill her, it was like my he was going to kill me too. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her. I never felt like that about anyone before."
He shook his head.
"Gah, I must sound like an idiot!"
"No," Cloud replied, smiling slightly. "Not at all. Though I must say this is a departure for you."
"Yeah, I know, that's what scares me."
He scratched his head.
"I don't even know how she feels about me."
"I don't think you have a problem there. Just turn on a little of that Zack charm and she'll melt in your arms."
"I'm not so sure," Zack replied. "Like I said, she's different from the others. She isn't impressed by pretty words. Hey, I just realized, you've never even met her!"
Cloud nodded. It did seem a bit strange they'd known each other for so long and he'd never met Aeris.
"I know," Cloud agreed. "I can't believe she was there at the reactor and I didn't even see her."
"Well, we'll just have to remedy that then," Zack continued.
"From what you've told me, she seems like a real nice person," Cloud said. "I hope everything works out for you."
"Me too," Zack replied enthusiastically. "I think you two will get along real well."
Just then a Shinra guard strode into the room. He spotted them and came over.
"General Sephiroth would like to see you both in his quarters."
"Okay, thanks," Zack said. The man nodded and walked away.
They both hurried to the Generals quarters. Sephiroth bade them sit down when they entered.
"President Shinra is quite pleased with our work," he told them. "I'm pleased to tell you you've both been recommended for commendations. Congratulations."
Zack and Cloud just nodded.
"I realize this mission was a bit...unusual. We all had to make some hard choices, some it might be difficult to live with, but I'm afraid that's part of the job of being a soldier. Hopefully, things will change in the future so we don't have to deal with things like this anymore."
"Let's hope so," Zack stated.
"I understand you might not have considered the Nighthawks as bad people. Personally I don't think they were myself, but, let's not kid ourselves, sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. Strife, I know Shinra won't do anything, but I'll personally make sure that Merlot's wife and kids are taken care of. I don't see that they should have to suffer for the mistakes of their father."
"Thanks," Cloud said softly.
"All right. Difficult as it may be, I think we can safely put this little episode behind us. We've got another assignment."
"So soon?" Zack said, surprised.
"Yes, but don't worry, this one is more in our area of expertise than the previous mission. We've got to go eradicate some monsters. The President wants us to leave tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow morning? So soon?" Zack stated.
"Yes. He seems to think it's pretty urgent, and would have sent us sooner except of course we were on the other case. That's another reason he was so pleased that we got it done so quickly."
"Damn, that's not going to leave us anytime to do anything," Zack mused. Aeris had still been pretty broken up when he had left her. He had at least wanted to see her again. Especially now that he realized how he felt about her.
"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about it," Sephiroth said. "The President was very insistent. On the plus side, I suspect it won't take us all that long to complete."
"And there's one other thing," he said, turning to look at Cloud. "The President was especially impressed with your undercover work. So was I, frankly. It took a lot of guts to do what you did, and you pulled it off as well as anyone, in or out of Soldier."
Cloud didn't say anything, but of course, he was pleased.
"I always thought it was a bit unfair what happened to you with Soldier," Sephiroth went on. "After all you've done, I think I won't have too much trouble getting you reinstated."
Cloud didn't say anything, for it took a moment for that to sink in. Then, in spite of his attempts to remain impassive, he couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice when he spoke.
"Really?"
Sephiroth nodded. Zack broke into a wide grin.
"That'd be great!"
He slapped Cloud on the back, so hard it nearly knocked him over.
"All right, don't get too excited," Sephiroth said with a laugh. "You deserve it. And there are some perks to being a General, you know."
"Thanks you sir," Cloud said gratefully.
"You don't have to thank me. Like I said, you deserve it. All right, that's about it. Get out of here and get some rest. We've got an early start tomorrow. If all goes well, we'll be back here in a few days to get some must needed R&R."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Zack agreed.
He and Cloud got up and walked to the door. As Cloud opened it Zack turned back toward Sephiroth.
"Oh, you didn't mention," he said. "Where exactly are we going tomorrow?"
Sephiroth just looked at him for a moment, then his gaze fell on Cloud, a penetrating look in his green eyes.
"Nibelheim."
AUTHORS NOTE: I have to admit this story was a struggle at times because of all the constraints placed on it in order to keep it consistent with the game. I'm not sure I'll attempt a pre-game story again. At least not like this. Sure, Shards was pre-game too but that dealt with Tifa and Dulane, someone who was, of course, not mentioned in the game so I had a pretty free hand. This one I had to watch everything that happened so it remained consistent, and sometimes that was quite a chore. It drove me absolutely crazy that Cloud and Aeris couldn't meet. It makes NO SENSE whatsoever for Cloud and Zack to be friends for years and Aeris to be Zack's girlfriend during that time and yet Cloud and Aeris never meet. Not only never meet, but have never even heard of each other (for it's obvious in the game that they don't know each other when they meet in the church) I tried my damndest to figure out a way around this constraint but I could just think of no plausible way. Yes, I know Cloud's mind was messed up and he might not remember a meeting (hence, I DID end up having Zack mention Aeris name to him. We can just say that his little side trip to Hojo's lab after the Nibelheim incident made that slip his mind) but Aeris would have remembered! Nothing was wrong with her mind. So that made the story quite hard to write at times. I'm not sure whether the fact that Tifa wasn't involved in this story had anything to do with it being a bit difficult to write either. Anyway, in spite of that, I thought it turned out reasonably well. And yes, I just couldn't resist a little forshadowing of the fate in store for Aeris in the way Mouse died. Well, guess I've babbled enough. Time to get started on the next project!