Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Ice ❯ Friend or Foe ( Chapter 28 )

~~~~~ meanwhile

******** an indefinite time later

 

Chapter 28: Friend or Foe

 

“I'm sure Heidegger is going to be after us,” Reeve commented as they all gathered together. “It is dangerous out in the open. Going underground is our best option.”

 

“You mean use the train tunnels?” asked Cloud.

 

Reeve nodded. “Precisely.” He pointed towards the hatch in the small alley where they were all hiding. Barret and Cid moved forward and worked together to pull up the heavy metal lid.

 

One by one, the members of AVALANCHE dropped down into the tunnels.

 

“I'm not sure which way we should go from here though,” the ex-executive said, scratching his head. “I never really made it a habit to go skulking about in the train tunnels.”

 

They were dimly lit, only the emergency lights active. Martial law had put a strangle hold on the town of Midgar. However, they really had only one of two choices, left or right.

 

“There's no way past it then,” Cloud said, sighing heavily. “We will have to split up.”

 

“Are you sure that's safe? To divide our power like that?” Nanaki questioned worriedly.

 

“We don't have time for anything else,” Cid spoke up.

 

Their leader nodded. “Aeris, Vincent, Barret, you three are with me. Cid, I'm counting on you.”

 

The pilot exhaled softly but nodded in understanding. Inside he wanted to argue. Whoever said he wanted to be leader again? And for that matter, he didn't want to be separated from Vincent. Who would protect him if the pilot wasn't there? Not that said ex-Turk needed him or anything but it was the principle of the matter.

 

“We'll take the left path, you follow the right. Just… stay alive,” ordered Cloud, finishing rather lamely.

 

“Believe you me, I have no intention of dying just yet!” Cid grinned. He clasped hands with their spiky-headed leader then turned towards the right. “C'mon crew, let's move out!”

 

The other blond stood silently for a moment, watching half of his crew head in an opposite direction. He wanted to just say that they should stick together, but practicality won out. They were all grownups… well mostly anyways. They knew what they were getting into. Still, the blond felt almost responsible for everyone under his command. He would kick himself if they died and he hadn't been there to prevent it.

 

“Cloud?” asked Aeris, looking at him worriedly.

 

The blond shook his head, drawing his sword. “Nothing, come on, let's go.”

 

* * *

 

The group of four heroes trudged rather quietly down the silent and dimly lit corridors of the train tunnels. It seemed that said tunnels were never-endless being as there had been no change. Not a side path, not another ladder, nothing.

 

“Do you suppose this is the right direction?” the flower girl questioned aloud.

 

“Either way, we really have no choice but to continue.” Cloud shrugged. “It will come to an end eventually. They don't go on forever.”

 

“What's that?” the gun-armed man questioned, pointing to a dim spot of orangish-red light in the tunnels ahead of them.

 

Vincent peered into the darkness, his demon-aided eyes seeing much more than their average human ones. “It is a cigarette accompanied by three people.” He put his hand on his holster and drew the Outsider, cocking the trigger.

 

“Enemies?” Cloud questioned.

 

Vincent shook his head. “Perhaps.”

 

The three figures slowly came into view.

 

A short-haired blond gasped. “Oh, no! They're here! What are we going to do? I think it's okay to ignore your orders now.”

 

The red-haired man tapped his weapon against his shoulder thoughtfully. “… Elena, don't act so weak.” A strange expression crossed his face as he scanned the group before him.

 

“We're Turks, Elena,” added in the well-built dark-skinned man standing to her right.

 

“…Yes, sir. You're right,” she acquiesced.

 

“Come on, we've got work to do,” Rude said tiredly.

 

Reno sighed and adjusted the sunglasses he had pressed up on his forehead. “I'm not really up for it, but…” He shrugged, obviously wishing he were anywhere but there. “Our orders were to seek you out and kill,” he said softly, a strange tone in his voice. “Our company may be in turmoil, but an order's an order. That's the will and spirit of the Turks! Believe it!”

 

Cloud stared at the three Turks but just couldn't strike up the gumption to draw his weapon and begin attacking. Somehow, fighting the three assassins no longer seemed of importance. He didn't answer them as he stood staring, eyeing his crew with intentions not to fight either.

 

“What are you doing?” Elena questioned angrily. “Let's go!”

 

“No.” Cloud shook his head. “Let's not.”

 

“You showing pity?!” the female Turk demanded. Rude and Reno seemed thoughtful. “Don't take the Turks for fools!” She moved forward as if to attack.

 

“Wait, Elena,” Reno said softly. She stopped in her tracks and turned startled brown eyes onto her companion.

 

“Reno! You're not violating the order… are you!?”

 

The red-head shook his head. “ShinRa's finished. It's come down to this. I don't want to fight them anymore.” He closed his eyes for a moment, seeming to be incredibly tired.

 

Rude didn't say anything as he stared thoughtfully.

 

“Rude…” Elena questioned, seeming a bit confused.

 

“I'm tired of this as well,” the bald Turk began. “We're not heroes, but maybe our skills can go to better use.”

 

“You were a great Turk, Elena,” the red-head added in, opening his eyes. “But I'm tired of this.” He waved his hand and gestured to the spiky-haired blond and his companions. Shaking his head, he turned as if to leave.

 

“Wait!” Cloud called out. The red head stopped in his tracks. “How do we get to the Sister Ray from here?”

 

Reno and Rude exchanged a glance. “It's just a few more feet down the tunnel. There will be a ladder there,” Reno answered carefully, his eyes gleaming strangely.

 

“Where is Marlene?” Barret finally asked, speaking for the first time.

 

However, it was the female Turk who replied. “Probably in the medical center. That is where they have been keeping her and that woman,” Elena answered.

 

“Take me there!” the dark-skinned man demanded.

 

“Barret!” his leader exclaimed.

 

The gun-armed man turned to face his friend. “I'm sorry, Spike, but I realized something while we were in the city. Marlene is all that's important to me and I've been leaving her alone with no protection. She's all I care about.”

 

“We will take you there,” Rude said. “We are after all, going with Plan B.”

 

“Plan B?” Aeris questioned, finally speaking.

 

Again, the two male Turks exchanged a look, but it was Elena who spoke.

 

“Grab Tseng and get the hell out of here! Right?”

 

“Wait, Tseng?” the flower girl queried. “Then he is alive?”

 

The blond Turk nodded. “Yes, albeit a bit worse for the wear.”

 

“C'mon man, if you are coming,” Rude said, moving past the group to head down the direction they had just come from. Barret nodded and took off after the dark-skinned Turk.

 

“We will try to get as many people out of the slums and into Kalm as possible,” Elena said as she passed by Cloud. “I don't know how many are left, though… what with Weapon and then the soldiers and with Archer secretly evacuating them.” She sighed then. “Still, it is the least we can do.”

 

Cloud nodded and turned back to face the red-haired Turk who still hadn't moved.

 

“Yo, partner, you coming?” Rude called to his aquamarine-eyed friend.

 

Reno appeared thoughtful for a moment before turning his gaze on Cloud. “You're going to stop Hojo, right? And the others in your group, where are they?” His voice was strangely pleading.

 

“Could already be there for all we know.” The spiky-haired man shrugged. “I'm sure there is more than one path to the Sister Ray. We had to split up.”

 

Reno sighed and tapped his Electro Rod against his shoulder again.

 

“Reno?” Rude questioned, wondering what his partner was up to.

 

“Come with us,” Vincent said suddenly. The red-head looked up at him, crimson meeting aquamarine. “We are sure to meet up with the others later.”

 

The Turk leader nodded. “Go on Rude, take care of Tseng,” he called out to his friends.

 

Rude frowned, but otherwise made expressionless. Then it seemed something clicked in his mind, and he flashed his friend a big smile. “Gotcha. Don't die on me yet.”

 

With that he turned and ran down the passageway, Elena and Barret on his heels.

 

“And don't you either,” Reno muttered, watching his friends leave. He turned his gaze back towards the three companions. “Shall we?”

 

~ ~ ~

 

“C~id,” Yuffie whined aloud as she dragged her feet against the ground. “I don't think this is the right way!”

 

The group had already taken one wrong turn when the tunnel diverged. They had to retrace their steps and take the other tunnel. It threw them off track and settled a new worry over them.

 

“Your opinion no longer matters,” the pilot muttered as he strode a bit of ways ahead of the group. He was trying his best to block out the annoying ninja's voice… and quit worrying about Vincent at the same time. With the recent events, Cid was worried that his demons might try to come out on their own again, and Cloud would just opt to kill.

 

“Look!” Nanaki said, gesturing towards the tunnel ahead of them. “It's ended.”

 

“Tch!” Cid cursed. Damn dead ends.

”There is a ladder though,” commented Reeve. “We might as well try it.”

 

“Be my guest,” the Captain said, insisting that Reeve go first.

 

Shrugging the ex-executive was the first to climb the ladder, easily opening the hatch and sticking his head up to see where they were at.

”It's ShinRa HQ,” the ex-ShinRa called down.

 

“Well, come back down,” Cid said, “we don't need to go there.”

 

“Hold on a minute,” Reeve said, popping his head back down to glare at the pilot. “What if Archer's there? I ought to rescue him since it's my fault he's in their clutches.”

 

“We don't have time for that,” Cid growled. “We have to completely turn back around and catch up to the others.”

 

“He's right.” A deep voice resonated through the tunnel, startling the four present. All eyes turned towards the darkness.

 

Rude, Elena, and Barret stepped into the dim light, revealing themselves. It was the bald man who had spoken.

 

“Cloud and the others are already preparing to face Hojo. They will need your help,” Rude said with strength in his voice.

 

“We will save Archer,” Elena continued. “Don't you worry about that.”

 

“Where's Reno?” Reeve asked in the same moment that Yuffie blurted out, “Why are you with them Barret?”

 

Rude glanced at the two, slightly amused. “Reno is with Cloud, apparently he wants to fight Hojo as well.”

 

“And I'm going ta save Marlene so get off the ladder and outta my way ShinRa boy,” the gun-armed man grumbled, pushing further into the area.

 

Reeve backed down and moved out of Barret's way as the dark-skinned man exuberantly climbed the ladder. He paused for a moment, then reached into a pocket and held out his hand to the ex-executive.

 

“What is this?” he questioned, frowning slightly as he took them.

 

“I forgot to give them back to Cloud. You guys will need it more than I,” Barret said with a grin as he started back up the ladder. Elena and Rude moved to follow the former AVALANCHE leader.

 

“You should hurry,” said Elena as she reached for the ladder rungs and began to climb.

 

“After all, they are waiting aren't they?” Rude snickered, glancing at Reeve meaningfully.

 

“Let's go, crew!” Cid said. “There's no time to waste.”

 

Reeve nodded, glancing into his cupped palms to find every one of Barret's materia, including Fenrir that Reeve had returned to them after their battle with Scorpios. That was Barret's way of saying goodbye…

 

~ ~ ~

 

“What the… hell is that?” Vincent asked in surprise, taking an unconscious step backwards.

 

“It's the Proud Clod…” Reno said, shaking his head.

 

“G'yaaaa, haaa, haaa!!! Here they come!” the mocking voices of Scarlet and Heidegger echoed from the insides of the creature.

 

“They really showed up!” Scarlet exclaimed, speaking to her companion. “You sure did treat us like dogs up to now!! Killing off a lot of my precious soldiers and all.”

 

“Now is our chance to pay you back for all that you've done, gya, haa, haa!!” Heidegger laughed maniacally.

 

Cloud drew the Heaven's Cloud from its sheath and leveled it at the metal monster, mentally reviewing his stock of materia.

 

However, Vincent had already started the battle. He touched the Escort Guard on his wrist and the small red materia lodged into one of the slots. “Black Cauldron,” he said simply, calling forth the Hades summon.

 

Darkness fell over the battlefield and four small fires sprang to life around the circumference of a circle surrounding the figure of the Proud Clod. It began to spin and a suspiciously patterned stone disc rose from the floor. It was followed by four surrounding columns that formed a stage in front of the metal monster. A gothic chandelier was suspended in midair above the platform, casting an eerie light over the darkened battlefield.

 

A pillar of light summoned Hades who appeared standing over a smoking cauldron. The cloaked skeleton cast a spell, causing the cauldron to erupt and send a tide of red and blue smoke over the enemy party. The metal armor began to sizzle and hiss as corrosive acid poured over its shining red surface.

 

Hades grinned maliciously before disappearing in a puff of smoke. The battlefield instantly began to become lighter. Before it did, however, Cloud took that opportunity to perform Climhazzard on the reeling monster, slicing up the armor and revealing the occupants inside easily. Both Heidegger and Scarlet were screaming curses as their monster was easily destroyed.

 

Aeris finished by casting Comet 2, with a surprisingly calm look on her face. Four comets appeared in the sky, pulled out of orbit by the power of her magic, slamming into the metal body of the Proud Clod and shattering it into pieces.

 

Smoking and completely obliterated, the Proud Clod fell off the side of the stairwell, the sounds of Scarlet and Heidegger's screams echoing up to the ears of the friends.

 

Reno gaped at the three of them. He hadn't even had to draw his Electro Rod much less take place in the battle. They had done in the Proud Clod in less than five minutes. They were even more powerful than the last time the Turks had fought, and the red-head was more than glad that they hadn't chosen to fight them in the tunnels.

 

“That was surprisingly easy.” Vincent snorted, glaring down at the few pieces of twisted wreckage littering the street.

 

“The next won't be so easy. We can't afford to use big spells like that near the control panel,” Reno commented.

 

“Neither can we afford to stand here and muse about the battle. Hojo is still at the Sister Ray!” Cloud ordered with a snort. He picked up the abandoned sword that Proud Clod had originally been holding and tested its weight. The balance was perfect and it was stronger than the Heaven's Cloud. “Let's go,” he demanded and ran for the stairs, the other three nodding in agreement and following after him.

 

The group of four raced up the metal stairs towards the control panel for the Sister Ray. Already they felt like they had run out of time. The leader was the first to crest the top of the stairs.

 

“Hojo!” the spiky-headed man exclaimed. “Stop right there!!” He halted right behind the crazed scientist and leveled his newly gained Ragnarok at him.

Reno, Vincent, and Aeris flanked him on both sides, preparing for the battle.

 

Hojo looked over his shoulder unconcernedly, barely acknowledging their presence. “Oh… the failure… and my favorite toy as well…”

 

“At least remember my name! It's Cloud!”

 

The scientist shrugged, returning back to the control panel. He spoke without looking at them. “Every time I see you, I…. It pains me that I had so little scientific sense. I evaluated you as a failed project. But, you are the only one that succeeded as a Sephiroth clone. Heh, heh, heh…. I'm even beginning to hate myself.”

 

“No one can hate you more than I,” Vincent spat poisonously. He glared at the bespectacled man with all the hatred and fury that had been building within him for the past thirty years.

 

“None of the matters… just stop this nonsense!” Aeris declared, raising her Princess Guard, preparing to destroy the man who once saw her as a test subject.

 

“…nonsense?” questioned Hojo as if he wasn't sure what they were talking about. “Oh, this?” He laughed maniacally. “Sephiroth seems to be counting on the energy. So, I'm going to lend him a hand.”

 

“Why the hell would you do that?” Reno demanded.

 

“Quit asking me why, you morons,” the scientist retorted. “Energy level is at…. 83%. It's taking too long. My son is in need of power and help…. That's the only reason.”

 

“… your son?” Cloud questioned, completely floored by the revelation.

 

“Ha, ha, ha, nobody knew, except perhaps the monster that goes by the name of a long dead Turk. Not even Sephiroth himself. Wonder what he will think when he finds out… always looking down on me like that… Ha, ha, ha!!”

 

Cloud glanced at Vincent who returned the look with an even crimson glare. Shaking his head, the spiky-headed blond returned his attentions to Hojo.

”Sephiroth is your son?” Reno questioned with surprise. In all his years as a Turk, that little piece of knowledge had never come to his ears.

 

Hojo laughed as he fiddled with another button on the control panel. “I offered the woman with my child to Professor Gast's Jenova Project.” Aeris paled when she heard the name of the professor. “When Sephiroth was still in the womb, we took the cells of Jenova…”

 

Cloud shook his head angrily. “I can't believe it is all you… all your fault.”

 

“Pro-Professor Gast… father?” the flower girl repeated as if in a daze.

 

“That's right little girl,” Hojo continued, turning back around to face the friends. His face was twisted up in a mocking glee that frightened everyone present. “Your dear old dad was also a part of this, though the coward backed out at the last second. He never was much of a man of science.”

 

“Hojo, today is the day that you will die!” the blond declared.

 

“Is that so?” questioned the scientist with a raised eyebrow. “Well, I've injected Jenova into myself as well. Nothing can stop me now. Especially since I have this!” He held up his hand and revealed a ring on his middle finger. It was a simple gold band, much like that of a wedding ring.

 

“A wedding band?” Cloud questioned with incredulity. He snorted. “Right. I'm real terrified now.”

 

Hojo just smirked. “This is the Apocalypse band and by the time you realize its true effects, you may already be dead.” He appeared to concentrate just then and the gold band began to glow with a rather poisonous and dark looking luminescence.

 

Vincent let out an unearthly shriek and dropped to his knees, his body began to pulsate. Hands went to his head as it seemed like a million voices began to scream in his mind. One especially was incredibly loud, speaking directly to his demons and ordering them to manifest. A dark cloudy gas appeared out of nowhere, enveloping his body. For a moment, no one could see anything.

 

Hojo laughed maniacally. “I told him that he would be the perfect weapon. And here he thought he had escaped from me.”

 

“What are you talking about?” demanded Cloud.

 

“You'll see,” giggled the insane maniac.

 

“Grr,” Reno growled, drawing his Electro Rod. He rushed Hojo, intending to knock the knowing smirk off of the mad scientist's face.

 

“Reno!” Aeris exclaimed, struggling to decide which type of materia she needed to use.

 

However, the red-head never completed his task. Before he got a chance to even lay a hand on the scientist, a streak of hard flesh and steel barreled into him. It grasped him with one hand around the side of the Turk's throat and squeezed fiercely, before throwing the red-head far away from Hojo. The man was like a blur as he sailed through the air. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to poor Aeris, Reno smacked into the control panel with a resounding thump, head slamming into the metal and leaving an impossibly large dent. He tumbled off of the panel and hit the ground, completely unconscious. Purplish bruises were already forming around the side of his neck.

 

Cloud and Aeris looked at Hojo with abject horror only to realize that a strange demon, the same one that had attacked the Turk, now stood at the scientist's side, glaring at them with intense hatred. It was Hellmasker, Vincent's third demon form, that of a chainsaw-bearing maniac. It wore tattered clothing and had a manic gait.

 

“With this ring in my possession, that damned Valentine is completely under my control,” Hojo cackled. He gestured offhandedly and immediately, Hellmasker cranked up his chainsaw and rushed the two friends.

 

Cloud stepped in front of Aeris and blocked the saw with the Ragnarok. The two wrestled for a moment, strength combating against strength. Yet, even with his power, Cloud was no match for the greater vigor of the demon. He was slowly being pushed back. Hellmasker growled at the two of them, eyes flashing menacingly.

 

“Repel!” Aeris yelled, casting one of her special defensive magics. A ray of light burst from her hand and smacked Hellmasker in the face, knocking the demon back until it lay at Hojo's feet.

 

“Did you hurt him?” questioned Cloud, shoulders heaving with his efforts.

 

Aeris shook his head. “No. I couldn't.”

 

Cloud hefted up the Ragnarok and cast Aeris a grim look. “We may have to. Go see if you can help Reno.”

 

The flower girl nodded and moved as if to help Reno.

 

“Ha, ha, ha! You're not going anywhere!” the mad-man cackled, summoning two monsters from seemingly nowhere. The two strange beasts, called Bad Rap and Poodle, respectively were obviously more results of Hojo's bizarre experimentation. They blocked Aeris from getting to Reno. She could only hope that he wasn't dying as she pulled out her Princess Guard and started hacking at the creatures.

 

“You truly are a bastard!!” Cloud spat as she rushed Hojo and Hellmasker. Yet, Hojo stood back and simply watched as he sent the monster forward to fight.

 

Again chain saw met really big sword with an angry grating sound followed by several sparkles.

 

Hojo began to laugh louder, his voice becoming shrill and hard on the ears. Cloud spared a glance past his own battle and saw that the scientist was slowly changing into a far more gruesome form.

 

They needed help, and they needed help, now.

 

* * *