Meteorite I
A Friend and a foe
By Chris Nelson
J
Chapter 1
It was just another normal Night in Midgar City. All you could hear was the hustle and Bustle of the Crowds, trains were pulling in, and people were having parties. But there was one train in particular. It wasn’t a normal Train. It carried Shinra Soldiers and didn’t make stops for your common worker. Shinra was a giant industry that controlled the whole of Midgar City. People called it the floating city. Although it didn’t actually float, it was held 10’000 feet above the ground by a Giant Pillar. You could not see the sky because of the plates that held the City together. The Giant pillar stretched from the floor all the way up to the highest peak of the plate. There were 8 different parts of Midgar. And that all used to have names, but nobody could remember them so they split them up into Sectors. Sector 1, 2, and 3,they went all the way up to sector 8. Its own pillar held up each sector. The main pillar could not hold up all 8 of the Sectors. They would just collapse and fall. If the Pillar in one of the Sectors were to fall it would crush the whole Sector. Now, even if you survived the pillar falling, 10’000 feet is a long way to drop for something that big. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Each Sector also had a Mako Reactor. They would suck in Mako from out of the earth and then Shinra would sell it off as the main energy resource. But… Mako was not only a main supply of energy for Midgar but it was also what kept the planet alive, without it, the planet was just crumble away and become nothing.
Lets go back to the Train. As the train pulled up outside the Sector 8 Mako Reactor the guards would check the baggage car and collect all the baggage and equipment used to Fix the reactor and keep it running. As normal the 2 guards outside the sector 8 Mako reactor would play Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who would go and get the bags and equipment. “ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS… YES, SCISSORS BEATS ROCK” one of the guards exclaimed. The other one hit him. “You idiot, Scissors beats paper and rock beats scissors now go and get the bags” He hit him again and the other one went to collect the bags when all of a sudden from inside the car there was a crashing sound and a cry in pain. “H-hey, stop messing around and get out here with those bags………..” But I remained silent. “C-c’mon, hurry up and stop p-playin’ around…” But still it was silent. The guard loaded his Gun and walked into the darkness to the Baggage car slowly. Then he saw his partner laying on the floor unconscious. As he walked over to him he was hit in the back of the head with something very hard. Three people jumped off the train. A man with a Red Bandana, and large red stick he used to knock the guards out, one who was quite fat and a woman with fair Brown hair. The man with the red pole signalled out another two people. First out came a very well built Coloured man who had lost his right arm in a battle against some Shinra Soldiers. He would never say when or where he lost. The only thing known about him was he had a Gun Grafted into it shortly afterwards. Also out came a young man with Spiky blonde hair and a very large sword he called “The Buster Sword”. It could cut through virtually anything and came up to His chin. His name was Cloud Strife. He was an Ex-SOLDER. SOLDIER as a military force used by Shinra inc. if the Shinra Soldiers couldn’t get the job done. They were trained elites who would not let anything get in their way. Cloud quit them to join the team of the few who just came off the Train. They were rebel group fighting to stop Shinra from sucking up all the Mako from the earth and killing the planet.
The First 3 ran off to scout ahead and the coloured man shortly followed. He shouted back at Cloud “Hey follow us Newcomer” Cloud shrugged and walked over to a set of steps. As he got to them he heard a shout. “Oi, you, s-s-stay right there, I’m warnin’ you” Cloud looked over at them and shrugged. “Fine, may as well play by your rules.” He stepped back from the steps and put his hands on his head. There were two Shinra soldiers aiming their guns at him in their usual blue uniform shaking in their very expensive Shinra Inc boots. They walked towards him. Cloud then asked “ Can I just do something?
“Like what?” Cloud quickly pulled out the Buster and slashed them both across the chest with it. “He smirked and nodded as he flung his giant sword onto his back. “Like, oh err… Say, Kill you?” Cloud smirked a little more and made his way up the step and onto a bridge.
He looked around. It was very dark. Almost Midnight. He looked over one side of the bridge. But saw nothing, just darkness. When he looked over the other side he could hear something. It sounded like talking. Cloud moved silently. He pulled out his Buster Sword and pressed himself up against the wall. Sidled along slowly and when he looked around the corner he saw the 3 that got off the train first. He sighed with relief but was still curious at the whereabouts of the man with the gun arm. He shrugged and walked around the corner putting his sword away. It was still covered with the blood of the two soldiers he killed as he went up the steps. The one with the Bandana was keeping guard so that nobody would see them. They were trying to open a very large metal door that led into the Mako Reactor. The one with the bandana looked at Cloud Smiled. “Way cool, its not everyday we get someone from SOLDIER Join us. I’m Biggs” He then pointed at the fat one “This is Wedge” And then over at the woman “And this is Jessie
“I don’t care what your names are” Cloud snapped “Once this jobs done I’m outta here got it?” Jessie turned her head to look at Cloud and then looked at Biggs. “Aren’t SOLDIER the enemy?
“Don’t worry Jessie, He quit SOLDIER and now he’s one of us” Biggs replied.
“HEY!!!!” There came a shout from the other side of the bridge. Cloud suspected more Shinra soldiers. He turned around and found the gun-armed man running across the bridge. “HEY, I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO ROUND IN GROUPS, Y’ALL COULD GET BUSTED EASILY AND WHEN YOU LOT ARE BEIN’ QUESTIONED I KNOW Y’ALL WILL SAY IT WAS MY PLAN!!!” Cloud looked over at him and the Gun-armed man walked over to him. “My name is…
“Barrett Wallace, I know you” Cloud quickly interrupted. “Yeah well, your on my team now, so just remember, what I say goes, got it Sucka?” Cloud looked at Barrett and shrugged. “Sure thing” The giant metal door then started to open. Jessie had cracked the code. Barrett, Biggs, Jessie and Wedge ran in and Cloud walked behind them. The door then started to shut. They couldn’t get out from there. Now, there was no turning back.
Chapter 2
It was very quiet in the reactor. Security seemed quite slim. Perhaps this was because they didn’t expect a Shinra hating group to try anything like this. They ran out onto a T shaped bridge that was almost at the top of the pate. All of Sector 8 just looked like a large Grey blur and even though everybody in sector 8 was out, you still could not see even the tiniest little dot.
Wedge Ran straight-ahead and secured the exits while the others took the first lefts and ran up a flight of stairs. When Cloud got up there, Biggs, Jessie and Barrett were standing by another large metal door. “Right listen up Sucka’s here’s the plan. “Biggs, you gonna stay here and change the Access code to these doors, that way these Shinra Goons can’t get through if they find out we’re here, Jessie will come wit’ me and Cloud till we reach the reactor core, from then onwards me an’ Cloud gonna finish it up, got it?
“YES SIR” Biggs and Jessie replied. Biggs got to work opening the door. When the door was open he closed it again and erased the Access code. He then put his own one on to that the Shinra Soldiers couldn’t get through. Jessie, cloud and Barrett got on a lift and pressed down, they then selected Basement level. It was still unusually quiet. Maybe they did suspect this to happen, perhaps maybe…they were waiting for them, well, that didn’t matter, there was nothing in that reactor that Barrett and Cloud Couldn’t handle, well, and that’s what they thought.
In the elevator Barrett tried once more to try a persuade Cloud that something was wrong. “Little by little the Reactors will drain up all the Mako an’ that’ll be that.” Cloud looked up at Barrett and shrugged. “So…
“The Planets Dyin’ Cloud, an’ you don’t give a rats ass do ya?
“All I Care about is getting this job done before security and robo-guards find us, that and the money. Your still are goin’ for 1000Gil right?” Gil was the currency. Basically it was the same as a pound or a Dollar. Barrett snorted. “Yep
“Good” Cloud replied. The elevator reached the basement level and Jessie stayed by the elevator. Cloud and Barrett ran for the reactor core. They had to cross a bridge that went over a river of Mako. If you were to fall in the Reactor would automatically go into self-Destruct mode and the whole thing would erupt.
Cloud placed the bomb on the Wall and all of a sudden an alarm went off. Barrett had tripped a Laser alarm. They turned around and saw a giant metal Scorpion. It lifted its tail above its head and charged up a light blue energy ball. It fires a laser at Cloud. Cloud ran across the bridge trying to escape the beam but it just kept following him. Barrett fired round after round at him but it had little if any effect of the metal monster. As the Scorpio-Guard Charged up its next laser Cloud leant up against the side of the bridge. All of the sudden… BOOM!!! Barrett took a lucky shot at its tail and hit the blue energy ball. When the dust settled it was still there. The bars on the bridge that Cloud was leaning on were so shaken up that the fell backwards, and so did Cloud. He luckily made a quick grab. The Scorpio was certain that Cloud had fallen so it turned its attention to Barrett. Barrett started backing away. Cloud managed to pull himself up. He put his hands out with his palms facing the beast. Barrett’s gun was doing nothing. All of the sudden the metal beast froze. It had been paralysed by Cloud lightning magic attack called Bolt. Then there was the sound of something piercing through the metal of the scorpion. Cloud jumped over the scorpion and pulled his sword out of it. He stood next to Barrett and got ready but there was no need. The Metal monster staggered back and fell off the bridge. Then there was the sound of an even more urgent alarm. Yep, that’s right. The voice said “WARNING, WARNING, EVACUATE THE PREMISIS, SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE HAS BEGUN, THE REACTOR WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 5 MINUTES!! REPEAT!! THE REACTOR WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 5 MINUTES!!!” Cloud stared into the Mako open mouthed. “Crud”
Chapter 3
“You Idiot Cloud” Barrett shouted. “What?” Cloud replied. “Hey, I saved your butt Barrett so….
“Yeah sure, but now your gonna get my ass killed
“No, you will if you keep standin’ around like this,
“Then what do you propose we do?
“RUN AS DAMN FAST AS OUR LEGS CAN DAMN WELL GO!!!” Cloud and Barrett ran across the bridge and over to the elevator where Jessie had gone. “Damn it, Where’s Jessie?” Barrett growled. “Who cares Barrett” Cloud replied. “You’re a big boy now, you can use the elevator as well.” The jumped in. they then heard that voice again. “WARNING, WARNING, 2 MINUTES TO SELF-DESTRUCTION!! REPEAT!! 2 MINUTES TO SELF-DESTRUCTION!!” This was bad. They were stuck in a lift that was so slow, you could only hear the alarm and Cloud mumbling “C’mon, C’mon, oh hurry up you slow ass piece a Crap!!” They reached the top floor and ran into the room. There was where Biggs and Jessie were waiting. “Where the hell were you Jessie?” Barrett Bellowed. “Well, because I heard him say self destruct I though you wouldn’t mind if I came up here.” Biggs opened the door. “Who cares guys!!” Cloud shouted. “The doors open” As they ran out onto the T bridge Wedge was standing by the giant Exit door shouting “C’mon, we ain’t got all day” They managed to make it through the Exit as the voice started counting down. “5-4-3-2-1: Self-Destruct begin!!” The whole of AVALANCHE jumped to the floor in a dark and dank back alley as the Mako Reactor Exploded. Mission accomplished. They all sat up and stared at the burning reactor, they stared at their 5 years of planning and preparation, they stared at their doing, and they enjoyed every second of it. “Well, that should keep the planet goin’ a little longer” Biggs said. “Yeah” Jessie and Wedge agreed and Barrett just nodded. “Well” Said Cloud “Maybe we should get out of here before they find us.
“Good Idea Cloud” Barrett replied. “We meet up at the Sector 8 station, Move out” They all went their separate way ready to meet at the sector 8 station. “H, Hey” Cloud said to Barrett as he was just about to leave. “What?” Barrett asked in a sharp tone of voice. “What about my…
“Money?” Barrett interrupted. “Save that till we get back to the hideout, right now, all the matters is getting out of here with out getting caught, now go!!”
Cloud walked off up a set of hard stone steps. It was quiet, very quiet. You could hear the dripping of raindrops falling off somebody gutter. Clouds footsteps were hitting the stone steps. It seemed like everybody had gone to bed for the night. He walked into an alleyway where there was a young girl, about Clouds age in a rose pink dress. She was selling flowers. Cloud paid no attention to her until she said “Excuse me, but, could you tell me what’s going on? I heard a load bang, almost like an explosion.” Cloud looked up at her, he had his hands in his pockets. “Err…nothing” He looked at the basket of Flowers she had in her hand. “Don’t see many flowers in Midgar do ya? How’d you get them?
“Do you like them?” The girl replied “They’re only a Gil
“1 Gil, oh sure, I’ll take one” He dug a Gil out of his pocket and flicked over to her. She caught it and handed him a flower. “Thank you, well, its getting late, I have a train to catch, better get home” She walked off through the alley. “Thank you” Cloud shouted down the alley.
Cloud walked off, he was on a bridge that was just above the train a track when he heard someone shouting at him. He turned around and saw 2 Shinra soldiers. He tried to run to the left but there were three more there and when he turned around there was 3 more behind him. They had him cornered against to side of the bridge. “Listen guys, I ain’t got no time to be messin’ about with you!!
“SILENCE” One of the Guards shouted. “Just grab him” As they all ran towards him he heard the train coming. “Sorry, I gotta train to catch.” He jumped up on the side of the bridge and did a back flip just in time. He landed on top of the train.
Meanwhile on the train that was headed for the Sector 7 Station, Biggs, wedge, Jessie and Barrett hid in the Baggage car until Jessie found their fake ID’s. “Cloud… Never came” Biggs pointed out. “Do ya think that Shinra soldiers got him?” Wedge asked. Barrett quickly glared at Wedge. “No way” They stayed silent for a while and then the silence was broken by a bang on the roof of the train ((From Where Cloud jumped onto the train)) they all shrugged and thought it was nothing. Then there were three more bangs on the wooden door. The door opened and in Jumped Cloud. He dusted himself off and everyone jumped in shock. “CLOUD!!!” They all shouted. “Sorry guys, guess I’m a little late.
“You damn right you’re a little late, jus’ who da hell do you think you are, prancing on in like that, makin’ a big scene, havin’ all of us worried like that, you almost scared me to death, I thought I was gonna have to bust into Shinra inc and bail your spiky ass out!!” Cloud laughed a little. “What’s so damn funny?” Barrett asked in an angry tone of voice. “You, Barrett Wallace… were worried… about me!! HA HA HA HA.
“That’s it Hot-Shot, I’m takin’ it outta your money, go on, laugh it up, come on guys, lets get into the main car and leave Doink the Clown here to his laughing” Cloud was going to laugh his spiky head off but feared his money was a stake, he didn’t want to have to have done all that and then have his pay disappear.
They all moved into the main Car. Jessie had given them their Fake ID’s and they all sat down waiting to get to Sector 7 Where they all lived and where their hideout had been established. “Should be morning soon, we would be able to see the sun and the sky if it weren’t for those damn plates.” Barrett said. “Yeah, not the best of views huh?
“ Well, well, well” Barrett replied. “I never in a million years, ever thought I would hear something like that outta you.” Cloud just smirked. “Well, ain’t I jus’ full of surprises? Why did they build Midgar?
“Pollution, its that damn Pizza, it was strange, it made people ill and then started spreading pollution.
“So… why doesn’t everybody just move onto Midgar?” Barrett was confused at this one, as was everyone else. “Maybe cos’ they don’t got enough money” Barrett answered. “Or Maybe because they love their land no matter how polluted it gets” Biggs said. “Thing is” Barrett continued “Some people just ain’t supposed to be here you get what I’m sayin’?
“Yeah” Cloud replied. “It’s like, this train can only go where its tracks lead it.
Chapter 4
The train finally arrived at Sector 7 Station. Everyone got off the train and walked down a set of stone steps. It was 3:14am. The bar was still open. That’s where they established the hideout. In a bar in the Sector 7 Slums called “ TIFA’S 7th HEAVEN” It was the finest bar in the whole of the sector 7 slums. So popular that sometimes people forget that there are almost 12 bars, and they only say there is one.
“Everyone, fall in” Barrett said as he stood outside the door of the sector 7 Station. Now, don’t y’all be afraid of that blast, cos tomorrow’s is going to be even bigger I want y’all to rest up good tonight. You all did a fine job tonight, now, lets split up and meet back at Tifa’s 7th Heaven, Move out people” They all ran off. Cloud walked across sector 7. It had been a long time since he had been there. He could hardly remember it looking like this.
The last time Cloud was in Sector 7 was when he was 12; he came to viusit his grandfather who was dying. By the time Cloud was 14 and ready to join SOLDIER his grandfather died. It was hard for Cloud to join SOLDIER after that but something keeps saying something inside of him whenever he said he was in SOLDIER. Whenever he said something like “Step aside, I was in SOLDIER,” a voice inside kept telling him “No…you weren’t Cloud… you’re a fraud” cloud tried so hard to suppress these memories and eventually he did, but he can’t remember whether he joined SOLDIER or not. Finally, by the time he came back to Sector 7 he was convinced he had, and he stays by that.
He walked into the Slums and saw the big building with the flashing green sign that said “Tifa’s 7th Heaven” Cloud walked over to the bar and Biggs, Jessie and Wedge were still waiting outside. “What’s goin’…” Cloud was about to finish his sentence when he started hearing gunfire. “On, I’m guessing that’s Barrett?” Biggs Nodded. “Yep, he’s clearin’ the place out.” 5 people ran out of the bar. Barrett stood outside while the others entered. When Cloud came into the room and little girl with light brown hair walked up to him. “Daddy?” She said. “Cloud stepped back. “Err …no” The little girl ran over to the corner. The, a women with dark brown hair came out of the bar and went over to the little girl. “Marlene, don’t you have something you want to say to Cloud?” The women walked over to Cloud. “How did everything go? Did you fight with Barrett?
“No, everything went just fine thanks Tifa's.” Tifa cleaned a little bit of black dust off Clouds Cheek. “You’ve grown up, I remember when you were a kid, you used to get into fights at the drop of a hat.” Cloud shrugged and Barrett ran into the bar. The little girl called Marlene ran over to Barrett shouting “DADDY!!” Barrett picked her up and put her on his shoulder. “Hey there” He looked at Cloud and then at Biggs, Jessie and Wedge. “Come on Sucka’s, we’re startin’ the meetin’” Everybody jumped out of his or her seat. Barrett stepped next to the pinball machine and pressed a button. The pinball machine went down like a mini lift. The other 3 jumped down after him. The pinball machine came back up and Cloud sat down at the bar. “Wanna drink?” Tifa asked. Cloud shook his head. “Nah, think I’ll pass. Don’t really feel like anything”
Tifa looked in Clouds pocket and saw a small red flower. “Wow, a flower, you hardly ever see them around here.” Cloud looked into his pocket and pulled it out. “Oh this, here, you have” Cloud handed over to Tifa. “OH thank you Cloud, this is so nice, maybe I should fill the whole bar with flowers. Cloud got up and walked over to the pinball machine, before he could go down Tifa looked at Cloud and said, “Cloud are you feeling okay, you just look a little tired is all.
“I feel fine
“Oh, okay” Cloud nodded and pushed the down button. He went down into a small room; it had a coffee table, punching bag, a TV and a high-tech computer. Cloud walked over to Barrett but before he could say anything Barrett asked “Yo Cloud, was there anyone from SOLDIER fightin’ us tonight?
“None, I’m positive” Cloud replied. “You sound pretty sure” Barrett said. “If there was anyone from SOLDIER Barrett, you wouldn’t bee standing here now!” Barrett took his mind off of the punching bag and looked over at Cloud and growled. Biggs Jumped and grabbed Barrett’s arm holding him back. “Don’t go thinkin’ you so bad jus cos you were in SOLDIER, Just remember, your Spiky ass is workin’ for AVALNCHE now, so don’t get no idea’s bout stayin’ with the Shinra.” Cloud looked up at Barrett, he wasn’t intimidated at all. “Barrett then pushed Biggs straight into the wall. “Stayin’ with Shinra” Cloud said.
“Huh?” Barrett replied. “You asked me a question and I answered it, I’m stayin’ with Shinra. I’m going upstairs, I wanna talk about my money.” Just as Cloud was about to leave Tifa ran up to him. “Please Cloud, reconsider this
“Let him go Tifa” Barrett said. “He obviously misses his precious Shinra SOLDIER uniform, Ha, ha, ha
“SHUT UP” Cloud bellowed. “I don’t care about Shinra or SOLDIER, but don’t get me wrong, I sure as hell don’t give a damn about AVALANCHE or the Planet for that matter.
Chapter 5
Cloud made his way back up to the bar and Tifa followed him. “Why are you gonna do this, so your just gonna walk out on your Childhood friend like this huh?
“What!! How can you say that” Cloud replied. “And I bet you forgot the promise as well didn’t you!!”
“What promise?” Cloud asked. “So you did forget? Don’t you remember, it was 5 years ago, by the well in Nibelheim.” Cloud started to Remember. “Oh yeah, I asked to meet you there, I thought you weren’t gonna show up.” They then went into a flash back. Cloud was sitting on the side of the well in Nibelheim. Tifa came round the corner and sat next to him. “You wanted to see me?” Tifa asked. “In 4 months I’m being leaving town to find a job” Cloud said. “I know” Replied Tifa. “All the boys are leaving town” She went on. “I know that, but I’m not like them, I’m not going to get an ordinary job, I’m going to join SOLDIER. I’m going to be the best there is, Just like Sephiroth.
“Sephiroth?” Tifa asked “The great Sephiroth” Cloud nodded and got up, he climbed up onto the to of the well. Tifa shook her head. “How about we make a promise, When you become rich and famous and I’m ever in a bind, you come and help me okay?
“Huh?” Cloud replied
“When I’m in trouble my hero will come and rescue me, I want to experience that at least once.
“Huh?” Cloud asked again. “Come on, Promise me” Tifa Begged. “Cloud shrugged. “Oh, okay”
They then came out of their flashback. “Now do you remember?” Tifa asked. “Yeah, but I can’t keep…the promise
“Why not?” Tifa asked “I’m not rich and I’m not famous” Cloud continued. “But you got your childhood dream didn’t you, you joined SOLDIER right?
“Right” Cloud replied, but there was that voice again saying “Stop lying you fraud… you faker…pretender” Cloud shook off the feeling. Barrett climbed up the gap. “Hey, Hey, Hey, a promise is a promise here” He said as he dug into his pocket. He pulled out a small bag of Money and threw it to Cloud. “This is my pay, you gotta be joking right?
“Nope, so will you do it Cloud?” Tifa asked. Cloud shrugged. “Sure, you got your next mission lined up for 3000G.
“3000GIL!!! NO WAY” Barrett shouted. Tifa whispered to Barrett. “Hey, we’re really hurting for help right?” Barrett whispered back “That moneys for Marlene’s Schoolin’” He then looked at Cloud and said “2000” Cloud nodded, “Okay” Tifa smiled and jumped for joy. “Thanks Cloud”
The next morning. Cloud woke p and climbed to his feet. It looked as if everyone was up already. Cloud shrugged and climbed up a set of stairs. Tifa and Barrett were waiting there for him. Cloud walked over to Barrett. “So…. what happens now?” Cloud asked. “Our next target is the sector 5 reactor this time, move out and we’ll meet on the train” Barrett answered. Tifa nodded and walked out the door. Cloud followed but just as he opened the door Barrett asked “Err… Cloud, just a sec’ I need to know. Who do ya use Materia?” Cloud blinked at Barrett. “You just attach whatever Materia you have to your weapon. But you only get a certain amount of Materia slots on each weapon. Some Materia makes you stronger some makes you weaker. Depends what Materia your using.” Materia are small coloured orbs that posses the power of magic. Green Materia is attacking magic, Blue is defence etc. “WHAT!!” Barrett exclaimed. “It was that simple, oh man I’m hopeless” Barrett took out a piece of green Materia and attached it to his assault gun. “Hey, where’d you get that?” Cloud asked. “Found it on the floor outside the reactor, didn’t think I’d try to equip it till I had an experts help.
“HEY, COME ON YOU GUYS” Tifa shouted from outside the bar. Cloud and Barrett walked out of the bar and they walked off with Tifa to the sector 7-train station.
They got on the train and Biggs, Jessie and Wedge ran off to the next car. Barrett sat down and Cloud and Tifa went to look at the midgar train computer when all the sudden an alarm went off. “What the…” Jessie ran into their car. “Guys, we got trouble, quickly, get to the last car before they lock them all.” They all started running from car to car hoping to get to the last one before they lock down all the trains. When they got there, Biggs, Jessie and Wedge were in disguises. Barrett opened a door on the side of the car and said. “Awright get ready to jump” Barrett stepped back and Tifa walked over to the open door. “Well here goes nothing” Tifa Jumped and Cloud followed. Barrett walked over to the door and turned to look at the others. “Good Job guys” Barrett then also jumped out.
Chapter 6
Barrett, Cloud and Tifa stood by the train tracks. “Awright guys, Biggs, Jessie and Wedge did good. Now it’s up to us to finish this.” Barrett looked around and then pointed left. “The Reactor should be this way, I wouldn’t let you guard down until we get to the reactor.” The all walked away. They walked up to a set of green lasers blocking the entrance to the reactor. “Barrett almost walked straight through them but Cloud put his hand in front of him. “Those are Shinra’s security sensors, after we’ve come this far, only an amateur would get caught by something as obvious as that.
“The who the hell do you propose we get in?
“Easy, That way” Cloud pointed over at a vent. “There’s no way we can get stuck. So lets go” They all climbed in and found out that it went down. So they all fell to the floor when they came out. “Err, maybe better to look down next time” Cloud laughed a little and jumped to his feet. “Well, come on, what’s the hold up? And…err… Where’s Tifa” Barrett got up and Tifa was lying on the floor panting hard. “Barrett… Fell on me” She said. Barrett helped her to her feet and they all went down a ladder.
They found them selves on top of the Reactor. They entered through a small window and fell onto a platform. There they set the bomb. Tifa set the bomb and Barrett and Cloud got ready just in case they were attacked by something like last time. “Nothing came. Cloud flung his giant sword onto his back and Barrett lowered his arm. They then jumped across to another platform and went up a lift. They went through to doors and found themselves on the T-shaped Bridge. “This way” Barrett exclaimed. “We’re almost there.” They ran straight up and took the first left but then they saw a large group of Shinra Soldiers gather round. “What the…” Barrett exclaimed. “A trap” Cloud then said. There was the sound of footsteps from the other side of the Bridge. They all turned around to see President Shinra himself. He was dressed in a Red suit, not a hair out of place on his head or on his big bushy moustache. “Presi… President Shinra
“What’s the president doing here?” Tifa asked. “So you all must be that…oh what’s it called?” President Shinra asked. “AVALANCHE, an don’t you forget it!!” Barrett answered. Cloud then stepped forward. “Long time, no see President
“Long time no see? Oh of course, you that member of SOLDIER who quit to join these lot, err… what was your name again traitor?
“Cloud Strife
“Oh yes of course, I could tell you were in SOLDIER, I can see you have been infused with Mako. I can see it in your eyes. I’m sorry; you can’t expect me to remember everyone’s name can you? Unless you become another Sephiroth, yes… Sephiroth, he was brilliant, perhaps too brilliant” Cloud stepped back a bit. “Se, Sephiroth?” Barrett then ran in front of Cloud. “Don’t care ‘bout none of that cos in about 5 minutes, this place is goin’ up with a BIG BANG!!
“And such a waste of good fireworks to get rid of a vermin like you” President Shinra added. “VERMIN!!” Barrett shouted, this had really ticked Barrett off. “All of y’all at Shinra are the Vermin, Killing the planet, that make you da KING VERMIN!!!” Barrett growled and President Shinra yawned. “Your beginning to bore me, now I am a busy man, I have dinner I must attend…
“DINNER!? DON’T YOU BE GIVEN’ ME DAT CRAP, I AIN’T EVEN STARTED WIT YOU YET!!
Oh, but I’ve arranged a playmate for you all.” President Shinra clicked his fingers and there was a humming sound from the other side of the Bridge. A helicopter then came and took president Shinra away and a large robot rushed out at them all.
Barrett started firing round after round at him and it seemed to be doing a lot. Cloud then took out his giant Buster sword and ran at the machine. The machine turned around slowly and then took a sword through the middle. Cloud jumped back and the Machine exploded creating a large hole in the bridge. Cloud fell and grabbed hold of one of the metal bar that held the bridge together. Tifa and Barrett stood back. Then the reactor started to explode. Tifa looked back at Cloud as she ran for the exit and stopped. “Just go Tifa, I’ll see ya later” Tifa smiled and ran. Cloud had no idea what to do so he just let go. He fell right down into sector 5.
Chapter 7
“Can you move?” Cloud heard a voice inside his head. “Who’s this?
“Back then… you could get by with just skinned knee’s
“What do you mean by ‘Back then…?’
“What about now, can you get up?
“Who is this?
“Don’t worry about me… you just worry about yourself now
“Okay” Cloud tried to move his legs. He moved one of them and heard someone shout “Oh, It moved” That was a different voice. Then the voice in his head started speaking again. “Well, look at that” Cloud opened his eyes and looked up, he saw a hole in a ceiling so he had obviously fallen into somebody house or something. He sat up and looked behind him. “Hello again” The flower girl from the slums was standing behind him. “Oh… Hi” Cloud replied.
“That was quite a fall you must have taken, you just fell straight on top of my flower bed!! Hee, hee
“I came crashing down?
“Yeah, the roof and the flower bed must have broken your fall. Your very, very lucky you know” Cloud looked underneath him. “Is this your flower bed?” The girl nodded. “Hee, hee, yep” Cloud jumped to his feet and brushed off all the flowers that were stuck to him. “Sorry about that
“It’s okay, because you bought a flower off of me, the flowers are very resilient anyway, because this is a holy church. They say you can’t grow grass and Flowers in Midgar, but the flowers seem to have now trouble blooming here.” The girl looked at him and smiled. “Oh, by the way, I’m Aeris. The flower girl
“The names Cloud, me… I do a bit of everything
“Oh… a jack-of-all-trades” Cloud nodded. “Yeah, I do whatever’s needed” Aeris nodded and smiled. She then looked over Clouds shoulder and saw a man in a dark blue uniform. “Um… Cloud; have you ever been a bodyguard? You do… do anything right?” Cloud looked behind him and looked back at her. “I guess, but it’ll cost ya, this ain’t for free ya know
“Okay, let me see, how bout if I go on a date with you once?” Cloud shrugged. “It’ll do” Cloud turned around and stepped forwards. “Listen I don’t know who you are but… you don’t know me” Cloud then heard that voice in his head. “I know you” Cloud blinked. “Wait a minute I know you” About 10 Shinra soldiers came into the church and stood behind the man in the uniform. “Hey Reno, want this one taken out” Asked one of the soldiers. “I haven’t decided yet” Reno replied. “Shut up” Cloud snapped. “You Shinra spy” Reno smirked and stepped forward. “So you know us, well that doesn’t matter, we’re here to collect the girl
“Well isn’t that a damn shame” Cloud said as his put his hand on the hilt of his Buster sword. “Cos I just promised to be her bodyguard, you want her, you have to go through me” Cloud smirked but Aeris shouted “Wait, don’t fight here you’ll ruin the flowers, Cloud, the exits this way.” Cloud looked at Aeris and took his hand off the hilt of his sword and ran with her through the Exit.
Shinra soldiers kept pouring into the church. When Cloud and Aeris were away from the flowers Cloud stopped and turned around. “You run on ahead, I’ll be with you when I’m done with these guys.” Cloud pulled out his sword and got ready. Aeris nodded and ran up a flight of stairs. Shinra soldiers started running into the area, Cloud ran at them and started taking them down one by one. They fell quickly it was strange. Even though it was such a large and heavy sword it made no difference to Cloud, he could swing it around so fast. Reno then ran into the area. Cloud sensing that his time was up here and that he couldn’t them all on and Reno
