Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Darkened Skies	By : Cynthia Category: Final Fantasy VII > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 949 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all characters are the property of Square Enix. I do not profit from this fanfiction, it’s for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter List
- 22
- 23
- 24
"Darkened Skies"
Chapter twenty-three: Seek and destroy
A Final Fantasy 7 AU fanfiction
~***********************************~

Author's note: I was listening to Metallica as I wrote this chapter, and one song in particular seemed to fit the motif. Originally, this was going to be the chapter that saw the end of the Deepground conflict, but I found there were too many details to hash out to fit it all into a single chapter.
*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.
~**************************************~

It was the night before they were scheduled to move out for Midgar. Zack tried to get his companions together for a night out, in the hopes of unwinding before the big day. Genesis and Angeal gave each other one of those looks that told Zack they were more interested in quality time alone than a night out with him. Angeal politely declined and Zack didn't press the matter. Sephiroth coolly informed him that he had too many preparations to make to go out partying, and he advised him to forget his plan and get some rest while he could.
Sighing dejectedly over his lack of success, Zack considered giving Reno a call. Surely, he could convince that wild redhead to hit the town with him, if nobody else. He didn’t want to "prepare for battle" until it was time to move out. He did his best work when he didn't spend all night fretting over an impending mission. Zack preferred spontaneity to methodical planning—it was one thing he had in common with Genesis. Angeal and Sephiroth were the ones that needed to pay attention to every minute detail when preparing to go on a mission.
"Lieutenant Fair," called a young woman as he passed her in the corridor.
Zack stopped and turned, a smile immediately curing his mouth as he looked the blonde up and down. She was wearing a ShinRa MP uniform; the kind typically worn by communications analysts and other people that worked behind the scenes, out of combat. The navy blue skirt suit was attractive on her and her companion. The blonde wore her hair in a tasteful twist and her brunette friend had a short, pixie style haircut. He observed that both girls were very cute and his gaze lingered on their feminine curves with appreciation.
"Well hi, ladies." Zack gave them a charismatic smile and approached them. He didn't remember ever having met either of them before, but Zack loved female company regardless of familiarity. "What can I do for you?"
Green eyes glanced askew at brown ones as the girls silently communicated with each other—provoking the ebon-haired SOLDIER operative to cock his head quizzically in a wolf-like manner.
"The big fight is tomorrow," said the blonde thoughtfully.
The brunette nodded and she stepped closer to Zack, looking up at him with admiration in her dark gaze. "We'll be relatively safe managing the radar systems, but you'll be right there in the thick of it."
Zack scratched his head and shrugged. "That's what being in SOLDIER is all about. We drive a wedge in to give our allies the opening they need to do their jobs. Hey, what you ladies are going to be doing is just as important as my job."
"Maybe, but not nearly as risky," answered the blonde with a little smile. She stepped closer to him as well and she reached out to lay a slender hand on his chest, over his heart. "I hate the thought of you getting killed, Lieutenant. You're my favorite SOLDIER operative."
"Mine too," agreed the brunette, and she put her hand on his shoulder.
Zack blushed a little and he grinned sheepishly at them. Sometimes he forgot he had a few fans of his own, and it was always flattering to get praise. "Yeah? Really?"
He honestly wasn't trying to be cute, but the girls evidently found his response adorable and they smiled at each other in that conspiring way. The blonde rubbed his arm and leaned closer to him. "You take special risks and you always have a smile on your face while you're doing it. I think that deserves a special reward."
"Yes, it does," agreed the brunette with a flirty smile.
Zack didn't waste the opportunity. He put an arm around each of them and began to lead them away to the elevator. Suddenly, the night was looking up. "So…do you girls have plans tonight? I know we've got a big mission tomorrow, but since you never know what could happen, I'd rather enjoy myself than spend the whole night hashing out the details. What about you?"
The young women smiled at him and fell into step with him, each of them putting an arm around his waist. "I think that's a great idea," enthused the blonde.
"I thought you'd never ask," teased the brunette with a smile.
Zack relaxed, more than happy to be in the company of two pretty women. "By the way," he said as they approached the elevator, "what are your names? You never told me."
"I'm Clarice," answered the brunette.
"Marie," answered the blonde.
Zack gave them both a little squeeze. "Cool. Nice to meet you."
~****************************~

Some time later in the dark hours of the morning, Genesis sat awake in bed, reading a book by the light of a small reading light he had clamped to the cover. His companion lay sleeping, with his head pillowed on the redhead's sheet-covered thigh. Genesis stroked Angeal's rich, dark hair absently as he read. It was a hot night and he'd manifested his wing, gently fanning the air around the bed without consciously thinking about it. He could have turned on the air conditioning, but that would require getting up, and he couldn't do so without disturbing Angeal's rest.
As it was, when he adjusted the pillow behind him and tried to shift into a more comfortable position, he woke his companion anyway. Angeal grunted sleepily and lifted his head, peering blearily up the length of Genesis' half-naked body.
"What time is it?" he mumbled.
Genesis glanced at his watch—which happened to be the only thing on his naked body, besides his earrings and the sheets. "0316 hours. Go back to sleep, Angeal. You can get another two hours in, before we need to get up and prepare to move out."
Angeal sighed and rubbed Genesis' thigh, dropping his head back down onto it again. "Why are you up, then? Couldn't sleep?"
Genesis nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the pages before him. "I got restless. You know how I am. Once I'm awake, I can't go right back to sleep."
"Mmm. You should still try." Angeal covered a yawn. "We need to be as rested as possible."
"I'm far too wound up," sighed Genesis, "but I promise you, I have plenty of energy on reserve for this mission. I'm looking forward to kicking some ass."
"And I have no doubt you will," answered Angeal sincerely. He lifted his head again and squinted at the cover of the book in the redhead's hand. "That's not 'Loveless'."
"Very observant of you," answered Genesis dryly. "I do read other works of literature, on occasion. Right now, I don't need the comfort of 'Loveless'; I need the distraction of 'Eve of Hope'."
"I see." Angeal laid his head on Genesis' thigh again. "What is it about?"
"Two brothers setting out to find the Promised Land." Genesis shrugged. "I'm not wildly engrossed in it, but as I said; I need a distraction or I'll end up pacing."
Angeal smiled and massaged the length of Genesis' thigh again. "We have nearly two hours before it's time to get ready," he reiterated. He slid a battle-roughened hand further up the redhead's thigh, and then he started to tug the sheet lower.
"Stop that," chastised Genesis insincerely, slapping at the mischievous hand. "If you get me started again, we may not be ready for deployment in time."
"I thought I was supposed to be the responsible one." Angeal shifted his position and he started kissing Genesis' lower abs. The sheet dropped lower and exposed the redhead's genitals. "Put the book down, Gen."
In truth, Genesis had lost all interest in his book and the steady swelling of his cock was proof of it. Still, he wasn't the sort to give in easily. "What if I don't want to?"
Angeal didn't seem worried. "Then I'll just have to encourage a shift in priorities."
Genesis snorted, prepared to offer a clever retort. Instead, a gasp escaped his parted lips as the feel of his companion's lips sliding over the head of his cock made the text blur in his sight. Genesis stubbornly kept the book open and pretended to read while Angeal's skilled, careful ministrations provoked a full erection quickly.
"I'm not…putting the book down."
Angeal shrugged and briefly released his stiffened flesh from his mouth. "Then keep reading. I’m not going to stop."
Genesis tensed involuntarily as the other man's warm, moist mouth sheathed him again. As Angeal began to bob his head and massage the length with his tongue and lips, sucking all the while, Genesis stared blankly at the pages. He reached down and stroked Angeal's hair encouragingly, a light flush of pleasure coloring his cheeks. He groaned softly when the bigger man fondled his balls, kneading them with loving, calloused fingers. His tongue stroked firmly against the sensitive hole at the tip and Genesis shuddered faintly, another grunt escaping before he could stop it.
Inevitably, Genesis slowly dropped the book to the bed and gave in. He grabbed fistfuls of sheets as Angeal's efforts brought him closer to climax, and he forgot he was supposed to be protesting. His wing flapped with his carnal delight and his hips lifted off the mattress when he finally shot his load down Angeal's throat.
"Fine," panted Genesis when he lay spent and trembling on the bed. "You win."
Angeal hovered over him and smiled in satisfaction, his handsome, masculine features illuminated by the moonlight coming through the window and the little reading light on the forgotten book. "I'm not finished with you yet."
Feeling the silken, stiffened length of the bigger man's arousal against his thigh, Genesis caught on and smirked. Though he'd just had an orgasm, the thought of being fucked provoked his groin to stir to life again. He sighed and reached up to caress that gorgeous, powerful torso, taking his time with his possessive exploration. He traced old scars, circled the nipples with his fingertips and stroked the muscular expanse of his chest.
"Do your worst."
~*******************************~

A couple of hours later:
"Vincent, are you awake?"
Reeve knocked again, glancing down at his watch with a frown. "I'm sorry…I know it's really early, but the strike teams are getting ready to converge on Midgar. I need an answer from Chaos concerning his part in this."
Seeing the glance exchanged between the two guards on either side of the door, Reeve sighed and regarded them. "Excuse me, but could you fellows give me a few moments alone with my friend? I promise I'll call for help if he tries to eat me."
They hesitated, but Reeve's position in the organization gave him the authority to make the demand, so they complied. The engineer returned his attention to his current goal. "Vincent?"
After a moment, the door to the private suite opened to reveal Vincent. His raven hair was mussed and a bit tangled, and it occurred to Reeve that sleeping in a real bed must be something of a luxury to him.
"Chaos hasn't returned since the incident in the board room," answered Vincent in a toneless voice. "I'm sorry, Reeve. I don't think you can count on him."
Reeve nodded, not particularly surprised. He knew it was a long shot, but he thought it was worth trying. At least he'd managed to convince Rufus to set Vincent up in a guarded suite, rather than a jail cell. "I see. What about you? Can I count on you in this fight?"
The gunman looked faintly puzzled. "You really want me in the field?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I? You're a crack-shot and that gun of yours can fire bullets with enough force to penetrate even the toughest armor. Not to mention, you have three other friends you could bring into the fray at any time, if the situation requires it."
"My other demons won't be participating," insisted Vincent. "If I go, it will be alone—provided Chaos doesn't decide to come forth after all."
Reeve shrugged. "Fair enough. As long as you're there, old friend. We could use your help."
~**********************************~

While Reeve was coaxing Vincent to join them in the fight, Sephiroth and the officers of SOLDIER were overseeing the deployment of their assigned regiments. Zack was late and Genesis passed by his door as he was exiting his sleeping quarters. The redhead stopped and raised a brow at him when he witnessed the two giggling young women squeezing out the door with him. At first, Zack didn't notice the other SOLDIER operative and he gave his companions a grin and a promise to call them as he adjusted his shoulder guards.
"Oh, good morning, Lt. Rhapsodos," offered the brunette with a blush when she saw him.
Genesis' expression didn't change. "I assume you both have somewhere to be, given that we're moving out."
The girls looked at each other uncomfortably and the blonde straightened her skirt. "Yes Sir. We're on our way to our posts now."
Genesis made a sweeping gesture. "Then go."
As the two women hurried away, Genesis turned to Zack and smirked. "Whore."
"Yeah, I’m a big ol' manwhore," agreed Zack with a shrug, his smug grin not fading, "but that's not your business, buddy. I used protection and we both know military personnel are tested regularly during physicals, so get off my back."
"Fine," grunted Genesis, "but I'd avoid bragging about it too openly, in front of Sephiroth…unless you want him to know you're running late because you were having a threesome with two army girls."
"What?" Kunsel was hurrying down the hall and he overheard as he passed by. He stopped in his tracks and blinked hazel eyes at Zack. He brushed light brown bangs out of his eyes and grinned. "Dude…you had a threesome? You're the luckiest guy I know!"
"Well, it was there idea," admitted Zack. "I really didn't expect it to go like that, but that's one thing I can cross of my list of 'things to do before I die'. Now if my 'big brothers' would just stop trying to cock-block me, life would be perfect." He patted Genesis on the shoulder meaningfully.
"Clearly, I've never successfully blocked your cock," countered Genesis as the three of them fell into step together at a brisk pace. "It's an endeavor none of us have succeeded with, in fact. Let's just hope your fortifications are strong enough to prevent eventual rotting of said member."
"What did he say?" Kunsel asked in a puzzled whisper.
"Poet talk," explained Zack out the corner of his mouth. "I think he meant he hopes I buy good condoms, but he can be tough to translate when he goes off on one of his tangents."
Genesis heard and he gave the two of them an exasperated look. "I swear, I'm going to buy you a dictionary for your birthday."
"He'd just use the pages as toilet paper, Sir," advised Kunsel with a snicker.
Genesis sighed.
~***********************************~

"You're late." Angeal didn't take his eyes off the troops boarding the airship as he said it.
"Blame your puppy," muttered Genesis. "I had to hurry him and his friend along."
Angeal wasn't particularly surprised to hear that Zack was late responding to the call to arms. He'd been determined to have a night out and he likely had a hangover to go with his tardiness. Angeal glanced across the distance at Zack, who was overseeing his own regiment of SOLDIER Thirds as they marched into another airship. He didn't look or act like he was suffering a hangover. In fact, he seemed as energetic as ever and there was an air of confidence and eagerness about him. Zack was ready for a fight.
Angeal grunted in approval and motioned for his Second-class operatives to keep moving. "I have faith he'll make up for it, once the fighting starts. Shouldn't you be overseeing your own regiment?"
"My men are already boarded and ready to go," answered Genesis.
That brought a frown of surprise to Angeal's lips, and he turned around to look at the airship assigned to Genesis' regiment. As the redhead claimed, the last of his troops appeared to have already finished boarding and the hatch was closing for takeoff.
"How?" asked the brunet, not bothering to hide the amazement in his eyes when he looked at his companion. "You arrived late and you barely spent two minutes with them, before coming over to me."
"Fear," answered Genesis candidly. "My men follow my orders with haste, precision and without question. They wouldn't dare risk pissing me off. I've always told you and Zack that you're both too nice to your subordinates. Sephiroth has finished loading his people onto the Highwind, too."
Angeal looked over at the mentioned aircraft and he sighed. Yes, the General was finished and he was preparing to board the Highwind. His eyes met Angeal's across the distance and he gave him a little nod. Angeal nodded back and he urged his people to move faster.
"You're falling behind, people. Get on this ship now."
He ignored his lover's smirk as the operatives obligingly picked up the pace. So his men didn't fear him, the way Genesis and Sephiroth's men did. The only reason they seemed to be moving slow was because the other two regiments had moved so quickly to comply with their more intimidating officers. In the end, Angeal knew without a doubt that his people would risk their lives for him, and vice-versa. Trust was the most important thing between soldiers, regardless of what branch they worked in.
~********************************~

"Commissioner Tuesti, are you certain this will work?"
Reeve glanced at Rufus sidelong, again wishing he'd been allowed to install his special chair in Lazard's chopper, rather than the president's. Everyone agreed that Rufus' security was top priority, however, and Reeve couldn't rightly argue with that. The control chair he'd designed would allow him to stealth-mask the entire convoy, provided nothing glitched with the network they were using. In addition to providing the means to shield the entire army from radar detection, the chair was directly connected to the new enhancements on board. In a pinch, Reeve could construct an energy shield around this particular helicopter to deflect enemy fire. Clever use of a Wall materia and a circuitry system made the feature possible.
"President, I've tested everything as thoroughly as possible, in the time I had," assured Reeve. "I've never worked so fast in my life, but I can assure you this device is ready for use. My biggest concern is keeping the network stable and secure. If Hojo's A.I. breeches it before we reach ground zero, our chance of moving in without early detection will probably be blown. Let's not forget that Hojo wants Deepground to succeed, and that network entity he created has his goals and desires."
Rufus rubbed the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger, glancing warily at Vincent. "I see. And what will your part in this be, Mr. Valentine? Will you be bringing a certain supernatural entity to the table?"
"I'll fight alongside your people," answered Vincent, "but I have no intention of bringing other entities into the fight. Whether Chaos makes an appearance or not isn't really up to me, however."
Rufus frowned and looked at Reeve. "And you aren't a bit worried that Chaos might decide to come forth and side with the enemy, rather than us?"
Reeve shook his head. "Not especially. If nothing else, we can count on Chaos' pride to keep him from siding with them. He knows they're trying to manipulate Omega, and by association, him too. Chaos made it pretty clear he won't allow mortals to manipulate him into doing a damned thing. He might sit back and watch humanity get wiped out if they succeed, but he won't be helping Deepground with their goal."
The answer seemed to satisfy Rufus. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I'll return to the pilot's seat now. How soon can we expect the stealth feature to go online?"
"I'm bringing it online now," answered Reeve. "We should be invisible to radar detection long before we reach Midgar air space."
"Good." Rufus got out of the seat and made his way to the cockpit.
"Sir," Reeve called before he exited the cabin, "are you sure you want to be in the thick of this? To be brutally honest, I can't promise these new features I've installed will work as intended when it counts, and as the president of this organization, nobody expects you to be directly involved in this conflict. It's not too late to turn around and drop you back off at Junon, where you can direct from a safe distance."
Rufus paused and looked over his shoulder at him, wearing a dry smirk on his handsome face. His gray eyes were direct and fearless as he answered his question. "I'm the leader of the free world now, Reeve. It's appropriate that I participate. This could be the dawn of humanity's destruction and if we fail to stop it, no place will be safe, for anyone. Make no mistake, I won't spend my last days hiding in an office."
Reeve nodded in understanding, and he approved of Rufus' attitude. When the president left the cabin, Reeve looked at Vincent and shrugged. "He might be a cold-hearted, soulless bastard most of the time, but you've got to admire the man's gumption."
"He deserves no special praise for doing the exact same thing everyone else is doing," countered Vincent.
"True, but what he said was true; he is the leader of the free world and most other men in his position wouldn't be risking their own hides by fighting alongside their people. Rufus Shinra doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities, but an iron spine is one of them."
Vincent nodded thoughtfully. "I concur."
Reeve felt compelled to try and share his feelings, seeing as this could very well end in death. "Vincent, I just want you to know…whatever happens…you're more than just a friend to me."
The gunman tilted his head in a curious manner, his ruby gaze holding Reeve's. "More…than a friend?"
Reeve felt himself beginning to blush. "Well, yes. I trust you implicitly—more than I've ever trusted anyone."
A ghost of a smile curved the pale lips. "And I, you."
Reeve swallowed, knowing his friend wasn't quite grasping his meaning. "What I mean is…Vincent, I've had—"
He was interrupted by Rufus' voice coming over the intercom. "Tuesti, we need those shields up now. We'll be approaching Midgar airspace in twenty minutes."
Reeve sighed. Maybe it was for the best that he didn't tell Vincent he was hopelessly in love with him. He adjusted his headset and spoke into the mic. "Coming online now, President."
~**************************~

Weiss stirred in his seat when the sounds of activity outside the control room door disturbed him. He frowned as his brother materialized in the room, surrounded by a dark nimbus. Nero's red gaze was uneasy as he offered an explanation to him.
"An army has been spotted in the distance," announced the sable-haired man, "They're closing in fast, and they have airships, helicopters and armored ground transport at their disposal. Our predictions were right, brother. Unfortunately, our scanners failed to detect them and we haven't much time to prepare before they get here."
Weiss turned his seat around and adjusted his monitor system, until he could see the horizon on his screen. He zoomed in on the mass in the distance and he smiled as he counted their numbers. "Sooner than expected, with the losses they suffered from our attack."
"I've already deployed operatives to prepare a defense," assured Nero. "What are your orders?"
"Prepare the prisoners for cleansing," answered Weiss, "but don't send them to Gaia just yet."
Nero looked puzzled. "But the longer we keep them alive, the greater the risk they'll be rescued before we can proceed."
"Do you really think these humans have a chance of infiltrating this city before we make our sacrifice?" Weiss smiled coldly. "Have faith, Nero. We'll wait until the fighting begins, and then we'll give the prisoners to the planet. This battle will swell the ranks of souls entering the Lifestream, don't you see? So many spirits rejoining the planet so quickly is sure to convince it of the threat, and Omega will rise…under our control. The ShinRa dogs are doing exactly what we want them to do, and the loss of life on both sides will only hasten their doom."
Nero's answering smile was hidden beneath the strange wrappings crossing over his face, but it reached his eyes. He flexed the fingers of his left hand, recently freed from the restrictive sleeves that his former masters had forced him to wear. A globe of darkness manifested briefly, before he made it vanish. He pressed his fist against his heart in a salute.
"You are wise, my brother, and our people are prepared to give their lives for the cause. I'll relay your orders immediately."
~*****************************~

The ShinRa forces began their attack the moment they were in range, starting off with missile fire from their air forces, while the ground forces quickly exited their armored vehicles and began to set up a barricade and ground missiles. There was no time to establish a forward base, given the importance of hitting the enemy hard and fast. Deepground forces retaliated immediately, launching missile fire of their own and closing in with their own aircrafts.
"Keep 'em busy, folks," instructed Captain Highwind over the communications, "Let's give our people on the ground time to finish setting up! Drop your payloads now."
In unison, all aircraft opened up their respective cabins to release the SOLDIER operatives within. They parachuted down into the ruined city below, led by the three winged officers to drive a wedge into the enemy ground forces for their less specialized comrades to follow them through. Some of them got shot down before they landed, and others ended up grappling in the air with Deepground operatives equipped with jet packs. More familiar with the Deepground units now that they'd had time to study the files, Sephiroth acted quickly.
"Take out those Shrike units," shouted the General to his fellow winged officers. "We need a clear path to the ground. Lt. Fair, you lead them on."
Missile exchanges from the embattled air and ground forces streaked through the air as he spoke, and the explosions from impact proved even more distracting. In the distance, the president and the Turks were taking on groups of Deepground aircrafts with their choppers, and the bigger airships commanded by Captain Highwind added their firepower to the effort.
Angeal and Genesis swooped in with Sephiroth to scatter and deal with the enemy units, while the drifting paratroopers helped each other with the Shrike units already attacking them. Zack managed to steer his parachute over to one of his embattled men, and he produced the knife sheathed at his thigh as he came up behind the enemy. Zack demonstrated that despite his friendly nature, he was more than willing to shed blood for a comrade. He grabbed the enemy agent's helmet and yanked his head back, giving him no opportunity to react to his surprise attack. No matter how strong their enhancements made them, not even Deepground operatives could survive a slit throat. Blood sprayed the face of the SOLDIER operative he'd been attacking as Zack's cut opened the enemy's throat. The Deepground operative clutched helplessly at his throat and fell away from his initial target as he choked on his own blood.
"Kunsel, you okay?" Zack shouted, noticing the wide-eyed shock on his friend's face behind the bloodied visor. "Hey, stay alert!"
"S-sorry, Zack," answered the Second in a shaken voice. "I'm okay."
Zack spared him a pat on the arm and he watched the dying enemy spiral to the ground, evidently forgetting all about his jet pack. He winced involuntarily when the Deepground operative's suffering was abruptly ended by the impact of his body striking the broken concrete, far below. Sephiroth sliced two other Shrikes right in half with his masamune, giving them an even more gruesome end than the one Zack had dispatched. Nearby enemies hesitated to engage the silver-haired man, after watching their companions fall in two pieces to the city below.
They didn't even see Genesis swooping in behind them, his sword glowing red. They became aware of his presence when the tip of that sword pierced one of them all the way through, from behind. The surprised operative looked down in disbelief at the red blade protruding through his chest, seeming to glow hotter with his own unnaturally bright blood. His companions moved to attack Genesis, but Sephiroth blocked them and they were put on the defensive, forced to block his singing blade to avoid the same fate as their previous comrades.
Angeal's attacks weren't subtle, but they demonstrated a certain, different kind of grace. Unlike his companions, the big man liked to use his fists more than his sword, whenever possible. Whether this was because he was less likely to take life whilst incapacitating an opponent or because it appealed to a more primal side of him, Angeal showed his true skill when dealing blows with his fists. He knocked one opponent unconscious and in a display of chivalry that had Genesis rolling his eyes, he caught him before he fell and carried him to a rooftop, allowing him to fall a painful, yet non-fatal distance to the building below. He then turned his attention to the other obstacles in his fellow SOLDIER operatives' way.
"Follow me down, guys," Zack hollered when Angeal plowed into the last group of airborne trooper enemies. He gave his former mentor a worried look as he steered his chute and drifted down with the others. Angeal went down in a tangle of limbs with a group of four Deepground operatives, and though they weren't Tsviets, they were still stronger than SOLDIER Thirds and they did outnumber the big man.
He didn't have to worry for long, because Genesis flew to Angeal's aid while Sephiroth finished dealing with the rest of the Shrike units. Unfortunately, Zack noticed a fresh wave of Deepground troopers gathering on the street below, where he and his fellow operatives would be landing. Amongst their ranks were some heavy armored soldiers; armed with rocket launchers, formidable, serrated swords and a range of explosives—not to mention body armor that only the most powerful bullets and swords could penetrate. One of said operatives happened to be readying his launcher, in fact—getting ready to fire on Zack and the other incoming fighters.
"Everybody scatter!"
Kunsel and the others took Zack's warning shout seriously, steering away from each other as best they could to present less of a target. Two of them weren't fortunate enough to get out of the way in time and the streaking rocket blasted right through one and exploded against the other. Body parts flew and there were cries of outrage from the victims' companions.
"You're dead meat, pal," promised Zack with a snarl.
Staring down at the man responsible with a deadly promise in his blue-violet eyes, Zack drew his blade and fumbled with the fastenings of his chute. He didn't bother to wait until he landed; he was close enough to the ground for his purposes. He released the chute and free-fell the rest of the way, with his sword leading the way and a howl on his lips.
"Zack, wait up!"
The lieutenant hardly heard Kunsel's urgent shout. He had his target.
~*******************************~

Reeve looked up at Vincent as the gunman approached the open hatch, his black hair and red cape whipping dramatically in the wind. Vincent paused and looked back at him, and for a moment, Reeve thought he saw a brief flash of some passionate feeling in that ruby gaze.
"Be careful," advised Vincent.
"You too," answered Reeve, shouting to be heard over the wind. He checked the settings on his control screen. "Aren't you going to use a chute like the other combatants?"
"You know I don't need one," answered Vincent. I'll be fine."
Thinking of the man's strange ability to float around like a crimson spirit, Reeve nodded. He took a deep breath and averted his eyes as Vincent jumped out, holding his formidable gun ready. Advising himself to concentrate on the task at hand, Reeve focused his attention on the data and listened carefully to the communications.
~*************************************~

"This is Tseng," reported the Turk director, "we've cleared the area over Sector five. Reno, what is your status?"
"Just about finished here over HQ…or what's left of it. Fair's team is tearing up the ground forces below, man. We took a pretty heavy hit but Rude's got it patched up enough to carry us through a few more fights, yo."
"Good," Rufus said, "we've suffered enough casualties already. Try not to add yourselves to the list."
"You got it, Sir," agreed Reno.
"Captain Highwind," Rufus said, "is your sector clear?"
"I took out one of the bigguns," answered Cid, "but we've got a few small turkeys to deal with, before we're through. I need more support…I've lost all three of the choppers in my group."
"Damn," cursed Rufus, glancing at Scarlet. They only had two other choppers to spare, themselves. Tseng still had an airship available on his team and Reno didn't report losing any of his units, but they were further away.
"Did you catch that?" demanded Cid. "I need some backup over here, or we're gonna lose Sector seven!"
"I got your back, Highwind," came a gruff, deep voice that had Rufus and Scarlet both lifting their eyebrows. "Told ya we'd be here! Jus' runnin' a little late!"
"Is that…Wallace?" Rufus asked in bewilderment. "What in the hell is he doing on this frequency, and what does he mean, he's 'got your back'?"
"I made a call before we shipped out," admitted Cid. "Figured we could use the extra support, since it's all she wrote if we fuck this up. Now shut your pie hole and worry about Deepground, not your grudge against AVALANCHE."
Rufus' jaw dropped at the man's brazen order. He was about to ask Cid just who in the hell he thought he was, to talk to him that way, but Reeve's voice broke through over the aircraft's private channel.
"I think we should welcome the backup, President. AVALANCHE brought seven choppers with them and about a hundred ground troops, armed with explosives. That might not seem like much, but these Deepground people are hitting us hard and we aren't in a position to turn down the extra help."
Rufus sighed, and as much as he hated to admit it, both Reeve and Cid made good arguments—crude though the latter man's were. There was simply too much at stake to split hairs. He gave his response over the shared military frequency.
"If AVALANCHE helps us win this, I could be persuaded to pretend they haven't spent the past decade committing terrorism against our organization. This is a one time offer, given only because of the extreme situation." He gave a warning glare to Scarlet in the copilot seat, when she looked like she might object. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, saying with her body language that she thought he was making a mistake with the offer. Rufus didn't care. His presidency would come to a crashing end if Omega woke and performed its purpose.
"Worry about giving our people directions, if they make it into Deepground," Rufus advised her, turning off his mic so that only Scarlet could hear him. "We can deal with AVALANCHE after we've saved the world, Scarlet."
She nodded reluctantly, unable to refute his logic.
~***********************************~

"Weiss, they've breached Deepground."
The white-haired Tsviet lifted his head with difficulty, staring up at his sibling. "They're inside the lower city, then?"
Nero nodded. "Yes. A troupe of SOLDIER operatives fought their way to the entrance. Rosso's killer is leading them, and the G-cell carrier is also with them."
"Then it's time," answered Weiss. "Sacrifice the prisoners."
"What if they make it all the way here?" asked Nero.
Weiss smirked. "It won't matter. I'm about to be reborn and with the sacrifice, Gaia will release Omega. It's all falling into place."
"We'll see it happen together, brother," said Nero in a determined voice. He brushed aside some strands of wild black hair that had fallen over his eyes. "You're certain of this cure, though? It…seems to be weakening you further."
"To be reborn, one has to first die. You'll see…brother." The pale eyes flashed with sudden passion. "Everyone…will see."
Nero frowned at him, inwardly finding his recent behavior odd. A lot had happened though, and Weiss had put a lot of effort into finding a way to cure his illness. Nobody could accuse Weiss of sanity either, but then, sanity was a thing most of them lost some time ago, under the 'tender mercies' of ShinRa's Deepground scientists and the restrictors.
His love and loyalty to Weiss made questioning his judgment further impossible for Nero. "I trust you, brother. Always. I will conduct the sacrifice personally, and I'll deal with these intruders myself, should they make it past our lower city's defenses."
~*******************************~

Seeing an entire city that looked a bit like Kalm beneath the ruins of Midgar was a bit jarring, but the SOLDIER troupe didn't have time to "ooh" and "ahh" over it for long, as they were immediately set upon by the residents. They had to fight every step of the way to make it off of the lift and into the city itself, but they eventually made it, thanks to the dedication of the operatives and the leadership of Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal. Vincent offered substantial aid to their efforts, as well, having joined forces with them when he ended up fighting near the ruined tower.
"We've made it into the outer housing district," Sephiroth reported in a low voice over the transmitter. "We lost six operatives along the way. There are searchlights in the distance, coming from the center of the city. It won't be long before we face further opposition."
"It could be even sooner than you think," warned Genesis with a nod at the cavernous ceiling. "Aircrafts incoming."
Sephiroth looked up to see several squads of Deepground operatives, riding the odd, zero-gravity bikes that sped through the air like hovercrafts. They were closing in on their area fast, as though they already knew their location. The operatives they'd already fought must have reported their location before they fell in battle. Seeing the flash of Genesis' sword beside him, Sephiroth shook his head and grabbed the redhead's wrist.
"We may stand a better chance of reaching their leader with some stealth, Rhapsodos," explained Sephiroth when Genesis gave him an offended look. "For once, we may need to avoid fights that aren't necessary. We've already lost half the team we brought down here with us."
"I'd much rather fight," insisted Genesis.
"I think he's right," urged Angeal. "Genesis, hiding isn't my first choice either, but we're vastly outnumbered down here and Zack and the others have their hands full beating back the topside enemies. We were lucky to make it in here to begin with."
"We should hide," suggested Vincent. "Someone has to make it to Weiss, if we're going to end this before it's too late."
Faced with that reasoning, Genesis sighed and shelved his aggression for the greater good. He heard a distant howl, coming from a throat that was once human. He couldn't quite hide his grimace as he looked at Sephiroth with glowing aqua eyes. "What do you propose we do about the beasts? They'll sniff us out, wherever we hide."
"Save the fighting for when that happens," ordered Sephiroth. "Until then, we'll try to be covert. This operation is too important to be reckless."
~************************************~

"I can't believe I'm hiding in someone's kitchen."
The whispered complaint distracted Angeal from the sound of the booted footsteps outside and he put a warning finger to his lips before whispering back to Genesis, leaning close to speak into his ear. "You agreed this was the best plan. Besides, the odds of us making it to that reactor without seeing more combat are practically zero. Avoiding un-necessary fights doesn't mean we won't run into opposition at all or get discovered, eventually."
"Then we should be splitting up," countered Genesis. "We send one team to sneak in and kill this bastard, while another provides a distraction."
Angeal looked around at the handful of remaining Seconds, the General, and their unlikely caped ally. "I doubt there are enough of us left to provide a significant distraction, Gen."
Genesis gave him a look that was so exasperated, Angeal immediately regretted his choice of words. "It's like you don't know me at all, Angeal."
He knew that look in his eyes and his heart sank with dread. Angeal shook his head, frowning fiercely at him. "Don't. Just don't, Genesis."
A slow grin curved the redhead's lips. "Why not? With my abilities and the materia I've been issued, I think I could cause a significant distraction all on my own. You said yourself that we need someone to make it to Weiss, and chances of that happening are better if someone else lures the enemy away."
"I would agree with that, if you weren't talking about making a lemming out of yourself," muttered Angeal, inadvertently raising his voice above a whisper for a moment.
"Silence in the ranks," warned Sephiroth, his emerald gaze stern on them. "The enemy is moving in on this location. Let's not make it easier for them to detect us."
Angeal quieted down, and he spoke into Genesis' ear again in a bare whisper, conscious of the fact that Deepground operatives had enhanced senses too—including hearing. "Just wait, okay?"
"You know I'm right," Genesis whispered back insistently. "And I'm fast enough to evade them. The rest of you can get to Weiss while they're chasing me."
As proud as he felt for his lover's brave offer, Angeal just couldn't get on board with the idea. "I can't let you go alone. It's too risky."
"Then come with me," suggested the redhead, his gaze holding Angeal's.
Outside, they could hear the snorts and grunts of the "beast" units, sniffing out their trail on all fours like hounds, even though they were humanoids. Angeal hardly noticed it, so caught up in Genesis' earnest gaze and a sense of déjà vu. He was reminded of the time when Genesis went missing and Angeal found him, only to be persuaded to defect and join him. The difference of course was the intention behind this scenario, but the same intensity was there, practically daring him to take a chance.
"We could do some damage, you and I," coaxed Genesis, his warm breath tickling Angeal's ear pleasantly. "We always do, when we fight together."
It was the bald truth. He and Gen had always "fit", regardless of whether they were fighting or fucking. They moved in conjunction, barely needing verbal communication anymore to work together.
"All right," he finally whispered, the Mako glow in his blue eyes briefly intensifying with adrenaline. "I'm proud of you, Genesis. Your willingness to possibly sacrifice yourself for this mission is proof that—"
"I couldn't care less about this mission," interrupted the redhead with a snort, "or what happens to humanity, for that matter. I'm doing this for two reasons. First, these people have dared to fuck with the goddess. That is unforgivable."
"Oh." Once again, Genesis had managed to make Angeal feel stupid. Evidently, he could still surprise him. "What's the other reason, then?"
The other man hesitated and glanced around, before toying with the ID tags hanging from Angeal's neck with gloved fingers. "I happen to want a certain apple thief to keep living. If this mission fails, that may not be possible."
Angeal felt his cheeks go warm with pleasure. He dared to squeeze the hand playing with his tags and he gave his dearest friend and lover a smile. "Then I'd better help you. Let's go."
Sephiroth noticed when they both checked their weapons and started for the hallway. He whispered and order to a nearby operative and he intervened smoothly, blocking their way. "What do you think you're doing?"
Angeal and Genesis looked at each other. The larger of the two answered the question softly. "We're giving the rest of you the chance to reach Weiss. From what we've heard of him, you're the best man for the job…possibly the only one that could go toe-to-toe with him. Your chances of reaching him are greater if his allies are too busy with us to notice you, General."
"Angeal would make a fairly decent wrecking ball, given his mass and my speed," added Genesis. "After accidentally tossing that hulking Tsviet through the tower window that day, I've started to consider how much damage such a move could do if orchestrated on purpose."
Angeal gave Genesis a wary look. "We…haven't talked about this. I'm not comfortable being your 'wrecking ball'."
"It's just a thought," assured Genesis calmly. "You never know what methods we may need to employ once we get out there, Angeal."
"Then let's just play it by ear and avoid tossing me at angry Deepground agents, for now," muttered the big man. He looked to Sephiroth. "With your permission, General, we'd like to volunteer to do this…before the enemy finds us all here. Consider the tactical advantage."
Sephiroth regarded them both with narrowed, thoughtful eyes. "I'll allow it, under the circumstances. You distract, you evade, and you pay attention to progress reports through communications. Don't take un-necessary risks, and be prepared to get out the moment you receive confirmation of this mission's success."
"And if it fails?" queried Genesis.
Sephiroth blinked slowly, as if failure wasn't a consideration. "In the event that Valentine and I fail to complete this objective, then it will be up to the two of you to finish it."
Angeal nodded. It had already been established that blowing the entire city up wasn't an option, due to the risk of flooding the Lifestream with additional souls. That was why he'd been consciously avoiding killing his opponents. He was no cold and merciless death dealer, but he ordinarily had no compunctions about killing an enemy for the greater good. This situation was different, however. Everyone that fell in this battle added to more fuel to the fire, and he believed Sephiroth was keeping that in mind as well, with his decision to avoid more fighting if possible.
Almost as if on cue, screams arose from somewhere deeper in the city. Hundreds of voices cried out together, as if suffering the same agony. The SOLDIER operatives and Vincent looked at one another with alarm at the terrible sound of human suffering. It echoed in the cavernous depths for a while before it died off, silenced by something better left unimagined.
"What the hell was that?" gasped one of the Seconds, breaking into a sweat.
"The hostages," answered Sephiroth, his gaze going to the narrow window in the small kitchen. "We've just heard them being executed. Why did they wait for this long, though?"
Nobody had an answer to that. Even Genesis was too shaken by the sound of those screams and the mental images of how those innocents met their end to speculate.
~*******************************~

-To be continued
- 22
- 23
- 24
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Darkened Skies