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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
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"Darkened Skies"
Chapter twenty-eight: Mother is very angry
A Final Fantasy 7 AU fanfiction
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*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.
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After touring the emergency facilities in Modeoheim, Rufus reluctantly agreed to support the project. They returned to Junon and the next day, further reports came in of another WEAPON sighting. This one was seen in the sea, between the eastern and western continents. When reports indicated that the creature was heading for Junon, Rufus immediately ordered the city defenses activated, and Scarlet instructed her people to ready the Mako cannon. The sun was beginning to set as the two of them stood in Rufus' extravagant office together, staring out at the water through the big window. They were holding off on shutting the security panels on this level for now, if only so that they could have a clear view of what was happening outside.
"How close have they reported it now?" Rufus asked when Scarlet responded to something her people said over her transmitter.
"About twenty-three knots away," she answered, "and closing in steadily. It's fast, Rufus. As much as I loathe Tuesti, the work the man did on the cannon is going to make a huge difference. I doubt we'd have it powered up in time for a shot, in its previous state."
Rufus nodded, putting his hands behind his back and clasping them together. "The general and his officers are overseeing getting people to emergency shelter. If this thing attacks, hopefully we won't lose any civilians."
Scarlet turned her head and looked at him. "What are these creatures, Rufus? Where are they coming from? I've done the reading but I still don't fully get it. Is the planet consciously sending them after us?"
He shook his head, frowning. "I don't know. It could be that these creatures awoke with Omega, and it's simply taken them this long to move. All we can do now is deal with them to the best of our abilities, until our scientists can tell us more."
She sighed. "I still can't believe you ordered Hojo's release from prison. The man is a certified lunatic and he's—"
"He's our most brilliant mind available to us, Scarlet. He can't do his work from a prison cell. We have people watching him at all times, and I'll be damned if I let them slack off. You'll just have to trust my judgment."
She grimaced, her hand slipping down covertly to pat her thigh, where she kept a slim pistol holstered under her dress. "If he tries anything, I'll shoot the bastard myself. He's the reason we're in this mess."
"My father is the reason we're in this mess," corrected Rufus. "Hojo was just a player, like yourself. If my father hadn't been so obsessed with developing the perfect super soldier, none of this would have happened."
"Hojo's obsession with Jenova and the stars was ultimately what brought us here, Rufus. The Deepground uprising might have occurred with or without Hojo's influence on Weiss, but he was the one who orchestrated the plan to awaken Omega. I'm fairly sure Deepground would have been happy to take over Midgar and leave it at that, if Hojo hadn't gotten involved."
He gave her an annoyed look. "Is it ever possible for you to allow anyone to have the last word?"
She gave him a sultry half-smile. "Why Rufus, you know me better than that."
He sighed.
~***********************************~

Reno was just leaving his apartment when the alarms began to blare. He grimaced, looking at the MP's jogging past him on the street. "Things are going to hell in a handbasket, fast. I don't believe this shit."
He dialed his partner's number on his cell and lit up a cigarette as he got into his car. "Yo Rude…I'm on my way to HQ now. Have they seen it yet?"
"The WEAPON? No." Rude's voice maintained its monotone calm, despite whatever anxiety he might be feeling about the approaching menace. "Reports expect the thing to reach us in under twenty minutes, if it keeps its course. Better not be caught outside when it gets here, man."
"Yeah, I'm hurrying," agreed Reno. "Ain't this a bitch?"
"You said it, Red."
Reno started to put his car into "drive", and he nearly ran over Elena. He honked at her and rolled his window down to yell some abuse at her for jumping out in front of his car like that. "What the fuck, girl! You figure getting run over would be faster than being blown up?"
She ran round to the passenger side and slipped in, ignoring his glare as she put on her seatbelt. "Sorry Reno, but I didn't think you'd hear me if I yelled. I need a ride to HQ."
He took a drag and started driving, keeping a more careful eye out for pedestrians as he went. "So where's Cissnei? She ain't coming with you?"
"She's already at the tower," answered Elena, looking around at the activity on the streets. She waved at Zack as they drove past him and he waved in return. "How about Rude?"
"Same," he answered. He tapped the ashes off the tip of his smoke in the ashtray. "Maybe we'll get lucky and this thing will bypass us."
"We're never that lucky," she said.
~***************************~

"We have a problem."
Lazard turned to face Reeve, frowning at him. "You mean a larger problem than the one currently swimming toward us at an alarming speed? Please elaborate."
Reeve sighed and looked down at the phone in his hand. "I've gotten a report that another WEAPON was spotted to the east of the Cosmo area. It's definitely not the same one heading for us here."
Lazard combed his fingers through his feathered blond locks and sighed. "Damn it. They're coming out of the woodwork."
"I'm afraid so," Reeve answered. "And I have a theory as to why that is."
"What's your theory?"
Before Reeve could answer, the speakers announced that the WEAPON was in sight. The alarms blared even louder and the tower trembled a little as the mechanized weapon system began to take aim at the sea.
"Five knots!" shouted the MP's voice over the intercom system. "We have a visual! Take aim with the cannon!"
Reeve and Lazard hurried to the window as the security panels started to close. Through the slats of metal, they could see the wave caused by the WEAPON'S approach. White caps broke over the water as the creature started to emerge. It was impossible to see the fine details at this distance, but the WEAPON'S body was a peacock blue color and it looked like it had fins. Rockets launched from the harbor defenses, fired from both automatic launchers and those held by military personnel. The creature rose up and opened its maw, squinting those big, yellow eyes.
"I think we may want to step away from the window now," suggested Reeve nervously as the WEAPON'S mouth lit up with energy.
Lazard slowly backed away with him, his glasses reflecting the ominous light. "I think you may be right." Whether it was by design or coincidence, the creature's aim threatened to blast the very level the two men were on. Staying anywhere near the windows—even with the security panels down—would be an exercise in stupidity. Reeve and Lazard ran out of the office together, slamming the door behind them.
"The fire escape," urged Reeve, thinking quickly. "It's closest to the center of the building, and we can start making out way down. The blast is less likely to hit us, in there."
Lazard didn't argue with him. They heard the massive Mako cannon go off just as they made it into the fire escape, but the creature apparently got its attack off at the same time. There was the sound of glass shattering and the tortured groan of metal as enormous heat melted the security panels. The blast wave forced the fire escape door open before Lazard could move out of the way, striking him in the back. Reeve caught him as the blow knocked him out and he dragged him away from the door. The whole tower shook and Reeve almost went tumbling down the fire escape stairs, Lazard and all. He caught himself and leaned back against the wall, holding his companion tightly as much for his own comfort as Lazard's safety.
"Shit," he yelled when another blast struck the tower. Pieces of ceiling fell down and one of them struck him on the head, just hard enough to smart. "Can't have both of us unconscious," grunted the engineer as he started to drag Lazard down the stairs, sticking close to the wall for balance. "We'll never make it out of here alive."
Of course, making it to the ground floor was no guarantee of safety, either. Truly, there was no place in the city that one could deem "safe" at a time like this, but since the WEAPONS attacks seemed to be focused on the top levels of the tower, it was a better idea than sticking around on the current floor.
~******************************~

On the floor above Reeve's, Rufus and Scarlet remained where they were. They braced themselves when the blast struck the floor beneath them and they both came close to losing their nerve and making for the fire escape as well. Displaying more guts than most people gave them credit for, they remained where they were and kept an eye on the horizon. The creature was clearly injured, but it was getting ready for another blast.
"A direct hit," Scarlet said after adjusting her ear peace and listening to the report. She grabbed Rufus' arm for support as another tremor threatened to knock her off her high-heeled feet. "They're powering up the canon for a second strike. In the meantime, our MP's will continue using missile launchers against it."
"Will it be ready to fire again before he fires against us?" Rufus nodded at the menace backlit by the setting sun.
"Your guess is as good as mine," she said grimly.
They got their answer a moment later, when the white beam of energy erupted from the WEAPON'S mouth. Rufus surprised them both by diving on top of her and covering her body with his own, when the blast punched through the wall and blew the opposite door of its hinges. They could smell the ozone in the air and Rufus' hair stood on end…it was that close. Gasping, they lay on the floor until the threat was gone and even when it stopped, Rufus didn't dare get up. They listened carefully to the sound of the cannon getting off a second blast and Scarlet looked up at him with wide, blue-gray eyes.
"That one was dead-on," she informed him, smiling. "Straight to the face. The WEAPON is going down."
Rufus sighed and lowered his head to her shoulder in a brief, tired gesture of relief. She started to stroke his hair, but she hesitated and dropped her hand to the floor.
~*****************************~

An hour later, they were discussing the situation in a meeting. Reeve had the world map up on the big screen and he'd marked the spots so far where the WEAPONS had made their appearances. He paced before the map while the other participants looked on. This time, none of the science team were present because Hollander and Hojo were both busy researching, trying to find any weaknesses they could. Samples had been collected by scuba divers almost immediately after the cannon finished off the WEAPON, to be compared with the samples taken by the one Reeve named "Diamond".
"We'll call this one "Sapphire," announced Reeve as everyone took their seats. "We need to identify each of these creatures, in case we start seeing patterns. We don't know if the one we killed in the harbor is even in the same family as the first one we killed."
"You mean how lions and tigers are both cats, but not in the same family?" guessed Zack.
Reeve nodded. "That's exactly right. We may find ourselves facing another 'Diamond' or 'Sapphire' again, soon. That's why we need to chart their appearance and make notes on how they attack, as well as any weaknesses we find."
"That makes perfect sense," agreed Lazard. He adjusted the ice pack he was holding against his head and he looked at Rufus. "I think we may need to think about evacuation, if these WEAPON sightings continue to rise. The shelter in Modeoheim may be put to use sooner than we thought."
"Let's not rush off to live in a cave, just yet," Rufus said dryly. "We've handled every WEAPON we've engaged so far. I don't intend to abandon this city until I know the odds are massively against us. Reno, I want you to put together a team to travel to the Cosmo area and deal with this other WEAPON. We can't leave it wandering the wilds. I'm sure it will attack any settlements it stumbles across and—"
"Sir," interrupted Reeve, frowning as he put his phone to his ear. A call had come in during Rufus' planning and he had some disturbing new information. "Another WEAPON has been spotted further south…heading toward Gongaga. It came up out of the ocean by a weapon dealer's house and he reported it as he went to hide in his basement."
Zack's expression froze, and his companions looked at him with understanding. The young man got out of his seat and looked at Lazard pleadingly. "Director? I…I need to go. I have to get my parents."
Lazard nodded. "I'll arrange transport for you immediately, Lt. Fair."
Angeal stood up. "I'm coming with you." His chiseled features were grave and determined, daring anyone to contradict him.
Genesis stood up and shrugged. "I'm with him."
Sephiroth also stood up. "I'll accompany you as well. Director, I'd like to bring some Seconds with us, as well as some regular MP's. We still don't know the range of these creature's powers and I'd rather be over-equipped than under."
"Make whatever arrangements you need," agreed the director. "President, I'll arrange for some SOLDIER operatives to accompany your Turks on their mission as well, if you like."
Rufus thought it over and nodded. "It's probably for the best."
~*********************************~

"Zack, we'll get there in time," Angeal promised as his former pupil's knee bounced rapidly. "We'll reach them and get them safely out of there, before we deal with the WEAPON. You have my word on that."
"You can't promise that." Zack bit his lip and checked their itinerary for the fifth time in under a minute. "Can't this chopper fly any faster?"
"It's going as fast as it can," Sephiroth assured him. "Listen to your mentor, Zackary. You're not doing yourself or your parents any good, working yourself up this way. You need to stay calm and focused."
"They're my parents," snapped the brunet angrily. "Maybe none of you give a damn about yours, but I have a great relationship with mine and if they die…if something happens to them, I…I'll…"
Angeal rubbed the younger man's shoulders as Zack put his head into his hands and took a few deep, steadying breaths. "Just slow down," he advised, raising his voice a little to be heard over the aircraft's engines. "Until such time as you get confirmation that anything has happened to them, you need to assume your parents are still alive and safe. There haven't been any reports of an attack against Gongaga, yet. The WEAPON may pass right by it."
"That place isn't out in the open like the other cities these things have attacked," remarked Kunsel. "I've been to Gongaga Zack, and you practically have to be right on top of the place before you can see it. The WEAPON might not even notice it, with that thick jungle hiding it the way it does."
"You think so?" Zack looked at him hopefully, appearing so boyishly innocent it made Angeal's heart clench.
"Zack, you have to stay calm," encouraged the big man. "We'll get there soon."
"Give him a tranquilizer," suggested Genesis.
Zack glared at him. "I don't need to be doped up!"
"I beg to differ," answered the redhead. "You're no good to anyone if you work yourself up into a panic. It's going to take a few hours to reach our destination and with each passing minute, you're just making yourself worse. A single tranquilizer will settle you down and allow you to get some rest. By the time you wake up again, we'll be landing."
Zack stared at him, obviously torn. "Fine," he said after a few seconds. "Hand it over, if you've got one."
~********************************~

While the combat teams were flying to their destinations, Lazard, Reeve, Cid, Shera, Rufus and Scarlet discussed their options, if it did come to an evacuation. Reeve marked the new sighting on the map and he put his hands on his hips as he looked it over, sighing.
"My father used to have a saying," he announced to his companions. "The mother is always the true head of the family, and if she's not happy, nobody is." He turned around to face them, his dark gaze thoughtful and full of dread. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mother Gaia is very angry."
Cid bit off the end of his cigar and spit it out, ignoring the angry look he got from Rufus. "Don't give me any crap," he warned, "This place is half-trashed anyway. Me having a smoke ain't going to hurt anything." He lit the cigar and looked at Reeve. "So what are you saying, Tuesti? You think the planet's sending these overgrown toys after us?"
"The planet is sentient, to a point," answered the engineer with another look at the map. "I think the incident with Omega has Gaia feeling threatened. This may be her reaction."
"You keep referring to the planet as a woman," Scarlet sighed. "It doesn't have a blasted gender!"
Reeve shrugged. "Well, it's more like a woman than a man, to me."
"Volatile and fickle," agreed Rufus with a smirk Scarlet's way. "But the dubious gender of our world isn't the issue at hand. Reeve, are you suggesting this is a deliberate attack against humanity?"
"That's what I'm suggesting," agreed the engineer, "and the more of these things we find, the greater the danger. Our people might be able to take out these new ones, but will that be the end of it?"
"Then we need to locate their place of origin and put a stop to it," suggested the president coldly.
"I think that's easier said than done," argued Lazard. He winced as he pressed the icepack more firmly against the bump on his head and Reeve sighed.
"Here, let me take care of that for you." He activated the Cure materia on his bangle and healed the injury. "You should have done this right away, you know."
"I don't typically carry materia on me," excused the director with a relieved sigh, "but thank you."
"Say we do end up having to evacuate," Cid remarked, "Is it a good idea to have everyone hole up in the same place? If this is some kind of extinction event like you're suggesting, we don't need to be painting a giant bulls-eye on our ass and gathering everyone in one convenient place."
"He has a good point," agreed Reeve, scratching his chin. "I think it might be a good idea to discuss splitting it up into several colonies. Not too many, though."
"Again, I remind you that we haven't reached a point where we need to do that," Rufus said.
"I'm not saying we should start drawing straws right away," protested Reeve, "but we might want to come up with a plan anyhow. If we don't have to use it, that's great…but if it does come to it, at least we'll have some idea of what the hell we're doing. I think we should be ready to move everyone in a hurry, if we have to."
"I can agree with that," Rufus finally said. "Everyone put your ideas on the table and we'll hash it out."
~*****************************~

Hank Fair had been keeping up with the news, of course. Ever since the first WEAPON attacked, he and his wife Edna kept their eyes and ears out for further news. They knew their son was safe because he'd called them a couple of days ago, but each battle ShinRa fought with these creatures carried with it the risk of Zack's injury or death.
He was outside tending the garden with his wife when their son came running into the village, not bothering to greet people even in passing as he jogged through the dirt streets to the house he'd grown up in. Mr. Fair frowned in confusion when he saw Zack's SOLDIER friends at the entrance to the village, along with some other men in the uniforms of regular militia.
"Son, what's going on?" he asked when Zack approached and put an arm around Edna, ushering her toward the front door of the house.
"I'll explain inside, Dad," promised Zack, "just trust me."
~*****************************~

While Zack explained what was happening to his parents, the other SOLDIER officers and their underlings arranged the evacuation of the town. Hearing that there was possibly a WEAPON on its way convinced them it was in their best interest not to argue with the general or his men. Fortunately, Gongaga was a small village, so the airship they'd brought with them would fit most all of the population. The remainders could ride in the three other choppers that had come with the SOLDIER chopper.
"When was the last time we slept?" Genesis wondered, disoriented by the time difference. In Junon it was nighttime now, but it was just approaching early evening in Gongaga.
"Eighteen hours ago, approximately," answered Angeal. He managed a smirk at his lover. "Don't tell me you're tired already. I've seen you stay awake for three days, reading your books and writing."
"Yes, well…I wasn't fighting gigantic terran monsters whilst doing any of that. I'm just feeling a bit ragged." He put a hand over his mouth to cover a yawn and he ushered more civilians to keep walking with the other.
"This shouldn't take long," encouraged Angeal. "As soon as we get these people safely boarded, we can intercept the target and hopefully take it out without suffering any casualties."
Genesis would have responded to that, but they heard the rhythmic stomping of gigantic footsteps in the distance. He looked at Angeal with wary aqua eyes. "Something tells me we need to pick up the pace."
~*****************************~

Zack heard the approaching footsteps too, and he tried to hurry his folks up. "Come on, Mom…you don't have time to pack all this stuff! Just take what you need and get to the airship, okay? You can go shopping in Junon if you need more clothes, it's on me!"
She tucked a graying strand of dark hair behind her ear and looked up at her son with fond blue eyes. "You're a sweet boy Zack, but I'm not leaving these photos behind. Look, here you are as a baby, having your first bath."
He sighed. "Okay, I'll help you grab all of them. We've just got to hurry. I think it's coming."
"The beastie?" Mr. Fair asked, dumping another pair of trousers into his suitcase. "You sure that isn't thunder you're hearing?" Unlike his son, Hank's hearing wasn't particularly sharp.
"No, I've heard this sound before," insisted Zack, "and it's not thunder. Hurry it up, I want to get you two out of here as soon as possible!"
~*********************************~

Kunsel was just heading out of the forest with his group when he saw it. The creature had approached more quickly than any of them expected it to, and he was thankful that the aircrafts were currently hidden from its immediate view by the hills surrounding the area. It wouldn't take long before it spotted them, however. He turned to gesture at the people following behind him—who saw the approaching danger and began to mill around in fear.
"Don't stop," Kunsel instructed. "It's okay, folks…we've still got time before it moves around those hills! Get on board and we'll take care of you!"
Maybe he shouldn't have spoken so soon, because while the WEAPON didn't appear to notice the group of aircrafts on the ground yet, it evidently understood that there was a settlement within the jungle. Perhaps the smoke rising from a chimney gave it away, or perhaps the creature sensed the old Mako reactor somehow, but the gem-like objects on its massive green shoulders began to light up ominously.
"Shit, it's going to fire!"
Kunsel put all thoughts of herding people onto the airship out of his mind as he turned and ran back into the forest, shouting warnings to his comrades the whole time. "General, Lieutenants! The WEAPON is out there by the hills and it's getting ready to—"
The rest of his warning was drowned out in the sound of the energy blasts. They streaked over the forest canopy while the SOLDIER operatives watched, and Angeal turned around with dread to face the town as they struck. Zack and his parents were still in there.
"Come on," Angeal shouted to his companions, not bothering to see if they followed him. He charged down the path, his mind on only one thing.
~*****************************~

They were just stepping outside when Zack saw the incoming beams of energy. He grabbed his parents and dragged them back inside with him immediately, urging them towards the ladder leading down to the basement.
"Go on," he yelled, "hurry!" He waited for his parents to climb down before stepping onto the ladder himself.
That was when the blast hit.
~**************************~

Angeal stopped in his tracks at the sight of the burning village. That one attack managed to level three buildings, and one of them was the Fair home. He ran to the collapsed building, ignoring Genesis' shouts as the redhead cautioned him to watch where he was going. When Kunsel saw the ruin of Zack's family home, he too joined Angeal and they began shouting for their friend, digging through the rubble desperately.
"Zack! Can you hear us?" Kunsel's shout was raw with grief. The chances of anyone being alive in that mess were slim, but Zack had been known to have a fool's luck.
Angeal was likewise having difficulty containing his emotions. "Zackary! I swear to Shiva, if you don't answer me—"
Sephiroth paused before the house, studying it with brooding emerald eyes. "Angeal," he said, his voice almost gentle.
The airship was lifting off, having collected as many civilians as it could hold. All but two of the choppers went with it, getting out of the danger as quickly as possible. None of it mattered to Angeal or Kunsel. Both of them kept calling out to their missing companion, desperately searching for any sign that Zack Fair was alive in somewhere beneath the rubble.
Genesis approached the big man as Angeal pulled aside a burning chunk and scalded himself in the process. He reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. "Angeal, I think you may have to accept that he didn't make it. The creature is probably going to attack again and we need to—"
"We're not leaving him!" Angeal rounded on Genesis and the expression of fury and grief on his face made the redhead falter. "Either help me, or stay out of my way!"
Genesis backed off and looked at Sephiroth. He wasn't often a victim of indecision, but now his gaze was almost helplessly irresolute. Sephiroth stepped up beside him and looked up as the WEAPON'S emerald head and shoulders came into view above the tree line.
"They'll need a distraction, if he and Kunsel stand any chance of pulling Zackary out of there before this thing attacks again," muttered Sephiroth.
Genesis nodded and raised his sword, lighting it up with the signature red glow that gave it special properties. "Ready when you are, Sephiroth."
The silver-haired man considered the monster as he readied his own blade. "I'll go low, you go high."
"Agreed."
Angeal looked up from his task in time to see both of them manifest their wings and take to the air. Now suffering concern for their safety as well as Zack's, he hesitated for a moment before resuming his digging. He couldn't be everywhere at once, and his student needed him more than his lover and Sephiroth did, right now.
~*******************************~

"Hey, I found the basement!" Kunsel shouted after several minutes of digging.
A couple of other SOLDIER operatives had joined in on the efforts, while the rest went to assist Sephiroth and Genesis in their fight against the WEAPON. Upon hearing his shout, they hurried over to him and helped him move the debris surrounding the basement entrance.
"Careful," cautioned Angeal, "one false move could cause a collapse."
With desperate care and haste, they cleared the area and Angeal climbed down into the basement to look for the object of their search. Someone handed down a flashlight to him when he made it to the bottom and he turned it on, murmuring Zack's name as he looked around. He saw him less than a foot away, lying sprawled over the earthen floor. Angeal's heart pounded when he saw the blood pooling around his head, and he swallowed hard and approached him.
"Zack?" The big man squatted by his protégé and oh-so-gently rolled him over to determine if he was still alive. When he saw the severe gash slashing over his forehead and his left eye. He quickly activated the Cure materia he kept on him, his hand shaking slightly as he hovered it over the injury. The gash began to close, but it didn't completely heal and Zack was still going to need medical attention to determine how bad it was.
"Did you find him?" Kunsel's voice called.
"Yes," answered the Lieutenant. "He's still alive, but he's badly injured and unconscious. I can't tell if anything is broken."
He was almost afraid to move him, but they couldn't very well leave him where he was. He looked around the basement and he located Zack's parents, lying a few feet away from him by some old barrels. A beam from the ceiling had come down on top of them, and Angeal had a horrible feeling in his gut. Kunsel climbed down to investigate and Angeal told him to watch over Zack while he checked on his parents.
"Mr. Fair? Mrs. Fair?" Angeal eased over to the couple, minding his head. The ceiling was low, designed for more average sized people to traverse beneath. Angeal was forced to duck to avoid hitting his head on any of the beams. He knelt between the Fair couple and he checked both of them for a pulse.
Kunsel's glowing hazel gaze met his across the distance. "Are they…?"
Angeal's face went through a spasm of pain on Zack's behalf, and he shook his head.
~**************************~

The WEAPON eventually went down, flattening vegetation and breaking trees as it fell. Sephiroth landed beside it and Genesis dropped down on top of it, preparing to drive his sword into its brain if he had to. The creature went still and Sephiroth checked their men for injuries. One of them suffered a severe burn from plasma fire and Sephiroth healed him with his materia, before giving another one with a twisted ankle a potion to drink.
"It's gone," confirmed Genesis. "It won't be getting back up again."
Sephiroth nodded. "We'll call this one Emerald, since Reeve has begun using gem references. You men collect some samples and prepare to board the remaining choppers, while Lt. Rhapsodos and I head back into the village to check on Hewley's progress."
"There's no need," Angeal's voice called.
They looked to see him walking the path out of the village, carrying an unconscious Zack in his arms with Kunsel and two other SOLDIER operatives flanking him. Seeing the ugly gash on Zack's face, Sephiroth frowned and approached.
"Nothing is broken, as far as I can tell," Angeal announced. "I've already used a Cure spell on him. He needs professional medical attention, Sephiroth."
"He'll have it," assured the general. "As soon as we return to Junon Harbor."
"Where are his parents?" Genesis asked, hopping down from the WEAPON'S chest to approach.
"They didn't make it." Angeal looked down at the unconscious young man in his arms. "It's probably kinder that he's not conscious, right now."
"The news is going to kill him," predicted Genesis with a frown. "Your puppy adored his family."
"Zack is stronger than you think," Sephiroth assured. "But for now, we should concentrate on finishing up here and getting him home. Don't forget that there's another WEAPON not very far from here, in the Cosmo area."
"The Turks are supposed to be dealing with that one," reminded Genesis, "but you're right, they may not be able to handle it on their own."
"I'll take him onto the helicopter," Angeal said, holding Zack a little closer. "Hopefully, he hasn't suffered a concussion."
~****************************~

They left as soon as they got the samples they needed to take back for study. The flight back to Junon was a quiet, grim one and they caught up with the rest of the convoy within an hour. The airship wasn't as fast as the helicopters in the formation, but Angeal insisted that the aircraft carrying them continue on with top speed, to get Zack back to Junon and in the hospital as soon as humanly possible. Sephiroth agreed with his demands and they flew on ahead of the rest of the escort, making all haste.
Reeve met them at the airport when they touched down, having been notified of the situation in Gongaga. There was open pity on his face as the medics he brought with him got Zack onto a stretcher and wheeled him away.
"That poor kid," sighed Reeve as the SOLDIER officers watched with him as they hustled Zack away. "At least it was fast."
"I doubt that will comfort him," Angeal murmured. He drew a shaken breath. "They were good people, his parents. I liked them."
"We'll keep close tabs on his situation," Sephiroth said. "I want to know the moment he wakes up."
~*********************************~

"The SOLDIER team destroyed the WEAPON at Gongaga," reported Lazard an hour later, "but not before it opened fire on the village and killed Lt. Fair's parents. They've named it 'Emerald' and the general has submitted a file with a full description."
Rufus nodded. "I see. The Turks succeeded in bringing down the one near Cosmo, but they lost four people in the process. Going by their description of it, we've decided to name that one 'Ruby'. Did your people suffer any casualties?"
"No, but Fair was injured badly. He's in surgery now to remove some shrapnel from his face and skull that his companions weren't able to get out when they rescued him from his house. We won't know how serious it really is until they've finished."
"A shame. He's a good Soldier." Rufus didn't sound very compassionate, but then, he didn't have a personal relationship with any of the SOLDIER operatives, like his half-brother did. "Do we have any idea where these creatures are coming from, yet? Reports suggest that Ruby came up out of the desert sand, near the old Corel prison. I don't know if that's true, but the location fits.
"The Diamond WEAPON came from somewhere to the north of Icicle," Lazard mused, "and Sapphire may have come from a place under the ocean floor. Reeve thinks these creatures have been sleeping for thousands of years, hibernating until the planet needs them."
"So then there's a chance we won't see more of these things," Rufus suggested. "If they were created thousands of years ago, there can't be that many left."
"I'd like to think that's true," agreed Lazard, "but Tuesti pointed out that if the planet could make them once, it can make them again. They could keep coming."
Rufus sighed. "Hojo. I swear, the temptation to shoot the man myself gets stronger every day."
"Our father is as much to blame as Hojo," reminded Lazard. "And we need the professor's knowledge, right now. Shoot him after he helps us understand these WEAPONS better."
"He may have doomed us all," Rufus growled. "And here we are, forced to keep him around. I can ordinarily appreciate irony, Lazard, but this is just damned inconvenient."
The director nodded, for once empathizing completely with his half-sibling. "I know."
~***********************************~

"Lt. Fair is in recovery now," announced the doctor to the SOLDIER operatives.
Kunsel had fallen asleep on a row of chairs in the waiting room and he came awake with a snort when he heard the man's comment. He sat up eagerly and rubbed his eyes. "Can we see him?"
The doctor hesitated, looking at each young man in turn. "I think you should avoid crowding him, right now. Only one of you should go in there. He's dealing with the loss of his parents and we were unfortunately unable to restore vision to his left eye. We saved the eye itself, but it's been permanently blinded."
Genesis got up to stand beside his lover. "What about the shrapnel? Did you get all of it?"
"Yes, we did," assured the doctor with a nod. He looked up at Sephiroth. "General, I strongly advise that you sign this young man up for therapy and give him an honorable discharge from the military. I can't tell you how to do your job, though."
"I'll arrange the therapy," answered Sephiroth, his voice betraying no emotion. "But Zackary's future with SOLDIER is up to him. If he feels he can learn to compensate for the loss of vision and wants to remain in the service, I won't deny him that right."
The doctor looked like he wanted to say more, but he hesitated and nodded. "Fair enough. Choose one person to go in and see him, please. As I said, we don't want to overwhelm him."
All eyes turned to Angeal. There was really only one answer to the question of which of them should be the first to visit their stricken comrade.
"Go and be with your puppy," suggested Genesis. "We'll wait in the hall while you visit."
~*************************~

They watched quietly as the muscular First entered his former pupil's recovery room. Zack was awake and they had bound a gauze patch over his left eye and the slashing injury. He looked up at his mentor as Angeal knocked on the wall to announce his presence and came in. Angeal stopped at Zack's bedside and spoke softly to him. Zack's face looked haggard, his hair tangled and unkempt. He looked away from Angeal, visibly struggling with his emotions as the bigger man spoke.
"Zack…I’m sorry." Angeal laid a gentle hand on Zack's shoulder. "So sorry."
Zack swallowed and shook his head. "Not your fault. You tried."
Angeal bowed his head, the corners of his mouth turning down unhappily. "If there's anything we can do for you, name it. We're all here for you, Zack."
The younger man swallowed again, before speaking in a husky murmur. "I just want to be alone."
Angeal started to honor his request, but he hesitated and shook his head. "I don't think you need to be alone right now."
A tear etched its way down Zack's right cheek and he sniffed, rubbing his nose carelessly with the back of his hand. "D-don't care what you think. Just…go."
Angeal shook his head. "I can't. Not when you're like this."
He sank gingerly down on the edge of the bed and he put an arm around the younger man, drawing him into a careful embrace. Zack started to cry in earnest and Angeal pulled him to his chest, stroking his matted hair.
"It's okay," Angeal told him. "Let it out."
Zack's fingers curled over Angeal's shirt, balling into a fist. Harsh, wracking sobs shook his body and the bigger man rocked him, softly encouraging him to grieve as much as he needed to.
Watching from the hallway, Kunsel sniffed and wiped his eyes. Genesis gave the scene one last look and he nodded meaningfully at his companions. "I think we've lingered for long enough."
Sephiroth wordlessly joined him as he began to walk away, and Kunsel stayed behind for a couple more seconds before following suit. It would have felt like intruding, to keep standing there watching Zack vent his grief. The pitiful, raw sobs rang in their ears as the SOLDIER operatives left.
~********************************~

The rest of the week was spent recovering from all of the battles, losses and destruction they had endured. While Junon worked on repairs, Wutai was preparing for an evacuation. Tseng stood outside the Pagoda of the Five Mighty Gods with Yuffie, overseeing the evacuation. He was dressed in his Turk uniform, and she wore a pair of shorts and a tank top. Her weapon of choice, a big, formidable shuriken, was strapped to her back and she stood with her legs parted and her hands on her hips.
"I still think this is pushing it a little too far," she remarked, but she didn't stop the evacuation. People boarded the waiting ships anchored at the harbor, preparing to sail across the sea and set up residency in Cosmo Canyon. There was no telling how long they'd have to stay there. More WEAPONS had been spotted in various locations in the world, and power lines were down in a lot of communities. So far, there were no signs of WEAPONS near Wutai, but they had made the decision that it was better to relocate temporarily than stay so isolated.
"This is the safest decision," Tseng encouraged, his dark gaze on the colorful sails in the distance.
"We could have holed up in the caves around here," she argued. She pointed at the distant Da-Chao statues, looming massive in the distant mountains.
"But we would remain isolated," insisted Tseng. "And it would take longer for help to arrive, if we came under attack. This really is the right decision for now, Yuffie. President Shinra has informed me that soon, we may have to form colonies. There's no end to this in sight."
"Well, isn't the planet going to eventually run out of WEAPONS to chuck at us?" she reasoned.
"In theory," he said with a nod, "but we don't know how many of these creatures actually exist. Until we do, it's best to take precautions."
She sighed, her gaze sliding to the path leading to the graveyard, where her father's shrine was located. "I can't believe we're abandoning my home."
Tseng started to put an arm around her, but she shrugged out of his half-embrace with a warning look. "Don't try anything, pal."
The Turk heaved a quiet sigh. Perhaps he should consider telling her that if she didn't want to perform marital intimacy with him, she'd better be prepared for him to take a mistress. Thinking of the limp he'd recently earned when she kneed him in the balls, he wisely chose not to deliver that ultimatum, just yet.
~******************************~

Meanwhile, in Nibelheim:
"Tifa, what are you doing outside at this hour?" Cloud jogged over to the water tower, casting a wary look around as he approached her. "It's broad daylight!"
"I needed some fresh water for a bath," she explained. "I'm only going to be out here for a little while."
Since the WEAPON attacks began, the town lost power and the council ruled that no citizens were to go outside during daytime. The news reports said that so far, the WEAPONS only seemed to be attacking occupied settlements. They didn't seem to be interested in destroying the buildings so much as the people residing in them. Tifa's father proposed that they do their best to make Nibelheim seem deserted, after that. They spent their days indoors and they only went out at night, keeping all noise to a minimum. Every house had a basement now, so that every family could go underground for shelter in the event.
"Tifa, you can't risk it," Cloud insisted stubbornly. He had his broadsword sheathed in a scabbard at his back and his cornflower blue eyes scanned the horizon warily. "Would you rather be clean or dead?"
"Nothing is going to come by and step on me in the time it takes for me to gather a few buckets of water," she said, biting her lip.
He grumbled and looked at the water tower. "If you're really determined to do this, then I'll help you. I just want you safely back inside."
"Cloud, you don't have to."
"You want a hot bath and I know you won't stop until you get one." He gave her a bare hint of a smirk. "So let's hurry up and get your water, before your father finds out you're doing this."
She smiled at him. "Danke, Cloud. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Get smushed," he predicted, grabbing a bucket. "Hurry it up, Tifa."
Together, the two Nibel residents gathered the water Tifa needed for a bath, and they finished just in time. Tifa was first to notice the warning stomp from somewhere to the south, and when she looked in that direction with a frown, she saw a massive, humanoid creature moving towards the village and the surrounding mountains.
A hand grabbed her arm and she nearly swallowed her teeth in alarm, brown hair whipping as she turned. Cloud was standing there with an urgent look on his youthful face, his gaze fixated on the distant threat.
"Inside, Tifa. Come on."
She didn't argue with him. She was so shaken by the sight of the weapon that she didn't immediately take advantage of the bath she'd drawn and heated. In fact, all she really wanted to do as the footsteps came closer was go and hide in the basement.
"Tifa?" called her mother's voice from the master bedroom upstairs.
"I'm in the bathroom," she called.
"One of those creatures has been spotted coming this way," her father warned. "be quick and go down into the cellar, as soon as you're finished."
She looked at her forgotten bath, watching the inviting steam curling up from the water. "I'll go now," she agreed.
Cloud was still in the house, waiting in the living room when she stepped out of the bathroom. He held his sword in one hand and he was looking out the window. Tifa stopped and stared at him.
"You know, I think you probably would try to fight that thing if it came into town," she observed.
He glanced at her, his fluffy, spiked blond hair partially covering one eye. He needed another haircut, soon. "I would, if it could keep you and your family safe."
She smiled at him again, finding his protective determination soothing. His mother passed away the year before and he'd unofficially adopted her family, afterwards. He hunted for them, he helped them with chores and he fended off many of Tifa's admirers, just like any loyal brother would have done. "We could fight it together, then. Both of us can protect the village."
"Maybe. For now, let's just go to the cellar with your parents."
She nodded. "Okay."
~**************************************~

-To be continued
- 27
- 28
- 29
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