Chrome Spark Chapter 6
Alive And Well
By Chris Homer
SUMMARY: Red and Reeve are in Cosmo trying to patch things up. Barret and Tifa are still in Mideel, along with Elymra and Marlene, checking on Jessie. Godo is with the crew now after Yuffie killed Don Corneo in Wutai. The remaining people on the Highwind are about to attack Lelin and Chromer, including the Turks........
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What a way to celebrate a birthday! Elena, just turning 27 had found a long lost friend, and is now on her way to probably the commit the closest things to suicide.
In the Highwind, Cid was preparing to land.....the same place where he had landed before, just before they went to kill Sephiroth.
Looking over at Tseng, she could tell he was worried as well. Earlier, Reno had tried to convince them out of it, saying that now Elena was back, their 'deal' they had made was now nul and void. However, he was the only one with that opinion. He quickly shut up after that.
Cloud turned to his crew, which consisted of himself and Zack, the four Turks, Cid, Vincent and Lucresia, Godo, Heici and Yuffie, and Aeris. He gave a big sigh, this could be it.
Then again, he said that when they faced Sephiroth before and survived. They will not give up that easily.
"This is it people. All out for a mass slaughter, follow me." said Cloud, still in good humour, but with an edge to it.
Everyone, including Turks, stepped out nervously, into the Great Beyond.
This was it.
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Barret had not moved from Jessie's bedside, hopefully that the 28 year old had survived without much anguish. Rare as the case may be, the doctors told him that she may get through this quite well. 'Balls to that.' thought Barret. Nothing goes right for him.
Tifa and Elymra were busy talking. Barret glanced to look at them. He felt more reassured with them around, especially Elymra. Barret had gotten rather close to the adopted mother of Aeris, she got on really well with Marlene, almost a real mother to her.......
Forgetting his displeasure for the moment, Barret wondered if Elymra could be Marlene's real mother? Barret considered the possibility that he may be in love with Elymra. They were both the same age, roughly. (I predicted about 35 for Elymra) She had the nice looking features of her 'daughter', hell, that would make Aeris his adopted daughter as well....
'No, no. Rushing there a bit.' thought Barret. Elymra may not have the slightest interest in him. Anyway, both nearing their fourties, why would they think of love now anyway? Yet, Barret, still had that feeling.....
He shrugged it off and returned to Jessie, his sorrow returning to him.
Tifa looked at Barret, Tifa had watched Barret's look on Elymra without him noticing it. She smiled.
"Elymra, what do you think of Barret?" said Tifa.
"Huh?" said Elymra, not really understanding the question.
"What do you think of Barret.....as a person?" said Barret.
Elymra blushed. This was a question that was completely out of the blue, one that she hadn't been prepared for. However, she wouldn't mind answering it.
"At first...." she started. ".....I was critical of him for leaving a 4 year old behind just for work. But when I reliased his work, and what he and all of you were doing, I understood. When my husband left for war, I felt angry at first for leaving me, but it was something he had to do, like Barret. I suppose he reminded me so much like my husband, except with more muscles." They both giggled at that.
"I suppose......I like him a lot. Him and his daughter have been a real help dealing with me when Aeris 'died.' He is a more caring and understanding person when his daughter and I are around. I suppose I wouldn't mind living with hi..." 'Oh, no! The rabbit's out of the bag.'
Tifa sensed her friend's change of look. "Talk to him. He likes you too, you know."
Elymra smiled. "I'm getting on a bit." she said.
"So is he, never stopped him before." said Tifa, again giggling.
"I suppose...." Elymra started but never finished, as a cry from Barret interrupted their conversation.
"Doc! Doc! She's moving!"
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In Cosmo, Reeve had employed some of his faithful Shinra employees. As the head of Shinra now, he had tried to make it return to its former greatness, but without any controversy. Heidegger and Scarlet had been given the boot, for their attack on AVALANCHE. But he was wary after what Vincent told him what happened in the waterfall. Some people which looked like Shinra uniform had attacked Lucresia. He had to wonder, so he only employed some of the best. This included Jake, a 20 year old former builder, he was a strong man, quite useful in a situation like that, a 25 year old architect, name Marshal, and a 29 year old female cadet, Lisa, who was good at organising everyone around. Reeve put her as 'bossy' , but these three were good friends of his, he knew he could trust them.
Red, on the other hand, was more apprehensive. He was worried about hiring Shinra. Although he trusted Reeve completely, he was worried if any of the old Shinra evil was still there. However, Reeve promised Red that all the rotten eggs had been fired, and he was training new, young employees, to work in a different way.
Red was, in truth, very grateful. Already they had got to work on Cosmo, in just under a day, the planning was almost completed, and ready to start work. Reeve predicted that complete reconstruction usually may take up to 6 months, but Red may hope for a month, as Reeve's added influence made the people work more affectively.
Red sighed, and went to the observatory, one of the few remaining parts which wasn't destroyed. Here, he could be at peace. However, so many miles away, his good friends may be dead. He couldn't help but worry......
"Grandfather. No matter what happens, I will avenge my father and you. I AM NANAKI, SON OF SETO, GUARDIAN WARRIOR OF COSMO CANYON. I WON'T LET YOU DOWN!"
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Jessie eyes opened at the moment Barret was starting to lose hope. But her movements were obviously not friendly. More like in fear.
"No....sir........don't....please don't......" was all she said when Barret tried to calm her down.
"Miss Jessie is suffering from disullional syndrom. She is having repeated images of a fear that has recently happened to her." said one of the Mideel doctors.
"That bastard Lelin. Screwed her bad, she don't even know us!" said Barret, vividly raging.
"Calm down, Barret." said Elymra. "At least she is alive."
Barret nodded. At least there was that.
"We will do everything in our power to try and help Jessie. Our facilities are of the highest standard and we will help her in every way we can. But to recover mental anguish is a nigh on impossible thing to do. The best cure is rest and talking to her." The doctor concluded.
Barret sighed. "I just hope the others are alive to see this now.....we need them more than ever!"
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Cloud and company had just vacated the Highwind, along with his friends (not including the Turks of course), prepared for the worst. There were many enemies here the last time they came which were extremely vicious, some were more difficult than Jenova.
Zack, his best friend, was back from the dead, and just as deadly with that sword as ever. Cloud has given him a lot of defensive materia, whilst Cloud had the offensive materia. That way, this pair would make an extremely difficult force to deal with.
Cloud looked behind him. Aeris was talking with Tseng and Elena. Since she had returned as well, Cloud has been playing mixtures with his heart. He had expressive feelings to both Aeris and Tifa, but didn't know how to say them. Why does the thing you want most always have to be so difficult?
Cloud thought 'Sod it' and started to concerntrate on the mission.
Actually, his thoughts were interrupted slightly quicker. A horde of wing yellow beasts, flew in towards the party. These were perhaps the weakest of the enemies in the Crater, but there was about 8 of them, and it would take a lot of hits and materia to finish them, despite the big group they were in.
The creatures lunged, trying to tear chunks off their enemies, and feast upon the blood and gore remaining. Reno, Rude, Elena and Tseng all blasted the beasts with their weapons, followed by Vincent and Lucresia, casting some of her crystals to slice them up.
Suddenly, a blast of lightning showered all of them, as Godo held a materia up, quickly finishing them off.
"See that wasn't so hard!" said Godo.
Famous last words.
Another beast came upon them, this time a much larger version of the ones they had just killed. He had wings, but was grounded.
"Looks like their mother!" said Yuffie.
"Cloud!" screamed Tseng. "Go and deal with Sephiroth. Me and Elena will take of it.!"
"Not without me!" said Reno. "You dumb-asses will die without me."
Rude smirked. "Go, Cloud. I'll make sure they don't kill themselves."
Cloud was hesitant but Aeris said "They know what they are doing. Come on."
Reluctantly, Cloud turned the other direction and descend down the cliffs. The beast which had been unearthed attacked with just swipes from it's hand and lightning based attacks. But the attacks were very strong, and one swipe could kill them. The Turks reliased they ahd to take him out from long range, blasting away with their guns. Reno got his nightstick out and cast Neo Turk Light and Pyramid in quick succession. Elena and Tseng also gave this the opportunity to strengthen their materia and cast their weak attacks of Ice, Bolt, Fire, Quake, Demi and Bio in quick succession. Rude, much more potent in attacking, ran to the beast.
"RUDE AWAKENING!" The same attack he used on Jenova Morphis, teh electric blast shuddered through his body and blasted the beast through the wall, knocking it unconscious. Before it could get up, Reno jumped into the air and blasted it with Meteor. The thing was dead.
"Good, now where were we?" said Tseng, out of breath.
"About to sacrifice ourselve to a netherworld demon?" said Reno.
"That's right! Come on!" said Elena, but that fight had taken more out of them than they thought. They couldn't rest otherwise the whole Mako Pit would come and destroy them.
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The remaining members of the group were just entering the cave area. They were about to exit when a rumbling noise occured.
"What's that? Don't sound good." said Zack.
"Well, it can't be Reno's stomach, he isn't here." said Yuffie.
Suddenly, the rumbling got louder. A groaning noise was also clearly heard. As it got louder, Godo got a bit too close to the noise, because soon he was off his feet, and before him......
"A Mako Dragon!" said Cloud.
The Dragon stepped towards Godo and his mouth was about to tear out the old man's flesh.
"TIDAL WAVE!"
Yuffie held the Leviathan materia in the air as the sea beast enveloped the sea and his huge bombardment of water was thrown over the dragon. However, although it did stop it from killing Godo, it didn't do too much damage, and soon it was advancing on them again.
"We haven't got time to deal with things like this!" said Vincent, breaking his silence for the first time.
"Cloud, get the hell out of here!" said Heici. "We'll take care of this!" And with that, Heici immediately jumped and attacked with various martial arts techniques, all which the dragon survived. Again Cloud was reluctant, it would be hard enough to defeat them with everyone here, but with now five people, it would be almost impossible.
However, Yuffie gave him a look which said 'Get lost. We'll be with you as soon as we can!"
Cloud quickly escaped, with Zack, Aeris, Vincent and Lucresia behind him. Heici hit his bolt fist attack but it seemed to heal the dragon rather than harm it.
"You moron!" screamed Yuffie. With a sigh, she said "Looks like I've got to do it all by myself, again." Her shuriken quickly flying high. Godo cast Laser, destroying half the dragon energy. However, the dragons attacks were coming quite fast and damaging, and they didn't know how to hold on.
Yuffie grabbed a haste materia.
"I don't see how that is going to help us." mocked Heici.
Yuffie ignored him. "STOP!" she cried.
Suddenly, the clock encircled the dragon. The dragon felt it's movement gets slower and slower. Suddenly, it was unmoving.
Yuffie smirked at Heici whose mouth was wide open. Heici ran and attacked it, along with Yuffie with her shuriken, and Godo with his cane. Within minutes, it was completely dead.
"Looks like I'm not so much of a bimbo as you thought I was!" said Yuffie.
"I never said you was!" said Heici. "I just said you were an annoying little..."
"Children." thought Godo.
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The Mako Pit was just over the last clearing now. Having to deal with a few pots and giving them Elixirs, they came over to see the Pit gleaming and out of the distance, two figures standing patiently.
"It them. Let's finish them!" said Cloud.
They were about to run, but a roar from behind, and a slashing noise came about. They turned. Two humanoid figures, although not human, were in armour, almost like a mummy look. Their fingers were small, but has nails nine inches long. They were also blood tipped.
"Oh, no. These guys can kill us in one blow with those poisoned tips. How the hell can we get to Lelin without those guys killing us."
"You go. Lucresia and I will kill these." said Vincent.
"Are you sure?" said Aeris, a bit worried. She had never faced any of these things before, and yet, was about to fight Sephiroth.
"I'm sure." Without another word, he started blasting from the death penalty. Lucresia fired in a number of crystals. Cloud made one last look at them before he, Zack and Aeris ran to the Mako Pit.
Lucresia and Vincent were finding the creatures difficult at first, but as the creature slice techniques came into play, they transformed into the Chaos Beasts. A double Chaos Sabre later, and boom, no more.
The beasts remained as they were, but then felt the affects of the poison through their bodies. They decided to wait, until the effect wore off. Vincent only hoped that when it did, his friends wouldn't be dead when he saw them again...............
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Lelin and Chromer had been waiting quite patiently for their 'victims' to alive. As they came 'Sephiroth' was glad that Aeris was here, he could enter her personally, after he killed her. However, Cloud and Zack were no easy meat, as their last battle proved.
Cloud walked to them. "Sephiroth, we meet again."
Chromer smiled. "It doens't matter how you recognise me as boy, I will soon be use your carcass as a snowboard. And as for you, my Ancient, after you die, your soul will once again be of the Planet, but with me, as you enter this body, I will be in control of you and your power, along with this boy's psychic energy."
Zack snarled. "You touch her......"
"Save the trash talk." said Lelin. "You'll become part of the trash in a minute anyway, so any last requests?"
"Yeah, to get rid of scum like you. If Barret was here, he blow you from here to next Sunday for what you did to Jessie." said Cloud.
"I brought her life. Is that bad?" said Lelin.
"Yeah, and what did you do to her after?" said Cloud.
Lelin refused to speak, although he gave an evil grin. That was the insentive they needed, the three got into battle position. Cloud and Zack up front, Aeris at back. The plan was for Cloud to create most of the attacking, Zack countering and using his defences, whilst Aeris would cure them, and attack whenever she got a chance. It was the best they could hope for.
Sephiroth/Chromer immediately went into the attack, flying in with the sickle. Zack had already cast wall, and had cast haste and regen quickly too. Cloud countered the sickle with his sword, and shoved Chromer back. Lelin concerntrated his attacks on Aeris, trying to weaken the girl so she couldn't heal them, but Aeris was also protected, and her use of materia was really pissing him off.
Aeris had learned some new tricks since her death. As Lelin blasted Aeris with a lightning spell, her staff absorbed it, and retaliated twice as powerful, stinging Lelin. Her Cetra powers were starting to become of full usage.
Chromer was using all of his psychic powers to wear down the two men, whilst Seph had cast Wall on him and Lelin. Attacks from lightning and wind had failed, so he retailiated with an ice ball which bowled them over, destroying their wall.
Suddenly, Chromer shot a lightning blast at all three of them. But it wasn't a blast, it was more of....
"A MAGNET!" Cloud screamed, reliasing what had happened. The weapons were being drawn in, and Chromer cast a pyramid of electricity through their bodies. Lelin followed up with lightning blasts of their own, and the trio was severly weakened.
Aeris cast Healing Wind, before Zack went into his version of the OmniSlash on both Lelin and Chromer. Both Chromer and Lelin were hurt, Chromer cast the Angel Whisper, but before they could finish them off, Aeris cast Pulse Of Life, and the three of them rampaged their attacks.
Cloud held up a materia orb. "Ultimate end!"
Zack held another one "Tera Flare!"
And finally Aeris: "Distingration!"
As the Knights, Bahamut ZERO and Typoon attacked, Cloud was unknown to have company behind him. One had cast Neo Bahamut and the other Bahamut. He turned;
Vincent and Lucresia.
"Thanks guys." said Cloud.
"Surprised to see you alive actually." said Vincent, a rare trace of humour found in his voice.
After the attacks subsided, Lelin was down and out, But Chromer/Sephiroth looked as strong as ever. Truthfully, he was very weak, but he had cast FullCure almost immediately. He cast Pheonix, on the 5 warriors, reviving Lelin in the process. Then he cast a sort of combination of Sephiroth's Super Nova and Chromer's Gaurd Pheonix. The firery blast almost destroyed all of them, but Cloud's Final Attack/Pheonix saved them once again.
Suddenly, blasts from Trine, Shadow Flare, Laser, Leviathan, Kjata, Shiva and Ramah invaded, and further gun blasts and Odin attacks. Yes, everyone had survived, and had arrived to crash in.
The amount of attacks from everyone was enough to give Chromer the hint that he was no way in hell gonna survive this one. He made a signal to Lelin.
"You may have won this round, but see if you can find us. We'll be waiting for you in the polar regions, the equivilant to the former Earth's Rainforest." said Chromer.
With a whoosh, Chromer flew out with Lelin by his side.
A panting Reno said "We got all the way here to save your asses, and then they %$"£ off somewhere else."
"What's going to happen Cloud?" said Aeris.
Cloud looked deep in thought. "I don't know. I honestly don't know.
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The first thing on everyone's mind was to find wherever Chromer was going, but a message on the PHS changed everyone's mind. They decided to return to Mideel.
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"I can't believe your sorry asses are still alive!" said Barret.
"Thank Aeris. She saved us." said Cloud. Aeris blushed, not used to being the heroine, even though she knew she was.
Since returned, and Tifa and Barret gave the usual celebration lingo, Barret had told them what had happened. Jessie had returned and was suffering from extreme stress in dillusional form, however, she had not survive mental damage. Currently, she was sleeping. Barret had been waiting on her hand and foot, with help from Tifa, Elymra and Marlene. Jessie soon became less frightened and agitated, and learned to acknowledge their presense, reliasing that they weren't Lelin.
Barret also told them that Reeve had called. Apparently, the work at Cosmo has started, and is going fairly well. Red hope of it being down in under a month may be getting more likely by the second.
Cloud, meanwhile had told Barret about their battle and how that Chromer was heading for one of the polar regions. He said something about a former 'Earth's Rainforest.' Barret raised an eyebrow on that.
"Call Red. He may know something about that." said Barret.
"Better yet, I'll go over to him. See how Cosmo is shaping up." said Cloud. He turned to the group just outside the waiting room. "Who wants to come to Cosmo?"
Tifa stood up. "I'll go. Chance to stretch my bones." said Tifa.
"I'll go, of course." said Cid. "Any chance to scare the shit out of civilians!" said Cid.
"I'll go as well." said Aeris.
"That will do. Come on guys." said Cloud.
The rest of them weren't actually paying him any attention. Yuffie and Heici were arguing, Godo trying to act as peacemaker, the Turks were also arguing, god knows what about, Vincent and Lucresia were talking, and Barret was still talking to Elymra. Cloud noticed that they were getting rather close, but didn't say anything.
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As Cid was bad-mouthing Cloud about some sort of sporting motif, Aeris and Tifa got the chance to have a talk.
"Aeris, what do you think about this whole situation? Sephiroth trying to kill you, again. Surely, you must be scared shitless!" said Tifa.
"I've learned a long time ago, to reason with fear. Sephiroth's madness may remain, but I am prepared now, I am more developed, more powerful, and more charming."
"YEAH RIGHT!" they both went, after a laugh.
They talked for a while longer, Tifa teasing Aeris about her relationship with Zack, Aeris elbowing her whenever she got too embarrassed. Neither of them brought up Cloud however. Despite the friendship between the two, there may be some hidden rivalry as well.
A cry from Cid caught them off. "All aboard. Next stop, Cosmo Canyon."
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Red and Reeve were very happy to see Cloud, Aeris and Tifa come out of the Highwind. It was good to know what has happened. It was especially good to see them as Red feared that he would never see them again. You couldn't imagine the relief when he saw them walk out. Cloud quickly explained that everyone had survived, and told him and Reeve the situation with Jessie.
But after a while, Cloud had a word about what Chromer said to them before he and lelin flew away.
"A rainforest in a polar region is impossible. No rainforest or any forest or plantlife could survive in polar conditions." said Red.
"As I thought, a load of hogswollop." said Cid.
"Not necessarily." said Reeve. They all turned to him.
"With my technology, I was able to record most of the scholarship knowledge on diskette. Most of the information I can show through Cait. All I have to do is press the right buttons." With that, Reeve said down to work, all eyes on him showing anticipation and fear.
After a few moments buzzing, a voice from Cait boomed: "1 match found." Everyone waited with baited breath.
'In the Icicle Inn area, there is a cliff, with a white middle, looking like a rock covered with snow. This is however false. It is a secret passageway, a hidden caveway to a tropical rainforest resort, to be used in the perfect world. This was preserved by the ancient Cetras of over 5000 years ago, and is still today in it's perfect condition."
The room was deadly silent.
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Nothing much on the agenda for AVALANCHE now, just destroy a natural environment over 5000 years old.
Chapter 7 will be coming soon, Chapter 7: RECOVERY
A short chapter to do with battle, it will focus on the recovery of Jessie, and in Chapter 8, she will play an important part with the battle of Lelin.........
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