Shinra Reborn Chapter 3
By Dan Schmidt
Cait Sith stepped into Nibelheim. Normally, if a stuffed toy came marching down the road, people would be a little suspicious. Cait Sith was known worldwide as a hero, and people everywhere knew who he was. So, no one gave him surprised or dirty looks when he entered Nibelheim. He walked over to Cloud’s house and knocked on the door. No one answered. Then, he tried knocking on Tifa’s house. No answer there, either. He headed over towards the diner. When he saw that they weren’t in there, he asked the manager if he knew where Cloud and the others were. He said that Cloud, Tifa, and Barret and gone off to look for Reeve.
"Oh great," Cait mumbled to himself. They had gone off to look for Reeve, but he doubted they were looking in the correct place.
"Oh yeah," the manager said, "I overheard them talking about Midgar and the Turks. I don’t know what that has to do with anything, but it may help you.."
"Thanks," Cait said. He left the diner, and headed out of Nibelheim. He wasn’t getting any closer to Cloud and the others. But, he atleast knew something.
"Midgar," he thought to himself, "I don’t have time to make it there on foot. But, maybe I can find some transportation somewhere." With that thought in mind, he took off for Cosmo Canyon.
* * *
Cloud stood on the outskirts of Midgar. Midgar certainly didn’t look like the run down, destroyed city they remembered it to be. When Meteor attacked Midgar, most of it had been destroyed. Reeve had worked to rebuild parts of it, but most of it was rubble. It didn’t even have half the population it once had. In fact, the major of the population worked for Avalanche, Inc. Reeve had really worked hard to try to rebuild it, but he was well short of men.
But now it looked mighty different. It looked much more like a city now. The old Shinra building was almost fully repaired. Sector 5 looked almost fully repaired as well.
"Someone has done a little redecorating," Barret said.
"You can say that again," Cloud said, "I wonder what Avalanche, Inc. headquarters looks like." Cloud and his friends enter the city through Sector 5. They passed by Aeris’s church, and the Sector 5 slums. They made it as far as Wall Market before Cloud spoke.
"Let’s get a drink," Cloud said, "I’m dying of thirst." Barret and Tifa both agreed.
They stopped at the restaurant where Cloud and Aeris had eaten in the beginning of their last big adventure. Cloud ordered a tequila, and Barret and Tifa both got sodas. The restaurant was nearly empty, but Cloud did notice that everything in Wall Market looked entirely refurbished.
"Guys," Cloud finally said, "Is it just me, or has someone gone to a lot of work to rebuild Midgar?"
"It’s not you," Tifa said, "Someone has definitely been working on this city. Even the hole in the roof of Aeris’s church, the one you fell through, has been repaired."
The group finished their drinks, and Cloud paid the bartender.
"So, how are we gonna get up on top of this plate?" Barret said.
"The same way we got up there the first time," Cloud said, "The ‘Shiny Golden Wire of Hope’."
Barret rolled his eyes "Alright then, let’s get moving!"
The group headed back towards Don Corneo’s mansion. They took a sharp left, and found the "Shiny Golden Wire of Hope."
"Let’s get climbing!" Barret said. He leaped onto the wire, and began climbing.
"Here we go again," Tifa said. She leaped on the wire and began to follow Barret. Cloud just sighed and began climbing.
* * *
About thirty minutes later, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret all stood before the Shinra building. It was definitely the most refurbished building in all of Midgar.
"Well, well, well, looks like somebody has moved in," Barret said. He began to walk towards the entrance, when suddenly the doors to the building slammed open, and out stepped three very familiar people.
"Hey, look time no see Cloud!" Reno said.
Cloud groaned. "Turks."
"Well, you sure know how to make a guy feel unwelcome," Reno said.
"Shut up, you," Tifa said, "We’ve come to rescue Reeve."
"Well sweetheart," Reno said, "You’ve come to the wrong place. We don’t have Reeve. In fact, we’ve been looking for him ourselves."
"None of that matters!" Barret yelled out. He raised his gun. "We’re gonna ask some questions, and we expect answers!"
"Well, by all means, ask away, big boy," Reno said, smiling.
"Who’s your new redecorator?" Barret asked.
"Would you like to meet him?" Reno said. Cloud knew he was up to something and drew his sword. But it was too late. Reno snapped his fingers and a Shinra Attack Squad came rushing towards them. Cloud raised his sword, but then thought better of it. Him, Barret, and Tifa couldn’t take on an entire Shinra Attack Squad and the Turks.
"All right, you win," Cloud said.
"I knew you see things my way," Reno said with a snicker. Reno stepped up towards Cloud, who was now being held by the Shinra Attack Squad. Reno raised his fist and slugged Cloud in the stomach.
"That was for what you did in Sector 7," he said. Then, he raised his fist again, and punched Cloud across the face.
"And that was for what you did in Gongaga." Then, he uppercuted Cloud in the nose.
"And that was for our most recent battle in Midgar." Cloud’s nose was bleeding, and he could taste blood in his mouth. He spit on Reno.
"Aw, you moron!" Reno exclaimed, "This was one of my good suits! Now you’ve got spit and blood all over it. I’ll make you pay for that later. But now, it’s time to meet our boss. Actually, you’ve all met my boss before. He’ll be very happy to see you."
* * *
Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and the Turks stepped off the 69th floor elevator. This place looked practically brand new. The walls were flawless, the carpet smelled brand new, and the floor was full of brand new desks and computers.
"Like the new look?" Reno asked.
"Oh, it’s wonderful," Tifa said sarcastically. They marched up towards the 70th floor. Of all the floors in this building, the 70th was the one Tifa liked the least. It was up there where President Shinra told Avalanche of his evil intention. It was up there where President Shinra was killed, and where Rufus took over.
But, they didn’t have much of a choice. Reno, Rude, and Elena were leading them up there, and there was nothing she, or Cloud, or Barret could do about it.
They began to walk up the steps. After what seemed like hours, the finally reached the top. Cloud looked over at the presidential desk, and gasped in shock. He blinked once. Twice. But the figure at the desk remained.
"Heh, long time, no see," Heidegger said from behind the desk. He was on crutches, and had a cast around his left leg.
"You, you, you," Cloud stammered, "Your…dead."
"Not quite, Cloud," Heidegger said, "Not quite."
"What have you done with Reeve?" Tifa suddenly asked.
"Reeve? I don’t have him. In fact, I was about to send the Turks out to find him."
"So," Barret said, "You really don’t have him?"
"I cross my heart," Heidegger said with false sincerity. "Now, what should I do with you? Hmm…you could be useful alive, but it would be much more fun to have you executed. Decisions, decisions…"
"You should let us go before our friends show up and put a lotta holes in a lotta Shinra troops!" Barret yelled.
"I don’t think so," Heidegger, "Your friends will be joining you shortly." Suddenly, Barret opened fire at the Turks. The three of them dove for cover. Heidegger let go of his crutches and collapsed behind his desk. Barret, Tifa, and Cloud stormed out of the room.
"We gotta get the elevator," Barret said.
"Not so fast," a voice said behind them. They turned out around and saw the Turks standing behind them, ready for battle. They spread out into their normal battle formation, with Rude and Reno in the front, and Elena in the back. Cloud, Barret, and Tifa tried to spread out around the Turks.
"Got any materia?" Cloud asked his friends. Barret shook his head.
"I’ve got cure and ice," Tifa said. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. Suddenly, a Shinra Attack Squad appeared behind them. Cloud quickly turned around and sliced down about three attack squad troops. Barret opened fire on the attack squad. He took out about six more of them. Suddenly, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret were thrown back by some kind of fire magic.
"Ha, try that on for size!" Elena called out. Cloud quickly recovered and charged forward. He was struck in the stomach by a bolt of electricity. He looked up and saw Reno holding his patented nightstick. Barret opened fire on the attack squad again. He took out the remaining troops, but then was struck in the head by Rude’s fist. Barret was flung backwards by Rude’s punch. Cloud charged forward and sliced his sword at Rude. Rude barely dodged it, escaping with a clean cut in this suit sleeve. Reno stepped forward and smacked Cloud over the head with his nightstick. Cloud was stunned, but returned by slicing at Reno with his sword. Cloud heard a ‘clang’ and saw that he had neatly sliced the top off Reno’s nightstick.
"Oh, you’re dead now," Reno said. He charged forward and jabbed the nightstick into Cloud’s stomach, and then slammed it up into his chin. Cloud fell backwards. Reno stood over him, poised to make a killing blow, but Tifa stepped in and slugged Reno in the stomach. Reno doubled over, and Tifa caught him with an uppercut in the chin. Reno fell to the ground. Elena cast her fire spell again, but Tifa was ready with cure. Rude charged towards Cloud. Barret stepped in front of him, and slammed his gun arm into Rude’s head. Elena stood with a stunned expression on her face, as she looked at her fallen comrades. Tifa cast ice on her, and Elena flew back against the wall, and collapsed.
"Let’s get out of here," Cloud said. They all ran towards the elevator.
.