Bizarre Occurances Chapter 11

Confrontation

By Dino Pollard

Avalanche was all gathered in the cockpit of the Highwind. They were all waiting patiently as the large airship approached Mideel.

“Yuffie, are you alright?” Vincent asked.

“No, actually no Vincent, I’m not,” she replied, swallowing. “Enghhh”

“Damn Yuffie,” Barret broke in. “Just don’t barf yo guts on me.”

“If ya don’t SHUT UP then maybe I will,” Yuffie glared. “JUST FOR KICKS!!!!” Barret uttered a low growl.

“There it is,” Cid said to the pilot. “Land us now.”

“You got it, sir,” the pilot replied.

“NOT TO HARD ON THE STICK, DAMN YOU!!!!” Cid ordered. The pilot landed the Highwind nearly perfectly.

“Is that good enough sir?” the pilot asked.

“You’ve been practicing,” Cid noticed as he headed out the cockpit. “Good job.”

“Remember,” Sephiroth reminded the team as they began to head out. “If Cloud has recovered, don’t say anything about Jonah to him. Don’t tell Tifa, either. The burden on them is great enough. That goes for you as well, Yuffie.”

“Oh sure,” Yuffie protested. “ALWAYS blame the good-looking ninja with motion sickness!!!”

“You’re right Sephiroth,” Aeris said. “Well, let’s go!! I can’t wait to see them!!”

*****

“Oh, hello!!” the doctor greeted Avalanche as they entered. “I’m afraid there’s no change in your friend’s condition.”

“Where’s Tifa?” Barret asked.

“She’s right in the room with him,” the doctor replied.

*****

“Cloud.....” Tifa began. “What are you trying to say? I wish I could understand you.”

“Urggh....ulph....itshadh....” Cloud muttered.

“Cloud, are you OK?” Aeris asked.

“Nothing’s changed,” Tifa replied. “I think he’s really gone...”

“Only time will tell,” Vincent said.

“Man, it’s like he’s not even Cloud or somethin,” Barret said. “Lookit his damned face!! Dis is all screwed up!!”

“Yes, it is interesting,” Red said. “And confusing.”

“The Jenova in him has kept him alive so far,” Sephiroth began. “But I’m not sure if he will survive.”

“Don’t say that!!” Yuffie protested.

“You worried about him, Yuffie?” Cait asked.

“Well, he kinda grows on you...” she replied.

“I know what ya mean,” Barret said.

“We all do,” Red broke in.

“Listen to his fuckin words!!” Cid exclaimed. “Maybe he’s not doctor-sick, but brain-sick too.”

Suddenly a loud rumbling is heard.

“They’re......coming......” Cloud muttered. “They’re.....coming.....”

“What the hell is THAT?!?” Cid asked.

“It wasn’t me!!” Cait exclaimed. “THAT much is true!!”

“It must be the Lifestream,” Sephiroth replied. “Beneath us.”

A loud roar is heard in the distance.

“No.....” Sephiroth began. He reached for his sword.

“What is it?” Aeris asked.

“The Ultimate WEAPON,” Sephiroth replied.

“We need to stop it,” Vincent said, loading his gun.

“Let’s go,” Sephiroth ordered. “Aeris, stay here with Cloud and Tifa.”

“Hey, I’LL stay!!” Yuffie broke in. “I’m too YOUNG to die!!!”

“Be a man Yuffie!!” Barret commanded. “Er... woman.”

“That’s it Barret!!!” Yuffie exclaimed. “You just made THE LIST!!!”

“Ahh, screw you,” Barret replied running out.

“What a lame-o,” Yuffie said. “Might as well follow his fat-ass.”

“BITE ME!!!” Barret called back.

“I’m going too,” Aeris said, grabbing her staff.

“No, it’s too dangerous,” Sephiroth replied.

“You’re starting to sound like Cloud!!” Aeris exclaimed. “I can take care of myself!!!”

“Just as when you were almost killed by Bizarro-Sephiroth?” Sephiroth asked. “You’re not that great of a fighter.”

“Who’s going to stop me!?!” Aeris shouted. “I’m going and you can’t stop me!!” She pushed her way out. Sephiroth gritted his teeth and followed, drawing the Masamune.

*****

“Yo,” Barret began once outside. “What’s all this green shit everywhere?!?”

“Lifestream,” Red replied. “There’s WEAPON!!!”

“It’s time to kick ass or chew gum!!” Cid said, cracking his knuckles. “And I’m all outta gum!!”

“Damn straight!!!” Barret exclaimed. “Let’s take da punk out!!!!”

“Oy vei...” Cait began. “That’s a BIG mamma-jamma!!”

“You can say that again cat!!” Yuffie agreed, whipping out her shuriken.

“What are you all waiting for?” Sephiroth asked, rushing forward. “An invitation?!?”

“Well, actually...” Yuffie began. “It would be kinda nice and classy...”

“Umm... Elemental Attack!!” Cait said, a little unsure. In response, the red orb in his hand began to glow with energy and summoned the Kjata elemental monster!!

Sephiroth slashed WEAPON several times in succession, for all the good it was doing. The creature, angered at his attempts, caused him to fly back with a powerful blast of energy.

Cid reached inside his jacket and pulled out several sticks of dynamite. After lighting them with his cigarette, he tossed them at WEAPON. The creature roared in pain.

“Bull’s eye!!” he exclaimed victoriously.

Barret looked around and saw a mattress lying by some garbage cans. “Hmmm,” he thought. Grabbing it, he shouted to Cid. “YO!! Light DIS on fire!!!”

“Now THAT’S a good idea!!” Cid replied. He lit a stick of dynamite and threw it on the mattress.

“C’mere ya badass sonnuva bitch!!” Barret taunted at WEAPON. It turned to face him. “GO TA HELL!!!!” He shouted. He lept at WEAPON wrapping the mattress around its head as it exploded. It roared in pain, firing a blast of energy at Barret.

“SH-------------IT!!!!!” Barret cursed as he was thrown to the ground.

“What do we do?” Aeris asked, chanting a healing spell.

“We keep fighting,” Sephiroth replied. He took a green orb from his armlet. “ULTIMA!!!”

“Hello...” Yuffie said, staring at the orb.

The orb began to shake as green energy erupted forth from it, engulfing WEAPON. The tremors began to grow worse. WEAPON sensed this and flew away, still in pain from the attack.

“I think I’m in love....” Yuffie said, still staring at the orb. Sephiroth put it back on his armlet. “Aww...”

“It’s not over yet,” Sephiroth said, sheathing his sword. “Lifestream will ravage this town. We must head back to the Highwind!!”

“Are you serious, Sephiroth?” Aeris asked.

“Dead serious,” he replied.

“Ya heard the man!!” Yuffie exclaimed. “Let’s MOVE!!!!

“What about the people?” Aeris asked.

“They must fend for themselves now!!” Sephiroth replied.

“Tifa!! Cloud!!” Barret called. “Git yo asses out here now!!!”

“What’s going on?!?” Tifa asked, running out of the clinic.

“Get Cloud and meet us at the Highwind!!” Sephiroth ordered.

“A--alright...” Tifa replied.

“TIFA!!! HURRY!!!” Aeris exclaimed.

“Come on!!” Sephiroth ordered, pulling Aeris to the Highwind. “I didn’t save your life to let you die here.”

“But the people....” she began.

“...will be fine,” Sephiroth replied. “There is nothing more we can do for them, and you know it.”

“Then why are we leaving in such a hurry?” she asked.

“They are safer than us at the moment,” he said.

“....you’re just as heartless as you ever were,” she told him, turning away.

“You were the one who believed in me,” he replied, looking her in the eyes. “Don’t give up on me now.”

“You mean like you gave up on those townspeople in Nibelheim?” she asked.

Vincent overheard their arguement once he reached the Highwind’s deck. “Are they insane?” he thought. “I can’t let them die here.” Vincent climbed on the railing and jumped to the ground with a grunt. He ran over to them.

“Sephiroth, no!!” Vincent shouted. “You aren’t the same man you were. She...”

“...is absolutely right,” Sephiroth finished, cutting him off. “I won’t let this turn into another Nibelheim.”

“Hurry!!” Vincent shouted. “Get back to the Highwind!!”

“No,” he replied. “I’m staying here to try and save these people. Get Aeris back to the Highwind.”

Aeris opened her mouth to protest.

“That’s an ORDER!!!” Sephiroth exclaimed. “Now go!!”

Vincent nodded, pulling Aeris back to the ship. Sephiroth ran to the other houses.

“I won’t give up on anyone again,” he said to himself.

*****

Cid grabbed onto the ladder and began to pull himself up. Yuffie was right under him.

“Hurryhurryhurryhurryhurryhurry!!!” she said in fear. Cid kicked her head to make her back off. “OW!!! That HURT!!! Can’t you watch it, old man!!!’

“Who you calling old you damn brat?!?” Cid replied. “Keep your damn distance!!! Or I’ll kick you again!!”

“Move yer ass, Cid!!” Barret ordered from the Highwind’s deck. Red was staring over the edge of the railing watching Sephiroth and Aeris have it out. Vincent began to follow Yuffie up the ladder.

“What about Sephiroth and Aeris?” Red asked Cid as he crossed over the railing.

“Why the fuck are you asking me?!?” Cid asked. “Besides, in times like this you gotta worry about yourself!!” He ran into the Highwind.

“HEY!!!” Yuffie protested as Barret pulled her over the railing. “Easy on the merchandise!!”

“Shut up and git movin!!” he ordered. “Get off yer slow-movin ass, Vinny!!!”

“Get inside the cockpit!!!” Vincent exclaimed to Red and Barret.

“What about Aeris and Sephiroth?” Red asked again.

“I’ll worry about them, just get inside!!” Vincent replied. The two nodded and ran into the ship.

*****

“Gramma I’m scared!!” the child cried.

“It’s OK, honey,” his grandmother replied, trying to calm him down. “Everything will be fine.” The elderly women shut her eyes, prepared to face the worse. She held her grandson close. Although she has spent most of her retirement in Mideel, she now wishes she had chose Wutai or Kalm. She may have lived a long and fruitful life, but her grandson was just a child. He didn’t deserve to die at such a young age. Then, the door was ripped from its hinges. The woman looked up to see a man in his late twenties or early thirties standing above her. He had long silver hair, his bangs perfectly framing his delicate features. His black cloak flowed over his muscular body. She noticed a very long sword held at his side, the Lifestream reflecting off of it.

“Come on,” he said to her, his emerald eyes flashing. Or was it a glow...?

“Who are you?” she asked.

“That’s not important,” he replied. He reached out a gloved hand. Reluctantly, she grabbed it and he pulled her out of the house, alongwith her grandson.

They ran for what seemed like forever. Pulling the woman along with one hand and holding the child close to him with his other arm, he led them into the forest surrounding Mideel.

“Run to safety outside of this forest,” he ordered. The woman nodded and heeded his advice.

“Gramma, who was that?” the boy asked once they ran out of the forest.

“An angel,” she replied. “God heard our prayers and answered them.”

“How do you know it was a angel?” the boy asked.

“Did you get a good look at him, sweetheart?” she asked him. “His hair was white, as if it were made from the clouds themselves. His cape was a substitution for the tunic of old days. And he had a sword of fire.”

“How do you know?” he asked.

“No man could wield a sword that large,” she replied.

*****

The silver-haired man saw a few more people were left. He began to run to them when the ground began to split in pieces!!

“SEPHIROTH!!!” Aeris shouted to him. He turned to the Highwind where Aeris was. Then back to the people. There wasn’t any time left. He leapt from sectional to sectional until he reached the Highwind’s ladder. Once he reached the top, Vincent grabbed his hand and pulled him up.

“I couldn’t save them all,” Sephiroth said.

“You saved many people this day,” Vincent replied.

“At least you tried,” Aeris broke in. “..........”

“I vowed never to kill anyone again,” he said. “And I failed.”

“That wasn’t your fault!!” Aeris protested.

“We can argue all we want,” Vincent said. “But the others are waiting below.”

*****

“The tremors are getting worse!!” Tifa exclaimed. “Shouldn’t we move somewhere safer?”

“Yes,” the doctor said. “Take your friend and go somewhere safe!!”

“But what about you?” she asked.

“We’ll be fine,” he replied.

“OK,” she said. She grasped the handles of Cloud’s wheelchair and pushed it out the door. “Come on Cloud!!”

“They’re....here.....” Cloud muttered.

“You’re right!!” she exclaimed. “There’s the Highwind!!” She pushed the chair as fast as possible to the waiting airship. As they began to cross the ground, the tremors grew worse. The ground itself began to split into pieces!! Cloud’s wheel hit a disjointed piece of ground, causing the both of them to fall forward.

Tifa looked at the ground she just landed on. It began to split!! Then, she fell into it, into the green liquid beneath!!

*****

Yuffie’s eyes began to fill up in tears as she saw Cloud and Tifa fall into the Lifestream.

“Cloud....Tifa.....” she began. She buried her face in her hands. Red rubbed up against her leg to comfort her.

“Damn....” Cid cursed. He took a drag on his cigarette and stared up at the ceiling.

Cait shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

“I should have done more,” Sephiroth said.

“You did all you could,” Aeris replied.

“Did I?” he asked.

“No way dey’re dead!!!” Barret exclaimed. “They gotta be alive!!!”

“*sniff* you think so...?” Yuffie asked, calming down a little.

“I know dose two,” he replied. “They’ll be fine.”

“Look at all that damage down there,” Red noted. “Many people have lost their homes.”

“It’s just a big lake of green shit now,” Cid said. “Guess we better start pickin up the pieces. Pilot!! Land us!!”

“Yes sir,” the pilot replied.

“Look!!” Vincent said. “Two bodies have just washed up on the shore!!”

*****

“Yo Tifa, “ Barret said. “You awright?”

“Uhhhh,” she muttered. “B--Barret?!?”

“Yeah, dat’s right,” Barret replied.

“Where’s Cloud?” she asked.

“He’s over dere,” Barret said. He pointed over to where Red was standing above Cloud’s body.

“Is he okay?” she asked.

“Don’ worry,” Barret replied. “His spikey-headed ass kin get through anythin.”

“I saw Cloud,” she said. “In the Lifestream, I saw the truth. Cloud wasn’t created by Hojo!!”

“Dat’s great!!!” Barret replied.

*****

Red tilted his head when he examined Cloud.

“Fascinating....” he said.

“Urrgghhh,” Cloud uttered.

“Cloud?” Aeris asked. “He’s coming out of it!!”

“Nice to see you all again,” Cloud said as he began to awake. “What happened?”

“In the Lifestream we put the pieces of your memory together,” Tifa said.

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Sephiroth said. “Now you can resume your position as leader.”

“Good,” Cloud said. “Sephiroth....thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Sephiroth replied. “Let’s continue this in the Highwind.”

*****

“Everyone, I’m sorry,” Cloud apologized once the team was in the Operations Room. “For the past five years, I’ve been living a lie. When I was young, I wanted to be strong so Tifa would notice me. I started getting into fights, I never cared who it was. That’s when I first heard about Sephiroth and SOLDIER. I thought that if I became as strong as Sephiroth, then even Tifa would have to notice me. So seven years ago, I told her I was going to join SOLDIER. But I never made it. I signed up for the Pre-SOLDIER program, which trains people who want to be in SOLDIER. But I didn’t make the final cut. Instead, I was made an MP. I felt ashamed that when Rudy and I accompanied Sephiroth and Zack to Nibelheim I never let anyone know, save for my mother. I felt embarrased because I hadn’t made it. So I kept my mask on the whole time.”

“So Zack was at Nibelheim five years ago?” Aeris asked.

“Yes,” Sephiroth replied. “I hadn’t remembered the names of the escorts. When we met Rudy, I remembered him. Now I remember that Cloud was the other one. The one who stopped me.”

“Whaddaya mean?” Barret asked.

“When Sephiroth went insane,” Cloud began. “I followed Zack to the Reactor. He tried to stop Sephiroth but was injured. It was at that time that I saw Zack and grabbed his sword. I ran into the Jenova Chamber Sephiroth was in and I was able to sneak up on him. That’s when I ran him through with Zack’s sword. I then went out of the chamber to help Tifa. Zack called to me and told me that Sephiroth was still alive and that I should kill him. When I challenged Sephiroth--”

“--I shoved my blade into him,” Sephiroth finished. “But Cloud grabbed ahold of the blade and was able to lift it. Once his feet touched the ground, he swung it until I fell into the Lifestream.”

“I just have two questions,” Red said. “If Cloud was never in SOLDIER, then why is he so powerful? And why does he wear the uniform of SOLDIER with Zack’s sword?”

“SOLDIERS are injected with Jenova cells and Mako,” Sephiroth replied. “I assume after my ‘death’ Hojo used Cloud as a template to help create the clones. Because of the Jenova in his body, alongwith his past experiance with me made Cloud into a puppet of Jenova’s.”

“Then what about the uniform?” Red asked.

“After Sephiroth ‘died’ Zack and me were taken into the basement of the Shin-Ra Mansion and placed in seperate tubes,” Cloud replied. “We escaped and because my clothes were covered in blood stains and all slashed up, Zack gave me one of his spare uniforms. We then caught a ride to Midgar. During the trip, Zack said that we should be mercenaries. Once we reached Midgar, Zack was shot and they left me for dead since I was already unconcious. I regained conciousness a short time later and saw Zack’s sword, but no Zack. I took his sword then became a mercenary when I saw Tifa at a train station. And the rest is history.”

“Wow,” Yuffie said.

“So now what do we do?” Cait asked.

“Well,” Tifa began. “Since we can’t reach Bizarro-Sephiroth, and the Shin-Ra aren’t planning anything, then why don’t we spend some time at the Villa Cloud bought in Costa del Sol?”

“Good idea!!” Yuffie said.

“Well Cloud,” Aeris began. “What do you say?”

“Sure, why not?” Cloud replied.
_____________________________________________________________________________
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Yep, yep. Chapter 11 is done. I hope you enjoyed the interplay between Sephiroth and Aeris. Sephiroth would probably have just let the townspeople die if Aeris didn’t remind him of Nibelheim. And I cut out the part where Cloud and Tifa are in the Lifestream because it’s kinda hard to write all that up what with the conversations going on between the people in the past while Tifa is making comments. So don’t start bitching because that part wasn’t in here. Again, I’m going to examine some other possibilities as to why Cloud is as strong as he is. It’s not because he’s been injected with Mako and Jenova because then all MPs would be as strong as Cloud which would be bad.

Anyhoo, by the time you read this, hopefully I’ll have at least started Chapter 12, or, with a little luck, have it finished. All I can tell you about Chapter 12 is that you’re gonna see two new characters and some new concepts. One of which is related to another Final Fantasy game, which I won’t mention just yet.

.

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