Completion Chapter 8
Crescendo Two: Turn Away
By Drakonlily
"He he he." Rufus snickered. "I am so pleased to see you both as well." He continued to snicker.
Reno was shocked to see Rufus like this. The former Shinra leader had been calm, cool, collected. Reno hadn't enjoyed him, but unlike President Shinra, Rufus had his respect. Rufus had Reno's respect because he knew how to wield power. He played life like a chess game. His aloof and callous air was enough to make men tremble, he had drawn Reno into the game. His game, whatever Rufus touched became his, Reno was no different. Rufus Shinra had owned him. Used him as a piece of the game, Reno clenched his fists. This time Rufus didn't have his daughter to threaten. This time Reno wasn't going to play.
"I am sure you are curious Reno, you always were the curious one." Rufus' once immaculate hair was a tangled mess. He was dressed in an old Turk suit and tennis shoes. The crazed man emitted an air of danger, "I will explain once we get started." Reno and Cloud glared at the once great president.
"You've been crawling in these old rat's holes all this time?" Reno sneered. "I would have thought it below you."
"Sh-sh-sh-shut up!" Rufus stood and walked around the desk. Cloud didn't wait, he lunged for him. The blond president lifted a shotgun to Cloud's nose. "Nice try." He shoved the barrel of the weapon at Cloud, the hero did not back down. The laughter had ceased "Now get in the tubes."
"Go ahead and kill me." Cloud growled. Reno was impressed with him, he didn't know many people who would be that brave in this situation. The red head started to move around to corner Rufus, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Strife duck!" Reno yelled as he watched Apollyon move out of the corner of his eye. The hero ducked, Rufus fired and Apollyon back up with a hole in his chest. Reno threw his elbow backwards, connecting with Yrene's ribcage. Fueled by fear, Cloud and Reno ran out the main door for all they were worth.
Cloud was no where near as fast as Reno, the red head was already pushing buttons on a keypad by the time Cloud caught up. "be the same, be the same, be the same" Reno kept praying as he entered a five digit code.
Cloud watched as Yrene and Apollyon walked to them, swords drawn. "Hurry Reno!" Cloud urged the red head.
"Fuck!" Reno yelled as the keypad flashed red. "Please for the love of Holy!" He begged as he entered another code. The keypad flashed green.
"YES!" both men cheered. They dashed into the next room and Reno pushed a button to close the door. He turned and took off down a hallway, Cloud followed. They turned another corner and bailed directly into Apollyon.
"Going somewhere are we?" Apollyon was near healed.
"Yes, the other way." Cloud said as he and Reno backpedaled. Reno turned the corner and came face to face with Yrene.
"Miss me sweetheart?" Yrene purred. For once in his life Reno Valentine was speechless.
***
Rovina shuddered again as they neared the Shinra building. Like everything else around them, the building was in ruins. The large group had split up, Tifa, Rude, Scarlet, and Cid remained at the Highwind with Suzanna. The others went to search the Shinra wreckage. The black beast mentally steadied herself for what was to come.
"So you gonna explain or not Dar- Rovina?" Barret asked from the back.
"Yes, I shall try." She raised her voice slightly to be heard, "before my species or your own were on the planet there were Aeons."
"Aeons?" Reeve questioned. "You mean summons?"
"Yes. The mightiest of these was Alexander. According to legend there are many worlds other then our own."
"Planets?" Asked Elena, stopping to look over at the beast.
"No, dimensions of sorts. I cannot explain further because there is no other literature on the subject. These worlds became connected because of another race, the Centra. They wished to live on this planet to hide from the Jenova that were hunting them. Alexander agreed, to the dismay of many of his people. The Aeons were split, some wanted to expel the Centra, some wished to help them."
"So how do humans fit in?" Yuffie sat down, they had all stopped to listen in.
"They did not exist yet. The Centra and the Aeon's existed and interbred, creating powerful creatures called Demons. When these mixed breeds died, the Centra could summon them from beyond the grave to aid them. Many Aeons felt that this was a direct threat to their power. There was a war....."
***
Yrene paced as she continued to explain. "They tried to overthrow Emperor Alexander, these pests. In the end Aeons won over. Those Centra that had fought against us lost their powers, they became another race- humans." The two men floating in the tanks had their eyes focused on her, they could not respond, but she knew they understood. "Alexander was wounded. He closed off this world with the last of his energies forming the lifestream. A way to power the planet. We Aeons moved to a different plane, the Demons moved along with us. There has been a family feud of sorts ever since.
"An unpleasant side effect of the original Aeons being here is the materia that was an side product of the lifestream. We could be summoned here by the Centra that we left behind via the materia. Humans got ahold of this and many wars were waged." She shook her head, "such inhumanity from humans. Worthless creatures if you ask me."
***
"Hojo figured out that you could animate half dead bodies or dead bodies by summoning a Demon." Rovina spat Hojo's name out as if it were acid.
Vincent growled. "It doesn't always work, Why me?"
"It may have something to do with Reno's mother. If she was an Aeon, then that would explain why such a powerful Demon allowed itself to be bonded to you. He even could do it with Aeons, trapping them and using their orbs to control them."
"Materia?" Yuffie asked
Rovina nodded.
***
"This is where you come in, Reno." Yrene tapped on the glass. "You are half Aeon. Your mother's name was truly Sillian. Hojo, trapped her in a human body the same way my brother and I are trapped by Rufus. When he realized that she was far too clever for him he destroyed her orb. This stranded her on this planet. She was thus neutralized, couldn't even use materia. Only in her dreams could she connect with the other plane.
"You were born without an orb. You have her power, you just haven't tapped it. I could open that up for you. Now, imagine if an Aeon was born here, only a fourth human. No bonding, no orbs. Our race could return!" Reno arched his eyebrow at her, she sighed. "I say 'ours' to you because you are an Aeon as much as you are a human. You don't have to cater to them! They are insects! Look what humans have done here! Look at yourself! This can be stopped and you are a necessary part in stopping it. You have some of Sillian's power within you, Reno. You just need to have your eyes opened." She took a needle out and injected a pipe to Reno's tube. Pain overwhelmed him. "Being born again is never pleasant. You will understand." She turned to Cloud. "And you, we need to take care of Chaos. I have just the thing...."
***
"That is about all I know, if Reno's mother was an Aeon we will have problems I fear. I would not wish to fight Aeons." She turned to Vincent, "is there any way that I could talk to Chaos? He seemed to know quite a bit more then I do."
"No." Vincent said quickly.
"He didn't try to harm us before." Rovina prodded
"That is because I was focussed on that woman. Without a focus I have no idea what he will do."
"The planet-" She started.
"Rovina, Vincent is looking out for our safety. Nothing is to say that Chaos wouldn't lie." Nanaki interjected. "We need to press on."
***
About an hour later Reeve was setting up a video station to look over the security CD's that Elena had found. They were not all together as a group, but it didn't exactly matter. They were within yelling distance. He looked to his former partner and frowned. "They are labeled 'Hojo: S-Red' if that means anything."
Vincent looked at the floor. "That's Suzi." The dark man sat down on the debris ridden floor. He noted the look he was getting from the other former Turk leader. "I will be alright Reeve." Reeve nodded and pushed play.
They were looking at a large training room. A red headed woman was standing in the middle. "Oh Holy, Suzi." Vincent sighed, he turned his head away from the screen. Then Yuffie screamed. The others ran from every area to her voice.
"Nice set of lungs there, pet." Apollyon leered over Yuffie, who promptly turned and ran towards her friends. They opened fire on the pale eyed man as Yuffie ducked behind them. Apollyon smiled. "Now you are all being silly." He put one hand out, "Areos." A dark wind swept the hero's off their feet and slammed them to the ground. "I refuse to warn you pests again!" He pulled the masume from its sheath. "Leave if you value your lives."
Barret leapt to his feet and held out his gun arm. "I don't give a fuck what you are! You are gonna be swiss cheese!" Suddenly Yrene was behind him. She she tossed the large man over, if Reeve wasn't fast she would have crushed him beneath Barret. The ex-Turk grunted as he hit his bad knee on the cement. Reeve was trying to stand, but his knee would not obey him this time. He rolled into a sitting position and glared at his assailant.
She smirked, "run kiddies." Lifting her arms up she yelled. "Ultima!" The heroes scrambled for cover.
"REFLECT!" Scarlet yelled, casting to Reeve as she hid. Yrene snarled as the blast fired back at her. Elena and Yuffie took off together. They stopped short as a familiar voice spoke to them.
"What are you running from now, Lany?"
"RENO!" Both women yelled. The red head smirked, Yuffie and Elena took a step back. "Re?" Elena questioned fearfully. Reno was dressed in a similar outfit as Apollyon and Yrene. He walked forward. "What's going on Re?"
"I had my eyes opened, 'Lany. Now, I think you both need to leave."
"You don't mean that." Yuffie said. She pulled out her conformer.
Reno was unimaginably fast, he twisted Yuffie's wrist back, she dropped the weapon. "Please, don't be stupid," he chided. Elena struck out at her former ally, he let go of Yuffie.
"Run Yuff!" Elena ordered, the ninja took off. "Reno we are your friends what are you doing!?"
"Maybe 'Lany, that's why I am giving you the chance to run away." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Humans have caused far to much problems on this planet. We made your kind and we will end them."
"Terminate a whole race?" Elena started to back up faster, Reno was not normal. His eyes were glowing green.
He laughed, "no honey, more like a phasing out. We aren't as heartless as you humans." He sneered. Elena swung out again at Reno, she used to be able to knock the him over. Now Reno's head only snapped to the side. He smiled, "see what I mean?" With no other choice, Elena took out her gun, Reno struck her on the side of the head, she fell.
"I told you they wouldn't accept it." Apollyon said from behind him.
"She was going to try to kill me." Reno shook his head sadly. He turned to Apollyon, "Should I go after Yuffie?"
Apollyon smirked at Elena, "Yeah I suppose. Humans are an attractive species I will give them that. She could be fun." He picked up the unconscious blonde as Reno followed Yuffie.
Yuffie stopped running, I can't just leave 'Lany like this. She saw Reno coming up behind her at what looked like a casual jog. OH GAWD! She ran, but Reno caught her shoulder and spun her around. "Reno! I am your friend! Why are you-"
"Shut up, Yuffie." The red head snapped. "I gave you your chance, and yet you chose to fight with me. You don't get another." He pinched her neck and Yuffie passed out. He lifted her over his shoulder. I hope this works.
"Reno, we are being called." Yrene smiled at him, "have a happy hunt?"
Reno shook his head. "I wish that you would have been wrong." They began to walk back to the lab.
Yrene shrugged, "you are doing the right thing. Have you thought about our plan yet?"
Reno threw her his lady killer grin, "yeah, I have. I agree."
"All that is left is taking care of the majesty."
"Don't worry, they won't let us just have these two. When they move to save them I will get Suzanna. Our two problems could cancel each other out. Avalanche could take care of Rufus and then we just need to let Havoc go right?"
She nodded, "Then it is just a matter of time, you will be a legend, Reno. We are going to raise our people back where they belong." The pair of Aeons smirked at each other, outlying the future of the planet in their minds.