Reunion Chapter 19
By Janet Monstwillo
"Goddamn!" Barret fell to the ground as a laser beam tore up the ground in front of him.
Red XIII sighed and cast the fifth Cure3 spell of the battle. (Once again, Cure3 for Barret. Why isn't he more careful? One of the many virtues of a good fighter is an awareness of one's surroundings. I couldn't say this to Barret's face, though. If only I hadn't lent my Enemy Skill materia to Legolas. Then I could just cast White Wind on Barret. It uses less MP, and would be of more help, considering I still haven't been injured.)
"Shit!"
Red XIII shook his head and cast Cure3.
Cid came running up. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, but I needed to go buy some more cigarettes." He raised his Sepulchre Lance and prepared for battle. "Ah...what the hell...Bahamut ZERO!" While the summoner occupied the Amber Weapon for awhile, Cid lit a cigarette. "So Red, why'd you name it the Amber Weapon?"
"Well, for one thing, it's yellow."
"So call it the Gold Weapon."
"All the other Weapons were named after precious gems, with the exception of the Ultima Weapon."
"So call it the Penultima Weapon. Or the Golden Topaz Weapon. Why 'amber?' What's so great about it? It's just another name for yellow. I thought you were smart, Red? Why amber?"
"Amber is rare. Amber is used in jewelry."
Barret looked at Red XIII. "But what the fuck is it?"
Red XIII sighed. "Fossilized tree sap."
Cid snickered. "You named the monster after tree sap? What's next, the Maple Syrup Weapon? The Sassafras Weapon? The Root Beer Weapon? The Cinnamon Weapon? The--"
The Amber Weapon landed, looked at Cid, and shrieked.
"--Oh shit! Red, help me!"
Red smirked. "But it's just fossilized tree sap. Can't you handle it?"
Cid glared at him. He jumped back and eyed the monster. He rammed his lance straight into its neck. He pushed the button and shot some poison into it. The Weapon reared and slapped Cid. He fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Red XIII threw some Dragon Scales at it. The Weapon screamed, took one last swipe at Barret, and flew away.
Cid jumped up, screaming. "You get back here, you good for nothin', motherfucking, sappy, fossilized piece of shit! I'll fix you good! Little Weapon can't take a little magic? Get back here so I can kick your ass!"
Barret groaned. "Can I get a little Cure over here?"
Red XIII sighed and cast Cure3. (How are we ever going to defeat this Weapon?) "How soon do you suppose Legolas will come back?"
Cid shrugged. "He left two days ago. Shouldn't take too long. After all, Junon's on the same continent as we are."
"Do you think he can get any help?"
"Dunno. But I don't think Reeve and Raieyana would leave us ailing over here. I s'pose Leg might have to go to Wutai if they can't. But Vincent would come. And he turns into vicious beasts."
"What about Yuffie?"
"Well if he came, I guess she would have to, too."
"She would be a great help."
"Sure. If you say so... Just too bad Ruther can't help. He could kick some major ass. And if Lia wasn't so damn..."
"Pregnant?" Red XIII smiled.
"Don't interrupt me... Paranoid, then she could help. But she's too afraid to let anyone else watch her kid. So she's no use."
"She's pregnant. She shouldn't fight."
"It's a nice excuse. But we're busting our asses off down here. We need some back-up."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The clinic in Mideel was slowly filling up with sick ex-Soldiers. They had high fevers, and all muttered in a sort of delirium. Elsie bent over Ruther.
"...see...light...I...see it... Hojo...is near... ...reunion...reunion... the sun... ...emerges...reunion..."
Suddenly she was aware of the patient on the cot next to Ruther's.
"...reunion..."
She didn't understand. But she finally noticed that every man in the clinic was now muttering the same words, over and over. She turned to leave. (I must tell the others about this. I wonder what it means. Reunion.)
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The PHS rang. Lia got up. "Hello?"
"It's Elsie. Something weird is going on here in Mideel."
"You mean something weird wasn't already happening?"
"Lia, you know how Ruther was kind of...saying things in his sleep? Well, the other Soldiers in there had been too, and now... They all are saying the same thing."
"You're serious... What are they saying?"
Barret, Red XIII, and Cid walked into the room.
"So what? Reunion? That's a little strange, I guess."
Red XIII frowned. "Lia, who are you talking to?"
"Elsie."
He reached out a hand...that is, paw. "May I speak with her?"
"Be my guest." She looked at Barret. "I still don't think it's that big of a deal. A bunch of sick guys have been together so long they mutter the same thing. It doesn't sound too odd."
"Alright, Elsie. Call back if the situation changes. Good-bye." Red XIII set down the PHS. "That was Elsie."
"No shit, Einstein," said Cid.
Red XIII ignored him and continued. "All of the patients--Ruther included--at the clinic there suddenly all have been talking about a 'reunion.' She also said she heard Ruther mention Hojo. I don't know exactly what this means, but it can't mean anything good."
Barret patted his gun-arm. "I say go storm the Shinra right now. They have something to do with this."
"I agree, they must have something to do with it. But until we figure out exactly what..." Red XIII shook his head. "...it would be best for us to remain here, at least until Legolas returns. We have to keep that Weapon in check, and frankly, I don't think we can handle any other problems at this moment."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Laida glanced around her office, then locked the door. She picked up the phone. "Martin? Make sure I am not bothered for a couple of hours, okay? Can you handle it? Yeah, thanks." She opened the bottom drawer of her desk. She reached under the bottom of it and pressed a button. The back of the drawer slid down to reveal a hidden space. She removed the box from it and shut the drawer.
(I can't wait any longer. Lucas has some plan of his own, I know it. Now is the time. I can't trust anyone any longer.) She opened the box and removed an object wrapped in a piece of black fabric. Unwrapping it, she let the cloth fall to the floor. (Sephiroth's medallion. All I need is an object belonging to a person to contact that person--if the spirit hasn't already been assimilated into the Lifestream.)
Laida concentrated very hard. A yellow orb on her desk started to glow. Channel Consciousness--enables any non-Cetra to establish contact with a soul that has returned to the Planet.
She looked down. Her hands felt warm. The medallion was radiating heat of its own. She studied it carefully. (This isn't any ordinary medallion...
"Reunion...")
She shook her head. (Get yourself together.
"...so long in the darkness have I watched. Waiting? How long have I waited? Five, six, seven years. All for her. To see her again."
He has no power over me. Laida, girl, get a grip!
"Can I see her? Can I tell her? What I can't forgive, what I can't forget? Will she pay for it? Will she feel pain?"
Shut up! I called you, not vice versa! Stop trying to control me.) Laida toppled over to the floor with a crash. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She began to speak with a voice that seemed to come from far away.
"It's time. The reunion. The sun reemerges. Drawn to the beacon, she comes. Raieyana." Then everything was black, and Laida knew no more.
.