Square Wars: The Shinra Strikes Back Chapter 4
Crisis in Cloud's City
By WarChild
"Whadda ya mean we can't go in?" Cid yelled at the man at the tollbooth.
"Sorry, but you have to pay for those ticket prices up here to enter Cloud's
City." The guy at the tool booth pointed to the sign showing the tickets
prices to enter the city. Cid continued swearing.
"Look, I'm not here for your amusement stuff. I'm here to see a friend of
mine. Cloud Strife! You better get him!"
The man at the tollbooth was now shaken. "All right. Just stay in your ship."
He picked up his PHS. Cait Sith, now turned on, laughed at these series of
events.
"I bet ya what are gonna get is the 'Friends of the Owner' discount." Aeris
turned to him.
"Cloud is a gentleman, he wouldn't do that do us." The person at the tollbooth
returned to Cid, looking very surprised.
"Well, apparently he does know you. In fact he dropped all fees for you.
And he's allowed you to use the special guest landing platform, 64DD."
"That's much better." Cid quipped. The Highwind then hovered over the tollbooth
and continued on through the amazing gold city that towered over the planet's
surface. It finally landed on a platform, made only for exclusive guests
of the city. The group debarked from the craft, expecting a welcoming committee.
They only saw a pair of double doors leading into the city.
"No one's here! Did you think he snubbed you?" muttered Cait Sith.
Finally a group of people appeared at the doors. "Now there's an interesting
trio. Two of them have spiky hair. The third seemed to have cosmetic surgery."
The lady in the group, who is really Tifa, turned red.
"You stupid robot! They are real!!!!" Tifa then turned her frustration on
to Aeris. "So you have come back here to take Cloud back from me, haven't
you?"
"You just jealous because I got the part of the princess in despair. You
just got a part as a bartender in the first Square Wars. Besides I was chosen
for my Ancient heritage."
Aeris and Tifa kept shouting at each other. Zack, Cait Sith, Umaro, and Red
XIII looked at each other. "So, what do you think?" Zack ask the other three.
"I say this is the most interesting cat fight I've seen between Tifa and
Aeris." Cait Sith remarked.
"Ungah! Me like Cid and Cloud fight." Umaro mumbled, pointing to the area
where Cloud and Cid voiced their displeasure with each other.
"I just say why do people always fight..." added Red XIII. Zack slapped his
forehead.
"No no no. The city! What do you think of the city?" But nobody paid attention
to him. They were listing to Cloud and Cid, since the fight between Tifa
and Aeris died down.
"You got a lot of nerve coming here." Cloud began. "Especially when you have
pulled off that little trick."
"Hey, hey, hey! I won the Highwind fair and square." Cid defended himself.
"You renamed the Falcon to the Highwind? How could you?" Cloud was now really
ticked.
"Look, everything is legal and such. I mean, you did that to that gambler
Seltzer, remember? If you did that, why can't I?" Both men finally laughed,
remembering the good times they had. Cloud finally noticed his other guests.
"Umaro, looking good as usual. Red, still got that fiery tail." He looked
at Cait Sith. "You look like you can fit in my city."
"That's the nicest thing anybody has said to me, I think." Cait Sith replied.
Cloud then looked at Aeris.
"Hello, what's your name?" Aeris laughed.
"Don't you recognize me? I'm Aeris. You should have known."
"Hey, hey, hey! I was trying to stick with the original script." Cloud defended
himself. Soon Cloud and Zack led everybody into the city, retelling the story
how they got the place from Dio, and turned it into a tourist attraction.
Cid finally got Cloud's help in fixing the Highwind, despite the earlier
argument. Now the only thing else they had to decide on was what to do.
"I'll take a stab at the shooting game." Cid muttered, and ran off.
"We better get back to work." Cloud announced, as he, Tifa, and Zack departed.
"Ungah! Me go fight in arena!" Umaro mumbled, as he went off.
"I'll think I'll try my luck at the Wonder Square." mused Red XIII, as he
took off.
Cait Sith, seeing that everybody has gone, said, "Well, maybe I can bet on
chocobo races!" As he headed towards the Chocobo Square, he bumped into another
robot that looked like him. It mumbled something incoherent then went it
own way. "Unbelievable, Cait Sith Two is actually very rude!" Then he heard
a familiar voice out from a window. He peered out to find its source. "Robo?
Robo? Are you here?" All he has found was a speeding coaster with a bunch
of kids.
"Hey, there's a target! Blast it full power and we get a million points!"
one of the kids yelled.
"Uh oh!" moaned Cait Sith, as he was blasted to bits, later to have all of
his parts picked up my a garbage man.
Back on the Lunarian moon, Cecil finally decided what to do. He must go after
Aeris and Cid. He was packing his ship while FuSoYa was insisting that Cecil
should not go.
"Cecil! You must complete your training."
Cecil shook his head. "The vision's too strong. I can't keep it out of my
head. I have to help my friends."
FuSoYa kept on insisting. "You must not go! It's dangerous for you to go."
"I'll risk anything to see that Cid and Aeris are safe. Do you know what
happens if Aeris dies?" Cecil replied.
"Everybody knows what will happen if she dies. But, as FuSoYa said himself,
the future has many possibilities. It isn't written." Bugenhagen's voice
rang out. Then Bugenhagen's image appeared near FuSoYa. Cecil looked at the
spirit.
"But may be able to ensure their safety. I feel the lifestream's energy."
"But it's still beyond your control. It's all part of the emperor's plan.
He's luring you. He want you to be his puppet just like the Dark Knight."
the spirit warned.
"But I learned so much. I'll be able to save them. I will return." Cecil
replied, as he got into the ship.
"If you choose to face the Dark Knight, I won't take part of it." Bugenhagen
reminded. As the ship blasted off into space, carrying Robo and Cecil, Bugenhagen
looked at FuSoYa.
"I told you he was trouble. Now, things are worse." FuSoYa said to the spirit.
"But the boy's is the universe's last hope." answered the spirit.
"No, there is another one out there." FuSoYa responded, as he looked up into
space.
Aeris waited patiently in her room at the Ghost Hotel. It was only a while
ago that everybody noticed that Cait Sith was missing. So they went out looking
for him. Finally, Umaro walked in the room, carrying the many parts of Cait
Sith.
"What happened to him?" Aeris inquired.
"Ungah! Ooh ooh! Me find him in trash! Ooh ooh!" Umaro grumbled. Then everybody
else walked in. Cid was the first to say anything.
"$^#$^#$! Oh my @#%$@#%! What happened?"
"You know, it is inappropriate to talk trash here, and speaking of which"
Red XIII answered pointed to Cait Sith "looks like this fella ended up in
it." Cloud, Tifa, and Zack walked in.
"You found your droid? Looks like he has been trashed, literally." Cloud
spoke.
"If he were still functioning, he would just add on to the trash jokes."
Cid laughed.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'm inviting you guys to the Event Square. I reserved
it for all of us." Cloud announced.
"Oh, Cloud. You shouldn't have." Cid laughed. "What are you hoping to do?"
"You know, catch up on things, etcetera. Beside, you need to see something
else besides that awful Dukes of Hazard." Zack answered.
"Don't you tell me that dem Dukes is @#%$@#%@# awful. DUKES RULE!" Cid shouted
in protest. Everybody then laughed at Cid. Cid then blushed.
"Look, if you keep standing here, we'll be late. Now come on." Tifa ordered.
"You heard Tifa, let's mosey." Cloud said. Cid groaned.
"@#%$@#! That's a wimpy saying. Can't you say something like movin' out?"
Cloud laughed. "All right then. Let's move out." Everybody finally left the
room. Cid and Cloud began to talk.
"So, do you worry that the Shinra would find this place?" Cid started.
"The Shinra, nah. They are happy with their tourist attractions.
Besides, people here keep this place a secret. How else would I operate this
place despite all those laws that say all tourist attractions must be operated
by the Shinra? You know how they hate competitors." Cloud answered.
"What do you hope to do about it?" Cid asked.
"Actually, I just signed an agreement that ensures that the Shinra doesn't
put their nose in here." Cloud replied. They finally entered the Event Square
and sat on the front row. "Okay, pull up the curtains." Cloud ordered. The
curtains were pulled up to reveal the Dark Knight and the Turks. In disbelief,
Cid stood up and started casting Bolt spells at the Dark Knight. The lightning
strikes had no effect on the evil warrior, and he, using the lifestream,
forced the materia in Cid's spear to pop out and fly in to his hand. Reno
placed triangle barriers on Umaro, Aeris, and Red XIII. Shinra's SOLDIERs
suddenly surrounded the group. "Sorry, but I had no choose. These guys already
arrived before you did."
Umaro, Aeris, and Red XIII were placed in the city's prison room. Cid was
placed in the torture room where Dr. Lugae was waiting to inject truth serum.
Bored with being in prison, Umaro worked on fixing up Cait Sith. He attached
Cait's head to the body, and tries to turn him on.
"Huh? Where am I?" Cait Sith looks at his body. "AHHHHHHHHH! I've been
disembodied! Someone fix me, please!"
Outside the prison Cloud was discussing things with the Dark Knight. "How
dare you? First you decide to give Cid to those Turks, now you decide to
force his friends to say here?" Cloud was frustrated with the warrior.
"Considering you have been running an illegal tourist attraction, we can
do whatever we want. At least we aren't considering pressing charges,
understand?" the evil warrior reminded.
Cloud was beaten. "I understand." He then walked to the cells. "Everything's
getting worse all the time." he muttered to himself. The Turks, concerned
with the screaming by Cid, walked up to the Dark Knight.
"Sir, we are worried that Cid might be damaged. We want him one piece so
we can deliver him to Jenova Synthesis." Elena started.
"Don't worry, you will have Captain Highwind as soon I have Darkheart. And
he won't have any permanent damage." he assured the group.
Cid was finally tossed in the same cell with Aeris, Umaro, Red XIII, and
the almost repaired Cait Sith. Aeris say the Cid was hurt badly, so she used
some Cure spells on him. Then Cloud came in the room. He looked sad.
"Sorry to tell you guys, but I got some bad news." Cid was now angry.
"#$@%@#%! If we had to hear bad news, it had to be from you!"
Cloud continues on. "Well I had no choice. Anyway, the Dark Knight wants
Aeris, Umaro, Red XIII, and Cait Sith to stay here. He's given you Cid to
those bounty hunters." Aeris was puzzled.
"Why is he doing this? I thought he wants us dead."
"He never wanted you. He's after someone else you know. Someone named Darkheart."
Cloud finally explained.
Cid was now really ticked off. "That's it! You put us through all this so
that loony can get our friend? What kindda friend you are anyway, you @#$%@#%?"
He lunged at Cloud, only to be restrained by City guards.
"Sorry, friend, but there's too many things to risk here." Cloud said, as
he departed from the room.
Outside the city premises a lone Epoch flies in the air. Cecil was worried. No patrol vehicles. Nothing. Robo was concerned too. They both hoped their friends were all right.
The Dark Knight looked at the machine. It could be pretty useful, he thought.
The city uses this machine to make huge blocks of ice. The warrior hoped
to use this to freeze Cecil, so he would have no trouble delivering him to
Sephiroth. Goblins were scurrying around the place, maintaining it.
"This is a pretty crude facility, but it is very useful. I would have no
trouble delivering Darkheart to Sephiroth if he's encased in ice." he mused.
A SOLDIER walked up to the warrior.
"Sir, an Epoch was entered the outskirts of the city." he told the warrior.
"Very good. Allow him to enter. But lead him to me." the warrior commanded.
The SOLDIER left. The Dark Knight was then approached by Cloud, who was
accompanied by the "prisoners" and a few more SOLDIERs.
"Look sir, we only use this machine to make blocks of ice and occasionally
used it to preserve stuff, but if you place anything living in the machine
you might just killed it." Cloud explained.
"Have you not heard of cryogenic freezing? I know I don't the emperor's prize
destroyed. But first, place Captain Highwind here. You will see." the warrior
insisted. Unbelievable, Cloud thought. He's getting away with murder. He
walked up to Cid. Cid looked at his "friend" coldly.
"What do you have now, old buddy, more bad news?" he asked sarcastically.
"Hardly. They want to put you in that machine and freeze you." The Turks,
who were also in the room, looked at the Dark Knight.
"Hey, you said there won't be any damage to him." Reno complained.
"Don't worry. If he dies, the Shinra will pay double the amount Jenova will
pay you." reassured the warrior. That didn't help Umaro at all. He started
attacking the SOLDIERs, only to stop when Cid told him to.
"Please, Umaro, you're not helping." Cid points to the princess.
"Princess Aeris, you must take care of her." Umaro groaned with a yes, meaning
he understood. Cid was finally escorted to the machine. He was lowered to
the freezing chambers below. With in minutes steam has risen from the hole
where Cid was stand. The Freeze spell was heard many times. Finally the platform
started to rise. On it was a freezer, which contained the frozen Cid Highwind.
The goblins worked around it. Cait Sith took a peak at the scene.
"Oh my. Cid Highwind's on ice. Now that's one way to shut up his problematic
mouth." The freezer fell down with a deafening slam. Cloud looked at his
frozen friend, sensing for any signs of life.
"He's alive, but in hibernation." That pleased the Dark Knight.
"I knew he would be." He turned to the Turks. "Highwind is all yours now."
He turned to the goblins. "Reset this machine." He turned to Cloud. "You
there, escort those four to my ship." He pointed to Cait Sith, Umaro, Aeris,
and Red XIII. Cloud was now dismayed.
"I thought you said they would be staying here!"
"Just pray now that I don't ask for anything more." the warrior replied.
Cloud stamped his foot. The warrior turned to his men. "Make sure the Darkheart
comes to this room." he ordered.
Cecil finally landed his ship on a platform. He and Robo got out of the ship. He noticed the Highwind on another platform. Now he knew they were here. But the question where? With haste, he and Robo charged into the city, not knowing what to expect.
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