BOOK
1
The Parade
_____Cloud
observed the airport. Small planes and vehicles drove around on the runway,
whilst above them towered the almighty Highwind, a giant airship designed
and built by one of the greatest technicians in the world. It floated gently,
an awe-inspiring bird of steel.
_____He
stood up on the narrow rod and, balancing carefully, made his way to the sturdy
platform at the end. The airport seemed unusually empty. He supposed it was
because of the Shinra parade. He ran quietly to the military base on the other
side of the airport. The door slid open with a hiss and he stepped into a
narrow corridor. Just as he did so, three Shinra guards marched past followed
by a red-uniformed captain. This was it, he had been caught so soon!
_____"Hey!"
the captain yelled. "You still dressed like that? Come 'ere! Get in the
room!"
_____He
grabbed Cloud by the arm and forced him into a cramped room with benches and
a row of lockers on the far wall. The captain put his hands on his hips.
_____"Today's
the big day when we welcome President Rufus! Hurry up and change!" he
ordered. Cloud opened the nearest locker and took a blue Shinra uniform out.
With a sigh, he took off his clothes and put on the uniform. It was quite
tight and itchy.
_____"Brings
back memories..." he said to himself. "I was so proud when I first
put it on."
_____"Wow!
You look good in it!" the captain said. "You remember the Greeting
procedure, right!?"
_____Cloud
shrugged.
_____"...The
look on your face says you forgot." he groaned. "All right, I'll
show you again."
_____Two
guards hurried into the room and saluted the captain in unison.
_____"We'll
help too!" they cried. "This is how to do it!"
_____The
soldier performed a sequence of poses and actions, quietly humming the parade
tune to themselves. Cloud watched carefully as they finished by resting their
rifles on their shoulders.
_____"Got
it?" the captain asked.
_____"All
clear." Cloud replied. With that, a third guard burst into the room.
_____"Rufus
has arrived!" he cried. "Preparations completed!"
_____"All
right, show time!" the captain grinned. "Don't disgrace yourselves!"
_____The
five men ran out of the room and along the corridor, turning right into a
long street with tall buildings on the right and the ocean on the left. In
the distance, the cannon loomed over the water. The street, however, was completely
empty except for the five men.
_____"Oh
no! No one's here!" a guard cried. "Late...?"
_____"Captain,
we'll take a shortcut!" another said and they darted off into an alley.
At the other end of the dark passage was another street. They just caught
a glimpse of a polished black open-top car roll past. Rufus was sat in the
back, his hand waving slowly at the crowds who cheered for him. Behind the
car marched the Shinra guards. Cloud noticed a gap in the line and saw that
this was his chance. He ran out of the alley and stood in the empty place,
continuing to march like the others. Behind him the captain jumped up and
down in fury, shouting something which Cloud could not hear. They made their
way along the street, people leaning out of their windows high above to watch
the procession.
_____Eventually
they stopped beneath a large tram rail which went diagonally up to the next
level. A square cabin was suspended from the rail and Rufus and Heideggar
were standing next to it. Twelve guards, including Cloud, were standing in
formation near the two men.
_____"How's
the job?" Rufus asked. "What happened to the Airship?"
_____"The
long range airship is still being prepared." Heideggar said as he scratched
his head. "It should be ready in about three more days. Gya haa haa!"
_____"Even
the Air Force's Gelnika?" asked Rufus.
_____"...Gya
haa haa!" Heideggar bellowed. Rufus stepped up next to him.
_____"Stop
that stupid horse laugh." he hissed. "Things are different than
when father was in charge." Slowly, Heideggar stopped laughing. "Is
the ship ready?"
_____"Yes
sir, we'll get it ready quickly." Heideggar said. Rufus turned on his
heel and went into the tram car. Heideggar was left standing, staring at the
floor. He threw a rock as hard as he could out to sea and followed Rufus into
the tram, his face red with anger.
_____"What
a disaster." one of the guards whispered to Cloud. "Heideggar was
really irritated. The man in the black cape's been roaming the city, but we
can't find him."
_____"Man
in the black cape...?" Cloud asked. Above him, the tram rattled up the
rail.
_____"He
showed up two or three days ago," the guard replied. "And killed
a few of our soldiers. He disappeared right after that. There's a rumor going
around that it was Sephiroth."
_____"Hey
you!" cried a voice. Cloud turned to see the captain from before. "This
way!"
_____Cloud
stepped out of line and followed the man and the three guards down to the
dock. They stood in line as some doors opened and Rufus and Heideggar entered
the area. They stood to face the guards, not even knowing that their enemy
was amongst the soldiers. Behind them was the back entrance to the large ship
which was due to cross the ocean. The cargo area was filled with crates and
boxes.
_____"President
Rufus has now arrived!" the captain cried. "Ten... HUT! This is
it! Junon Military Reception! Do it right!! Ready...!"
_____Cloud's
heart pounded as the guards around him performed their routine. He did his
best to copy them, failing miserably. Rufus shook his head in dismay. The
performance was finally over and Cloud stood to attention. The men didn't
even comment, instead they turned and spoke to each other.
_____"Once
the word gets out that Sephiroth's here, Cloud and his friends will show up
too." Rufus whispered.
_____"We'll
crush them as soon as we find them!" Heideggar cried.
_____"We
can't have them get in our way." Rufus insisted.
_____"Leave
it up to me, sir! Gya haa ha!"
_____"I
thought I told you to stop that stupid laugh."
_____"Gya..."
_____The
men both walked up the metal ramp and into the ship, disappearing behind the
crates.
_____"That
was close!" a guard said.
_____"Heideggar's
been really edgy lately." said another. "Because Hojo disappeared,
leaving a letter of resignation. Heideggar's been forced to take care of that
investigation too."
_____"Dismissed!"
the captain cried. He and the guards ran off back to Junon city. Cloud stood
and looked up at the massive ship. He had become hot and sweaty underneath
his helmet.
_____"We'll
cross the ocean, to the new continent." he whispered to himself. "Even
if we are wearing Shinra's uniforms..."
_____He
ran inside the ship and behind him the heavy doors closed. With a large shudder,
the boat began to move. Destination: the Costa Del Sol across the sea. He
just hoped that the others had made it on board. Cloud paced through the rows
of crates when a soldier stopped him.
_____"Umm...
It's me, Aeris." the soldier said. "Hey, Cloud, did you see the
airship at Junon?"
_____"...I
heard it was big." he said. "But I didn't expect it to be THAT big."
_____"That
was really something!" Aeris giggled. "Hey, do you think I could
get on it?"
_____"I'll
take you someday." Cloud agreed.
_____"Wow!
I'm really looking forward to it!" Aeris cried, jumping up and down.
"Let's ride the airship together, OK? Promise! Promise me!"
_____"I
promise." Cloud said. He smiled beneath his helmet and made his way up
to the deck. The afternoon sun shone brightly out here where there was nothing
to cast shadows. Junon was already quite a long way away and it was the only
land in sight. The ship rocked up and down on the deep blue waves and white
spray. Cloud closed his eyes and imagined the wind blowing through his hair,
if not for that dreaded helmet. He wandered slowly around the side of a cabin
and spotted Barret. He was wearing a tight-fitting sailor's uniform and peering
round the corner into the cabin windows. Cloud stood next to him and also
looked inside. Rufus and Heideggar were in there.
_____"Look,
Cloud." he whispered. "They're this close but we can't do a thing
to 'em. How can he...? Goin' off laughin' like that! Because of him, Biggs,
Wedge, Jessie...! Ggggh! Ggggggggghhhh!!" He tore himself away from the
wall and clenched his fist, swinging at nothing, imagining that it was Rufus.
"God!! I can't take it anymore!! I'm gonna settle things here and now!!"
_____Suddenly
a loud siren began to wail and lights flashed.
_____"Emergency
alert!" cried a voice through the loudspeaker. "Reports of a suspicious
character found! Those not on detail, search the ship. Report when found!"
_____"Damn,
did they find us?" Barret asked. "Get off your spikey butt and let's
go, Cloud!"
_____They
ran to the deck where Tifa, Aeris, Red and Yuffie had gathered, all dressed
back in their normal clothes.
_____"Everyone
all right?" Tifa asked, handing Cloud and Barret their clothes.
_____"Hey,
wait." Barret cried. "You don't think that suspicious character
is..."
_____"Sephiroth!?"
Cloud yelled.
_____"Really?"
Tifa asked.
_____"How
the hell am I supposed to know?!" cried Barret.
_____"Let's
find out..." Cloud said softly.
_____"Then
who's going to go?" Red asked.
_____"I'll
go. Wait... I'll decide." Cloud insisted. He ran behind the cabin and
changed back into his regular clothes. When he returned, Barret had done the
same.
_____"Aeris
and Red, come with me." he said. They ran down below deck and followed
a trail of dead bodies and spilt blood. People moaned in pain in the distance.
They reached the engine room where the trail of bodies ended. The captain
that Cloud had spoken with before was standing with his back to them.
_____"Is
it... Sephiroth?" he asked. Slowly, the captain turned. There was a large
hole in his chest and blood was running from his mouth. He collapsed on the
floor without a word.
_____"...After
a long sleep....." said a stern voice. "...The time... The time
has.... come...."
_____Silently,
a dark figure arose from where the captain was laying, moving through the
solid floor of the ship. The figure stopped when its feet reached the floor,
its black clothes hanging down, its long silver hair swaying gently. Slowly,
it looked up with an absolute evil glow in its eyes. Cloud recognised him
instantly.
_____"Sephiroth."
he hissed. "You're alive."
_____".......Who
are you?" the dark man asked.
_____"You
don't remember me?!" Cloud asked. "I'm Cloud!"
_____"Cloud..."
Sephiroth muttered.
_____"Sephiroth!
What are you thinking?! What are you doing?!" Cloud asked.
_____"...The
time... is now..." Sephiroth said softly.
_____"What
are you saying?" Cloud asked. "Be more..."
_____He
didn't have time to finish his sentence, as a bright burst of light blinded
him and when it faded, Sephiroth was gone. A large creature stood in its place,
its tentacles and hideous limbs flailing and reaching for the group.
_____"Jenova...!!"
Cloud gasped.
_____A
long, pink tendril shot through the air and grabbed Red XIII by his tail,
swinging him high into the air and throwing him against a wall. Aeris gritted
her teeth and drew her telescopic rod. She ran towards Jenova, raising the
weapon above her head. With a glare from the massive beast, Aeris froze. Not
even her hair moved in the winds of the engine room. Jenova had used a rare
ability called 'Stop'.
_____Cloud
looked at Red, unconscious on the other side of the room, and Aeris, frozen
in time beside him. The battle had been going on for less than a minute and
already he was losing badly. Then he remembered something important. He lifted
his sword and slotted the Shiva materia that Priscilla had given him into
it. The flames in the orb flared up and the room darkened suddenly. Cloud
could see the outline of Jenova's great bulk in the semi-light. She swayed
slightly and growled, when all of a sudden a beam of light shone down from
above her. A beautiful woman descended from the light, firefly-like lights
hovering around her. This was Shiva, and she had been summoned to use her
devastating 'Diamond Dust' ability. Without emotion, Shiva waved her hand
in Jenova's direction and shards of ice formed behind her, firing forward
and piercing Jenova's tough hide. The alien creature screamed as the jagged
spears impaled her against the wall, blood spraying out. When Cloud looked
up, Shiva had gone. He smiled and jumped towards Jenova, bringing his sword
down hard on her head. Her wails stopped as her head fell to the ground. The
creature's entire body glowed red and then vanished. Aeris collapsed and Red's
eyes flickered open.
Please stop the music here.
_____"What happened?" Red asked, just
as Tifa, Barret and Yuffie burst into the room.
_____"I don't get it..." Aeris said.
"Cloud can you explain it to us?"
_____He turned away, walking over
to where Jenova's body had been.
_____"Sephiroth
went off searching for the Promised Land, so he could become the ruler of
the planet..." Cloud said. "That was 5 years ago. Then Sephiroth
came back and killed President Shinra. And then just now all of us saw Sephiroth.
He was carrying Jenova with him. This much I do know. He told me he wants
to go to the Promised Land with his mother, Jenova. I guess that's about it."
_____"Dock workers," said a voice over
the intercom. "We will be docking in Costa Del Sol in five minutes. Prepare
for docking."
_____"Maybe we shouldn't stay in here anymore."
Aeris suggested. All except Cloud turned and left the room. He stood alone,
staring at the empty room which had been a battle ground only minutes before.
_____"Sephiroth... is alive..." he
whispered. "The Promised Land... Does it really exist?"