Lower Junon

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Kadaj gave Nikky a look, decided to let it pass, and started conferring with his siblings as the sun began to rise. "This ship is well-fortified, but not to the degree I'm comfortable with. We should find a more permanent structure, preferably somewhere Kamen won't have a lot of hidey-holes available."

Ami gave that a long, hard think. "Look, boys..." She closed her eyes and sighed unhappily. "Maybe I'm nuts, but I think we should take her to the Village."

"Maybe you ARE nuts," Yazoo agreed. "If Stephen and Nora see us, what are they going to think?"

"You're right," Ami agreed. "But it's a pretty isolated place-- most people don't even know it exists..."

"Moot point," Kadaj reminded her. "Kamen can track Nikky anywhere-- she's his puppet, remember?"

"So where do you think we should go, prodigy?" Ami challenged.

"The Fort," he replied promptly. "Fortified, permanent structure, relatively open area... perfect."

Ami considered that. "Once again, your egg head does not fail to amaze."

He raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, I think," he joked.

Ami turned to the others. "So, to the Fort?"

Reno was not prepared to accomodate these new allies in any way, shape, or form. "I say we stick it to the SOB by standing our ground right here."

Rude shook his head. "That's pure suicide. He knows and exploits our weaknesses here. The Fort sounds like a good idea to me."

"Whose side are you on?" Reno hissed.

"Yours," Rude replied. "I'd prefer to confront your stupidity rather than your mortality."

Ami waited for the rest of the majority to register their opinions.

[*~Nikkole~*]

nikky stayed silent for awhile.... she didn't really care. kamen could find her anywhere... he has proven that many times. she sighed. ''lets go to the fort....'' her voice shook slightly as she tried to stay calm. she thought about how to answer questions....

[Kidd Strife]

"I say we go fort. Hopefully it's structure will provide a good defense if Kamen were to launch another attack." Kidd examined the party. Yup, we need rest.

______

"Im with Kidd."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

"Second problem-- transportation," Ami added. "How are we all going to get there? Squall is the only one who knows how to activate and operate the Ragnorak's controls, so that option is out." She felt worry grip her heart again, but she tried to stay focused. "My bike only takes three passengers, including the driver."

Rude got out his cell phone and Mishy's business card. "Here we go again..."

****

Mishy's limo pulled up at the Ragnorak twenty minutes later. "Good things come in threes," she burbled cheerily as the crowd shuffled inside. "And this week I got a special-- guys being pursued by dark assassins ride free."

Reno tried very hard to ignore her as he helped Nikky get inside. Ami shouldered her bag and climbed in behind them. "Nikky, I've got some medical stuff in here. You really need to have your wounds looked at-- Kidd's cure could only do so much good." Should have learned cure from Squall when I had the chance.

The inside of the limo was cramped by its many passengers: the brothers, Ami, Sunset, Rude, Reno, Nikky, Kidd, and Kamryn. Lutz had mercifully remained behind to guard the ship. Loz looked around moodily. "Well, isn't this cozy," he said sarcastically.

"Loz, this is neither the time nor the place," Yazoo informed him calmly.

****

A hastily scrawled note, blotched with drops of water that had a strangely salty consistency, was secured to the Ragnorak's exit hatch. It read:

"Squall--

We are under attack by a dark sorcerer named Kamen. To defend ourselves, we moved to Fort Condor in anticipation of his next attack.

Don't be worried for us. My brothers are with me, and they can keep me safe. When Kamen is defeated, I will return here to you. Stay here and I'll meet you.

And if you don't return to this place by the time Kamen is defeated... I'll come looking for you.

I left my necklace with Lutz to give in turn to you. I'll come back for it-- you know I will.

I love you.

Ami"

((To Fort Condor))

[Amnesty Lazuli]

A few hours later...

The van pulled up beside the Ragnorak. Ami had a note in her hands, one she was praying she wouldn't have to use. But a few moments of investigation were all she needed to know that yes... the service of this note would be required today.

Squall has still not returned. Lutz still had her necklace. The first note was still exactly where she'd left it.

Ami felt her chest tighten. What if... Shinra's been onto us longer than we knew...? She wanted to cry. If they were watching me for any amount of time, they know I'd go across the world and back again for him. What if... what if THEY...? She couldn't bring herself to even think about it.

She crumpled the old note, leaving the new note on the exit hatch. She loaded Gunmetal into the trunk along with the things salvaged from Fort Condor, and returned to the car, the hollow look in her face telling the story to anyone in the car who happened to look.

The new note read:

"Dear Squall:

My family is in danger. Shinra has found me out. I must go to my home village to rescue them.

If they are holding you hostage, as I suspect, we will meet before this message reaches you. If not, then stay here when you get it. I asked Lutz to stay here with my necklace to give to you, as a sign I intend to return.

I told you I'd never leave you... and though we may be apart for now, in my heart I am with you. I do not break my promises.

I am going to come for you, one way or the other.

In case you didn't know... I love you.

Yours always,

Amnesty"

****

Reno watched her leaving the note through the back car window, his arms around Nikky. He couldn't help feeling a chill. "If I were in her position, I just wouldn't be able to keep going."

Rude grunted. "She's a tough kid. So are you. I just hope you never have to find out how tough."

Reno looked at his partner. "As in how tough I am, or how tough she is?"

Rude restarted the ignition. "Both."

((To Ami's Village --in the Midgar Section-- ))

[lutz]

Lutz grips Ami's neckless,
I made a promise so I am going to keep it
He walks down the ramp off the ship and looks out in the sky, replaying the battle with the Sin in his mind.
What happened to you squall....where are you....
Lutz put the neckless on and tucked it in his shirt.
Your my best friend squall....one of my only friends...I hope your ok...
A whisper faded into Lutz's ear.
Mammon.....Mammon......
Lutz looked around and ran back into the ship, he gave a quick glance outside then close the dock.
Not another Sin....

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Reno landed the copter out by the military surplus. "Yeah, we did steal their car... we owe them something, yo. Everybody pile out!"

Lana was cheering Ami on. "Whoo-hoo! You go, Ami! Get your man!" Ami just smiled and kept her arm around him as she prepared to get out of the helicopter before she got any more Shinra stink on her from it.

Reno got out of the pilot's seat and went to check on Nikky and Rude. "Yo, Squall, I could use some of that cure here... my partner's kinda out of it."

He embraced Nikky, checking her for injuries. "Are you all right? I think you're a good luck charm... twenty Shinra stooges and an exploding building later, you're still the most gorgeous girl alive."

[Squall]

Squall had to supress a laugh, Your mums kinda off putting? Haha oh well, Squall kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her, now that he could move them, This feels like a happy ending! The helicopter touched down and squall hopped out, offering a hand to Ami, " Yeah two seconds!" Squall shouted to reno, " Shes not as gorgeous as you," Squall whispered in her ear, giving her a wink as he walked towards rude. Squall held his hands a couple of inches from Rudes chest, Cure! green energy flew through squall and into Rude. " Wakey wakey!"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

((Lana is actually Ami's sister. Nora is Ami's mom.))

Rude groaned and stirred, suddenly feeling quite better. "I'm gonna nail that son of a..." He opened his eyes. "What the h**l..."

He was in a helicopter. He sat up and looked around-- at the three strangers, at Ami and Squall, and at Reno. "I seem to be slightly behind the times."

Ami climbed back into the copter as the blades stopped rotating. "Rude... I owe you an apology. You told me I was nuts to go against Shinra on my own. You were right... I could have gotten all of us killed." She stared down at her feet.

Rude examined her. "Every kid is allowed to s***w up once."

Ami looked up. "But I'm not--"

"Oh, yes, you are. An exceptional kid, sure. But still a kid. Apology accepted." He got up and left the copter. "Which way to the nearest food vendor? I need food."

Ami smiled as he walked off. She pulled Squall's arms around her. "Happy birthday to me..." she sang softly as she pulled him in, closing her eyes as she touched her lips to his passionately.

Lana rolled her eyes as she unstrapped herself. "And to think I used to call you a prude."

Her mother looked politely away, and her father coughed for her attention.

Ami blushed slightly and pulled away. She'd almost forgotten they were watching... She grinned sheepishly. "Um..."

"You did mention something earlier about proper introductions," her father prompted stiffly.

Ami nodded awkwardly. "Daddy... er, this is Squall Leonheart, and... well, he's the only boy --besides my brothers-- who ever loved me for who I am."

"And speaking of your brothers..." Nora inquired carefully.

Ami hesitated. "They'll be back," she reassured. Especially if Rufus really IS still alive. "Squall, this is my father, Stephen Lazuli, my mother, Nora, and my sister, Lana."

"A pleasure, young man," Stephen intoned with a voice that implied this was anything but. This was his runaway daughter he was thinking about, after all... and heaven only knew where this boy had come from. He spotted the gunblade. "A former SeeD, I take it?" Hundreds of out-of-work SeeDs came to Advent after Shinra collapsed.

Ami winced. This was not going well.

Ami's mother, mercifully, broke in. "So nice to meet you. We've hard the hardest time getting Ami interested in boys."

Ami cringed. "Mom, not that story again..."

"It's funny, sweetheart!" That much was true... Lana was already smothering giggles.

Reno shook his head. With a family like this, no wonder the boys went nuts. "Yo, ladies and gentlemen! We got some ground to cover, so maybe we should get to it, yeah?"

"Right." AMi was all too happy to come up with an excuse to cut off this nightmarish conversation. She retrieved her bike from the back of the copter and did a double take. "Hey, who hotwired my motorcycle?!"

Reno looked away and tried to exude innocence.

****

Less than an hour ago, I would have slit my wrists for them. Now, I think they're gonna make me slit my wrists.

The entire party, on the way back to the Ragnorak, had been treated to many slightly embarrassing reminisces about Ami's childhood, and Squall had been getting suspicious glances from her dad the whole way. Can't live with them, can't live without them.

To escape a recounting of the Edible Feather Incident, she moved forward towards Rude. "So, now that we've got them back... now what? I can't take them home, or Rufus will get his slimy claws on them again."

Rude considered that. "We have to stop at your village anyway to pick up the rest of our party. We can make up our minds on the way."

"If I don't lose mine first," Ami groaned.

"Rufus is the least of our troubles now... he'll wait for just the right time to strike," Rude predicted. "But Tseng... if he survived the blast, he'll stop at nothing to hunt you down. Reno recounted to me the incidents that led to Elena's demise... and Tseng will not take them lightly."

Ami found herself glancing back at Squall. "Were they..."

Rude nodded. "He was not so open in showing it as you or Reno would have been... but he loved Elena, as much as his capacity allowed. His first love... Aerith... was killed by Sephiroth. And now, having seen Elena die by the hand of the Angel's larval form..." Rude shook his head. "Her loss will consume him."

Ami looked sidelong at Rude. He said that like someone who would know firsthand...

Ami dropped back until she was in equal stride with Reno. "Say, uh, what's Rude's story?" Ami asked quietly.

Reno shrugged. "Ancient history, yo. Back before even your oldest brother was in the bad way. Rude joined up Turks, mostly because his dad wanted him to go to college. He was a natural and things went cool for a while, y'know?"

Ami nodded to show she was following.

Reno went on, sounding almost relieved somebody else wanted to hear the story. "Till he met this one chick. Turns out later, she was a spy for AVALANCHE, back when we didn't work on the same side with those guys-- as in, ever. When he found out, and she knew he knew... they never saw each other again. He was never too chatty before, but after he split with her... totally mute. Took, like, a week, just to get him talking again. Chick never even said goodbye, yo."

Ami let this sink in. Still waters really do run deep. "I never would have had an idea."

Reno shrugged. "Most people don't. He never talks about it. Don't try and make him, yo. That is some advice from somebody older and wiser. As in, I've tried it before. Nothing'll yank it out of him-- I got the guy totally plastered once. Still no results."

Ami tried to picture Rude as "totally plastered" and couldn't do it. She dropped back again as her mother wrapped up the feather story to walk with Squall. She managed to keep her head high. "That's a good one, Mom... but I have a better one for you."

And she spent the rest of the journey telling them what had happened since she'd been gone.

Just as she reached the end, describing the meeting between herself and Rufus, they reached the Ragnorak at last. I was starting to think this walk would never end. She set her bike on the kickstand and petted Sunset's chocobo. "Lutz! We're back!" She knocked on the exit hatch. "Open up! We're home!" She smiled back at Squall... I mean that. My home is with you.

[mistervillainman]

Screams... Gunshots... His mother calling his name....

Dimitri bolted upright in his bed, instinctively grabbing the hilt of his gunblade. His pocket computer buzzed insistantly again and he groaned, snatching it off the nightstand and popped it open. There was a new hit contract out... On someone named 15 Prime...

"What kind of name is that?" He said to himself, he almost considered passing, until he saw the price... He raised one eyebrow and nodded, climbing off the uncomfortable matress. He hated this town more than any he'd been in before... Now though, he had a new contract to get him paid and OUT of this hell-hole. He pulled his white collared shirt off the chair, buttoning it up quickly and tieing his flat black tie properly. Then he threw on his trench-coat, grabbed his single black bag and headed out the motel room door, putting his sunglasses over his eyes as he left.

[*~Nikkole~*]

nikky had been all over the place, she wandered back and clung to reno slightly, nuzzling his neck and grinning slightly. ''hey baby, whats up?'' she laughed slightly and yawned.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

He hugged her back. "Thankfully, not you at the moment. When we lost track of you back at the Shinra place, and then the cell phones started buzzing, I gotta admit I went a little nutty..."

"Compared to what?" Ami wisecracked.

He waved her off irritably. "Yeah, and on that note, Ami... remember I said you and brothers owed me?"

Ami nodded, still waiting for Lutz to open the hatch.

Reno looked into Nikky's eyes and tilted her chin towards him. "I think this makes us even."

Ami snorted. "Yeah, about three life-saves later..."

"Hey, I saved four when I bailed you and your brothers, yo. That would make it just about right."

"Whatever..." Ami wandered back to find Squall. "Better get us into the ship before those two start going at it again..." She glanced back and facepalmed. "Too late. I know we do it too sometimes... but those two are just plain PDA junkies."

Reno was demonstrating this at the moment by giving Nikky a kiss on the lips.

Rude sighed. Could they at least wait until we get INSIDE the ship? He realized his shades were cracked and got another pair out of his pocket, just as a realization hit him. "Oh, c**p..."

[*~Nikkole~*]

she laughed slightly and listened to them. she missed all the action up until yazoo found her and took her away. he grinned at him and kissed him back. she wrapped her arms around his eck.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

"Ami, I may need to borrow your bike," Rude groaned. "We forgot the Sacrifice back at the parking complex."

Ami's jaw dropped. "You gotta be kidding me!"

"Afraid not. I realize it's not in my character to leave an expensive piece of machinery lying around--"

"That's not what I was talking about. The last time I left somebody alone with my bike, it was hotwired when I got it back."

****

Reno held her close. "Just how many near-death experiences have we got to deal with together, anyway?" he whispered jokingly, kissing her neck.

[*~Nikkole~*]

she laughed slightly and arched her neck his touch. she grinned. ''not near enough....''