Nibelheim Town

[mistervillainman]

Dimitri looked down the hallway after Reno, he didnt say anything when it happened, but he knew exactly how his wounds had healed... Reno obviously didnt want anyone to know, so he wasnt about to betray them... any more than he had by coming back to the ship.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Rude nodded gravely. "If we don't, the world tears itself apart, and my partner goes with it." He looked at Reno. "There are other worlds... but not too many partners. At least, not too many like him. Thank G**."

Reno gave Rude a half-smile. "Thanks, Rude. I can tell you mean that." He sighed. "How do I explain this to Nikky... She's gotta know something's different, but she can't know I'm in trouble..."

He trailed off. A name began echoing in his mind. He shook his head slightly and rubbed his temples. "Oh, I know I'm gonna regret asking... OK, does the name Aztar ring a bell for anybody here?"

Ami sat in the passenger area. Her ESP was not as acute as Reno's had suddenly become. But she could still feeling something dark inside him. So he's dying... The same disease that kills us all. It's just moving too fast... She waited for the ship to touch down, feeling pale and frightened all of a sudden. Why is all this happening?

Her fists clenched. I want to stop it! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!

[lutz]

Lutz ran that name through his had
Aztar....
and then it came to him...
Aztar!

Lutz: "I know that name but its kinda odd you bring that up you see....the word Aztar is a Maloki word used back in the old ages, I haven't heard that word in awhile because as you can see their are very few Maloki left....but the word Aztar means....God or holy one....I believe...."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Reno's jaw dropped. "Holy one?"

That's got to be the connection...

"This Aztar guy has to be the one who's wrecking the planet..." He was getting a little worked up. "The name got into my head and it wouldn't get out. I think the 'Stream put it there! I think Aztar is the guy we've got to find!" He looked around. "Problem is... I don't know where to start." He began to think. "Come on, come on..." He felt the strange energy pump through him again.

Where is he?

Rude noticed his partner's eyes glowing green...

****

Ami's eyes flickered as a vision broke into her mind...

Her brother and the Martyress in the Medium Space. "Kadaj, you seem troubled."

"D**n straight I'm troubled."

"What's the matter?"

"'What's the matter?' The world is shaking itself apart, thanks to me and mine, that's what's the d**n matter!"

"Kadaj, calm down."

"I can't, I won't, stop asking," he shot back. "I've had it up to my eyelids with calm, OK? I keep going up and talking nice to that d**n Council of yours and they never do a d**n thing!"

"Kadaj, that's not fair. They sent you to watch your sister. They gave you free rein in the Medium Space. They even sent Axel and me to help. What else could you want?"

He sighed and looked away.

The Martyress nodded. "I see. You want the one thing you can't have."

He ran a hand through his hair. "What do you expect? How can a person want something he already has?"

The Martyress looked sharply at him. "I never had a chance to go back to those I loved. I spoke to them and encouraged them, but I only did what was necessary. You seem bent on doing anything you deem MAY be necessary."

He glared back. "Wrong. I'm bent on getting my life back, whether that's necessary or not."

She blinked. "Do you realize what you are saying?"

"Yes," he retorted, "and I don't see how it matters a flaming d**n. Yes, I do like to say that word. D**n, d**n, d**n. Because the whole world is d**ned no matter what I do."

"Kadaj, it can't be..."

"Tell me why not!" he shouted.

[lutz]

Lutz saw the glowing green eyes again and looked at Rude.
We are not doing a good job hiding this from the rest of the group....
He pushed Reno back into the bathroom and sat him down on the toilet seat.

Lutz: "Ya need some meds we will find ya some meds...Rude grab a glass of water for your partner eh."

**********
In the distance andin the dark sky a misty black cloud fallows the ship.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Reno sat on the toilet seat, rocking back and forth in his agitation... "Where, where..." He kept muttering under his breath.

Rude got him the water, but Reno pushed it away.

Mid... Midgar... no... Mid... Middle... Mid... Mideel?

He looked up. "Mideel Town?" He stood up and knocked the water over, spilling it all over the floor. "Mideel Town!"

He looked at Rude. "He's in Mideel... that's where we go."

Rude nodded. Reno turned to Lutz. "The guy is in Mideel Town. We gotta tell the others..." Who can set the autopilot? "We gotta tell Ami..."

He stumbled out of the bathroom and walked up to her, but her flashing eyes stopped him. He felt a strong concentration o the Lifestream centering around her... "Ami?"

He kept the others from getting too close. "She's getting a vision..."

He felt something suspicious not too far behind them. "Guys..." His eyes narrowed again. "I think something's coming."

****

"Because the mortal world is closed to us! Do you think my heart didn't break to see my loved ones grieve for me? That I just stood by benignly and watched my murderer run free... until he was FINALLY captured?" The Martyress was more upset than Kadaj had ever seen her. "We have broken so many rules just to keep you in contact with your sister. Now you want us to turn Death backwards on itself? What next? Where does it stop?"

"I don't know, but it can't stop here--"

"It can, it does, stop asking," she mimicked. "When you are here, you are here to stay. You can never go back."

"Listen--"

"No, YOU listen!" She was shaking now. "You are right, all this IS your family's fault! Do you want to add to what they've done by unraveling what is left of this fragile world, just to satisfy your whims and vanities?"

"Whims and vanities? I threw away my LIFE! I want another chance!"

"You HAVE another chance. And you are within mere inches of blowing it! Don't you understand? I'm not here to be a check on you... I'm here to protect you from what you still don't seem to realize!"

[lutz]

Lutz rushed over fallowing Reno.

Lutz: "Reno wait!..."
Mideel....Makes sense thats close to the entery of the lifestream.
Reno came to a stop clearly wanted anyone who fallowed to hult as well. Lutz understand what was going on it wasn't the first time he seen Ami like this. Lutz nodded at Reno and walked but to his seat. on the way he stopped Rude who was fallowing behind.

Lutz: "Whoa Rude wait...Ami is having a vision its best we all take it easy.."
He patted him on the shoulder and sat down once again getting comfey for another nap.

***********
Reno was picking up something more in his head.

don't worry young one....all will be destoryed soon....evil as consumed the planet the only way to free it is through Chaos...fight fire with fire....what is done in the dark will be brought to the light....

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Reno scoffed and spoke aloud. "Like h**l!"

He realized everyone was staring at him. "Uh... that would require explanation, wouldn't it?" He laughed nervously. "Uh, somebody's trying to hack into my head, see..."

And that's the last time a doofus like you makes a monkey outta me, pal. You wanna destroy this planet, you gotta get through me first.

He looked ruefully at his hands. Unfortunately, that might not be too difficult. All the same, I made a promise... and I'm not breaking it.

There is another way to heal this planet... I know it. Just give it some time...

****

Kadaj tried staring the Martyress down. "What if I decide I'm not taking any more orders from the Council? What are they gonna do? Kill me?"

She stared back and refused to flinch. "No. But your consciousness will return to the Lifestream fully, as it should have at the beginning... and your sister will be left alone."

Kadaj drew back in surprise. This was the first time the Martyress had openly displayed any contempt for him. "As it should have?"

She turned away, suddenly ashamed. "I must admit, I had my own problems when I first came here. I was full of fear and doubt... I thought my prayers had not been answered." She looked back at him. "But I had a new chance to prove myself. That was a blessing no one who has not had it can comprehend. I had no one to depend on..." She sighed. "You don't understand how lucky you are."

Kadaj had never considered that she might have been like him at all once, with flaws or fears. He'd been under the impression that she had always been-- or at least acted-- perfect. His gaze dropped. "You're right..." He sighed. "You're right. I am lucky. But..." He shook his head. "Things can't get worse. I just want to be there and change things."

"In short, what you wanted before."

"This is different... but not by a lot." He backed down. "I know the mortal world is closed to me. That's as it should be. But... can't a person just wonder how it might have been?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes indicating that she had asked the same question. "Yes... a person can."

****

Ami snapped out of it, blinking. "Oy..." She looked around. "Hey, guys... what'd I miss?" She stretched and yawned, thinking she'd been dreaming.

Reno examined her. "What'd you see?"

Ami looked at him. "Uh... what?"

"Never mind." He waved it off. "Look, we gotta get to Mideel."

Ami gaped. "Mideel? What about the Crater? The clones? We're practically there already! We can't go back now, or Shinra wins!"

Reno wanted to protest and explain, but Rude signaled him... You don't want her to know about this, remember?

Reno sighed. "Fine. Clones first, Mideel after." He looked at his hands... still thirty-ish. I've got time.

He sat down in the nearest vacant seat and waited.

[Squall]

Squall sat silently at Amis side, watching her intently. ... I got no Idea what this planets all about?... Why am I here?... *sigh* All I can do is stay by your side. Squall wrapped his hand gently round hers and squeezed her fingers a little * turns and looks at others in the room* dude Rude looks horrible... Wonder whats wrong? Squall decided to bite his lip, he had no idea what was what right now, and he didnt really want to know, situations that felt as bad as this one made him think too much... I need to do something... Sitting around heres doing my head in.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami kicked herself. Reno's life may be in danger, along with the life of the entire planet, and I'm still worrying about those stupid clones?

She watched him sit, feeling like a world-class heel... But we are almost at the cloning facility. Hopefully, this won't take long.

She looked at Squall and smiled. "Hey, love," she whispered to him, snuggling against him. "Sorry if you're a bit behind the times... we've had some issues." She put an arm around him. "I'm sorry about the, uh, flight lesson." She blushed with embarassment.

[Squall]

"Its fine" Squall put an arm round her and rested his head on hers... * laughs a little* " The ship was ok... and so was my face." Squall smiled and looked down at her. " This scar looks pretty cool... who knows? Maybe another one would jazz me up a little more?" Squall sat motionless for a couple of moments, listening to her breathing as his eyes travelled around the people in the room. " Issues?..." he started up suddenly... sounds like trouble

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami took a deep breath. "This is gonna take a while..."

And she ran down the whole story of what had happened since he lost consciousness, from arrival at Wutai to the botched meeting at Nibelheim. ((Check your inbox in a few minutes...))

Breathless at the end, she summed it up for him. "So, between Rufus with the full genetic template, Xima and her abomination, and Aztar s***wing up the Lifestream... this planet is in for a pretty bloody time of it."

She glanced over at Reno. "And it doesn't help that Red isn't in very good shape right now." She leaned on Squall and sighed unhappily. "I feel like we're in the middle of a war... and it just drags on and on." She buried her face in his coat. "At least I have you back with me. There was a time there... I thought I was going to fall apart because you were gone." She clung to him. "So looks like now we have a new batch of brothers to keep from being born... because they won't be so personable as my other ones..."

[Squall]

squall tipped his head back and close his eyes, slowly stroking his thumb down the back of her head. Crap! This planets more messed up than mine!... Weird how were the ones who been dragged in to fix it... Why me again?! *sighs* You thought I was gone?... Ill never leave you... Squall kissed ami on the top of her head and gave her a squeeze... "Thingsll work out..."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami nodded numbly. "They'd better. Or else, we're all going to h**l." She sighed. "Ain't I just a little ray of sunshine?" She relaxed into his touch. "If you think this is bad, you shoulda seen me earlier. I was a wreck."

She turned to him and kissed him on the lips tenderly. "It's times like this I just want to run away with you and let the world shake itself to bits." She closed the kiss again. "But I guess I'm just too stubborn to run away..." She closed her eyes and let herself fall into a deep kiss, embracing him and allowing her words to slip away. I love you...

[Squall]

Squall closed his eyes and fell into the kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around her, sending all his worries drifting away. If only time could stop now. Just for a little while... Squall continued kissing her for what felt like forever. " I wish that could last forever," Squall rested his forhead against hers and stared deep into her eyes. " Which is why we have to save this planet..." Squall wasnt quite sure if the real meaning of what he said was clear. But he didnt wait around to find out, moving in and kissing her passionately again