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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Sept 27, 2007 5:46:08 GMT
"Somebody has to!" Cloud bounded up the steep mountain behind him, Vincent right on their heels.
Loz saw his template getting disturbingly closer. "Oh, s**t--" He began firing away with the Cerberus, trying to slow or halt his brother's advance. Cloud and Vincent were forced to dodge his hail of fire...
Shelke came running to the edge of the cliff and froze in her tracks. Too many conflicting memories were barging into her mind at once... she forced logic to assert itself and ignited her laser daggers again.
Loz kept blasting away. "Shelke, you don't want to mess with this guy. He's out of your league."
"I don't intend to back down," she replied evenly.
"Get back, d**nit!"
****
Kadaj's head felt like it was exploding. He lost his balance and rolled off the Turk with an unceremonius plop. A proverb imposed itself upon his memory.
Truth, virtue, honor... all disappear in the presence of pain...
He realized Tseng was now standing over him and he still had the gun in hand. It was empty, he could tell... but there was no telling if he had more bullets or not. He sprang to his feet, saw stars, and rushed the Turk blindly.
****
The copter door slid open with a bang. A barrage of bolts drove Ami towards shelter behind the trees. Jared peered over his crossbow. "Hurry! She's coming back!"
Ami yanked a bolt out of her arm, and a spurt of blood came with it. She squeezed the bolt in agony, so hard that it snapped.
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Post by mistervillainman on Sept 27, 2007 5:51:33 GMT
Tseng didnt bother trying to reload, no way he'd be able to do it fast enough, he jumped away from Kadaj, bringing the weapon down on his skull once again, taking advantage of his opponent's ONLY weakness...
--------------------------
Sephiroth dodged most of the bullets, ignoring the two that did knick him during his mad dash. Then he was inside the ship, barreling towards the controls. He reached them a moment before Vincent and Cloud reached the entrance to the ship and quickly put his plan into motion... the engines powered up as his opponents entered and Sephiroth was already inside the escape pod as all the bulk-head doors slammed shut, locking airtight.
-------------------------
Rufus pulled his mate into the helicopter with him as fast as possible, his head spinning a bit from the explosion. "Take care of your mother while I get us off the ground!" He shouted, running to the thingpit and starting the engine. "Where is Tseng!?" He damanded.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Sept 27, 2007 6:06:26 GMT
Hope warbled urgently, waving her tiny hands at the window. Jared pointed in the same direction. "He's there!" He bent again to cradle his mother's head as she lay unconscious at his knees.
****
Kadaj almost doubled over... he swiped back ferociously, knocking the gun out of the Turk's hand. He aimed a blow at the henchman's head, but his aim was off and the mark missed by miles...
Ami sprang at him from behind, her right gauntlet extended, curving towards his side. The other, on her wounded arm, was sheathed, dribbling blood.
****
"What in nine h**ls?!" Vincent and Cloud tried to get back out, Vincent's savage claws prying the door open a wedge.
He found Loz on the other side, doing the same. Behind him, Shelke was climbing up the cliff, carrying an unconscious Yazoo on her shoulders. Strong kids...
Firey eye of Chaos met icy eye of Seraph.
Tiamet materialized behind Vincent, invisible to all but Loz. "Warning. Exhaust conveyance redirected to fuel cells."
Loz blinked in confusion. "What the...?"
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Post by mistervillainman on Sept 27, 2007 6:12:26 GMT
There was a moment of silence, then a deafening whirring sound as the engines fired off, igniting the fuel cells they had been re-routed to. A cataclysmic explosion rocked the entire mountain summit, shattering the foundation of the rock that the ship rested on. A great cloud of snow, ice and rock was launched into the air and sent crashing down the mountainside as he Patran ship was swallowed up by a cavity opening in the mountain.
-------------------------
Tseng was thrown off his feet by the explosion, little did he know, it saved his life as Ami's strike passed within mere inches of his neck as he fell. The moment he saw the debris cloud, Tseng swore loudly and scrambled away, sprinting towards the chopper, which was doing a fly-by straight at Ami and Kadaj. As it passed, Tseng leapt up to the landing gear as the copter peeled off of the mountain to clear the deadly explosion aftermath.
---------------------------------
Sephiroth watched from the window of the escape pod as the Patran ship disappeared and as the wall of death descended upon Ami, the triplets and their allies. "See you in hell Cloud... And you sister... I'll see you even sooner..."
(to Unkown location)
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Sept 27, 2007 6:36:14 GMT
Ami and Kadaj dropped flat to the ground as the chopper nearly mowed them down. As the sound of the engines faded, they picked up on another.
A low, menacing rumbling.
They looked slowly up the mountain. Then at each other. Then at the mountain.
"Avalanche," Kadaj said calmly.
"Yeah," Ami replied flatly.
They both screamed and ran.
"BROTHER, I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU DON'T SCREAM!"
"I DO NOW!"
****
Cloud, Loz and Vincent were tossed around inside the ship like ragdolls as it collapsed into the mountain's interior, yelling in rage, surprise, and for their mothers (not necessarily in that respective order).
With a tremendous crash, it hit the mound of rocks and soil at the bottom of the cave and ground to a dead silent stop.
****
Shelke, with Yazoo still balanced on her shoulders, cried out as the earth gave way beneath her. None of her desperate attempts to gain ground could save her as she tumbled into the darkness... she lost her grip on Yazoo, and he flopped down through the rubble like an abandoned toy...
****
Xima stirred slightly in her son's arms. "Jared..."
He slumped with relief. "Mother..."
"Are you all right?"
"I'll survive, mother."
She nodded. "Your sister?"
"She's fine."
She braced herself. "Your father?"
"He's all right."
She relaxed. "And Tseng?"
Jared tensed. "Uh-oh..."
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Post by mistervillainman on Sept 27, 2007 6:41:35 GMT
The door of the chopper slid open and Tseng kicked his feet up to the floor of the copter, clawing his way up inside and collapsing on the floor near Xima's feet. "Reporting for duty..." He said, his head collapsing to the metal floor.
Rufus looked back at Xima, the children and Tseng, sighing with relief. They had almost not made it out of there alive...
A few minutes later, the chopper left the mountain area and Tseng hauled himself to the pilot's chair to allow Rufus to rejoin his family. "Rest now everyone... We're on our way home." He said as the Mansion came into view in the distance. It was still a wreck, a mere shell of it's former glory... But soon people would respect the name Shinra again.
(to Shinra Mansion)
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Post by Sin on Sept 27, 2007 22:21:04 GMT
Sin grabbed Yazzo as he tumbled past him, having decided to enter the ship after Tseng had that fun little grenade. His arms were aching, as he held onto the metal without claws. He pulled yazoo onto his back, and started his way to the others, slipping on the odd bit of loose sliding metal. He had managed to get his eyes to transform, but that was it at the moment. He finally got to Shelke, and dropped Yazoo. "Where is Vincent and Cloud, Yuffie, Loz, Ami and Kadaj, and the others?"
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 8, 2007 0:30:29 GMT
Ami and Kadaj kept running, but Ami was unable to keep up with her stronger brother. He skidded to a stop and slung her over the nearest convienient shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Hanging on helplessly, she could only watch the debris tumbling down the rock face. It grew bigger and bigger as it picked up boulders, loose soil, and the odd tree. Nor did it show any signs of slowing down... And worse, she could tell her brother was having a hard time of it. His breathing was getting more and more labored...
****
Vincent was the first one who had the nerve to open his eyes after the last echoes of the devastation rumbled away. "Roll call."
A chorus of groans answered him.
Painfully, he rose, and almost slipped on the now blood-spattered surface of the Tiamet's interior. A pang on his cybernetic arm called for attention... it was bleeding where flesh met metal. A jolt of realization hit him.
He climbed up the slanted floor and began prying at the door again. "Shelke!"
Loz felt a very big bump on its head, and deduced from its size that he'd be better off not getting up just yet. "No use, Vincent. We can't open it up without Ami--"
He wasn't listening.
****
Faintly, Shelke heard Vincent's voice calling her. "Does that answer your question?" she quipped dryly.
She put out her arms to push herself up and nearly crumpled, gasping in pain. She glanced down at her left arm. Covered in scratches, and bent at an odd angle. "Broken." She sighed and glanced at the gaping hole above them.
"Volcanic," a voice murmured from below her. Her head pivoted around to find its source. Yazoo blinked up at the opening, squinting at the light pouring in through it. "Apparently, this mountain is composed almost entirely of volcanic rock. This chamber is one enormous magma bubble."
Shelke nodded. "Wutai is a volcanic island. This mountain has been extinct for thousands of years."
Yazoo nodded. "Dormant, hmm?" He took a deep breath. "Funny. I could swear I smell sulfuric gases."
Shelke paused, almost nervously, surverying the wreckage. She turned to Sin. "You are the only one among us still physically fit enough to climb out of this cavern. Retrieve medical help and a transport--"
"Reno," Yazoo interrupted. He glanced at Shelke. "Our resident healer. And one of the few who wouldn't have my brothers shot on sight."
Shelke blinked and tilted her head. "Reno... Reno Lea? Department of Administrative Research, issue number 20411?"
"Formerly."
"He was discharged?"
"If you mean 'fired', yes."
Shelke's face remained emotionless. "Turks are either discharged or terminated. They are not, as you say, 'fired'."
Yazoo chuckled. "Why do you think he's working with us?"
****
Down below, in the village, Reno and Rude were having some beer at the Inn, keeping an eye on the surrounding vicinity for suspicious activities. "Wonder what's taking them so long, yo?"
Rude grunted agreement, staring into his beer glass.
Reno's ear picked up on a loud, distant noise. "Hear that, partner?"
Rude grunted again and got up to check it out.
The distant avalanche was visible even at this distance. "S**t."
****
After prodding at the walls, Cloud finally slumped back against one of the stasis tubes. "D**n. This place is sealed tight."
Loz was poking at the nerve center computer. A rupture in one of the nodes had rendered it temporarily silent, but he watched with child-like curiosity as it regenerated itself before his eyes. "Wow..."
Vincent paused, still clawing away at the door and making little significant impact. "What is it?"
"This computer..."
Vincent gave it a closer look. "Organic information registry. Shinra had a few departments dedicated to this kind of technology, but this is lightyears ahead of anything they ever managed to come up with."
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Post by Sin on Oct 9, 2007 14:48:29 GMT
Sin nodded. "Okay, I will go, but not right now. I am going to get you two out onto a safer bit of ground, and then I am going to search through and find the others still trapped in here. Now let's hope I can control this transformation..." He said, taking off the jacet and concentrating on getting hsi claws back.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 9, 2007 23:04:09 GMT
"No time, Sin," Yazoo said sharply. "The best thing you can do right now is GET HELP."
Shelke intervened. "We are perfectly safe where we are. In fact, it would be unsafe to attempt moving Yazoo any further. His injuries are notably extensive-- in fact, there is a high likelihood that if he does not get attention quickly, he may not survive." Especially considering how much he has been bumped and jostled and flung about already. "As for the others, they are trapped inside that starcraft." She pointed to the entry hatch-- a boulder kept it pinned shut. "It's as safe in there as any location out here. The vessel's life support system will ensure their survival until the stone can be moved." She tilted her head. "However, if you don't plan to use that outer garment..." She took it and laid it over Yazoo. "This will prevent him going into shock--"
She accidentally touched his ribcage as she laid the jacket over him. He abruptly winced, and his fists tightened. "Sin..." He looked up at the boy. "You'd... better hurry."
His eyes were trying to roll back. Shelke shook his shoulder, and Yazoo gasped in pain. "Not now," she ordered harshly. She turned to Sin. "He can't stay conscious much longer. Go now."
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Post by Sin on Oct 10, 2007 2:17:40 GMT
Sin growled and nodded, hunching over suddenly. HE came back panting, his arms bleeding as spikes protruded from them made of his bone. "Not exactly what I hoped, but this will help..." He panted out, using them to climb upwards out of the ship. He rolled out of the opening, and stumbled his way down towards the town.
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Post by Ami on Oct 10, 2007 5:15:42 GMT
Cloud had just finished improvising some rough bandages for his wounds when he noticed something disturbing. "I REALLY don't think that's a good idea..."
Loz was tinkering with the organic computer. "Maybe I can make it let us out."
Vincent had given up clawing the door and was searching the manual consoles for a hatch release. "Be patient. There must be a control here somewhere..."
He was deaf to all but Tiamet, who chirruped away calmly in his memetic centers. "Insufficient data. Enter further query or seek out described signal."
"What signal?"
Vincent eyed the bulky Remnant before him. "Loz, who are you talking to?"
No reply. Vincent glanced at Cloud.
Cloud returned the glance with a look that said, "Yes, he has definitely gone absolutely wrong in the head."
****
Kadaj and Ami finally managed to veer out of the avalanche's path. He stumbled to a stop and put her down before going into a dazed waver.
She steadied him and helped him sit down. "Kadaj? What--"
"Y'she r'mach hemo..."
"What?" He's going delirious or something! She glanced down and gasped at the sight of the gaping wound on his leg. "You're bleeding... you'e bleeding everywhere..."
He looked up at her, dazed. "Like I said."
Ami felt ice creep through her veins. She pulled off her coat and tied it tightly just above the wound. "Stay here. I'm getting help soon as the landslide stops."
He winced and groaned. "You'll never make it..."
"I have to try."
He sighed and shivered. "Please, don't." He shifted his weight. "Y'morte... n'destre... favre..." He shuddered and curled up. "Asak'aa..."
For a moment, Ami was torn. But when he curled into himself like that, her mind was made up. She got down to the ground beside him and pulled him to her, trying to keep him warm. "If you die, I'll kill you." She got his coat off and wrapped it up so it kept the warmth between the two of them from escaping. "I need you now. I can't do this... 'Matron' thing... alone."
He was muttering incoherently... "What?"
"Thank you..."
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 10, 2007 21:17:27 GMT
((Glossary break!
Kadaj, in his pain and shock, has reverted to speaking Seraphii instead of Lengua [the standard language of characters in the Final Fantasy universe]. A quick translation for the non-fluent:
Y'she r'mach hemo = I've lost too much blood.
Y'morte = I'm dying. [He's exaggerating.]
N'destre = Don't leave.
Favre = Please.
Asak'aa = Mothers [or Matrons].))
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Post by Sin on Oct 10, 2007 22:03:35 GMT
Sin continued his way downin in the wake of the avalanch, improvising with a fallen log to make a sled. He was riding it down, going faster then he could have normally in the soft snow, but the ride was likely to break something with how rough it was. Sin ended being thrown from the craft after a small bend came, and he rolled off of a hidden cliff. He landed with a grunt, stuck up to his shoulders in the pile up of snow. He sturggled through it, trying to free himself. A little ways below him he spied Ami and Kadaj. "Ami!" He called out, giving one last grunt and breaking free of the snow around his arms. He hauled himself up out of the snow, suddenly wishing he had his jacket. He shivered, but made his way to them while avoiding the soft areas surrounding them. He found a frozen tree that had tipped in the avalanch, slidding as he walked down the length of it towards Ami. "Ami... Kadaj.." He said, warming himself up. "Shelke and Loz, Vincent, Cloud, and Yazoo are all still trapped in the ship. There is a volcanic bubble encasing them. Loz... He is unconscious, Shelke has a broken arm, and Cloud, Vincent, and Yazoo are all trapped in one of the rooms."
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Oct 19, 2007 3:19:45 GMT
Ami barely even noticed he was there. She was too busy keeping Kadaj alive.
He stirred. "Sin, is that...?"
Ami finally met his gaze. "Go get us help!" she begged. "A doctor, a Heal potion, anything!"
****
Shelke tried to keep Yazoo comfortable. "Sin will return at any moment. Please remain conscious." She looked him in the eyes. "Please."
He had lost coherence and kept muttering one word over and over. It sounded like a name, or maybe a codeword... "Yazoo, focus. Tell me, what is Fituna?"
****
"Loz, snap out of it," Cloud insisted. "There is no mature and rational way to say this, so I'll just go ahead and say it... it looks like that computer is about to tentacle rape you."
With the tendrils reaching out to clasp his hand, it certainly seemed that way, but he was too dazzled by the memetic display to react. "Shiny..."
"Forget it, we've lost him," Cloud sighed, exasperated.
Vincent halted him. "Wait. I think he may just be on to something."
Cloud warded off shock. "You're kidding, right?"
Loz sharply gasped as the tendrils constricted around his fingers-- not because they were cutting off his circulation or anything that simple, but because of the images the direct link was showing him... even if he didn't fully understand them, he knew it meant something really big... really important... and maybe even really scary...
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